U-2 PROGRESS REPORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89B00487R000300470001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 14, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: August 7, 1957
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/14: CIA-RDP89B00487R000300470001-1
SAPC I&q3 /
OPY 3 of
August 7,
To: R. M. Bissell
Fromm C, L. Johnson
Subjects U-2 PROGRESS REPORT
1. AIRPLANE STATUS -
There are presently five project airplanes in our possession
which are in flight test or undergoing modifications.
313 C & B Camera flight tests
349 Thermos modifications being applied
351 Slipper tank flight tests
355 Thermos flight test
367 Thermos modifications being applied
Both 31 and 355 have had all the Thermos modifications
incorporated to date and Aircraft 31i9 and 367 are presently
undergoing the treatment at Bakersfield. The thermocouple
instrumentation installed on article 3141k indicated that the
engine shrouds were satisfactory and that all structure
temperatures were within tolerance with the exception of
the tail wheel bulkhead. An additional shroud was made for
this bulkhead and installed before delivery.
The slipper tanks installed on 351 have not yet flown due
to higher priority tests. They have been static and fuel
flow tested with good results.
PQCUMENT NO. ' 17
NO CHANGE IN CLASS. CI
q PECLAS-91FIED
%ASS. CHANGED TO: TS 0 C NEXT REVIEW DATE:
TN:
DATE: ~ gEViEWER: Q10~
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The -31 engine bleed valves have been operating erratically
in operations and flight tests have been made to determine
a fix. The most obvious solution was to eliminate the
bleed valve which has been done. This has proven satis-
factory on the -31 production engine installations at Edwards.
No deviation of flight procedures from the handbook are
required when using the engine in this configuration. The
only minor difference noted thus far has been that one
engine has slightly more chugging when accelerated at low
altitude as for a go-around. But this chugging is no worse
than previously experienced on other engines with bleed valves.
As a result of this, all bleed valves on -31 production engines
are being removed at Edwards in order to gain flight experience
quickly with this configuration, At present, the elimination
of the bleed valve appears to be the solution.
FOG Airplanes. The following airplanes have been delivered
and are now on flying status with FOG.
361
6 December 56
369
4 June 57
362
12 December 56
370
19 March 57
363
23 July 56
371
b April 57
361
19 February 57
372
22 July 57
365
6 February 57
373
3 May 57
366 31 January 57
3h
10 May 57
368
4 April 57 ADC
375
22 July 57
Note that 363 has been repaired and returned to FOG. It was
originally delivered on 19 December 56. Airplane 367 is no
longer a FOG article. It has been traded for a lower serial
airplane as vet undetermined.
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FOG Airplanes 376 thru 382 are in flight test at the
present time. The status of aircraft checking out
specialized equip lent is as follows.
Airplane 376 has been testing Radan and ASN-6. These
installations in the last few days have been checking out
very well on latitude and longitude checks from point to
point. If Radan and ASN-6 continue to operate in a
eatisfactorq manner this ship may be delivered the week
of August 12th.
Airplane 367 which has been used for C Camera flight tests
has been traded to the first group and is no longer available
for the C Camera flight test work. Airplane 3443 is being
used for this program at present.
Airplane 377 is in flight test awaiting the receipt of the
Stanley downward ejection seat for installation in the
equipment bay. This seat and its related hatch is expected
to be in flight test about August 15th at which time a
downward ejection seat program will be initiated.
2. FLIGHT TEST PROGRAM
The anticipated flight test programs are shown on the
attached chart.
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3. STATE OF V.HTCI & CCrMPO
Provisions for recording voice on the System I recorder
are now incorporated in production and are ready an
several articles with the exception that the vaios filters
are not yet available. These filters which will onsets
the voice systems are prod.sod for delivery about
September 16th, at which time complete kits can be sent
out for aU aircraft already delivered.
The installation of an Al-3 radio in all
aircraft has been requested and incorporated in those
articles. The radio components themselves have not been
received but the cabling and brackets has been incorporated
in thdE==articles.
An inforiaal, aackup conference was held to determine what
type of ejection seat system would be desirable for the U-2.
The following ejection seat proviado? are to be made for the
tJ.2 using a 229' aircraft production seat.
These provisions will be such that this seat can be readily
removed and replaced with the present U4 lightweight seat.
The following features will be included on the ejection T2T
seat to make it useable with the U-+2.
1. Provide the foot stirrups presently installed on the T2V
seat. These stirrups are readily removable in the field
STAT
STAT
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if they are not desired by the pilots.
2. A head guard mounted on the top of the seat will, be
provided to break open the canopy in cases where it
has not been manually jettisoned prior to seat ejection.
