MARCHING COMPASSES (cont'd)

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- M -

M-1938

Lensatic compass used by the U.S. Army. This designation applies to a compass system with several designs.
The original and quite heavy version described here was based on the design of the DOLLOND compass described in a 1926 F. BARKER & Son's catalogue. It was issued to very few units and replaced during WW2 by a light-weight version (see Superior Magneto and Gurley). It was superseded by the model M-1950 built by many companies (see Lensatic) and still in use today.
For training purposes, the Army used a fold-out guide with a dummy compass.





(Click on small pictures for enlarged views)		 Technical data
- Diameter (lid): 54 mm
- Depth: 35 mm
- Weight (empty): 180 gr
- Divisions: 6400 mils, counterclockwise
- Paint: grey, rests of green paint
Manufacturer: unknown

MAGNAPOLE

MAGNAPOLE was the designation of some hand-held marching compasses designed and sold by SHORT & MASON Ltd solely and of pocket compasses in cooperation with TAYLOR.
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MAG. TRNG.

PROFILE - The meaning of the abbreviation 'MAG. TRNG.' is not obvious. 'Magnetic Training' doesn't really make sense.

Low tech military compass made in India when it was part of the British Empire.
The original model (designed and built in 1942) was officially modernised a first time 2 years later (Mk II, 1944).
At some unknown later moment the remaining items were transformed again. You can see here the three different versions.




View of the card's divisions through the side window: at each end of the vertical black line is a small arrowhead of radium paint.

 

The case side opposite to the window had a white line below the sighting notch		 Original model - 1942, S/No. 6529




There were additional radium paint markings on the bezel inner rim (at 360 degrees) and on the black lubberline engraved on the plexiglass disk, between the too notches of the casing's rim.



 Technical Data
- Diameter: 60 mm
- Depth: 1 in./25 mm
- Weight: 100 gr
- The crystal was secured by a spring fitted into three slots. The divisions ring could be (more or less easily) be rotated with two fingers by means of the lugs located at 90 and 270 deg, i.e. East and West
- Card release: by depressing a spring-loaded pin at the bottom
- Divisions: 360 deg (card and scale)
- Sighting: over two notches in the rim
- North mark on card: diamond-shaped radium paint marking
- Markings on bottom: British Army's arrow symbol (crow foot) engraved above an upper case 'I' (for India?), Abbr. "R.P.A." (Royal Pakistan Army?)
- Material: brass, black paint

Detail view of the compass card
On the Mk II model, the securing wire was replaced by a tight-fit ring


 Mark II Model, 1944

The lugs on the divisions ring were replaced by two ...



The original card existed also with four holes:


(Photos Chris Stedman)		 Technical Data
- Dim. & weight: see above
- Markings: British Army's arrow symbol ("crow foot") engraved above an upper case 'I' (for India?), Abbr. "M.I.O." (?)
- Casing date: 1944
- Material: brass, traces of black paint
On the compasses upgraded a second time, the card is now flat and the useless side window is blinded by a plate attached with four screws.

On the new version, the divisions ring cannot rotate so that this compass cannot be used to memorize a marching course or to measure a bearing.

This newest version features an additional divisions ring placed upon the old one

 Model ME 502 - Mk II

Technical Data
- Dim. & weight: see above
- Divisions: 360° and 6400 mils on a flat card, 360° on the (concealed) old ring and the upper new ring
- The design date (1944) has no significance on these modernised versions.

View inside the casing: the needle brake release is actuated by means of a push-button (visible on the right of the picture at left), a hinged lever and a blade spring.
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MERIDIAN

PROFILE - Former Swiss company located in Ettingen (for more information click HERE).
Not to be mistaken for the MERIDIAN called compass model made by the former German company WILKIE and the actual K&R (see SURVEY compasses).

NOTE: Those exhibits belong to a private collector.

(Pictures Jaypee - Priv. coll.)		 Model MK-2002

Technical Data
- Dimensions (open): 85 x 75 x 45 mm
- Weight: .. gr
- Divisions: 400 grades (also available with 360 deg. graduation)

Note: this prismatic instrument is a very simple imitation of the famous british Mk III compasses. Its design is almost identical with the light-weight PASTO model 206 S (see below) but has a metallic case and no marching course arrow. We don't know which was first.
The abbrev. MK means Marschkompass.
Model designation (?)

Technical Data
- Dimensions: .. x .. x .. mm
- Weight: .. gr
- Divisions: 400 grades
- With leather case like survey compass MK-2001
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Mirror Compass

The mirror compass was first invented by ... in ... (...?). Mirror compasses usually have like the prismatic compasses a double row of divisions on their card: one is printed in normal figures so that angle values can be read with the naked eye directly from above through the crystal. The other one is printed inverted and can be read in a mirror placed in a lid behind the compass capsule.

