I’ve had this photo of these 10 cameras that were built by WFBM in Indianapolis for a long time and have often wondered why these guys built so many of them. Now I know.

Operating now at WRTV, the station signed on the air on May 30, 1949 under the call sign WFBM-TV with a film documentary entitled ‘Crucible of Speed’ covering the history of the Indianapolis 500. Here’s where it gets interesting…that documentary was followed by the inaugural live television broadcast of the event. If anything is a 10 camera shoot, it’s the Indy 500!

I am pretty sure that these cameras were bought as kits and were assembled by the WFMB engineers as it was the least expensive way to acquire 10 cameras.  I think, but can not confirm, that these camera kits were made by Dumont for a company called Federal Electronics. FYI, Dumont built GE’s cameras and I think some for other small television equipment companies like Dage. I’ve heard that after the event, some of these cameras were sold to other stations in the area for mobile units.

Kudos and congratulations to the engineering pioneers at Indiana’s oldest television station.

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