Super-Hot US Army Lesnatic Marching Compass
Manufactured circa 1942–1945 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by Superior Magneto Corp., this WWII-era Lensatic compass is fully functional and includes a feature specific to this model: two exposed radium lume dots under the lid, a subtle but notable original detail that is often overlooked. The lume (containing Ra-226 and a phosphor), likely bound with wartime shellac, was professionally stabilized using Butvar B-76 to minimize any possible particulate shedding prior to meticulous cleaning. While the lumed markings for North, South, East, West, and the lid dots remain intact, they exhibit a very minimal fluorescence under UV light due to phosphor degradation. For safety and awareness, the compass will ship sealed in an 8-mil ziplock bag with the appropriate warning label affixed, as shown in the last picture.
Fast Ra-226 Calibration:
A spectrum of this specimen (with data logged beyond 2204 keV) was captured in just 3 minutes using the Radiacode 103, with an average of 834,000 CPM, as shown in the last photo. The Radiacode 102 took 4 minutes to calibrate, averaging 780,000 CPM (not pictured)
Point-source measurements with the Radiacode 102 and 103 were well over 20 mR/h (gamma only) on contact. To comply with regulatory requirements — including the 0.5 mR/h package surface limit (beta + gamma) — the compass will ship inside a lead envelope in a twelve inch box!
Devices not included
NOTE: By purchasing this item you agree that you have read our
WARNINGS and NOTICES ! (also serves as FAQ’s)
