12 original cans of Luftwaffe 16mm film

[hornetsfan]

Hello ..I have just been contacted by someone via my website . He has 12 original ww2 German cans of 16mm film .
I have no knowledge of or experience with this type of material .
The cans are described as having the appropriate Eagle and swastica insignia . Condition is described as good , no oxidisation .
Contents were viewed on the original owners projector several years back , from memory the current owner says some were German and allied aircraft recognition tapes ..but also gun camera film of planes being shot down . He also described something which sounded like experimental rockets ( smaller than V1 ) and propelled depth charges ??
The story I have been given is that the original owner was employed to look through masses of captured German film shortly after the wars end . After a period of time only the colour film was kept ,the black and white film was not wanted ...so rather than throw it all away the man kept these cans . He passed away several years ago and now the current owner who was a friend wants to part with all .
I would appreciate your thoughts and whether or not its likely to have any commercial value . Has anyone experience in getting good photos produced from old 16mm cine film ?
If anyone is seriously interested in purchasing the film for a fair price I can put you in touch .
many thanks
jim

[james m]

I owned and operated Video Production Company for many years before I retired. We converted millions of feet of 8mm and 16mm film over to VHS and eventually DVD. If the film is in good condition,and it sounds like this is, than any good transfer outfit can do this for you. You didn't indicate whether this was sound film or not and that will effect the value. As far as value goes unless there is something unique within these films I would expect only moderate interest. I believe Time Life just released several hours of WW II combat film(German and American) on DVD at a very modest price. Figure on a cost of around 10 cent per foot for a professional conversion.
Hope this helps.
Jim

[hornetsfan]

Hello James thanks for your comments ..this is not my field of interest so I'm not inclined to buy them .. I'm also currently spent out having bought a few photo albums over christmas .
looking at the photos of these cans of film , which were attached to the email there is a chance there could be some very interesting footage here .

Below is the email message I received ...

Hello Jim
This is to describe the films and how I came by them.
An elderly friend and neighbour died last Easter and left me a quantity of mainly WW2 Luftwaffe film.
There are about twelve reels of 16mm German WW2 aircraft recognition film.
These are in the original cans with the German Eagle and swastica. They are in good condition as we watched them a few years ago on his projector.
They are general recognition of German and Allied aircraft and also gun camera film of allied planes being shot down. They are without sound.
When the executors were clearing his house some other film came to light. They are some 35mm black and white film not on spools some of which appear to show battlefield scenes and a type of V2 rocket and an airship. I have no means of viewing these so don’t know quite what they are. There is a naval film (16mm) showing the development in 1940 0f a rocket propelled depth charge. It starts off with something like a 2 gallon oil drum with a spherical device with tubes being filled with liquid propellant. This is then launched out to sea and travels I estimate half a mile before splashing down.
Surprisingly stable as it has no fins. The film ends with the device being launched from a ship like a conventional depth charge but this time the range is considerably reduced.
There is also some civilian film of learning to drive in Berlin in the mid 30’s and what seems to be a department store in France in the 30’s.
This is how my friend came by them:
Mr Ronald Russell was discharged from the RAF at or just before the end of the war having contracted T.B. He then got a job with I think Warner Brothers. Whilst there he was sent to an office in Wardour street where he was told to watch and catalogue a large quantity of captured German film This he did with only a penknife and a tube of glue in case the film broke!. He told me his boss was only interested in his female secretary and obtaining goods on the black market. Eventually he was told to keep all the colour film and dump the rest, however instead of dumping it he bought it home in his brief case.
I have attached some pictures of the films
Regards
Richard

I have put 2 photos of the cans of film on a page of my website http://www.throughtheireyes2.co.uk/WW2-GERMAN-FILM.html
Unfortunately , the images have lost detail in putting them up on the site ..If you are interested I can email the 2 photos to you ..the cans have writing on them , are dated and have insignia ...they look 100% genuine . There are reels of 1930s German civilian film , Kriegsmarine film , Luftwaffe Film ...the footage from gun camera , of planes being shot down could be quite special .
If anyone is interested just let me know .
many thanks
jim