GUN SIGHT

MARK 14
Gunner's Operating Bulletin No.
2

United States Fleet

Headquarters of the Commander in

Chief

GUN SIGHT, MARK 14

MODS. 6, 7, & 8

Gunner's Operating Bulletin No. 2

UNITED STATES FLEET

HEADQUARTERS OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF

 Contents

What is this Gun Sight Mk. 14? 6

How to use your Gun Sight 11
  For the Gunner 20
  For the Range Setter 30
How to secure your Gun Sight 41

·
This Operating Bulletin has been prepared and published by the Sperry Gyroscope Company, for and under the direction of
the Headquarters of the Commander in Chief, United States Fleet. It has been given a restricted classification to permit
distribution to all gun crews working with the Gun Sight Mark 14.

--3--

The Gun Sights you will see in service look like this

It goes on the 20 mm. gun like this  

  The Power Unit for the Gun Sight is mounted here

--4--

When used with either 1.10 inch or 40 mm. guns the Gun
Sight is mounted separately, on the Gun Director, Mark 51.
 

You may be using the earlier Gun Sight, Mark 14, Mods.
2, 3, 4 -- which looks like this

but don't let that bother you--these instructions cover all of

the Mark 14 series Gun Sights.

Here is a table of guns and ranges for the different Sight modifications

Sight Used Maximum

Mod.
With
Sight Range

2 or 6 20 mm Gun 2000 yards

3 or 7 1.10 inch Gun 2800 yards

4 or 8 40 mm Gun 3200 yards

--5--

What Is This Gun Sight Mark 14?

It's a precision-built lead computer. It's on that gun to give you the correct lead and bullet drop--to help you
get that plane

BEFORE

HE
GETS

YOU!
--6--
 It's a lot like shooting ducks: you've got to lead 'em--but in shooting at the guy who's after you,

YOU CAN'T AFFORD

TO GUESS!
This GUN SIGHT takes the guesswork
out of the picture . . . . . HOW?

IT'S REALLY A VERY SIMPLE MECHANISM

It has two air-driven gyroscopes that move two mirrors; one system picks up movements in train, the other system picks up
movements in elevation. The reticle pattern is reflected from

--7--

these mirrors in such a way that as you track a target and keep the reticle centered on it, you move the gun ahead by the
correct lead angle.

DO THE GYROS MOVE THE GUN?

No, you move the gun. Its movement makes the gyros tilt; their tilting moves the mirrors and the reticle image moves away
from the barrel of the

--8--

gun. To keep the reticle on the target, you move the gun ahead, and this gives you the right lead or aim-off.

WHAT IS THIS PART CALLED THE POWER UNIT?

It's simply a pump that supplies clean, dry air to spin the gyros in the Sight. The switch that starts the pump also turns on the
current to the heaters and bulb in the Sight

 
 

WHY DO YOU NEED HEATERS IN THE SIGHT?

The gyros have fluid dampers to make them tilt smoothly. This Fluid has to be kept at just the right temperature at
all times, regardless of the climate.

--9--

THAT'S ENOUGH on how the Gun sight works. You can get the details from the O.P. 1040. One thing you must
remember, though: the Gun Sigh is a precision instrument comparable to a ship's chronometer. Only men who have
been specially trained in the repair of the Mark 14 Gun Sight, and who have proper calibrating fixtures should
attempt to do any repairs on board ship beyond routine replacement and adjustments . . . . . .

SO ------------

--10--

How to Use Your Gun Sight

THERE'S nothing difficult about this sight, but to get good result you MUST know HOW TO USE IT, and

HOW MANY MEN DOES IT TAKE TO WORK THIS GUN SIGHT?

It takes two men — a GUNNER and a RANGE SETTER. The Gunner picks up targets in the Sight, tracks and FIRES. The Range
Setter sets the range on the Sight, watches for targets, helps the gunner locate the targets, and watches so the other half of
the team doesn't fire at friendly ships and planes.

--11--

What's the first thing to do?

GET YOUR SIGHT READY FOR ACTION

                   .... Like this

1 Turn the Control Switch

on the Power Unit ON.

While you're there,

2 check the air pressure
gage. There are two
types of dials: one has
red and green sectors
on it; the other is
numbered. On the first
kind, the pointer should
be in the green area. On
the second type it
should be between 6
and 8.
If the pressure needs
adjusting, REPORT THE
  FACT IMMEDIATELY TO
THE FIRECONTROLMAN
WHO MAINTAINS YOUR
GUN SIGHT.
       

--12-- --13--

 
Check to be sure that the hose connections are tight. The hoses must be free from kinks for all
3 positions of the gun or director.

