Fire Control Optics

[27-106_G]

Good evening:

I recently purchased a a few fire-control instruments online, and I want to see if anyone can give me some information about them.

First is an M4 mortar sight Ser #88xxx. From other posts on this board, I believe that falls in the range of wartime production. My question regards the case. At first look it resembled the cold-war era diecast aluminum "M81" type case, but on closer examination this one looks like sheet metal. It also has leather straps, instead of nylon web. Most pictures of wartime M4 sighs I've seen show leather cases. Did some wartime sights come with sheet metal cases?

Second is an M12A7 panoramic telescope Ser #53xxx. I have found some information on this 'scope. TM 9-1240-236-35P shows that the M12A7 was a cold-war instrument, used with several different artillery pieces, depending on the reticle used. This one has the C reticle, for the M114 (the re-badged 155mm howitzer M1). The manual also shows the same sight used with the launcher for the Honest John nuclear rocket. My question is, what is the difference between the M12A7 and the wartime versions of the M12?

TM 9-748, page 402, shows an M12 as used for indirect fire on the M36 tank destroyer. What other uses did the M12 find?

Also, what color were wartime panoramic telescopes? This one is painted OD, with black scales and controls.

[AZ Jeff]

TM 9-2300 Artillery Materiel and Associated Equipment (May, 1949 edition) lists the M12 models in the following applications:

M12

* 155 mm Gun Carriage M1
* 90mm Gun Carriage T5E2
* 105mm Howitzer Mounts M4 and M4A1
* 8 inch Howitzer Carriage M1
* 105mm Howitzer Carriages M1A1 and M1A2
* 8 inch Carriage M2
* 240mm Howitzer Carriage M1
* 90mm Gun Mounts M4 and M4A1
* 155mm Gun Mount M13
* 8 inch Howitzer Mount M17
* 105mm Howitzer Mount M5

M12A2

* 105mm Howitzer Carriages M2A1 and M2A2
* 105mm Howitzer Mounts M4 and M4A1
* 105mm Howitzer Mount M5

M12A5

* 75mm Howitzer Mount M12
* 75mm Howitzer Mount M7

M12A6

* 155mm Howitzer Mount M14

Reticle images are depicted in the TM and show that each model had a distinct pattern. Each application had it's own Telescope Mount as well.

Jeff Q.
AZ

[27-106_G]

Thanks Jeff.

The mortar sight came in today, and the case is marked "T42".

I only found a few pictures of this model case online, all the other M4 sights I've seen either come with the M14 leather case or the M81 diecast aluminum one. All of the T42 I can find look like have cotton web straps. This one has a badly worn leather strap, that looks original.

Does anyone know how many T42 cases got made, and when. This one came from eastern Europe somewhere, and I've seen some for sale out of the UK. Did they all get shipped to other countries?

[AZ Jeff]

The leather M14 Case still appears in the 09/1951 ORD 7 SNL A-43 for the 60mm M2 and M-19. I'm thinking the T42 was a 50s thing accordingly.

Does the sight have the 7xxxxxx type Ordnance Stock number?

Jeff Q.
AZ

[27-106_G]

Does the sight have the 7xxxxxx type Ordnance Stock number?

Yes, 7579927

[AZ Jeff]

Late war/postwar stock number. That could explain a 50s vintage case and possible overseas military aid sale to Europe.

Jeff Q.
AZ