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Photos from IBM 1401 era

Also see

Origins of Architecture and Design of the 1401
IBM 1401 Archive Pics


About Submitting Photos to this Web Site

Short answer  ;-))
     You snap/scan 'em and send 'em :-))
     I'll deal with 'em

Please tell me if you do not want name and e-mail credit.
  If you send 'em, they are/willbe public domain or what ever.

:-))
  Ed Thelen  - ed@ed-thelen.org 

Glossary:

  • WWAM - (World Wide Accounting Machine) - the hardware design effort by engineers from France, Germany and the U.S. that resulted in the IBM 1401 card (and tape?) system.
Photo Contributors:

from Karl Ganzhorn,
a German WWAM member
... photo of the initial WWAM task force in August 1955 in Boeblingen, Germany, ... It shows all the members involved except Jim Ingram (he probably took the picture, his chair is empty). From left to right:
  • Paul Manieri, Director Marketing IBM Europe, Paris (Italian origin)
  • Walter P. Scharr, Director of Engineering, IBM Germany (he died long ago)
  • Bill C. Christensen, Product Planning IBM WTC, New York
  • Maurice Papo, Engineering IBM France
  • Joseph D. Fernbach, IBM Endicott, Head of the WWAM Task Force
  • Karl E. Ganzhorn, Engineering IBM Germany
  • Ted Einsele, Engineering IBM Germany (later professor at Technical University of Munich)
  • Gene E. Estrems, Engineering IBM France (he died several years ago)
  • Ted Buley, IBM Poughkeepsie.

from Paul Lasewicz,
IBM archivist
1401 Datamobile in Denmark

from Maurice Papo,
a French WWAM member
My welcoming the Vice-President of IBM Tod Groo and the President of IBM France Christian de Waldner at the Nice airport upon landing of the "1401" IBM company plane for an actual visit to the WWAM project.
According to FAA website registration, the N1401M is a "Beech 65 Queen Air" built in 1961. There is another picture of N1401M at "Air Britain Photographic Images", taken in Glasgow Scotland, August 1962: http://www.abpic.co.uk/search.php?q=N1401M&u=reg
According to Air Safety Network, on November 18, 1968, it reportedly "descended below published approach minimums and crashed in a river (2 fatalities, 6 occupants)." At that time, it was operated by Executive Air and stationed at Latham, NY. This "Boght Fire Dept" website shows rescue of passengers from a plane crash into Mohawk river near Albany on that day: http://www.boghtfire.org/photo.htm :-(

" My demonstration of the early WWAM working model to the management (including Ralph Mork)
" 9 Detailed pictures to the WWAM created by the French Lab

CPU

Panel

Reader

Printer

CPU, open

Panel, back

CPU, circuit

Printer, open

overview

PlugBoard
" When I left the IBM French lab, the engineers and technicians wanted to make an usual gift I would remember... They crafted a wooden scale model of the 1401, enclosed it into a Plexiglass cover and organized a special ceremony during which they offered it to me..
I is still in my home in its original form, and I have been using it for many many years as a coffee table in my living room..
" Very early in the program, in August 1955, and because the French IBM President Christian de Waldner had been instrumental in getting the project started, the US group came to Paris in order to evaluate the potential housing? problem which was serious after the war.. Here is a picture taken during the "tour" we made of the Paris suburbs on housing hunt.
Top left is Christian de Waldner President of IBM France. Forth from the left is Ghertman, French Lab manager at the time. I am fifth from the left. Jacques Maisonrouge who was the French Head planner for the project at the time is seventh from the left. Bill Christensen who was the US Head planner is eighth from the left. Gene Estrems is on the top right.

from Bill Worthington,
CHM volunteer
was IBM programmer
Unloading at Helsinki 1964.jpg


Comments? E-mail Ed Thelen
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