Viewing page 71 of 307

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[printed across photo: V-1165 (US 423/537) 6 June 44 (F/12)11 IOPG (800?01-10B)
Compact D-2 Aids K-29 Camera Handling
By MAJ. A.S. KENYON, Photographic Laboratory and CAPT. W.R. SANDERSON
Associated Equipment Section
[/printed across photo]]

Recon planes fly low, photograph ETO territory at night. K-29 camera, a combination of K-19B, -17A, and -12, uses electric discharge flashing lamp unit instead of parachute flares or flash bombs. Momentary flash makes it tough for enemy anti-aircraft to spot plane. T.O. 10-1-139 on D-2 lamp will be issued.

1. Compact unit eases handling: Mounted on low dolly, 6 condensers,

2 inverters, transformers, and rectifiers boost plane's 24 v d-c system to 4000 v. Bomb Hoist and shackle connections are on dolly.

2. Unit installed in A-20J. Camera window accommodating 12 [[?]]lens is cut aft of rear escape hatch.

3. Two in, aluminum channel is bolted in A-20J bomb bay. D-2 lamp is positioned with hoist; weight sustained on wood cross pieces lessens vibration.

4. Connected to plane's 24 v system, K-29 camera is mounted on wooden structure aft of rear escape hatch.

5. Keep mirror-like parabolic reflector, 30 in. dia., 2 ft deep, free of dirt and foreign material.
GE- FT-617

6. Carefully clean Xenon-filled quartz flash tube with alcohol; allow to dry before flashing D-2. Finger prints on specially constructed bulb cause chemical reaction, result in breakage.

7. Shutter modification permits synchronizing camera and D-2 lamp.

8. Check synchronization with strobotac; drop type V or VII contrast
2 Photo paper flat in case above shutter leaves with both lens cells Trip shutter; single strobotac flash fogs circular area.

9. Process paper, check pattern; circle touches all 5 leaves when synchronized. To adjust, shift contact base about pivot screw. Bend contact spring only if slotted adjustment is insufficient.

10. At any desired sta. on plane, mount remote control panel; mount wheel switch for pilot. Green light flashes automatically every 2 sec if held ON, indicates condensers are charged for operation.

^[[I helped to install this into the bomb bay of a B-17. I flew that night. See story]] [[arrow pointing to next note on yellow paper]]

[[note on yellow paper]]
My first flight in an Army Air Corps airplane was in a B-17G bomber at night on February 26, 1945. I was in my first week of aerial photography school at Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado. They had asked several of my classmates and me to help install a large electronic flash,  pictured at the left, into the bomb bay of the B-17. After we had hoisted and secured it to the bomb rack, one of the guys picked up the grounding cable to fasten it to the fuselage. As he touched the bolt, with an insulated screwdriver in the slot, to the plane it sparked and welded the cable, bolt, and screwdriver to the plane. Someone had forgotten to discharge the 4,000 volts in the capacitors when they last used the unit. ^[[We just broke the screwdriver off!]]

Because we had done the installation, we got to make the first flight that evening. We took off and flew at 800 feet over the city of Denver for an hour and a half. We took turns operating the vertical camera, flying alternately down Broadway and Colfax. It was a beautiful sight! Each time the camera was tripped the brilliant flash made a loud bang as it illuminated the city below. This flash unit had been designed to replace the traditional magnesium parachute flares dropped to take aerial photographs. Electronic flash was unheard of at that time except for scientific use, so the public was startled to see brilliant flashes coming from an airplane. After we landed we heard that the base telephone switchboard was overloaded with calls reporting a bomber exploding.
[/note on yellow paper]]