bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

OK, what the heck.

I was a Naval Aviator flying P-3 Orions in support of the Vietnam effort. I spent about a year total in the wide ranging "combat zone" getting paid both "flight pay" and "combat pay" with IRS exemptions.

The P-3 is a four engine, all weather, intercontinental submarine attack aircraft. It is very plain looking, so gets little press.

Our primary mission was to find and be able to drop something on a Russian submarine that would blow it to smithereens. At the time, there were always a couple Russian subs off each coast with a bunch of missiles aimed to blow our cities to smithereens. It seemed to be a "stand off". But, some might remember parents or neighbors that created bomb shelters in their backyards or basements.

Along with the Cold War, there was Vietnam. Politicians thought it was better not to blow up too many bad guys, so ships could come and go pretty much as the "enemy" wanted. What to do? How about taking pictures of them?

Every day we surrounded Vietnam with about a half dozen P-3s forming a ladder track barrier. Anything sailing through it that looked less than 100% friendly got their picture taken. Various cameras were tried and rejected before I got there. For my two tours the weapon of choice was a Bessler-Topcon 35mm manual wind camera with a mild telephoto lens of maybe 135mm and rolls of Kodak Tri-X film. I don't remember seeing many of the pictures as I think we sent the undeveloped film to "Naval Intelligence".

Think about it! A four engine airliner with a crew of 13 burning 9000 gallons of fuel in each flight to carry one "off brand" SLR with black and white film! Half the crew had better Nikons, Canons and Pentaxs.

The mission had us landing everywhere there was a Naval Air Station, Air Force Base or friendly runway. We saw parts of Vietnam, Okinawa, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong-Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia and, even Iran.

Relative to this topic, everywhere we went had stores where we could buy cameras and electronics. At the time, it seemed the best variety was Nikon stuff. I bought two bodies and lenses ranging from 20mm to 500mm. One place in Taiwan made teak furniture. It would come in sections sized for the door of the airplane you happened to arrive in.

History marches on. The P-3 is still flying some. A lot of them have been parked permanently due to being 50 years old. They are being replaced by a modified 737 called the P-8. The plan is for 117 at an estimated $170,000,000 each. Yes, I want to be a Naval Aviator again.

The Besslers are probably not on board! What the P-8 does have seems to be secret, although a couple P-8 were used to try and find the Malaysian airline and the news reported "night vision, infrared and radar". I wonder if the crew gets a 7D Mark II for backup?

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Sorry. I was 102 in the last (1972) lottery. It never got to me. Stopped at 95. But I have always appreciated those (like my oldest brother, a Marine ) who served.

chase4 Loc: Punta Corona, California

[quote=bsprague]OK, what the heck.

I was a Naval Aviator flying P-3 Orions in support of the Vietnam effort. I spent about a year total in the wide ranging "combat zone" getting paid both "flight pay" and "combat pay" with IRS exemptions.

Great bit of history there, thanks Bill.

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

Funny you should mention the old Bessler-Topcons. I was a Photogrpaher's Mater 3rd class assigned to VP-30 at NAS Pax River, MD in the late 60's. They had been using a WWII vintage hand held 70mm aerial camera. Part of our job was teaching photo techniques to the crew members when the Topcon cameras came along. We were never put on flight status nor were we allowed to earn aircrew wings but, the 3 of us assigned flew as often as the instructor aircrews.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I went through VP-31 at Moffett Field near San Francisco. As a pilot, I don't remember taking any camera training. Our NFOs or "TACOs" were the photographers.

Do you know why the Bessler-Topcons were chosen?

