WW2 7x50 Binoculars USN Bu.Aero. Mark 21 Bausch & Lomb & Case ("B&L, HOOD") MINT

Description: WWII 7x50 Binoculars, "U.S. NAVY - BU.AERO., MARK 21. F.S.S.C. 88-B-320," as used by USN and USMC Aviators "BAUSCH & LOMB OPT. CO., ROCHESTER, N.Y., U.S.A." with Winged Rubber Eyecups, Decals, and black leather Neck Strap!This pair was last re-inspected and serviced during the Korean War on "3-52", March 1952.Bausch & Lomb was issued Contract 88-B-320 for the June 1942- February 1943 contract issued by the newly formed USN purchasing agency BU.AERO., the Bureau of Aeronautics. In the opinion of most optical collectors, the Bausch & Lomb Mark 21 binoculars are superior in workmanship to the SARD Mark 21 binoculars. MINT condition! And matching heavy-duty black hard rubber Carrying Case with Handle on the lid, and Shoulder Strap, from the HOOD RUBBER CO. marked "BAUSCH & LOMB OPT. CO., ROCHESTER, N.Y., U.S.A.", the "B&L triangular logos" and "HOOD arrow logos", and the Hood model number "B / 3" on the bottom of the Case. MINT condition! *****These are heavy and any overage in postage will be refunded immediately upon purchase! ***** Essential for any Pacific Theater of Operations USN or USMC carrier aviator impression/collection!!! THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY, June 1942 and B&L 7x50 Mark 21 Binoculars! These Bu.Aero ( not Bu.Ships) Model 7x50 Binoculars are what the carrier aviators, Naval and Marine, carried in their cockpits during the Battle of Midway in the search of the Imperial Japanese Navy carrier group! In the most recent and surprisingly accurate 2019 movie, "MIDWAY", at minute-markers '19' and '36', naval aviator, LT (USN) Richard "Dick " Best, Commander of Bombing Squadron 6 of the Aviator Group aboard the USS Enterprise, is seen, along with other aviators, using these very Mark 21 7x50 binoculars in the cockpit of his scout/dive bombers, a Douglas SBD "Dauntless", to scan the horizon for the IJN 'flattops' of Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo's "Mobile Force." ***** The BU.AERO. (U.S. Navy BUreau of AEROnautics) Mark 21 7×50 binos were used in maritime patrol aircraft for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue and general maritime reconnaissance. They had fitted rubber eyecups to stop windblast affecting the observer’s eyes in an open cockpit or PBY Catalina blister. Unlike the US Army version, the M16 or the Canadian REL copy, these Naval aviation binos lacked a ranging reticle. And like the M16 and the RELs this particular pair of B&L Mark 21 binos did NOT have the flip out amber filters to help pierce through mist, light cloud and sea haze as did other Mark 21s. ***** HOOD RUBBER COMPANY Binoculars produced for the military during the early years of the war were furnished with a hard leather case and straps, many completed later were issued from the factory with a hard synthetic case and straps. Those cases made of molded synthetics that at first glance would seem to be made of a hard plastic, and these were accompanied by flexible nylon straps that could survive the heat and humidity of the Pacific and other tropics better than leather. These cases shed rain, are essentially maintenance free, and weigh less than a leather case. The molded rubber cases were also less costly to fabricate than the sewn leather cases. Some companies contracted to provide binoculars had the in-house manufacturing capability to produce the accessories, including leather cases, but setting up a new production line simply to mold cases of rubber was not practical and so these cases were contracted. So the largest scale binocular models manufactured by B&L, Spencer, and SARD transitioned from leather to the contracted hard rubber cases. Surprisingly, the comparatively modestly produced U.S. Naval Gun Factory Mark 37 were also issued with a taller Hood hard rubber case; we speculate that when conceived they may have envisioned manufacturing greater numbers of this model and that would have justified tooling to make the longer case. However, some models of binocular (including B&L Mark 21, B&L Mark 24, B&L Mark 41, SARD Mark 21, SARD Mark 43, etc.) were issued with a fitted leather case throughout the war years. The company contracted by most manufacturers of U.S. military binoculars to produce molded cases was the Hood Rubber Products Company, Inc. of East Watertown, Massachusetts. The factory was founded in 1896 by Frederic and Arthur Hood. Hood produced a variety of and rubber and plastic-coated goods including automobile pneumatic tires and rubber tubes, rubber and rubberized footwear, gloves, floor tiles, battery boxes. During World War I Hood also manufactured several models of the Hood rubber boots that were used by French, British, and American armed forces. Hood prospered and grew to become the third largest rubber products company in the USA: their factory became a complex of more than sixty buildings with a combined floor space of more than forty-five