A study of stereoscopic rangefinders

[Craiglxviii]

To answer a question on Quora (how tiring were BISMARCK's rangefinders to use?) I found the following.

Page 69 for reference, the data is fascinating.

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/AD0200796.pdf

[Nik_SpeakerToCats]

Been a while, but I read some-where that 'Dazzle' camo scheme was surprisingly effective against one of the two main types of optical range-finder...

But the Germans preferred the other !!

[Craiglxviii]

Been a while, but I read some-where that 'Dazzle' camo scheme was surprisingly effective against one of the two main types of optical range-finder...

But the Germans preferred the other !!

Correct- razzle dazzle worked against coincidence rangefinders but not stereoscopic.

[Nik_SpeakerToCats]

A thought: Given periscope constraints, wouldn't U-Boot range-finders be 'coincident' ??

( And, yes, need for multiple wide, wider, widest stereo optics for light, medium, heavy weapons' fire-control that spawned infamous 'FUUSOOO !!' masts. How else, in that era, could you reliably track, tackle multiple targets ?? )

[Craiglxviii]

A thought: Given periscope constraints, wouldn't U-Boot range-finders be 'coincident' ??

( And, yes, need for multiple wide, wider, widest stereo optics for light, medium, heavy weapons' fire-control that spawned infamous 'FUUSOOO !!' masts. How else, in that era, could you reliably track, tackle multiple targets ?? )

They used stadimetric rangefinders.

[Nik_SpeakerToCats]

Ah...
Hasty google-search required, as that's a new term to me !!

A very few ranging shots would establish beyond doubt if target is the size of initial estimate, hence distance.
eg destroyer vs destroyer leader vs light cruiser etc...
Then it gets bloody...

[RJGFox]

I’ve been looking for, but never found, an image of what the view through a big gun battleship’s rangefinder would look like…

[M.Becker]

A thought: Given periscope constraints, wouldn't U-Boot range-finders be 'coincident' ??

Subs used rangefinders when submerged? I thought they used lines like in a hunting scope.

The target is ID-ed as X, making it Y long, meaning Z length/height in lines translates to range A.

[Craiglxviii]

A thought: Given periscope constraints, wouldn't U-Boot range-finders be 'coincident' ??

Subs used rangefinders when submerged? I thought they used lines like in a hunting scope.

The target is ID-ed as X, making it Y long, meaning Z length/height in lines translates to range A.

They did (yes to both). The rangefinder in a periscope is both the gradiation lines, and also a prism tha brought the target down to the waterline by turning a hand wheel on the periscope itself, which supplied angular data.

[Craiglxviii]

I’ve been looking for, but never found, an image of what the view through a big gun battleship’s rangefinder would look like…

Haven’t been able to find tha, but if you have ten minutes this video is fascinating. I could watch it all day.

https://youtu.be/gwf5mAlI7Ug?si=gBXYuwIU-BjiHT0b

[Sukhoiman]

yup, then it all becomes a matter of connecting up these in series or parallel depending on the differential equation. Some can get quite large (narrator lists 25 inputs).

Electronics, micro circuitry and software makes this all so much easier since.......but it sure is pretty as hell seeing their analog grandaddies heh.

[Craiglxviii]

yup, then it all becomes a matter of connecting up these in series or parallel depending on the differential equation. Some can get quite large (narrator lists 25 inputs).

Electronics, micro circuitry and software makes this all so much easier since.......but it sure is pretty as hell seeing their analog grandaddies heh.

The computer was mentioned as 30,000lb weight…