Description
U.S. Army Technical Manual TM 9-1240-313-35P for M32, M32C, and M35 Tank Periscopes, July 1970
This U.S. Army technical manual is a repair-parts and special-tools publication for the M32, M32C, and M35 Tank Periscopes. Issued as TM 9-1240-313-35P on July 13, 1970, it supported higher-level maintenance of optical fire-control equipment used on Cold War tanks. This listing is for the technical manual only. It does not include a periscope, periscope mount, reticle projector, weapon, tank, or other optical equipment.
Manual Coverage
The “35P” suffix identifies this as a field-and-depot maintenance repair-parts and special-tools list under the Army publication system used at the time. It was prepared for direct-support, general-support, and depot personnel who needed to identify and order approved repair parts. This is a parts-reference manual rather than a crew operator’s guide or a complete step-by-step repair manual.
About the M32 and M32C Tank Periscopes
The M32 periscope family gave tank crews several viewing options through one protected sighting unit. Its optical system provided a wide unity-power view for nearby observation and an 8-power view for identifying and aiming at distant targets. Active infrared equipment supported night operations when used with the vehicle’s infrared lighting system. The M32C was a related configuration covered by the same maintenance and supply program.
About the M35 Tank Periscope
The M35 was a gunner’s fire-control periscope associated with the M60-series tank. It could be supported in the M118 Periscope Mount and used in place of an M32 in certain installations. The M35 also worked with the M14 Reticle Image Projector, which placed aiming information into the gunner’s field of view. Its active infrared capability supported nighttime target observation and engagement.
Vehicle Application
M32-series periscopes were used in M60 and M60A1 tanks and in infrared-equipped versions of the M48-series tank, including the M48A3. The M35 was associated mainly with the M60-series 105mm gun fire-control system. Equipment arrangements changed by vehicle model and production period, so not every listed periscope was used in every tank configuration.
Historical Background
This July 1970 manual reflects the Army’s continued development of day-and-night tank fire-control systems during the Cold War. It brought the M32, M32C, and M35 into one repair-parts reference and used updated stock numbers compared with earlier 1964 publications. The M32 and M32C were later covered by TM 9-1240-379-34P, which formally superseded this July 1970 edition. The M35 design was later developed into the M35E1, showing how tank optics continued to change as fire-control technology improved.
Publication Details
This manual provides an original military reference for three related tank-periscope models and their higher-level repair parts.
- Manual number: TM 9-1240-313-35P
- Publication date: July 13, 1970
- Subjects: M32, M32C, and M35 Tank Periscopes
- Manual type: Direct-support, general-support, and depot maintenance repair-parts and special-tools list
- M32 Federal Stock Number: 1240-766-4287
- M32C Federal Stock Number: 1240-762-9335
- M35 Federal Stock Number: 1240-980-9296
- Related maintenance manual: TM 9-1240-313-34
- Later M32-series replacement manual: TM 9-1240-379-34P
- 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 identifying original parts, researching tank fire-control systems, supporting museum displays, and documenting the maintenance history of the M48 and M60 tank families.
Ideal For
This publication is well suited for military historians, restorers, collectors, museums, and researchers studying Cold War armored vehicles and optical fire-control equipment.
- U.S. Army technical-manual collections
- M48 and M60 tank restoration research
- M32, M32C, and M35 periscope parts identification
- Cold War military-optics displays
- Tank fire-control system research
- Museum and archival collections
Approx length 8", Approx width 11", Approx height .5", 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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