Examples of mirror compasses in this Museum:
- Survey & military compasses: Breithaupt, Brunton, FPM, Rossignol, Winterer...
- Marching compasses: Bézard, Busch, Doignon, Cruchon & Emons, MORDAN, Plan, RECTA, SILVA, "S" (C. Stockert) ...

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MODÈLE 1922

The compass type called Modèle 1922 was utilized within the French Army and Gendarmerie (road police) from its start shortly after WW I as a successor for the boussole directrice utilized by the infantrymen. It appeared rather late (late 1920's?) in the instructions manuals for infantrymen (Manuel du gradé d'infanterie - see picture at right - click to enlarge). Its typical U shape reminds strongly of the BÉZARD compass (click on the link to open the special chapter dedicated to this system) by which it was replaced after WWII but it lacked its main features.

There was also a simple pocket version featuring the same design (see at right and MORIN's pocket compasses).
Another marching compass made by DOIGNON was also called Modèle 1922 although it was very different.

It was the basic design for the Polish KM32 (also called MK32) first produced by GERLACH, then by JEZNACKI (check these names).
It was also used in Belgium's Army and Gendarmerie  from ... until ...(?).

The Modèle 1922 compass as described in an instruction document issued by the
Institut Géographique National (IGN, 1943).
Its dial features a fixed black marching arrow like on the WWI pocket compasses made by MORIN and LUFFT (see these categories).

Technical Data
- Material: aluminum
- Dimensions: 750 x 60 x 17 mm
- Weight: 100 gr
- External markings:
. On the hinge: Mle 1922 + manufacturer's name + S/No.
. On the lid: MG (Ministère de la Guerre = War Department)
- Ruler: 60 mm w/o figures
Other manufacturers:
CRC, DLM, SECRETAN etc.		 Early version (DEMARIA-LAPIERRE)
Graduation: 6400 mils
Radium paint arrow in the lid


 Official later version (LEMAIRE)
Graduation: 400 grades (gons)



(Below) For comparison,
an early Bézard compass (1910):
Wholesale versions with plastic case produced after WWII.
They also featured only the 400 grades division but were delivered with a conversion table (for degrees and mils) first engraved, later printed on a metallic board which was inserted concealed between the capsule and the transparent case body (see below, scales D, G and M).

Version with a mirror in the lid
and a steel table (approx. 1950)
Manufacturer: MORIN


 The Boy scout's version with an aluminum table (approx. 1960)
Manufacturer: MORIN
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MOM

PROFILE - MOM (Magyar Optikai Művek, Hungarian Optical Works) was a Hungarian company.
Founded in 1876 by Nándor Süss (1848-1921) in the University of Koloszvár, 8 Mozsár street,  and first named Süss Precíziós Mechanikai Intézet (Süss Precision Mechanics Institute). The company moved in 1900 to 9 Alkotás street. The company's name was changed to MOM in 1939. MOM closed down in 1995.
Its logo consisted of the three letters "MOM" in a circle. This company built a large BÉZARD-type compass. We display here two models: the older (precommunist era) one (see details in the Technical Data sheets), has a brass capsule casing and lid while the later one is much lighter: its capsule casing and lid are made of aluminum. Shape and material of the attachment rings are also different. Both have a fluid damped needle.
The second compass is supposed to have been issued to the North-Vietnamese troops during the independance wars (fought first against France, then against the USA) despite the language used for the word DIRECTION (IRÁNY) and the cardinal points (see MISCELLANEOUS).

MOM also built a copy of the F. Barker's Mark III (see Ted BRINK's website www.CollectingMilitaryCompasses.tk).

Old Western type model
(built before 1949)

 Dial with 6400 mils divisions



The North mark (É) is facing the figure 3200 mils like on the older Bézard compasses (late 1920's/early 1930's)		 The old Hungarian coat of arms on the leather pouch
(click on the picture for an enlarged view)



MOM's logo:
Technical Data
- Dimensions: 80 x 70 x 20 mm
- Divisions: 6400 mils, counterclockwise, North facing 3200 degrees
- Diameter: 55 mm
- Weight: 285 gr
- Ruler: 50 mm
- Inscriptions on the crystal:
39 M. TÁJOLÓ (compass)
- Inscription on the lid: IRÁNY (direction)
- Materials:
. casing: bakelite, greenish
. lid: brass
. attachment loop: nickel (round)
- Inscriptions on casing reverse:
. MOM
. Serial No.: 8372
Lid - IRÁNY means DIRECTION in Hungarian language

 Dial with the typical 6000 mils divisions used in the Warsaw Pact
(built after 1949)

 Compared shapes of the attachment loops
(at left: the older model,
at right: the post 1949 model)


