Other titles:MINISTRY OF TECHNOLOGY COLLECTION [Allocated Series Title]
Summary: Instructional film about the development of cameras fitted to aircraft and their use for intelligence purposes.
Description: “The importance of Air Photography may be judged from the fact that Air Photographs now represent 80% of the Intelligence we receive from enemy countries. In these days no Commander would move his forces without first exploring the enemy's territory by means of this new method. An important role demanding the best of pilots and aircraft and the finest photographic equipment.” Testing lenses for defects in the Optical Section for RAF cameras. Description of F24 camera developed before the Second World War. 5X5” pictures on a roll of film 56' long. Development of high altitude cameras and lenses to overcome enemy flak range. F52 an enlarged version of the F24. (7.5x8.5” pictures for damage assessment) Installation of dual cameras for greater area coverage. Rearward facing cameras for assessing effects on targets. Type 35 control described. G45 gun camera described. Night photography using flash bombs to light up target at same time as bomb released. FX505 described. Hand processing tanks proved inadequate for the thousands of films shot. Machines developed to automate the process managing to develop 500 frames an hour. Requirement for mobile film development. High speed photography.
Alternative Title:MINISTRY OF TECHNOLOGY COLLECTION [Allocated Series Title]
Production Details: Royal Aircraft Establishment (Production sponsor)
Photographic Division of the Royal Aircraft Establishment (Production company)
Snagge, John (Production individual)
Jonas, Lewis G. (Production individual)
