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WWII Japanese Army 6 x military binoculars with reticule/grid |
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It is my understanding that the Universal Camera Corporation made 30,244 M9 binoculars under contract to the US Army and the US Marine Corps in 1942 and early 1943, after which production shifted to Bausch & Lomb. My example is late production, probably 1943, as it is not dated as most 1942 models were, does not have the W.P.B. (War Production Board) marking that most 1942 M9 binoculars had, and also judging by observed serial numbers of 1942 marked M9 binoculars. These have a left ocular ranging grid (the M9 pattern binoculars that Universal Camera Corp made under UK contracts had a different right ocular ranging grid). |
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Japanese External Reverse Porro Prism Binoculars. WEBSITE MUSEUM |
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OTHER BINOCULARS #12 & OPTICAL SIGHTS (MOSTLY MILITARY) |
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FOR GERMAN WWII BINOCULAR and OPTICAL MANUFACTURER CODES |
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WWI Ross London Stereo Prism binocular 6x private officer purchase British 8x military binoculars marked to Lt. A. J. Gowans of the 10th Border Regiment |
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I like binoculars with a documented history of who, when, and how they fit into the human experience. My Ross 6x binoculars were a private purchase of 2nd Lieutenant A. J.Gowans of the 10th (reserve) battalion Border Regiment in WWI, which had been formed in 1914 in Southend England. A.J. Gowans joined as a second lieutenant through the University of Glasgow (Scotland) OTC (Officer Training Corps). British officers in 1914 often or normally purchased their own binoculars from approved patterns through suppliers that specialized in equipping officers. |
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WWII Toko / Tokyo Kogaku Kikai Kabushikikaisha (Tokyo Optical Co., Ltd.) Japanese Navy 7x7.1 military binoculars with ranging grid. |
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My WWII era Toko Japanese senior officers binoculars with original canvas case and with right ocular graticule/ ranging grid were made by Tokyo Kogaku Kikai Kabushikikaisha, founded in 1932, a company founded to make various Japanese army optical goods, and who is today known as Topcon. |
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The marking 航 means “navigation”and was used on Japanese navy and naval aviation binoculars. The marking ' 目盛入 means “with scale” (graticule or ranging grid). |
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WWII Nikko Novar / Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha ( 日本光学工業株式会社 Japanese Army 7x50 military binoculars |
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My WWII era Nikko Japanese senior officers 7x50 binoculars with right ocular graticule/ ranging grid were made by Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha ( 日本光学工業株式会社 " Japan Optical Industries Co., Ltd.") , today known as Nikon. |
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The marking 日本光学 means “Nippon Kogaku”. The marking 目盛入 means “with scale” (graticule or ranging grid), and the marking 丿 バ一 is the Kanji phonetic equivalent of “Novar” |
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WWII Nikko/ Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha ( 日本光学工業株式会社 Japanese Army NCO/ Non Commissioned officers 93 式双眼鏡 / 93-Shiki sōgankyō) Type 93 4x10 military binoculars |
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In the same way that the German military developed the 08 fernglas in WWI as a durable economic simple to make Galilean/ non prismatic binoculars to be issued to non commissioned officers in WWI, the Japanese also developed the Type 93 (93 式双眼鏡 / 93-Shiki sōgankyō) Galilean/ non prismatic binoculars to be issued to non commissioned officers during their 1930’s Manchurian conflict. It has a right side ranging grid. As with the Nikko binoculars above, by the logo outline, my example with it’s canvas carry case was made Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha as Nikko ( 日本光学工業株式会社 " Japan Optical Industries Co., Ltd.") binoculars, (the company is today known as Nikon). The serial number has been scratched out. |
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The J.E.S. mark Japan Engineering Standards #13554 |
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My Japanese 6x binoculars are Japanese army issued and have a right ocular reticule or ranging grid. These would be very typical of a US soldier bring back item, and virtually all Japanese binoculars in working condition that were encountered by US troops during the war with Japan or occupation were grabbed to use and to bring homeo the USA. I have so far been unable to identify the logo, which the Google translation ap interprets as being a character for “rice”, over a representation of Mt Fuji ???? |
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Early 1930’s Huet Aerix 16x50 MG (Ministre de Guerre) French Army military binoculars with unusually early production serial number of # 16. |
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My Huet Aerix 16x50 binoculars were made by the Societ é Generale d’Optique, as marked in the case, and both binoculars and case are “ MG ” military property marked (Ministerie de Guerre). They have an unusually low serial number of 16, of a model of military binoculars not frequently encountered, and probably were not produced in particularly large quantity. The low serial number (217) of another known example held by the on line binoculars museum fernglasmuseum.at is also suggestive of low overall production quantities. (speculative). These binoculars feature an unusual elaborate telescoping friction rod bridge system, to fix the inter ocular distance in a more positive way than pivot friction (which works less well on big and heavy binoculars like these), while allowing quicker adjustment than using a threaded rod and lock wheel. This is presumably partly because with the high 16x power eye placement has to be unusually exact for a clear view by both eyes, and a person would not want to fiddle to get it set with every use. But it is also probably related to indexing the profiled eyeshades. The case is wide enough to not have to fold the binoculars to fit. No graticule/ range grid and so marked. |
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WWII Made in Occupied France Huet 8x30 Krieigsmarine German Navy military binoculars |
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WWII German Occupied France Made Huet Dienstglas 7x50 German Army military binoculars |
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The French Societ é Generale d’Optique, maker of Huet optical goods, made my DF 8x30 Artillery binoculars serial number 5854 for the Kriegsmarine/ German Navy. |
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Huet production of their existing French military optics designs such were continued for the German military during the German occupation of France June 1940-1944, with some German markings, as with mine. Captured existing Huet optics were also used by the German military, but these usually only had their original French markings. These binoculars have a right ocular graticule/ grid. |
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The French Societ é Generale d’Optique, maker of Huet optical goods, made my 7x50 501 Dienstglas marked binoculars with right ocular graticule/ ranging grid for the German Army during the German occupation of France. |
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I do not see any serial number (unless it is the 501 marking), and based on the common late war tan paint (nothing to do with DAK despite nonsense internet claims of tan binoculars being DAK). I believe these to be late war production. |
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These have sliding objective sun guards |
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WWII Japanese Army 6X military binoculars |
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WWI era French Made Huet Paris Stadex 8x30 A.B. / Arm é es Belges/ Belgian Army Military Binoculars |
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WWII U.S. Army M17 7x50 military binoculars with left ocular reticule. |
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During WWII a large succession of binoculars models were produced for the U.S. Army including modifications and/or improvements. According to Bob Womack, 54,412 of my US Army M17 model binoculars were produced by Westinghouse using Bausch & Lomb and Optical Research Co. produced lenses, with this model being similar to the M15 model but with a left ocular reticule/ ranging grid. There was also a separate M17A1. my M17 7x50 binoculars are quite heavy at over 3 pounds and are quite large at nearly 8 inches by 8 inches, and were obtained in a leather 24 carrying case. |