WAR10CK Loc: Blacklick, OH

I did not get my start in Vietnam. I missed it by 6 months. I was shooting for my school paper with a Yashica 35mm at that time. I joined the AF in 76 and I bought my first Nikon in Korea at the BX in 79. It was a Nikon FE. I had a 50mm 1.2 and a 600mm catadioptric lens. That system got stolen in Seoul and I got investigated for selling it on the black market. I didn't sell it and I was exonerated, but my camera was still gone. Took out a personal loan against my motorcycle and bought another one with a 50mm 1.2 and got a 50-200mm instead of the fixed length. I traded that one on a Nikon FE2 which I still have. Like others I shot B&W and slide film (E6 processing) so I could process and print them myself. After I got home from Korea I got a hold of a Mamiya RB67 that I also still have. I didn't get into DSLR photography until late last year. I'm still learning about my D3200 and I am truly a noob at PP.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

I was curious as well and found this:
"The Beseler Topcon Super D was the combat camera for the US Navy and the US Airforce from the 1960’s to the 1980’s, after winning a competitive test with the Nikon F and several other Japanese and German cameras. It won for much stouter construction and better ergonomics. The US Army and US Marines went with Leica for silence. "
From: http://www.lomography.com/magazine/reviews/2009/03/27/the-beseler-topcon-super-d-a-battle-camera?source=webgains&siteid=73669

I was a dependent at Clark AFB in the Philippines for two tours during the Viet Nam conflict. Got my start at the Hobby Shop photo lab then worked at the USAF photo lab.
We used Nikon F's, Graflex XL's and when the XL's broke, bought Mamiya C-330's from the base exchange.]
We never used a Topcon Super D there but I personally owned a Unirex (leaf shutter 35mm SLR).

Later went to the USAF photo school at Lowery in Denver and we used Nikon, Leica, Koni-Omega and Graphic large format cameras.

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

Probably the lowest bid got the contract. We had Nikon F's & Hasselblad's at the base photo lab. We supported all the test divisions at Pax River. When the squadrons started getting the Topcon's, we got a couple so we could learn them (didn't take much). They had match needle metering so it was fairly easy to get a reasonably good exposure.
The P-3C Update did away with the handheld cameras. It was replaced by a camera mounted under the radome & was controlled by 1 of the crew members. That happened after I got out of the Navy.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

HHC 593rd GS Gp at Camp Granite, Qui Nhon Dec 66 to Jan 69. Arrived using an Argus C3, got a Miranda Sensorex on R&R in Tokyo, bought accessories etc at PX, had them do my film.
Went to within one class of getting a separate BS in photography to add to my History/Geography/Education BA. Had my own darkroom until I switched to digital. Still have some of the tanks and stuff in the garage.

El-train Loc: New Jersey

I too was stationed in Qui Non and then Phu Tai in 1967-68 as a MP. I had bought a Petri in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 1967 and brought it along. Nice SLR. Took many photos in Nam of which I'm very glad I did. It was later stolen on a trip to Montreal, Canada in 1970. I've since been with various Nikons of which I'm partial to but I do miss that little camera.

mickeyv Loc: Sierra Vista, Airzona, USA

I shot a lot of 120 film on Kodak Brownie camerss as a kid. My first SLR was a Konica Autoreflex T bought in Viet Nam 1971. Used it for almost 25 years, then inherited a Minolta from father-in-law and used it for a few years. Finally I got a Sony A100 and used it until I got my Sony A77, which is my present camera of choice.

digit-up Loc: Flushing, Michigan

to "aquaDiver" well, did ya get started in photography while in the military.?? You must have...having spent so much time in service to our nation.. Thank-you for that...

digit-up Loc: Flushing, Michigan

I went to VietNam in May of 68, stayed a year, wasn't my favorite "VACATION" so I returned to Camp LeJeune June of 69. Was a Navy Hospital Corpsman. I bought a pentax "Spotmatic and a 50mm F1.4 as well as a 200mm telephoto. I even got a Bellows unit and just loved that camera for 35 years.gave it away to an old sail-racing buddy.... When my brother died, I inherited his canon gear. He always said "BUY CANON" he had been four years aboard the USS Ticonderoga as a navy Photographer. I bought a canon eos 30D and a bunch of damned nice lenses, but gave all that to my son, and have since gone back to Pentax. They still have some great gear, and now, so do I. VietNam got me started. RJM

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

do you happen to still have that bellows?
I'm looking for 1.

digit-up Loc: Flushing, Michigan

That bellows went with the camera and two lenses to my old(now deceased) sailing pal. It was a threaded unit so maybe that wouldn't have worked for you anyway. I have seen new Bellows units, not terribly expensive. on EBAY K-mounted.