V I. 3, N .

NGI UDI

AL

TABILIT

. . . PAG

~\

Terence B. Donahue, Editor

January-February 1957

Vol. 3, No.4

CONTENTS
COVER PICTURE Luxury and
service, traditional with Transportes Aereos Portugueses, will
be provided air travelers
between Europe, Africa and
South America by TAP's newly
acquired fleet of 1049G Super
Constellations. Two of their
three Super Constellations flew
in company across the Atlantic
in a unique double-delivery
flight to Lisbon. The new,
scarlet, silver and white,
turbocompound-powered airliners constitute Portugal's most
significant advance in civil
aviation.

LONGITUDINAL STABILITY

TRADE TIPS
LUBRICATION OF FUEL TANK ACCESS PANEL SEALS

CALIPER RULE MEASURES TIRE DIAMETER

O-RING PACKING LEAKAGE .

10

DUAL D-C GROUND POWER SYSTEM

16

DRAIN HOLES IN AILERON CONTROL ACCESS DOORS

19

COMMERCIAL SERVICE BULLETINS PENDING

19

TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS FOR CONSTELLATION AIRCRAFT

20

LOCKHEED AIRCRAFT CORPORATION

The Lockheed Field Service Digest is published bimonthly by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, California
Division, Burbank, California. No material is officially approved by the CAA, CAB, or any of the military
services unless specifically noted. Airline and military personnel are advised that direct use of the information in this publication may be restricted by directives in their organizations. Obtain written permission
from Lockheed Aircraft Corporotion before republishing any of the material contained herein. This requirement is mandatory to ensure thot all material republished will conform to the latest information and changes.
The following marks are registered and owned by Lockheed Aircroft Corporation: Lockheed, Constellation,
Lodestar, and Speedpak. Address all communications to Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Burbank, California;
Attention, Field Service and Troining Division.
COPYRIGHT 1957 BY LOCKHEED AIRCRAFT CORPORATION, BURBANK, CALIFORNIA

itudinal
..&.::B::I::I:.::I:-r~
by F.

J.

Fitzgerald, Constellation assistant pro;ect engineer

For some time Lockheed engineers

have been investigating ways to improve the longitudinal stability in certain aircraft in the Super Constellation series. In recent months the results of this
engineering effort have been subjected to stringent
laboratory and flight tests which confirm our belief
that our objectives have been reached. The new
developments now available in elevator control systems will afford the desired longitudinal stability
characteristics under the most exacting service conditions.
1049 SERIES

In this article we will relate the background of a

flight stability problem known as pitch oscillation,
which has generally occurred during cruise flight on
autopilot. We will then describe the improvements
in the elevator booster mechanisms and inspection
procedures which have evolved from our investigations of the problem, and how they can be applied to
in-service aircraft if required.

PITCH OSCILLATION
Pitch oscillation may be described as the tendency
of an airplane to fly an undulating flight path, in
which the airplane's attitude alternates between nose
up and nose down over a range of a few degrees. This
is not characteristic of most Super Constellations, but
some may exhibit mild oscillation when trimmed for
level flight. The amplitude and frequency of the
oscillation may be different in each affected aircraft.
Only a few airplanes show pitch oscillation to a

degree which will not meet the flight standards of the

operating airline at all times.
CAUSES The direct cause of pitch oscillation is simply rough or excessive movement of the elevators.
The indirect or underlying cause may be one undesirable condition, or a combination of such conditions,
in the automatic pilot system and the elevator booster
mechanism. If an airplane contains any undesirable
conditions in either of these systems, it may not maintain its longitudinal stability within acceptable limits.
LONGITUDINAL STABILITY Longitudinal stability is
the ability of an aircraft to maintain a level flight
attitude. To do this for great distances and through
a variety of weather conditions, the proper functioning of all elements of the control system is essential.
Every part in each cable system, linkage, hydraulic
mechanism, and electrical or electronic circuit must
be properly adjusted and capable of operating as it
was designed to do if the desired end result-straight
and level flight-is to be achieved.
The importance of proper component adjustment
is illustrated by the following example. Low tension
in the autopilot elevator servo slave cables contributed to pitch oscillation in some cases when aircraft
were trimmed for automatically controlled level
flight. Several operators reported difficulty in maintaining the prescribed rigging tension of 75 pounds
( -+- 10 pounds) in these slave cables, which connect
the autopilot elevator servo unit to the elevator control system. To offset the tendency of these cables to
1

loosen in service, Lockheed recommended that all

operators adopt the following corrective procedure:
"Rig the servo cables to proper tension, then
tighten the turnbarrel one additional quarter-turn,
safety wire, and back off the turnbarrel within the
limits of the safety wire."
A number of in-service aircraft which had tendencies toward pitch oscillation were cured by
periodic maintenance of the servo slave cables in
accordance with this rigging procedure. This information is now on a placard' LAC PIN 474131, which is
installed on the aft face of the fuselage bulkhead at
station 1189.17 on production aircraft (see Figure 1) .
The placard installation is available for retrofitting
on commercial aircraft under Service Bulletin
1049/SB-2624, and on U. S. Navy aircraft under
R7VjWV Aircraft Service Change 366.

