Transistor Museum Early Germanium Power Transistor History by Joe Knight BTL Western Electric Page 18

A SURVEY OF EARLY POWER TRANSISTORS

by Joe Knight

THE POWER TRANSISTOR

BELL TELEPHONE LABS AND WESTERN ELECTRIC

One of the unique features of these devices was the early use of the three thin connecting wires, similar to the W.E. GF-45017, also from 1956-57. And whereas it used a top exhaust tube, the F-51618/19 transistor series had their exhaust tip on the bottom as seen in the photo below. This lower profile would allow for a more compact assembly packaging, possibly needed in the tight confines of a missile interior.

It is likely that this transistor series was the first and only one which had individual serial numbers assigned to each transistor at that time. The logistics of keeping the records and testing programs to justify this additional expense had to be immense. It could only have been justified in some critical 'cost-no-object' defense program of that time, such as the Nike missile installations. Thus could be seen the possible genesis for the future implementation of North American Aviation's guidance and control system, in 1960, for the underground silo-based Minuteman ICBM missile program. While it used the Delco 251M (M= Minuteman?, advertised by Delco in 1960) Power Transistor (similar to the 2N1358), also individually serial numbered, every single electronic component in the whole guidance system was serial numbered, tested and records tracked for reliability and failure predictability. Now we are talking about a quantum leap in product quality control and cost.

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Joe Knight Early Power Transistor History – BTL/WESTERN ELECTRIC Page 18