B-25 straffing camera

[jea-baptiste]

Good morning,

I am looking for more specific photos and information on the type of cameras used on the B-25 Mitchells .

Here are the photos I found...

 

thank you very much in advance

 

Jb

 

[Finn]

Here is some info on B-25 cameras:

 

 

 

 

Just search K-24 camera to find images of it. Most likely they used mirrors and lenses for the external housing.

 

Jari 

[72modeler]

I don't believe that the K-24 camera illustrated and described in the operating manual posted is the same one being asked about by the poster; as it is much too far aft to be the one in the manual, and appears to be completely external, unlike the mount illustrated in the manual. I think it might be a strike camera used to photograph results of very low level bombing and/or strafing, like the period footage of parafrag bombs being used in the PTO. I have the William  Wolf book on the B-25, and I will look to see if there is any ,mention of a camera that fits the description of the one posted in the period photos.

Mike

 

After reading the section on cameras in the William Wolf book, B-25 Mitchell- the Ultimate Look, there are photos, diagrams, and descriptions of the K-24 camera, its mounts, and controls, which was the only camera listed. The K-24 was mounted internally and did not protrude outside of the fuselage, so it can't be the one labeled in the  photos supplied  by the poster. I am guessing that the camera is a strike or bomb damage assessment camera, and since there is  no bombardier's station in any of the posted photos, I am thinking that this camera had to be operated either by the pilot, who would have salvoed the bombs -, or one of the waist gunners. There was also a gun camera- AN-N-4 or N-6, that was fitted either in the nose or at the pilot's station  for those B-25's that had the factory 75mm cannon or solid 8-gun strafer nose, and the housing looks very similar to the one in the supplied photos- perhaps that camera was adapted to take photos behind the aiircraft Best I can do- sorry!

 

 

[Drop Bear]

I have a book "The Battle of the Bismarck Sea" by Michael Veitch which includes accounts of the early field design and implementation of B-25's nose armament (by Pappy Gunn, endorsed by Gen Kenney), and then the work done to devise and perfect skip bombing as well as the rediscovery of para frag bombs.  It's a great story.  No photos of, nor any mention of strike cameras though 😔 

 

If we assume these cameras were designed and implemented as part of the skip/parafrrag program you can probably assume they were designed, fitted, trialled and tweaked in the field.  As I understand it most of this program was initially performed in North Queensland Australia.  That will likely mean there's probably little formal documentation.  The solid strafer nose was a factory job, designed and built well after the conversions you can see in the above photos, and after North American had initially advised the configuration was unworkable........ 

 

I hope this helps you in your search......

[Chuck1945]

There was mention of a strike camera in Warpath Across the Pacific about the 345 BG in the SWPA. It has been at least 30 years since I read it so I don’t remember any details other than it was apparently a local development and triggered by bomb release, probably with a second or two delay. 

[don f]

In the B-25C1/D1 strafer aircraft, a gun, or guns were often installed in the rear of the aircraft after removing the observer's dome.  Machine guns, .30 caliber, were often installed in the open windows in the side of the aft fuselage.  I cannot remember where I obtained the images below. They show one type of installation of the cameras just aft of the crew boarding hatch.

 

Don

 

 

 

[jea-baptiste]

On 2/17/2024 at 4:22 AM, don f said:

In the B-25C1/D1 strafer aircraft, a gun, or guns were often installed in the rear of the aircraft after removing the observer's dome.  Machine guns, .30 caliber, were often installed in the open windows in the side of the aft fuselage.  I cannot remember where I obtained the images below. They show one type of installation of the cameras just aft of the crew boarding hatch.

 

Don

 

 

 

Great!!!! This is exactly what I'm looking for... Many thanks

[BS_w]

On 2/17/2024 at 4:22 AM, don f said:

 

 

 

 

It's Bell & Howell type A-3:

 

 

 

 

Electric motor driven

Edited February 18 by BS_w