Unknown device

jopaerya · Post by **jopaerya** » 04 Jul 2006 09:51

Hi All

Who recognise this thing , what it's purpose ???

Photo = E-bay

Regards Jos

Heimatschuss · Post by **Heimatschuss** » 04 Jul 2006 14:27

Hello Jos,

it could be a remote listening device used to detect approaching enemy aircraft (formations) in a distance. With the advent of radar this equipment fell out of favour but when radar jamming started in 1943 some of it was brought back into action.

Best regards
Torsten

jopaerya · Post by **jopaerya** » 04 Jul 2006 17:07

Hi Torsten

Thanks for your reply , I think that you are right
that it's a listening device , but from witch county .

Regards Jos

T. A. Gardner · Post by **T. A. Gardner** » 04 Jul 2006 18:23

It is very unlikely an electronic / radio device. I would suspect that it is a reflector type searchlight. The light is shown at the reflectror from the front box. Sort of a reverse version of a reflector telescope. Sound detection systems look like giant horn arrays not like this device does.

jopaerya · Post by **jopaerya** » 04 Jul 2006 18:34

Thanks T.A.Gardner

Your explination sounds good ,
but I realy don't know for sure .

Regards Jos

SES · Post by **SES** » 05 Jul 2006 07:36

Hi,
There are no cables and no presentation equipment, this effectively excludes a radar even with a remote presentation. There seems to be a turn wheel to move the "thing" in the center independent of the reflector/mirror, and the "thing" does seem to be behind the focal point. I have somewhat jokingly suggested, that it might be a device intended somehow to exploit sun light, but I think it is a possibility we cannot completely exclude. This could explain that the "thing" is behind the focal point. Any type of material located in the focal point would probably melt if the mirror was directed towards the sun.
bregds
SES

ChristopherPerrien · Post by **ChristopherPerrien** » 05 Jul 2006 16:48

A candle powered searchlight

Personally I think it is some sort of experimental Acoustic detector or ranging device.

SES · Post by **SES** » 05 Jul 2006 17:51

Good suggestion. The thing in the center holds the candles, but the light is going to be rather fuzzy since it is not in the focal point.
If it is listening device, why is the center thing turnable independent of the mirror?
bregds
SES

ChristopherPerrien · Post by **ChristopherPerrien** » 05 Jul 2006 18:54

SES wrote:Good suggestion. The thing in the center holds the candles, but the light is going to be rather fuzzy since it is not in the focal point.
If it is listening device, why is the center thing turnable independent of the mirror?
bregds
SES

I am guessing it cants, maybe to figure out the altitude of aircraft.

SES · Post by **SES** » 05 Jul 2006 20:10

Hi,
No to do that you elevate the whole thing. My question is why can the mirror and "The Thing" elevate independently.
bregds
SES

ChristopherPerrien · Post by **ChristopherPerrien** » 05 Jul 2006 20:18

SES wrote:Hi,
No to do that you elevate the whole thing. My question is why can the mirror and "The Thing" elevate independently.
bregds
SES

Not really , the thing would work from caculating the variance of the angles and the timing of sound that hit it even if is not pointed directly at a target, It could stay fairly level for all target not directly overhead.

Hope this limb I am going out on doesn't break.

SES · Post by **SES** » 05 Jul 2006 20:25

Why does the mirror and The Thing move independently - at the GREAT risk of sounding repetitious

.
bregds
SES

Heimatschuss · Post by **Heimatschuss** » 05 Jul 2006 20:26

Hello,

if even SES does not know it, it must be a really rare beast. Has anyone of you ever heard of ways to calibrate the parabolic mirrors of searchlights? Was there any necessity to do so, particularly when the the gear was already in field use?

Best regards
Torsten

SES · Post by **SES** » 05 Jul 2006 20:39

Hi Torsten,
Thank you for the "roses"

and you may be on to something. A while back I was on this forum faced with a picture of a number of rings on poles about 20 m apart. And I was speculating like a mad to find a resonable electronic explanation. It was a system to measure the muzzle velocity of guns. We sometimes see test or calibration equipment and I cannot answer your searchlight question. But it looks somewhat monsterous to be a piece of test equipment. What really confounds me is the individual elevation feature and the fact that The Thing is behind the focal point. When Jos and I discussed this off board I suggested a sun energy driven micro oven

We have not tried to figure out, which nation. The soldiers cap looks German, but the boots?
bregds
SES

ChristopherPerrien · Post by **ChristopherPerrien** » 05 Jul 2006 20:54

jopaerya wrote:Hi Torsten

Thanks for your reply , I think that you are right
that it's a listening device , but from witch county .

Regards Jos

I am guessing Germany , that looks like a luftwaffe hat.

Now I am out on a twig.