Description
U.S. Army Technical Manual Change 1 for TM 9-1240-332-34, M126 Articulated Telescope and Hanger Assembly, February 1974
Item Overview
This official U.S. Army Change 1 update applies to TM 9-1240-332-34, the direct support and general support maintenance manual for the M126 Articulated Telescope and its hanger assembly. Issued in February 1974, it updates the original manual dated January 30, 1973. This listing is for the Change 1 update only. It is not the complete base manual and does not include a telescope, hanger assembly, mount, tank, weapon, or other equipment.
Publication Details
This update was issued for trained military personnel responsible for maintaining and aligning the M126 telescope and its supporting equipment.
- Manual number: TM 9-1240-332-34
- Change number: Change 1
- Change date: February 1974
- Original manual date: January 30, 1973
- Primary subject: M126 Articulated Telescope and hanger assembly
- M126 Articulated Telescope NSN: 1240-00-924-7670
- Hanger Assembly NSN: 1240-00-924-7671
- Manual level: Direct support and general support maintenance
- Issuing authority: Headquarters, Department of the Army
- Country of origin: United States
- Item included: Change 1 update only
Purpose of Change 1
Army change publications corrected or replaced selected information in an existing technical manual. Change 1 was intended to be used with the January 1973 edition of TM 9-1240-332-34 so maintenance personnel could keep their copies current. The replacement pages, corrections, and instructions contained in this update do not form a complete maintenance manual when used alone.
Manual Coverage
The base manual supported inspection, troubleshooting, disassembly, cleaning, repair, reassembly, optical alignment, adjustment, and testing at the direct support and general support levels. It covered both the M126 telescope and the hanger assembly that supported it within the sight installation. Change 1 revised selected portions of that maintenance information.
About the M126 Articulated Telescope
The M126 was the gunner’s direct telescope on the M60A2 tank. Its articulated construction allowed parts of the optical assembly to move through the required angles while fitting within the tank’s compact turret. The telescope provided 8-power magnification with an 8-degree field of view and used separate reticles for guided missiles and conventional ammunition. The hanger assembly supported the telescope and helped maintain its position within the installation.
Role in the M60A2 Fire-Control System
The M126 worked with the M153 telescope mount and the M60A2 missile-tracking equipment. It was the sight used for firing the MGM-51C Shillelagh guided missile and served as the primary sight for canister ammunition and the coaxial machine gun. It was also a secondary sight for HEAT-MP ammunition after the gunner’s M50 periscope. Alignment controls in the mounting system helped match the missile reticle with the tracker’s optical axis.
M60A2 Weapon-System History
The M60A2 was developed during the 1960s and first accepted by the Army in 1973. Its compact turret carried the M162 152mm gun-launcher, which could fire conventional ammunition and Shillelagh guided missiles. The advanced fire-control system combined the M126 telescope, M50 gunner’s periscope, AN/VVS-1 laser range finder, M19 ballistic computer, and missile guidance equipment. This technology offered improved ranging and guided-missile capability but required careful alignment and skilled maintenance.
History of Use
The February 1974 date places this update near the beginning of the M60A2’s service life. During missile engagements, the gunner used the M126 to aim and keep the sight on the target while the guidance system directed the missile. The telescope was also used for close-range canister and coaxial-machine-gun engagements. M60A2 tanks served mainly during the 1970s before the model was withdrawn, leaving the M126 as a specialized part of Cold War tank and guided-missile history.
Collector and Research Value
This Change 1 publication is a specialized addition to an M60A2, Shillelagh, military-optics, or U.S. Army technical-manual collection. It is useful for comparing revisions to the January 1973 manual and for studying the maintenance of articulated sights, missile reticles, optical alignment systems, and armored-vehicle fire-control equipment.
Condition
This vintage military technical-manual update may show edge wear, folds, yellowing, stains, writing, stamps, punched holes, or other signs of age and storage. Page count, printing details, and condition may vary between available copies. Please check the pictures for the general condition of the item.
Ideal For
This publication is well suited for collections, restoration projects, and exhibits covering Cold War tanks and military fire-control equipment.
- U.S. Army technical-manual collections
- M60A2 tank research and restoration
- M126 articulated-telescope documentation
- MGM-51 Shillelagh system exhibits
- Military optics and fire-control research
- Museum and archival collections
Approx length 8", Approx width 11", Approx height .25", Approx weight .5lbs.
Pictures are stock images of our inventory. Unless otherwise noted, you will not be receiving the exact item shown in the pictures. The pictures are representative of the item’s general condition. The item you receive might be slightly better, or worse, condition than was shown in the pictures.
Please visit our page about order lead times here: Order Lead Times.