Any WW II Techies out there?

[mscher]

A co-worker has been listening to "Flags of our Fathers" on audio book.

The book mentions that the photograph, of the Marines raising the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima, was sent to the news service "over radio waves", which I assume the photo was somehow scanned electronically, transmitted by radio and recreated elsewhere.

I was not aware this type of technology existed in any form in 1945.

Does this book contain some fiction, or is this in fact, how the photo made it's way back to the states?

Any input appreciated.

 

[JB]

Re: Any WW II Techies out there?

There was such a device in use at that time, mscher.

It looked a bit like a dictaphone cylinder recorder. The graphic to be transmitted was wrapped around the cylinder and a light/photocell sensor scanned along it as it was rotated, modulating a radio signal. At the receiving end a similar device exposed a film wrapped around the cylinder.

Don't remember what it was called, but it was used extensively to transmit all sorts of graphics. . . .typed pages, photos, maps, etc.

My uncle Jack (after whom I am named) was in OSS, stationed in Brazil. He used one and brought it home with him.

 

[bjcsc]

Re: Any WW II Techies out there?

They were called both Televisors and Radiovisors and were invented sometime in the mid-20's...they worked as JB described...

 

[Solittle]

Re: Any WW II Techies out there?

I can't speak to 1945 but in the mid 60s such a device was used to transmit images much like you would use a fax machine today. At Pam Am we used one to transmit stuff between the Miami maintenance base and New York with one of those devices. As I recall the resolution was not that hot but quite legible. I suspect the photos taken by Rosenthall on Iwo that were used by the print media of the day were taken from his film and not ones transmitted by that machine. That is only a guess on my part though - -

 

[i386]

Re: Any WW II Techies out there?

There was such a device in use at that time, mscher.

It looked a bit like a dictaphone cylinder recorder. The graphic to be transmitted was wrapped around the cylinder and a light/photocell sensor scanned along it as it was rotated, modulating a radio signal. At the receiving end a similar device exposed a film wrapped around the cylinder.

Don't remember what it was called, but it was used extensively to transmit all sorts of graphics. . . .typed pages, photos, maps, etc.

My uncle Jack (after whom I am named) was in OSS, stationed in Brazil. He used one and brought it home with him.

Interesting...

I'm sure you've seen/used a scanner before. In addition to the common flatbed scanner, there's another type called a drum scanner. The original is wrapped around a cylinder and then scanned. These are mostly used in industry when extremely high-resolution scans are required. I wonder if they evolved in part from that WW2 technology.