Oh no -- Not ANOTHER -- What is THIS?

aint2nuts · 02-23-2010, 07:02 AM

What is this? This was in my (now deceased) husband's belongings. I am trying to identify it. I know it is a scope of some kind, but I am not sure it is a telescope, since it doesn't SEEM to maginify a doggone thing. As you can see from the attached photo, one end is capped with a bullet shaped protection, the other end doesn't have this. The entire thing was wrapped in a combination of cosmolene (spelling (?) and paper and wool. I have a WWII document allowing my husband's father, then PFC to come back from Japan with it (- 12 Jan 1946). It stated that it was a small telescope.

The size of the box it is in is a little over 2 feet, the scope is about 2 feet.

When you look into either end of the item, there is a graph inside.

Hopefully I will be able to post all three pictures. The fuzzy stuff is the wool. I don't want to chance cleaning this wrong, and I may have already blown it by taking the cosmolene junk off, as I got an offer sight unseen from someone who wanted to pay 200 for it. LOL, Curiosity and all that -- I have three children and we wanted to know what it was before letting it go.

BTW, the PFC (now 85) is still alive and kicking, but doesn't even remember bringing it back much less what exactly it was.

If anyone can help me I would appreciate direction/ I live in Arizona, in the phx area, and am willing to take it to someone to get an idea of what it is. Thank you very much
!

**davejb** · 02-23-2010, 12:23 PM

Dont quote me but this does look similar to a dive bombers siting scope but i could be totally up a palm tree without a safety harness there will be other comments listed here soon if i know the guys on this forum and more informed replies

aint2nuts · 02-23-2010, 01:42 PM

Tomioka Optical and Mechanical Manufacturing Co., Ltd manufactured in 1944 is what I have now been told is the words on the box photograph.
Any help is great and my kids are excited to find out what it is!

**Alan M** · 02-23-2010, 01:58 PM

Hi , i think that Dave has called this correctly

, i believe it is bomb sighter from an Aichi D3A "Val" dive bomber . You can see it in the diagram below , positioned in front of the cockpit , and you can see where the cover pull back lever from the sight comes through the dashboard . Hope this helps a bit , it`s a lovely item

**davejb** · 02-23-2010, 02:18 PM

Well well, i might have got something right for a change, If its right then i would assume that this item will be quite valuable poss 700-900$ if not more i would think theres not many around as most japanese planes dont exist anymore,I would be inclined to contact a large aircraft museum, or an ww2 aircraft auction site, i believe there are quite a number out in the states,good luck and let us know the outcome.

aint2nuts · 02-23-2010, 02:24 PM

That is really cool!
I will be sharing this with the kids when they get up!

**bikerboyzx6r** · 02-23-2010, 02:41 PM

What a shame he doesnt remember bringing it back & most importantly how he got hold of it! Oh well, a lovely item & thanks for showing

Dan

**guntojim** · 02-24-2010, 02:57 AM

Actually, this sight does not mount forward of the windscreen. Note the length of the rod would not extend into the cockpit area to enable the pilot to rotate the cover from in front of the lens. This particular sight was mounted on the dash extending through the windscreen and was used on a variety of aircraft. While the actual sight is probably the same the rod length is different. The one I had, if I remember correctly, sold for $ 1400.00 3 years ago and had the black paint removed from the body of the sight.( a previous owner thought shiny brass was prettier !) Nice piece ! Jim

**Alan M** · 02-24-2010, 04:09 PM

Hi Jim , and thanks for your input

However i think you may be confusing this Type 95 gunsight to a later version the Type 2 "1gou" gunsight model 1, which was installed into the Suisei (Comet ) bomber models 12 & 33 ( nicknamed Judy by the Americans ) . As you can see from the photo below , this version does protrude through the windscreen . The example shown which is a Type 95 gunsight and was fitted to Type 96 carrier fighters , when it was known as the "Oigee gunsight ". It was also fitted to the type 96 carrier bomber and the Type 99 model 11 carrier bomber ! The difference between the fighter version and the bomber version was just the target hatching on the lens of the sight ( see drawing below ) . In between these two versions the Type 99 gunsight was brought out which was an improved version of the type 95 , and was fitted to the Type 99 Model 22 carrier bomber . I would think that the lever system was extendable to facilitate installation etc.

**guntojim** · 02-24-2010, 04:37 PM

Hello Alan! I am by no means an aviation expert, but the installation of this type sight on the Aichi Type 99 would require not only a longer rod, but one that angles down into the cockpit? When I had one of these sights I immediately thought of the Val, but that rod kept hanging me up. Anyway, nice cutaway drawing of the Val's cockpit. Isee this sight has changed hands as it's posted on another board with a request for info. Apparently this had it's original packing material removed by the previous owner because somebody wanted to see what the sight looked like. Regards, Jim