13 Mar
2002
13 Mar
'02
9:25 a.m.
Don't forget the U-505's computer...
Is this even visible in the tour? On the US boats, the TDCs (Torpedo Data
Computer) were installed in the conning tower, and I would expect the
Germans to have done the same. Because of the very confined space, the
towers of the boats are generally not included with tours (or very
briefly included, as in "stick your head up thru the hatch").
Neat things, those TDCs. Like most fire control computers of the period,
the German ones were not as nice as the U.S. ones, but much better that the
British ones. They were trouble-makers however, being
overengineered and overcomplicated.
By the way, the TDC in SS-383 in the Bay Area has been completly restored
and works up to spec. Pretty amazing.
William Donzelli
aw288(a)osfn.org