unknown periscope

[Franzi]

Hi,

Please can You help me with identification?

Thanks!

[pzo]

Periscope

This is scope for main gun of post war Czech variant of German WW II Panzerjager "Hetzer". I think all is German WW II production, with some Czech words added post war.

[bubblesbane]

Remnants of war in southern.

[mlespaul]

pzo,

right on target! Yes the upper telescope assembly has the post war Czech stamps and the eyepiece and reticle box assembly is the original wehrmacht unchanged. Swiss had the same thing going. They were designed to fit perfectly with the range drum assemblies, so why redesign a whole new periscope, right?

Note that this one is fairly complete in the case, complete with lighting kit, headpad and rubber ocular cap. Worth more market-wise than the average SflZF you normally see for sale.

Also not the side flap/hinge assembly on the right side. I'm starting to think that the 1a and 1a/1 were designated as such for their means of attaching to the range drum assembly.

This is scope for main gun of post war Czech variant of German WW II Panzerjager "Hetzer". I think all is German WW II production, with some Czech words added post war.

[Stew]

what are the additional "tops " ? Are they replacemenst in case one gets damaged by shell splinters etc?Thanks.

[mlespaul]

what are the additional "tops " ? Are they replacemenst in case one gets damaged by shell splinters etc?Thanks.

correct. As the SflZF "tops" were highly exposed on the top of the fighting compartment roof, (pull up any internet picture of a Stug in action and you'll see the periscopic top portion sticking up out in the open from the roof), it was extremely vulnerable to fire, shrapnel, breakage, etc.

The tops are then replaced, they are only a tube with mirror and two prisms (I think, I'd have to pull up my light path diagram for it, not with me at the moment) plus the external glass. All the other parts are contained in the lower portion, including the strichplatte lens cell and magnification lenses.

Nowadays these found items can be difficult to remove the tops due to age, so I'd be very averse to trying it without extreme care or lubrication .

[Viewfinder]

That "beh" marking in one of the photos is the wartime code for E. Leitz Wetzlar. Congratulations!