F24 camera

The outline design of the F24 camera was carried out by the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, and it was introduced in 1925.

Detailed design, and most production, was by Williamson Manufacturing Company Ltd of Willesden Green, London NW.10.

The main component units of the F24 are a body with roller blind focal plane shutter, gearbox, film magazine, and lens cone.

A modified but compatible version with lower weight was designed and manufactured by Eastman Kodak as the K-24, for use by US forces.

[1][2] During the Second World War, the F24 was installed in aircraft types including; Avenger, Blenheim, Catalina, Corsair, Halifax, Hellcat, Hudson, Hurricane, Lancaster, Liberator, Lysander, Maryland, Meteor FR.9, Mitchell, Mosquito, Mustang, Spitfire, Stinson, Stirling, Sunderland, Wellington.

Photographers at RAF Benson testing cameras before installing them in a PR Mosquito : (left to right) two F24 14-inch lens vertical cameras, one F24 14-inch lens oblique camera, two F52 vertical cameras with 20-inch lenses
RAF airman carrying a hand-held version of F24 camera, France
F24 Mk. 1 motorized camera for night photography, to the right is a Type 35 camera control unit