Theodolite (T3)
name: label: maker
content: Wild
notes: label: Description
content: Heinrich Wild's Precision Theodolite, introduced in 1925 and later known as the T3, is a geodetic version of the T2. The horizontal and vertical circles are glass, and read directly to .2 seconds. The telescope has a range of 20-60 miles. With some modifications, the T3 remained in production for about 50 years.
label: Description
content: The U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey described the T3 as a "satisfactory first-order instrument" suitable for the most exacting survey work. The U. S. Army published a detailed account of the maintenance and use of the T3 in 1963. The Geodetic Survey Squadron, a branch of the U. S. Air Force that became part of the U. S. Defense Mapping Agency when that organization was formed in 1972, used T3s to provide orientation at launch sites for missiles and satellites.
label: Description
content: The National Imagery and Mapping Agency, successor to DMA, transferred this example to the Smithsonian in 2000. It was apparently purchased in 1969, and has its original airtight and watertight steel case, and its original wooden shipping case. The signature reads "WILD HEERBRUGG SWITZERLAND T-3 91599." Other markings read "1969 US" and "CONTR DSA-700-69-C-G570 FSN 6675-411-5446." A decal on the shipping case reads "DEFENSE MAPPING AGENCY, GEODETIC SURVEY SQUADRON."
label: Description
content: Ref: Wild, <i>The New Precision-Theodolite Wild T3</i> (Heerbrugg, 1939).
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Switzerland
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
label: See more items in
content: Surveying and Geodesy
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content: Measuring & Mapping
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: Wild. New Percision-Theodolite Wild T3
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: U.S. Department of Defense, National Imagery and Mapping Agency, Geodesy and Geophysics Department
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2000.0257.09
label: accession number
content: 2000.0257
label: catalog number
content: 2000.0257.09
objectType: label: Object Name
content: theodolite
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 14 1/2 in; 36.83 cm
label: Measurements
content: horizontal circle: 5 1/2 in; 13.97 cm
label: Measurements
content: vertical circle: 3 3/4 in; 9.525 cm
label: Measurements
content: telescope aperture: 2 23/32 in; 6.9342 cm
label: Measurements
content: telescope: 10 1/4 in; 26.035 cm