New Zealand Vintage Computer Forums

Hello all,

I am currently working on a documentary about the Mt Erebus disaster, and need to locate some computers to place inside the Air NZ offices of 1979.

Here are some file photos for reference:





I haven't been able to identify the model in the picture, but to me it looks close to these:

http://oldcomputers.net/heathkit-h89.html
http://oldcomputers.net/cromemco-system-three.html
http://oldcomputers.net/ibm5110.html
http://oldcomputers.net/trs80ii.html

I am looking for two of the same model (more would be fantastic). If anybody has the computer model pictured, or even anything similar, between 1977-1979, I would love to hear from you! The computer does not necessarily have to be in a working condition.

Regards,

Eddy

Yes, close but I don't think these are any of the four mentioned. For the purposes of filming though, I guess you just want something that's close.

Eddy, it would help if you could say where are you based? Auckland?

Yes, the four I linked to were just examples but anything close to the reference picture would be perfect. I am based in Auckland (specifically Te Atatu Peninsula, but I can head all over the wider Auckland area). I would be looking to use the computer(s) around the 10th-14th of September.

... and if anyone CAN identity the computer in the picture that would be awesome, just for my peace of mind! I've been trying to track it down for hours.

Thanks!

It looks kinda like a DEC VT terminal style...

http://www.woffordwitch.com/VT05.asp

Looks close!

Please get in touch if you have any computers from that era, if you have any photos etc. that would be fantastic. Historical accuracy is fairly important, but if it is not the same model it isn't the end of the world!

*EDIT*

I have managed to identify the model, it is a Raytheon PTS-100.

My employer (who shall go unnamed) was probably your best chance to get one of these locally, but I know we cleaned out some of our older AirNZ related store-rooms about two months ago as part of a datacentre migration. I'll ask, but I don't expect success at this point.

I have no particular wish to be offensive, but is there a point to this documentary other than adding to someone's directorial resume? I find myself questioning who is going to be served by raking these particular ashes over again, and I'm pretty sure that AirNZ would rather Erebus was allowed to fade into history at this point.

Thanks for your help, I would love to hear how that goes.

In regards to the documentary, it will focus much more on the operation to recover the bodies of the crash and very little on the Air NZ side of things. (That 'very little' does unfortunately include an office scene which requires very rare computer terminals).

Gibsaw wrote:My employer (who shall go unnamed) was probably your best chance to get one of these locally, but I know we cleaned out some of our older AirNZ related store-rooms about two months ago as part of a datacentre migration. I'll ask, but I don't expect success at this point.

I worked on the Newton relocation project.

The oldest hardware that was sent out for recycling was Sun4m class machines. I didn't see anything that was older than mid-90s.

Indeed. I went through the storerooms, including the old mainframe storeroom at NLS, but there was nothing resembling these.