Kodak 4x5 Sheet Film during World War Two

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone could help me? I'm researching photography during World War Two and I'm currently researching the large format cameras used by the U.S. Army Signal Photographic Company (SPC), these were in the form of Graflex Speed Graphic 4x5 Sheet Film camera. From my records I understand the SPC tended to use Kodak Sheet Film.

I was wondering what the film packaging used by the SPC looked like? I've seen various different styles, I'm interested to know how these were packaged and sent for overseas operations? I've seen examples that have a yellow Kodak Sheet Film Label on a waxed box, I've also seen standard Kodak Sheet Film packaging.

I'm also interested in the crates used for shipping film, chemicals (Developer, Acid Fixer, etc.)

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Thank you all in advance.

I have a 1940 Kodak Ltd Professional Catalogue. Kodak had just release Plus-X, Super-XX in sheet and roll film and Tri-x sheet film before the outbreak of the war. Tri-X soon went out of production probably because a sensitiser had been sourced from Germany. By 1941 when the US entered the war Ilford had released HP3 sheet film. There's no photos of packaging.

Have you tried The Imperial War Museum.

Ian

On InternetArchive is a 1945 US war Dept Technical Manual from that era. There could be insights addressing your interests. Unfortunately I can’t provide you a link so you’ll have to search that resource on your own. Try these terms:
TM 11-2352
PH-104

Looking at that TM, I don’t see some of the details you seek. Perhaps a list of the film they used would help.

The TM also discussed both sheet film and pack film adapters.

Other potential resources, which might be too modern for the posted questions:

BrianShaw said:

On InternetArchive is a 1945 US war Dept Technical Manual from that era. There could be insights addressing your interests. Unfortunately I can’t provide you a link so you’ll have to search that resource on your own. Try these terms:
TM 11-2352
PH-104

Click to expand...

BrianShaw said:

Looking at that TM, I don’t see some of the details you seek. Perhaps a list of the film they used would help.

The TM also discussed both sheet film and pack film adapters.

Other potential resources, which might be too modern for the posted questions:

Online US Army/Navy Photographic School manuals in PDF

Though these were interesting... and free. US Navy course Photography Basic NAVEDTRA 14209 US Navy course Photography Advanced NAVEDTRA 14208 US Army photography course Printing Color Negatives SS0572 US Army photography course Principles of Photography SS0507 US Army photography course...

www.photrio.com

Click to expand...

Thank you both,

I have a copy of TM 11-2366 dated 3 October 1944 mentions:

3 doz FILM: cut; 4" x 5"; panchromatic
5 FILM: packs; 4" X 5"; panchromatic

The photo on the TM isn't that clear unfortunately so can't work out what the packaging is like all I know is that it would have been Kodak as the chemicals mentioned in the same TM mentions:

4 cans CHEMICAL: developer; prepared to make 1 gal.; Eastman D-76, or equal, Agfa Ansco No. 17.

6 cans CHEMICAL: developer; prepared to make 1 gal.; Eastman D-72, or equal, Agfa No.125 in laminated cartons

12 cans CHEMICAL: acid-fixing; to make 1 gal.; as supplied by Eastman Kodak or equal, Agfa Ansco Acid, Hypo in laminated cartons

and

2 gloss PAPER: photographic; contact-printing; single-weight; 4" x 5"; glassy; contrast No.2; Eastman "Velox" Grade F.

1 gloss PAPER: photographic; contact-printing; single-weight; 4" x 5"; glossy; contrast No.3; Eastman "Velox" Grade F

1 gloss PAPER: photographic, contact-printing; single-weight; 4" x 5"; glossy; contrast No.4; Eastman "Velox" Grade F

As I said in my original post I am looking for the design/packaging that would have been on the cut film boxes and film packs for the above mentioned film but I will at some point be looking to research the chemicals and paper as mentioned above also.

@VintageAaron91 there's one person you should really talk to and that's @Mr Flibble He has a very active interest and apparently almost encyclopedic knowledge of WWII-related photo-memorabilia. He posts here from time to time; I trust he'll be around and perhaps will be willing to share some of his knowledge.

From that list of film, I did a random search on one of htem and found old boxes of htat film on ebay, dating from the era that you are interested. Might want to try that approach too.

For example:

From Amazon; I can't seem to make the link copy and paste here. This is 1945 Isopan, Not sure about the size... surely not 4x5

Apart from 4x5" sheet film, Kodak supplied Film Packs as well.





Zoom in, you can make out some of the boxes and film brands available in 1942, during training state-side.

"Rear of the mobile darkroom of Photo Unit #1, showing the storage space for supplies."

Camp Funston, Kansas.

26 January 1942.

Photo by Lt. Jack M. Judge, 162nd Signal Photo Company.

SC 134379, Credit NARA.

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Dupont would have been another source of sensitized material. I've printed on Dupont paper and I know they made film.

Here is a list of DuPont Films. This is from DuPont Data Book that I'm selling on Protrio.com classifieds in a few minutes. I am selling many of my books. I am also selling Kodak Film Books from 1938, 1952, and 1958.