SP-1913 PROGRESS REPORT #9

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89B00487R000300450010-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 9, 2011
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: August 13, 1956
• Content Type: REPORT

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Cope .3 OF_3
AUGUST 13, 1956
SP-1913 PROGRESS REPORT #9
This progress report is written nineteen and one half months from the start
of the project - December 1, 195L. As of this date, the project has the follow-
ing status:
1. Fourteen aircraft have been flown and the fifteenth will arrive at
the training base August 17th.
2. A total of 2208:28 flight hours have been accumulated as of 31 July,
excluding foreign ssrvice.
3. On June 20th, we completed 500 hours total test time on -31 engines.
This is a really fine engine with almost a complete lack of problems
for our usage.
11. Detachment A with four aircraft was in place and operational 21 May
19560
5. Detachment B has completed training and successfully completed U S C M
21 July and is to be deployed this week.
6. The cost of this total program is still well below the original
estimates (see attached cost curve).
FLIGHT TEST STATUS
Airplanes 3111 and 344 have been turned over to training. No. 3111 still has
most of its test instrumentation and is being used only for landing stage training.
No. 3111 is scheduled back to Burbank 22 October, to be modified and brought com-
pletely up to date. No. 3141 is operational in nearly all respects for training.
However, some modifications are still required to bring it completely up to date.
No. 314 is scheduled back to Burbank 15 November for these modifications. No. 3111
and 311!1 are occasionally being used for flight tests where their configuration
makes it feasible. For example further auto pilot tests are scheduled to start
August 22nd in article 31111 for a few days and some cabin cooler testing is being
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iP-1913 PROGRESS REPORT #9 Page 2
No. 351 is basically the only full time flight test airplane at this time. It is
being used in testing the more recent equipment packages such as System II, III,
AF2 56, and B Configuration.
System IV, and the C Configuration are still not in sight for testing. Except
for these two items, we hope to be essentially complete on the remainder of flight
testing by 1 October.
Our most serious technical problem at this time is moisture on hatch windows.
Tests are continuing aimed at developing a control fcr this condition. Temporary
measures can and are being taken to alleviate this situation until a more positive
answer can be obtained.
EQUIR221T SUMMARY
SYSTE4 I -- Operational
SYSTEM II - Has had 5 test flights in #351, the last two of which were
reasonably successful for the entire mission. System II is
not installed except in #351 at this time.
SYSTEM III - Has successfully completed test in #351 and is ready to de-
ploy operationally. Airplanes 3149 and up will accept
System III. At present the main problem is gearing in the
-31 engine to run the alternator required for System III.
P & W are endeavoring to furnish gear kits as required to
meet System III usage.
SYSTEM IV - Not yet in existence.
Al and A2 Cameras -- Operational
B Camera - Tested on eight flights since 26 July and found to be
140 to 60 percent effective on a mission basis and 60 to
75 percent effective on a footage basis. This Unit is not
yet considered operational except on a risk basis where the
need so justifies the risk.
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P-1913 PROGRESS REPORT #9 Page 3
C CAMERA -- Not yet in existence. Scheduled 1 October for tests.
The drift sight utilization in connection with the C Camera
is considered very doubtful unless and until several im-
provement type modifications are incorporated. Further
testing is scheduled toward this objective.
Tested on eight flights so far with not too much success
sextant to be a very practical and accurate navigational tool.
getting a picture. There appear to be several problems yet
to be solved before this equipment can be considered avail-
able for operational use.
AUTO PILOT -- This equipment is operational. However the problem of
setting up an auto pilot on the ground so that it will
definitely work properly on the following flight has not yet
been mastered. Further testing is scheduled during week of
August 20, aimed at developing procedure and equipment for
satisfactorily setting up auto pilot systems in the field.
SEXTANT -- This equipment is operational. Averager installations have
been incorporated on Detachment A and B Articles and for
training. These averager installations are temporary up
through Article #354. Service bulletins and kits are being
prepared to retrofit the permanent averager installation.
Reports from S A C people at training base indicate the
b Being designed by Lockheed and not yet in existence.
First of four hatches scheduled 15 November for test.
has not yet arrived for test. Present schedule is 1 Sept-
ember approximately.
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