DTORRAL EXPERIMENTAL REPORT #5

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-03642A000500010090-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 3, 2011
• Sequence Number: 90
• Content Type: REPORT

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S E-C 1
DT~'GRRAL EXPERI.ZE?NTAL REPORT 7#5
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CET
iecurity 'ormation
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SIX-M01, TH BURIAL. TEST ONT SEAL-PEEL FORMtJI A HR-49
On 3 March 1953 a burial cache was made of food, ordnance equip-
ment, electrical and signal equipment. The items were protected by
treatment with Hot Dip Seal-Peel formula HR-49. Upon recovery of the
cache, on 27 September 1953, the items were inspected to determine
what effects exposure to the burial conditions had had upon them.
All the items were in an excellent state of preservation and the pro-
tective coatings were intact. No control burial of untreated equip-
ment was made, instead the condition of buried equipment was compared
to that of identical items of equipment in indoor shelf storage.
1. Purpose of test:
The burial test was conducted to investigate the character-
istics of Hot Dip Seal-Peel formula HR-49 as an outer protective coat-
ing for burial caches in order to determine if more exhaustive research
on HR-49 is justified. It was decided to treat the items of equipment
individually and place them in the ground with the soil in direct con-
tact with the protective material. This decision was based on a desire
to determine if outer burial containers such as boxes, bags, and/or
shoring could be eliminated without impairing the protection of the
cache, and to produce, in as short a time as possible, maximum exposure
of the cached equipment to the elements.
2. Items cached and method of protective treatment:
The following equipment was prepared as indicated.
Item Treatment
1 ea 7.62 mm Carbine, M1938 "Mossin-dagant"
(Soviet), action, barrel, and magazine
only
1 ea Stock assembly for above
2 ea Magazine, drum, SMMIG, PPSH
1 ea SW transmitter SMT-1 with key, in orig-
inal metal case, u-ithout tubes or xtal
1 ea Battery, Burgess, dry, 6TA60, A and B
12-90 V.
ET
Security Information
Cleaned, oiled, and
dipped in HR-49
Cleaned and dipped in
HR-49
Cleaned and dipped in
HR-49
Case cleaned and unit
dipped in HR-49
Terminal plug holes
taped over with Scotch
tape and battery
dipped in HR-49
C N F D
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Security Information
Item
1 ea Flashlight, 2-cell, TL-122-b, w/bulb
and batteries
2 ea Ration, field, Chinese, in 4 commercially
packed tin cans, consisting of pork-fried
rice, canned fish, pickles, crackers,
salt tablets, dehydrated soup, tea, and
"pep" tablets.
CONF
Cleaned and dipped in,
,R-49
Cans placed in card-
board tube used to
pack 2.36'' flEA.T
rocket. Entire tube
dipped in iR-49
3. Conditionsof exposure:
The items, packaged as indicated above, were buried in a mod-
erately well-drained, level area in sandy, black soil. The holes were
not provided with sumps and the cache was covered with approximately
12-feet of dirt. The cache was mated on 3 :!larch 1953 and was recovered
on 2? September 1953. Average rainfall for this period was 6.64 inches
and the mean. temperature was 65.25 degrees F.
When recovered the cached items showed no external signs of de-
terioration. The Seal-?eel coatings were tough, glossy, strong, and
clear. There was no indication that the coating had scaled, chipped,
or cracked. The inside surfaces of the plastic were dry and bright
and appeared to be identical with the condition of plastic as it comes
from the factory.
The Soviet carbine was stripped and examined closely. The
action, barrel, and magazine showed absolutely no signs of rust or cor-
rosion. The action worked freely, the stock fitted easily and showed
no signs of damage due to mildew or rot.. The bore of the rifle was
clean and dry. When assembled and test fired from a machine rest, the
rifle operated normally, feeding cartridges smoothly and ejecting empty
casing easily.
b. Drum magazines:
The drum magazines were dismantled and inspected. There
was no rust on any of the parts. Although the magazines were not tested
in a weapon, they were free-working and had a lively action. It is be-
lieved that they could have been unwrapped and used immediately without
any additional servicing.
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CONF
DENIAL
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Security Itiformetion
CONRD NT AL
The peeling was removed from the radio case and the case
examined. The paint was smooth, dry, and appeared to have undergone
no changes whatsoever from the dipping and burial. The radio was dry,
clean, and, when tubes and xtul were fitted, operated satisfactorily.
There was no sign -of mildew on the set or components. The cardboard
circuit diagram in the set was quite dry end legible.
d. Battery:
When unpeeled the Burgess battery was lumpy and slightly
misshapen. Since there was no sign of moisture or corrosion, however,
The possibility exists that the elevation in temperature at the time
the battery was dipped in the hot plastic.is responsible for the dis-
tortion. The battery tested full strength and showed no significant
loss of power.
e. Flashlight:
The flashlight was unpeeled and switched on. It operated
normally, and when disassembled, the basing and switch seemed to be in
perfect shape. The bulb and batteries were in good condition.
The exterior of the cans showed no evidence of deteriora-
tion.. The cans had been varnished lightly by the manufacturer and
this finish Was still intact. The rations were opened and revealed
no spoiling of the contents. They were subsequently eaten with no
ill effects.
5. Conclusions:
The objects placed in this cache for the six-month Period
were recovered and found to be in perfect condition. After removal of
the HR-49 by stripping, the items would have been ready for immediate
operational use without additional servicing.
h. The objects cached were found upon recovery to be in far
bettor condition than id,ntical items stocked on shelves in indoor
storage, particularly with reference to damage by mildew, rust, and
dampness.
c. Further research and experimentation with Hot Dip Seal--
Peel formula I-_R-49 should be conducted in an effort to determine its
possible advantages and limitations as a protective burial agent for
use in. clandestine operational and support storage.
--p '~
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C Or\~FIIDENTW
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Safi
Sedurity Xrifox-oration
6. Remarks:
At the present time, has stocks of several
varieties of Seal-Peel plastic packaging materials.. These include
hot-dip strippable formulae, and cold applications of the strippable
and non-strippable types. The cold formulae may be applied by dipping,
brush on, or spraying. This office is now pursuing a program of test-
ing these materials and the techniques of their application for burial
and underwater caches of operational supplies such as weapons, cloth-
ing, signal equipment, ee.nd documents.
Comments and problems from other stations are invited in order
that we may make this testing as realistic and as widely applicable as
possible.
Originated by:
SFT
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-SECURITY( -wFORMATIOIN
Drum Magazine as Recovered from Cache
_$ECURITY WORMAT OJ
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