In a 1957 report, Vought engineers presented the problem as they saw it. "An urgent need, therefore exists for establishing a pilot environment escape and survival system compatible with the high performance ranges expected in the next era of manned flight. The performance rang to be considered requires speeds up to Mach 4.0, altitudes from sea level to 120,000 feet." In went on to state "...the pilot will be completely unburdened of such items as oxygen mask, survival gear, parachutes, "Mae Wests," exposure suits, associated fittings, tubing and couplings." ".... the full pressure suit and its attendance cumbersome, restrictive, sweat suit and claustrophobic effects will be eliminated." Attached are two illustrations I have not seen in this discussion. A general arrangement and the initiation sequence. Until I read the initiation sequence, I was unaware of an automatic function.
The testing would include:
1. Airdrops of the capsule from C-119 cargo aircraft
2. Three modified F8U-1 aircraft
3. Two of the three would be F8U-1KD drone configuration modified with the new canopy and non-eject able seat.
4. The first drone would be expended with an anthropomorphic dummy installed for the test
5. The second drone would be expended with a live chimpanzee
6. The third modified aircraft (F8U-1) would be expended with a live human occupant, only after all the other tests are successful!
bill