This feature has previously been proven on the T2V tests.
3. The control wheel will be snatched forward as the seat
begins its upward travel in order to provide better
clearance for the pilot's knees. This will be done by
interlocld.ng the seat and the elevator bel-rcrank vhieh
is behind the seat so that as the seat starts up,* the
wheel bangs forward and the elevator goes down,
L. The ejection sequence will be manual and will be
initiated with a handle between the driver's legs.
This handle of "A" ring is to have enough free travel
to peer it the ring to be clear of the, driver's lsgg
when the ejection proeedare is stared.
A parallel program to the ejection seat program should be
acco lisped on the seat packs. The seat pack modification
will consist of the following itemst
1. Use of a now seat pan (F-104) so that the pack will fit
the T2V ejection seat without seat modifications. The
U-2 wggen equipment will fit in the F-1014 seat pan in
the same manner as it presently does in the U-2 pan.
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By providing both right and left outlet holes for the
oxygen hoses in the seat pan and a new, separate longer
chest bladder hose this seat pack can be made so that
it will work with pressure suits with either right or
left side connections with the chest bladders.
3. Provisions should be made on the seat pack so that manual
or automatic actuation of the Green Apple can be accomplished
upon ejection of the seat.
L All hoses into the seat pan are to be clipped solidly to
the pan.
The present oxygen quick disconnect on the left hand side of
the cockpit will be retained for the ejection seat. The only
change to this disconnect is that it is to have an improved
mensal actuated lock which should be made retroactive to all
aircraft whether they have ejection seat installations or net.
No pr visions are being made to automatically disengage the
oxygen system upon ejection. The hose will simply pull loose
from its connection at that time, This oxygen quick disconnect
modification said the above seat pack modifications should
probably be done by Fi revel.
The above seat ejection items are to be incorporated as soon,
as possible into a prototype installation. This will be
installed in a flight test article. There will be several
ground fires to check the system operation and a method of
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breaking open the canopy. After these tests we expect
to build approximately 20 of these units for use in the
U-2 during training and other non-critical operations.
Leading edge slipper tanks have been designed for the U-2
which carry 200 more gallons of fuel. The prototype tanks
are presently installed on Airplane 351 but have not yet
been flight tested. These tanks are expected to give an
increase of about 10% overall range. These are designed
to be installed on any existing U-2 but will require about
a two week lay up to do so.
During service flights in the last year it has become apparent
that the hydraulic system has been operating at higher
temperatures than desired. This has resulted in a gradual
service breakdown of "0" rings, seals and pumps. To correct
this, a hydraulic radiator has been designed and is nay
installed in production airplanes and is to be retrofitted
by kits to all existing aircraft. These kits are available
in the month of August.
4. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
The Radan and ASN-6 combination presently flying in Article
376 has been operating fairly satisfactorily and has been
checking latitude and longitude on short legs on the order
of 100 miles. The ground speed has been found to be in
error by approximately 3%. This has been calibrated and
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it is hoped that future flights will give the 1% guarantee.
The Radan transmission appears to be just barely strong .
enough for operations from our cruising altitude. This is
indicated by the fact that it loses lock-on rather readily,
particularly in very shallow turns with approximately 50
bank angle. It also loses lock-on when flying over weather,
particularly when thunderheads are encountered under the
article. It, of course, always loses lock-on when flying
over fairly smooth water. The above losses of lock-on
indicate to us that the Radan transmissions probably should
be stronger in order to permit the all weather operation
for which this system was originally installed in the aircraft.
As stated previously, this article with the Radan and ASId-6
system will be delivered shortly, as soon as operation is
satisfactor7 except for these poor lock-on characteristics.
The C Camera is still undergoing flight test work although
it is apparently reaching a point where it may be used
operationally. Mechanically and electrically it appears to
be working satisfactorily but the optical definition leaves
much to be desired. It is felt that this C Camera has been
improved about as far as possible with the present glass
installed. Tests to be conducted during the week of
August 5th should terminate the tests on this particular
camera at the present time. C Camera tests are not expected
to begin again until a new unit is available in October.
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/14: CIA-RDP89B00487R000300470001-1
13 Camara tests have been put off because of higher priority
work in flight test but it appears that the work load should
permit t3 test work to begin on approximately a two flight a
week basis starting on August 12th.
System N has been working satisfactorily and requires two
more flights, one short and one high, to make it ready to go.
The most recent problem :nth this sytem was overheating of
a recording camera. This has been cured now and the system
should be operational shortly.,
5. COSTS
Estimated and actual costs to date are shoran in the attached
charts.
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/14 : CIA-RDP89B00487R000300470001-1
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/14 : CIA-RDP89B00487R000300470001-1