Jump to content

WW1 German Rifle Periscope


Gildwiller1918

Recommended Posts

Hello, does anyone have any information about WW1 German Rifle/Trench Periscopes? How many companies made them? Numbers made, any other basic information. I recently acquired one and was curious to find out more information.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure how many companies made them, but if you post some pictures we will see what we can do to help. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sure, here are some pictures. I have included pictures of the data plate. Then the pictures show the unit in transit mode. It can be folded down and broken apart for ease of movement and storage. It is made for single shot action only, no reloader arms. Possibly for use with the trench armor plates. So from the information below I have one of the early models in which the periscope is not sealed. 

This is all I have been able to find so far from this website: https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2017/09/07/wwi-sniping-i/

The German firm Leitz received an order for 10,000 periscope rifle rests from the Prussian War Ministry. These were detachable units that could be used with the ordinary service rifle. They had a separate stock that held the periscope and was clamped onto the rifle stock. The periscope stock also had a trigger that was attached to a cable that ran up and through the framework and hooked onto the rifle’s trigger. Like its British and American counterparts, this invention allowed the soldier to safely aim and fire his rifle without exposing himself. Seeking to similarly equip its army but with domestically manufactured products, the Bavarian War Ministry ordered 2,500 rests from Bogen-Lampen und Apparate-Fabrik GmbH in Nuremburg. Initially mirrors were employed by Bogen-Lampen but as they tended to fog up, sealed periscopes were used in later models. Delivery was slow and by October 1917 only 432 had been received. U-boat periscopes were a higher priority for the firm. What ended the periscope rifle were unfavorable evaluations as well as troops’ complaints about the weight and unwieldiness. No further orders were made.

IMG_0584.JPG

IMG_0585.JPG

IMG_0586.JPG

IMG_0587.JPG

IMG_0588.JPG

IMG_0589.JPG

IMG_0590.JPG

IMG_0592.JPG

IMG_0598.JPG

IMG_0600.JPG

IMG_0602.JPG

  • Like 3
  • Wow 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Here is another one of my favorite pieces, WW1 German Armor. There are 2 types, one for machine gunners and static positions, and the the second type used for assault troops. This is the one used for assault troops as it has the shoulder stock ridge on the upper right side (users right). When I got this all the plates were disassembled, inside the duffle bag. Also included were the felt pads. All the plates are stamped with lot numbers, and I re-assembled the plates using a another set of armor as a guide. I used the correct type of webbing straps and black waxed rope to secure the plates together and used copper rivets for the shoulder pieces. Turned out nice I think. The duffle bag has LT. A.G. Cherry, 301st engineers, which was part of the US 76th Division. They arrived in france in July of 1918 and were for the most part, piecemealed out to other units. Typically engineers and other specialist units were kept together and forwarded to units in need. Note the sticker on the inside with Cherry's name as well.

IMG_1056.JPG

IMG_1057.JPG

IMG_1058.JPG

IMG_1059.JPG

IMG_1060.JPG

IMG_1061.JPG

IMG_1062.JPG

IMG_1063.JPG

  • Like 3
  • Wow 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A rare and expensive item presently, most one or more of the lower plates missing and seldom have any original paintwork. Do you also have the brow plate for the steel helmet? These usually turn up as ground dug, seldom intact, due also to their heaviness the paintwork is the most vulnerable part, and of course the leather attachment strap. You did a good job at restoring the webbing attachments, this type of material is hardly obtainable nowadays. The copper rivets should of course have been iron, as copper would have been unsuitable and was no longer available midwar, but understandably restoring with iron rivets would have been more difficult

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Fritz, I do not have the brow plate yet, still looking. There are a lot of fakes out there right now. I had to special order the webbing materials, and yes the iron rivets would be better, but I didn't have the tools for them. So I went with copper for display purposes. I might in the future swap them out with the correct type. I am working on a WW1 French Daigre armor set now. I have the original plate along with new fabric and parts, should turn out really nice when done. I dont know of anyone who has a intact one. 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

would love to see the WW1 French Daigre armour set when it's finished 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...