Angle information to Earth and Sun can actually be semi-automatically read with photomultiplier tube sensor (with 1935 tech, you would realistically need to turn two dials until the pair of balance galvanometers reads zero, and then read angle from dials). And stars angle could be taken with sextant.
Then feed the angle data to corresponding nomogram to get the navigation solution..
Nomograms are the very powerful computation tool for specific tasks, including orbital transfer calculations. Slide-rule is a special case of nomogram. For computer-less manned space capsule, the recipe for accurate guidance would be just "add more nomograms affixed to walls of capsule".
Was the manufacturing precision good enough to be useful?
Like the Soviet Lunokhod rovers, or their plan for LK manned lander, didn't have computers, just fancy autopilot, a crude computer, but still counts
The Soviet Lunar plans were a bit too dangerous for humans IMO.
There were many more things that if they broke, they'd have a dead crew.
Wasnt the guidance computer more of a luxury item? They were doing the calculations on the ground as well to compare what the computer on board of the capsule was doing because no one trusted that thing. Communications delay was 2 seconds or so, they could have done everything on the ground except the landing, which the pilots could and did do by hand.
In a sense. But some of the manoeuvres needed to be very precisely calculated and if communications DID fail, then the computer might be necessary for keeping the crew alive.
You could consider that extra margin of security a "luxury", but given the enormous costs that a dead crew would have carried... One could also consider it a very necessary piece of kit.
And for the sake of this WI, yes, maybe you could dispense with the computer and instead opt for a different backup. But I really can't see anyone starting a moon shot without similar capabilities to provide backups as the Americans were able to do for Apollo. Given the very public nature of the stunt and the extreme cost involved, no-one wants to lose people up there.
(And for those who say "what about the Soviets", I have a hard time seeing them actually taking a punt on the mission plan the cobbled together in the late 60s.)
fasquardon