REPORTS FROM OPERATORS

Only a few cases of pitch oscillation were reported
in 1954. At first these were thought to be isolated
cases of differences in flight crew techniques or lack
of familiarity with certain maintenance procedures.
When the number of reports on this subject increased,
we found that we faced a puzzling problem not unlike
a ball of string with several loose ends. There were
several places where we could start to resolve the
problem, because the reported symptoms of pitch
oscillation had a challenging variety. For instance,
some of the trouble reports described a repeated pattern in the flight characteristics of certain airplanes.
These airplanes operated at cruising altitude for prolonged periods in low ambient air temperatures. After
two or three hours of cruising with good elevator system control and level flight path, these aircraft would
start a series of gradually increasing pitch oscillations.
In other cases, the aircraft would not maintain
level cruising flight while operating on automatic
pilot with the altitude control engaged. Also, there
were aircraft which would oscillate when flown manually with the elevator boosters turned on and the
autopilot turned off. To compound the difficulty in
finding the true sources of trouble, there were a number of cases in which a given aircraft would vary in
its oscillating tendencies from flight to flight as a
result of changes in gross loads, operating conditions,
and flight crew techniques.
TESTING PROGRAMS
From the start of the full-scale investigations into
the causes of pitch oscillation, it was apparent that
there would be no quick and easy fix for the problem.
The reports from operators and our observations and
flight tests made it clear that no single part or single
system was the chronic source of trouble. We found
it necessary to make statistical studies, symmetry and
2

Figure 1 Rigging Instructions Placard

alignment checks on aircraft, and laboratory tests on

elevator control systems and components. The comprehensive effort initiated by our Engineering department engaged the skills of many of our people for
more than two years. Our customers were most helpful in performing service tests of modified equipment
and in exchanging information on the test results.
The testing program at Lockheed was aimed at two
separate but complementary goals. We tested the
existing elevator control systems to find any possible
sources of trouble which could contribute to rough or
excessive elevator movement. We also tested new
developments which might improve the elevator control systems in our production aircraft, and which
might be suitable for retrofitting to airplanes previously delivered.
The program was divided into two main categories:
autopilot tests and booster system tests.
Since the majority of the early
reports described pitch oscillation while the affected
aircraft were cruising under autopilot altitude control,
the autopilot system was the subject of our first investigations. The most successful development tested
was a resistance-capacitance (R-C) network modification to the autopilot amplifier.
AUTOPILOT TESTS

The R-C network consists of a small amplifier and

a resistance-capacitance l'ow pass filter combined into
a compact unit. This small unit is connected in the
elevator pitch channel of the autopilot amplifier. A
signal derived from the altitude sensor feedback
transformer in the elevator pitch channel will build
up in the R-C unit and act to oppose steady altitude

sensor signals. .on the other hand, the R-C unit will
not oppose transient attitude-error pitch gyro signals.
Therefore, these signals will result in appropriate
corrective action by the elevator servo unit. The time
constant of the R-C network is adjusted so that the
autopilot will damp the objectionable low frequency
altitude oscillations of the airplane.
The results of our testing to date indicate that the
R-C network augments the refined elevator control
provided by the booster system improvements
described later in the article. For this reason we have
incorporated the R-C network in our commercial production airplanes starting with Model 1049G LAC
Serial 4650.
The R-C modification has a disadvantage, however. Because its characteristic is to oppose steady
altitude sensor signals, added loss of airplane altitude
in turns is encountered when the aircraft is being
flown on autopilot with altitude control engaged. A
means of compensating for this loss of altitude is
being developed, but it is not yet available for test.
Consequently, we do not recommend retrofitting the
R-C network until this problem is resolved and muTe
operational service information is available to justify
a retrofit program. Operators of Super Constellations
equipped with the Eclipse-Pioneer PB-lO or PB-lOA
autopilot will be informed as further autopilot system
improvements become available.
BOOSTER SYSTEM TESTS During the early tests on
autopilot components, we received additional reports
indicating that in some cases the autopilot pitch oscillations continued after the autopilot was turned off.
Our testing program confirmed these reports and
we found that some of the trouble, especially in
Model 1049G aircraft, was traceable to the elevator
power booster system.
The investigation of the elevator booster system
has resulted in the design and production of several
improvements to the booster mechanism which are
discussed in the next section of this article. Following
that, we will examine a new procedure for checking
clearances and alignment of certain critical points in
the elevator control system. These developments have
been proved by careful laboratory and service tests.
We feel that their adoption will afford much improvement in elevator control response and cruising
flight characteristics on those Super Constellations
where longitudinal stability is unsatisfactory.

ELEVATOR BOOSTER SYSTEM

IMPROVEMENTS
Our investigations into the causes of pitch oscillation included comprehensive tests of the elevator
booster cylinder. We wanted to reduce the time

required for the piston to respond when hydraulic

pressure was applied. The following modification~ to
the booster cylinder are the result of our testmg
program.
NEW TEFLON PISTON SEALING RINGS The original
design of the booster cylinder employed a fl~at~ng
O-ring seal on the piston to obtain the low fnctlon
characteristics required for rapid response when the
elevator cable system initiated elevator movement.
U nfortunatel y, the advantages of low friction
inherent in this design were partially offset by a considerable amount of oil leakage across the piston seal.
The leakage persisted up to the relatively high pressures required for the O-ring to seal. Sluggish control
response could result from this condition since considerable hydraulic pressure build-up in the cylinder
was necessary before the O-ring sealed and the piston
moved.

