Feature
The manufacture of military optics at the Frankford Arsenal during W.W. II
I arrived at the Optical Production Department of the Frankford Arsenal in Philadelphia early in 1942 and was acquainted immediately with the pressing problems besieging the manufacture of military optics. The Frankford Arsenal at that time was the center for design and testing of all optical "fire control" instruments used by the U.S. Army. Included were binoculars, telescopes, range finders, battery commanders' scopes, aiming circles, and azimuth instruments, etc. The demands of World War II increased the personnel from a reported 11 in 1935 to 1,100 at the end of 1943, but the management of this shop was in the hands of several of the 11 people who were there in 1935, and, indeed, for many years before.
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