8 October 1945 3 C - 2 9 1. TARGET KITE REEL MARK TWO (CRANK BAR TYPE)
Not classified. 8 October 1945 2. Request for authorization: Herewith as Supplement #1. 3. Approval: Endorsed on original of Supplement #1. 4. Assignment of Project Engineer in cognizant section. Official approval of Lt. Comdr. Garber endorsed on Supplement #1. 5. Prototype completed: Supplement #1 recounts the reason for originating this project, namely, to provide a device of controlling the kite which would weigh less and have fewer parts than the Mark 1 reel. The first reel came into being by starting with a simple winder, and adding parts as each additional feature was found to be required. The final form embraced all of the requirements but was rather heavy. This weight was distributed to the operator's body by the harness but nevertheless the reel is cumbersome. In the interests of getting into production the design was frozen, but later, the Project Engineer returned to the basic problem, and this time started with the fundamentals, which are:
The photograph, Supplement #2 shows how these fundamentals were incorporated into a crank bar reel, in which function (a) is accomplished by letting the pull of the kite unwind the lines, and the rotation of the hands on the double crank can reel them in; (b) the brake is a squeezing action over a rubber hose grip at the ends of the bar; (c) lines are evened by a movement of either hand to unreel an extra turn; (d) lines are spread by separating the drums about 3 feet apart which was proven with the Mark 1 reel to be a practical division; (e) the reel was intended to be light enough to obviate the need for any harness. 6. Delivery of prototype for test: The reel as pictured was made in the Special Services Division shop, and delivered to the Project Engineer 8 March 1945. 7. Report of test of prototype: Two lengths of flying line were measured evenly to a range of 200 yards, and wound on the crank bar reel. In the test with the kite, our faults were disclosed: (1) The reel was so heavy as to tire the operator. It had been made of steel tubing in an endeavor to secure strength with lightness but the wall-thickness of the tube embodied more weight than expected. Gross weight, (including 4/5 pounds of line) 8½ pounds. (2) When winding in the line they would occasionally get off the drums and coil about the bar. (3) Hand pressure was inadequate to slow down the kite in a strong wind, and (4) the sudden jerk as the lines were let out to the limit and the tension came abruptly on the knot on the drum, broke the lines so that the kite veered off out of control. After this test the project was set aside during the instruction of a class of students, who were taught with the standard equipment, but when opportunity permitted another reel of the crank bar type was requisitioned, to incorporate the following 8 October 1945 improvements; numbered to conform to the previous listing of faults:
8. Approval of quantity for production: At the time of devising this reel the supply of Mark 1 reels was adequate to fill existing requests, and it was preferred to use up that supply instead of offering substitutions. To date of writing this device jacket this same condition prevails, but it is hoped to bring this reel to such state that all faults will be eliminated. 9. Memorandum on negotiation of contracts. No contracts processed. 10. Copy of procurement directive. No contracts processed. 11. Photograph of production models Upon completion of the model incorporating the corrections outlined in section 7, its photograph will be added to this report as Supplement #3. 12. If the corrected crank-bar reel fulfills its purpose a training bulletin or manual insert will be written to describe its operation and maintenance.
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