Lockheed EP-3E Electronic Surveillance Aircraft Keyboard

JP! · 28 Apr 2021, 00:21

Here is a keyboard that I recently bought from a seller on eBay who purchased a large lot of equipment from Lockheed. This was pulled from a Lockheed EP-3E which were used by the US Navy.

Basically a keyboard for an airborne computer used for intelligence gathering, monitoring communications and radar. It is certainly well built as to withstand the rigors of some rough landings. According to markings inside the case it was manufactured sometime around 1984. No telling what kinds of action this keyboard has seen. It has definitely been well used but the Micro Switches (SW and SN series) are generally nice and smooth despite all of the dust and crud accumulated over the years.

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The designation MX-10514/AYQ on the manufacturer's plate:

MX means Miscellaneous

10514 is the identification for this particular item

A = Airborne

Y = Data Processing

Q= Special or combination of types

Contract: N6092183CA023

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Is this a PS/2 connector?

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Micro Switch Illuminati confirmed

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Looks like something got spilled here

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Illuminated SN series switches

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Most keys seem to have some kind of silicone adhesive on the stems? The keys comes off easily by hand though.

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The best key of them all - End Mission

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Craziest qwErtY design ever

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MMcM · 28 Apr 2021, 04:18

I was going to say that you have to keep the connector, even if you rewire the inside. But, if I'm right that this is the mate: https://www.newark.com/amphenol-aerospa ... dp/31K3195, it's $200.

JP! · 28 Apr 2021, 04:29

MMcM wrote: 28 Apr 2021, 04:18 I was going to say that you have to keep the connector, even if you rewire the inside. But, if I'm right that this is the mate: https://www.newark.com/amphenol-aerospa ... dp/31K3195, it's $200.

That's way more than I paid for the whole keyboard.

MMcM · 28 Apr 2021, 04:39

The AMI chip, SW-20365K, is the same as in here: viewtopic.php?p=457668#p457668. Which I think means the bottom (typewriter) half is parallel ASCII.