Test the reticle bulb and reticle dimmer control. The reticle dimmer knob controls the brightness
4 of the reticle bulb. This bulb has two filaments, one of which is for emergency. Turning the knob
to the right lights one filament, turning it to the left lights the other. If either of the filaments
has burned out, the bulb should be replaced as soon as possible.
 To make the bulb last longer, always be sure that the dimmer knob is in the "OFF" position
  when your Sight is not in use.

--14--

 
Let the Sight warm up. The warm-up time is 1/2 hour (30 minutes). To get the best operation
5 from your Sight, be certain that it has the full warm-up period. This means, of course, that when
your Sight is in a combat zone, you will let your Sight run continuously. In an emergency (and
then only!) the Sight can be used after a 10-minute warm-up, but remember—its accuracy will
be reduced considerably.
When you are warming up your Sight, be sure the gun is in its Horizontal Locked Position. If it
  is necessary to elevate the gun at all during this time, don't leave it up for more than 2 minutes.
This precaution assures that the damping fluid is in the correct position.

--15--

CHECK THE RETICLE ACTION AFTER THE SIGHT HAS WARMED UP.
6

Set the range to maximum:

Mod. 6 . . . . . 2000 yards

Mod. 7 . . . . . 2800 yards

  Mod. 8 . . . . . 3200 yards

Turn on the reticle dimmer control: when the gun is at rest, the reticle should appear near
the center of the window.
 

Slew the gun or director to the right: as you move it, the reticle should move to the left and lag behind the gun barrel.

Stop moving: the reticle should move in toward its first position: it should move freely—not too slow, not too fast and it
should slow up as it gets back toward the center of the window.

Now slew to the left, and watch the reticle: slew up then down.

If reticle action is not normal; report it to the firecontrolman who maintains your Sight.

 
 Cock the Gun: To prevent injury to the gyro units when you cock the gun, be SURE that the range knob is set to
7 maximum.

--16--

Gun at rest

Reticle centered

Gun to right

Reticle to left

Gun to right

Reticle to right

Gun up
Reticle
down

Gun down
Reticle up

--17--

ALL READY TO GO ?
 Check these points:

Ready Check List

ARE YOU SURE THAT

Power unit pressure
is O.K.?

House connections
are tight?

Reticle bulb and dimmer

controls are O.K.?

Sigh has had half

an hour to warm up?

Reticle action is O.K.?

-18--

"O.K.
Stand by
for Action!"
1
Set your Range Knob at
400 yards. This limits the
movement of the reticle
and makes it easier for the
gunner to pick up targets.

2
Set Spot Knobs at zero.
Line up white zero mark
on each knob with index
mark on Sight case.

3
Adjust reticle brightness
to fit weather conditions.
Don't have the reticle so
bright it blinds you. If
necessary, swing light
filter into place. It's con-
trolled by the knob on
left hand side of the Sight.
 --19--

These instructions apply either to the

Gunner on a 20 mm gun or to the
Pointer on a Gun Director Mark 51

How to Pick Up Targets

1 First look over or around your Sight

to locate the target.

2 With the Range Knob at 400 yards,

slew the gun and frame the target with

the reticle.

3 Sing out "ON TARGET" so the Range

Setter can set in the correct range for

opening fire. IF YOU'RE WORK-

ING WITHOUT A RANGE SET-

TER, to save time, leave the range

knob at 800 or 1200 yards. Slew the

reticle past the target, "over-shooting"

him, reverse your direction, and then

start tracking. This will help to

"settle the reticle much more quickly.

 --20--

How to Frame

and Track a Target

  Remember you're working with a LEAD-COMPUTING GUN SIGHT. This means that when you have your target
framed in the reticle and are tracking smoothly, your gun is being aimed ahead of the target AUTOMATICALLY. If
you lead the target with the reticle, you will defeat the purpose of the computing mechanism—so

LET YOUR SIGHT WORK FOR YOU!

--21--

For the GUNNER (Continued)

WHEN SLEWING RAPIDLY, particularly

shift
with a large range setting, the reticle will
out of your view unless you move your head

to follow it. Try to keep it in the corner of

your eye; its a nice thing to have in sight

when you're in a hurry.

How to Track Smoothly

Once the target has been framed, your most important and your toughest job is TRACKING SMOOTHLY. Smooth, even
tracking will give you more hits than any other single factor. YOU CAN DO IT IF YOU PRACTICE.

Move the gun with smooth, steady motion and avoid jerky or uneven action. If you let the target get out of the reticle and
then jerk the gun to get it back in again, you will produce an error in the lead which will not be corrected until after an
applicable interval of smooth tracking.

