Help Requested ID German Rangefinders

[ILVEROMILITE]

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[ILVEROMILITE]

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[ILVEROMILITE]

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[ILVEROMILITE]

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[ILVEROMILITE]

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[ILVEROMILITE]

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Ciao from Italy!
www.gardamilitaria.com

[me6_130]

I've had a look at your web, and the cammo ammo box you have as german WWI is, in fact, an MG13 8 mag box, so post 1933.

Carles

[globbitz]

Hello ILVEROMILITE,

Your Rangefinder is a German 1,25m Stereoscopic, for Anti-Aircraft flak. Your example is the hand-held version, and has a manufacturer's ordnance 3-letter code of 'fwq'.

The Ordnance Tan paint is quite typical for these rangefinders regardless of theatre.

Your photos are quite select, and don't show the entire rangefinder as viewed from the front, so I can't tell whether the rangefinder is complete with its accessories. If not, then hopefully the descriptions below might help you recognise items that you have seen, but didn't realise their use. I can provide some photos of these parts, later, if you need:

1. Each of the objective lenses should have a separate odd bulbous-shaped tube that is clipped into position over the objectives using spring-clips. These tubes are used as both a transport cover when they're folded closed, and also as a sunshade when rotated into position.

2. You might also be missing the illumination set that sits beneath the hinged metal cover at the front of the rangefinder. It is also quite distinctive by its shape, and is comprised of two hollow metal triangles that clip together - each with a blue filter to illuminate the graticules. There's a short power cable that's terminated by a bakelite 2-pronged plug.

Regards,
Paul

[ILVEROMILITE]

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[Mikedenmark]

I had 3 of these rangefinders some years ago. 2 of them had large iron discs between the handles and the center section for installation in some kind of armour or bunker. The discs had internal bearings for the rangefinder to be turned up or down.

At the time, I read about these rangefinders that they were discontinued in production, because the outer body, consisting of welded plate and pipes, were too prone to twists and bends.
None the less, those I had, came from NATO store somewhere. So they must have been useable for something even after the war.

I still have a few internal spares for them here somewhere. Mainly from the center section.

[globbitz]

Hello Mike,

Indeed, I believe that the fixed-mount ones had a (Pz) as part of the designation instead of the (L) - I'm sure that there's a previous Thread on this forum (perhaps it was yours?).

I've sent you a PM regarding spares, as mine is missing internal prisms which were unfortunately removed (and lost) by a Russian Airforce officer after the war. However when I purchased my EM 1,25m R from Estonia, I was also told that a batch of these Rangefinders that had been captured by the Russians in the war were sent to Egypt (or to Syria) in the 1960s, so it's very interesting that some were also stored / used / evaluated by NATO.

If you happen to locate that article about the problems associated with the construction of the rangefinder, then I would be very interested to read the details, as it's modular construction is quite different from other units of the period that I've encountered.

Best regards,
Paul

[Mikedenmark]

I didn´t store the article at the time, but most likely it was something in german. Maybe from Pawlas Verlag.

I don´t even know if the Zeiss rangefinders are made from a special type of steel pipe. If I was to build such an instrument, I would like the material to as insensitive to temperature and mechanical forces as possible. High E- module values would be nice.
Some steel tubes, made without seams, may have been used for these instruments. Even today the logo of Rheinmetall (looks like a square in a circle) is a reminicense of their original speciality: Making seamless steel pipes. The square center is the pointed tool used to press holes in solid red hot steel to make such pipes.

This type of steel pipe is extremely expensive, so it is no wonder the germans did try to build rangefinders out of common plates and pipes instead.
On an older note, that is how some Barr & Stroud rangefinder were build before WWI as well.
I have seen a report here in Denmark with damming critique of the B&S´s for infantry use dated around 1906. Several different models who shared the same difficulties. The need for re-adjustments made them almost useless. And the factory did basically not reply to letters. The small WWII B&S seems to be built somewhat like this german rangefinder. Internals may be different, but the outer shell has distinct similarities.

I have had a couple of completely disassembled german rangefinders model 1934, and when I looked at the main body, with all those grinded panels, crevices and holes, I think Zeiss must have had a madman in the workshop to be able to produce them. Just one faulty operation, and you could scrap the entire workpiece and start all over again.