acres. In 1929 B.F. Goodyear purchased the company, though the Hood Rubber Company name and logo continued to be used until the late 1950’s. During World War II Hood manufactured bullet-proof fuel cells, de-icers for aircraft, dinghies, plastic helmet liners, aviation boots - and yes cases for binoculars. The factory operated until its closure in 1969. Some cases made by Hood for a binocular will bear a manufacturer logo, these include cases made for Bausch & Lomb, and for the Spencer, where their company logo is embossed atop the case lid. However, all cases will still bear the HOOD logo, and case model designation (B3, B6, B12 for example) embossed at the exterior bottom panel of the case. The several different cases made to accommodate a 7x 50 binocular may at first glance appear identical but there can be subtle differences; for example a case made for a Bu.AERO. binocular might need extra space below the lid to avoid compressing the winged rubber eyecups, and to accommodate the longer eyepiece and filter barrels, so Hood made provisions to fit these. Of course, after deployment to the field all bets were off as we are certain the carry cases and various binoculars often became mixed up. ****BAUSCH & LOMB for background on Bausch & Lomb's operations during WWII, there's no better resource than the film they produced during the war. BAUSCH & LOMB WWII FILM "TO GREATER VISION" GLASS & OPTICAL MANUFACTURING 1940s Directed by Leslie Roush for Paramount Pictures and the Bausch and Lomb Optical Company in the 1940s, "TO GREATER VISION" promotes the company's mission and innovation. The film explains the manufacturing processes involved during the creation of glass used in optical instruments such as microscopes to spectrographs to corrective spectacles. The film explains the basic physics of light such as refraction when passing from air to glass, then shows how eyes are treated and faulty vision is corrected by using custom made lenses. The company's motto in this era was "To Greater Vision Through Optical Science". Some of the interesting devices seen in the film include the spectrograph, metalograph (metallography is the study of the physical structure and components of metals, typically using microscopy), the contour projector, opthalmoscope, and much more. Optical sound recording equipment, camera and projector lenses, and other optical devices are also shown. At the 18 minute mark, WWII footage is shown with demonstrations of how the company's products fight the good fight -- from rangefinders to binoculars to signal lamp lenses and more. Aerial camera lenses, bubble sextants, goggles, height finders, and spotting scopes -- and the list goes on and on. At the 21 minute mark the making of eyeglass lenses is seen with the lenses going through the whole process from developing a prescription to grinding lenses. Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. We collect, scan and preserve 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have films you'd like to have scanned or donate to Periscope Film, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the link below. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. *****The Battle of Midway Just after midnight on 4 June, Admiral Nimitz, based on patrol plane reports, advised Task Forces 16 and 17 of the course and speed of the Japanese "main body," also noting their distance of 574 miles from Midway. Shortly after dawn, a patrol plane spotted two Japanese carriers and their escorts, reporting "Many planes heading Midway from 320 degrees distant 150 miles!" The first engagement on 4 June, however, took place when the four night-flying PBYs attacked the Japanese transports northwest of Midway, with one PBY torpedoing a fleet tanker. Later that morning, at roughly 0630, Japanese carrier aircraft bombed Midway installations. Between 0930 and 1030, Douglas TBD "Devastator" torpedo bombers from the three American carriers attacked the Japanese carriers. Although nearly wiped out by the defending Japanese fighters and antiaircraft fire, they drew off enemy aircraft, leaving the skies open for dive bombers from Enterprise and Yorktown. Douglas SBD "Dauntlesses" from Enterprise bombed and fatally damaged carriers Kaga and Akagi, while SBDs from Yorktown bombed and wrecked carrier Soryu...at 1430 hrs "Dauntlesses" from Enterprise mortally damaged Hiryu in a strike around 1700 that afternoon. The destruction of the Carrier Strike Force compelled Admiral Yamamoto to abandon his Midway invasion plans, and the Japanese fleet began to retire westward....The last air attacks of the battle took place on 6 June, when dive bombers from Enterprise and Hornet bombed and sank heavy cruiser Mikuma... ***** + "Bill the Optical Curmudgeon" wrote on January 14, 2010, fourteen years ago, "In 1942, a 7x50 US Military Bino cost $350. I did the math 10 years ago. That was about $2,700 in the dollars of the day. " + These large binoculars are in MINT condition, as are the Winged Rubber Eyecups on the Eyepieces and the leather Neck Strap.