Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/11/13

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Aerial R3?
From: "Gary Todoroff" <datamaster@humboldt1.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 22:18:16 -0800

> Just curious ! I have done a lot of aerial photography from a Cardinal RG
(usually with a Hassey EL) Why would you be shooting from the tail of a 210
??
> Bob

With the retracts on the Cessna 210, there is no place in the cabin to make
a hole in the floor without cutting through hydraulics, cables, etc. The
images need to be made looking straight down.

The 210 has a hatch underneath at the back, which accesses the tail surface
cables. We can replace the hatch with a camera mount without cutting into
any of the fuselage. The Hasselblad ELM is the primary camera and will be
mostly inside the fuselage Just a part of the body and all of the lens will
be outside. The mount will include a wind deflector in at the front. I will
run a flash cord along with the electronic shutter release up to the cabin.
The flash will confirm that the camera is  actually shooting and cycling.

 <<<<Doug Herr wrote re 35mm wide angle:
My inclination would be to make damn sure the camera is reliable regardless
 of the cost 'cuz flight time can get real expensive real fast and ya don't
want to re-do 'cuz of camera failure.  Of course, if you're not paying for
the flight time and you enjoy the ride a re-do can be a real benefit <g>.  
>>>>

Thanks for the comments, Doug.
At $205 per hour for the 210 (including pilot and fuel), we will definitely
be paying! That's why I have an extra ELM, lens and magazine on board.
However, the 35mm wide-angle photos are not essential, just very handy for
identifying the Hasselblad photos. If the 35mm failed in the air, then no
great loss (unless it fell off!) 

We did have to redo a helicopter flight when the first in-flight use of the
70mm back caused a film jam (I should not have taped the bulk film to the
feed spool). Those flights were merely all of our tax dollars at work, so I
certainly enjoyed the re-do a few days later!  While preparing the Cessna
to fly in about two weeks, it looks like we'll be doing one or two more
missions in  the Dolphins. Thanks again for all of your generous support of
me and the Coast Guard! 

Seriously, you would all be proud of the caliber of people I have met
through this project, military personnel who ultimately work for and
represent all of us in the USA. It has been an incredible privilege and
adventure to work with the "Coasties".

Regards,
Gary Todoroff
Tree LUGger