Variable density goggles were used by U.S.

aerial gunner ''Aerial Gunner'' is a 1943 American black-and-white World War II propaganda film produced by William C. Thomas and William H. Pine, who also directed. The film stars Chester Morris, Richard Arlen, and Jimmy Lydon. This was the first feature fi ...

s and anti-aircraft gunners in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. They were equipped with a turning dial on the front allowing the pilot to alter the

tint In color theory, a tint is a mixture of a color with white, which increases lightness, while a shade is a mixture with black, which increases darkness. Both processes affect the resulting color mixture's relative saturation. A tone is produce ...

of the lens enabling them to see

tracer rounds Tracer ammunition (AMO) (Tracers) are bullets or cannon-caliber projectiles that are built with a small pyrotechnic charge in their base. When fired, the pyrotechnic composition is ignited by the burning powder and burns very brightly, making ...

and not be easily blinded. They failed to gain popularity in the military, however, and were phased out soon after the Second World War. They were more accepted by AAA gunners than aircrew, as it was one more piece of equipment that the aircrews would have to carry onto an airplane.

References

{{Reflist Protective gear