Combat Aerial Photography

[cyberia]

Ever wonder where, other than gun cameras, a lot of the great aerial combat film came from?

Blue 10, an FW 190A-8 of 4th Staffel JG26 piloted by Wolfgang Rose

In the baggage compartment is photographer Lt. Helmut Menge



Rose gives Menge some last minute instructions before take off

Menge was killed photographing combat on June 10, 1944. Rose was killed 17 days later

[cyberia]

Shortly before his death, Lt. Menge about to install an underwing camera on a fighter

Tongue in cheek the camera's metal case is lettered "Not A Bomb"

[cyberia]

An American aerial combat photographer at work




Last minute check on a gun camera for an American fighter

[Horch]

Originally Posted by cyberia

Shortly before his death, Lt. Menge about to install an underwing camera on a fighter

Tongue in cheek the camera's metal case is lettered "Not A Bomb"

It's good someone was able to take their picture also. Those photo guys took a lot of chances too!

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Horch

It's good someone was able to take their picture also. Those photo guys took a lot of chances too!

I was thinking the same thing, Horch. Somewhere in my books I have the final frame taken by an American cameraman before a mortar round killed him. The shot is of a brilliant orange flash. No doubt the last thing he saw in life.

[Tom Houlihan]

Originally Posted by cyberia

Somewhere in my books I have the final frame taken by an American cameraman before a mortar round killed him. The shot is of a brilliant orange flash. No doubt the last thing he saw in life.

There's another one quite like that from the naval war. The photo is of a bomb hitting a carrier's flight deck. Impressive photo, but the photographer was killed.

[cyberia]

Here's to those who brought us all the great photos...Prosit!

[Horch]

Agreed!!

[Horch]

Perhaps a little off the topic of WW2 photographers, I saw a video a few yrs. back where a team of skydivers were being photo'd by a fellow diver with a helmet cam. It showed him filming the rest and then looking down at the ground a couple of times. No more was shown.......he forgot to put his chute on!

[Geek44]

Originally Posted by cyberia

An American aerial combat photographer at work




Last minute check on a gun camera for an American fighter

The aircraft here is a P-39 from the position of the exhaust stubs and the 'sit' of the aircraft suggests a nose wheel. The white exhaust staining is quite distictive. From an aircraft modeller's point of view, this is an excellent pic showing that the finish is not matt by any means. Thanks Paul. Wish I'd seen this pic a couple of months ago.