US WWII M6 Sherman Tank Periscope

Sherman Tank Periscope

This is a genuine US Army M6 periscope, the episcope fitted in the hatches and hull roofs of the M4 Sherman and other American armored vehicles of the Second World War. A periscope uses an angled upper head and an angled lower head so a crewman can watch the ground outside while his head stays below armor. This example was built by the Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company and carries its maker's data plate. It suits Sherman restorers, armor collectors and anyone building a WWII display with real issued hardware.

Features

• M6 Data Plate — A riveted black plate on the side reads "Periscope M6, Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company" with a number field stamped 1944.
• Upper And Lower Viewing Windows — A wide rectangular window sits in the upper head and a matching one in the lower head, set at opposite ends so the crewman looks in at the bottom and sees out at the top.
• Angled Black Heads — The top and bottom sections are angled black housings, held to the body with rows of cross-head screws.
• Knurled Adjustment Knob — A large knurled metal knob on the front face sits in a recessed panel, with a slotted fitting below it.
• Olive Drab Textured Finish — The main body is painted in a textured OD green, the olive drab used on US Army vehicles and equipment.
• Side Spring Clips — Two metal clip fittings are set into each side of the body, on either side of the data plate.
• Rear Mounting Plate — A plain metal plate with two slotted fixing points is set into the back panel.
• Head Settings Label — The upper head carries a printed label for recording periscope serial number, elevation setting and deflection setting for that head.
• REME Inspection Label — A paper tag on the front reads "34 Base Wk/sps REME, Inspected June 1954", applied by the British Army's Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
• Lower Hook Bracket — A curved metal bracket projects from the base of the lower head.

Markings And Provenance

The M6 was a standard American armored vehicle periscope, and Minneapolis-Honeywell was one of the contractors that made it. The REME label shows this unit also passed through a British Army base workshop in June 1954, which fits with the Sherman's long service in British hands after the war. A maker's plate, a postwar inspection tag and a head settings card on one piece give a collector a documented service trail rather than an anonymous part.