[Milsurplus] ARC-21 rebuttal

[ROLYNN PRECHTL]

 Just about every avionics system aboard the B-47 experienced the same problems in that they were designed on the cutting edge of an unproven technology developed at the end of WW2.  Never mentioned in these reliability criticisms of the ARC-21 is the B-47 Bombing and Navigation Computer.  It used over 300 vacuum tubes and an unknown number of relays in tying together various navigation systems and had a MTTF measured in single digit hours.

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I spent 1963 and 1964 as a MA-6A/MA-7A Bomb Nav Flightline Mechanic (32150E) at the 40th Bomb Wing, 40th AEMS, Forbes AFB.

This stated MTBF did not happen on my watch. The Bomb Nav system ran for many hours without malfunction. Some malfunctions reported in the 781 were coverups for operator error. There were malfunctions, but at a rate where my life on the flightline was a piece of cake. 

The CAU and SAU (where most of those tubes lived) were reliable.

This single digit MTBF idea is rubbish and the Wing wouldn't be able to pass an ORI if it were true. 

Curtis LeMay would never have allowed that MTBF to exist.


Rolynn
USAF 1962-1968