Nachtjagd google???

[ClinA-78]

Hello,

I try to identify this little piece of plastic coming from a Bf 110 G-4 crash. It is made of green translucent plastic (smelt by fire). It looks like a filter of a scope but the shape adopts exactly the eye outline. It has also two rivets. I thought about a kind of bordfunker goggle as I have seen, in a militaria book, a (very?) rare Nachtjagd google with... red lenses and removable (like beetle frontwings). Well, any idea of any Nachtjagd Experten is welcome!

Best regards

ClinA-78

[Chris Goss]

What is a google?

[ClinA-78]

yeah sorry! GOGGLES or better glasses. Please excuse my bad English as my usual language is French.

ClinA-78

[Chris Goss]

Lunettes protectrices, oui?

[ClinA-78]

Hello Chris,

Maybe not really as the tickness is less than 1mm of plastic ... It is not the usual 'Splitterschutzbrille' (made by Nitsche und Gunther). I have never seen such 'Nachtjagd goggles' like the one I have mentionned except in a book about Luftwaffe outfits.
Perhaps those glasses (thus in plastic! Red or green?) were wornt for filtering the glare from radar scopes, target indicator, etc.? Any bordfunker here?

ClinA-78

[Marcel van Heijkop]

Hi,

Judging from the picture on page 41 of Mick J. Prodger's "Luftwaffe vs. RAF - Flying clothing of the air war 1939-45" (Schiffer, ISBN 0-7643-0234-5) it could indeed be a red filter of a pair of Night Vision/Anti-Searchlight Goggles.
To be precise: Your piece of plastic looks to be the corner of the filter where it is attached with rivets (can't see how many) to the lever to pull the red fliters over the ordinary lenses.

Quote from the book: "It had already been discovered that the use of red filters could enhance or at least accelerate the ability of the human eye to adjust to night vision. It was also known that, once adapted to night vision, exposure of the retina to white light caused immediate night blindness. Special goggles were therefore developed for night fighter pilots by the Nitsche and Günther optical company in conjunction with Dr. Knöthe of the Luftwaffe medical research facility. The goggles comprised clear glass Nitsche and Günther lenses in a rubber padded frame which fit closely to the face, with red filters that could be pulled down in anticipation of enemy activity and bright lights, thus preserving the pilot's vision."

Hope this helps

Best regards,

Marcel

[ClinA-78]

Hello Marcel,

You hit it! It was indeed in that book I picked up this probability. Thank you of your clear explanation!
So maybe this green plastic lense came from another version of that 'Nachtjagd goggles'?

Best regards

ClinA-78