German camera cars

[mailalan]

I'm wondering if anyone has more information on the German cars that had movie cameras mounted on the roof on a tripod, operated by a camera man actually standing on the roof as the car was moving. I've been unable to find much information on them. From the few photographs and video clips I've seen, it looks like the camera is most often tied down by a chain running from the center of the 3 tripod legs to the car roof. But I cannot tell how the feet of the tripod legs are actually mounted to the roof. There also appears to be a battery box and sometimes these cars have some sort of round indicator sign mounted at the front of the roof just above the windshield. There are only a couple of photos of these types of cars in the Histoire and Collections Propaganda Kompanien book. I just find it fascinating that a man could film on the roof of a moving car without falling off. Does anyone have more information or photos of these?




Note the round indicator signs at the front of the roof. What was printed on these?

I appreciate any information anyone has.

[SIS 5]

Hi Alan,

the Wehrmacht had a special so-called "Filmaufnahmekraftwagen" (film recording motor vehicle) - (Kfz. 12) on the chassis of the "mittlerer Einheits-PKW" in the prpaganda companies (Propagandakompanie). These vehicles had a special equipment box at the rear for the transportation of cameras and other film equipment. An expandable mount for a camera was located in the centre of the equipment compartment. The roof of the compartment was used as a platform for the camera man so that 360° recordings could be made. Here three pics of such cars (source of the information and pics: www.kfzderwehrmacht.de).

Regards

Bert

[mailalan]

That's very interesting, I had never heard of these vehicles before. Thanks for the information!

Does anyone have any info on civilian passenger cars with movie cameras mounted on top?

[SIS 5]

Hi Alan,

I´m glad that the reply was interesting for You.
Here four other pics of cars with movie cameras on top.
Interesting the last pic: the tripod looks like a device with broad, round, movable stands.

Regards

Bert

[mailalan]

Hi Bert,
Those are great photos that I had not seen before! Yes, the feet in the last pic almost look like suction up type attachments. Very interesting. I wish I could find a good closeup of how the tripod feet are anchored on top of passenger cars. The roofs look very slick. I'm guessing they must have had some sort of attachment points bolted through the roof.

[GregSingh]

Here is a closeup on Mercedes Benz roof.
There is some kind of cover mounted on the roof. Or is it standard retractable hardtop ?
Also is there a microphone on the front? Not many clues on stativ mounting, I'm affraid...

(Click on the photo to see in full resolution)

[mailalan]

That's a fascinating view. It doesn't really appear as if there is anything added to the tripod feet to secure them in place. From this angle it looks as if the only thing holding the camera to the roof is the chain assembly running from the tripod legs to the roof.

The microphone mount is interesting as well. In the other passenger car photos there is what appears to be a flat round disc apparatus at the front of the roof. I wonder if it is possible that it is a microphone as well. I don't recall seeing any microphones of that era that were flat like that however. Most I've seen look like the one in this photo.

Thanks very much for this. Would you happen to have the whole photo?

[GregSingh]

alamy.com, photo DYYP2P

[mailalan]

Here are some screen grabs from a documentary called "Hitler: A Career" which is on Netflix streaming. There are several good clips of camera cars in this film. In these photos you can see the flat round disc mounted at the front of the roof. It appears to have a circular border and in the last photo you can see what appears to be the German eagle printed on it.

















I just can't find anything detailed enough to make out the mounting points for the tripod feet or to identify what the round disc says on it. I have to imagine it somehow identifies the car as a "member of the press".

[Hans1906]

Even without having seen these many photos, it was surely only a temporary mounting of the tripods on the roof of the cars at that time ?

All three legs of the tripods fixed with a weight, the height of which was adjusted with a "shroud tensioner". ("Wantenspanner")

Nothing was probably installed in the roofs of the cars of that time, your "disc" was probably a lead counterweight for the heavy camera ?
They did not film a very high speeds, 15 to 20 kilometers Km/H per hour, if at all ?

Just my impression.. ?


Hans

[mailalan]

By disc I am referring to the round identification plaque (circled in the photo) that you can see at the front of the roof, which would have nothing to do with the mounting of the camera but I'm guessing in some way identifies these camera cars, much like a "PRESS" badge would identify a member of the press and allow him access to restricted areas. They can be clearly seen in most all of the above camera car photos. I'm wondering if anyone knows precisely what is printed on the disc.

[GregSingh]

I'm wondering if anyone knows precisely what is printed on the disc.

That would be described in details in government transport regulations. These (Straßenverkehrsord­nungs) were published in Reichsverkehrblatt. Unfortunately I couldn't find all of them online.

For the other research I managed to find exact regulations (1938) for so called Anhängerdreieck - triangles mounted in the same spot, but on truck's cabins. You can see them on many photos of German trucks. Regulation provides info on size of triangles, colors used anf other things.

[Hans1906]

Gregh referred to then so-called "Anhängerdreieck", which was still common in our childhood years in the 1950s and in
the early 1960s here in Germany.

Anhängerdreieck https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anhängerdreieck


Hans

[mailalan]

Very interesting information, thank you fellows. It's interesting that the Third Reich regulation continued on up until 1956. I would love to see the regulations concerning the camera car design and wording.