PROGRESS REPORT FOR AUGUST 1960 ON THE SIGNAL FLARE TESTING RD 45, TASK ORDER LL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-03642A002400010028-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 25, 2011
• Sequence Number: 28
• Publication Date: September 19, 1960
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2011/05/25: CIA-RDP78-03642A002400010028-4
1_
. - -c t A 1 .
PROGRESS REPORT
FOR
AUGUST 1960
ON THE
SIGNAL FLARE TESTING
RD 45v TASK ORDER LL
19 September 1960
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 Approved For Release 2011/05/25: CIA-RDP78-03642AO02400010028-4
During the month of August 1960, all the shipments of
railroad flares were received and their testing was started.
A considerable portion of the tests were completed by the end
of August.
The first series of tests consisted of burning 20 flares
of each brand under ambient conditions from which the following
results were noted.
I. Standar? Railway Fusee Corp. (Red)
A. Of the 20 tested, 3 did not continue to burn
after ignition, but when re-lit with another
flare, they did burn completely.
B. These flares gave very little chimneying and
were easy to ignite. They had a flame length
of about 2-1/2" - 3" as did all the red flares
from the other companies.
C. Average time to full flame was 2 minutes; maxi-
mum burning time 33 minutes; minimum burning
time 31 minutes and average burning time
31.76, minutes.
II. Olin Mathieson Chemical Corp. (Red)
A. Of the 20 tested, 3 did not continue to burn
after ignition, but when re-lit with another
flare, they did burn completely.
B. Four of these flares were chimneying rather
strongly and most of them were hard to ignite
and were also slow starting once ignited.
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 Approved For Release 2011/05/25: CIA-RDP78-03642AO02400010028-4
C. Average time to full flame was 2 minutes;
maximum burning time 58 minutes; minimum
burning time 35 minutes and average burning
time 36.29 minutes.
III. Bristol Flare Corp. (Red)
A. All 20 burned to completion following ignition.
B. Half of these flares were chimneying strongly;
6 were difficult to ignite, but most of them
had a fast start, once ignited.
C. Average time to full flame was 1-1/2 minutes;
maximum burning time 34 minutes; minimum burning
time 30 minutes and average burning time 32.26
minutes.
IV. Bristol Flare Corp. (Yellow)
A. All 20 burned to completion following a fast
start after ignition.
B. Chimneying was slight and ease of ignition was
very good on these flares. The flame length
was 3-1/2" - 4".
C. Average time to full flame was 1-1/4 minutes;
maximum burning time was only 20 minutes; minimum
burning time 17 minutes and average burning
time 18.5 minutes.
V. International Flare Signal Division (Kilgore) (Red)
A. One out of 20 failed to burn after ignition,
but when re-lit with another flare continued to burn
satisfactorily.
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B. Most of these flares were easy to ignite but
were chimneying excessively. Eleven had
loose plastic base plugs. Five had cracked
or loose matchheads.
~C. Average time to full flame was 1-1/2 minutes;
maximum burning time 37 minutes; minimum
burning time 32 minutes and average burning
time 34.95 minutes.
VI. International Flare Signal Division (Kilgore) (Yellow)
A. Nine out of 20 of these flares went out soon
after ignition and most of these went out again
after being re-lit with another flare.
B. Most of these flares were easy to ignite, but
were chimneying excessively. Some had very poor
flames and the flame was often barely visible.
C. Time to full flame ranged from 1 minute to
3-1/2 minutes; maximum burning time 37 minutes;
minimum burning time 28 minutes and average
burning time 30.54 minutes.
The second test consisted of burning 10 flares of each
brand immediately after they had been kept in an oven at 110OF
for five days. The following results were noted%
I. Standard Railway Fusee Corp. (Red)
A. Ease of ignition and chimneying satisfactory.
B. Average time to full flame was 1-1/2 minutes;
maximum burning time 31 minutes; minimum
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burning time 29 minutes and average burning
time 29.9 minutes.
II. Olin Mathieson Chemical Corp. (Red)
A. Ease of ignition and chimneying were both
all right.
B. Average time to full flame was 1-1/2 minutes;
maximum burning time 33 minutes; minimum
burning time 30 minutes and average burning
time 32.3 minutes.
III. Bristol Flare Corp. (Red)
A. Ease of ignition was fair and chimneying effect
excessive.
B. Average time to full flame was 1-1/2 minutes;
maximum burning time 32 minutes; minimum burn-
ing time 29 minutes and average burning time
30.7 minutes.
IV. Bristol Flare Corp. (Yellow)
A. Ease of ignition was very good and chimneying
was slight.
