Rare computers 1940s - 60s Zuse SM1, SAPO, RAYDAC

mainframetom · July 10, 2022, 4:09pm

During research (this time for AEG-Telefunken), I found this long PDF in German (Rechnen mit Maschinen, 336 pages) with many vintage photos of famous and rare computers, some selected photos, lucky lady (can she really handle it all?). Photo 2 is on the web but in lower scale. Zuse I only knew the Z-computers. Of course more Zuse photos. Also the very early history.

Wikipedia has entries but no photos

NoLand · July 10, 2022, 5:10pm

Thanks for the link, this is really an interesting book – not just because of the images!
(Don’t miss the detailed part on components and peripherals at the end.)

Something, I found amusing: on p. 119 we find (next to an image of Whirwind):

Endlich wird auch in den USA das der
elektronischen Schaltungslogik ange-
paßte duale Zahlensystem als zweck-
mäßig erkannt und angewendet.

Which translates to,

The binary number system is finally recognized in the USA, too, as useful for suiting electronic circuity and adapted.

NoLand · July 10, 2022, 5:25pm

Also, the third image (the SM 1 by Seifers in Munich/Germany): What is this display?
I guess, it’s kind of a CRT – but the size! Why?

mainframetom · July 11, 2022, 1:32pm

The Zuse/Seifers SM 1 was the predecessor of the Zuse Z11. It was used for geodesy and land consolidation. Previously there were Seifers S1 and S2 (~1944 ?, 800 relais, there were only ~2 other computers in the world)

Photo and some more info from Der Computer: Mein Lebenswerk by Zuse (Google Books, apge 63,64). I think Flügelvermessung (measuring of wings (of planes)) here means measuring a flying bomb.
The SM1 was at least at display up to 1967 at the Deutsches Museum.
I haven’t found any other pictures and very few information. Not even on the official Zuse site. Some info on GWDG-Nachrichten – Sonderausgabe 40 Jahre GWDG.

oldben · July 11, 2022, 5:59pm

ATTENTION
This room is fullfilled mit special electronische equippment.
Fingergrabbing and pressing the cnoeppkes from the computers is allowed for die experts only!
So all the “lefthanders” stay away and do not disturben the brainstorming von here working intelligencies.
Otherwise you will be out thrown and kicked anderswhere!
Also: please keep still and only watchen astaunished the blinkenlights.

dtmb · July 12, 2022, 3:00pm

A search in the digital archive of Deutsches Museum (Deutsches Museum - Online-Sammlung) finds some documents and images.

mainframetom · July 12, 2022, 3:58pm

Thanks very much. Via Google I found titles of these documents elsewhere but I think they couldn’t be opened for free. And I first wasn’t aware, that some of the documents have several subpages.
The best one is this panel of the S2 (I think S1 is similar or same)

As Germany was about to loose WW2 in 1944, they didn’t use it.
Maybe Zuse relatives and fans don’t like to be associated with the war and that’s the reason you can’t find it easily.
There are some more pictures including the patent, but not about the computers but the planes etc. Some dates are wrong (1952 instead of 1944).