01/08/2026
Today felt like the perfect time to highlight a very interesting and rare piece from our collection, so here goes;
Zielgerät ZG1221 Infrared Prototype;
The first successful prototype of the *Zielgerät 1221* (Targeting Device 1221), designed for use with the 3.7 cm Pak 35/36 L/45 anti-tank gun, was completed in 1939. The image converter was manufactured by AEG, while the optical components (including 1,000 objective lenses) were produced by Zeiss. The markings visible on the sighting device indicate that it was factory-adjusted for a firing range of 250 meters. The system included a 36 cm infrared searchlight. In the autumn of 1942, several hundred ZG 1221 sighting devices were delivered to the Army for troop trials. They were mounted on the Marder II tank destroyer (Sd.Kfz. 131, mounting a 7.5 cm Pak 40 on the Panzer II chassis). Work was subsequently halted. It is not known whether the device ever saw combat use.
If someone has additional info or even photos on this rare piece and is willing to share these with us, please contact us via email: [email protected]
We are still debating whether to keep this piece in our collection or to put it up for sale so it can (hopefully) be displayed publicly for more people to enjoy this very rare piece of wartime technological development.
Enough to think about.
Have a great weekend!
Team Wartime Relics
