Tides of War

Been reading the book, "Iron Coffins", by Herbert A. Werner. He refers to sending targeting values (rudder, coarse, speed, etc.) to a "targeting computer" which itself made calculations and then (the computer) transmitted the exact gyro angles necessary to each torpedo in the tube before the shot is fired.

I'm an old computer guy from way back to 1968, and I know from history that there were no electronic computers prior to about 1947. Maybe they used relays and switches?

Who knows the details of the targeting computer, and it's capabilities?

-timetraveller

Here's a page about WW2 TDC's. USA has the most advanced at the time.

http://www.maritime.org/tdc.htm

The Mark III computer consisted of two sections, the position keeper and the angle solver. The position keeper tracked the target and predicted its current position. To do this, the position keeper automatically received input of the ship's own course from the gyro compass, and own ship's speed from the pit log. The position keeper had hand cranks on its face that set the target length, estimated speed, and angle on the bow. It also contained a sound bearing converter that calculated the target's location based on sonar measurements.

It would be nice to have one in Enigma, although it might make things too easy.

Thanks for the link, Reaves. Very interesting web page.

-timetraveller