alphonse2501 Posted December 4, 2021 Share #1 Posted December 4, 2021 Advertisement (gone after registration) Earlier this year I bought this stepper IIIc from Ebay and send it to Youxin Ye for CLA. This camera was all stiff and haze, but Youxin Ye remedied all. It has original brown leather case that internal condition is not ideal to use for daily usage. Take up spool has no wear and like new. Even Youxin says: Quote From what I can see, the camera is all original. It was not used a lot and no parts changed. Based on little details left by LeicaTom, serial number 392 very likely the 1945 series. I have no other way to find more information until I find out I can send an email to info@leica-camera.com to search Leica's achieve. Finally, I received these info Quote Leica IIIc 392077 This camera was delivered on 15.08.1945 to „ Amerik.Armee“ ( american forces ) We do not have any more information or about place of delivery. There are no entries in the old maintenance- / repair books for this serial. Elmar 5cm/3.5 595206 (was paired with IIIc above) This lens was delivered on 15.08.1945 together with the lens above to „ Amerik.Armee“ ( american forces ) We do not have any more information or about place of delivery. There are no entries in the old maintenance- / repair books for this serial. So... this camera looks like was bought by America solider and brought it to the States. Then he left unused it for 76 years and end up to Ebay. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 5 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/327162-1945-half-race-leica-iiic/?do=findComment&comment=4325762'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 4, 2021 Posted December 4, 2021 Hi alphonse2501, Take a look here 1945 half-race Leica IIIc. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
250swb Posted December 4, 2021 Share #2 Posted December 4, 2021 It's nice to have even a part of a story to go with an old Leica, imagination can perhaps fill in the rest. Have you had it recovered? The 'vulcanite' seems to be lifting to the left of the lens, and the two small screws on the front of the camera appear to be standing proud of the surface instead of recessed? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerzy Posted December 4, 2021 Share #3 Posted December 4, 2021 pls share with us reply from archive. Yes, this is 1945 camera, production restarted in May. Pretty sure camera was delivered to US Army. And yes, this is so called half-race, shutter has ball bearing as shown below, alltogether 7 Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/327162-1945-half-race-leica-iiic/?do=findComment&comment=4325783'>More sharing options...
willeica Posted December 4, 2021 Share #4 Posted December 4, 2021 1 hour ago, alphonse2501 said: Earlier this year I bought this stepper IIIc from Ebay and send it to Youxin Ye for CLA. This camera was all stiff and haze, but Youxin Ye remedied all. It has original brown leather case that internal condition is not ideal to use for daily usage. Take up spool has no wear and like new. Even Youxin says: Based on little details left by LeicaTom, serial number 392 very likely the 1945 series. I have no other way to find more information until I find out I can send an email to info@leica-camera.com to search Leica's achieve. Finally, I received these info So... this camera looks like was bought by America solider and brought it to the States. Then he left unused it for 76 years and end up to Ebay. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quite a few cameras came back this way. Some were paid for and some were bartered. This camera was issued at a time when World War II was still in progress in Japan. You are lucky even to get these details. Derleicaman (Bill Rosauer) should be able to provide you with more details as his father was with the US Army in Germany just after the war and obtained his first Leica while he was there. I am sure that Youxin Ye was able to confirm the half race nature of the camera when he had it stripped down. This is a lovely camera in near perfect condition, which should give you great pleasure to own and use. William Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alphonse2501 Posted December 4, 2021 Author Share #5 Posted December 4, 2021 Quote Have you had it recovered? The 'vulcanite' seems to be lifting to the left of the lens, and the two small screws on the front of the camera appear to be standing proud of the surface instead of recessed? I am not sure why vulcanite and screws act this way. Vulcanite does a bit short in base plate hook. Quote I am sure that Youxin Ye was able to confirm the half race nature of the camera when he had it stripped down. The camera had shown rusts on lug ring and some screws on internal (film chamber). I can know this is half race because Youxin Ye does strips it down and confirms it. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/327162-1945-half-race-leica-iiic/?do=findComment&comment=4325793'>More sharing options...
