The Music, the Technology, and the Philosophy

We learn from history that we learn nothing from history  - George Bernard Shaw

The Subject of Vacuum Tubes - Mayer's Oslo Report Changed Vacuum Tube History.

 
Likewise, as it was with the evolution of the electric light bulb, so it was with the related evolving idea of a vacuum tube with all its unknown possibilities. Only a few had the vision to see the practical implications and the beneficial prospects of this brand new technology here in the United States.

Early on, the immediate focus fell into the area of radio communications with contributions from many countries.  However, it took a world war to force the rapid development of this technology concept to gain military advantage for their side in the field of battle.  But, due to the invading forces on the European landscape, that didn't last very long.

Through the circumstances that followed, the race was on between the USA, England, and Germany in the advancement of the "vacuum tube" technology.

On November 4, 1939 Hans Ferdinand Mayer, along with his famous Oslo Report, sent to Captain Hector Boyes, the Naval Attaché at the British Embassy in Oslo a vacuum tube that was from a German prototype artillery shell proximity fuze.

Imagine!   A military designed vacuum tube that had to survive and function during the complete flight of an artillery projectile.  The year was 1939!

That vacuum tube Mayer supplied the Allies was the only physical Evidence of the existance of the Theoretical probability the German prototype artillery shell proximity fuze actually existed in the first place.
 
 

The VT proximity fuze Allied War Effort

 

 It was General George S. Patton who said that the introduction of the
proximity fuze required a full revision of the tactics of land warfare.

We learn from history that we learn nothing from history  - George Bernard Shaw

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