Panzer Main Gun Sight

[sftrooper86]

Hello Gentlemen,

Can anyone tell me what exactly this is and which model of panzed this came out of?

Thank you,

Vince

[Gordon Craig]

sftrooper86,

I don't think this is a tank sight. I have owned a cased Germn WWII tank sight in the past and it was much bigger. They are usually marked Zfr. plus the model number. This is probably connected to an artillery battery for plotting fire. The Th. on the cover probably stand for Theodolit (Theodolite in English).

Regards,

Gordon

[Guest IMHF]

Cool: Piece of history, what ever it is.....

SSG Luna, Lorenzo

[sftrooper86]

sftrooper86,

I don't think this is a tank sight. I have owned a cased Germn WWII tank sight in the past and it was much bigger. They are usually marked Zfr. plus the model number. This is probably connected to an artillery battery for plotting fire. The Th. on the cover probably stand for Theodolit (Theodolite in English).

Regards,

Gordon

Hello Gordon,

Sorry but this was removed from a Panther as I mentioned in my initial post. This is per the veteran. The search goes on!

Happy Hunting,

Vince

[Gordon Craig]

Vince,

Sorry but "panzed" sort of threw me. Interesting that it came from a Panther. Never seen a sight this small from a tank. Learn something new every day. All of my tank books are in storage so I can not look at them for reference. Good luck in your search. Have you tried sending a picture to Aberdeen or to the Patton Tank Museum, or for that matter, to the tank museums at Munster or Bovington? Possibly they could help.

Regards,

Gordon

[Dave Alexander]

Why not just get in touch with Zeiss Gmbh in Jena, Germany? That would be the best bet.

[Naxos]

I believe this is a Zeiss Th Nivellierinstrument. An Land Surveyor instrument. The data plate on your optics show; Bal. Th. for Theodolit

Tank optics, especially for mid-war Panthers, would have a manufacturer code instead of the name on the plate.

here you can see a Carl Zeiss TH1:

Regards, Hardy

Edited January 31, 2008 by Naxos

[sftrooper86]

I believe this is a Zeiss Th Nivellierinstrument. An Land Surveyor instrument. The data plate on your optics show; Bal. Th. for Theodolit

Tank optics, especially for mid-war Panthers, would have a manufacturer code instead of the name on the plate.

here you can see a Carl Zeiss TH1:

<a href="http://"http://www.wild-heerbrugg.com/hwatzeiss.htm"" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.wild-heerbrugg.com/hwatzeiss.htm" target="_blank">http://www.wild-heerbrugg.com/hwatzeiss.htm</a></a>

Regards, Hardy

Hello Hardy,

Thanks for the input. My device has different parts than the type pictured and is painted the same color as the inside of the panzers of WW2. I will be sending photos of this device to Zeiss and the numerous tank museums I am aware of to see what they have to say. The Veteran I received this from gave it to me as a gift, I did not pay for it. Unless he was making up a "war story" just to impress me, I have to believe him. Besides he has passed away and further questioning is impossable.

Thank you all for your assistance, it is always fun to do research.