A Question about Gun Cameras

[ReeferGuy]

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How do gun cameras work?

Are there films of EVERY kill?




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=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0ReeferGuy
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=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0USMC-FDNY




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[Keith Willshaw]

"ReeferGuy" > wrote in message
...



> 2333on1/2


> How do gun cameras work?


On WW2 aircraft it was a cheap and cheerful 16mm
camera that operated when the gun button was pressed

http://www.classiccamera.org/spitfire%20gun%20camera.htm

> Are there films of EVERY kill?

Sometimes cameras failed or the film got wet
or simply not loaded in the scramble to re-arm
and refuel so the answer must be no.

Keith



..

[Brendan Grace]

When you press the trigger the first detent activates the camera, the second
fires weapons. When the trigger is released
usually it continues for another short predetermined period of time.
Nowadays with video tape recorders there is a
continuous video of the flight. Much better system.

Brendan


"ReeferGuy" > wrote in message
...



2333on1/2


How do gun cameras work?

Are there films of EVERY kill?




ReeferGuy
USMC-FDNY




..

[Mark]

Even with video the duration of the flight sometimes exceeds the length of
the available tape, so still need to do some on/off drill. Sometimes it's
forgotten.

Soon, if not already, will no doubt move to tapeless video (with some sort
of flash memory). Anyone know??

Mark


"Brendan Grace" > wrote in message
...
> When you press the trigger the first detent activates the camera, the
second
> fires weapons. When the trigger is released
> usually it continues for another short predetermined period of time.
> Nowadays with video tape recorders there is a
> continuous video of the flight. Much better system.
>
> Brendan
>
>
> "ReeferGuy" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>
>
> 2333on1/2
>
>
> How do gun cameras work?
>
> Are there films of EVERY kill?
>
>
>
>
> ReeferGuy
> USMC-FDNY
>
>
>
>
> .
>
>

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: A Question about Gun Cameras
>From: "Keith Willshaw"
>Date: 1/22/04 1:34 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>
>"ReeferGuy" > wrote in message
...
>
>
>
>> 2333on1/2
>
>
>> How do gun cameras work?
>
>
>On WW2 aircraft it was a cheap and cheerful 16mm
>camera that operated when the gun button was pressed
>
>http://www.classiccamera.org/spitfire%20gun%20camera.htm
>
>> Are there films of EVERY kill?
>
>Sometimes cameras failed or the film got wet
>or simply not loaded in the scramble to re-arm
>and refuel so the answer must be no.
>
>Keith


These cameras were known as GSAP's that stood for Gun Sight Aiming Point
cameras.The 16mm film was magazine fed And while they might not have been 100%
perfect (what is?) I very rarely heard a complaint from anyone that their
cameras were not working.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Dave Eadsforth]

In article >, Keith Willshaw <keithNoSp
> writes
>
>"ReeferGuy" > wrote in message
...
>
>
>
>> 2333on1/2
>
>
>> How do gun cameras work?
>
>
>On WW2 aircraft it was a cheap and cheerful 16mm
>camera that operated when the gun button was pressed
>
Fairly cheap and cheerful - the lens housing incorporated a heating
element to prevent condensation, and the mechanism was a bit more
reliable. There were seven electrical contacts to the G45, and the
mechanism worked by one impulse advancing a film frame and cocking the
shutter and another to trip the shutter, thus making for a good exposure
on each frozen frame.

The film stock used was single perforation - now that was a cheap
option...

>http://www.classiccamera.org/spitfire%20gun%20camera.htm

(Thanks for pointing out that site, Keith - nice one!)
>
>> Are there films of EVERY kill?
>
>Sometimes cameras failed or the film got wet

The magazines were very tightly made - was it condensation that caused
this?

>or simply not loaded in the scramble to re-arm
>and refuel so the answer must be no.

And did Chiefie let that happen more than once ;-)

>
>Keith
>
Cheers,

Dave

--
Dave Eadsforth

[Keith Willshaw]

"Dave Eadsforth" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, Keith Willshaw <keithNoSp
> > writes
> >

> >
> >Sometimes cameras failed or the film got wet
>
> The magazines were very tightly made - was it condensation that caused
> this?
>

Who knows but I have seen at least one letter in which a pilot
was bitching about it :)

> >or simply not loaded in the scramble to re-arm
> >and refuel so the answer must be no.
>
> And did Chiefie let that happen more than once ;-)
>

I suspect in Kent in 1940 the answer might be yes

Keith

[Dave Eadsforth]

In article >, Keith Willshaw <keithNoSp
> writes
>
>"Dave Eadsforth" > wrote in message
...
>> In article >, Keith Willshaw <keithNoSp
>> > writes
>> >
>
>> >
>> >Sometimes cameras failed or the film got wet
>>
>> The magazines were very tightly made - was it condensation that caused
>> this?
>>
>
>Who knows but I have seen at least one letter in which a pilot
>was bitching about it :)
>
>> >or simply not loaded in the scramble to re-arm
>> >and refuel so the answer must be no.
>>
>> And did Chiefie let that happen more than once ;-)
>>
>
>I suspect in Kent in 1940 the answer might be yes
>
>Keith
>
>
True...true

Cheers,

Dave

--
Dave Eadsforth