1946 airborne fire control

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UNCLAC S1 ;ED
SUMMARY TECHNICAL REPORT
OF THE
NATIONAL DEFENSE RESEARCH COMMITTEE
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rI
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nical Report of NDRC, has been written, edited, and printed
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UNCLASSIFIED
U .. ..
SUMMARY TECHNICAL REPORT OF DIVISION 7, NDRC
VOLUME 3
AIRBORNE FIRE CONTROL
OFFICE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
VANNEVAR BUSH, DIRECTOR
NATIONAL DEFENSE RESEARCH COMMITTEE
JAMES B. CONANT, CHAIRMAN
DIVISION 7
H. L. HAZEN, CHIEF
WASHINGTON, D. C., 1946
UNCLASSIFIED
NATIONAL DEFENSE RESEARCH COMMITTEE
James B. Conant, Chairman
Richard C. Tolman, Vice Chairman
Roger Adams Army Representative'
Frank B. Jewett Navy Representative2
Karl T. Compton Commissioner of Patents3
Irvin Stewart, Executive Secretary
'Army Representatives in order of service: 2Navy Representatives in order of service:
Maj. Gen. G. V. Strong Col. L. A. Denson Rear Adm. H. G. Bowen Rear Adm. J. A. Furer
Maj. Gen. R. C. Moore Col. P. R. Faymonville Capt. Lybrand P. Smith Rear Adm. A. H. Van Keuren
Maj. Gen. C. C. Williams Brig. Gen. E. A. Regnier Commodore H. A. Schade
Brig. Gen. W. A. Wood, Jr. Col. M. M. Irvine 'Commissioners of Patents in order of service:
Col. E. A. Routheau Conway P. Coe Casper W. Ooms
NOTES ON THE ORGANIZATION OF NDRC
The duties of the National Defense Research Committee In a reorganization in the fall of 1942, twenty-three
were (1) to recommend to the Director of OSRD suitable administrative divisions, panels, or committees were
projects and research programs on the instrumentalities created, each with a chief selected on the basis of his
of warfare, together with contract facilities for carrying outstanding work in the particular field. The NDRC mene-
out these projects and programs, and (2) to administer bers then became a reviewing and advisory group to the
the technical and scientific work of the contracts. More Director of OSRD. The final organization was as follows:
specifically, NDRC functioned by initiating research
projects on requests from the Army or the Navy, or on Division 1-Ballistic Research
requests from an allied government transmitted through Division 2-Effects of Impact and Explosion
the Liaison Office of OSRD, or on its own considered Division 3-Rocket Ordnance
initiative as a result of the experience of its members. Division 4-Ordnance Accessories
Proposals prepared by the Division, Panel, or Committee Division 5-New Missiles
for research contracts for performance of the work in- Division 6-Sub-Surface Warfare
volved in such projects were first reviewed by NDRC, and Division 7-Fire Control
if approved, recommended to the Director of OSRD. Upon Division 8-Explosives
approval of a proposal by the Director, a contract permit- Division 9-Chemistry
ting maximum flexibility of scientific effort was arranged. Division 10-Absorbents and Aerosols
The business aspects of the contract, including such Division 11-Chemical Engineering
matters as materials, clearances, vouchers, patents, pri- Division 12-Transportation
orities, legal matters, and administration of patent mat- Division 13-Electrical Communication
ters were handled by the Executive Secretary of OSRD. Division 14-Radar
Division 15-Radio Coordination
Originally NDRC administered its work through five Division 16-Optics and Camouflage
divisions, each Thheeasdewede reb:Dyi viosnioen of the NDRC members. Division 1177-P-Pishysis
These were: Division 18-War Metallurgy
Division A-Armor and Ordnance Division 19-Miscellaneous
Division B-Bombs, Fuels, Gases,& Chemical Problems Applied Mathematics Panel
Division C-Communication and Transportation Applied Psychology Panel
Division D-Detection, Controls, and Instruments Committee on Propagation
Division E-Patents and Inventions Tropical Deterioration Administrative Committee
Sv
NDRC FOREWORD
A
EVENTS of the years preceding 1940 revealed In contrast to the information on radar, which is
more and more clearly the seriousness of the world of widespread interest and much of which is released
situation, many scientists in this country came to to the public, the research on subsurface warfare is
realize the need of organizing scientific research for largely classified and is of general interest to a more
service in a national emergency. Recommendations restricted group. As a consequence, the report of Di-
which they made to the White House were given vision 6 is found almost entirely in its Summary
careful and sympathetic attention, and as a result the Technical Report, which runs to over twenty volumes.
