PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Americas early guided missiles... utilising three Pigeons, yup you heard it correct.
Old 5th Dec 2022, 20:44
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Maoraigh1
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Moray,Scotland,U.K.
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Never had any military experience, so not entitled to post here. BUT:
In 1961-62, at Aberdeen University Psychology Department, Dip Ed. Postgrad course concurrent with College of Education Diploma, over an evening coffee break one of the lecturers mentioned he'd worked on pigeon- controlled ballistic missiles. There was doubt if transistors could survive the forces, and valves couldn't.
There was a glass screen, with a metal grid. An aerial photo of the target was moved behind it. When the pigeon pecked at the target, it got food, and the wire pecked was to control the rocket.
When transistors were shown to survive, the project was ended, and he came to Aberdeen. I don't remember his name. Youngish guy then.
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