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By: - 4th December 2015 at 23:14 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I've spent the last 8 years watching RAF Gun Camera film for the IWM and bought a G.45 to get an idea of the gear it was all shot on.
The G.45 was used in the likes of the Spitfire, Hurricane, Tempest, Typhoon, Mosquito and also after the war into the 'jet age'.
I believe the early ones were painted a blue/grey colour - I have one in a black crackle finish.
As a 'reference' point my G.45 serial number is 61296M which, I suspect, makes it a late model so probably from something "jetty"...
The short lens contains a heating element to keep the lens clear at altitude - you should be able to unscrew the lens 'cap' end see the heater element. Be careful as the element is fragile and easily broken. There is a fold down 'handle' which allows the removal of the heater element unit (it has two long prong connectors to provide power to the element).
I was told many were bought after the war by amateur film makers and used for time lapse photography.
Here is mine -
I have the wiring diagram and a PDF copy of A.P 1355B.
By: - 5th December 2015 at 00:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I've spent the last 8 years watching RAF Gun Camera film for the IWM...
Is there that much film still in existence then?
Personally, I find gun-camera film fascinating. Incredible really, when you think about it; actual film footage of combat as it happened. Do you mind me asking why you've been looking through the IWM footage?
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By: - 5th December 2015 at 01:12 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
IWM was given a load of gun camera film which needed accessioning and it coincided with me starting at Duxford as a volunteer, so I "got the job". Started the project in 2006 and spent one or two days a week at DX and last reels were watched in June this year.
A lot of the footage you may see on TV programmes tends to be the same stuff. So a lot is pretty unique.
Highlight for me was meeting Tony Cooper 64 Sqn as a result of 'research' and him viewing his own combat film from 1944…
Other "discoveries" included strafing of the B-24 Jolly Duck - http://warbirdskies.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=jolly+duck
Paddy Finucanes penultimate mission film - http://warbirdskies.blogspot.co.uk/2009/03/paddy-finucane-penultimate-mission.html
Possible "friendly fire" incident involving F/O James Flood 421 Sqn - http://warbirdskies.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/fo-james-flood-421-squadron-mystery.html
A family friends father flew Spitfires with 602/485/322 and found some footage of him in action too - http://warbirdskies.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=niven
And of course my flight this summer in MJ627, an aircraft I'd viewed film of in action while flown by P/O Bregman of 441 Sqn, claiming a 109 in September 1944...
By: - 5th December 2015 at 21:37 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thank you for the info! My camera is blue-grey, and the low serial number suggests it is an older model. I don't have the film cartridge though, so mine is empty inside. According to the plate on the side, it has also been modified, although I'm not sure how. And it still has an intact heating element behind the lens :).
Do you know if there is any way to narrow down what type of plane it might have been used on, or were these cameras used interchangeably on the planes you mentioned? It's just for interest, I think it's amazing that this camera might have been through the war. The films you've been watching sound fascinating too.[ATTACH=CONFIG]242379[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]242380[/ATTACH]
By: - 5th December 2015 at 21:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Aircraft voltage may help, as the Spit was I believe 12 volt, that may negate it being fitted to them.
By: - 5th December 2015 at 22:03 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I know it's not to do with aviation, but I thought I'd share some pictures of another camera in my collection - the Vest Pocket Kodak. This camera is metal cased and was intended for use by soldiers in WW1, and it also came with a stylus so that a note could be added to the image, to record where the image was taken. I don't know anything about the history of my particular camera, but I think it's amazing that it could have gone through the war.
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By: - 5th December 2015 at 23:27 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
It looks in good condition. Most of the blue/grey ones I've seen tend to be well worn.
Not sure what the Mod code is for. As for the type it was used in, I doubt you'll be able narrow down to the type of aircraft.
By: - 6th December 2015 at 09:52 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Morning All
A great source of gun camera footage can be found on the Pathe website. The content is predominantly American European Theatre black and white, edited with titles at the beginning of each roll. I've spent hours looking at this stuff, and found extraordinary images of amongst others a force landed B17 being strafed, Mistel combinations being shot down, and chillingly a friendly fire attack on a Mosquito.
ST
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By: - 6th December 2015 at 10:41 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Sealand,
The story behind the strafing of the B-24 "The Jolly Duck" was interesting once I'd identified the aircraft - check the links to B24net in my blogpost (no monetary gain from clicks or hits unlike some…)
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By: metsa103 - 4th December 2015 at 21:42
Hello! I have recently bought a cine camera of the type that were used in WW2 as gun cameras. I'm hoping to find out if it is from WW2, what type of plane it would have been on, and anything else I can find out about it. If anyone can help me, or direct me to where I can find out some more info, I'd be very grateful!
The camera is a G.45, 24 volts with the short lens type. The reference number on the camera is 14A/1390, the reference on the lens is 14A/1399 and the serial number on both the camera and the lens is 13670. The power connection is at the rear of the camera. Inside where the film would go is the reference number 14A/1441.
Thanks for any help!