To control internal leakage across the piston seal,

we removed the floating O-ring and installed Teflon
piston sealing rings, backed up by a spring as shown
in Detail A of Figure 2. The new seals greatly reduce
leakage without increasing friction and do not require a hydraulic pressure build-up for sealing. This
improves the ability of the cylinder to move the elevators in closer compliance with the demands of the
pilot or autopilot.
In laboratory tests
the amount of friction drag produced by standard
O-ring seals with leather back-up rings was ~ompared
to the drag of O-rings backed up by Teflon rmgs. The
Teflon ring proved superior to leather in resistance
to deformation, did not separate into individual fibers
like leather, and because of the lower coefficient of
friction of Teflon, provided a reduction in frictional
drag. For these reasons, the Teflon back-up ring has
been adopted for both the piston rod dynamic sea~s
and the cylinder static seals. Both of these new modIfications are illustrated in Figure 2.
NEW TEFLON BACK-UP RINGS

The new bushings are installed as a result of the adoption of Teflon

back-up rings. The reduced friction of the Teflon
back-up rings allows a greater amount of squeeze to
be placed upon the O-ring without danger of cracking or nibbling the O-ring when it rolls in the groove
of the bushing. The new bushings provide grooves
which are smaller in cross section and which apply
greater squeeze to the O-rings. This reduces oil leakage at the piston rod dynamic seals.
NEW CYLINDER O-RING BUSHINGS

Teflon scraper
rings are now installed in the existing recesses in the
cylinder bushings. The low drag of the Teflon ring
makes possible this added protection against contamNEW PISTON ROD SCRAPER RINGS

ination of the booster system by dust, water, paint,

and washing solvents.
The modified elevator booster cylinder bears LAC
PIN 668258-1. All of the improvements necessary to
modify in-service and spare cylinders to this configuration, as well as similar improvements for the rudder
booster cylinder, will be made available for our commercial customers in Service Bulletin 1049/SB-2523,
s revised December 28, 1956. When this revision to
1049/SB-2523 is accomplished on 1049Basic LAC
Serial Numbers 4001 through 4024, or on spare
booster cylinders for these aircraft, Service Bulletin
1049/SB-2097 must also be accomplished. Service
Bulletin 1049/SB-2097 contains instructions for
widening the a-ring groove of the booster cylinder
piston. The Teflon piston rings are designed to fit
this wider groove. Revised Time Compliance T.O.
1C-121- 533 or R7V/WV Aircraft Service Change
266A will apply to military airplanes.
Commercial 1049 Series aircraft received these
improvements at the factory beginning with LAC
Models and Serials: 1049G 4647, 4650 and subsequent; 1049H 4801 and subsequent. Installation of
the improvements on military aircraft in production
began at LAC Model 1049A 4464 and subsequent.
NEW HIGH-GAIN, LINEAR-FLOW CONTROL VALVE

A new elevator booster control valve LAC PIN

668259-1, has been designed and produced. We
decided to design a new valve after completing lab-

oratory tests in which the performance of the standard

elevator booster control valve was compared to that
of a modified valve having improved flow metering
characteristics. Our tests showed considerable improvement in response rate (the time required for
action) and increment control (the accuracy of
positioning) in the entire booster mechanism when
the modified valve was used. Our earlier experience
with rework programs on similar units convinced us
that attempts to modify existing valves on in-service
aircraft and spares stock would prove impractical so
no valve modification program is planned.
The new valve is externally similar to, and physically interchangeable with, the earlier unit, except
for installation and rigging procedures. The new
valve supplies greater oil flow to the elevator booster
cylinder at very small displacements of the valve
spool from the neutral position. This characteristic
is referred to as high gain. The new valve also provides approximately equal increases in oil flow for
equal increases in spool displacement. This characteristic is referred to as linear flow. These flow characteristics are compared to those of the existing valve
in Figure 3.
This illustration shows that a spool displacement
of .030 in. from neutral in the existing valve results
in a fluid flow of approximately one gallon per minute, which is little more than leakage flow. This is

TEFLON BACK-UP RING

(STATIC SEAL)
NEW CYLINDER BUSHING
TEFLON BACK-UP RING
(DYNAMIC SEAL)

Teflon rings in opposite end of cylinder are identical to

those identified

EXPANDER
SPRING--~

TEFLON SCRAPER RING

Figure 2 Cutaway of Modified Elevator Booster Cylinder

4

1049ISB-2523, unless this has been previously accomplished. The autopilot amplifiers used in these airplanes must also be modified by installing an altitude
sensitivity adjustment potentiometer in the altitude
control. Eclipse-Pioneer has issued their Service Bulletin 300A-25 to accomplish this change on PB-lO
autopilot amplifiers. A parallel installatidn for
PB-lOA autopilot amplifiers is supplied by EclipsePioneer Service Bulletin 730-3.

Figure 3 Comparison of Flow Rates-Existing Elevator Booster Control

Valve Versus New High.Gain Valve
not enough flow to provide the rapid pressure buildup needed to move the piston in immediate response
to autopilot or pilot demands. The low rate of flow
is especially noticeable when small amounts of booster
and elevator movement are required.
On the new high-gain valve, a spool displacement .
of .030 in. from neutral results in oil flow at the rate
of approximately 3.25 gallons per minute, also shown
in Figure 3. The increase in volume of fluid which
may be passed by the new valve at any given spool
displacement when compared to the existing valve,
affords much tighter control of elevator movement.
Thus, quicker and smoother corrections to changes in
airplane attitude are achieved.

The sensitivity
of the new booster control valve makes it possible to
reduce the range in which the booster mechanism
operates on low boost ratio. We reduced this range of
low ratio booster action by removing the existing elevator feel bolt sleeves LAC PIN 297456, and replacing them with new sleeves LAC PIN 726995-1, which
have a larger outside diameter. Figure 4 shows how
the larger OD of the new sleeves results in reduced
clearance between the sleeves and the edge of the
slotted hole in the debooster floating (pilot) lever.
Closing up these clearances allows earlier application
of high ratio booster action. This results in more vigorous elevator movements when required to correct
large or rapid changes in airplane attitude. LAC Service Bulletin 10491SB-2525 will provide both the
revised feel bolt sleeves and the new high-gain, linearflow valve for retrofitting to commercial Super Constellations in service. These improvements have been
installed on aircraft at the factory starting with commercial Models 1049G LAC Serial 4647, 4650 and
subsequent; 1049H 4801 and subsequent; and military 1049A LAC Serial 4464. When 10491SB-2525
is retrofitted to in-service commercial aircraft, the elevator booster cylinder must be modified concurrently
in accordance with the December 28, 1956 revision to

