What it is?

[Ron Wood]

Doug did not have a battery pack and I do not think there is a surviving example of the battery pack. I have seen only one other of these "bodyguard" Lugers that was on the Hermann Historica auction site a few years back and it had neither the holster or battery pack.

[sheepherder]

The Germans also had an infra-red light & sight combination they called "Vampir" (which was later copied by the US and mounted on an M1 Carbine). "Vampir" used a backpack battery and umbilical leads for the light/sight. I used to have pics of that setup but that was decades ago.

The battery pack for the Luger would have been interesting. The bulb is huge (there is a separate picture of it in TBLAP under Dead Ends & Curiosa) and there is no description of whether the 'barrel' of the light uses a mirror or prism or direct impingement to direct the bulb's light out.

Another idea ahead of its time.

(Pic is of captured "Vampir" not showing huge backpack-battery)

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Ron Wood

Doug did not have a battery pack and I do not think there is a surviving example of the battery pack.

Ron, as a WAG I would think that allied/US interest in these items was more in the battery development than the sights/lights themselves. If the Germans were looking at exotic metal batteries (common now) they would have had widespread military applications. I'm guessing the battery packs were 'classified' and now only exist as notes and bits & pieces in some dusty laboratory...

(Natick Labs perhaps...)