STATUS REPORT ON 263 P PERSONNEL BALLOON

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05416098
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: February 15, 2017
• Case Number: F-2008-00941
• Publication Date: March 17, 1958

Approved for Release: 2016/10/24 C05416098
CDNFIWNIIAL
PROJECT CCHPLETION COVER SHEET
ED-133A Balloon Personnel 263P
Contractor - General Mills, Inc.
2010 E. Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis, Minnesota
17 March 1958
(b)(3)
Date of Contract: Work began in June 1955
Amount of Contract: This work was part of an overall balloon project
and the estimated cost for this Task is $7000.
Contract NuMber: NONR 1589 (05)
2. Testing Reports - General Mills report #1332. This report is filed
under Balloon Personnel Reports in the vault. It's
nuMber is 28.
3. Specifications and Drawings - Specs and drawings will be filed in:
the appropriate spec file upon completion.
4. Advertisement of Items to Area Divisions
This item is known from TSS reports only and no further advertise-
ment is planned.
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File-Surveyed for Extraneous Material
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Signature
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Date
Approved for Release: 2016/10/24 C05416098
Approved for Release: 2016/10/24 C05416098
17 March 1958
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Status Report on 263 P Personnel Balloon
1. The 263P personnel balloon stems from the requirement for a
medium-small personnel carrier that is capable of carrying one man and
equipment to altitudes high enough for agent infiltration but not so high
as to be dangerous. The 263P has a volume of 8000 cubic feet, just one-
half that of the 343P balloon that is most commonly used. The load
altitude characteristics of this balloon are such that one man and
much equipment can be flown to 10,000 feet above sea level or two men
and little or no equipment can go to the same altitude.
2. Work on this balloon took place in 1954 and 1955. It was halted in 1955
to await new developments in balloon manufacture such as heat sealed load
tapes, integral duct, etc. These "new" developments have been included in
the 243P balloon but since additional work would be required to incorporate
them into the 263P balloon this will not be done. The 263P balloon is a direct
scale down of the 343P balloon and will remain so unless the level of personnel
balloon activity requires thesedhanges.
3. Specifications are under revision and when they are completed two
of these balloons will be turned over tote Office of Logistics with the
specifications.
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File: ED-133A
Approved for Release: 2016/10/24 C05416098