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USMC Harrier calculator by Texas Instruments

Date of introduction:  1978 Display technology:  LED-stick
New price:   Display size:  10 (8 + 2)
Size:  6.4" x 3.2" x 1.5"
 162 x 81 x 37 mm3
   
Weight:  8.5 ounces, 240 grams Serial No:  6076529
Batteries:  BP1A Date of manufacture:  year 1978
AC-Adapter:  AC9131 Origin of manufacture:  USA
Precision:  13 Integrated circuits:  TMC0501E, TMC0582, TMC0583, TMC0571, 2*TMC0598 
 TMC0540 (ZA5502)
Logic:  AOS - 8 Pending Operations, 9 ()    
Memories:  0-60    
Program steps:  480-0 Courtesy of:  Hans Bloemen

The innovative TI-58 was the perfect base for a lot of customized calculators. This one was used end of the Seventies and early Eighties by the USMC (United States Marine Corps) to calculate Takeoff, Landing and Flight maneuvers.

The idea behind these products was the novelty of the Solid State Software Modules™ with up to 5000 program steps. This software was written by the SW-engineers of the McDonnell Douglas Aircraft company and programmed into the modules by Texas Instruments.

The customized keyboard hides most functions available on the standard TI-58 and allows only access to the basic calculation functions and the programmed functions of the AV-8C module.

The "Harrier" was designed and developed end of the 1950s to mid of the 1960s by British Aerospace (BAE) as the first V/STOL (
Vertical or Short Takeoff and Landing) strike aircraft. In cooperation with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft it was introduced 1971 in the United States and designated AV-8A. The the twin seat trainer version was named TAV-8A.

The AV-8A design of the Harrier was modified to extend its operational life and renamed to AV-8C, also known as Harrier II. McDonnell Douglas Aircraft and Texas Instruments changed the TI-58, too - and replaced it with the USMC AV-8C calculator based on the TI-58C (This "C" is just the abbreviation of its Continuous memory).

In the meantime the Harrier was replaced with the Harrier II Plus or AV-8B.

Find a lot of information about this aircraft here

Notice the difference between a V/STOL aircraft and a Cessna.

Compare it with a similar product by the insurance companies Agrippina, Allianz, Lloyd, LVM and Nordstern, the CAL-Q-TAX calculator or the Bossard screwing joint calculator.

In the year 1977 Bobby Schenk developed with the NAVI 2000 the first navigation computer based on the TI-58, a similar product was sold with the TI-58 Marine Navigation. Don't miss the later TI-78 used in the Boeing 767-200 Special Freighter.



For V/STOL maneuvers, the calculator calculates:

Vertical, Rolling Vertical, Short, and Conventional Takeoff performance.
Vertical, Slow, and Conventional Landing performance.


For REST maneuvers, the calculator calculates:

Constant Mach-altitude cruise, constant altitude cruise and endurance,
   and optimum altitude cruise and endurance performance.
Combat ceiling, and climb performance between any two altitudes.
Idle and instrument penetration descent performance between any two altitudes.
Constant and optimum altitude emergency Bingo performance.

 

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If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.

© Joerg Woerner, December 5, 2001. No reprints without written permission.