The Bendix Central Air Data Computer is a gear-based analog computer used in 1950s fighter planes. It computed "air data" such as airspeed, Mach number, and temperature. We finally got it operational, hooked it up to some instruments, and got turning gears and spinning dials.

My previous thread discusses the internals of the Bendix computer if you want to learn more. @curious_marc, @TubeTimeUS, and I have been working on this for a long time

For videos on the Bendix Central Air Data Computer, see @curious_marc's YouTube channel:

this the same Bendix?

Yes, Bendix made lots of products. Bicycle brakes? Sure. Analog and digital computers? Yup. Mass spectrometers? Ok. Guidance for the Saturn V rocket? Yes. Record players? Those too. Surface-to-air missiles and nuclear bomb parts? Why not?

Baggage would have loved this.

Million dollar question: Is it producing accurate results?

The results are inaccurate for two reasons. First, the instruments aren't compatible, so the indicated values aren't right. Second, we lost some of the alignment between gears during repair and we don't know the calibration procedure. So we won't be flying our F-104 with this.

what absolutely stunning engineering. thanks for sharing

How often was maintenance required? Lubricanting the gears and checking accuracy must have been tedious.