PALUBA

ZF40 OPTICAL SIGHT. (Zielfernrohr 40 mit Kasten)

BACKGROUND: Among other restrictions, the Treaty of Versailles banned Germany from developing any type of general purpose machine gun. To circumvent this, German development of an all purpose machine gun was secretly being done in Switzerland in the early 1930's. By 1934 designer Louis Stange of the Rheinmetall armaments factory had made improvements to the secret machine gun developed in Switzerland and the MG34 was introduced as an all purpose selective fire weapon. In spite of the relatively high production cost, the MG34 was accepted by the HwaA, Heereswaffenamt, (Army Ordnance Office), a subsection of the OKH, Oberkommando des Heeres, (High Command of the Army), that was responsible for testing, evaluation and eventual issue of all ordnance, and deliveries of the MG34 began in 1936. In 1937 due to the high cost and manufacturing time of the MG34 development began on another general purpose machine gun which utilized stamped and pressed components making it cheaper and quicker to produce. Further developments resulted in the introduction of the MG42 general purpose machine gun in late 1941. Of Note: With a rate of fire of roughly nine hundred rounds per minute, the MG34 was a formidable weapon with automatic and semi-automatic firing capabilities and production continued even after the cheaper and higher rate of fire, (1,500 rpm), MG42 was introduced. Both the MG34 and the MG42 came equipped with a wide variety of accessories including assorted optical enhancement devices of which the most common were the Zielfernrohr 34, (Telescopic Target Sight {Model} 34), and the improved Zielfernrohr 40 optical sights. Both the four power magnification ZF34 and ZF40 sights were mounted on the appropriate MG’s tripod when used as a heavy machine gun and could be utilized for both direct and indirect fire. Both of these sights came with assorted accessories including a separate, detachable, light for use at night. The detachable light came with a specific battery case and cable. The box would contain three small batteries which would attach to the sight by a cable, allowing for enhanced night vision. Generally both the MG34 and the MG42 were manned by a three person crew with one individual being designated the "#1 gunner", or section leader, who was responsible for the optical sights and accessories.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The uniquely shaped, roughly 6 1/8" tall, 1/34" to 4" wide, tooled alloy and steel construction ZF40 sight with natural aluminum and blued fittings retains over 95% of it’s original field-grey and black paints with a few small scrapes and scuffs. The sight has a roughly, 2 5/8" diameter, blued, circular panel to one side, a downward, diagonally angled, direct and indirect range adjustment dial and a horizontally extended, ocular lens to the operators end. The circular side panel retains about 90% of its original bluing. One side of the ocular lens has a raised, diagonally angled bar with angular cut-outs and a central window, for attaching a light producing battery box for using the sight at night. The forward edge of the sight has an extended, circular dial, that rotates the sight from zero to sixty degrees, as required. The elevation, angle, degree and both direct, and indirect range dials all still function. Both the liquid level gauges are also still intact and functional. All the dials have assorted, red and white numerical markings. The removable, fluted, black rubber eye socket is also intact. The optics are still quite clean and clear and have a single, central, vertical bar and an inverted "V" reticle pattern. The bottom edge of the sight has dovetail grooved, cut-outs for attaching it to the MG’s tripod. The sight is well marked with the impressed manufacturer’s three letter code, "cme" indicating manufacture by Gebrüder Wichmann Zeichengeräte, Vermessungs-Instrumente of Berlin, an impressed serial number, "214504", an early lubricant code, "KF", indicating, Kältefest, (Cold Resistant), which was effective in temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius, -4 Fahrenheit and a later lubricant code consisting of a blue, "0", symbol indicating lubricant type 1416 which was effective in temperatures as cold as -40 degrees Celsius/Fahrenheit. The dual lubricant markings would seem to indicate the sight was refurbished at one time. The sight comes housed in a roughly, 6 1/2" tall, 6" wide, 4 1/2" deep, magnetic sheet metal construction case with olive drab canvas web fittings. The case has a fold back top lid with dual, brazed on internal, staggered bar hinges to the reverse and a brazed on, vertical, spring loaded closure clip to the obverse. The front closure clip attaches to an extended steel stud positioned on the central obverse of the case. The front closure clip is well marked with the impressed manufacturer’s logo consisting of an equilateral triangle with three, evenly dispersed, internal dividing lines within a circular border indicating an unknown manufacturer. The reverse of the case has two, small, rivetted on, metal panels near the top edge which secure two, vertical, olive drab canvas web belt loop straps with rivetted on, alloy end tips. The reverse also has two, raised, horizontal, brazed on, retaining loops for the belt loop straps. The bottom of the case has two, extended, steel studs designed to secure the belt loops in place. Each side of the case has a brazed on, swivel "D" ring for attaching the carrying strap. The case comes with a roughly, 49 3/4 long, 1" wide, olive drab canvas web carrying strap with a matte grey painted, tooled aluminum friction clip to each end, a matte grey painted, tooled aluminum, rectangular, sliding, alloy, length adjustment buckle and an olive drab canvas web securing loop. The interior of the case has all of the original wooden framing, horse hair padding, and olive drab canvas web securing straps intact. The interior of the top lid has two, small, wooden slats with circular cut-outs and web retaining straps with sheet metal, "Stocko", closure snaps to each, to secure extra lenses. Two, different colored, extra lenses are included. The interior of the top lid also has a web retaining loop with a sheet metal, "Stocko", closure snap which secures a small, mottled tan and green canvas pouch with two small, sheet metal, "Prym" closure snaps. The small pouch contains a small cleaning brush with a red bakelite handle and an additional yellow chamois cleaning cloth. The interior top lid is well marked with a black inkstamped waffen-amt and manufacturer’s name and location, "Emil Busch A.-G. Optische Industrie Rathenow".