Fairchild

This article is a stub. You can help Camera-wiki.org by expanding it.

IN PROGRESS

The Fairchild Aerial Camera Corporation, founded in 1920 by the inventor and entrepreneur Sherman Mills Fairchild (April 7, 1896 - March 28, 1971) was the manufacturer of a range of aerial cameras.

Background

Sherman M. Fairchild was born in Oneonta, New York, in April 1896 as the only child of congressman and a founder of International Business Machines (IBM), George W Fairchild. Sherman attended college at Harvard, the University of Arizona, and Columbia, studying engineering and aerial photography (graduating from none of them). In 1917 Fairchild was rejected from the US military because of poor health. Determined to help with the war effort, he and his father went to Washington to see if his experience with cameras might be helpful. At the time, the aerial cameras available to the US Army produced poor quality images because the camera's slow shutter speed could not keep up with the motion created by the airplane. Fairchild developed a camera with an between-the-lens shutter which produced much clearer images. Even though the Army did not accept his camera until World War I had ended, it acquired two units for training. Fairchild started the Fairchild Aerial Camera Corporation in February 1920 as a vehicle to built and distribute his aerial cameras. Soon after the US Army placed orders for the and made the Fairchild the standard military camera.

Cameras produced by Fairchild

Cameras produced by Fairchild:

F-8

The F-8 was focal plane shutter camera for oblique aerial photos, manufactured by Fairchild (fitted with a Schneider Xenar 240mm/f8) and under licence by Keystone (fitted with a Wollensak 375mm /5.6)

F-17

An

F-56

A Reconnaissance Camera, primarily operated by the US Navy, fitted with a range of lens cone options:

• 5.25-inch / f6.3
• 8.25-inch / f4
• 20-inch / f5
• 40-inch / f8

K-6

An

K-17

The K-17 was a Reconnaissance and Mapping Camera with between-the-lens shutter camera for vertical and oblique aerial photos, using 9 1/2" wide roll film for 9" x 9" images, with exchangeable cones with Metrogon lens of 6", 12" and 24" focal length

• 6-inch / f6.3
• 12-inch / f5
• 24-inch / f6

K-18

The K-18 was a Medium to High Altitude Reconnaissance Camera for 9 1/2" wide roll film for 9" x 18" negatives. The camera was comprised of a single-unit housing and 24-inch / f6 focal length

K-19B

The K-19B Night Reconnaissance Camera for 9" x 9" format with a 12-inch / f2.5 lens cone

K-20

The K-20 was a low altitude aerial camera for oblique photos, with a 6.375-inch / f4.5 lens, designed by Fairchild and manufactured under licence by Graflex

K-22

An focal plane shutter camera for 9" x 9" format with a range of lens cone options for

• 6-inch / f6.3
• 12-inch / f5
• 24-inch / f6
• 40-inch / f5
• 40-inch / f5.6
• 40-inch / f8

K-25

An aerial camera for oblique photos, designed by Fairchild and manufactured under licence by Graflex

KA-1

Aerial Reconnaissance Still Picture Camera; manufactured by Fairchild; used in Martin RB-57E, RF-4, and RF-101A/C photo reconnaissance aircraft

KA-2

Aerial Reconnaissance Still Picture Camera; manufactured by Fairchild; used in A-26A, RF-84F, and RF-101A/C photo reconnaissance aircraft

KA-54

Panoramic Camera; manufactured by Fairchild

KA-56

Low-Altitude Panoramic Camera; manufactured by Fairchild; used in RF-4, RF-5E, RF-8A/G, RF-101, RB-57E, F-111C (Australia) photo reconnaissance aircraft

KA-60

Panoramic High-Speed Aerial Still Picture Camera; manufactured by Fairchild; used in OV-1, RF-8A/G, AQM-34 photo reconnaissance aircraft

KA-66

Panoramic High-Speed Aerial Still Picture Camera (modified KA-60); manufactured by Fairchild; used in RF-8A photo reconnaissance aircraft

KA-71

Panoramic High-Speed Aerial Still Picture Camera (modified KA-60); manufactured by Fairchild; used in F-105G photo reconnaissance aircraft

KA-72

70mm Framing Camera; manufactured by Fairchild

KA-82

Medium-Altitude Panoramic Camera; manufactured by Fairchild; used in RB-57E, RF-4B photo reconnaissance aircraft

KA-89

Panoramic Camera; manufactured by Fairchild; used in AQM-34 photo reconnaissance aircraft

KA-92

Panoramic Camera; manufactured by Fairchild

KB-18

70mm Panoramic Strike Recording Camera; manufactured by Fairchild; used in A-7D, F-4E, F-100F, O-2A, OV-10C, RF-111C (Australia), P-3C (Australia) photo reconnaissance aircraft

KC-1

Still Picture High-Altitude Mapping Camera; manufactured by Fairchild; used in RC-130A, RF-4 photo reconnaissance aircraft

KS-25

High-Acuity Aerial Reconnaissance Camera System; manufactured by Fairchild; used with ES-25 photo reconnaissance aircraft

KS-120

Panoramic High-Speed Aerial Still Picture Camera (KA-60C modified with larger 6000 ft. capacity magazine); manufactured by Fairchild; used in AQM-34 photo reconnaissance aircraft