--22--

To help adapt yourself to the roll and pitch of the ship PRACTICE TRACKING WHEN EVER POSSIBLE. Use the horizon, BIRDS,
and the training scale for the calibration and training fixture—it doesn't matter much what you practice with so long as you
DO PRACTICE until that steady, smooth tracking rate is as natural to you as breathing.

Before opening fire, track the target long enough to allow your Sight to establish the correct lead. Normally, a second or two is
sufficient.

 
  

TRACK LIKE THIS

NOT THIS

--23--

WHEN TO OPEN FIRE

Very often, on incoming targets, the Gunner or the Director NOTE: The inner circle of the reticle on the Mod. 6
Pointer can estimate the range and tell when to open fire by Sights used with the 20 mm. gun is 25 mils in diameter.
noting the size of the target relative to the inner circle of the On the Mods. 7 and 8 Sights with the Mk 51 Director it
reticle is 15 mils.

20 MM. GUN MK 51 DIRECTOR

Open Fire at 3000 yds. when target looks like

Open Fire at 1500 yds. when target looks like this:
this:

--22-- --23--


ANY gunner can learn to track in practice It takes a GOOD ONE to track smoothly AFTER THE GUNS LET GO.

When you pull the trigger, your troubles begin. On the 20 mm, gun you will have SHAKE, NOISE, and SMOKE—and lots of it. If
you are a Director Pointer there will be BLAST and SMOKE—and plenty of that, too. YOU MUST KEEP TRACKING SMOOTHLY
ANYWAY—

Follow through with the motion you were using—glue your eye to the target—give it a fraction of a second and if you are goo
you'll

--26--

For the GUNNER (Continued)

spot it through the smoke right in the center of the reticle.

When you are new on a Sight don't try to fire in a steady stream. The smoke, the shake and the blast will get you. You'll kid
yourself you were on and shoot all over the sky. Check fire after each short burst, just long enough to see that you are on. As
you grow more and more used to firing, increase the length of each burst until you are firing a steady stream into the target.

If the smoke and blast from near-by guns gets too much for you under certain conditions, take a lead with your Sight, cock
your head 'way over to the left and fire tracer control. Get back to your Sight as soon as you can. Your are losing hits—and lots
of them.

--27--

GUNNER'S   Reminders
1. Keep target framed in the reticle. 6. Don't stand too close to the Sight.

7. Don't have height of trunnion

changed when firing—for incoming
targets have the trunnion as high as
you can stand comfortably, and walk
in toward the base of the mount to
2. Track smoothly.
elevate the gun. For passing targets,
have the trunnion lower than for
incoming targets and shift your
weight and footing carefully to get
smooth movement.

3. Fire in bursts at first, then increase to a 8. DO practice picking up targets and

steady stream. Check fire momentarily if tracking smoothly whenever you can.
the target gets out of the inner circle—you
won't be getting hits and you are just
making it difficult to get back on.

Don't keep your head in one position.

4. Move your head around to keep the reticle    
in view.

5. Don't concentrate on the reticle—    

concentrate on the target in the reticle.
 --28-- --29--

WHEN the Gunner has established a smooth and accurate tracking rate, this matter of scoring hits rests squarely on you, the
Range Setter. If both of you do your jobs accurately and carefully, you will form a highly effective team. While the Gunner
takes care of

--30--

tracking and firing, you will set the right range on the Gun Sight and make spot corrections if they are necessary.

3 THINGS
ALL RANGE SETTERS
SHOULD REMEMBER:
 

Each time you make a large change in range or move the spot knobs, you move the reticle away from
1 the target. This will throw the gunner off for a fee seconds, until he can re-frame the target.

To avoid throwing the gunner off more than necessary, make all range changes as smoothly as possible,
2 but don't freeze on the range knob.

3 Don't make spot corrections during the firing.

--31--

The Range Knob

WE'VE TOLD THE GUNNER HOW IMPORTANT HIS SMOOTH TRACKING IS

—if he tracks smoothly, his gun is moved ahead to take care of the correct
lead or "aim-off". This, of course is true only when the range you set is
close to the target.

When you change range setting you change the amount of lead: use the
Range Knob carefully. The knob has "detent" positions every 400 yards: you
 should train yourself so that you can tell by feel what range is set on the
Sight.

The Spot Knobs

The purpose of the Spot Knobs is to correct for definite errors in the line of
fire (caused by wind, drift, or boresight errors). The knob marked "DEFL"
corrects in train: The "ELEV" knob corrects for elevation errors. Both knobs
have detents in 5 mil steps, with a total correction of 25 mils on either side
of the zero pointer. Moving the knobs "Right" or "Up" moves the tracers
right or up.

