M1Marksman Posted January 31, 2010 Share #1 Posted January 31, 2010 I picked up a gunsight a long time ago & have never seen another like it 'til recently on ebay. This is the one on ebay; mine looks identical, except for the dimmer knob & maker. Any ideas where this was used? Is it a gun aiming device or from a bombsight? Please help. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1Marksman Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share #2 Posted January 31, 2010 Another view... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1Marksman Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share #3 Posted January 31, 2010 Another yet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbtcoveralls Posted February 1, 2010 Share #4 Posted February 1, 2010 Are there any markings on the one in your collection? Most of the WWII gun sights were very similar in appearance, but with the model number we might be able to tell which aricraft it came from. Some aircraft even used several types during the war. Tom Bowers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1Marksman Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share #5 Posted February 1, 2010 Got a bunch of markings on the end where the dimmer knob is... General Electric Retiflector Sight Cat. No. 9167718G1 Serial No. 4442980 Manufactured by Farrand Optical Co., Inc. NP 143580 New York Made In USA It has dark green & amber flip-up filters, both of which got broken when the raccoon got into the shed where the sight was at the time, but there is enough glass still there to see the color, shape & thickness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobrahistorian Posted February 1, 2010 Share #6 Posted February 1, 2010 It looks like a turret-mounted sight, rather than a fixed gunsight like a fighter would have. A number of interesting links come up if you google "Farrand Optical, Gunsight" Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbtcoveralls Posted February 1, 2010 Share #7 Posted February 1, 2010 it is for the B-29 sighting station. On the B-29 the guns were sighted remotely from several sighting stations. These sights were mounted in the sighting blisters. In Jay wisler's warbird parts catalog he lists Retiflector gunsight for the B-29 ring sighting station, Type Des. 165 Mod O, complete with wire harness & plug, dated 1945, new? for $135.00 Hope this helps Tom Bowers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1Marksman Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share #8 Posted February 1, 2010 Cool, thanks everyone. Looks like I'm the proud owner of a B-29 gunsight. I've had it for about 30 years & paid $10 for it. They actually had a few in the box. They don't have any left; the store is still around, but the supply changes from time to time. They usually have sights for tanks & some misc Russian stuff. Every once in a while, I'll find something I can use, like surplus/unissued Chinese drum magazine pouches for the AK47, rifle grenade sights for the M1 garand, etc. I even got a WW2 aerial camera dated 1942, in the carrying case & w/manual. 30 years later, I found the correct yellow filter for it. Btw, I'm not disclosing the name or location of the store. It's my little secret (wringing hands & laughing maniacally). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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