 Technical Data
Dimensions: see above
- Divisions: 6000 mils, clockwise, North facing zero
- Weight: 150 gr
- Materials:
. casing: bakelite, brownish-red
. lid: aluminium
. attachment loop: aluminium (partly egg-shaped)
- Inscriptions on casing reverse:
. 41 (plant code)
. Serial no.: 954557
- No paper luminous arrow was affixed inside the lid
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MORDAN

PROFILE - S. Mordan & Co made mainly Verner's pattern compasses during WW1.
This item is called a mirror compass and is a variation on a model designed and produced by Cruchon & Emons and PLAN Ltd. in Switzerland for the U.S. Corps of Engineers.
See also exhibits made by French Limited (F-L) and Ed. KOEHN for examples of Verner's pattern Mk VII and VIII.



(Click on pictures for enlarged view)		 Technical Data
- Diameter: 54 mm
- Depth: 21 mm
- Weight: 150 gr
- Card material: synthetics, transparent
- Case inside coating: radium paint
- Date: 1915
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MORIN

Profile - Former French retailer (for more information, click HERE).
See also the categories Survey & Artillery compasses, Nautical compasses and Pocket compasses

MORIN sold from the 30's to the 60's a civilian version of the Modèle 1922 made first of bakelite then of plastic (see details above) It was manufactured by COLLIGNON

 The MORIN compass also called boussole directrice (1930's, picture at right) is being described together with the pocket compasses because of its form and similarities with other products (see LUFFT, BUSCH etc.) although it is a marching compass as far as its function is concerned.
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- N -

NIEDERMANN

Albert NIEDERMANN was a Swiss inventor. He patented several systems, two of which were produced by BÜCHI (see above and in the category Geological compasses). Some inventions don't seem to have been produced and marketed.

Click on the pictures for enlarged views
Patent no. 234145 (1944)
 Patent no. 376280 (1959)
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NIFE

PROFILE - NIFE was the name of a Swedish-owned company that made Nickel Iron (Ni-Fe) batteries in the 20s and 30s in England. (see the history on the website NIFE).
This compass was also built in a different version (with mirror in the lid) by SILVA. It is one of the first fluid dampened marching compasses.
It was built in the early 30's (this item is marked 1933).

Technical Data
- Materials: bakelite, steel
- Needle dampening: by fluid
- Divisions: 6400 mils, clockwise
- Dimensions: 70 x 68 x 20 mm
- Weight: 210 gr
- Serial no.: 44
In the lid, where the brand name NIFE and the word Patent appear, is only a line but no mirror (compare with SILVA).
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- O -

ORION

ORION is the model name of a KRÖPLIN compass.
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P - Q

PASTO - Paul STOCKERT

PROFILE - Former German Company (for more information click HERE).
PASTO built KÜHRT's only model but somewhat smaller and with numerous detail modifications. He also built the standard WWII German soldiers' compass, with an without mirror. He eventually produced but in very small quantities a light-weight compass called 206 S, similar to the famous British Mark III prismatic compasses.
See also Pocket compasses.

Hikers' compass - Same form and functions than the Kührt models but smaller
Technical Data
- Dimensions: 85 x 65 x 18 mm
- Weight: 75 gr
Marching compass (mod. no. 1 in PASTO's catalogue) like many other models manufactured during WW II.
Simple model without mirror and lid. The maker's indication (PASTO Germany) and the fact that it has two rulers (50 mm and two inches) indicate clearly that this is a post WW II product.

 Technical Data
- Dimensions: 70 x 60 x 18 mm
- Weight: 40 gr
- Needle lock: manually actuated lever
Model no. 5, but made of plastic with mirror, lumiscent paint and thumb ring. It was available in black or cream colour. The same lid/cover form appears also on the later C. Stockert compass models.
Theses models were called no. 11 and 12 with fluid damping.
 
Pict. left: no. 5 cream, right: no. 12 Fluid



No. 5s (S = Schnur = lanyard) with the typical KÜHRT compass rose
(graduation in degrees and mils.)
 User's notice
(Click on the pictures for enlarged view)



Technical Data
- Dimensions : 70 x 60 x 20 mm
- Weight: 55 gr

Photos no. 12 Fluid and 5s courtesy Sancho Urbina
(Click on pictures for enlarged view)
PRISMATIC fluid compass 206 S
Fluid - Light-weight imitation of the famous British marching compasses (see BARKER). Same prism design as on the model MK-2002 made by MERIDIAN.
It was a common feature of the leather cases to have a tab with a button hole to attach the compass at one of the uniform's buttons.