NEW ELEVATOR FEEL BOLT SLEEVES

ALIGNMENT AND TOLERANCE INSPECTION

OF ELEVATOR BOOSTER MECHANISM
The benefits of the improvements previously presented may not be realized unless all of the functional
and structural parts in the elevator booster installation
are aligned and adjusted to afford proper freedom of
movement at every operating point, but without excessive clearance. We consider it mandatory for each
operator to conduct a thorough inspection of certain
critical points in the booster mechanism and its attachments on those airplanes which exhibit pitch oscillation. Inspection points requiring illustration are
shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7.
Commercial operators may obtain parts kits and
full instructions for the accomplishment of this
inspection and any necessary corrective action in LAC
Service Bulletin 1049ISB-2941. This service bulletin
applies to the following LAC Models and Serials:
1049C, E, and G 4501 through 4667; 1049D 4163
through 4166; and 1049H 4801 through 4804. However, general inspection procedures are presented
here for the convenience of those operators who have
not yet established their need for these service bulle-

NEW SLEEVE
rEXISTING CLEARANCE

EXISTING SLEEVE

VIEW

SLOTTED HOLE

Figure 4 Reduced Clearance Provided by New Feel Bolt Sleeves

5

A-A

SECTION

INSPECTION STEP 2 AND 3

POWER LEVER ARM

ASSEMBLY (PIN 315863-3L)

FEEL LEVER
ASSEMBLY (PIN 315803)

SIDE VIEW OF ELEVATOR

BOOSTER MECHANISM SHOWING
LOCATIONS OF SECTIONS A-A,
B-B, AND C-c.

~~__-

PISTON ROD ASSEMBLY

(PIN 322644)

ELEVATOR BOOSTER FRAME

BEAM (PIN 279188)

All dimensions shown

are in inches. Multiply
by 25.40 to obtain
millimeler equivalent.

SECTION C-C
INSPECTION STEP S
Figure 5 Points to be Checked i

tins. These inspection procedures are given in stepby-step sequence below. This sequence must be
followed for the best results in operation and greatest
economy in man-hours expended.
1. Check for concentricity of the elevator feel bolt
sleeves LAC PIN 297456. The feel bolt sleeves
should be removed from the feel bolt and placed on
a mandrel or close-tolerance centering pin which will
not allow radial mov~ment. A dial gage should be
used to determine that each sleeve is concentric within
.002 in. total indicated reading on the larger outside
diameter. The new sleeves provided by 1049/SB-2525
will assure concentricity, but can be used only with the
new high-gain booster control valve.
Before reinstalling the sleeves on the feel bolt,
check the flat parallel surfaces inside the slotted holes
of the debooster floating lever assembly for paint
accumulation or roughness due to wear. These surfaces must be clean, smooth, and parallel. If any outof-round condition exists on the sleeves, even though
each sleeve is within tolet'ance, the high point should
be marked. The sleeves should then be installed on
the feel bolt with the high point on each sleeve in the
same respective position. For instance, if one sleeve is
installed with the high point facing forward then the
opposite sleeve should also be installed with the high
point facing forward. The nut should then be tightened to lock the sleeves in this position.
2. Check the slotted holes in the floating lever
assembly PIN 290864L and 290864R for location in a
common plane. Section A-A of Figure 5 illustrates
the proper method of checking these holes and the
procedure is as follows:

out the entire stroke of the piston rod. The rod end
does not need to be centered in the slot of the feel
lever so long as there is no side load. Washers may
be installed on the bolt as required to fill the gap between the rod end and the feel lever. The bolt should
be tightened to a torque value of 0 to 10 inch-pounds,
and be free to rotate with finger pressure, but without
end play.
5. Check the lower attachment points of the booster
mechanism. The elevator booster frame beam
PIN 279188 attaches at its lower end to two bulkhead tees PIN 278444-20 and PIN 278444-21. A
cross section of this attachment point is shown in
Figure 5, Section e-c. The bolts should be removed
one at a time from each lower attachment point and
the holes in both tees ~nd beam checked for alignment by reinstalling the bolts by hand. Each bolt
must be passed through the outer and inner holes in
the beam and the hole in the bulkhead tee without
using force or without springing the beam to obtain
alignment. Each of the six holes must have an inside
diameter between .3119 in. and .3134 in.
6. Check for free motion of the elevator booster
control valve linkage. Figure 6 shows the proper
method of checking this parallelogram linkage for
free motion at the booster control valve. Remove the
bolt which connects the control valve rod to the horizontal link, and swing the parallelogram linkage fore
and aft so that the forward end of the horizontal link
passes back and forth through the slot in the upper

Move the 290864R floating lever assembly

down until the Rat surface on the upper side
of its slotted hole iust contacts the OD of the
feel bolt sleeve, as illustrated by Point A of
Section A-A in Figure 5. Holding the lever
in this position, use a feeler gage to measure
the clearance, if any, as shown at Point S,
where the opposite sleeve meets the upper
side of its slotted hole. The clearance must
not exceed .004 in.
3. Check the clearance of the elevator control valve

linkage. Section A-A of Figure 5 shows two points,

C and D, at which the clearance should be checked
between the flanges of the arm assembly PIN 315863
and the two vertical swinging links PIN 290789 and
PIN 290790. The clearance at these points must not
be less than .020 in.
4. Check for side load at the elevator booster
cylinder rod end. See Figure 5, Section B-B. The rod
end of the cylinder piston rod should be disconnected
from the feel lever by removing the bolt and any
washers which may be installed. The rod end must be
free of any side loading from the feel lever through-

BOOSTER CONTROl VAlVE

(PIN 667775)

figure 6 Checking for free Motion of

Control VaI'e Linkage (Inspection Step 6)

CONTROL HORN
AITACHING
SHAFT

ELEVATOR TORQUE
TUBE
Use AN960-1016L washers as
required to allow felt
seals to touch control hom
lightly without binding.

