Thank you to John D. Bower from Boulder, Colorado for contacting the NASFL Museum and for shipping a WWII Volt Torpedo Camera in mint condition. It was donated to the Museum and it will be on display.
Vought-Solar Aircraft Torpedo Camera Type 1: It is in original condition, except that lens heating wires were removed by him, thinking that it would take better pictures. The camera film is standard 120; it is spooled on longer backing paper to account the width of the horizontal size of the negative. The box contains the camera, accessories as well as an instruction manual. The Vought-Solar came in two non-interchangeable models, either 12 or 24 volts. The voltage of each camera was marked clearly on a large side plate. The Navy Torpedo Camera is a motorized panoramic camera, fitted with a louvre shutter, shooting 7-inch wide negatives to document aerial torpedo attacks (from launch to impact). It was manufactured for the Navy by Russell Vought Co, a division of Solar Aircraft Co , San Diego, CA, USA from 1943 to 1944. Burke & James bought many of these surplus converting them to panoramic cameras for general civilian use. They were marketed under the name Panoram.
Camera for Air Combat Documentation (Gun Sight Aiming Point camera): The purpose of this camera was to determine the results of a Squadron's torpedo attack. The camera was attached to the aircraft and bore-sighted with the aircraft’s line of flight. When the torpedo was released, the camera was simultaneously electrically fired. The camera produced 2¼"x 7¼" negatives on rolls of specially spooled 120 film. Photographs could be analyzed to determine target identification, and to see if a torpedo hit had been made on the target. These cameras were also used in training to check pilot technique without having to fire a live torpedo. When the plane made a run on a ship the picture was taken. They were able to tell if the pilot in training would have sunk the ship from the picture.
Thank you so much John Bower, for your generosity!
Vought-Solar Aircraft Torpedo Camera Type 1: It is in original condition, except that lens heating wires were removed by him, thinking that it would take better pictures. The camera film is standard 120; it is spooled on longer backing paper to account the width of the horizontal size of the negative. The box contains the camera, accessories as well as an instruction manual. The Vought-Solar came in two non-interchangeable models, either 12 or 24 volts. The voltage of each camera was marked clearly on a large side plate. The Navy Torpedo Camera is a motorized panoramic camera, fitted with a louvre shutter, shooting 7-inch wide negatives to document aerial torpedo attacks (from launch to impact). It was manufactured for the Navy by Russell Vought Co, a division of Solar Aircraft Co , San Diego, CA, USA from 1943 to 1944. Burke & James bought many of these surplus converting them to panoramic cameras for general civilian use. They were marketed under the name Panoram.
Camera for Air Combat Documentation (Gun Sight Aiming Point camera): The purpose of this camera was to determine the results of a Squadron's torpedo attack. The camera was attached to the aircraft and bore-sighted with the aircraft’s line of flight. When the torpedo was released, the camera was simultaneously electrically fired. The camera produced 2¼"x 7¼" negatives on rolls of specially spooled 120 film. Photographs could be analyzed to determine target identification, and to see if a torpedo hit had been made on the target. These cameras were also used in training to check pilot technique without having to fire a live torpedo. When the plane made a run on a ship the picture was taken. They were able to tell if the pilot in training would have sunk the ship from the picture.
Thank you so much John Bower, for your generosity!
