I have the Mirage 1/48 Lublin R XIIID kit, and I read that some of them had radios & cameras installed, for the reconnaissance role. Since that is what I mainly build, I would like to scratch build & install a proper camera in my kit. What I need is info (drawings/photos) showing where the camera was installed, and if there were any openings/windows. Or was the camera strapped to the side of the plane, like some early photo-recce aircraft. The last possibliity was that the rear observer just held a camera over the side? Can anybody help me in my search for info?
Larry

It sounds like the airframe was modified to accept a camera mount and radio. If so its going to take you some digging.

Here is piece from the original Lublin RXIII instruction.

In short:
Radio:
Generator mounted at front of the center section top struts.
Radio set mounted in back of observer cabin, antenna wheel mounted at RH obs. cab.
2 Morse key mounted at RH and LH obs. cabin.
Photo (optional) :
Small camera in obs. cab., mounted at RH Flor side.
No info about type etc.

Piotr

Thank you Piotr for that info.
So the data sheet says the camera is mounted inside the observer's cabin? I haven't seen any photos, showing a window or other type of opening under the fuselage, so I will "guesstimate" it. I don't know what WW2 Polish cameras looked like, so I will have to guess on that, as well.

Cheers,
Larry

The camera could just be a military purchase item and be from Germany, France or Switzerland.

Said to be from the early 1900's:



No other info on this model, but, obviously hand held by the observer.

In polish pre-war aviation, especially in last years before war, were used two main types of cameras: one, bigger, for precision photos from high altitudes and second - simpliest, small handy cameras. Both types are made by P.Z.O. factory (= Polskie Zakłady Optyczne). First type, named KW (= Kamera Wbudowana, mounted camera) were fitted with long lenses f = 300 or even 700 mm and named KW F30 or KW F70. I think, there are old cameras, made by Kolberg-Krauss (former name of P.Z.O. factory, before 1930), with lens f = 700 mm used too.

But in description, posted by PiotrM (May, 22th) we read:
...Photo /optional/.
1/ Small HANDY camera in obs. cab., mounted at RH Flor side...

I think, that R-XIII was fitted by second type, named KR F30 (KR = Kamera Ręczna, handy camera). I see a name KR F35 too.

Another name (nickname? commercial?) of KW cameras type was "Monarex" and KR - "Toporex".

Here You are a photo of KR type camera (from instruction brochure of PZL P.23 KARAS aircraft). It is a box at left, signed #9.



and here - two examples of KW cameras:

.

As you see, there were no enough room for the larger type KW in the rear cockpit of R-XIII.
But... I know a photo of reconnaissance float version of Lublin R-XIII with opened window on the floor - probably for larger camera. Float version - I repeat

Both photos from "Monografie Lotnicze #23. P.23 KARAS" T.J.Kopanski, K.Sikora)

Thanks Guy & Kajetan,

Those pictures help a lot. Now I just have to "guesstimate" the dimensions of the cameras. As far as the large camera looking through the floor on the floatplane version, my kit can make that version, so I just have to decide which version I want to do.


Cheers,
Larry