--32--

GUNNER SETTING ON
THE 20 MM GUN

BECAUSE of the speed of the target and the

range limitation of the gun, the effective firing
periods of the 20 mm is limited to a few
seconds. TO GET IN THE MOST LICKS before its
too late—

FOR INCOMING TARGETS

(Those Coming in to Get You)

Set the Range Knob at 800 or 1200 yards AND LEAVE IT THERE. The Gunner should open fire before the target gets in to the
range you have set on the sight.

--33--

For the RANGE SETTER (Continued)

  

FOR PASSING TARGETS

(Those Going After Somebody Else)

Set the Range Knob to the estimated range of the target. The gunner should open fire as soon as he has established a smooth
tracking rate.

--34--

You should watch the tracers, and if there are large, obvious errors in lead, make range corrections like this

Missing BEHIND,
Increase your range.

Passing through,
Range O. K.

Missing AHEAD,
Decrease your range.

DON'T
USE THE SPOT KNOBS

There should be no need for spot corrections except for an obvious error in boresighting. If you try to make spot corrections,
you will move the reticle and throw the gunner off his target.

--35--

RANGE SETTING ON THE

GUN DIRECTOR MARK 51
The guns controlled by the Mark 51 have longer effective ranges, so you will have more time to make range corrections during
the run.

FOR INCOMING TARGETS

When the Director Pointer sings out "ON TARGET!", estimate the actual range to the target, and set a
shorter range on the Range Knob. . . . Like THIS—

You're on a Zero at 3000 yards. Set the sight range at 2400.

Your Director Pointer should start firing immediately. He shouldn't wait for the target to come in to 2400 yards.

Watch the tracers! Because the range set on the Sight is too short, it is computing too little lead, so the
tracers are falling below and behind him. They won't for long, because he' closing in to that range FAST.

--36--

As he closes range, the tracers will "walk up"on him because he is reaching the range for which the Sight is computing the
correct lead.

If he gets through your fire and continues to close, the tracers will walk out past him and appear above and ahead of him.

The reason for this is that the target is now inside 2400 yards. The range set on the Sight is not too great,
so the Sight is computing too much lead.

Don't wait 'till you're shooting 'way ahead of him. Step down your range NOW, by 800 yards, SMOOTHLY.

With the range at 1600 your tracers will "walk up" on the target again, until they are passing through him
and you are getting hits.

Be sure that the tracers pas through and above the target before decreasing the range setting.

--37--

For the RANGE SETTER (Continued)

If you see tracers passing either side

of the target and you know the
Director Pointer has been tracking
accurately, use the Deflection Spot
Knob. (Small errors like this can be
caused by wind, drift or boresighting.)

FOR PASSING TARGETS

On shots like these YOUR skill means much, because any errors in range setting produce large errors in lead. Set the Range
Knob to what you estimate the target range to be. The Pointer will track immediately and open fire. YOU, as Range Setter,
watch the tracers
General Rules: Increase range to increase lead.

--38--

FOR OUTGOING TARGETS

Set the range knob to greater range to the target. The tracers will appear to pass ahead, and above the target. As he gets into
the range set on the Sight, he will have to pass through the tracers, and if he gets beyond that range, the tracers will appear to
pass below and behind him. Now increase the range smoothly in steps of 800 yards until the tracers are ahead of him again.
DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY.

--39--

Reminders

FOR RANGE SETTERS

1. Don't use the Spot knobs unless you KNOW your

gunner or director pointer is tracking smoothly,
and you see a definite error in the line of fire. IF IN
DOUBT, DON'T SPOT.

2. NEVER SPOT DURING FIRING RUNS. Practically all

misses are due to incorrect range setting, poor
tracking, or improper boresighting.

3. KEEP COOL, but don't freeze on the Range Knob.

4. Don't change range too fast. Be sure the tracers

have passed through the target before changing
range.
 5. REMEMBER—You are an important member of a
team. A GOOD TEAM practices CONSTANTLY.

Keep your eyes open—for

targets and safety

--40--

  HOW TO SECURE YOUR

GUN SIGHT MARK 14
 

You'll want to be certain that it's property

protected so that it can work as well for you the
NEXT time you use it—so be sure you know what
to do when the word comes to SECURE—

--41--

HOW TO SECURE YOUR

1. Set the range knob to 400 yards. Do not

change range when the Sight is cold.

2. Secure your Sight in the horizontal locked

position.

3. Turn the Control Switch OFF.

Be around when the firecontrolman makes the required

periodical tests, and know that your Sight is right!

KNOW YOUR SIGH

PROTECT YOUR SIGHT

--42--

Transcribed and formatted by Tom Wildenberg for the HyperWar Foundation