Basic Mechanisms of a Fire Control Computer (1950's Navy Training Film)

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[DemforBush]

A pretty neat little film about the various parts of the mechanical fire control computers of those days, and how they are applied to real-life gunnery issues.

[WVKayaker]

I was on the USS Perkins (DD-877), a WW2 era Destroyer, from 66-68 (3 WesPac cruises). I was a Fire Control Technician (aiming guns, not putting out fires). We had a Mark 1A computer, which linked to the gun turrets with synchros and servos. The gyro was in our space (that shiny chrome thing on the left of the photo), that leveled everything and kept a constant aim for the guns no matter how the roll and pitch on the ship. That computer never failed to amaze me with the accuracy and reliability. It was a mass of cams, gears, rollers, and other electrical connections directing impulses translated by the mechanics.

i have an iPad 1 which probably has millions more in computing power. But, we know that men went the moon on rockets designed and aimed with slide rules. Voyager (launched 1977) passed by every planet before escaping our solar system.

It's all magic. I know the science of it all, but it took some pretty smart people to imagine and assemble something as simple as a slide rule. That Mark 1A computer I used circa 1966-68 was more than Archimedes or Leonardo could cream. Now, we have the world at our fingertips and every bit of information imaginable available to our minds. BUT, I don't expect it all to continue forever.

We have a world falling apart, and society on the edge. I am a Christian and just close with "Come quickly, Lord Jesus"!

[longhorn too]

I was on the DD-808 USS Dennis J Buckley 1971-72 and remember those endless days on the gun line of Vietnam. Was even able to sleep through fire missions when we weren’t on GQ.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

This is how I remember haircuts in the late 70s/early 80s in the Army and Air Force.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Well yes, the Air Force guys I worked with usually were like that and some units, such as a signal battalion across the street from my barracks at Camp Red Cloud seemed to get away with that sort of thing.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

Not just Air Force

[2ndDivisionVet]

The colored 101st patch on the captain’s uniform and the NDSM on the Spec/4’s tell me that’s probably a few years before my time. Europe, right?

[Sequoyah101]

Thanks. I’ll watch this. I wondered how those managed to transfer the info from fire control to the buns and it was with a device called a a Synchro. It was almost like a transistor. There was a master at the fire control center and the guns pointers were slaved to the master.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchro

There is a very good article on 5” mounts on Wikipedia as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5%22/38_caliber_gun

[T-Bird45]

Haircut appears to be within regs, even now. Mismatched fatigue colors are due to different suppliers’ fabric dyes fading at different rates. It was a problem that also came from a change from all-cotton to a poly-cotton blend. The only way to keep it to a minimum was to always get “matched” sets so they would fade evenly. Sometimes it worked, other times not so well. The BDU changeover didn’t start until the early 80s for most.

[Former Proud Canadian]

Great video.

As VDH says, "We stand on the shoulders of giants."

[Chainmail]

As primitive as all of this seems, they worked really well..

[AFreeBird]

Last pic, the guy I the middle of the last row reminds me of Wally Cox.

[Redleg Duke]

“TACFIRE”...the creature that ate Fort Sill!

[Arlis]

One son is Fire Control officer in Navy, another a civil engineer, another a multi-degreed computer genius/software engineer, another a pilot working on advanced ratings and A&P license (aircraft mechanic), and another an advanced manager/electrical contractor.

All will greatly appreciate this! Thanks! As Dad was a Navy officer in WWII, wish he were here to see it too......

[beebuster2000]

insanely clever stuff. also, the degree of accuracy required in manufacturing is amazing,

USN fire control computer combined with radar was one of the key elements of succession WW2. the TDC computer on the subs was particularly cool. check out the fire control scenes in “Run Silent Run Deep”

great post, thanks

[Mike Darancette]

I had to take the whole class from Mk 1A GFCS to digital search radar. Interesting how you aim a big gun from a moving ship.

[Mike Darancette]

I was in FT A and FT B schools Mare Island 1968-1969 then went FTM with search radars. You flunk out and it is GM on a PBR for you.

[jack308]

“I was on the DD-808 USS Dennis J Buckley 1971-72 and remember those endless days on the gun line of Vietnam. Was even able to sleep through fire missions when we weren’t on GQ.”

I served on the Alfred A. Cunningham, DD-752. Made two WESTPAC cruises and had the same experience. Interesting times.

[VeniVidiVici]

I would get on the TACFIRE nets with my jammer and jam the hell out of those fire missions. Loads of fun. The commanders were not happy campers :)

[longhorn too]

Were you guys home ported out of San Diego?

[rabidralph]

Thanks for posting. Yes, I’ll check this out later.