Now we are into cars and planes - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

10 Mar 2001

From: Mark Gregory &lt;gregorym(a)cadvision.com&gt;
...
 I seem to recall Stephen Coonts mentioning the
A-6's nav system computers in
...
 "Flight of the Intruder". IIRC, there's a
passage where the navigator resets
...
 the computer, and its mentioned that it uses rotating
drum memory. That 

Your memory is correct.
Also trying to "reset" it harder to unjam the drum.

...
 would make sense for early versions of the A-6, since
they were designed in
...
 the late 1950's. Because of the A-6's
extraordinarily long service life, it
...
 wouldn't surprise me if it hadn't been fitted
with every generation of
computer technology from drums to microchips during its many avionics
overhauls. 

At least 3 possibly 4 generations with the "Wild Weasels" EA-6s being in
the
more recent group with  ARM, ECM and high altitude radar tracking
platform.

Early aircraft computers (pre 1980 as they generally had a 2-10 year lead
over commercial) would be an area of interest here.

Allison

...
 Cheers,
Mark.