Scherenfernrohr S.F.14 Z.Gi. Marine - BMJ (Hensoldt Wetzlar) Camouflage, circa 1941

Scissor periscope or Scherenfernrohr, mod. S.F.14, produced around 1941 by "bmj" or the encrypted name of the company Hensoldt Wetzlar Germany (at the disposal of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht) for the ground troops of the German Navy: in fact there is the "M" on the left eyepiece plate with serial number 378572.

On the right eyepiece we find "S.F.14 Z. Gi. H/6400", where S.F. stands for Scherenfernrohr, 14 is the model, Gi H/6400 "Gitterplatte" indicates the type of reticle.

The "camouflage type" painting represents a real rarity in the optics sector, as it means that there was a specific request from the client to the manufacturing company for particular use needs, in fact camouflage is a type of painting which tends to camouflage the object in the environment in which it is used and an important factor since this was a trench optic it did not give the immediate possibility of establishing the exact distance to a possible enemy sniper present on that territory (the same principle that was used in the navy when camouflage paint was used on battleships).

The scherenfernrohr is in an excellent state of preservation. The optics are clear and well collimated, all mechanisms work well.

History of Heldoldt:

Hensoldt Wetzlar was a minor company for the production of military and civilian instruments and optics. In 1928 it was acquired by Carl Zeiss, and continued to produce optics and instruments in parallel while maintaining its own brand.