B. Average time to full flame was 1 minute; maxi-
mum burning time 19 minutes; minimum burning
time 18 minutes and average burning time
18.7 minutes.
V. International Flare Signal Division (Kilgore) (Red)
A. One out of 10 failed to burn after ignition
because the matchhead fell out when struck.
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 Approved For Release 2011/05/25: CIA-RDP78-03642A002400010028-4
In all but three flares, either the matchhead was
loose or plastic plug was loose.
B. Ease of ignition was good but chimneying effect
very bad.
C. Time to full flame was 1-1/2 minutes; maximum
burning time 33 minutes; minimum burning time
21 minutes and average burning time 30.22 minutes.
VI. International Flare Signal Division (Kilgore) (Yellow)
A. Ease of ignition was good but chimneying was
excessive. Flame length was 3" - 3-1/2".
B. Time to full flame was 1-1/2 minutes; maximum
burning time 28 minutes, minimum burning
time 20 minutes and average burning time
26.2 minutes.
The third test consisted of burning 10 of each brand of
flare immediately after they had been stored at -20OF for five
days. The following results were noted.
I. Standard Railway Fusee Corp. (Red)
A. Only one out of the 10 flares ignited and burned
to completion; the rest ignited and. then went
out but when re-lit did burn to completion.
B. The one flare that burned satisfactorily had
a time to full flame of 2 minutes and a burning
time of 32 minutes.
II. Olin Mathieson Chemical Corp. (Red)
A. Nine out of 10 ignited and burned to completion.
On the tenth one, the striker was damp and would
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not ignite the matchhead, but the flare did
start from another flare and continued to burn.
B. Time to full flame was 2-1/2 minutes; maximum
burning time 38 minutes; minimum burning time
36 minutes and average burning time 37.1
minutes.
C. Half of these flare were difficult to ignite
and all of them did some chimneying.
III. Bristol Flare Corp. (Red)
A. All ten ignited. Ease of ignition was fair and
chimneying effect was poor on these flares.
B. Time to full flame was 1-1/2 minutes; maximum
burning time 35 minutes; minimum burning
time 32 minutes and average burning time
33.1 minutes.
IV. Bristol Flare Corp. (Yellow)
A. All ten ignited. Ease of ignition and chimneying
effect were good on all of these flares.
B. Average time to full flame was 1-1/4 minutes;
maximum burning time 20 minutes; minimum burn-
ing time 17 minutes and average burning time
19.1 minutes.
V. International Flare Signal Division (Kilgore) (Red)
A. The ease of ignition was good but the chimney-
ing was excessive on all of these flares.
-6-
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B. Eight out of 10 of these flares had the plastic
base plugs loose and one out of 10 ignited,
then went out and could not be re-lit even
from another flare.
C. Average time to full flame was 1-1/2 minutes;
maximum burning time 38 minutes; minimum
burning time 34 minutes and average burning
time 35.44 minutes.
VI. International Flare Signal Division (Kilgore) (Yellow)
All ten ignited but none of these flares burned to
completion after ignition and three could not be
re-lit from another flare.
The appearance of the Kilgore flares indicated that they
may have been aged or moisture damaged. A humidity and
temperature check was made of our magazine where the flares
had been stored since their arrival here. The temperature
for a one week period remained fairly constant at 73?F
and the humidity averaged 74%.
The last test which was performed this month was to
submerge the flares in water for 10 minutes, then try to
burn them. This is in accordance with one of the tests
as specified in the Bureau of Explosives Specifications
for Red Railroad Fusees. The Bristol yellow flare was
the only one which would burn after igniting, though the
Standard red did ignite on striking, but then went out.
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 Approved For Release 2011/05/25: CIA-RDP78-03642AO02400010028-4
Because of the poor quality of the Kilgore flares, a
letter was written to the company asking them if they would
care to replace the unsatisfactory flares with new items
from a more recent production. An answer was received
stating that they would send a new shipment of standard
production items both of the red and yellow flares. Upon
their arrival in September, we will put them through the
same tests as the previous flares.
Kilgore recommended a 450 angle for intermittent dropping-
off of the "scoria" (chimney) but the spike on all the
flares is so short (14 to lj") that even vertical position-
ing is difficult.
It is our opinion at this point that the commercial
fusee and especially a now standard item such as the
30 minutes flare is a poor field item for important and
perhaps critical tactical applications.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Total Amount of Contract
Z
3,372.00
Expenditures for August 1960
1, 076.98
Total Expenditures to 31 August 1960
1,162.61
Balance of Contract
2,209.39
Expiration Date: 23 November 1960
Approved For Release 2011/05/25: CIA-RDP78-03642AO02400010028-4