German Infra-Red Equipment question

[airhog2007]

Hello, My name is William. I'm looking for someone with knowledge of WWII german equipment, specifically, Infrared tank sights. I have inherited a 30 inch by 5 inch piece of optical equipment that I (obviously) believe has infra-red capabilities. It is, well, panzer yellow, with an ink printing, "Ver Sonne Schuzen", which I'm told translates to "shoot from the sun", or some such. I can get pictures to upload. Basically, I'm looking for definitive answers to what I was given.

[Panzerknacker]

I am waiting for that picture, in the meanwhile you got some info here:

http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5695

[Koen]

"Ver Sonne Schuzen", which I'm told translates to "shoot from the sun"

I would translate it as "protect from sun"

Koen

[Splinter54]

I would translate it as "protect from sun"

Koen

-> 'Vor Sonne schützen'
There's missing a part i think - a picture of the part would be great, because in correct german it would be like: ' Vor [direkte-m/-r] Sonnen[-licht/-bestrahlung/-etc.] schützen' -> 'Protect from [direct] Sun[-light/-shine/-etc.]'

[1000ydstare]

If it is a Nightsight of some sort, it would need to be protected from bright lights of all descriptions, but especially not used in sunlight.

This is a British WW2 vintage (not much proof mind) set of IR Binos. (30$ in NZ I think).

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/5/58504205_full.jpg

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/58/58504258_full.jpg

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/90/58504290_full.jpg

Markings as follows

The only markings I can find are "FM 05" and "ZA. 23001". The only adjustment appears to be for bringing the optics closer together or further apart to suit the distance between ones eyes. I presume focus must be fixed?

[Major Walter Schmidt]

Read "my tank is fight". It has a nice article on the suject. It says that the Uhu infa-red ligts as seen on panzerknacker's link wee supposed to be used in paralell with "vampire" night-scopes and tank-mounted scopes. The book also has pictures so it might help.
The new kit that Dragon models has announced, a E-100 nachtjager with night fighting infantry is also interesting.

[Major Walter Schmidt]

Photo and website.
http://strangevehicles.greyfalcon.us/Nightfighting%20Panthers.htm

[dufleuve]

Hello,

I'm collecting WW2 german IR devices.

I have the same kind of equipment.
Can we exchange pictures ?

Cheers,
Pascal

[dufleuve]

Hello,

Is this the kind of scope you have ?

http://users.skynet.be/dufleuve/spanner/1250_011.jpg

Cheers,

[dufleuve]

I like these well educated people who ignore you and do not answer...

[airhog2007]

BTW,
Sorry for the delay in answering, It took five days for my confirmation letter to get here. :(

[airhog2007]

Major,
Those pictures in the link you supplied are VERY close to what I have. The only major difference is I seem to be missing the chin support, and my unit has two electrical inputs labelled + and - . The unit depicted seemed to only have one. Probably grounded thru the frame/mounting point. The serial number on my unit is BEH-1221-k-(unreadable)-Nr.-1442. below the 1442 is "D". Correct me if I'm wrong, but the BEH refers to Ernst Leitz , GMBH, of Wetler, Germany?

[dufleuve]

Hello,

Sorry for the comment, but it always p.. me off when I got no answer. I prefer a negative than nothing.

What you have is the ZG1221 that takes +17Kv and -17Kv inputs. Probably produced earlier than the Fg1250 like the one I have.
You are correct with the beh code.

Any pictures of your unit ?
I can send you pics of the corresponding IR searchlight: 36cm instead of 20cm for the standard Fg1250.

Cheers
Pascal

[airhog2007]

I apologize for being late in response. I JUST took the picture and have no time to download/upload same. Pascal has , in the meantime provided me with some important technical details about its operational details. YES, I DO want to find out if it works! Do you know the actual bandwidth they used for their emitter? I have many friends in security that have IR emitters that I could use for testing purposes. Can you confirm a 17 volt input as factual? Worst thing in my world would be to over-volt this thing.
Sorry for being so slow in response, but, I have a day job, and the wife keeps me busy all night1 :))

[ww2admin]

Hi folks,
if it helps giving this more exposure, why not upload it to the homepage so more people can help you ? We've had several people upload pictures to the gallery of this site and had their questions answered. Not everyone looks in the forum.

