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Basic Mechanisms In Fire Control Computers (1953) [video]

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Re: Basic Mechanisms In Fire Control Computers (1953) [video]

#111

Post by speakspokespok »

nradov wrote: post #92
ploxiln wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Occasionally the torpedo would get stuck in that turn and run in a circle. Well that's not a great failure mode, if it can come right back at vessel which launched it ... imagine trying to implement a self-destruct failsafe with that tech back then ...

At least two US Navy submarines were sunk by their own torpedoes making circular runs. The main failsafe mechanism disabled the detonators until the weapon had run out a certain minimum distance but obviously that wasn't effective in circular runs. https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2011/j...

Clear the Bridge [0] was an autobiographical account of WW2 from the captain of the Tang. O'Kane covers the experience of this incident in the book.

While two US Navy subs were known to be sunk in this manner, there remain several subs not claimed by either Germany or Japan that just never returned.

0 - https://www.amazon.com/Clear-Bridge-Patrols-U-S-S-Tang/dp/08...

Re: Basic Mechanisms In Fire Control Computers (1953) [video]

#112

Post by multjoy »

jameshart wrote: post #33
zer00eyz wrote: post #8

This is a great primer on one facet of the Navy and "technology". So much of early computing has some tie back to the navy. It isn't an accident that Grace Hopper was an admiral and not a General. Much of Cray's early work is littered with "Navy" (including his transfer from Europe to the Pacific). It's a fascinating bit of WWII and Post war history that is worth exploring.

Navigation and gunnery have always been driving forces for mathematical innovation so there are often naval connections to important discoveries and inventions. But don’t sleep on the importance of land-based artillery and military surveying and cartography as motivation too. Long range naval gunnery with these kinds of mechanical computers to take into account things like course, speed and rolling motion, was all bu…

There’s a reason that the UK mapping agency is the Ordnance Survey.

Re: Basic Mechanisms In Fire Control Computers (1953) [video]

#113

Post by qiqitori »

teqsun wrote: post #2

Thought it was very interesting to see the precursors of modern computers and how they achieved the various mathematical functions mechanically

On the topic of analog computers, I recently decided to explore the topic a bit and built something similar to "Tennis for Two" (one of the first video games) on a single breadboard using op amps and relays: https://blog.qiqitori.com/2024/08/implementing-tennis-for-tw...

Re: Basic Mechanisms In Fire Control Computers (1953) [video]

#114

Post by InDubioProRubio »

retrac wrote: post #47
pmcf wrote: post #24

In 1989 I was a data systems tech on a Destroyer going through some overhaul at the shipyard in Pascagoula Mississippi. Moored right next to us was the battleship Wisconsin. Huge relic from WW2 but still going through modernization. A bunch of us that worked on combat systems got invited for a tour of their fire control systems. Wow. Just wow. All mechanical computers calculating fire control solutions for the big 16…

By the end of WW II American torpedoes were automatically programmed (direction, speed, fusing) before firing. The heavy calculations would be done by the shipboard firing computer while the parameters set would be used by the simple computer on the torpedo (which had inertial guidance). I struggle to imagine how people managed to design such things with just pencils and slide rules.

There were also a large number of captains, who refused to trust anything coming out of the navys design bureau and testing facilities and personally made sure, that computers were never used or even ripped out, to only use a "working" impact fuse. Those distrusting captains continued there "protecting the crew from dysfunctional crap" missions well up into the vietnam war. Engineering failures have serious consequences and ripple effects.

Re: Basic Mechanisms In Fire Control Computers (1953) [video]

#115

Post by 7373737373 »

xhrpost wrote: post #108

There's a copyright notice at the start that says this film is owned by Periscope films. If this video was actually created by the US government, then it should be in the public domain.

Longer version of the video without the annoying watermark and timestamp https://youtube.com/watch?v=s1i-dnAH9Y4

Re: Basic Mechanisms In Fire Control Computers (1953) [video]

#116

Post by 7373737373 »

maxglute wrote: post #102

The videos on WW2 bomber gun system and bombing computer are also very fun. Too lazy to find specific videos, but this entire channel is A+ https://www.youtube.com/@WWIIUSBombers/search?query=computer

This one about the battleship New Jersey as well: https://youtube.com/watch?v=kDOFBGIf6Uo, which has a more modern version of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_I_Fire_Control_Computer

Re: Basic Mechanisms In Fire Control Computers (1953) [video]

#117

Post by dmichulke »

zerohm wrote: post #64
snakeyjake wrote: post #14

The US Navy's old training materials are fantastic for learning about various technologies. I think their masterpiece is "Basic Hand Tools" a handbook written in plain English that describes the use of practically every hand tool ever invented. "Basic Hand Tools" on the hammer: >Whoever conceived the idea of cracking a nut with a rock unknowingly invented a tool. When a later genius tied a stick to the rock, he inven…

I will never pass up an opportunity to use this joke: Everything is a hammer, unless it's a screwdriver. Then, it's a chisel.

Not a joke and different domain, but similar structure and also noteworthy:

Everyone should meditate 2 minutes a day, unless he's busy. Then he should meditate 20.

Re: Basic Mechanisms In Fire Control Computers (1953) [video]

#118

Post by fipar »

nradov wrote: post #62
retrac wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By the end of WW II American torpedoes were automatically programmed (direction, speed, fusing) before firing. The heavy calculations would be done by the shipboard firing computer while the parameters set would be used by the simple computer on the torpedo (which had inertial guidance). I struggle to imagine how people managed to design such things with just pencils and slide rules.

WW II American torpedoes didn't have inertial guidance. They used gyros for directional control and just ran in a straight line after making a single turn onto the set course. Occasionally the torpedo would get stuck in that turn and run in a circle. Towards the end of the war the Navy also started introducing homing torpedoes, but those didn't use inertial guidance either.

This may have been common enough that I distinctly remember it as something that could happen when playing Sub Battle Simulator in ‘91 (or around that year): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub_Battle_Simulator

Re: Basic Mechanisms In Fire Control Computers (1953) [video]

#119

Post by all2 »

xeonmc wrote: post #76
SoftTalker wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the fuel injection and ignition (spark) timing yes, but the camshafts to open and close the valves are still driven by a gear, belt or chain. Even variable valve timing is mostly controled by mechanical or hydraulic means, though I'm guessing some electronics may be involved.

FreeValve

Context? What is FreeValve?
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