Anyone know what this is? Periscope? Telescope? Some sort of sighting device.

[Delmarvelous]

Hello all!

I just came across this part on Facebook. The backstory is: the daughter-in-law of a mechanic from World War II had this in his garage and he has recently passed away. They were unable to identify this part, so she posted it on Facebook for sale and I bought it.

She gave it to me in a BX - 40, which is an old military box out of a jeep that held crystals for the communications device (no real story there)… but the optics piece inside the box has my curiosity piqued.

There is a manual focus adjustment, and when you look through the scope, there are crosshairs. I am not sure if this was used for… sighting in guns?? I'm really at a loss, but I'm very curious about the story.

Anyway, if someone knows and can tell me what it is, I would greatly appreciate it!

 

[AL90]

Looks like a B-29 Superfortress bore sighting tool used by armourers to harmonise the guns before flight. It would come in a kit with various adapters.

 

[EAIAnalog]

15-8045 is a B-29 engineering drawing titled: Final Assembly B-29. It's a list of all the major assemblies that go into a specific B-29. The -0 would be a build number, but the lowest build number on the drawing is -2, which is for all the YB-29 prototypes. I briefly thought the 234669 might be an A/C serial number (42-34669), but the 42 serial number range is: 42-93xxx, Renton; 42-36xxx and 42-24xxx, Wichita/Omaha/Marietta. So it may be a serial number for the device itself. I like the idea it might be part of the equipment to harmonize the remote control gun turrets. I'll look around and see if I can glean any information along those lines.

 

[Gary Cain]

Yes, it is for boresighting, harmonizing the guns on bombers, and other aircraft. I have had USN versions that could boresight everything from .30 all the way up to 20mm.

 

[Delmarvelous]

Looks like a B-29 Superfortress bore sighting tool used by armourers to harmonise the guns before flight. It would come in a kit with various adapters.

Thank you!

 

[Delmarvelous]

15-8045 is a B-29 engineering drawing titled: Final Assembly B-29. It's a list of all the major assemblies that go into a specific B-29. The -0 would be a build number, but the lowest build number on the drawing is -2, which is for all the YB-29 prototypes. I briefly thought the 234669 might be an A/C serial number (42-34669), but the 42 serial number range is: 42-93xxx, Renton; 42-36xxx and 42-24xxx, Wichita/Omaha/Marietta. So it may be a serial number for the device itself. I like the idea it might be part of the equipment to harmonize the remote control gun turrets. I'll look around and see if I can glean any information along those lines.

I really appreciate all the information. At some point this will need a new home, as you look around can you see if anyone is looking to add to their colection? I do unserstand that the few remining B-29's do not need their guns harmonized, or even sited, but it will be waisted sitting on my desk as a conversation piece.

 

[Delmarvelous]

Yes, it is for boresighting, harmonizing the guns on bombers, and other aircraft. I have had USN versions that could boresight everything from .30 all the way up to 20mm.

Can you send pictures? I'd love to see it.

 

[Gary Cain]

Can you send pictures? I'd love to see it.

I sold the set years ago. Here is an example of one that is similar for sale on epay.

Graflex Military BoreSight Kit | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Graflex Military BoreSight Kit at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[EAIAnalog]

Two questions: one, does the knurled brass knob move the tube back and forth to change focus; two, can you tell if the central part contains a prism?

 

[Delmarvelous]

Two questions: one, does the knurled brass knob move the tube back and forth to change focus; two, can you tell if the central part contains a prism?

1) The brass know does move the tube back and forth to change focus
2) I am not sure if it has a prism; it does have cross hairs and the image is reversed, so I'm assuming it has a mirror.

 

[HP52]

Hello all!

I just came across this part on Facebook. The backstory is: the daughter-in-law of a mechanic from World War II had this in his garage and he has recently passed away. They were unable to identify this part, so she posted it on Facebook for sale and I bought it.

She gave it to me in a BX - 40, which is an old military box out of a jeep that held crystals for the communications device (no real story there)… but the optics piece inside the box has my curiosity piqued.

There is a manual focus adjustment, and when you look through the scope, there are crosshairs. I am not sure if this was used for… sighting in guns?? I'm really at a loss, but I'm very curious about the story.

Anyway, if someone knows and can tell me what it is, I would greatly appreciate it!

I have never seen one but I believe they had a similar device to this for bore sighting quad and twin turret mounted guns. The Old Man said the Armourers mate, stood outside and pulled the lower barrels down onto his shoulders to steady them. On this day the Armourer flicked of the safety catch and several rounds discharged - shaking up the Armourer's mate!

 

[HP52]

I have never seen one but I believe they had a similar device to this for bore sighting quad and twin turret mounted guns. The Old Man said the Armourers mate, stood outside and pulled the lower barrels down onto his shoulders to steady them. On this day the Armourer flicked of the safety catch and several rounds discharged - shaking up the Armourer's mate!

That was on Lancaster bombers.

 

[EAIAnalog]

Thanks Delmarvelous. I was thinking this might be a tool for aligning production jigs, but now I go along with it being part of the Harmonizing tool set.

Looking at the B-29 engineering drawings, there is one drawing of decals for "Harmonizing Tools". There are 3 decals: one for Sight Rod; one for Transit Turret Harmonizing; and one for Target Turret Harmonizing. Usage on an aircraft is 4 Sight Rod decals, 2 Transit Turret Harmonizing decals, and 1 Target Turret Harmonizing decal, placed at different internal points in the aircraft. I assume the specified tool was stored somewhere close to the decal. Since the Remote Controlled Turrets were Government Furnished Equipment (built by General Electric/General Railway Signal), the tools are probably delivered with the turrets and some installation instructions/hardware. I'll look around the drawings and see if I can see them specifically called out. What you have would probably be the transit.

 

[EAIAnalog]

OK, I consulted with the Museum of Flight's Archives, and we found this manual: Air Forces Manual 20, August 1944, Harmonization in the B-29, Supplement to the Gunner's Information File. The Manual is about 50 pages long, and one page covers the boresight tools. It's attached. Note that the eyepiece is similar to what you have. So I'm guessing that your eyepiece is either earlier or later than the one shown in the diagram.