Technology and Science from 1901 to 1945

Just to put the mention of Electron Multiplier into laymans terms. It is part of a TV set, first developed by Baird himslef in the early 1930's. It is the method used by early TV technology to amplify electon images. TV works by passing an Electron stream past a small aperture. The continous but varying electron flow brought into action at this point is handled by an electron multiplier which amplifies the minute electrical impulses (all bearing an exact relation to the number of electrons received originally from the photo-electric plate.

The particular form of the multiplier, or cold valve, as it is sometimes called, does vary, but it is not a uniquely German invention, unless Baird and his company are German.

Cold Valves were first used by the British in their airborne IR systems in 1938. After the war, the British did copy the German ground based assembly, but not for reasons relating to its its cold valve technology. I am not sure why they copied the mount, but some sources seem to suggest it was because the Germans had taken off the shelf technology, and developed its ground based technology in this field to a high level. The actual research however, was more primitive than the level that had been reached pre-war by the british at Oxford, Teddington and other research establishments

An electron multiplier is simply a filamentless valve capable of amplyfying a given signal thousands of times. That is to say, it is capable of taking the place of a multi valve amplifier with the advantage that it will not burn out as it has not filament

My source for this information is "Television-An Early History"; Stephen Herbert, . I also spoke to my brother, who is an electronics engineer .

Soren
So my posting no 200 was pretty close. The only effective passive equipment was the FuG280 produced in very limited number at the end of the war.
One question about the Ju88 shown in your picture, where did they plan to put the guns?

Hello Glider
all Ju 88Gs carried their forward firing cannon in underfuselage gunpack

Juha

Thanks, I should have remembered that, my mistake.

This subthread appears to have petered out. Any suggestions on what we should discuss next. Sorens list to me included trucks as an area that the Germans held a technological lead. Anyone want to make a starting comment, or are there other areas that someone would like to raise as an area for debate

In an earlier posting I mentioned that there were a number of items that Soren listed that shouldn't really be there and a number of people have mentioned the obvious that for any one nation to claim that it was in advance of all others would be rash to say the least. That said there is little doubt that in some key areas Germany did have a significant lead, submarines with the Type XXI, Aerodynamics, Tanks and some small arms being mentioned as examples.

However if we were to try to debate exactly in which area any country was ahead or behind then I believe there is a significant danger that it would quickly turn into a bad tempered thread.

as it did????

I agree Glider.

Parsifal,

I don't think I said the Germans fielded better trucks, I just made a list in response to someone's claim that the Germans didn't have use amphibious vehicles of all sorts when infact they made some of the best.

Hello all,

I would like to find/read the Pawlas handbook:

Handbuch Luftfahrt 6, Infrarot-Nachtjagdgerät "Spanner" By Karl Pawlas

Anybody has a copy or knows where I can find it ?

I'm lucky to have a working SpIIa and looking for any info on it.

Thanks