"The mother all all range finders".

[behblc]

The optic I am waiting for from the US - marked "No.3".
One in six months then three come along together - life is like that.
Tom - I have not forgotten.

[behblc]

Things have improved a little.
Attached 4 10x45's a mixture of good and bad.
The good number 3 which is intact , Number 4 which is missing its mounting plate and quick sight - it should be identical to number 3.
Not too bad - number 2 - it has its mounting plate - like "3" and "4" it is perfect optically - all three have their grids/ scales .

The bad - the missing quicksight and mounting block from "4 ".
Number 2 someone has painted it grey.
Number 1 I only have a "standin" at present - this one should look like "3" or "4".

Now I am not prone to swearing and unfortunately anything less will fail to get across the degree of annoyance I feel.

The removal of the quicksight and mounting block from "4" , the awful overpainting of "2" , and the "stand in" - some idiot overpainted it with textured paint - and removed the plate detailing the type of optic and its serial number , they also removed its base plate , quicksight and the attachment for to the illumination port.

Why the **** do some people have to screw around with things , why do they honestly think they can improve on the makers design ?
Idiots one and all.
Serial numbers .
On "2" the optic is numbered 1549 , the mounting plate - 124729.
On "3" " " " " 318826 , " " " - 67171
On "4" " " " " 154324.

The plates on the optics - top plate Rm-F
10x45 fur
Fm 4mR(H)34
( Serial number of the optic)

The second plate displays the Carl Zeiss logo.

"3" and "4" are numbered - stensiled on the top of each - number "2" fits into the transit case as "2" ( from left to right) - it would have been coloured tan or black at one time.
( As far as I am aware it would only have had one eye cup , unlike "3 & 4" which have a a "false" ( blind) eye cup.

The missing , yet to be obtained "Number 1" - it's base plate is the exact opposite of "2" , these can only be mounted on the range finder in a specfic order and can only be stored in the same order.



If anyone has a spare "number 1" please drop me a line.
Like wise an intact "Number 4".

I must now gather £'s to buy a 6x30 from Tom who has been kind enough to hold it for me.

Filling out an empty box is always a long term undertaking and not everything comes easy - sometimes it is hard enough to find what you are looking for but to find that it has been boy scouted , messed with and altered - it is like a helmet collector finding an SS helmet cut to take horns as per " The Black Wid'ers" of "Every which way " fame.
Doing this is not cheap - as perfect examples are not exactly falling out of the trees and info on the optics is not widely published.

Enough of my rantings , but God does it not vex abody.
Tom hold that 6x30 I have not forgotten about it .( Thank you).

The "spare" one is second from the left - it has been repainted and in fairness it was well done , but it should not have been done.

[mlespaul]

Things have improved a little.
Attached 4 10x45's a mixture of good and bad.
The good number 3 which is intact , Number 4 which is missing its mounting plate and quick sight - it should be identical to number 3.
Not too bad - number 2 - it has its mounting plate - like "3" and "4" it is perfect optically - all three have their grids/ scales .

beh -

Pm'd you. I'm looking for assignment chart or diagram that shows where each "number-assigned" optical scope went on the main assembly if you or anyone else can help The Zeiss archive has a pic but it's WAY to small to be of any use.

[Asbjørn]

Old thread, I know, I just had to post this picture of a couple of rather large rangefinders!

[mlespaul]

That's the grandmother of the mother of all rangefinders!

What museum is this anyway Asbjørn?

[Lorenz SZ-42]

The batteries with 40.6 cm Schnelladekanone C/34 had an 8 meter rangefinder. At least one of the batteries in Norway. As far as I know none survived.

[mambo]

This UK dealer has a 4mtr for sale

[Asbjørn]

That's the grandmother of the mother of all rangefinders!

What museum is this anyway Asbjørn?

The grandmother is a captured French one, if im not mistaken the smaller German one is 6m.

It's the Norwegian coastal artillery museum, I posted some more pictures here:
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=421978

[navalgunner]

Coastal arty rangefinder

IMA has several 3, 4, and 5 meter rangefinders all made in paris in the 1930's. I went down to the warehouse to purchase one, but the logistics and manpower involved in putting them together and moving them was too much. plus they were covered with the "A" material. But it was thrilling to see them put together and on the tripods and working.

[mlespaul]

IMA has several 3, 4, and 5 meter rangefinders all made in paris in the 1930's. I went down to the warehouse to purchase one, but the logistics and manpower involved in putting them together and moving them was too much. plus they were covered with the "A" material. But it was thrilling to see them put together and on the tripods and working.

I'll bet it was! Did you get to look through the main/central observation section?