Norwegian fighter pilots armed with leicas

[Sisyphus]

Thanks Erik! Wow, it is not even close to the Middle East, I had no idea there are a bunch of countries so far North--How come they are never in the news?

 

[Olsen]

I've heard, and read, several versions of this story (yes, I'm Swedish...), but I've never heard the 'multi-coating' bit before, and frankly, I find it a bit hard to believe. Single coating (state-of-the-art 40s technology!), yes, perhaps, but multi coating? Also, the super-wide Biogon in an SWC is an early 50s design, if I remember correctly, and a different design than the 30s Biogon (like the Contax 35mm).

Also, the 'original Hasselblad', Hasselblad HK7 (HK for Handkamera (yes, hand camera), by the way), wasn't a wide-angle camera. I'll try to post a picture of one below. This one was sold at a Swedish auction a while back, and was equipped with a Zeiss Tessar 135/4.5. It shot 7x9, I suppose on 70mm rollfilm. But, then again, I have no idea how much the HK7 differed from the German original.

Multi coating was indeed a millitary secret patent of Carl Zeiss from back in the early 30' and one of several extraordinary design features of the 'wreak camera' of 1940.

 

[Olsen]

The special order black IIIf's and IIIg's (about 125 of each) with the three crowns engraved on them were made for the Swedish Army, although the military establsihment in Sweden is less fractionalized than most so some ended up with the Air Force too. After several decades these cameras were sold at an auction for $150 each (in 1975 I think). A friend of mine bought 10 of each, as well as a box of black paint 50 Elmar 50f3.5's. Over the years he slowly sold them off for a good profit. Later on the military discovered a box of 40 90mm 2.8 Elmarits and offered them to him. They were brand new, in the box and in batches of 10 with sequential serial numbers. He had to pay almost $180 each for them, but he bit the bullet and paid up. It was the three crowns engraved on the barrel's that clinched the deal!
Some years ago I had a IIIf RD painted black and I am thinking of having 4 crowns engraved on the back and call it "Inflation"
There was an interesting variant of the Hasselblad made for the Swedish Navy - it had a 250 mm lens permanently attached and came in its own carrying box. It was made for the coastal defense force (Kustbevakningen) and it primary function was to take pictures of russian subs and so called "fishing boats" entering Swedish coastal waters. Most of these fishing boats had antenna arrays that would shame any SETI research facility.

1)

When did the swedish armed forces buy these III f and IIIg Leicas?

2)
Do you know any about the norwegian Leicas. Must have been bought in the mid - or late 60'.

3)
With the exception of the ill-famed 'Whiskey on the Rocks' I don't believe for a minute that any Sovjet naval ship,- or antenna equipped 'fishing boat' ever entered swedish waters intentionally during the 40 year plus Cold War. But some minks did. I have heard. Carl Zeiss 250 mm 5,6 is just excellent for minks!

When I did my miliary service back in the 70' we had a u-boat alarm of some significance in Norway: The local police chief, no less (and no drunk), had seen a submarine in surface position 'with a lot of antennas' and far inside norwegian teritorial waters in Vestfjorden. The Royal Norwegian Navy had to investigate....

It turned out to be an american sub - inside norwegian waters - spying on Bofors trying out their new rocket, what was later to become 'Robot 70' - at sweden's largest weapons testing ground right across the border (look at the map!). When this was confirmed the swedish government sent a 'protest note' to the norwegian government.

 

[EmilGil]

1)

When did the swedish armed forces buy these III f and IIIg Leicas?

2)
Do you know any about the norwegian Leicas. Must have been bought in the mid - or late 60'.

125 black paint IIIG were purchased by the Swedish Army in 1960, engraved with our three crowns. The lens was either a black paint or chrome (different opinions on the net) 5cm Elmar f/2.8.

From what I've found, the black paint IIIFs were a special order and only 100 of them were manufactured for the Swedish army in 1956. Lens was a black paint 5cm Elmar f/3.5. These cameras were all prepared for cold climate use. (source)

I've seen several references to a book by a guy named Lager, apparently there's more information about the Swedish army Leicas there.

 

[Olsen]

125 black paint IIIG were purchased by the Swedish Army in 1960, engraved with our three crowns. The lens was either a black paint or chrome (different opinions on the net) 5cm Elmar f/2.8.

From what I've found, the black paint IIIFs were a special order and only 100 of them were manufactured for the Swedish army in 1956. Lens was a black paint 5cm Elmar f/3.5. These cameras were all prepared for cold climate use. (source)

I've seen several references to a book by a guy named Lager, apparently there's more information about the Swedish army Leicas there.

Thanks, EmilGil

 

[ernstk]

Thanks Erik! Wow, it is not even close to the Middle East, I had no idea there are a bunch of countries so far North--How come they are never in the news?

How about Alaska? They both occupy approximately the same lattitude...

Ernst

Edinburgh, Scotland
(Also quite far north)

 

[Olsen]

....Also, the super-wide Biogon in an SWC is an early 50s design, if I remember correctly...

The wide angle Biogon with about 90 degrees diagonal field of view - but with different focal length depending on negative size - is a design from the early 30'. If not older. Surely, with improvements along the way. ZI Biogon 25 mm 2,8 should be the latest version of this design, to what I know.

Came to think of it; these Daimler Benz 600 engines that made these Dorniers fly so high and fast had 'four valves per cylinder, two overhead cams and direct fuel injection & turbo charger'. So, there's not much new under the sun.