U-2 PROGRESS REPORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89B00487R000300470002-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 21, 2011
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: May 22, 1957
• Content Type: MEMO

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SAPG I rG -$'O
COPY i OF 1-
May 22, 1957
C '7/3
Tot R. M. Bissell//10/1104)
Fromt
Subjects U-2 PROGRESS REPORT
1. AIRPLANE STATUS
,Project airplanes. There are four project airplanes being
operated by the Contractor. All four of these are scheduled
for special tests of one kind or another. Serial 343 has been
repaired and-has had all of the latest modifications incorp-
orated, including the provisions for the C equipment. It is
scheduled to be delivered for flight test for both airplane
and C equipment on 5-27-57.
Serials 3114 and 355 have the latest modifications incorporated
and all of the provisions for Rainbow have been incorporated
that are possible at this time. The Rainbow provisions are
at a complete standstill pending receipt of material. Upon
receipt of material it will probably require one to two weeks
of shop time to complete these articles for flight test work.
The aft section of Serial 34 has been instrumented so that
data on temperatures will be available when flight test begins.
Serial 351 is presently undergoing installation of the latest
aodifications. It has been used for flight test of System IV
d will be used also to dheck out the new leading edge fuel
nks presently being built. These tanks should be ready for
ght test on about 6-17-57.
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2
FOG Airplanes. The following airplanes have been delivered
and are now on flying status with FOG.
361 6 December 56
362 12 December 56
363 19 December 56
361 18 February 57
365 6 February 57
366 31 January 57
368 4 April 57
370 19 March 57
371 14 April 57
373 3 May 57
371 10 May 57
The status of the FOG aircraft in flight test is as follows.
Airplane 367 has been used for prototype C camera flight test
but now it must be modified so that the production C camera
will fit it. This will be done shortly after 6-214-57. It is
then intended to use this article to test production C cameras
as they are built. This will entail using article 367 until
December.
Serial 368 has been accepted and has been used to check out
ARDC pilots. The weather gear installation is incomplete in
some respects due to lack of some weather equipment. The Radan
in this ship has been flown and checked out satisfactorily. A
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voice recorder is being installed on this ship which makes
use of the System I recorder.
Serial 369 initial flight checks have been completed. Both
Radan and APQ-56 gear have been operated at 15,000 feet. FOG
is agreeable to accepting this airplane whenever flight tests
show that the basic airplane installation is correct even
though all of the service type "bugs" are not out of the West.
inghouse gear at this time.
Serial 372 has had satisfactory
flights although thus far it has not been higher than 115,000
feet.
They were calibrated three
separate times. The calibration flights are now considered
finished at this time. As soon as the equipment has operated
correctly for a full cycle of eight hours at maximum altitude
it will be operational. Note tha hatches #11, #2 and
#14 have been delivered. #5 and #6 are now in flight test.
Serial 375 has been delivered to Edwards Air Force Base and
is awaiting release so that it can be flight tested. Serial
376 has been production flight tested to 45,000 feet. The
Radan and ASN-6 gear has been operated but not corpletely
checked out as yet. This aircraft has the revised System III
which uses a new fin antenna developed for it. Antenna pattern
measurements of the fin installation must be run.
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2. FLIGHT TEST PROGRAM
The anticipated f2,ight test programs are shown on the attached
chart.
3. STATE OF VEHICLE & COMPONENTS
The pilot's face plate lower fastening device has appeared to
be ve s
ry marginal as a4 result of checks at various helmet
Such an important item must be practically fool-
proof. To improve upon this catch a locking bar has been
devised and added to the face plate frames of the test pilots.
Kits for other pilot's personal equipment have been sent out.
A few changes have been incorporated in the aircraft in this
last period. These modifications are primarily of a minor
nature but are necessary items that have become apparent with
increased flight time on the aircraft. Chief among these
are the following.
An improved method of sensing the position of the intercom-
pressor bleed valve on the engine has been devised and flight
tested. It is now incorporated in production and kits have
been released. The older method would sometimes stick and so
cause concern as to whether the bleed valve or just the in-
dicator system was malfunctioning.
Small ram air scoups have been added to the outlets of the
suction relief valves on the lower surface of the wing tanks.
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JOV I=>
25
-25
344,
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This alleviates the problem of having the lox level warning
light sometimes cone on during a letdown when there actually
is more than forty gallons of fuel on board.
Service flight test of the AR-6 Radio Compass without its'
pressurized environment has shown that the pressure bag is
not necessary. It has been removed to gain a saving of four
pounds.
The Mark III driftsight control is now arriving and five have
been installed. The first production models indicated some
wiring changes were required, but they are now satisfactory.
This is a saving of thirteen pounds.
The provisions for recording voice on the System I recorder
of airplane 368 are being kitted and made available for all
FOG aircraft.
it. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Provisions in the FOG aircraft are shown in the attached table.
This is the present production plan. The items boxed in red
are those that must be delivered to the Contractor if inclusion
before delivery is desired.
5. 005115
Estimated and actual costs to date are shown in the attached
charts.
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