Naval Fire Control Computers in the 1950s
Updated: January 9th, 2013
This US Navy training video at GENE SLOVERS US NAVY PAGES website shows how the 1950s mechanical fire control computers worked. It is explained simply enough for a layman to understand. I found it fascinating to watch. It is crazy to think that the ballistic software on my $199 iPod Touch can do nearly everything that this huge mechanical device did.
UPDATE: Part 2 can be watched online here. Thanks to Steve for the link.
I founded TFB in 2007 and over 10 years worked tirelessly, with the help of my team, to build it up into the largest gun blog online. I retired as Editor in Chief in 2017. During my decade at TFB I was fortunate to work with the most amazing talented writers and genuinely good people!
More by Steve Johnson
![[GunCon 2024] Align Tactical Thumb Rests for Pistols](https://cdn-fastly.thefirearmblog.com/media/2024/07/02/01201/guncon-2024-align-tactical-thumb-rests-for-glock-sig-hk-canik-s.jpg?size=350x220)
![[NRAAM 2024] The Glock G17L is Back and it's Optics Ready](https://cdn-fastly.thefirearmblog.com/media/2024/06/04/064426/nraam-2024-the-glock-g17l-is-back-and-it-s-optics-ready.jpg?size=350x220)
Comments
Join the conversation
i didn't. my dail up is too slow LOL. I imagine it being done mechanically. haha. but again, its not like whipping out my cellphone when the going gets tough.
The fire control computer videos you reference are hosted on Gene Slover’s US Navy Pages. He's a 74 years young Navy veteran. We welcome visitors from your blog and encourage them to look at our over 4000 pages of indexed material covering all things Navy.
We would, however, appreciate a credit on your blog and a link:
www.tinyurl.com/slover
Thank you for your consideration,
JJ
PS As for instructions under the videos, we're doing the best we can. Many of our visitors are elderly Navy veterans who are not as computer savvy as you. We did, however, figure out how to flash encode a 1950's video and get it on the web, right? Could YOUR grandparents do it? Ease up guys.