schedules,

This delayed fabrication of the units until some 0 days

after the B-36 modifications were to have been completed,

The Air

Materiel Command established a “crash program" to get them installed m

the aircraft and B-36 samplers came out of the depot on 25 January 195k,
three days before they were scheduled to leave for the Pacific.

The

program had fallen behind a total of 112 days.

These delays wrecked a flight training program for the sampling
squadron,

The pilots conducted flight training with borrowed airplanes

without the sampling instruments,

When the crews of the squadron arrived

at the Pacific Proving Grounds y they were required to fly much more to

make up for lost training, —The crews were concerned with basic procedures

for sampling and should have beenprefecting techniques, Extra flying
imposed an added burden on the Test Aircraft Unit. Supplies and spare
parts were used up rapidly and later caused troubles during the series 3

Some of the delay, General Estes pointed out, was caused by requirements
from numerous agencies which had been presented at the modification depot.

In the future, General Estes recommended, the Air ForceSpecial Weapons
Center should be made the clearing house so that: the modification depot
received directios from only one agency,

Also, design and equipment

’ should be established on a deadline which would give the depot time to
finish its work,

One problem in the Operation CASTLE planning was securing F-8)
sampler pilots to supplement those assigned to the new 926th Test Squadron
(Sampling).

Colonel Edwin Gavin asked Joint Task Force SEVEN if it were

possible to secure some of the pilots who flew sampling missions during

99

AFWUHO

SWEH ~2-003h;

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