The Zielgerät 1229 or ZG 1229, commonly known by its codename “Vampir”, was an early active infrared night vision device developed by Nazi Germany during World War II. It was designed to be mounted on the Sturmgewehr 44 (StG 44) assault rifle, enabling soldiers to engage targets in complete darkness.
The Zielgerät 1229 was designed by AEG in 1943 – 1944 and manufactured with the aid of Ernst Leitz (Leica). The ZG 1229 Vampir weighed approximately 2.25 kg and was clamp-mounted onto the Sturmgewehr 44 (SMG 44) directly at the C. G. Haenel factory in Suhl, where it was delivered ready-made. Soldiers equipped with this device were designated “night hunters” by the Wehrmacht High Command. In addition to the device itself and the infrared searchlight mounted on it, there was a 13.5 kg battery for the searchlight and another, smaller battery in a gas mask case that powered the infrared device itself. Soldiers carried the batteries on their backs using a carrying frame (S39). The searchlight was essentially a standard light bulb with a filter in front of it that only allowed the infrared portion of the light to pass through. Unlike thermal imaging devices, this device operated in the near infrared (NIR) range, meaning it could not detect heat emitted by living beings or devices. In contrast to today’s night vision devices, the Vampire device was useless without the spotlight, since the Generation 0 image converter could not amplify the existing residual light (moon, stars, etc.) sufficiently; this is referred to as an active night vision device.
Technical Specifications
Weight: Approximately 2.25 kg (5 lbs) for the sight and infrared spotlight.
Power Supply: A 13.5 kg (30 lbs) wooden-cased battery for the infrared spotlight. A secondary battery housed in a gas mask container to power the image converter.
Both batteries were carried on a Tragegestell 39 (pack frame 1939).
Infrared Spotlight: Utilized a conventional tungsten filament light source filtered to emit only infrared light.
Image Converter: Operated in the near-infrared spectrum, not sensitive to body heat.
Operational Use
The Vampir system was intended for night combat scenarios. The Zielgerät 1229 had a sensor operating in the near-infrared spectrum rather than in the heat spectrum and was, therefore, not sensitive to body heat. Enemies standing up or even better, moving, could be discerned up to 73 meters (80 yards). They were seen as a great brilliant object. The set with batteries was cumbersome though, especially in combat. Its practical application was limited due to its weight and bulkiness, making it too heavy for soldiers for effective use in dynamic combat situations. Despite these challenges, the system represented a significant technological advancement in night warfare during its time and can be found in any military arsenal today.
Additional information
This specific device on display lay in a lake for approximately 40 years. Some housing parts were so corroded that they had to be remade. The infrared illuminator (infra-red searchlight) and the high-voltage power supply are missing. Below are some photos with the Complete Zielgerät 1229, with lamp and battery packs.
Larger infrared equipment was used on halftrack and Panther tanks. These sets were named the Sperber FG 1250 on the Panther tank, the Falke on the MG and driver set on a German Halftrack and the 60 cm converted searchlight Uhu also on a halftrack.
