Original and functional Rhodesian Bush War used “Sterile” American Made AN/PVS - Starlight Night Vision Scope with original camouflaged FAL cover mount soldered in place.
Truly a One-of-a-kind piece we acquired out of South Africa. Featuring a Rhodesian RA store number that’s been partially removed, iconic Rhodesian camouflage paint on the FAL cover that has been masterfully soldered in place. The AN/PVS series of scopes were initially produced for the US Government during the Vietnam War with the AN/PVS-2 and then the AN/PVS-4 in 1975. These early design night vision devices were passive, and did not emit any light of their own, relying on incoming light. This was then amplified using a photocathode and an image intensifier tube in order to significantly increase image contrast. As they emit no light of any kind (IR/UV/etc) they are not detectable, however this also means that they are of limited use when there is no ambient light, which is why they are usually termed "starlight" scopes. Clear nights with star or moon light are optimal, while a cloudy night with no moon far from a city renders them ineffective. A switch on the right activates the scope (labeled with OFF in the upward position, and ON in the downward position) which can be used during the day with the attached daylight filter. The rubber eyeshield has two internal "flapper” closures that prevent light from escaping the back of the scope, helpful during clandestine operations. There is a focus control near the eyepiece, Elevation knob on the top, and Windage knob on the right (see photo diagrams). Sights which were brought into South Africa by the Rhodesians before the war ended will usually be in original paint, ones liberated and within Zimbabwe use would have the brown scheme painted on. The ones that were left and eventually sold to South Africa all had the RA prefix defaced and paint as we see here, but of note; this scope hasn't been painted black on the dust cover.
This scope, resembling the AN/PVS-4, is unmarked or “Sterile” indicating a highly likely chance it may very well have been covertly issued by the CIA and discreetly transferred through South Africa to Rhodesia during the Bush War, which of course occurring simultaneously with the height of the Cold War. While the Soviet Union was supplying ZANU and ZAPU. It would not be too surprising that the United States was in some ways meddling in between the chaos without being directly involved.
The AN/PVS series developed in the 1950s, revolutionized passive night vision technology by providing a high quality image without distortion and the ability to adjust to changing light conditions. These reliable and versatile scopes quickly became a staple in the military due to its protective features and ability to operate in various roles. With the use of the MX-9644 Image Intensifier tube, the AN/PVS-4 has been the go-to night vision scope for over 25 years.
The battery compartment chain is in half, which can be replaced if the buyer chooses, there is also a small piece of plastic floating around within the scope which if completely taken apart could be removed if need be, but we leave that to the buyer as well. The Scope does NOT include the battery shown. The battery connection spring is slightly compressed, to address this we’ve added a small basic nut to place on top of the negative side of the battery which acts as a connector between battery and the battery compartment cap.
