BUNDESWEHR MG3 FELDLAFETTE
&
HENSOLDT OPTICS
ITEM TITLE: BUNDESWEHR MG3 FELDLAFETTE & HENSOLDT
PERISCOPE SIGHT
SERIAL NO: 14283
MANUFACTURER: DISA (Dansk Industri Syndikat) & Hensoldt
Wetzlar
MODEL: MG3 Feldlafette & 4x Periscope Sight
DATE OF ORIGIN: Cold War Era
PROVENANCE: West German Federal Ministry of Defence
(BMVtdg)
THE HERO NARRATIVE: BRUTALIST ENGINEERING & OPTICAL SUPREMACY
The development of the West German Bundeswehr required mechanised infantry assets capable of establishing absolute sector control. The MG3 Feldlafette (field tripod) is the physical manifestation of this doctrine—a platform designed to transform a general-purpose machine gun into a highly stabilised, long-range area-denial asset.
This specific rig is anchored by an irrefutable piece of military provenance: the Hensoldt Wetzlar 4x Periscope Sight. Clearly stamped with the “BMVtdg” proof mark, this optic was formally accepted into the West German Federal Ministry of Defence’s arsenal. Furthermore, the prominent, field-applied white rack number “46 12” painted directly onto the optical housing elevates this piece from unissued surplus to an artifact with genuine, active-service honest patina.
The mount itself is manufactured by DISA (Dansk Industri Syndikat), a name intrinsically linked to the highest echelons of European precision casting and military ordnance. The heavy, buffered cradle allows the MG3 to recoil against heavy internal springs, isolating the weapon’s violent cyclic rate from the tripod legs. This brutalist engineering permits devastatingly accurate searching fire at ranges exceeding 1,200 metres, directed flawlessly through the Hensoldt optics.
THE FORENSIC GRID: MICRO-ASSET VERIFICATION
Our forensic scrutiny of the primary substrate and secondary ephemera confirms the rigorous manufacturing tolerances expected of NATO-era German and Danish contracts.
1. The Manufacturer :
The physical presence of DISA manufacturing confirms a premium-tier production standard, distinguishing this unit from lesser-quality licensed copies.
2. The Optical Proofing :
The primary optic is die-struck with “HENSOLDT WETZLAR”, the “BMVtdg” acceptance stamp, and the NATO Stock Number “1240-12-145-7100”.
3. Secondary Ephemera Validation :
The optic is serialised “14283”. Crucially, it retains the highly desirable, hand-painted active-service rack number “46 12”.
4. Storage Container Verification :
The original “AUFBEWAHRUNGSBEHAELTER” (Storage Container) retains its pristine data plate, verifying the contents for the “FERNROHRE ZIEL-MG”, cataloguing field accoutrements such as the “PINSEL STAUB” (Dust brush) and “REINIGUNGSLAPPEN, LINSEN-” (Lens cleaning cloth).
CONFIGURATION & CONDITION REPORT
This DISA Feldlafette and Hensoldt optical rig is presented in an exceptionally complete, investment-grade configuration, retaining vital organic components that are routinely stripped or degraded in surplus depots.
Condition Assessment:
The MG3 cradle is fully intact, with all recoil springs present and functional. The Hensoldt sight is mechanically sound, with clear optics and fully legible reticle markings. The original storage container is included, complete with its data plate and internal stowage accessories.
Optical Clarity : The Hensoldt Wetzlar periscope sight remains robust. The external glare shield and filter controls, clearly marked “klar” (clear) and “grau” (grey), rotate with the machined resistance characteristic of premium German optical engineering.
Configuration List:
DISA-manufactured buffered tripod frame with adjustable legs and
integrated bubble level.
Traverse & Elevation (T&E) mechanism with
incremental dials marked for precision indexing.
Original heavy-duty
canvas transport shoulder straps.
Integrated, padded optical transit
case with verified data plates.
Hensoldt Wetzlar 4x Periscope Sight
(Serial: 14283).
INVESTMENT SUMMARY & ACQUISITION
The acquisition of complete, unmolested Cold War-era mechanised support
platforms has become increasingly difficult as institutional collections
consolidate blue-chip assets.
This DISA-manufactured MG3 Feldlafette represents a premium tier of
military heritage. It is not a sterile, post-war refurbished unit; the
presence of the BMVtdg proof and the “46 12” field-applied rack number on
the Hensoldt optics guarantees its active-service history on the front
lines of a divided Europe. For the serious curator or investor in
mechanised engineering, this rig offers an unparalleled intersection of
optical precision and brutalist industrial design.
INQUIRIES
AEROVISTA | GLOBAL HERITAGE
REF: ASSET #14283