AITACHING SHAFT
NUT (AN 31010)
Torque 500-1000
inch-pounds both ends.

SEalOM

A-A

Use equally distributed

1356-13E shims here to
obtoin bearing fit between
maximum of .002 in. preload
and maximum .007 in. endplay.

ELEVATOR COUNTERWEIGHT
CONTROL HORN

ELEVATOR COUNTERWEIGHT
BELLCRANK ASSEM8LY

ELEVATOR COUNTERWEIGHT
PUSHROD

Figure 7 Checking for Proper Bearing Fit at Both Ends of Counterweight Pushrod !Inspection Step 71

end of the valve rod. There must be no binding or

interference at any extension of the valve rod.
7. Check for correct bearing fit at the attachment

shafts which secure the elevator counterweight pushrod. The elevator counterweight pushrod PIN 284123
attaches at its forward end to the counterweight bellcrank and at its aft end to the elevator counterweight
control horn on the right-hand elevator torque tube.
The bearing installations at both of these points must
be checked for preload or end play and the nuts on
the shafts for proper torque.
Section A-A of Figure 7 illustrates the proper use
of shims equally distributed as required to allow
tightening the nuts on the counterweight pushrod
attaching shaft to a torque of 500 to 1000 inchpounds. With this torque on the nuts established, the
bearing fit should fall within a range of .002 in. maximum preload to .007 in. maximum end play. Washers
should be used as required to allow the felt seals to
touch lightly and without binding on the surface of
the control horn or bellcrank. The felt seals should
be lubricated periodically with general purpose lubricating oil Spec MIL-L-7870.
8

SERVICE BULLETIN SUMMARY

A high degree of longitudinal stability has been
attained wherever the improvements and inspection
procedures described above have been adopted on
Super Constellations. Service tests under many different flight conditions rlave indicated that these
modifications reduce operating and maintenance
expense, and provide greater passenger and crew
comfort.
The improved components developed by the testing
programs and the service bulletins discussed in this
article are summarized below.
Service Bulletin 1049/SB-2523 for commercial airplanes, and R 7V jWV Aircraft Service Change
266A or Time Compliance T.O. 1C-121-533 for
military airplanes, concern modifications to the
rudder and elevator booster cylinders. The parts
kits for the elevator cylinder will include new cylinder bushings and Teflon rings.
Service Bulletin 1049/SB-2 52 5 for commercial
operators will include the new high-gain booster
control valve and new elevator feel bolt sleeves.

 Service Bulletin 1049/SB-2941 contains full

instructions and parts as required to accomplish the
inspection and alignment of the elevator booster
mechanism on commercial airplanes.
The changes described for commercial customers
by Service Bulletins 1049/SB-2525 and 1049/SB-

-:L~
,4eee44

2941 will be proposed to the Air Force and Navy

by ECP LH-R7V;WV/C121-5326.
Service Bulletins 1049/SB-2525, 1049/SB-2941 and
the revision to 1049/SB-2523 will be distributed
to all affected commercial operators as soon as they
are available.
.. ..

tJI ?~ 7ad

;:J4Ied Seatt

Some operators have been

using a coat of silicone grease, Dow-Corning compound DC-4, to lubricate the rubber seals on the fuel
tank access panels. This lubrication is intended to
prevent the seals from sticking to mating surfaces
and to eliminate the possibility of the seals tearing
when the access panels are removed.

ALL CONSTELLATIONS

Our Materials and Processes group disapproves

the use of silicone grease such as DC-4 for this purpose. DC-4 is a transparent grease which can penetrate, to some degree, any surface to which it is
applied. Since it is difficult to see, any that is inadvertently applied to existing tank sealant could not be
readily removed and would form a coating to which
future tank repair sealant would not adhere.

To keep seals from sticking and tearing, it is

recommended that the seals in the panels be coated
sparingly with Lubriplate No. 130AA. Use caution
to apply the lubricant only to the seal, as this compound will also prevent tank repair sealant from
adhering. However, Lubriplate No. 130AA is easier
to see and remove than DC-4, thus minimizing the
possibility of tank repair sealant failing to adhere
to the dome nuts or structural joints around the
access panel area.
.. A

1/2-TO 5/8-INCH THICK

UTILITY GRADE PLYWOOD
(3 inches wide x 57 inches long)

3/16-INCH BOLTS
AND NUTS
(4 eoch required)

aT
3 00
0- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 3 . 0 0
111-

!~8;~~~e:)RAZIER HEAD

RIVETS

_ _ _--+10 0

.050 ALUMINUM GUIDE

.050 ALUMINUM PLATE
Rivet to plote on both sides of wood. Form guide or
use spacers to allow sufficient c1earonce for sliding aclion.
~AII di....n.ionhown

.050 ALUMINUM PLATE

Make some dimensions os plote
at opposite end of caliper.-----../

SECTION

In Vol. 2, No.5, of the March-April 1956 Digest

(English edition) we presented a TRADE TIP from
Trans World Airlines on "Matching Main Gear Tire
Diameters." Other operators have shown sufficient
interest in this TRADE TIP to warrant our passing
along some supplementary information which we
received recently from TWA's Los Angeles base.

A-A

are in inche Multiply

by 25.40 to obtoln
milli....ter equivalent.

u8.00

.1

1.50,

I.

