Soviet Infrared equipment in WW2 ?

[XB-35]

Hi All,

Everybody knows that Germans have used experimentally infrared equipment on some Panther tanks and SdKfz 251s towards the end of the war.

The British have used a similar equipment (for driving by night only) called "Tabby" on some vehicles (although, I don't know if these were used operationally ?)

I wonder if the Soviet had a similar equipment early in the war (and even before, in the thirties) ?

I saw this (a night fighting equipment for the BT-7) available as a conversion kit fro the Tamiya BT-7 :


http://www.voyagermodel.com/productdetails.asp?itemid=PEA223

Was it an experimental installation (prototype only) or an operational system ?

Does anyone has infos on this ?

Thanks for the help,

Best Regards,

J.C. DANIS

 

[CostasTT]

These look like plain white spotlights. Note the lack of viewing devices (scopes, etc) on the tank, in contrast with the German equipment (active IR spotlights and scopes).

 

[Mikhryk]

Was it an experimental installation (prototype only) or an operational system ?
Does anyone has infos on this ?

Operational.
«For the firing of the gun and coaxial machine gun at night, the tank was equipped with two special projector-type headlamps, and a mask placed on the gun. Subsequently, these lights were retrofitted to earlier models of the tank.» (Wiki)

 

[Grzesio]

To be precise: these were usual spotlights, producing white light, called "combat lights".
In case of the T-26 tank the lights were introduced in 1935, then modernized in 1936 - it was planned to equip with them 20 per cent of tanks.

Regards

Grzesio

 

[robunos]

To be precise: these were usual spotlights, producing white light, called "combat lights".

http://www.o5m6.de/t_26m1936.html

http://www.o5m6.de/t_26m1938.html

http://www.o5m6.de/bt_7m1937.html



cheers,
Robin.

 

[CostasTT]

Infra-red equipment, developed 1939-1944: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fcommunity.livejournal.com%2Fshushpanzer_ru%2F888373.html

 

[ArmchairSamurai]

Resurrecting another ancient thread, forgive me.

 

[T. A. Gardner]

The Soviets developed a number of infra red devices pre-WW 2

Night vision goggles of Red Army! - V-Rtifacts

vrtifacts.com

Night Vision

WWII era Soviet night vision devices.

www.tankarchives.ca

 

[Dilandu]

The Soviets developed a number of infra red devices pre-WW 2

Quite a lot, yes. They were used mostly for night signalling and navigation purposes (like infrared buoys used on Baltic), but there were infrared binoculars and later infrared scopes as well.

 

[Grey Havoc]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TOz2YzdidY

 

[Bottleship]

infrared binoculars

E. E. Gorin 1927-1933 patent

https://findpatent.ru/patent/3/30722.html