M6 Periscope

by Karen Nakamura

Overview and Personal Comments

The M6 Periscope was used on a series of World War II era American made tanks (which were also used by the British).The periscopes provided each crew member with safe and effective way to look out of the tank without having their heads blown off by small arms fire.

• The M3A3 Stuart Tank produced by the American Car and Foundry from 1942 to 1943 had four of these mounted, for the driver, commander, etc.
• The M5A1 Stuart Tank also had several of these mounted. This web page shows how the M6 was mounted.
• The M18 Tank had two of these mounted for the driver and assistant. The M18 was produced by the Buick Motors division of General Motors.

I received this periscope out of the estate of Marion Carpenter, who was Harry Truman's personal photographer during his time in the White House.

This M6 is in extremely good condition. The calibration label is cleanly fixed and has not been marked. All of the optics are very clean. The Stock Number is #7578357. The mounting screws are clean, this scope was not apparently used.

Technical Details

On the Net

• M3A3 Tank details
• M18 Tank details

[Return to Photoethnography.com]