TWA personnel have informed us that they use a

large portable wooden caliper rule to measure the
diameter of main gear tires more easily and more
accurately. The construction features of this caliper
rule are illustrated for operators who may be interA ..
ested in such a device.
9

O-rings which provide

external seals for moving shafts in hydraulic units
are, by their very nature, almost always subject to
varying degrees of leakage. Years ago, many people
said that hydraulics on aircraft were impractical
because no one would ever find a seal that would not
leak. Actually, those designs which require absolute
fluid-tightness for successful operation have never
been completely feasible, and probably never will be.
ALL CONSTELLATIONS

Years of experience with hundreds of thousands

of hydraulic units have proved that O-rings suit their
purpose better than any other type of seal known
today. O-rings are practical-particularly if leakage
is judged from a practical viewpoint.
The main question which we wish to answer here
is, "When is leakage serious enough that a hydraulic
unit should be replaced?" We believe that a realistic
answer will result in a substantial reduction in the
number of unnecessary removals experienced at some
activities.

In order to understand better the important facets

of the problem, we will have to study briefly the
development and nature of the O-ring seal as well
as its characteristics under operating conditions. Then
we will present some general suggestions for determining the seriousness of O-ring leakage and for
realizing better service from O-ring seals.
10

DEVELOPMENT OF SEALS
RUBBER CUPS In the earlier aircraft hydraulic systems, fluid was retained within working components
by means of rubber cups somewhat like those used
in automobile hydraulic brake systems. These cups,
when carefully made and used with smooth metal
surfaces, produced fluid-tight seals-for a while.
However, they had several very undesirable weaknesses. In order to seal against the metal surface, the
lips of the cup could not be stiffened sufficiently to
prevent their folding back on themselves or tearing.
Also, the proportionately large amount of rubber in
the cup was such that any swelling caused the heel
of the cup to expand and contact the sealing surface.
This deformed the lips of the cup and they would
move away from the sealing surface.
These failings would eventually result in a complete loss of fluid from the hydraulic system, since
the rate of flow past the damaged seal was very
great.
CHEVRON SEALS In an endeavor to correct some of
the disadvantages of the rubber cups, the V-shaped
packing ring or chevron seal was adapted for aircraft use from its usage in heavier industrial packing applications. The chevron seals were usually
installed in a stack consisting of two or more seals
with metal adapters at each end of the stack. These

seals had the advantage of greater operating strength

and, as they were installed in multiples, a flaw in
one ring would not necessarily result in a leaky
gland.
However, chevron seals had a high and variable
rate of friction. Also, these seals were bulky and
difficult to adapt to a valve application without
resulting in a very cumbersome design.

(I

O-RINGS The a-ring was a great improvement over

both the cup and the chevron seal. Because of its
simplicity, it literally revolutionized the design of
hydraulic components. It could be stretched or
squeezed into grooves in ways not possible with any
other seal. This allowed a reduction in size and
weight of hydraulic components and permitted the
hydraulic system to do a greater variety of jobs.

The a-ring is also a stronger seal. There are no

thin lips or protrusions to break off or deform. A
greater amount of seal area contacts the metal surface so there is less tendency for the rubber to flow,
or extrude, through the crack between seal and sealing surface. This strength of the a-ring provides
increased protection from a sudden and complete
loss of system fluid.
SOME FAULTS TOO As with most things, there are
also some faults with the a-ring. Being round, the
a-ring can roll slightly in operation. If a portion of
the ring rolls too far in the groove it twists a cross
section of the ring and leads to what is known as
spiraling, illustrated in Figure 1. This can permanently deform the ring and may result in its cracking
or parting completely.

Correct size O-ring provides proper interference

fit between O-ring and metal surface.
~

>..

Too small an O-ring results in

an ineffective seal.

Too large an O-ring leads to

installation problems, excessive
friction, and deformation of the
ring in its groove.

Figure 2 Oring Squeeze

Since the O-ring is a round section, it must bear

against the sealing surface with sufficient force to
deflect into the minute grooves of the machined
surface and stop leaks. This makes the degree of
seal achieved sensitive to slight imperfections in the
a-ring and the effects of certain types of foreign
particles such as threads, hairs, or fibers lying across
the sealing face. These faults can be minimized by
selecting and installing the a-ring carefully as
described later.
With practically all types of seals,
the pressure, or squeeze, necessary to produce a good
seal, even at low hydraulic pressures, is produced by
having an interference fit between the seal and the
metal surface. For the a-ring to be effective, this
fit is critical and is established by the diameter of
the a-ring as shown in Figure 2. Not enough squeeze
will of course result in an ineffective seal. However,
there is a limit to the amount of squeeze that can be
employed. Too much squeeze means: increased difficulty of installation, more friction at low pressure,
and increased deformation of the ring in its groove.
Also the undesirable tendency of the rubber to
adhere or bond to the metal surface increases. The
military specification MIL-P-5514A lists the amounts
of squeeze which will produce the best results in
most installations.
O-RING SQUEEZE

BACK-UP RINGS
As hydraulic system pressures were stepped up
from 800 to 1000 psi, to 1500 psi, and then to 3000
psi, the load on the O-ring seal increased considerably. The tendency for the O-ring to extrude
increased and became critical. Also, actuator shafts
which moved in and out many times a minute placed
a heavy burden on the O-ring. These circumstances
necessitated an extra ring in the groove to support,
or back-up, the O-ring (see Figure 3).
Figure 1 Spiraled Oring

(Continued on next page)

11

800 PSI PRESSURE

1000 PSI PRESSURE

. .:

