[Milsurplus] 1943 out of the box thinking?

[Bill KA8VIT]

Our Mark IV TDC was fully restored back in 2003 of years ago and is in fully working order.
 
I have video of it somewhere actually solving a firing mission that I'll post when I find it.
 
It is truly an amazing piece of machinery.
 
http://usscod.org/tdc-restore.html
 

http://usscod.org/tdc.html
 
http://usscod.org/conningtower.html
 
 
The COD has a pretty good youtube channel at:
 
https://www.youtube.com/@USSCod/videos
 
73 - BILL KA8VIT / W8COD
 
 
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Bill Chaikin, KA8VIT
Chief Radio Operator
WW2 Submarine USS COD SS-224 (NECO)
 
ka8vit at ka8vit.com
http://ka8vit.com
http://www.usscod.org
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  > On 09/08/2025 6:03 PM EDT Brooke via Milsurplus <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>  
>   Hi Ken:
> 
> I have some information on the Ford Instruments fire control computers and the Torpedo Data Computer at:
> https://prc68.com/I/Torpedoes.html#TDC
> 
> They are trying to solve a triangle.  The inputs are:
> The shooting ships direction of movement and speed,
> The target ships direction of movement and speed,
> The movement of the munition and how long it takes to get somewhere.
> This also applies to bomb sights.
> 
> As far as I can tell it never worked.  It took many shots where the aiming of the kill shot was done be walking the impact point from the prior shot.
> In the case of torpedoes they only really worked once they had acoustic (or newer means of) homing.
> In the case of big guns they only worked with a spotter.  (In one of the desert wars where drones were used for spotting ship borne big guns people would waive white flats at the drones).
> Dumb bombs got better after radar altimeters, but only really worked with either GPS (JDAM) or laser guided weapon (Paveway).
> https://prc68.com/I/RWR.shtml#LASER_Guided_Bomb
> 
> PS Information on various rifle sights is at:
> https://prc68.com/I/FNFAL.shtml#Sights
> -- Have Fun, Brooke Clarke https://www.PRC68.com axioms: 1. The extent to which you can fix or improve something will be limited by how well you understand how it works. 2. Everybody, with no exceptions, holds false beliefs.
> -------- Original Message -------- > > Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2025 13:24:25 -0700 From: kgordon2006 at frontier.com <mailto:kgordon2006 at frontier.com>To: milsurplus at mailman.qth.net <mailto:milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>, "Charlie L." <mjcal79 at gmail.com> <mailto:mjcal79 at gmail.com>Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] 1943 out of the box thinking? Message-ID: <68BF3B79.25317.40AF35F5 at kgordon2006.frontier.com> <mailto:68BF3B79.25317.40AF35F5 at kgordon2006.frontier.com>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 The computer which always interested me was the one that controlled the aiming of the rifles on any of our (U.S.) capital ships. As I understand it, all guns could be made to swivel and aim onto a target simultaneously from one set of controls in the main "office". As I remember it, that computer was made by Ford and I do not mean the car company. I wish I knew more about that thing. Another computer which vey much interests me is Babbage's Computing Engine which was built somewhat recently and is demonstrated on youtube. That was orginally designed to use a 20 HP steam engine to power it Absolutely fascinating. Another is the Thyatira computer. I have always loved steam engines. A Doble engine was once mounted in an airplane and succesfully powered it. I have seen that on youtube also. A steam-engine powered airplane!! Snazzy!!! Such things are the reason I am also fascinated by "mechanically generated" radio signals" alternators and arc. Ken W7EKB
> > ______________________________________________________________ Milsurplus mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/milsurplus Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Milsurplus at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html 
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