Rbl. F. 16 Artillery Dial Sight (Germany)

The Rbl.F. 16 was a panorama sight (Rundblickfernrohr ) which consisted of a short telescope bent at right angles and surmounted by a moveable head. The head was fixed on a horizontal graduated table and was capable of being turned in any direction by a knurled thumb screw. The object-glass was in the vertical tube and the light was reflected to the eye by two prisms or mirrors inclined in the moveable head and in the angle of the telescope.

An inscription on top of the upper prism reads: H.161 Rundblick Fernrohr Nr. 6601 D.R.P. Nr. 156039. On the side of the upper optical element is inscribed: Gesichtsfeld 10 (field of view 10 degrees) Vergr 4' (abbreviation of 'Vergrosserung' - magnification x 4). Roughly inscribed onto the upper prism housing is the number '4492', which might be the gun number. The entire sight has a black finish, with adjustment screws in uncoated brass.

This example has what appears to be impact damage in two locations under its upper prism. A black rubber eye shroud is attached to the eyepiece. This is extremely brittle and has lost roughly half its material.

Artillery sight issued to the German Army during the First World War for employment with light field guns and howitzers. In firing, the panorama sight was firmly fixed into a tubular sight clamp. It could be easily adjusted to every kind of artillery piece, irrespective of the kind of sighting device that it had. It served both as an ordinary telescopic sight and as a dial sight for laying at an reference point.

It allowed the gun layer to see over the top of the gun-shield without exposing himself, and gave a high line of sight, enabling the gun to be kept under cover.