+ Decals on the binoculars read, respectively: THIS INSTRUMENT HAS COATED OPTICS. THE TINE OF THE GLASS SURFACES'IS A RESULT OF THISPROCESS. DO NOT ATTEMPTTO REMOVE.SEE N.D. BULL. 44-400 - - - Relube & Inspected:NAS SDDate:Overhaul: NAS SDDate: 3-52 (written in pencil) INSTALLATIONPlane Time:Date: REMOVAL Plane Time: Date: *****This is an Mint condition pair of vintage WW2 U.S. Navy BuAero Mark21 Binoculars made by the Bausch & Lomb Optical Corporation, Rochester, New York, USA. They date, possibly to the 1942-1943 fiscal year. Superior optics, collimation, gloss black paint finish, markings, black Vinylite covering, and decals!!! These full sized 7 x 50 binoculars are in MINT vintage condition and are complete with their well-made HOOD hard rubber case. The optics are clear and provide an excellent image. The Individual Focused (I.F) eye pieces work correctly and allow the binoculars to be focused to infinity. Simple to use, waterproof and robust, each binocular eyepiece bears a calibrated diopter scale. It is a simple matter to share the binoculars with someone else even if they need to change the setting, as upon return of the binoculars the primary user can reset the focus without even having to look through the glass. The black pebble-grain Hard Rubber Case and Strap are robust and free of scrapes, scratches, cracks, or crazing! Stamped on these binoculars on the right prism plate:U.S. NAVY - BU.AERO.MARK 21. F.S.S.C. 88-B-320BAUSCH & LOMB OPT. CO.ROCHESTER, N.Y., U.S.A.And stamped on the left prism plate: 7x50 What do the numbers '7x50' (or similar ie 6x30 or 7x40 ) mean? The number '7' is the magnification and the 'x50' is the objective lens diameter. The larger the objective lens, (e.g. 7x50) the more light is let in and thus a clearer image is obtained. The downside is size, they a bigger, they are more expensive to manufacture and heavier to handle and hold. Binoculars also have an exit pupil number that gives the user an idea of how good the binoculars will be during low light. The range is from 1 - 7. The higher the number the better the view will be in low light or cloudy weather. To calculate, divide the objective lens diameter number by the magnification number e.g. 50 divided by 7 = 7. The exit pupil on these binoculars is 7. *****There were several models of binoculars produced that were tailored to serve more than one branch of service, or multiple Bureaus of the Navy. Examples of a model being adapted for multiple roles include the Mark 21, a 7x50 binocular contracted to be produced by both B&L and also by SARD. The Mark 21 closely resembled the other B&L 7x50 binoculars, sharing similar optical components and even appearing similar with their vinylite exterior handgrip finish that were expedient at the time. The Mark 21 specification 29329-C calls for a binocular with winged eye guards, and with hinged rotatable (horizontal through to vertical) polarizing filters fitted over their eyepiece that could be dialed in or off the line of sight or that can swing out for cleaning...but are missing from this particular example. *****BuAero from NAVAL AVIATION NEWS (November-December 1989) Victory Winning Team By Capt. Steven U. Ramsdell While many details of the relationship between aviation and the rest of the Navy and Marine Corps remained to be worked out when the war began, the integration was permanent. Instructively, the UnitedStates Fleet was under the command of a Naval Aviator, the Pacific theater was commanded by a submariner, and the Pacific Fleet was alternately commanded by an aviator and a surface warfare officer. Marines in the field were directed with distinction by both aviators and ground officers. The most important single event in the integration of aviation into the Navy was the establishment of the Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAero) in July 1921. In a single stroke, aviation acquired institutional parity with the rest of the Navy. At that time almost all of the real power and authority in the Navy, except for command of the fleet itself, was vested In semi-autonomous bureaus. Before BuAero was created, Naval Aviation was only loosely coordinated by the Director of Naval Aviation - under the Chief of Naval Operations - who had little power. After July 1921, the Navy’s aviation program was centrally directed by an organization with real clout. Naval Aviation’s steadily increasing share of the Navy’s budget during the 192Os, a period of exceptional austerity, demonstrated the significance of the change. ... BuAero played the vital role of steering the Navy through the tangle of the technical and nontechnical innovations required to successfully adapt airplanes for combat at sea and develop the know-how to use them. As one senior officer described the dilemma of aircraft carrier development in 1920, “You won’t be able to get a plane until you get a ship, and we cannot design a ship without the plane.” Most