Go to http://www.ww2incolor.com/ and click "Upload a Photo".

[pdf27]

Can you confirm a 17 volt input as factual? Worst thing in my world would be to over-volt this thing.
Uhhh... he said 17kV, i.e. 17,000 volts. That's a seriously dangerous voltage and hence highly unlikely. Don't play with voltages like that at home kids - creepage and clearance come out and bite you.

[airhog2007]

Thanks for the clarification on that power supply. Seems I may need a bigger battery! Or a generator the size of a tank. Anyway, I'm including a pic of the unit as an attachment.

[dufleuve]

Hello,

It definitely is a ZG1221. Never really used in the field.
I confirm voltage being 17 Kv (17.000 volts), but just a few mA.
The original transfo runs from standard 220V AC.

The german Fero51 system has a power supply of same specs, as the tube is derived from the WW2 AEG design.
Anyway, I would not power it up without a lot of caution. These voltages can kill you if not correctly isolated. I have one working device and always ground it before powering.
Also note these tubes have a short life time; even if it still works, it will not last if you use it often.

Markings on the searchlight.


Cheers,
Pascal

[airhog2007]

Awesome! I want to thank all who have helped identify this unit. Actually finding out if it's operational is (seriously) secondary. As you may have seen from the photo, it's missing a cover in front of the (assumed) drying chamber. I wouldn't even consider electrifying without that cover, oand a Darn good grounding pole, aka the tank it was supposed to be attached to.

[airhog2007]

Just to make it more interesting, I received this unit from my (now) deceased father-in-law. He had lived in Vermont in the 90's and had sold a piece of property to a family by the name of Cronin. The crate it is stored in is an old military box, obviously not designed for it. There are shipping addresses (from) Cronin Associates, Menlo Park, Ca, (to) Dr. W. C. Driscoll in Framingham, Ma, Via SS Lena Lachenbach. Spelling may be wrong on that one. Yes, I have a pic, but, again, no time to dl/ul same right now. I have some thoughts about how this may have arrived here, but Google isn't turning up much on any of these names.
Thanx again,
Airhog

[airhog2007]

There it is! Pretty basic crate. You saw the inside in the original pic. The "elect. equip." tag makes me wonder about things, though. Gotta fly.
Thanx
Airhog

[dufleuve]

Hello,

Obviously the box is not matched to the scope.
If you find time to make more close-up pictures of the scope, that would be nice to share them.
And if sometime in the future you decide not to keep it,
please let me know.

Cheers,
Pascal

[airhog2007]

Pascal,
Anywhere in particular you want the close-ups taken? I agree that the box does not match the equipment. A friend of mine thought it was a standard issue U.S. Gov't sort of box. That is why I'm trying to find out about Cronin Assoc. and the Doctor, as well as the ship Lena. Could throw an interesting light on this particular piece of equipment.

To a collector like yourself, what could this piece bring on the open market? Not being a collector myself, I haven't really looked into what something like this could bring.

As I said before, let me know particulars on the pics, can take them anytime.

[dufleuve]

Hello,

Close-ups of the markings and the power plugs would be nice.

I send you a private message about the estimated price.

Cheers,
Pascal

[Splinter54]

Good evening.

Looks like a Marder II with Infra Red Equippement? It could be a fake, but if not it shows that also other vehicles had been fitted with 'such stuff' ;)

http://i30.tinypic.com/2prd15t.jpg

[ptimms]

The photo is a lttle suspicous looking. What is the source ? I've heard about Marders with IR but never seen a photo.

[dufleuve]

Hello,

It is a well know picture of the Marder with the 36cm infrared searchlight and the ZG1221 during tests of IR equipment with PAK 7,5cm.

Cheers
Pascal