Posted 12 years ago
Deanteaks
(291 items)
this is a unique mirror, I believe it is used to signal another ship for up to ten miles away, a distress mirror, who has one like this? what is it worth? does anyone know history about mirrors like this one?
hello this is called a Heliograph.more info here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliograph
This is an Army Air Corp procured signal mirror that dates from SEP 43 (#40653):
"ARMY AIR FORCE:
The Army Air Force adopted the General Electric mirror,ESM/1, in sept.1943 under specification 40653.The AAF did not include an emergency signal mirror in any emergency kits as standard equipment during the pre war and enter war years.By the middle of 1944 the ESM/1 mirror was added to many existing and newly developed emergency and life raft kits.there are slight variations between the the M-580 and 40653 spec. mirrors on the instruction side.The AAF mirror is packaged in a waterproof foil lined kraft paper with an outer labeled cradboard carton also packed in a labeled kraft paper."
http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t2412.html
Similar mirrors were still used into the 1990s (I would assume still used today) in the military.
When I attended the Air Force SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) and Army SERE courses, there was instruction on their use.
Scott