Description
U.S. Army Technical Manual TM 9-1290-262-12P for M2 Aiming Circle W/E, April 1972, with Change 2
Item Overview
This U.S. Army technical manual covers repair parts and special tools for the M2 Aiming Circle W/E, FSN 1290-614-0008. The base manual was issued on April 11, 1972. This copy contains Change 2, issued on February 27, 1974, integrated into the manual. This listing is for the technical manual only. It does not include an aiming circle, tripod, carrying cover, instrument light, plumb bob, weapon, or other equipment.
Publication Details
TM 9-1290-262-12P was prepared for military personnel responsible for operating, maintaining, and supplying parts for the M2 Aiming Circle and its related equipment.
- Manual number: TM 9-1290-262-12P
- Base publication date: April 11, 1972
- Included update: Change 2
- Change 2 date: February 27, 1974
- Equipment: M2 Aiming Circle W/E
- Federal Stock Number: 1290-614-0008
- Later NSN format: 1290-00-614-0008
- Manual type: Repair parts and special tools list
- Issuing authority: Headquarters, Department of the Army
- Country of origin: United States
- Item included: Technical manual only
Change 2 Integration
This copy has the pages from Change 2 placed within the base manual instead of being kept as a separate update. These revised pages reflect the corrections and updated information issued by the Army on February 27, 1974. This feature makes the manual easier to use and gives collectors a record of how the publication changed after its original release.
Manual Coverage
The “12P” suffix identifies this as a parts and special-tools publication supporting operator and organizational maintenance. It helped military personnel identify authorized components, replacement parts, accessories, and required tools for the M2 Aiming Circle W/E. It is mainly a maintenance-supply reference and should not be confused with a complete operating or higher-level repair manual.
About the M2 Aiming Circle
The M2 is a portable optical and mechanical instrument used to measure precise azimuth and elevation angles from a selected reference line. It combines an elbow telescope, magnetic compass, leveling controls, graduated scales, and micrometer adjustments. These features allowed artillery and mortar crews to establish direction and align several weapons on the same firing azimuth.
Equipment Features
The M2 has a four-power, fixed-focus elbow telescope with a 10-degree field of view. Its azimuth scale covers a complete 6,400-mil circle, while micrometer controls provide fine adjustments. Circular and tubular levels help the operator place the instrument in a true level position. The M2 can measure up to 800 mils of elevation and 400 mils of depression.
- Telescope: Four-power, fixed-focus elbow type
- Field of view: 10 degrees
- Azimuth rotation: Unlimited
- Maximum elevation: 800 mils
- Maximum depression: 400 mils
- Common tripod: M24 Aiming Circle Tripod
- Lighting equipment: M51 Instrument Light
Meaning of W/E
The abbreviation “W/E” means “with equipment.” An issued M2 Aiming Circle set could include the aiming circle, protective cover, M24 tripod, M51 instrument light, plumb bob, and related accessories. This manual documents the parts and supporting items associated with the complete equipment set, but those items are not included with this listing.
Role in the Weapons System
The M2 Aiming Circle was common fire-control equipment and was not limited to one weapon. In an indirect-fire unit, it helped place howitzers, guns, or mortars parallel to an announced direction of fire. During reciprocal laying, the operator exchanged angle readings with each weapon crew until the sights and weapon tubes were correctly aligned. The instrument could also measure angles to ground or aerial targets and support basic field surveying.
Historical Background
The M2 was established in Army service by the mid-1950s and remained an important fire-control instrument throughout the Cold War. This April 1972 edition was published during the Vietnam War, when U.S. artillery and mortar units depended on accurate surveying and weapon alignment. The Change 2 update from 1974 shows that the Army continued revising the M2’s parts and maintenance information after the base manual was issued.
History of Use
Artillery and mortar crews used the M2 when preparing firing positions, establishing grid or magnetic direction, checking weapon alignment, and organizing coordinated indirect fire. It could be used wherever several weapons needed to fire along the same reference direction. The later M2A2 offered greater elevation travel, but the original M2 remained in military publications and inventories for many years.
Collector and Research Value
This updated copy of TM 9-1290-262-12P is a useful reference for identifying M2 Aiming Circle parts, accessories, and special tools. It also documents Army fire-control and supply practices during the Vietnam and early post-Vietnam periods. The integrated Change 2 pages add value for researchers studying the revision history of U.S. military publications.
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 collectors, restorers, museums, and researchers interested in American artillery surveying and indirect-fire equipment.
- U.S. Army technical-manual collections
- M2 Aiming Circle restoration projects
- Vietnam War artillery research
- Mortar and indirect-fire displays
- Military surveying-equipment collections
- Museum and archival reference libraries
Approx length 8", Approx width 11", Approx height .15", Approx weight .2lbs.
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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