Sighting Scope WW1/WW2
 

another query for the great collective knowledge here....

Would this scope have been utilised with a specific artillery piece or is a generic unit used on various pieces or a tripod?

Made in 1917 by the London based 'Periscopic Prism Co. Ltd'
Nomenclature; 'Variable Power Telescope No2'

then come WW2 all that was struck-out and it was reclassified
'Telescope Sighting No. 38 MkII'
(I wonder if was the buggers at BB Ltd that took away the variable power option?)

30 1/2" long x 2 1/2" dia at the lens cap.
It had 3 magnification options x7, x14, x21 (although it appears to be locked on the x21)

I really have to firmly ID some of this kit and rehome it before I join the Dead Parrot fraternity!

Brent. NZ

It's not listed in the REME optics course notes from 1947, though no.39 is (6 pounder).

With that magnification I'd assume it was naval. Most tanks and similar kit was x1.9, x3, or x6.

thanks for the info Lauren,

I assumed it was an artillery piece as it was both WW1 & WW2.

But then maybe a tripod mounted spotting scope?.....I'll mount it on a tripod and use it as such at shows.

Brent

I don't think it would be for spotting as it's marked up as sighting. That means it was the sight for something.

It's a nice peice :)

I wonder if it's a gunsight that has been built using parts from obsolete equipment? It seems likely that the eyepiece assembly could be re-used, so maybe that's why the original designation has been struck out, along with the manufacturer name and date.

Is it really 21x magnification, or have they just pinned the selector in that position and it's really a fixed magnification unit?

The original unit may well have been a variable power telescope for observation (flash spotting or counter-sniper) purposes.

Chris.

rebuild
 

excellent summations Chris,
your insights are always valuable. Thanks.

Brent

Lunchtime, so a spot of research... [FX: Pokes internet with a stick]

...looks like it was originally a Naval item, a post on BOCN got a response that it was probably from a Scott-Vickers gun director, and used for target identification rather than as a gunsight, which would explain the high magnification option.

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/thread...ower-Telescope

Another link provided a photograph of (presumably) an original, though I suspect The Mad Brass Polisher has had his evil way with it:

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/a...8-a42400266ffd

An un-polished example:

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/a...0-a3fd00d6ba09

So, a WW1 naval fire control telescope rebuilt/repurposed in WW2 as an artillery or tank gunsight?

Chris.

'were in the Navy'
 

Hi again Chris....I had seen those references but there's nothing really definitive.

no problem, I'll Jerry-Rig a mount and display it in all its glory...

Now then, where did i leave that wire wool & brasso! :D

cheers,
Brent