Tank gun telescope sight No33 Mk 1 restoration.

[BC312]

Bought two tank Gun sights, one dated 1941 missing bits and one 1942 both No33 Mk 1, i assume used in  tanks with 2 pounder and Besa MG like the A13 Mk 2, Covenanter, Crusader Matilda etc, the 1942 one needed a good clean, paint and re blue of the body. The 1941 scope it seemed someone was trying to turn it into a telescope by hacking off the square lug key way that fits the gun mount, removing the cover lense at the front and removing the 4 adjusting screws and sight glass assembly, otherwise it would have been a mint scope.

The 42 scope had a lot of verdigris  around the eye piece and the glass looked cracked, the eyes piece were the rubber eye piece would fit around was dented and had to be formed back, bit of hard work here. It seems that the sight being a heavy item was dropped, most probably a common thing with these sights. The paint work was chipped and tatty plus the front steel body was rusty, this was rust blued originally. First  i removed the green tarnish verdigris which was hard to move and started to form inside, i assume from moisture and water damage, this i had to lightly blast clean it off and re brass black inside as well as a new black paint finish in Suncorite, very hard wearing and whiten the lettering.  The lense  which i though was cracked had come apart as its a two part lense which is specially glued together, the glue can be removed by boiling and re bonded. In the end i swapped out  the 41 scope lense to make good this scope. I carefully cleaned the glass lenses especially on the cross hair glass which is etched and blacked in, the lettering is very small about .3 of a mm.

The front tube body was separated from all component's and filed and sanded down to remove all pitting to grade 320. The tube was rusted and boiled as per rust blueing about 5 times and then final carding for oil bath for  24 hours. this process matched original finish of internal parts that were fine. All assembled now need eye rubber and transit case.

The 41 scope needed to have the hacked key way re placed, it was original machine slotted with the 1/4 key riveted in place, the outer screws had the slots soldered to prevent tampering, thank god the solder was easy to remove and the screws came out with ease, not sure what size these would be (anyone know the thread sizes for these scopes). After refitting a new key the remaining bodge up hacksaw and file marks had to be dressed out and the body re rust blued to original. I repainted the paint work again and whitened the lettering. With this scope it comes to a stop as i am in need for some parts especially the 4 large adjusting screws the sighting glass ring asembley and ring that holds it in place and the 4 small countersink screws holding the ring.  I also need the sight protector at the front, new glass and the retaining ring, the glass is just plain non focusing glass, it just protects the inner lense from dust and mud. Any one know where i can get scope bits from ie a busted up scope beyond repair but has good parts or from a box of scope spares to finish this scope off.

[BC312]

The last picture shows the front protecting cover that push clips in place to remove or replace, just squeeze the two lugs in. The rear lense looks cracked but the glue has separated the two half's, this glue sometimes frosts or crystals the glass but its the glue deteriorating.

[BC312]

The last two pictures are the main missing bits for the 41 dated scope, the cross hair glass assembly and the retaining ring that hold it in place and the 4 adjusting screws that move the cross hairs around. These parts would very near finish the scope. Did try to find information on how these scopes are sighted in, you would have thought there would be some form of instruction but not. Instructions how to use are in the gunner manual section of the tank main manual.

Edited August 6, 2022 by BC312

[eddy8men]

excellent work. not many people try to rebuild these sights

[BC312]

Thanks Rick. Not bad to work on, could do with having spares available like screws other parts. Not sure if the rubber eye pieces are about as well as the transit tins these sights come in.

Edited August 7, 2022 by BC312

[eddy8men]

they can be found easily enough at militaria fairs or ebay

[BC312]

21 hours ago, eddy8men said:

they can be found easily enough at militaria fairs or ebay

I most probably walked by scope rubbers and transit tins a 100 times and never paid any attention until you end up buying a scope, then you kick yourself for not grabbing a scope rubber or tin which were going for peanuts only to find now they are worth more than the scope. I have seen these tins  at car boot fairs not knowing what they were for, typical. 

[eddy8men]

yes but now you know what to look for 😃