This is accomplished by providing two selectable lens focal lengths
(23 cm and 61 cm) within the single camera. The desired lens can
be selected in flight by the operator providing flexibility for
altering mission plans. The design, which includes a novel auto-
matic focusing feature, permits immediate use of the equipment with
no preconditioning required to attain optimum performance. A built-
in stabilization system has been incorporated to obviate the necessity
for a stabilized mount to compensate for aircraft motion during the
photographic run. A high-speed, solid-state data-annotation system
is provided to record aircraft data on moving film. Black/white,
color, or color infrared emulsions on 127 mm (5 inch) wide, thin base,
perforated film is used. The film, located in the rotary image plane,
is moved in contrarotation to that of the image at a rate such that
the required relative velocity for image-to-film synchronization
(proportional to the selected focal length and to the scanning rate)
is attained. A single film transport mechanism provides the proper F )
velocity at the rotary imaging plane. A variable-width slit mechanism
is utilized for imaging.
3. KB-29A Stabilized Strike Camera System
The KB-29A camera was designed to permit evasive maneuvering
of aircraft while still obtaining critical strike photography. The
roll stabilized scanning prism design principle allows evasive
maneuvering after weapon release and still permits target photographic
coverage of weapon impact. The KB-29A provides an angular coverage
capability of 150 degrees on the cross-track and 180 degrees in the in-
track direction. Within the camera body are the prism drive servo
mechanism, prism cage, stabilized double dove scanning prism, folding
prism, counter-weigat, telecentric lens, automatic exposure control (AEC),
exposure slit mechanism, lens heaters and camera drive mechanism. The
prism drive servo mechanism, which is controlled by the vertical gyro
and the roll correction control unit, rotates the prism about the roll
axis during the aircraft evasive maneuvers so as to cancel any vehicle
roll. The 75 mm f/2.8 telecentric lens images on 70 mm wide perforated
film. The 41 degree field of view is continuously positioned with the + b
total system field of 150 degrees. An AEC system provides control of |
the exposure slit width and lens diaphragm in response to the average
scene brightness.
4. Wide-angle Camera System
An electronic wide-angle, slit type camera system has been
developed which provides real time aerial acquisition of information.
The system incorporates a special f/4 140 degree field, high-performance
lens which forms an image on an array of linear, solid state, charge
coupled devices (CCD). A specially designed prism optically butts the
sensor portion of each chip in the array to produce a uniform image
across the slit field. The higher sensitivity of the CCD's over
emulsions of the same resolution, extends the operational day over
what is now normally expected. While the system is primarily intended
for aerial reconnaissance, the low distortion of the lens makes the
system suitable for real time photogrammetric applications.
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