Towards the end of the war the German army started implementing infrared technology to improve their night fighting capabilities. A number of specialised vehicles were converted: the Panther tank, codenamed "Puma"; the Sd.Kfz 251/20 "Falke" to provide panzer grenadier cover for the tanks and the Sd.Kfz 251/20 "Uhu" which carried a large infrared floodlight to illuminate targets at distance.
The "Falke" carried two slightly different types of infrared equipment, called the F.G.12/50 and the F.G.12/52. These two types differed mainly in the lenses fitted to the scope and the "spread" of the infrared floodlight. The F.G 12/50 was addapted as a targeting scope of the vehicle's MG42 while the F.G. 12/52 had a slightly larger angle of vision for the driver. the "Puma" was also fitted with the F.G. 12/50. Other light vehicles were also fitted with driving scope, presumably the F.G. 12/52.
The power supply for the scopes consisted of two units, a small vibrator unit turning the 12V DC into 220 V AC and a High Voltage Supply creating several thousand Volts to power the scope.
Here are some pictures from a British intelligence (BIOS) report showing the power supply arrangement in the Sd.Kfz 251/20 "Falke". There are two separate supplies, one fitted next to the driver, the other just behind the radio operator/commander seat:
<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/Falke1_zps6934ac7b.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/Falke1_zps6934ac7b.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Falke1_zps6934ac7b.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/Falke2_zps0cd4c0bd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/Falke2_zps0cd4c0bd.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Falke2_zps0cd4c0bd.jpg"/></a>
I have marked the vibrator power supply with red arrows, here is the real deal!:
<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC06413_zps9dd112c2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC06413_zps9dd112c2.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC06413_zps9dd112c2.jpg"/></a>
The unit contains two vibrators (one active, one spare), a fuse plus four spares and an on/off switch. You can just about recognise these elements on the original pictures from the BIOS report.
The units are actually mounted upside down in the vehicle, the faceplate has the texts, manufacturer's code and serial number ink stamped onto it:
<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC06412_zpsf51c6346.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC06412_zpsf51c6346.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC06412_zpsf51c6346.jpg"/></a>
The serial number "700140" denotes that this probably unit 140 out of a few hundred made. Mine was clearly used by the British after the war as it had been modified to work with a British vibrator unit (they obviously did not have any original spares). Fortunately I was able to undo the modifications and resource some missing bits to restore the unit back to its original configuration.
The unit was connected to the 12 V supply and to the H.V. supply via plugs and cables. The dustcaps for the plug sockets can be stored on top of the box (this is just about visible on the unit on the driver's side, which has the lid on the supply unit):
<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC06410_zps0673dc9a.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC06410_zps0673dc9a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC06410_zps0673dc9a.jpg"/></a>
You can read the BIOS report here: http://www.cdvandt.org/BIOS-misc-66-text.pdf
Makes you wonder what happened to the other parts of the installation tested by British after the war, maybe still gathering dust in some research estabishment....
Funksammler
The "Falke" carried two slightly different types of infrared equipment, called the F.G.12/50 and the F.G.12/52. These two types differed mainly in the lenses fitted to the scope and the "spread" of the infrared floodlight. The F.G 12/50 was addapted as a targeting scope of the vehicle's MG42 while the F.G. 12/52 had a slightly larger angle of vision for the driver. the "Puma" was also fitted with the F.G. 12/50. Other light vehicles were also fitted with driving scope, presumably the F.G. 12/52.
The power supply for the scopes consisted of two units, a small vibrator unit turning the 12V DC into 220 V AC and a High Voltage Supply creating several thousand Volts to power the scope.
Here are some pictures from a British intelligence (BIOS) report showing the power supply arrangement in the Sd.Kfz 251/20 "Falke". There are two separate supplies, one fitted next to the driver, the other just behind the radio operator/commander seat:
<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/Falke1_zps6934ac7b.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/Falke1_zps6934ac7b.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Falke1_zps6934ac7b.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/Falke2_zps0cd4c0bd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/Falke2_zps0cd4c0bd.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Falke2_zps0cd4c0bd.jpg"/></a>
I have marked the vibrator power supply with red arrows, here is the real deal!:
<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC06413_zps9dd112c2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC06413_zps9dd112c2.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC06413_zps9dd112c2.jpg"/></a>
The unit contains two vibrators (one active, one spare), a fuse plus four spares and an on/off switch. You can just about recognise these elements on the original pictures from the BIOS report.
The units are actually mounted upside down in the vehicle, the faceplate has the texts, manufacturer's code and serial number ink stamped onto it:
<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC06412_zpsf51c6346.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC06412_zpsf51c6346.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC06412_zpsf51c6346.jpg"/></a>
The serial number "700140" denotes that this probably unit 140 out of a few hundred made. Mine was clearly used by the British after the war as it had been modified to work with a British vibrator unit (they obviously did not have any original spares). Fortunately I was able to undo the modifications and resource some missing bits to restore the unit back to its original configuration.
The unit was connected to the 12 V supply and to the H.V. supply via plugs and cables. The dustcaps for the plug sockets can be stored on top of the box (this is just about visible on the unit on the driver's side, which has the lid on the supply unit):
<a href="http://s672.photobucket.com/user/Funksammler/media/DSC06410_zps0673dc9a.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv86/Funksammler/DSC06410_zps0673dc9a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC06410_zps0673dc9a.jpg"/></a>
You can read the BIOS report here: http://www.cdvandt.org/BIOS-misc-66-text.pdf
Makes you wonder what happened to the other parts of the installation tested by British after the war, maybe still gathering dust in some research estabishment....
Funksammler
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