25 May
2013
25 May
'13
9:01 a.m.
On Tue, 21 May 2013, Jonathan Katz wrote:
Folks,
A while back I posted about a mystery console a FOAF picked up at a DRMO auction. I wound
up purchasing an extra one from him for my own use and to help identify it.
The internal components are interesting. An 800x600 LCD display that takes XGA/VGA input.
An AT-based keyboard. Some of the trackballs are serial mice, and I think the joystick is
PC-style joystick.
Two photo albums:
http://imgur.com/a/tsxCP
http://imgur.com/a/t1eS9
I was originally led to believe this kit was US Navy, but after some googling and
guesswork I'm thinking its Air Force.
The massive multi-pin connector on the back looks similar (but it isn't the same) as
the connectors used to the ROLM 1602.
Any ideas?
I just asked someone in the know, and according to him, it appears to be a
radar controller console from an E-3 AWACS plane. If this is the case, my
own guess would be that these were originally from the Block 30/35 upgrade
and were removed from service during the Block 40/45 upgrade. Does the
keyboard appear to have been made by IBM?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_E-3_Sentry
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/e-3.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/e-3-rsip.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/e-3-30.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/e-3-40.htm
http://www.northropgrumman.com/Capabilities/AWACSAPY2/Documents/AWACS.pdf