http://vipclubmn.org/CP24bit.aspx
Feb, 2010

3.7 CP-818 ( 1224)

I worked on the defense systems test floor (Plant 3) in the mid to late sixties
(before that operation was moved to Plant 1 (Shepard Road).   I worked mostly on
the 1218 and 1219 computers, but also on the 1224 project at Plant 5, with an
engineer named Charles Chu. I can't seem to find any info about the 1224 on this
website. Is there anything available? Thanks. [Roger C. Morris]


The 1224 was an off-shoot of the of the 1218 computer we designed for the
National Security Agency (NSA).  At the time (1964), I reported to Hy Osofsky
and I was the 1224 Project Engineer.  Leroy Olson designed the I/O section and I
designed the CPU and control sections. This computer had a very specialized
instruction repertoire. I recall one of the instructions was so complex I
actually flow charted it - to make sure it was correct!  After delivery of the
initial units, I made a couple trips to NSA - very interesting place.  I don't
recall any "Charles Chu" having anything to do with the 1224 - at least not
during the development phase.  Nor do I recall a person by that name ever being
part of Plant 5 Engineering.  Ernie Lantto was not involved and it was one of
the few computers in which Glen K. was not involved. [Don Mager]

I have a May 1968 genealogy chart that shows the 1224 as the CP-818, a
derivative or follow on to the 1218 computer.  [Lowell A. Benson - VIP Club
webmaster.]

I worked on the 1224 program writing acceptance test programs.  I don't remember
who was actually doing the design work.  I believe that it was called the
FlexComp and was a 24 bit machine just like the designation 1224 signifies.  It
featured what amounted to a special purpose register set designated as Talley
registers that could be used to correlate data occurrences in a data field.  I
had a lot of fun writing the test programs for the Talley registers and ended up
using a series of index modified nested loops to run all data combinations.  If
I could ever find my staff data sheet I could probably tell you exactly when I
was working on it. I'll have a look. [Dick Erdrich]



According to the Type Number Mill Nomenclature Listing the following::

1224 is listed as the CP-818/U, a 24 bit Computer, TUGGLE; Part Number 7033059,
4041224; Specification DS-4829.

Some people I talked to seemed to remember a TUGGLE Program/Project but nothing
more than the name. [Quint Heckert]

The 1224 [CP818] project started in September 1962 with five units shipped in
early 1964.  A 1224A [CP818U] project started in October 1964 with deliveries
through Oct. 1965.  {info from Ernie Lantto, et al'.}



Comments from: Tony Mannucci via web site, January 30, 2009: Message: I was in
the USAF Security Service back in the late 70's/early 80's. I was a ground radio
repairman and had no computer experience, but the Air Force sent us to the Navy
Technical Training Center at Corry Station in Pensacola, Florida.  We attended a
6-month course on the AN/GYK-8 FLEXCOP system which consisted of the Univac
24-bit computer, CP-818 and its peripherals. We were first taught machine-code
programming for the first 6 weeks.  The rest of the time was spent on learning
the peripherals.  Our training focused on writing our own utilities for
troubleshooting the system.  The school was the best I attended in my service
career because one I left the school, I was capable of maintaining the system. 
This was the Navy way whereas the Air Force typically used OJT to take the
school knowledge and complete it with hands-on experience.

Long after I completed my Air Force career, I went to work for the Federal
Aviation Administration. I found myself working on the ARTS IIIA Automation
System which to me were very much like the CP-818's I worked on previously. The
training was at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City.  It was considered a difficult
course.  I found it seriously lacking because the course administrators removed
the programming from the curriculum because students had too much difficulty and
their grades reflected it.  These computers did not have all the registers like
the CP-818 had, but they were very reliable.