The Museum of HP Calculators

HP Forum Archive 11

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Our Military and the 41
Message #1 Posted by Katie Wasserman on 15 Mar 2003, 1:18 a.m.

FYI. There's an ad that someone in the military just posted in the Classified section here urgently requesting spare HP 82242A infrared modules for use in KC-10 aircraft during the impending war. Assuming that this is for real, it begs the question of why our military is using 20 year old computer technology for what sounds to be an important application. It's also a ringing endorsement for the 41 system, of course.

So who here has all the excess stock of 82242A modules that I keep seeing on ebay? I’m sure that Rumsfeld and company will pay handsomely for them!

-Katie

      
Re: Our Military and the 41
Message #2 Posted by Spice_Man on 15 Mar 2003, 4:19 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Katie Wasserman

I have some doubts regarding the honesty of the person posting that wanted ad...

Spicey

            
Re: Our Military and the 41
Message #3 Posted by Emmanuel, Normandy on 15 Mar 2003, 5:40 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Spice_Man

According to some P-3B/C Orion aircrew men I know,
HP-41 is not still used for weight and balance calculation.
There's some PCs with software or slide rules for that.
But however it could be a personal use on board too.
Then I can be wrong because I don't know all about KC-10,
but you can visit the following URL:
www.af.mil/photos/tankers_kc10.shtml
Benefit of the doubt ... ;o)

            
Re: Our Military and the 41
Message #4 Posted by Holger Weihe on 15 Mar 2003, 6:13 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Spice_Man

I know from a friend that the german artillery still used HP-67's on board of tanks about 10 years ago. It was some kind of backup system. So why shouldn't it be used in planes by now? What newer calculator would better serve for this purpose? A Casio? ;-)

Holger

            
Re: Our Military and the 41
Message #5 Posted by Dave Mabry on 15 Mar 2003, 6:36 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Spice_Man

> I have some doubts regarding the honesty of the person posting that wanted ad...

> Spicey

Why do you say that?

                  
Re: Our Military and the 41
Message #6 Posted by Spice_Man on 15 Mar 2003, 2:44 p.m.,
in response to message #5 by Dave Mabry

Why do I have doubts? Because:

1. Why can't the "f_'ed up" printers mentioned in the ad be repaired or replaced?

2. Why use 20 year old calculators to do such mission-critical tasks? There are much better and more modern solutions. (e.g. laptops, palmtops, pda's, or even current TI calculators etc, with a whole slew of portable printing solutions)

3. If an HP 41 is actually being used, why not use the wired 82143A printers, which are more readily available (at least in the used/antiquated equipment marketplace)?

4. If an HP 82240A/B infrared printer must be used, why not acquire the 48G series (or many of the pioneer series) with built-in infrared ports as the driver for these printers?

I will admit that it is within the realm of possibilities that the poster of the ad is completely honest, that some equipment provided by our USAF is so "f_'ed up" that a soldier must rely on whatever antiquated equipment he can personally obtain outside the Air Force to aid him in doing weights and balances calculations for a critical airborne refueling system known as the KC130.

Spicey

                        
Re: Our Military and the 41
Message #7 Posted by peter (Germany) on 15 Mar 2003, 4:41 p.m.,
in response to message #6 by Spice_Man

I have some HP-41 ROMs for Military Aircrafts like KC-135, Boeing B52D and B52H. I know of at least ROMs for the C141B and C9B airplanes. Seems that HP sold a lot of 41s to the army those days. Remeber, some of these aircrafts are even (much) older than the 41C. And in aerospace things, it's not so easy to replace equipment, because everything goes through a lot of certification and testing before getting approval.

I would take the ad for real.

                              
Re: Our Military and the 41
Message #8 Posted by Emmanuel, nOrmandy on 16 Mar 2003, 4:02 a.m.,
in response to message #7 by peter (Germany)

Flight engineers are always using HP-41
for motor power control on BAC Concorde.
And some of us are using HP-41 for preflight too or astronavigation.
Peter, you are right about the certifications...
We don't change a winner team too!
      
Re: Our Military and the 41
Message #9 Posted by David Smith on 16 Mar 2003, 2:39 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Katie Wasserman

I know for a FACT that there are at least some current military applications for the 41C family. I have very recently provided some CX machines, etc and was paid by Uncle Sam. I originally refused to provide the machines because of the million pages of paperwork that would have been required to sell to the govenrment, but the need was apparently great enough and the dollar amount small enough that a workaround was found.

As far as the IR printers go, the 82143A is a MUCH more cost effective and reliable solution.

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