#analog computer

Various analog computers, the oft inaccurate (though very interesting) predecessors to digital computers. A large collection of images can be found here.

The Bendix Central Air Data Computer computes Mach number and other values from pressure inputs from pitot tubes. It uses rotating gears and cams for computation. Motors in synchro loops rotate the shafts to the right positions.

Large Scale Systems Museum (LSSM) - mact.io - Pittsburgh, PA

Imperial Japanese Navy Nakajima B5N2 “Kate” Type 97 carrier bomber’s bombing computer. This was standard equipment in the cockpit of the Nakajima B5N2 ‘Kate’ carrier attack bomber. This may be one of the few surviving examples of this piece of equipment. Complete and functional, this Type 97 computer uses a Seikosha timer to calculate the dropping of up to six bombs at one of three pre-set intervals. The aircraft commander also served as the bombardier in the B5N and set in the middle of the pilot and rear gunner/radio operator. Time to target would be calculated using an optical sight, then the computer set to run and drop the bombs upon the commander’s flip of a switch on this box – designed to be swiped with a gloved hand. The timer started and the computer-controlled the dropping of the bombs.

"The History of the Internet: Remembering Vannevar Bush and the Memex (1945)"

Large Scale Systems Museum (LSSM) - mact.io - Pittsburgh, PA