German Optics - Periscopes Trench scopes and MG related optics

[MG1918]

Like the British and Canadian MGC in WWI, field artillery optical instruments were used for long range (indirect) MG fire,' although only in the later stages Until specific MG pieces were introduced. This was the same in the Imperial German Army although in the other post the Germans were more advanced in specific MG sight for the actual MG.
I am looking for information and images of such scopes like Rabbit ears SF14, accessories and trench scopes. I am also looking for details on rangefinder 1914 (EM14) Entfernungsmesser 14 and other optical pieces.

 

[MG1918]

Does anybody have one of these rabbit ears or SF14 periscopes in Canada?
Mark

 

[MG1918]

Still hoping someone in Canada will respond. A huge amount of captured German MG material went back to Canada as war trophy 'booty'. Optical equipments are varied so looking for advice and details of all sorts of pieces. So to start off with the 'Rabbit Ears' There are 2 types SF09 and SF14 but each have lots of variants themselves. Does anyone know the letter scheme/purpose?

 

[MG1918]

Mike thanks for sending me these images. The single trench scope was from a German auction and the cased rabbit ears is on the Canadian War Museum website site. These are exactly the sort of items I am looking for and details of their types and patterns.

 

[MG1918]

 

[AP]

Still hoping someone in Canada will respond. A huge amount of captured German MG material went back to Canada as war trophy 'booty'. Optical equipments are varied so looking for advice and details of all sorts of pieces. So to start off with the 'Rabbit Ears' There are 2 types SF09 and SF14 but each have lots of variants themselves. Does anyone know the letter scheme/purpose?
View attachment 891650

I have a set of binocular periscope and a single trench periscope ww2 German military that my father brought home from his WW2 service overseas. The 3 letter codes on ww2 optics were manufacturers codes and these cross referenced to mfrs are available from different sources … iirc ‘Hatchers Notebook’ lists most of these codes and their associated mfrs.

Beh for example is E.Leitz

 

[MG1918]

Huge thanks for this and really interesting. I will look. There is no doubt like Leitz that many WWII manufacturers existed much earlier, but so far in all WWI items I have seen the manufacturer is almost fully written Carl Zeiss Jena Goerz etc. One area with SF14’s for example is the single letter after the SF.? There must be a German reason behind specifying these differences other than’A’ being perhaps the first model…but I don’t think so. The later letters must mean something.
Mark

 

[AP]

Huge thanks for this and really interesting. I will look. There is no doubt like Leitz that many WWII manufacturers existed much earlier, but so far in all WWI items I have seen the manufacturer is almost fully written Carl Zeiss Jena Goerz etc. One area with SF14’s for example is the single letter after the SF.? There must be a German reason behind specifying these differences other than’A’ being perhaps the first model…but I don’t think so. The later letters must mean something.
Mark

Yes I understand that WWI optics and other German military issued items frequently had mfrs names shown…. But not very common from 1939 onwards …WRT to WWII items .. I have read some suggestions that the 3 figure alpha/numeric coding convention was adopted to avoid troops from demanding or preferring certain mfrs products. However that suggestions wasnt very convincing to me. Perhaps it was more related to treaty of Versailles restrictions on German armament production … IDK

 

[MG1918]

Great info. Here is my first purchase an SF14 G So what does the G mean?

 

[MG1918]

 

[MG1918]

Now to find all the accessories including the tripods.

 

[MG1918]

 

[RRCo.]

Same gear

 

[MG1918]

RRCo thanks for posting. I am looking for that small tripod too. They are marked Carl Zeiss.
Mark

 

[MG1918]

Recent purchase …. A desk ornament. An SF14 that has sat on its direction dial!

 

[MG1918]

Some more images. Still trying to understand the lettering. SF14H or SF14G etc.

 

[AP]

Another data point on German (and other optics) if they are ‘coated’ they are unlikely to be WWI era as optical coating didnt generally start until the later 1930’s