immediately after the exercise for repairs,
Also, the RB-36 sampler
controller aircraft turned up some communications failures which needed
correcting before operations started,
By mid-December 1953, the USS ESTES
had undergone work in San Diego and was ready for another test.
General
Estes, therefore, sent six F-8) samplers to San Diego to run a commnications check and to give the pilots some additional practice on ground
control interception,
During this test, communications equipment worked
satisfactorily aboard the gstes,’?
The value of a lead vest to protect pilots from radiation was
demonstrated during Operation IVY,
In August 1953, pilots of the sampler
squadron worked out a new design-for the vest.
This consisted of a nylon,
sleeveless vest which buttoned around the neck with fiberglass-lead
shielding attached by four buttons,
it was a quilted pattern and pliable,
The fiberglass with lead woven into
When the first copy of the new
design arrived at Kirtland Air Force Base, the 926th pilots took it to
the swimming pool for safety tests,
Escape from the vest, while in water,
was found satisfactory. Dr. Plank suggested that the fiberglass-lead
shielding be widened a bit to protect better and with this modification
the vest weighed six pounds.
The vest was manufactured for use during
CASTLE.
Further precautions found the seats of the F-8G samplers covered
with sheets of lead.”
In addition, the pressurization system of the
aircraft contained filters to keep out radiation.
were taken,
When the sampler pilot flew into the atomic cloud, he went
102
AFWL{NO
Yet more precautions
SWEH-2-003h,
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