Ask a Librarian

Thingamajig

by Alethea Drexler
archives assistant


Hey, it’s the Thingamajig!   Remember the Thingamajig?  I almost didn’t, either!
This edition of Thingamajig features an object that has been hanging out at the McGovern Research Center for a long time but was only recently identified (yes, I will be able to post an answer for you next week).
Actually, it looks a little surprised to find itself in the blog spotlight:

What is it?

(Click on the images for larger and more detailed versions.)

It’s about twelve inches tall, eleven inches deep (front-to-back), and nine inches wide side-to-side.  The carcase is metal and we assume the internal workings are, too, because it’s very heavy for its size.  The front has two needle gauges, four dials, and a lever with a knob on the end.
I always thought it looked like something removed from the cockpit of a World War II bomber, but of course it’s not.

Plugs on each side, and power cords.

It has an electrical inlet plug on each side and a lot of old power cords coming out of the back.
What do you think it is?