30 June 1961 - The Black Vault

91
of the modified airplane to 80 percent of design limit load
conditiona. The JC-130B used for testing was a C-130B modified
to locate and recover re-enterlng satellites. It was equipped
with a large direc"tl0n finder on top of the forward fuselage and
the aircraft cargo area contalned satell1te recovery gear.
Tests disclosed the JC-130B range was approxlm.a.tely 3.5 percent
less than that of the C-l30B. 31 Test personnel recommended
the same cruise speed for the JC-130B as that of the C.. 130B but
noted it required five percent more pO'.!ler to mainta.in the JC­
130B cruise speed due to 1ts modifications.
Loads which resulted in an aj,rcraft center of gravity
posttion of 32.5 percent or greater produced light longitudinal
for ces in all configurations. With center of gravity aft a8
far as 37.5 percent (I>1AC) r·iean Aerodynamic Chcrd, the aircraft
'.'las stable in all configul"atlon-s except recovery. Also, left
roll tendenc leS' \-Jere presentdUl"'ing ~ccelerated stalls at the
aft center of gravlty loading witn the flaps dOI'1O.
Ge l'1erally, hO~Ie-ver, stabil1ty and contro1 charac teristlc!3
of the JC-130B ';jere much like those of the C-130B32 vl1thin the
normal center of gravity envelope.
Tests personne l aloo conductie d a variety of maneuvers to
de o nstrate the JC-l30B to 80 pe rcent of the limit for C-130E
31. Hq AFFTC- TR-61-1:;; Li rni ted Performance , Stabl1ity and
Control, ami Structural. D8mon~t r at i on 'I'est:; of a C-130B
Modified for satellite Recovery, Apr 1961, p. 11. SD L
i n Vo l 3, t his hist .
32 . Ibi d , p. 18. Fo r de tails of the C-130B, see Mi s t of the
AFPTC , J ~n - Jun 1960, ~. 120.