GERMAN WWII IR Equipment

While doing research for my Panther F,  I found a few things on the internet about German WWII Infrared equipment. I thought I'd share. Used on some of their assault rifles, machine guns, tanks and half tracks during WWII, I found this technology to be far ahead of it's time.(Infrarot-Scheinwerfer)

Combat Use - 

Various units received IR Panthers including 116th Panzer Division (3rd company of 24th Panzer Regiment, Western Front, Summer of 1944), Sixth SS Panzer Army (Hungary, early 1945), Panzer Division Muncheberg and Clausewitz.One combat report is by a veteran of 1st SS Panzer Regiment of 1st SS Panzer Division "LSSAH", who states that few Panthers equipped with infrared night-vision devices possibly from 116th Panzer Division were used in 1944/45 during the Ardennes Offensive. In April of 1945, Panthers equipped with IR equipment (solution B) joined Panzer Division Clausewitz and in mid April near Uelzen destroyed entire platoon of British Comet cruiser tanks. Also on April 21st of 1945, same Panthers overran an American anti-tank position on the Weser-Elbe Canal.Most of those reports can’t be confirmed and are questionable.
(from Live Leak http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=7be_1383250165)

Solution A - Commander only had an infrared telescopic sight and search light

Solution B- Commander, driver and gunner all had infrared telescopic sights and search lights.
                                                                                                 

       

The photo above shows a Panther Ausf. G equipped with the IR night-sighting device. Power for the unit was supplied by an auxiliary 400 watt generator with a built-in 12 volt battery. The technical specifications of the sight were:

• Lamp power: 200 watts
• Lamp diameter: 20cm
• Focal length of sight: 9cm
• Field of view: 30 degrees (approx.)
• Magnifier: 5x

Targets could be aquired to roughly 400m, though the driver could not see more than 100m away. The range of the Panther viewer was therefore not considered adequate, so it was designed to be used in conjunction with the Uhu in groups of five tanks. (see image below)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

The "Vampir" man-portable system for infantrymen was being used with Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifles.

Solution B being used on a 251 Halftrack (above and below)

Solution A  example on an equipped museum Panther