Now we are into cars and planes

From: ajp166 <ajp166_at_bellatlantic.net>
Date: Sat Mar 10 11:06:59 2001

From: Mark Gregory <gregorym_at_cadvision.com>
>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.
>
Received on Sat Mar 10 2001 - 11:06:59 GMT