Description
Technical Manual (TM 9-1240-255-34) for XM30 Periscope January 1961
This Technical Manual TM 9-1240-255-34 covers the XM30 Periscope and is dated January 1961.
The publication is a higher-level maintenance reference for the specialized gunner's periscopic sight used with the M67A1 flame-thrower tank.
Historical Significance
The XM30 formed part of the optical fire-control equipment developed for the M67A1, a tank configured around a flame gun and a coaxial machine gun. Its wide-view optical arrangement helped the gunner acquire and engage targets while remaining protected inside the vehicle.
Official requirements for the installed XM30 specified 1.5-power magnification, a 48-degree field of view, and sight tracking from 12 degrees of depression to 45 degrees of elevation. These characteristics reflect the specialized aiming demands of an armored flame-weapon system.
M67A1 Fire-Control Application
On the M67A1, the XM30 worked with the weapon-mounted sighting system to follow the movement of both the flame gun and the coaxial machine gun. The periscope mount maintained the sight's line of sight in relation to the weapon bores as the armament moved in elevation.
This relationship makes the manual relevant beyond the optical instrument itself: it documents maintenance support for a sight that was integral to the tank's complete fire-control arrangement.
What This Manual Covers
As a -34 maintenance manual, TM 9-1240-255-34 supports maintenance personnel working beyond the operator level. Its subject is the inspection, troubleshooting, adjustment, repair, and servicing of the XM30 Periscope and its optical and mechanical functions.
The manual provides the Army terminology and maintenance framework needed to understand how the XM30 was kept aligned and serviceable as part of the M67A1 sighting system.
Key Features
- Official publication number: TM 9-1240-255-34
- Publication date: January 1961
- Equipment covered: XM30 Periscope
- Vehicle application: M67A1 flame-thrower tank
- Optical specification: 1.5x magnification with a 48-degree field of view
- Installed tracking range: 12 degrees depression to 45 degrees elevation
- Manual scope: higher-level maintenance of the periscopic sight
Why This Manual Matters
The XM30 was a specialized sight rather than a general-purpose observation periscope. This publication preserves the maintenance practices associated with the optical instrument that enabled the M67A1 gunner to aim the vehicle's flame gun and coaxial machine gun.
For restoration and research, the manual helps connect the individual periscope to the mount, armament, and fire-control arrangement in which it operated.
About This Manual
Published by the Department of the Army in January 1961, TM 9-1240-255-34 is a maintenance publication devoted to the XM30 Periscope. It focuses on servicing and repair information rather than serving as an operator's handbook or a repair-parts-only list.
Ideal For
This manual is a strong fit for:
- U.S. Army technical-manual collectors
- M67 and armored flame-thrower vehicle researchers
- Military optics and fire-control historians
- Museum and archival reference libraries
- Restoration projects involving XM30 sighting equipment
Approx length 8", Approx width 10", Approx height .2", Approx weight .2lbs.
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