That was because they couldn't weld it in long, continuous thin sections. That was the product of electron-beam welding developed at the Skunk Works.
There are other ways to weld titanium, but it wasn't working for welding aircraft skins at the time.
-- Ed Huntress
Collins stuff really is pretty. Although I confess a certain inexorable fascination with earlier gear. Someday I'm going to make a vintage CW station. I've got the National SW-3, and I've got the two UV202 tubes.
Jim
The problem with EMP is that the junctions are compromised by the radiation and either break down or cause faulting when the radiation hits the junction. Tubes are not affected by the radiation because of the completely different way they work. Tubes, if properly mounted and cooled will last a very long time, pencil tubes especially, they seem to run forever.
John
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