This is a Kennedy 9800 dual density 1/2" 9-track reel tape drive. I need to check the details, but I guess it was manufactured some time in the 1970s. A label suggests it was last calibrated by the original owner in the late 1980s.
I have no idea whether this thing works. It is a raw drive, without any controller. The drive interface is at a similar level as floppy disk and MFM/RLL hard drives. I'll need to build a USB/SCSI to drive interface controller to see if it does anything.
If I do get this to work, I may try hooking it up to my PiDP-11/70, and possibly to a future PiDP-10.
See also Kennedy 9800
Date: 1972