408 



Popular Srirncf Maiillil// 



The Photographer in His Aeroplane Can Point the Pistol - 

 Camera with Great Accuracy at the Object To Be Photo- 

 graphed. The Two Focusing Frames Take the Place of 

 Sights on a Revolver. The Trigger Operates the Shutter 



"Shooting" a Photograph with 

 a Pistol- Camera 



OF the number of aerial cameras 

 which have been designed to meet 

 tiie re(iiiirenients of modern recon- 

 naissance work in the present war per- 

 haps the most novel and interesting ap- 

 pai'atus is a pistol-camera used by 

 Gciman airmen which is now in the pos- 

 session of the French. Jean Navarre, a 

 daring young French flier who brought 

 down his fourteenth German aeroplane 

 early in April, found the camera in an 

 A\iatik which he forced to descend 

 within the French lines in the Soissons 

 ncigiil)()rho(xl. 



The camera was intact and in wi irking 

 order. In fact, there was reason to be- 

 lieve that it liafl been used the same day 

 it fell iiilii ilir hands of the French, 

 altiiougl) n()|)iates were exposed. Se\eral 

 wert' in position, li()we\er, read\- to be ex- 

 posed. Tile iiistol-camera has the shajie 

 of an enorminis jiistol, and looks unwieUh' 

 bcc-ause of its large size and grotes(|ue 

 shape. It has a |)istol grip and trigger 

 similar to that on .dl makes of revolvers. 



T h c 

 shutter 

 of t h e 

 camera 

 is opera- 

 ted by 



pulling the trigger. TIk' ])hotogra]iher 

 |)()inls the ajiparatus with dead accuracy 

 at the object to be photographed and witli 

 a slight movement of his finger takes the 

 ]>icture. The two focusing frames, 

 which are nothing more than common 

 gun-sights ill disguise, enable the 

 l)liologra|)her to le\cl liis camera with 

 .ibsolule i-ertaint>'. 



rile length of the camera box is a little 

 uiulir two feet, and its weight about 

 ihirtei'ii pounds. Tlu' I'rench ha\e 

 tested the photograi)hic capabilities of 

 the apparatus by experimenting with it 

 ill their own aerojilanes. F.xcellent 

 results were i)roduced. In son)e cases 

 clear and distinct i)hotogra]ihs of mili- 

 tary value were t.iken at .dtitudes of 

 u|)wards nf '-Ix thousand feet. This 

 cinier.i is liu' onh' one of its kind to fall 

 III lilt Ji.inds of the French. 



