Reason for offset German sights?

[Feuerfalke]

Originally Posted by Codex

Sorry...this is off topic but I had to post it. I was reading this thread and thought I'd try a little research. I entered into Google "German revi sight offset" and stumbled across this...LOL



Source: http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/ga...-gunsight.html

Besides the fanboy talk, there's some rumor getting more substantive: CFS3 is coming and its the most probable reason for the information war going on between CFS and BoB.

[Codex]

I just think it's hilarious as that was posted back in 2002

[KOM.Nausicaa]

Hello von G.

The Revi was offset to the right to gain a better forward view. To aim correctly it was sufficient to close the left eye.

[Von_G]

So it's off to the side to give an unobstructed view and for right eye aiming?
Any sources on this?

I have to wonder, if putting the sights off to the right like that was such a good idea, why didnt any other airforces do it?

[KOM.Nausicaa]

Sources, in books yes. Maybe you can find something on the web.

Why didn't other airforces think of this? Frankly I don't know. If you ask me, it's one of those oddities of german engineering (I am german myself)....this is not the only one btw. They had also other stuff in the cockpit noone esle had that way.

[Codex]

OK I may have found an explanation in the most unlikely place, a patent for the target reticle on telescopic sights believe it or not, but I am still not a 100% convinced this why the sights are offset.

Source: http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?...7&DISPLAY=DESC

GYROSCOPIC EFFECT: A spinning projectile from a rifled barrel is, in effect, a free gyroscope. When subjected to a twist or torque, it tends to rotate about an axis perpendicular to the axis about which the torque is exerted. The front wheel of a bicycle is a good illustration of this phenomenon. If the bicycle is tipped to the right when rolling forward, the front wheel resists tipping and instead its axle rotates to the right, turning the bicycle to the right.
While following its path, which is constantly curving downward, a projectile is subject to a force (air drag) on its nose from underneath, causing a twist or torque. If its spin is clockwise, this upward torque causes the projectile's nose to rotate and offset slightly to the right (like the bicycle wheel) as seen from the rear. This offset causes air drag to act unevenly and to push the projectile slightly to the right.
The effect of gyroscopic drift is difficult to analyze precisely because many variables are involved. Drift tables, which have been determined mainly from well-controlled army and navy tests, indicate that gyroscopic drift is roughly double that of Coriolis drift, and thus is also negligible for most purposes. It is interesting to note that with counterclockwise or left-twist barrel rifling, gyroscopic drift is to the left in the northern- hemisphere and more than cancels the effects of coriolis drift.

[Von_G]

Hmm...
That's interesting but it seems to be describing the offset of the projectiles nose, rather than the sight.

It seems the right eye thing, and keeping the view of the nose open are the best potential answers, although frankly neither one seems like an especially strong reason.
Maybe as KOM.nausicaa says, the germans just feel a need to be different!

Originally Posted by KOM.Nausicaa

...If you ask me, it's one of those oddities of german engineering (I am german myself)....this is not the only one btw. They had also other stuff in the cockpit noone esle had that way.

[deadmeat313]

I thought the pilot had the option to mount the sight on the left if that was his dominant eye?

[Codex]

Originally Posted by Von_G

Hmm...
That's interesting but it seems to be describing the offset of the projectiles nose, rather than the sight.

It seems the right eye thing, and keeping the view of the nose open are the best potential answers, although frankly neither one seems like an especially strong reason.
Maybe as KOM.nausicaa says, the germans just feel a need to be different!

Yes it describes the drag effect on a projectile's nose, but with it spinning through the air in a clockwise direction this effect will cause the projectile to drift to the right of its intended flight path, hence the need to have the gun sight slightly to the right in the pit.

But the thing that doesn't convince me of this idea being reason for offsetting the gun sight, is that I think the effect of this drift on weapons with a convergence of 300m or even 500m would be very minimal, and also the fact that allied planes had the sight in the centre.

I'm leaning towards KOM.Nausicaa descriptions.