O.T., for the military history buffs...

.
Ahead of its time computer system

Interesting.

In the mid to late 1950's, I was a computer technician on fighter plane weapons systems when the computers were still analog, before digital.

The computer itself was a black box about 24x24x6, and contained maybe a dozen small servo motors that interacted with each other.

The servo motors received inputs such as true air speed, relative air density, muzzle velocity of the guns, and boiled it all down into inputs in the airplane's gun sight so the image the pilot saw in his gun sight was not the actual enemy airplane, it was a representation of where the enemy plane would be when the armament hit it.

When a servo failed and needed to be replaced, there was a lengthy alignment process to make sure all the servos were happy with each other.

That brought up an interesting situation. I was probably a Corporal at the time, and one Friday morning I'd just begun the alignment on a computer when the squadron commanding officer, a Lieutenant Colonel, came through on his Friday morning inspection tour. He stopped at my bench and seemed interested in what I was doing, so I explained the system to him. I never did figure out whether he was genuinely interested or checking to see if I knew what I was doing. Anyway, we chatted for maybe 20 minutes and he went on his way. While that was going on, I noticed my OIC, a Captain, was standing to the side giving me funny looks.

After the Colonel left, the Captain came over and asked me if I realized that was my commanding officer. I mean, I'd been in the squadron a year, why wouldn't I know that was my CO?. He asked questions and I answered them. It was that simple. I don't know why it bugged the Captain.

That is what I learned computers on. Took an entire floor for the computer and 2 more for the distribution and display and controls.

That's a fancy one! Comes with a built in ashtray. Just don't make them like that anymore. Wonder if I should make that my next laptop mod? Don't think I need those 14 keys on the left side of the keyboard....

That is a neat article. Somewhere on the 'net, I ran across someone who made a pdf of the manual for a similar computer. Will post back if I find it again.

Mike

Officers get like that around their superior officers. Nco's too. Any lifer.

It was in the Marine Corps when I learned I could speak to anyone.

I could talk to a General as easily as I could talk to a Private, and usually with the same level of respect. And that's not a put down on Generals.

When I got enough rank to be in a position of leadership I learned real quickly that, contrary to my contemporaries who thought they should have all the answers, if you took time to listen to your junior troops, your Pfcs and Corporals, you not only met some interesting characters you heard some darn good ideas.

(quoted from post at 23:50:18 01/08/22) It was in the Marine Corps when I learned I could speak to anyone.

I could talk to a General as easily as I could talk to a Private, and usually with the same level of respect. And that's not a put down on Generals.

When I got enough rank to be in a position of leadership I learned real quickly that, contrary to my contemporaries who thought they should have all the answers, if you took time to listen to your junior troops, your Pfcs and Corporals, you not only met some interesting characters you heard some darn good ideas.

Click to expand...

You aren't the only one. We were in the middle of an IG at Cherry Point when a 1 star Gen ambushed me at the barracks. We went to my room (no squad bays in the Wing thank goodness!) and talked for 10-15 minutes. Very nice man, rather grandfatherly to me since I was maybe 20 and he was pushing 50. Lost my fear of senior officers above Lt Col or so after a while. Lts', Capts and Majors could be a bear to deal with if they were climbers. Never ever lost my fear of 1Sgts, but Master Gunnys, and CWO3/4's were all great! The best guys to deal with were Mavericks that stood on the same yellow footprints at PI as you did and were now Capt or above.

One of the lessons I had to learn as a 2LT and ex farm boy was that if your troops were looking good you were too. To be a successful officer you need to transition from doing the work to making sure it was done and that your people had the tools and supplies to do the work and got the recognition they deserved for doing it. If I told the LTC or COL what was done, who did it and the issues they overcame to get it done I looked better for it and it became a lot easier to get my people the awards, promotions and assignments the deserved. In the end if the branch or squadron I was leading was preforming above average that would indicate my leadership was above average.