WWII fire control 'computers'

From: William Donzelli <aw288_at_osfn.org>
Date: Sun Dec 29 14:36:00 2002

> 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_at_osfn.org
Received on Sun Dec 29 2002 - 14:36:00 GMT