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This is a Vintage WW11 Japanese Katsura Seisakusho Airplane Gun Gunnery Camera & Box with original soldier bring home document ( 1st Lieutenant Gail D. Conlee) …Katsura Seisakusho copied the Hythe Mk III Gun Camera and this one is in very good condition. Includes original spider site and site rod ( shown upside down on barrel ) …Also includes the original wooden crate with original contents description in Japanese ( Longline-Type Gunner- Training Camera) as well as the soldier who brought it home shipping address…Camera is functional and lens is in good condition…Wooden grip and handles are nice…Bolt pulls back as it should…A more rare version of the Japanese gunnery camera and a great piece of World War Two history.
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The Mark III "Hythe" Aeronautical Camera was manufactured by the Thornton-Pickard company in circa 1915. The Thornton-Pickard company were pioneers in Aeronautical camera design and construction.
As far as camera hardware, the film canister and exposure area was located in the square box at the rear of the cooling jacket. It used 120mm film, and could hold 12 or 16 frames worth (sources vary on this point). A shutter and lens were located near the muzzle end of the
The initial trigger pull snapped a photo, so it was only the initial aim that was recorded for evaluation. To take a subsequent photo, the gunner would have to rack the “gun’s” charging handle, an operation that any good gunner should learn to do instinctively. In addition, the camera had a device inside that would punch a small hole in the edge of the film, and that device was operated by removing and replacing the “Lewis” magazine from the top of the “gun”. Proper practice would require changing magazines between strings of fire (another operation the gunner should become able to do blindfolded and upside down), and the gun camera would leave definite evidence of whether the trainee actually did so.
The drum style “ ammo” disc for the trainee to practice reloads was distributed as a separate piece from the gunnery camera shown here and can occasionally be found online. Also 3D printer versions are available.
