29 Dec
2002
29 Dec
'02
9:36 a.m.
A bit (er, lot!) of a long shot this, but it's
probably vaguely on-topic...
All questions about fire control computers involve shots...
Does anyone know anything about the mechanical fire
control computers as used
in second world war for UK coastal defence batteries?
You might try posting this question to the guys that know, on the
coastal-defense mail list (yes, there is a list for geeks of all kinds).
I can post the question to the list, if you wish.
I did some restoration
work out in New Zealand earlier in the year on a wartime coastal battery which
was built to a British design, and used British systems. Unfortunately all
information on 'out' plotting-room computer mysteriously vanished in the
1950's, and the unit itself sadly was cut up for scrap value many years ago.
It'd be nice to get some information on possible units though just for
something to show on site open days.
Getting any information or artifacts will be very difficult - about as
close to impossible as you can get. The reason for this is post-war, the
fire control computers were of little use (they do exactly one function) and
have large scrap values (for example, a Mk IV TDC has about a _pound_ of
gold inside). When the mechanisms were scrapped, the manuals were simply
thrown away.
I have a collection of fire control gear, but I have never found
any of the computers complete. The only one I have ever seen was at The
American Science Center (a rather famous surplus hangout in Chicago)
about 15 years ago. It sold many years ago - and I wonder where it went.
It's possible that the unit shared a lot of
commonality with ship-based
systems, in some cut-down form or other, but I haven't yet located anyone who
can confirm this.
Possibly. They probably would be cut down, as there are less variables to
deal with - not being on a ship means that you can eliminate the stable
element and gyrocompass inputs.
I seem to recall a few posts about US equivalent
systems a few years back, so
there's probably a few current list members who are interested in this sort of
system despite the units being non-electronic in nature!
I am very interested in these things (I think the fire control collection
now outweighs the computer collection).
William Donzelli
aw288(a)osfn.org