Help me identify this British NOD (Night Vision Telescope)
Hello fellow collectors,
In my ever growing collection of british night vision sights from the cord war area, i recently got a nice deal on an old NOD in some very bad condition, on that evil internet auction platform that is sucking up all my money ;).
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...995zxkkn-1.jpg
Luckily for me, most of the bad stuff was only dirt and some minor corrosion on the outer housing. So after some well cleaning and careful disassembly (it wasn't running and a broken cascade tube was the obvious part that just needed a replacement) i got it back into good shape and fully working condition.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...6b62vjgf-1.jpg
But now comes the part where I would appreciate your expertise. The previous owner of the telescope passed away and the seller that sold it of its completely white corroded rank pullin case and a self build metal tripod, only know that the owner had used it for hunting and that it was probably ex british military.
The only large british made NOD for the MoD I can find resources and pictures on, is the Telescope, Straight, Image Intensified, Cased. L4A1.
But mine seems to be an early version, but lacking any name or data plate and with only a serial number (328), I cant find any further info. So let me list all the info I can give and some pictures. Who knows what new knowledge i can get from you :)
- The telescope is made from rank precision/rank pullin around 1977. This date stamp can be found on the 3 axis mount that is very similar in appearance like the on from the L4A1 NOD
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1kgyjpeg-1.jpg
- The whole mount foot is labeled with two rank precision data plates. One with an NSN number 5855-99-965-2004 and typical british L1A1 designation (Levelling Tripod Assembly L1A1) SS65/MK1
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...jjaojpeg-1.jpg
- Could SS65 be the designation for the scope or just the mount. SS numbers like SS20 as civilian designation for the IWS seems to be a classic rank precision product code or number
- while disassembled I found out that it uses the exact same rear lens assembly that the SS20/IWS uses and they are fully interchangeable.
- the telescope itself has a mount with adjustable windage and elevation prior to the 3 axis pan and tilt head. This is the first clue that indicates to me, that the scope might also be intended for use on some weapon system. Perhaps similar to the US AN/TVS-2 that was used as night sight on the Browning .50cal ?
- a very awesome feature of this scope is, that it has a build in graticule. A dot matrix with several numbers for (i guess) range estimation or what I believe, range compensation for use as a weaponsight. The graticule if illuminated onto the tube kinda like on the later AN/PVS-4 an can be turned on/off separately from the cascade tube itself. It even can be adjusted for brightness. This is for me the second hue, that the telescope might also be intended as weaponsight.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ekv6jpeg-1.jpg https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...98aqkkj5-1.jpg
-the telescope uses the same three stage cascade tube like all the later SS20/IWS PVS-2 night scopes. Because it had build in the dummy oscillator, the original tube (sadly missing any numbers or designations) must had build in ABC and oscillator. At least replacing it with a new P8079HP made it run perfect again.
Pictures:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...89622j4f-1.jpg https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...bb5voksz-1.jpg https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...a9csrjin-1.jpg
OK now its your part. Do you know the designation or the telescope from rank precession?
Was it in military service in the british forces and if so, does anyone know of manuals or the MoD designation?
What was it designed for mainly? Observation like the L4A1 NOD or as weaponsight with its graticule?
In advance, thanks for your help. I'm curious what you guys come up with.
-Elphiel