The RCA Selectron -- Project Whirlwind
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MIT Project Whirlwind repository
Project 6345, better known as Project Whirlwind, was the key computer research effort leading to the AN/FSQ-7 SAGE air defense control computer system. Shaped-beam cathode ray tubes were key components of the system but they were not yet commercial off the shelf (COTS) items. Project 6345's group 65 was responsible for electron tubes including CRTs and actively participated with and supported both Hughes and Convair, for the Typotron and Charactron respectively, in the successful reduction to practice of these display devices.
The labs and staff of MIT as well as numerous leading electronics businesses made major contributions to the practical realization of these devices.
Below are excerpts from the bi-weekly progress reports concerning these CRTs. After the listing of the publication date the major topics and company names are cited.
11 September 1953
Rectangular screen Charactrons
23 October 1953
Tektronix collaboration, Motorola Deflectron investigation
04 December 1953
Helical post-deflection acceleration (PDA)
15 January 1954
Site visits to Hughes and Convair; Tektronix conductive inks
29 January 1954
Site visits to IBM and Corning Glass Works
12 February 1954
PDA and tube processing
26 February 1954
Hughes' new factory, color Typotrons or PDA workaround?
12 March 1954
General Electric visits
26 March 1954
Andrew Haeff and numerous visitors and site visit reports
09 April 1954
Anti-reflective screen coatings; electron gun evaluations
23 April 1954
Site visits to Hughes and Convair; Helical PDA
21 May 1954
Willys Electronics & Ross Aiken's "flat" CRT
02 June 1954
Hughes' new factory
02 July 1952
Resitron, Willys Electronics, and Convair's new factory
16 July 1954
Bulbs, cleanliness
30 July 1954
National Union, scotophor screens
13 August 1954
IBM building Typotrons; RCA wants to build Charactrons;
10 September 1954
IBM, Convair, Hughes field trips
24 September 1954
Aluminization and lacquering
14 January 1955
More quality control investigations
25 February 1955
Quality investigations
11 March 1955
San Diego Water; Electron guns from Superior, RCA, and Sylvania
01 August 1958
Overview of SAGE display CRTs
Source document courtesy Bitsavers.org
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