National Defense Research Committee [NDRC] was The extent of the work of a Division cannot therefore
formed by Executive Order of the President in the be judged solely by the number of volumes devoted
summer of 1940. The members of NDRC, appointed to it in the Summary Technical Report of NDRC:
by the President, were instructed to supplement the account must be taken of the monographs and avail-
work of the Army and the Navy in the development able reports published elsewhere.
of the instrumentalities of war. A year later, upon the The Fire Control Division, initially Section D2
establishment of the Office of Scientific Research and under the leadership of Warren Weaver and later
Development [OSRD], NDRC became one of its units. Division 7 under Harold L. Hazen, made a significant
The Summary Technical Report of NDRC is a contribution to an already highly developed art. It
conscientious effort on the part of NDRC to sum- marked the entrance of the civilian scientist into what
marize and evaluate its work and to present it in a had hitherto been regarded as a military specialty.
useful and permanent form. It comprises some seventy It was one of the tasks of the Division to explore
volumes broken into groups corresponding to the and solve the intricate problems of control of fire
NDRC Divisions, Panels, and Committees. against the modern military aircraft. Gunnery against
The Summary Technical Report of each Division, high-speed aircraft involves fire control in three di-
Panel, or Committee is an integral survey of the work mensions. The need for lightning action and superla-
of that group. The first volume of each group's report tively accurate results makes mere human skills hope-
contains a summary of the report, stating the prob- lessly inadequate. The Division's answer was the
lems presented and the philosophy of attacking them, development of the electronic M-9 director which,
and summarizing the results of the research, develop- controlling the fire of the Army's heavy AA guns,
ment, and training activities undertaken. Some vol- proved its worth in the defense of the Anzio Beach-
umes may be "state of the art" treatises covering sub- head and in the protection of London and Antwerp
jects to which various research groups have contrib- against the Nazi V-weapons. In addition to producing
uted information. Others may contain descriptions of mechanisms such as the M-9, the Division made less
devices developed in the laboratories. A master index tangible but equally significant contributions through
of all these divisional, panel, and committee reports the application of research methods which had a pro-
which together constitute the Summary Technical found, even revolutionary, influence on fire control
Report of NDRC is contained in a separate volume, theory and practice.
which also includes the index of a microfilm record of The results of the work of Division 7, formerly
pertinent technical laboratory reports and reference Section D2, are told in its Summary Technical Report,
material. which has been prepared at the direction of the
Some of the NDRC-sponsored researches which had Division Chief and has been authorized by him for
been declassified by the end of 1945 were of sufficient publication. It is a record of creativeness and devo-
popular interest that it was found desirable to report tion on the part of men to whom their country will
them in the form of monographs, such as the series on always be grateful.
radar by Division 14 and the monograph on sampling
inspection by the Applied Mathematics Panel. Since VANNEVAR BUSH, Director
the material treated in them is not duplicated in the Office of Scientific Research and Development
Summary Technical Report of NDRC, the mono-
graphs are an important part of the story of these J. B. CONANT, Chairman
aspects of NDRC research. National Defense Research Committee
ONMV
FOREWORD
V OLUME 3 of Division 7, the Summary Technical requirements, but Mr. Phibrick has served his reader
Report of Section 7.2, NDRC, contains three a tasty dish of skilled technical exposition. We can
parts. In Part I on aiming controls in aerial ordnance, ask no more.
Mr. G. A. Philbrick discusses the work of the Section In general the part contributed by Professor Russell
in all fields except that of gunnery and the assessment stresses the instrumental features of aerial gunnery,
of gunnery devices. Mr. A. L. Ruiz has contributed and relies upon the writing of Dr. Paxson, in Volume
Part II, in which. developments in aerial torpedo 2 of the Summary Technical Report of the Applied
directors subsequent to those in which Mr. Philbrick Mathematics Panel, for the basic mathematical sub-
took part are discussed. The third principal part of stance of the subject. Professor Russell brings to his
the report is that on aerial gunnery and assessment, treatment continuous experience in the field dating
written by Professor J. B. Russell. from before Pearl Harbor. He has participated in all
It is indeed fortunate that such a large part of this of its growth, first as a Technical Aide in Section 7.2,
work could be written by one individual, who could and during the closing months of the war as an
thus provide a unity of treatment which otherwise Expert Consultant to the Secretary of War.
