31 Dec
2002
31 Dec
'02
4:55 p.m.
Jules Richardson asks:
Does anyone know anything about the mechanical fire
control computers as used
in second world war for UK coastal defence batteries?
Do you know who the manufacturer was?
I have started web pages for Ford Instrument,
and Arma Corporation. And I have some information
on them.
I also received this email just last Sunday from
David Mindell, Associate Professor of the History
of Engineering and Manufacturing at MIT:
....... You might be interested in my new book,
Between Human and Machine: Feedback, Control, and
Computing before Cybernetics (Johns Hopkins, 2002).
It has a lot of heretofore unkown history of analog
computing, including the Ford Instrument Company,
Sperry, Arma, naval fire control, early Bell Labs
analog electrical computers ("operational amplifiers,")
Philbrick, etc. Even a Librascope computer, not unlike
the one on your page, incorporated into the Mark 56
radar-controlled gun director.
I have not had a chance to see a copy of this book yet.
But you might look for a copy of this book, or email
the author at mindell at mit dot edu and ask him.
--Doug
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Doug Coward
@ home in Poulsbo, WA
Analog Computer Online Museum and History Center
http://dcoward.best.vwh.net/analog
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