1500 PSI PRESSURE

3000 PSI PRESSURE

Teflon, a synthetic plastic material, has recently been

found to be a more satisfactory back-up ring material
than leather. It has low friction, is somewhat pliable
and is chemically inert. One disadvantage with this
material is that it is not flexible enough to be
stretched or deformed into place in a groove and so
it must be split for most installations as shown in
Figure 5. The split, or scarfed, ends can sometimes
cut the a-ring.
This difficulty, however, is gradually being resolved
by continued research. One recent example of better
application of the Teflon back-up ring is in the main
landing gear shock struts. Owing to the configuration
of the gland in the shock strut it is possible to use an
endless Teflon back-up ring, which is rectangular in
cross section, below the a-ring. A spiral Teflon ring
is used above the a-ring (see Figure 6). These rings
have been service tested by a large airline and found
to be satisfactory.
While some leather back-up rings may be in use in
certain components of the Constellation, our design
trend is toward Teflon as the better back-up ring
material.

Figure 3 O-ring Under Pressure

Figure 4 Failed leather Back-up Ring. Note that the ring has assumed
the contour of the O-ring, resulting in sharp edges which
can cut and nibble the O-ring.
Leather was the first material used for back-up rings_
It was stiff enough to resist extrusion but pliable
enough to flow into place and help the seal. However, leather is sometimes too hard, sometimes too
soft. It absorbs moisture and contains acid and salt,
all of which corrode metal. It often shreds and the
fibers can get into the system and under a-rings.
Figure 4 shows an unserviceable leather back-up ring
which has become hard and deformed.

12

Figure 5 Teflon Back-up Rings. Split, V-shaped ring is shown above;

split, rectangular ring is shown below.

Figure 6 New Configurations of Teflon Backup Rings Used in Main

landingGear Shock Struts

EVALUATING LEAKS AROUND a-RINGS

It can be seen from the foregoing discussions that
leaks, large and small, and caused by a variety of
things, can accompany any seal. The successful and
practical approach to the problem is this: Before

deciding to remove and replace a hydraulic component, evaluate the effect of a leak in any unit
and in any system to determine what amount of
leakage can be tolerated and what amount might
be a hazard to the safe and effective operation of
the aircraft.

and there are several reasons for this. As the pressure builds up or decreases in a unit, the O-ring
moves in its groove (see Figure 7). As it moves, it
also rolls somewhat because of its shape. This creates
a pumping action that permits a small quantity of
fluid to get by on each cycle of pressure change. This
also happens when a shaft or piston is moved in a
bore. Pumping even occurs to some degree with a
static seal. Static seals are so called because the parts
presumably do not move. But there is always some
deflection or slight motion in the seal parts.
Ambient air temperatures affect the sealing quality
of the O-ring. In cold weather the seal contracts and
provides less absolute sealing in the static condition.
In the same manner temperature cycling can also
induce a higher leak rate. This is usually the case
when an aircraft is moved to and from a heated
hangar during cold weather.

Except for failures of the spiraling variety and

cases where static rings blowout or pieces of moving
seals are actually torn out due to excessive clearance,
O-rings normally do not fail so as to cause complete
system failure.

Since the O-ring requires a relatively greater bearing pressure to create a seal than do the cup or
chevron types, the O-ring is sensitive to slight imperfections in its own surface or in the metal surfaces
as previously mentioned. A rough bore, rod, or
O-ring groove will, of course, be more apt to cause
leakage than a smooth one. However, the apparent
smoothness of a surface can be deceptive, especially
after continued wear has created wear marks at right
angles to the original finish marks. It is not wise
to assume arbitrarily that the surface finish is too
rough from appearance alone. A profilometer reading, or at least a comparison with a finish sample of
known roughness is the only sure method.

However, as previously stated, O-rings may be

expected to have leaks of the seep or drip variety

O-ring manufacturers have made great progress

in improving the smoothness and accuracy of their

In the first place, we

should differentiate between failures that allow a
complete loss of fluid and faults that usually result
only in slow leaks from a unit.
TYPES OF O-RING LEAKAGE

Figure 7 Oring Pumping Action. Rolling action of Oring squeezes or pumps out minute quantity of fluid at each cycle of pressure change.
13

rings, but it is inherently impossible to produce

rings having absolutely no imperfections. It remains
then, a matter of judgment as to when a defect in
a newly manufactured O-ring is cause for rejection
and when it can be accepted. Work is now being
done on a photographic method of evaluating O-ring
defects. This will present enlarged views of the
various types of defects so they can be classified as
to acceptability.
It should be kept in mind that the characteristics
just discussed generally produce the seep or drip
type of leak. Progressive or erosive wear of the
O-ring should not be assumed as the cause of leakage unless a careful check as described later in the
article proves such to be the case.
INTERPRETING THE SPECIFICATIONS The net result
of the various shortcomings we have described is that
very often we find a seal leaking slightly or passing
fluid owing to its pumping action. Internal seals do
this also but because they are hidden it is not obvious
and no one ever detects it unless it impairs the unit's
function. The difficulty lies with the external seals
which functional test specifications usually say, "shall
have no external leakage." Various attempts have
been made over the years to improve the wording of
the specifications to express the intent that a slight
amount of fluid escaping past a seal normally has no
real significance. The latest wording that is being
incorporated in the military hydraulic systems specification says, "There shall be no measurable external
leakage." This is intended to mean that a light stain
or wetting which does not actually form a measurable drop is acceptable.

