Oddball No32 MkIII

[Roger Payne]

In response to Lance's request, here is the unusual MkIII scope that has been seen on this forum before, albeit some years ago, when it belonged to Advisory Panel member Simon. There has been some speculation that it might be Israeli, or made by a third party country, but I believe that it is a prototype MkIII developed by William Watson but which lost out to an alternative design which became the MkIII we are all familiar with.

The scope tube is pretty much the same as a conventional tube, though the eye cell is different as are the R&D drum assemblies. I have not stripped it down yet, though will in the fullness of time, which will no doubt yield additional information. It does not bear the usual intertwined WW logo typical of Watson, but if it was not produced on the regular production line I do not think that that is particularly surprising. It certainly does bear the initials of the company. The markings are otherwise similar to Watson markings, being shallowly engraved, & are typical of what one would expect to find on a scope tube, apart from the lack of an individual serial number & an Optical Stores number. Again, both of these observations are unsurprising if the scope was a prototype/experimental model.

I sent photo's to Ian Skennerton recently & previously discussed the scope with PL. Both arrived at similar views to those that I have related above (for which I was very glad as I'd had to cough up to prize it out of Simon!), with PL making the additional comment that it could also have been from the SLEM trials of just immediately after the war. I can't comment for certain on that, but my gut feeling is it is circa 1944 (the designation is 'MkIII' not 'Mk3'), & if Watson were unsuccessful with the initial MkIII design I would think they would have been less likely to contribute a modified design for later trials. But, anything's possible!

There it is FWIW. I'd be interested to hear what people think of it.......a rare prototype or made in Bubba's basement? Or something else again.....?

P.S. It has clearly been used in some other role post-manufacture, & came with a set of clamps for holding it in some sort of cradle. The anti-rotation peg has also been carefully removed. The clamps fitted across the area that shows signs of soft solder. It will be re-acquiring an anti-rotation peg & will eventually find a home on one of my rifles....!

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[Surpmil]

Very interesting piece Roger. The countersunk screws on the "plate, cover, segment, locking, erector cell" are quite unique.

And what was the extended ocular cell all about? Using up some old MkI lenses they had kicking around from their interrupted MkI production?

Would be interesting to see what is under a drum "cap".

And slightly odd they changed from the WW monogram to "W.W. & S.".

[Lance]

WOW. That is an interesting scope, thanks for the pic's. I honestly do not have a clue with this one!

[Roger Payne]

Hi Lance. My views are all supposition, but I think it has got to be likely........& I was relieved when both PL & IDS were in agreement with my ramblings!

The fact that the maker's initials are not the typical intertwined WW made me wonder too, & I suppose it could be some other company & not Watson at all, but I think it's more likely that it is..........& perhaps just explainable due to being made as a one-off (or at least, one of a very small quantity) in the 'prototypes' department rather than on the 'general' production line; different part of the factory, different equipment etc.

Until Covid-19 intervened I was planning to go up to look through the records at the Royal Armouries; no guarantees that there will be anything relevant there, but possible. I will still go & have a browse, but it will have to wait a while.....