dramatically demonstrated by its firing SO aeconds after release. Launching
shocks caused the baroswitch pen-arm to fall off its shelf, completing contact
prematurely. In later flights, a time delays witch was placed in series with
the baroswitch to prevent a recurrence of this action.
Flights 21, 22, 24, 26 and 27, although carrying altitude control
devices, were flown to test gear for associated projects. Either no pressure
reportD1g ~ear was ~arried or the data from modified gear proved unreliable.
Hence few performance data charts are presented.
Flight 21, using a late-model General :&Cills 20 foot thin cell and
an automatic ballast valve, is known to have lasted for ten hours, descending
at Marietta, Oklahoma.
Flight 22, included an earlier model General Mills balloon ~th a
high rate of gas leakage, and an automatic ballast valve. The ballast control
kept the balloon aloft, but for only six hours.
Flight 24, including an automatic ballast valve, is believed to have
maintained constant level, : 1;000 feet, for 122 minutes. It stayed aloft
for at least ~hours, when transmission ceased. The time-altitude curve
is shown in figure 51.
Flignt 27 employed a fixed rate of leak rather than an automatic
ballast valve. The nanual control did not provide sufficient ballast flow,
accounting for the time-altitude curve shovm in figure 52.
Flights 29 through 37 and flight 39 were undertaken to test the
downwind launching procedure, to try for higher constant level altitudes,
and to determine the feasibility of using the General Mills thin cells for
frequent service flights. :Flights 37 and 39 burst early. 1'he former was
released during a rainstorm and balloon failure occured at the seams.
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