[Milsurplus] Top Secret: Before The Proximity Fuse.

[Brooke Clarke]

Hi David:

This range finder is based on the method of stadia.  It's the first time I've seen one designed for aircraft.  But later 
AA guns used radar range finders, but there was still a much less than 1% chance of bringing down an airplane using a 
time fuse since it was impossible to set it precisely enough.  The whole point of the proximity fuze was to improve the 
timing.

http://www.prc68.com/I/Stadia.html

It's used for rangefinders in many applications:
http://www.prc68.com/I/RF.shtml
This one is W.W.II vintage:
http://www.prc68.com/I/RF.shtml#Stadimeter

This optical version is for civilian use:
http://www.prc68.com/I/EdscorpFRF.shtml

It's also used in many gun sights:
http://www.prc68.com/I/FNFAL.shtml#SOPMOD

PS When reading about W.W.II weapons the range is stated and longer range seems to be a good thing, but as far as I can 
tell there was no way they could be accurate enough to take advantage of the range.  For example a torpedo might have a 
range of 10,000 or more yards, but most shots were at less than 1,000 yards.  The same goes for battleship big guns.  
It's sort of like having a rifle that has a 5 mile range, but only 1 MOA accuracy at 1,000 yards.

-- 
Have Fun,

Brooke Clarke
http://www.PRC68.com
http://www.end2partygovernment.com/2012Issues.html