What is this???

[StukaJU87]

Not sure if I am posting this is in the right section...

A fellow coworker picked up what he was told was a tank periscope at a garage sale and asked me if I could help him find out what it is. It appears to have been buried and all moving parts are rusted in place.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[44 AMP]

I do not think it is a tank periscope.

Periscopes in tanks are a bit different.

What I believe it is, is a sight. Mortar or artillery I suspect. No idea of who's, or what weapon it went on, but it is similar in general to mortar/artillery sights I have seen.

Beyond that, I got nothing.

 

[2ndsojourn]

It's not a mortar sight, at least not a 81mm mortar sight. But I'd also go with some kind of artillery sight. Maybe not American but possibly British or Canadian.

 

[barnbwt]

Looks vaguely KPVish

 

[StukaJU87]

Thank you for the quick replies.

I searched for mortar sight and found this: http://www.bulcomersks.com/index.ph...hts-red-dot-sights/414-collimating-sight-kv-l

The top half looks the same but the bottom is completely different. So maybe it's an anti-aircraft sight of some kind?

 

[g.willikers]

Maybe you could mount it on your hunting rifle and shoot at nervous game from behind cover, so as not to spook it.

 

[44 AMP]

Another possibility occurs to me, it might be a machine gun sight. Like the WWII German one used with the MG34 and MG42 tripod mounts. Doesn't look right to be one of those, but its similar, kind of.. or for an AT gun/field gun (artillery).

There is also a passing resemblance to the AA sight used on the German 20mm Flak Vierling mount.

Could be from any one of several countries, as well. Possibly eastern European?

throwing out everything I can think of, see if any sticks....

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Could be from any one of several countries, as well. Possibly eastern European?

The lettering on the trajectory dial appears to be in English, so I'd guess it's probably American, possibly English or Canadian.

 

[FrankenMauser]

Some quick googling of the number plate and engravings on the sight (I believe it to be a sight, as well) are giving me hits for the M28/M29 and M65 Recoilless Rifle and warhead.

AKA: Nuclear Recoilless Rifle.

There is no direct connection, though. Nor can I find a good photo that shows the sighting system of the M28/M29.

 

[kilimanjaro]

It's definitely a sight/aiming device. The dials are graduated for reading deflection up/down or right/left from the viewing center. The top cover is hinged to gather light and reflect down into the lens.