Description
Technical Manual (TM 9-1240-245-35) for M15/T52 Range Finder April 1960
This Technical Manual TM 9-1240-245-35 covers the M15/T52 Range Finder and is dated April 1960.
The publication is a field and depot maintenance reference for the stereoscopic range finder used in the M103A1 Heavy Tank fire-control system. It supports technical maintenance beyond the operator and organizational levels.
Historical Significance
The M15/T52 belonged to the improved fire-control equipment of the Cold War-era M103A1 Heavy Tank, which mounted the 120 mm Gun M58 in the M89A1 gun mount. The range finder gave the commander a stereoscopic means of determining target distance for long-range direct fire.
On the M103A1, the M15 worked with the M14 Ballistic Computer, M29 periscope, M102 telescope, and other fire-control components. This equipment divided the tasks of observation, range measurement, ballistic computation, and gun aiming across an integrated system.
M15/T52 Range Finder and the M103A1 Fire-Control System
The M15 was the commander's range finder on the M103A1. Its stereoscopic optical system enabled the operator to judge the distance to a target, providing essential range information for the tank's fire-control process.
That relationship makes this manual relevant not only to optical-instrument study, but also to research on the complete M103A1 fire-control chain and the employment of its 120 mm armament.
What This Manual Covers
This -35 maintenance manual addresses field and depot maintenance of the M15/T52 Range Finder. Its scope concerns the technical inspection, troubleshooting, servicing, repair, adjustment, and testing needed to support the range finder beyond crew-level care.
The publication focuses on the range finder itself and the maintenance practices required to preserve accurate optical range measurement within the M103A1 fire-control system.
Key Features
- Official publication number: TM 9-1240-245-35
- Publication date: April 1960
- Equipment covered: M15/T52 Range Finder
- Manual scope: field and depot maintenance
- Optical principle: stereoscopic range finding
- Vehicle application: M103A1 Heavy Tank
- Fire-control relationship: used with the M14 Ballistic Computer and the M103A1's 120 mm Gun M58
Why This Manual Matters
TM 9-1240-245-35 documents how Army specialists maintained a precision optical instrument central to the M103A1's ability to engage targets at distance. It connects the physical range finder with the maintenance system that kept the tank's fire-control equipment serviceable.
The manual is useful for understanding the M15 as both an optical device and a component of a larger heavy-tank fire-control system. It also complements vehicle, ballistic-computer, periscope, and telescope manuals for the M103A1.
About This Manual
Published by the Headquarters, Department of the Army in April 1960, TM 9-1240-245-35 is the field and depot maintenance manual for the M15/T52 Range Finder. It is distinct from TM 9-1240-245-35P, the companion repair-parts and special-tools publication for the same equipment.
Ideal For
This manual is a strong fit for:
- U.S. Army technical-manual collectors
- M103 and M103A1 Heavy Tank researchers
- Military optics and range-finder collectors
- Armor museums and reference libraries
- Fire-control system restoration and interpretation projects
- Historians studying Cold War heavy-tank gunnery
Approx length 8", Approx width 10", Approx height .75", Approx weight 1.5lbs.
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