John,
The following online circuit description and discussion is from US Navy training material of the appropriate vintage [c. 1960-1] and uses the standard crossed-flags topology for the circuit [bases facing, cross-connected to collectors] ... which you may need to change the tach circuit to -- to make sense of it. The one confusing aspect may be converting to an upside-down world regarding power supply polarities. NPN transistors take the confusion factor out of a positive-supply world!
http://www.tpub.com/neets/book9/36b.htm