alphonse2501 Posted December 4, 2021 Author Share #6 Posted December 4, 2021 Quote pls share with us reply from archive. I am not sure is it right to share details from the reply email other than my personal info. Therefore, I include the lens I own and also asked together. These are what I received: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/327162-1945-half-race-leica-iiic/?do=findComment&comment=4325798'>More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted December 5, 2021 Share #7 Posted December 5, 2021 Advertisement (gone after registration) 18 hours ago, jerzy said: pls share with us reply from archive. Yes, this is 1945 camera, production restarted in May. Pretty sure camera was delivered to US Army. And yes, this is so called half-race, shutter has ball bearing as shown below, alltogether 7 Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Hello Jerzy, If the ball bearing shutter has "alltogether 7": Why are there 23 balls in the photo? Best Regards, Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerzy Posted December 5, 2021 Share #8 Posted December 5, 2021 vor 7 Stunden schrieb Michael Geschlecht: Why are there 23 balls in the photo Michael, some of the balls were still in cleaning bath when I took this photo. Bearings are not all the same, number of balls and their diameter differ, see below. Only one bearing, 6x1,5mm is in a sort of cage, for all others you need to insert one by one when assembling after CLA, could take some time untill all of them are in place 🙂 Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/327162-1945-half-race-leica-iiic/?do=findComment&comment=4326427'>More sharing options...
whofarts Posted December 9, 2021 Share #9 Posted December 9, 2021 (edited) hello jerzy IF the half race IIIC has 7 ball bearings，then what about the full race iiic? I want to figure out the differences between half and full race IIIC，But little information I got on the net thank you so much。 Edited December 9, 2021 by whofarts wrong quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
whofarts Posted December 9, 2021 Share #10 Posted December 9, 2021 On 12/5/2021 at 7:23 PM, jerzy said: Michael, some of the balls were still in cleaning bath when I took this photo. Bearings are not all the same, number of balls and their diameter differ, see below. Only one bearing, 6x1,5mm is in a sort of cage, for all others you need to insert one by one when assembling after CLA, could take some time untill all of them are in place 🙂 Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerzy Posted December 9, 2021 Share #11 Posted December 9, 2021 photo above is showing 3922xx, very close to the one shown at the top of this thread. I had once grey WH camera (from 3916xx batch), this one had additional one bearing on wind axis (23x1mm balls) and one on rewind axis (15x1,5mm), I do not have a photo though. I can imagine that they could have been various variants and some sample could have more or less bearings. Especially shortly after production restarted in 1945 they had some stock of spare parts but as well troubles on getting raw material for new production so cameras from this period of time may differ from each other depending what was available. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizard Posted December 9, 2021 Share #12 Posted December 9, 2021 Am 4.12.2021 um 10:19 schrieb alphonse2501: I am not sure why vulcanite and screws act this way. Vulcanite does a bit short in base plate hook. I may be wrong, but this does not look like the original Vulcanite to me. It is too glossy and seems to have been glued onto the camera body (witness the yellowish material visible at the cutout near the baseplate), whereas the real Vulcanite is baked onto the body, not glued. Anyway, this is still a very nice camera and has a story to tell. Enjoy! Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerzy Posted December 9, 2021 Share #13 Posted December 9, 2021 vor 12 Minuten schrieb wizard: I may be wrong, but this does not look like the original Vulcanite to me yes, I believe as well so. About glue and backing - photo below shows an early IIId, you may see the remainings of original glue (blue arrow) and spots where someone reglued vulcanite partially with modern glue. Even in 60-ties vulcanite was glued, but it is possible that glue was applied on vulcanite (or was part of it) and heat was used to form vulcanite around the shell and to release/activate the glue. Second photo shows IIIg with the rest of original glue on the shell Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/327162-1945-half-race-leica-iiic/?do=findComment&comment=4329074'>More sharing options...
whofarts Posted December 10, 2021 Share #14 Posted December 10, 2021 10 hours ago, jerzy said: photo above is showing 3922xx, very close to the one shown at the top of this thread. I had once grey WH camera (from 3916xx batch), this one had additional one bearing on wind axis (23x1mm balls) and one on rewind axis (15x1,5mm), I do not have a photo though. I can imagine that they could have been various variants and some sample could have more or less bearings. Especially shortly after production restarted in 1945 they had some stock of spare parts but as well troubles on getting raw material for new production so cameras from this period of time may differ from each other depending what was available. the information helps. Thank you so much Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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