Description
Technical Manual (TM 9-1240-275-50) for T206 Telescope Mount October 1963
This Technical Manual TM 9-1240-275-50 covers the T206 Telescope Mount and is dated October 1963. The -50 suffix identifies this as a depot maintenance manual rather than an operator-level publication.
The T206 was the development-era designation associated with the mount later cataloged as the M146 Telescope Mount. This mount supported the M118 (T176E3) Elbow Telescope within the direct-fire sighting system of the M109 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer.
Historical Significance
This manual was published during the opening period of M109 production in 1963. The M109 represented a new generation of mobile field artillery designed to operate with armored and mechanized forces during the Cold War.
The T206 mount was part of the howitzer’s precision fire-control equipment. It secured the direct-fire telescope and provided the controlled adjustment needed for alignment and boresighting.
T206 Mount and M109 Howitzer
The M118 Elbow Telescope was the M109 gunner’s basic direct-fire instrument. It provided the optical line of sight used to position the howitzer in azimuth and elevation when engaging a visible target.
The T206 mount provided the telescope’s adjustable base. This was a different function from the T208/M145 mount, which supported the M117 Panoramic Telescope used when laying the howitzer in azimuth for indirect fire.
What This Manual Covers
This publication provides depot maintenance instructions for the T206 Telescope Mount. Its subject is the mechanical telescope mount rather than the complete M109 vehicle or the separate M118 elbow telescope.
As a depot-level publication, it belongs to the highest maintenance category used in the Army technical-manual numbering system of this period. It complements the separate field-maintenance and repair-parts publications issued for the same mount.
Key Features
- Publication number: TM 9-1240-275-50
- Documented equipment: T206 Telescope Mount
- Publication date: October 1963
- Maintenance level: Depot maintenance
- Associated with the M118 (T176E3) Elbow Telescope
- End-item application in the M109 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer
- Period reference for military optical and artillery fire-control equipment
Why This Manual Matters
This manual preserves technical information from the early development and production period of the M109 howitzer family. It also documents the T206 designation connected with the mount later cataloged as the M146.
It is a useful reference for studying the M109 direct-fire sight system, identifying related optical components, and understanding how the elbow telescope was mounted and aligned on the weapon.
About This Manual
This is a U.S. Army Technical Manual identified as TM 9-1240-275-50. It documents depot maintenance of the T206 Telescope Mount and carries an October 1963 publication date.
Ideal For
- U.S. military technical-manual collectors
- M108 and M109 howitzer researchers
- Artillery fire-control equipment collections
- Military optics and telescope researchers
- Museums and historical displays
- Vehicle restoration reference libraries
- Film and prop research departments
Approx length 8", Approx width 10", Approx height .2", Approx weight .2lbs.
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