Fw-190 w/ Film camera on Cockpit

[kaki3152]

Interesting photo. There is a custom mount for what looks like a film camera.
There is also a film camera in the usual spot, middle of fuselage.

Can anyone provide more detail? The codes look like PR+S? or PP+S?

[edwest2]

I am more interested in the camera. It appears to be a modified gun camera with an aerodynamic cone at the end. Possibly a Robot II in a special casing to damp vibrations. Its position makes little sense unless this is a test situation, but even then, why so high?

Click on the image in the top left.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/710935491146960402/





Ed

[Don Pearson]

I know this has been discussed before. That unit is for sighting the guns.

Don

[kaki3152]

Maybe Camera shots for propaganda films?

[kaki3152]

That makes sense. So its for bore-sighting the guns.

[Roger Gaemperle]

I don't think it was used for bore-sighting the guns, but bore-sighting the camera itself. It is an ESK 2000 that was used in training units. It was aligned like a machine gun and operated (instead of the machine guns to save ammo) when the pilot pressed the gun button. More information here:

ESK2000

In this case, I don't think it was used for training purposes, but maybe to shoot an educational or propaganda film. Interesting are the lines on the fuselage at different angles starting from the position of the pilot's head. Maybe they filmed at different angles towards a target on the ground.

Cheers,
Roger

[Vince Malfara]

After reviewing all the photos and links it seems the camera could have been used for a variety of applications from gun sighting to educational / propaganda films.
A very interesting piece I had never seen before.
What I find interesting in this application is the position and the fact that the person in the cockpit seems to be female. Could be a female Luftwaffe photographic pilot?

Vince...

[edwest2]

Thank you, Roger, for bringing this information to light. Propaganda uses comes to mind and certainly educational. I have seen photos of a small number of female Luftwaffe pilots, but know little about them. The average person would be impressed to see a formation of bombers in flight on their way to an important target, and footage showing maneuvering in formation would be helpful.

Another - off topic - example was the work of war correspondent Oblt. Gerhard Garms who designed a pressure housing for an Askania Z camera which was attached to the port side of the conning tower of U-404. So some of the wartime footage that shows waves breaking over the conning tower, diving and performing underwater maneuvers are his work.



Ed

[Stephen M. Fochuk]

And are those bombs hanging from the central rack?

[kaki3152]

Just some thoughts. It looks like a test A/C and also possibly a Schlacht version. The angle lines by the cockpit could be used for diving angles orientation and the camera could be used to record the trials.