Description
U.S. Army Technical Manual TM 9-1240-311-34P for M127 and M119 Articulated Telescopes, November 1971
This U.S. Army technical manual is the repair-parts and special-tools publication for the M127 and M119 Articulated Telescopes. Issued as TM 9-1240-311-34P in November 1971, it documents precision optical equipment used with the fire-control system of the M551 Sheridan Armored Reconnaissance/Airborne Assault Vehicle.
This listing is for the technical manual only. It does not include an M127 or M119 telescope, Hanger Assembly, telescope mount, sighting equipment, weapon, or vehicle.
About the M127 and M119 Articulated Telescopes
The M119 and M127 were primary direct-fire telescopes used by the gunner of the M551 Sheridan. Mounted on the associated M149 Telescope Mount, the sight was positioned coaxially with the vehicle’s 152mm M81 gun-launcher. Its articulated joint kept the eyepiece within reach as the weapon moved through elevation and depression.
The M127 was similar to the earlier M119 but added selectable 8-power and 12-power magnification. The sighting system supported conventional 152mm ammunition and the MGM-51 Shillelagh guided missile. Separate conventional and missile reticle assemblies allowed the gunner to select the correct aiming pattern for the weapon being fired.
Historical Background
The M551 Sheridan entered U.S. Army service in 1967 as a lightweight, amphibious, and air-transportable armored vehicle. It combined a 152mm gun with the ability to launch the MGM-51 Shillelagh missile. Sheridans served during the Vietnam War and remained in American service for later airborne, reconnaissance, and training missions.
Published in November 1971, TM 9-1240-311-34P dates to the period when the Army was replacing the M119 telescope with the improved M127. The manual records both designs and helps document the maintenance system behind one of the Cold War’s most unusual armored fighting vehicles.
Publication Details
- Manual number: TM 9-1240-311-34P
- Publication date: November 1971
- Primary subjects: M127 and M119 Articulated Telescopes
- Manual type: Direct-support and general-support repair-parts and special-tools list
- Depot maintenance repair parts: Included
- M127 Federal Stock Number: 1240-437-1254
- M119 Federal Stock Number: 1240-762-9333
- Hanger Assembly Federal Stock Number: 1240-906-7945
- Documented parent system: M551 Sheridan
- Associated telescope mount: M149
- Item included: Technical manual only
Collector and Research Value
This manual is a specialized addition to a U.S. Army technical-publication, military-optics, or armored-vehicle collection. It is useful for M551 Sheridan restoration research, parts identification, museum exhibits, and the study of conventional and missile fire-control systems from the Vietnam and Cold War eras.
Ideal For
- U.S. Army technical-manual collections
- M551 Sheridan restoration research
- M127 and M119 telescope parts identification
- Vietnam War armored-vehicle displays
- Cold War fire-control and military-optics collections
- MGM-51 Shillelagh missile-system research
- Museum and archival collections
Approx length 8", Approx width 11", Approx height .35", Approx weight 1lbs.
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.
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