A Red Curtain IIIc/IIIf

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

Yesterday at Trento's flea market I've acquired what I think it's an interesting Group.

A cardboard box, full of military aerial photographs taken by a late Royal Italian Air Force captain. Most are from Northern Africa's desert, a few of Corsica, etc.; manuals for aerial photography, aircraft recognition, various papers, etc.

In the box there is also a chrome-finished (stepped) IIIc with red/black curtains: these, in perfect condition. It appears that this officer, remained in active duty also in the postwar years, wanted the camera to be updated from Leitz, into a non-self-timer IIIf.

The camera body is No.366532 and the 50/3,5 Elmar, 542829.

Mechanically, it works very fine. The camera, is complete with its leather everready case.

What I consider as quite curious, is that Leitz, when upgraded the camera from IIIc to IIIf, left the red curtains on, without changing them with new ones.

I will provide some pictures of the whole, hoping that further material would come.

Best wishes,

Enzo (E.L.)

 

[sevo]

Black dial, I presume? IIRC the early (black dial) IIIf had a IIIc part compatible shutter, and conversions only replaced the escapement/knob mechanism.

 

[Elmar Lang]

Yes, it's a black dial type.

E.L.

 

[traveler_101]

I am sure you are interested in the camera, but are the photographs of any interest? Do you know the officer's name? Seems like a museum exhibit -- camera, man, photographs . . . and the war. But I suppose people in Italy would rather forget about that episode.

 

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

the officer is the late Captain Elio Panizza, Aerial Observer of the Royal Italian Army (not Air Force: now I have better checked); he also received the Bronze Medal for Military Valour.

He was on the Russian front from the summer until late 1941, then on the Northern African one, in 1942. I will better investigate, but from some further papers, I think he was taken prisoner by the British Army.

After a quick check of the photographs, they were taken from Bir-Hakeim until Alexandria; many of the Siwa Oasis, some, with further pencil drawings on transparent paper, of the el-Qattara depression, etc.

Besides the pictures, there are military papers and documents related to aerial photography, desert warfare, etc.

A photo, portraits Mr. Alcide Ticò, a locally (Trento Region) famous sculptor, wearing tropical uniform and two Leicas!

Actually, we don't try to forget what happened in the 1940-'45 years, although having been a very difficult period of our history. Research, studies and exhibitions are now regularly done or set up.

Yesterday's finding, besides my interest/hobby in film photography, is important to me because my late father was an artillery officer of the Italian Army who, during WW2, commanded an anti-tank battery in Northern Africa: he bravely fought his war, until he fell prisoner of New Zealander troops in the el-Qattara depression, on July 3rd, 1942, when his division, the Ariete, was almost destroyed; then spending many years as a POW in India.

Besides his own Language, he was fluent both in German and English and one day, talking to a young British officer taken prisoner near Tobruk, he learnt these famous words: "right or wrong, my Country", thus feeling a great respect towards his enemy.

Best wishes,

Enzo (E.L.)

 

[johannielscom]

Exciting.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures of the camera and lens, and some of the pictures that were in the box!