OK folks, this is a mystery.
What I have here is a "Camera, Still Picture, Type KB-16A." A google search for this camera finds precisely one hit, an eBay sale in England a few years back. Went for a lot more than I'm asking.
What is it? An aerial camera made by Gordon Enterprises, Hollywood, for the US Air Force in the 1950s. It was apparently made to be mounted in an airplane because it has a nifty sticker saying "flight direction" and an arrow pointing "this way."
It has a 76mm/3 inch Kodak Ektar E.F.L. f2.8 lens. What does E.F.L. stand for? No clue. Ektar was Kodak's premier lens, this one was probably made for flight use. There is a pre-installed yellow filter.
The thing is built solid, made for combat or something equally rugged. During the Cold War it could have been used for taking pictures of secret secret military installations in Russia, Missile bases in Cuba, or spy missions over China. You never know.
Does it work? I have no clue.
Can it be made to work? Depends on how clever you are.
There are rollers inside it, I assume film is installed somewhere. The sticker on the side says it is used with a capping shutter, and I don't even see a shutter on this.
If nothing else, makes a great boat anchor. You can put it on the shelf next to your piece of the Berlin Wall.
$50 ships it to you anywhere in the USA. I will donate all proceeds, less $10 to help with shipping (which will be a lot more, this thing is heavy), to Catholic Community Services food bank in Ogden.
First money to my paypal account at summicron12000@yahoo.com takes it.
Thanks for looking
Charles Trentelman
Ogden, Utah
What I have here is a "Camera, Still Picture, Type KB-16A." A google search for this camera finds precisely one hit, an eBay sale in England a few years back. Went for a lot more than I'm asking.
What is it? An aerial camera made by Gordon Enterprises, Hollywood, for the US Air Force in the 1950s. It was apparently made to be mounted in an airplane because it has a nifty sticker saying "flight direction" and an arrow pointing "this way."
It has a 76mm/3 inch Kodak Ektar E.F.L. f2.8 lens. What does E.F.L. stand for? No clue. Ektar was Kodak's premier lens, this one was probably made for flight use. There is a pre-installed yellow filter.
The thing is built solid, made for combat or something equally rugged. During the Cold War it could have been used for taking pictures of secret secret military installations in Russia, Missile bases in Cuba, or spy missions over China. You never know.
Does it work? I have no clue.
Can it be made to work? Depends on how clever you are.
There are rollers inside it, I assume film is installed somewhere. The sticker on the side says it is used with a capping shutter, and I don't even see a shutter on this.
If nothing else, makes a great boat anchor. You can put it on the shelf next to your piece of the Berlin Wall.
$50 ships it to you anywhere in the USA. I will donate all proceeds, less $10 to help with shipping (which will be a lot more, this thing is heavy), to Catholic Community Services food bank in Ogden.
First money to my paypal account at summicron12000@yahoo.com takes it.
Thanks for looking
Charles Trentelman
Ogden, Utah