would be very difficult to obtain. In assuming re-H. L. HAZEN
sponsibility for his part of the Summary TechnicalCheDvso7
Report, Mr. Philbrick took on a heavy task-andCheDvso7
discharged it with zeal. Under the circumstances a S. H. CALDWELL
more conventional report would have fulfilled all the Chief, Section 7.2
Vii
CONTENTS
PART I
CHAPTER PAGE
AIMING CONTROLS IN AERIAL ORDNANCE
By G. A. Philbrick
Prefatory Comments... ... .... 3
1 General Theory of Aiming Processes . . .. 9
2 On Certain Aspects of Tracking.. .. ... 23
3 Technology of Rotation in Space... .... 35
4 Simulation as an Aid in Development . .. 48
5 Linkages for Computation and Manipulation 66
6 Aiming of Torpedoes from Airplanes . . .. 79
7 Aiming of Bombs from Airplanes.......95
8 Control of Guided Bombs... ..... 112
9 Aiming of Rockets from Airplanes . . .. 133
10 Integrated Equipment for the Pilot .... 147
PART II
AERIAL TORPEDO DIRECTORS
By A. L. Ruiz
Prefatory Comments... ... ... 163
11 Course Stabilization... ... .. .. 165
12 Present-Range Type Torpedo Detectors . . .167
13 Torpedo Directors for Use Against Evading
Targets.. . .. .. . .. ... 169
PART III
AERIAL GUNNERY
By J. B. Russell
Prefatory Comments... ... ... 177
14 General Survey of Aerial Gunnery .... 179
15 General Principles.. .. ... ... 185
16 Local Control Systems..... .. .. 192
17 Remote-Control Systems.. .. . ... 198
18 Tracking and Ranging... .. .. .. 204
19 Simulation and Gunnery Assessment .... 209
20 Discussion on Future Work... . ... 214
Appendix.... .. ... .. .. 217
Glossary... ... .. ... ... 231
Bibliography.... .. ... ... 233
Index.... . .. ... .. .. 245
ix
PART I
AIMING CONTROLS IN AERIAL ORDNANCE
By G. A. Philbrick
PREFATORY COMMENTS
GENERAL sights for aerial torpedoing, bombing, and
aerial rocketry, with a final attempt to combine
rsURINGte as hre as ana ate all of these functions with that of fixed gunnery
I'present writer has served as technical aide for the fighter airplane. The most impressive
tsoe cSti.o nH .h aCs ablsdeeewcnie olccnl,hhh aarCsrgbgheeeiee d f wwoifit hhS eaacirrtbibooonrn n7ee. 2d, eewvvehelooosppe-- omtohmies swiorinte thrii s h tahsta bt eoeonff rfellexexpiioebs leed ggtuoen naenrdy o,h reafwso rieg awinheilde
ments within the more general fire control familiarity with the equipment and develop-
fRreasmeaerwcho rkC ooRmf emsDeiirtvctehise i ono[m Nm7tDt eeoR[NfDC CN]].. atBioyyn addl ellDeeggefaaetiinoosnen mleimtntnltetaa rloo erp r rnooc etdaunrgeiis b leit nh r ethsipisom nbsbriabrnailcnihty , hhtehe evhraeao.s hAhaand-
from the section chief, the writer has shared, other characterization of the present material
with other technical aides and section members, refers to the character, or technical position,
several domaoaindf sr soedfa vrcehes lpoomnseinbi litoyn in itrhber cnoen diurecot f trhee sreesaerahrceh es hwihcichhe raere roerptoer tedd uppoonn,t aanndd
ors.hearh iadvlpon wairobsrui ne fyi reflects the corresponding nature of the activi-
controls. The initiation for such work in typi- ties of the writer. The latter has been substan-
cal cases occcuarsl athser ooucguhrs tah rurreegqhu ueess t bbyy AArrmm y oorr titael ly ftae wciree.Tateultree of the laboratao riese,n sobtpnerating
Navy to Offivceel oomfe nS cie[oOnr tRifDic]p aRteisceuaarcrh atnudd Doef-f or thet he mmoosts tepaarrtt bbewtw etehne thetooyry aanndd rddeesiiggn.
velopment [OSRD] for a particular study of His contacts with the using Services have
deeopenizt;, fow ig ae c the ateer usually been with respect to a particular equip-
organization, which is made through agree- menit under development, and his involvement
ments of the relevant section and division of with proving organizations and with aerial fir-
NDRC, a program is laid out and presented as insgs anifo the s ii puros f
specification for a project to the appropriate gaining knowledge of the properties of one
contractor. Guidance of this project through device rather than of a larger category. That
the stages of theory or experiment, design or is to say, the morphology of localized appara-
test, and the maintenance of liaison with the tus, from the instrumental standpoint, is here
same agencies concerned, constitute functions stressed rather than a broader survey of avail-
of the NDRC section. Such duties have in turn able ordnance or a presentation of assessment
become those of such operatives as the present techniques, in spite of the recognized status of
writer, who enter. personally into the technical the latter. The flavor is thus dynamical rather
phases of the development of the project as than statistical, constructional rather than
deeply as appears necessary or appropriate, evaluational, instrumental rather than logistic,
and who answer to the section for the conduct and physical rather than administrative. This
and outcome of the work, is not to indicate any absolute preference or
desirability, but straightforwardly to identify
SUBJECT MATTER the aspect of the material to be treated, and to
admit that this aspect stems, quite naturally,
By reasons of familiarity and plausibility, the out of the writer's own predilections and pro-
material treated in the following pages is pensities, quite aside from whether these are
naturally restricted to those branches of air- important.
borne fire control with which the writer has In addition to the description, in successive
been concerned at first hand. Although rather developmental forms, of a number of specific
generously distributed over the field, these computing devices and controls, considerable
branches have not been all inclusive. They are space is here allotted to certain tools of re-
considered sufficiently pervasive, however, to search themselves, where it is felt that these
warrant the title given to the present report. constitute advances in the techniques of instru-
In particular, the subject matter revolves about ment development or design. It is believed, for
the development of computors and computing example, that the use of increasingly compre-
-1r'NFI XEINU 3