Unfortunately it would seem little information regarding this change has come to light so far with reference to the "triangle", the name of the grease and its suitability is presently unknown but is understood for use between -40 degrees C and 50 degrees C. The Light blue triangle “ Δ” appeared in late 1943.
However Vakuumfett 1416 quickly proved unsatisfactory when the revised version of the "Taschenbuch für den Winterkrieg" dated 1st November 1942, mentioned the new light blue cross " +” (hellblaues Kreuz) in use and indicating ‘Instrument Grease 1442’ being adopted for all Heer observation and surveying instruments and again serviceable to -40 degrees C.
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This was then updated around mid-1942 after the experiences of the first Russian winter with the next symbol to appear, a light blue circle ‘ O’ (hellblaue Kreisfläche) which used a new cold resistant grease called ‘Vacuum’ (Vakuumfett 1416), suitable for use in temperatures as low -40 degrees C and documented in the German manual for winter warfare "Taschenbuch für den Winterkrieg", dated 5th August 1942. It would seem the earliest considerations for fighting in cold weather were made around May 1940 when the Symbol ‘ K.F.’ was applied to equipment serviced with the cold weather lubricated "Invarol" serviceable to -20 degrees Centigrade. This symbol found on the optics body can also help indicate the manufacturing year as the different symbols appeared in different years as improvements in lubricant performance or availability changed.
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Since a lot of equipment as the war progressed was destined for the Ostfront special measures had to be taken to deal with the extreme winter conditions experienced and this is indicated on most military issued optics with the presence of a small light blue triangle, Circle or plus sign which signifies that a special cold resistant lubricant or grease was used in the final assembly process. Naturally with the expansion of German occupied territory other optic firms were swallowed up and put to use manufacturing field optics for the Wehrmacht, firms such as the French company ‘ Huet’ of Paris fell under this occupation. Norway also made a great deal of use with left over German supplies after the war concluded often repainting a great deal of this equipment in a shade of NATO olive green and using this equipment as late as the mid 1990’s. In fact such was the advanced nature of some equipment developed that for example with Panzer main Gun optics came the guarantee (if following carful instructions) of hitting the target with the first shot every time, such was their confidence in optical performance! Because of the exceptional quality of German made optics it is also worth bearing in mind that a great number of German Optics were used by many other countries both during and after the war, most notably by Finland for example who always identified such items with a large engraved or stamped ‘SA’ on equipment supplied by Germany to the Finnish Army during the war.
At the outbreak of war these precision companies rapidly put all there vast expertise and technical knowhow into producing high quality military optical equipment for the field with a wide range of applications. As no great surprise the Wehrmacht also enjoyed this advantage, with the development and circulation of a wide range of optical observation devices employed by all services during the war. The industry was well known for producing precision optical instruments long before World War 2 with products like microscopes produced by Carl Zeiss for example. Thanks to companies like Emil Busch, Ernst Leitz, Hensoldt and Carl Zeiss German industry at the outbreak of war was already renowned as world market leaders in the development and manufacturing of optical equipment. German Optical Equipment of WW2 Introduction
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