What are Tank Goggles?

**Geoff Ward** · 12-20-2016, 06:06 AM

I have been seeing more and more instances of so called "Tanker" goggles popping up in various places for sale.Whether deliberately to deceive the buyer, or just not knowing what type of goggles were worn by tank crews I cannot say. I decided to post a pair of original goggles as a photo study so that anyone who is interested in adding a set to their collection will know what to look for.That being said,in the field I am sure that any goggles were better than no goggles! In any case if these photos will keep someone from making an expensive mistake then I will sleep a little better at night.I am hoping some of the other members will help with some period photos and other info to help untangle this often confusing subject.

Regards,Geoff

**MichaelB** · 12-20-2016, 06:39 AM

Geoff-
Do tanker's goggles come in different colored lenses like you sometimes see in aviator's lenses: clear, yellow, and dark?

MichaelB

**Geoff Ward** · 12-20-2016, 08:31 AM

Hello Mike,I know of no variations that had tinted lenses.The lenses were all laminated flat clear glass.Regards,Geoff

**Nick Komiya** · 12-20-2016, 03:31 PM

What goggles are they trying to pass off as tanker goggles? I can only think of IJA dust goggles that can be confusing. Another possibility is the navy flight goggles of the 1925 style, but those should be rarer than tank goggles, so that would be a windfall rather than a problem.

Both the dust/motorbike goggles and tank goggles came out as part of the Showa 5 series of 1930. As the Germans did not distinguish between Panzer goggles and motorcyclist goggles, one might be tempted to think that Japanese tankers also wore the motorbike goggles, but they didn't, as dust goggles were not compatible with optics.

Japanese tank uniforms evolved out of flight uniforms, because they needed to share the same qualities such as no fear of snagging of clothing in the cramped quarters and protection of head and eyes against head banging. So the goggles too were borrowed from aviators.

The IJA's tank goggles in terms of heritage, are British "Triplex" goggles, which became a kind of world standard during WW1. The big selling point was the triple layered safety glass, applied from automobile windshields that prevented glass splinters from entering the eyes in a crash, which combined with a frame with a center-folding hinge to wrap around your face to ensure wide field of vision.

However, Triplex lost ground to Luxor goggles, a US brand in the mid 20s. These Luxor goggles did not yet have safety glass, but had curved 3 D glass, set in a full-floating frame that allowed each eyepiece to adhere to the face better to ensure widest field of vision. They did not have the characteristic center hinge of the Triplex design, which was also a big plus. These Triplex hinges tended to crush nose bridges in crashes and were a negative feature for flyers .

The big drawbacks of early Luxor goggles, however, were their high cost, and lack of safety glass, so the IJA dragged their feet and only adopted them for aviation use in 1937. But these were immediately superceded by the unique Japanese "Eagle Eyes" design that enabled curved safety glass.

In the meanwhile, the IJN settled for the British Triplex style for their flyers in 1925 under influence from Colonel Sempil's delegation of British flight instructors to Japan. Thus they used goggles almost identical to the army tanker goggles from August 1925.

As wider field of vision was critical for aviation goggles, they evolved further towards curved 3D glass, but tank goggles could stay with flat glass and held onto the older, but cheaper Triplex heritage when they got adopted in 1930.

Should you wish to learn more about the evolution of goggles and see Luxor goggles read post 14 of this thread The Evolution of IJA Flight Uniforms (1910-1945)

**Geoff Ward** · 12-20-2016, 04:17 PM

Thank you Nick,I think most of the time they are indeed dust goggles in all fairness to the seller these are lumped in with this lot under the heading "Guaranteed Original WW2 Japanese Tankers Helmet Goggles & Case WWll Tank" the other photo shows another type that pops up from time to time.
Regards,Geoff

**Geoff Ward** · 12-20-2016, 04:34 PM

In this advertisement one can see how this type of goggles can be confused with the tanker goggles because of the similar appearance.

**Nick Komiya** · 12-20-2016, 04:34 PM

The sunglasses seem to be marked "1941" on the frame, in a style never used by the IJA. A total bogus item.

**MAP** · 12-20-2016, 07:14 PM

I don't have any period photos but I did very cheaply pick up a pair of googles a few years back. They were sold as "German" and came in a box. After getting it home and translating the stamp on the box it read "German Railroad Ticket Office".

So after realizing these were not the "issue box" I started searching around. I found a matching pair on a militaria forum identifying these as Japanese. How they were paired with the box...I have no idea.

And still not sure if they are Japanese....but thought I would post them.

Michael

**Nick Komiya** · 12-20-2016, 08:31 PM

Although one might expect to see goggles like that as part of the army's cold kit, the army did not have such designs as far as I know. Instead, they used a face wind shield introduced in 1936 as shown below. Though they did many cold tests, goggles were never really a concern for general cold kits in the IJA, only in an aviation context. I don't know about the navy though.