of the other problems associated with creating seaworthy aviation were no less thorn responsibility for the design and manufacture of airframes rested with the Bureau of Construction and Repair; engine design and procurement were handled by the Bureau of Engineering; the Bureau of Ordnance controlled aircraft weapons; and so on. That system proved to be satisfactory for ships, but it was unsuited to aircraft. BuAero brought a sense of order to this confusion and made aviation work in the Navy. Remarkable achievements were made over the next two decades. Aircraft were developed for specialized missions, and the missions were more sharply defined. Radial air-cooled engines, self-sealing fuel tanks, protective armor, radios and navigational aids were introduced which made aircraft far more effective. The development and refinement of catapults and arresting gear made their operation from ships practical. And, despite the 1920 dilemma, aircraft carriers were developed and given the power.which revolutionized naval warfare. BuAer had more than material responsibilities. Under its charter, its chief could make recommendations to the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation regarding the selection, assignment, training, qualification and promotion of aviation personnel. The aggressive discharge of this prerogative by the bureau’s first chief, William A. Moffett, made BuAer a dynamic force in the development of a professional aviation community within the Navy.... Perhaps most importantly for the integration of aviation into the Navy, BuAero’s establishment was an expression of the importance the Navy placed on aviation. As such it was the alternative to a separate air corps - either within the Department of the Navy similar to the Marine Corps or in a separate Department of Aeronautics, a concept which gained widespread support after WW I. While the issue of a separate air corps did not die in 1921, the creation of this powerful institution forestalled such a movement from gaining momentum by placing aviation on an equal footing with older centers of power in the Navy and eliminating the one serious rationale for its existence: organizational neglect. Interest in a separate aviation corps among Naval Aviators was never a passion basedon theoretical and tactical grounds - the conviction that aircraft had to be commanded and operated independently to be effective - as it was in the Army....By the early 192Os, battleship sailors recognized that effective use of their long-range guns would likely depend on the information available from airborne spotters. Equally clear was the value of denying that same kind of intelligence to an opposing battle line. Gunfire spotting, therefore, provided one of the early rationales for aircraft carriers.Flying boats and planes burdened with floats could not hope to out maneuver landplanes. If landplanes could be flown over the battle line, they could clear the sky of enemy spotters and ensure spotting forThe usefulness of aircraft scouting for enemy ships and submarines was one of the first reasons the Navy was attracted to aviation. The offensive potential of airplanes at sea was also recognized by many visionaries. Indeed, the bombing of the German battleship Ostfriesland and the other ships off the Virginia Capes in 1921, over which Mitchell made so much trouble, was intended by the Navy to learn about the effects of bombs on ships - not to determine if bombs could sink them. And Whiting, Mustin and others argued from the beginning that carriers had to be fast to take advantage of their offensive potential ...A fully effective doctrine for the incorporation of air power into operations came only under the pressure of combat. However, aviation had become a truly indispensable component of the fleet by 1939. Thanks to the masterful touch of William A. Moffett, Naval Aviation endured the turbulence in military aviation and the financially lean years after WW I to become an inseparable part of the Navy. The product of his labors was the organization which played an ever more aggressive role in the fleet’s operations during the 1930s. Carriers and their airplanes did not replace battleships and their big guns in the Navy’s view of war. But an integrated fleet had been forged which enabled the Navy and Marine Corps to respond to the shock of Pearl Harbor with offensive operations almost immediately and to throw the full weight of their energy into battle as a victory winning team. ...The search for the enemy carriers and their earliest destruction were the highest priorities for both the defending and attacking fleets. The exceptional value of the intelligence provided by patrol aircraft was reinforced. Carriers, with their own escorts, routinely operated independently of the battle line. And the offensive punch of carrier dive-bombers was demonstrated again.

Price: 405 USD

Location: Little Rock, Arkansas

End Time: 2024-12-22T09:09:45.000Z

Shipping Cost: 17.45 USD