Technical Data
- Case diameter: 48 mm
- Depth: 17 mm
- Weight: 70 gr
- The marching direction arrow could be set through the crystal by means of a small knob like on LUFFT's and BUSCH's pocket compasses.
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PLAN Ltd

PROFILE - PLAN Ltd was a Swiss manufacturer located in Neuchâtel.
Before WWI, PLAN built the following marching compass (probably) for the Swiss Army with a double graduation featuring twice the scale 0-32 (i.e. 6400 mils altogether). This can also be observed on the older BÜCHI artillery level called Sitometer.

Model c. 1910 ?



(Click for detailed view of dial)

View closed -
The company's name is engraved
on the upper hinge fitting - pic. at right

(Pictures above and right by R. Wittinghofer)
 Technical Data
- Diameter: 55 mm
- Depth: 17 mm
- Weight: 100 gr
- Divisions: 2 x 3200 mils

PLAN also built mirror compasses for the U.S. armed forces during WWI (see also CRUCHON & EMONS).
This item was called in a flyer Position Finding Compass. (see pic below, at right)

WWI mirror compass

The mirror was just a polished part of the lid.		 Technical Data
- Diameter: 54 mm
- Depth: 18 mm
- Weight: 150 gr


(Pic. courtesy Kornelia Takacs)
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Prismatic Compass

The prismatic compass was first invented by Henry Kater in 1811 and improved one year later by C. A. Schmalcalder. One of the first and most famous prismatic compasses was a compass type called Verner's pattern.
Prismatic compasses usually have like the mirror compasses a double row of divisions on their card: one is printed in normal figures so that angle values can be read with the naked eye directly from above. The other one is printed inverted and can be read with much higher precision through the optical prism. The very thin sighting line seen above the magnified card's rim gives a precision of at least a third of a degree.

Like on General Peigné's compass system, the card's movement can be slowed down by means of a small device, described as follows in the user's instructions:
"A check-spring plunger is fitted on the left side of the box near the hinge for the purpose of checking the oscillations of the dial when observing."



The prismatic compass makes it possible to look simultaneously
- at the landscape, i.e. the target over a line of sight engraved in a glass window (in the lid) and
- at the angular values of the compass card through an optical device that can be adapted to the user's view.


(Click for enlarged view)

User's instruction (1917)

(Click for enlarged view -
Photocopies of the French original or the English translation are available).

Other prismatic compasses displayed in this Museum:
- Wrist compasses: Creagh Osborne
- Survey compasses: F. Barker & Son, HUTCHINSON, K&R, Lawes Rabjohns, M1918, Wichmann, Wilkie ...
- Marching compasses: F. Barker & Son, F-L (French Ltd.), Ed. Koehn, PASTO, Stanley, T.G. Co. Ltd London...

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- R -

Radio Militaire

This compass resembles the famous Modèle 1922 (see above) but it is integrated in a wooden box and bears the words "RADIO MILRE" (militaire). We suppose that it was used to orientate a directional radio emitter or receiver.


 Technical Data
- Dimensions: 148 x 50 x 15 mm
- Weight: 135 g

RECORD

PROFILE - RECORD was a Swiss clock maker who also built in the 30's a very uncommon compass type.
Very few items were produced so it is now very rare (for more information click HERE).


User's instructions in French (copies can be ordered)

 ARMEE-MARSCH-VISIER-KOMPASS
(Military Field and Sighting Compass)
Technical Data
- Casing Material: aluminum (German version) or steel (French version)
- Dimensions: 148 x 50 x 15 mm
- Weight: 135 g (alum.) / 250 gr (steel)
- Height (mirrors erected): 75 mm
- Ruler (on the right-hand side): 120 mm
- A luminous dot on the ring allowed for fixing a bearing. Cardinal points in German. Red lubber line on a glass plate over the compass rose. Both mirrors can be blocked by a notch at respectively 90° and 45°.
- The case of the export version is not engraved
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RECTA

PROFILE - Former Swiss company (for more information click HERE).



Matchbox-style compass model DP2
This is one of the very first DP models. It was built in 1942 within one year after production started (serial number 01377)

DP2 model used in the federal Austrian Army
At right under the heraldic eagle of Austria's coat-of-arms: BH 20. BH is the abbreviation for BUNDESHEER (federal army), not to be mistaken for the German BUNDESWEHR, which means federal defense army

 
(Click on the picture for an enlarged view)

 Technical Data
- Material: aluminium case
- Dimensions: 65 x 46 x 19 mm
- Weight: 100 gr

S/N - Years of production:
No. 00001 - 07221 = 1942;
No. 07222 - 17383 = 1943;
No. 17384 - 38241 = 1944

This basic model was followed by the model DP5 used by the Swiss army until 1980. It was followed by the model DP6 which is still in use to day.

Fig. as shown in the patent (US issue, 1954) filed by the inventor Eric VAUCHER.
MODEL NAME: DS 56

Technical Data
- Dimensions: 100 x 65 x 18 mm
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CONT'D