Description
U.S. Army Technical Manual TM 9-1240-333-35 for XM153 Telescope Mount, June 1969
Item Overview
This U.S. Army technical manual covers direct support, general support, and depot maintenance for the experimental XM153 Telescope Mount, FSN 1240-924-7672. Issued in June 1969, it documents a specialized part of the tank fire-control and missile-guidance system that was being developed for the M60A1E2 and later standardized for the M60A2 tank. This listing is for the technical manual only. It does not include an XM153 mount, telescope, missile tracker, tank, weapon, or other fire-control equipment.
Publication Details
The “35” suffix identifies this as a higher-level maintenance manual prepared for trained military personnel working beyond routine crew and organizational maintenance.
- Manual number: TM 9-1240-333-35
- Publication date: June 1969
- Subject: XM153 Telescope Mount
- Federal Stock Number: 1240-924-7672
- Manual level: Direct support, general support, and depot maintenance
- Issuing authority: Headquarters, Department of the Army
- Country of origin: United States
- Equipment status: Experimental or pre-standardized
- Later designation: M153 Telescope Mount
- Item included: Technical manual only
Manual Coverage
This publication provided technical guidance for inspecting, troubleshooting, disassembling, cleaning, repairing, assembling, adjusting, and testing the XM153 Telescope Mount. It supported the careful alignment work required to keep the telescope, missile tracker, and weapon system operating together. The manual is useful for studying the mount’s optical and mechanical controls as well as Army maintenance practices for early guided-missile tank equipment.
About the XM153 Telescope Mount
The XM153 was developed to hold and align the XM126 gunner’s telescope while also supporting the missile tracker. It incorporated a checksight system that allowed the missile reticle to be aligned with the tracker’s optical axis. Its controls supported parallax correction, filter selection, tracker checks, and elevation and deflection adjustments for boresighting and zeroing. The mount was not a complete sight by itself and depended on the telescope and other fire-control components installed in the tank.
Weapon-System History
The XM153 was created during development of the M60A1E2, an experimental member of the M60 tank family fitted with a new low-profile turret and a 152mm gun-launcher system. This program combined conventional ammunition with the MGM-51 Shillelagh guided missile. The improved design entered service as the M60A2, which used the standardized M153 mount with the M126 telescope, M50 gunner’s periscope, laser range finder, electronic ballistic computer, and missile-guidance equipment. This was one of the most advanced American tank fire-control systems of its era.
History of Use
The June 1969 publication date places this manual within the testing and development period before the M60A2 entered regular Army service. The M126 telescope and M153 mount later served as the gunner’s sighting equipment for the Shillelagh missile. The telescope was also the primary sight for canister ammunition and the coaxial machine gun and served as a secondary sight for conventional high-explosive antitank ammunition. M60A2 tanks served mainly during the 1970s before the type was withdrawn, making this manual a record of an unusual Cold War weapons program.
Collector and Research Value
TM 9-1240-333-35 documents the XM development stage of equipment that later became the M153 Telescope Mount. It is a valuable reference for research into the M60A1E2, M60A2, XM126 and M126 telescopes, Shillelagh missile guidance, tank optics, and Army fire-control maintenance. It is also well suited for museum research, restoration projects, and technical-manual collections.
Condition
This vintage military technical manual may show cover wear, edge wear, folds, yellowing, stains, writing, stamps, punched holes, loose pages, or other signs of age and storage. Printing details and condition may vary between available copies. Please check the pictures for the general condition of the item.
Ideal For
This manual is well suited for collections, research projects, and exhibits covering Cold War tanks and guided-missile fire-control equipment.
- U.S. Army technical-manual collections
- M60A1E2 and M60A2 tank research
- XM153 and M153 mount restoration
- XM126 and M126 telescope research
- MGM-51 Shillelagh system exhibits
- Military optics and fire-control collections
- Museum and archival displays
Approx length 8", Approx width 11", Approx height .3", Approx weight .5lbs.
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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