CONFERENCE WITH DR. JAMES BAKER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89B00487R000300640046-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 9, 2011
• Sequence Number: 46
• Publication Date: February 3, 1955
• Content Type: MEMO

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ry 1955
Per
kin and Elmer25X1
1. In view of the fact that I was to be in Boston on 2 February to
visit wit 'on matters in connection with the forthcoming
JAEIC estimate, it was agreed with Mr. Bissell that I would also visit
Dr. James Baker at the computing laboratory at Boston University. The
subjects for discussion wth Dr. Baker were: (a) the interim decision that
tandem flights would be made in most cases although the distance between
planes nad not yet been determined, (b) the security difficulties caused
by telegrams such as the one from Scott of Perkin and Elmer to
of Band, (c) the delivery of equipment to HYCON and the difficulties
involved in procurement of sufficient numbers and (d) the receipt of the
drawings from Wright Field and the transmittal of them to IYUON? I also
wanted to discuss with Dr. Baker the schedules for delivery of GFE
which 1YCON might want, van requirements for field station maintenance
units and finally steps to be taken in connection with the establishment
of a processing laboratory.
In discussing the tandem flight problem, I pointed out to Dr. Baker
that radical steps had to be taken to reduce pay load weights in as
much as it was becoming apparent that we needed minimum pay load weights
in order to provide the barest margin of safety on long-range shuttle
flights necessitated by the location of critical high priority targets.
Dr. baker was in full agreement but mentioned that outside of mount
design and film load, nothing much could be done on reducing the weight
of the A configuration as a whole. Splitting the A configuration was
entirely feasible and the reexamination of the mount design to permit
such splitting for tandem flight coverage would be accomplished. (IN
later talks with Mr. Scott he too expressed concern over the weight esti-
mate given for the mounts in the A configuration and noted that he would
discuss this with 0 and probably In this connec-
tion Dr. Baker noted that he had finished the calculation on the 24-inch
lens intended for the B configuration and had ascertained that if lenses
in accordance with this design could be produced in time, they could
be used in the A configuration with the result of cutting the weight by
several pounds and improving the resolution by a factor of 2. Production
of such lenses was discussed with Scott who agreed to look into the
possibility of getting them in time. This would not mean an increase
in lens procurement but would merely mean delivery of the 24-inch lenses
for the B configuration in advance of the previously scheduled times.
It would also mean not having to procure 24-inch lenses fma the
Air force.
By the time we got to the discussion of the security difficulties,
i?r. Scott (P L. B) had arrived for a visit with Dr. Baker on route to
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Los Angeles to carry out discussion and negotiation of the subcontract
with IiICON. I therefore took the matter of contacts and communications
up directly with him. I indicated to him the inherent dangers and
noted the fact that we were sending detailed instructions out. i4r. Scott
was very understanding and happy to hear that we were getting out
instructions that he desperately needed. In particular connection with
his proposed discussions with I advised Scott to make the contact, 25X1
if he thought it essential, by asking at HYCON to get in touch L~DA"I
with at Ramo-Wooldricke to arrange the meeting. We 25X1
preferred that the meeting not take place at Rand or at Ramo-Wooldridge.
I also advised Scott that I thought that inthe firstinstance it would
be best to discuss the problem of recording data in connection with
photography with Ramo-Wooldridge before seeking to consult with
Raymond in as much as Raymond was only acting in a consultative capacity.
Scott agreed that the above procedure was satisfactory to him.
On GFE for HYCON and the drawings requested by HYCON, I noted for
Dr. Baker and Scott that the quantities requested were difficult to
procure even when we had reduced the quantities by the two thirds figure
previously agreed upon. I did advise Dr. Baker how ver that we bad.,
procured representative pieces of all the equi nvw twlpro`duc-rlon? j
n. I asked hr. Scott to review with HYCON
line setup,. i6ffi -gap P
the numbers of the various components requested as GFE for the A configura-
tion with a view toward further reductions both in the procurement and
in processing through the HYCON line so as to reduce the procurement
problem and reduce the cost of the hYCON contract. This Mr. Scott said
he would take up as part of his contract negotiations with HYCON. I reviewed
with Dr. Baker the list of drawings received from Wright Field and
received from him the opinion that this should satisfy HYCON's require-
ments. On the other hand, he conceded that HYCON might want in addition
some detailed drawings which he felt sure they would request either
through him or through us.
In the course of the discussion on GFE I asked Mr. Scott to start
discussion with HYCON at the earliest possible date on the subject of
van requirements for field maintenance units. We tentatively agreed
that the field station units should be reasonably small, air transport-
able, and completely self-sustaining (i.e. they should have a few
kilowatt power plants installed and should contain all benches, tools,
and equipment required for the field maintenance of all photographic
equipment including auxiliary electronics).
The processing laboratory facilities were discussed only briefly
because it was agreed that a meeting would be required within the next
30 days to firm up photographic equipment requirements, film manufacture,
field test processing, as well as production processing. Such a
meeting appears to be essential in view of the fact that during the
next two to three weeks the feasibility of the various courses of
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action being considered and some firm notions of designs will become
apparent. ija.nufacturing and procurement schedule information will
also be available. Thus freezing of designs, schedules and numbers
of equipments will be possible and should be accomplished. This was
strongly agreed to by both Scott and Dr. Baker and it was tentatively
established that all hands including Dr. Land, Dr. Baker, Acker, Scott
and representatives of the central group would meet on the photographic
problem late in February or early in March.
I had a brief discussion with Scott concerning the forthcoming
meeting in Hartford on 8 February between security and contract
personnel. I advised Scott that either I or someone from my office would
probably also attend in order to obtain a first hand report from Scott
on the discussions in the Los Angeles area.
Several small points were raised that are worth mentioning. First,
window sets may be higher than estimated. However this has to be
examined still further and no final designs have yet been reached.
Second, Dr. Land has apparently not yet started working on the light
wdight film problem. This tied in with the fact that the Boston
University reconnaissance research laboratory had found in some experi-
ments conducted last summer on Pikes Peak that high contrast film
(i.e. nigh gamma emulsions) was very useful in connection with the
haze penetration problem and yielded far better results than infra red
film. The fabrication of the periscope was also discussed briefly and
I brought to Scott's attention that consideration had to be given in the
design to the fact that the periscope operator would not be able to
apply his eye to the eye piece in view of the fact that he would be
wearing a rather large and bulky face mask. ,. Scott agreed that a
9-inch eye piece was indicated as a minimum. Scott mentioned that
he was having difficulty with the follower mechanism which connected the
camera and the periscope. It is his desire to construct a periscope
and follower mechanism arrangement such. that the observer finds his
target in the periscope well ahead of the airplane and having found
the target pushes a button. The position of the target with respect to
the plane is then fed into a computer which will take into account the
speed of the Pane and the angle of the target. When the plane reaches
the appropriate position, the computer feeds an impulse to the camera
shutter and the photograph of the particular target is made. Such a
system gives the operator a reasonable amount of time to search out his
target before the plane passes over it. However this entails some
difficulties in design in order to provide a memory for the computer
and some :.leans of taking into account the drift of the airplane. T.11us
far the solution of tie drift problem is unclear.
is
Lop- of
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.cjje discussions on the above lasted from approxir,rately 3:00 (,o 7:30
at which tilde ilx. Scott departed in order to board a plane for Los Anbeles.
Dr. baker and I continued for approxirmtely 3/4 of an hour and we
parted at approxi.pately d:15. I returned to Washington via the federal
and arrived in WashinGton approximately 3:30 a.m., Februar, r 3, 1955.
3 r'eb 55
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