When it comes to moving shafts which work in

and out of a stuffing box, or gland seal, as it is
sometimes called, the acceptable-leakage problem is
even more acute. MIL-C-5503, the military specification for actuating cylinders, has always recognized
this by specifying an allowable leakage rate past a
moving seal of one drop per 25 cycles of operation.
Unfortunately, this arbitrary limitation does not take
into account such variables as shaft diameter, stroke,
or rate of cycling. These all have an effect on the
rate of leakage. Also, the size of a drop varies with
the temperature and the shape of the part on which
the drop forms. A drop of MIL-O- 5606 fluid is
normally considered to be 1/20 of a cubic centimeter.
Since there are 16.39 cubic centimeters per cubic
inch, this means 326 drops per cubic inch, or approximately 75,000 drops per gallon. Obviously, it would
take a tremendous number of leaks of the drop
variety to have any appreciable effect on the fluid
level in the reservoir of the average system.
14

The specification also fails to take into account the

variations in the mode of operation, particularly the
operation of power control or boost actuators. In
these units the piston rod may move in and out
through the gland several times per second. If we
assume an average rate of movement of one cycle
per second, this is 36,000 cycles per hour. At the
rate of one drop per 25 cycles, this amounts to 144
drops per hour, or approximately 7.2 cubic centimeters per hour. This would collect a large pool of
fluid in each flight but would be within the allowable
leakage rate specified by MIL-C-5503. It is obvious
that such an amount is more than the average actuator actually leaks, but it emphasizes the necessity for
greatly revising our thinking as to allowable leakage.
Otherwise we must abandon the use of the O-ring
and go to other, more cumbersome types of seals.
EVALUATING LEAKAGE Here is a practical approach
to deciding whether a hydraulic unit should be
replaced and some suggestions for realizing better
service life from O-rings.

Units such as landing gear, flap drive, etc., that

operate only a few times during flight should be
considered satisfactory if, upon inspection after
flight, only a few drops of fluid have collected. Any
large increase in the leakage rate from one flight to
the next should be viewed with suspicion, however.

The above units should be allowed some leakage

while the airplane is parked, say a few drops overnight. Here again a large increase in leakage over a
period of time would be the signal to remove the
unit and check the seals.
POWER CONTROL ACTUATORS For power control
actuators, the present specification is not actually a
good criterion for allowable leakage. In our own
laboratory work at Lockheed we have revised the
procedure of measuring drops per cycle and are
measuring drops per minute, since operation is more
or less continuous. Our present testing procedure is
to continue the tests until leakage reaches five drops
per minute from a rod seal. At this rate, the amount
of fluid that would collect in an eight-hour flight
would be approximately 120 cubic centimeters.
While this quantity could result in a considerable
wetting of surfaces exposed to the leakage, it is not
particularly detrimental to the operation of the
hydraulic system or the airplane. It should be borne
in mind, however, that excessive fluid collecting in
an area where ignition could occur is a hazard which
must be avoided. If such a hazard does not exist, it
is certainly preferable to wipe up the excess fluid
and to check the reservoir level occasionally than to
remove and replace power control actuators.

Incidentally, the above leakage rate turns out to

be roughly equivalent to the military specification
allowance of 25 cycles per drop, based on two cycles
of control surface movement per second. This is
admittedly on the high side for an airplane like the
Constellation, yet a permissible leakage rate of about
50 cubic centimeters per eight-hour flight would be
entirely reasonable. Here again the important criterion should be the sudden appearance of a large
increase in leakage rate.

MAINTENANCE

Our Field Service Representatives have

asked us to emphasize that preventive maintenance pays big dividends where the a-ring
seal is concerned.
Every effort should be made to clean
and lubricate piston rods and moisten the felt wipers
periodically with MIL-L-7870 general purpose low
temperature lubricating oil as called out in the maintenance manuals. The intervals between lubrication
should be shortened in severe operating conditions.
This procedure will undoubtedly aid in cutting down
leakage and will reduce the number of seal failures.
LUBRICATION

Proper installation of replacement

seals is vital. Volumes could be written on this phase
of D-ring seals, but if the following main points are
observed the D-ring will do its job.
INSTALLATION

1. Be sure that O-ring seals are not replaced while

the hydraulic unit remains installed on the airplane.
These units should be removed and sent to shops or
depots for rework where the proper protection, tools,
and test eq~ipment are available.

2. Double check the O-ring to be installed for

proper identification and condition-is it the correct
size and type? Refer to the applicable instructions
manual or technical order for full particulars on the
individual installation being considered. Is the O-ring
free of unacceptable defects and irregularities?
Examine the O-ring carefully for any cracks or
roughness which would allow leakage. Check the
date on the D-ring box. If it is more than two years
old the D-ring should not be placed in service.
3. Prior to installing the O-ring, make certain that
it and the component are clean and free of any
foreign particles. Immerse the O-ring in the type
fluid in which it is to be used and apply the same
fluid to the groove.
4. Be very careful not to twist or scratch the
O-ring when fitting it in the groove.
In summation, we should always remember that
hydraulic seals were never intended to be absolute
seals, and we will have greatly reduced maintenance
costs and achieved more satisfactory utilization and
service if we recognize and accept the inherent characteristics of the O-ring when evaluating leakage at
external seals.
A A
15

w. Fred Tenge, Lockheed electrical design engineer, describes the new . ..

. . . for military radar airplanes

There is an ever increasing need for

additional electrical power to make ground checkouts of electronic equipment on military AEW Super
Constellations. This increased power overloads the
single AN-2552 ground power receptacle and Hartman A702AA ground power reverse current relay to
such an extent that ground test procedures have to be
restricted to a maximum continuous load of 475 amps
de.
The doc power requirements for complete check-out
of electronic equipment, plus normal electrical loads
for lights, cooling, and ventilation, are presently
about 850 amps de. Future airplanes with automatic
navigating devices and improved electronic equipment will require about 1200 amps de for a complete
check-out.
NEW SYSTEM DEVELOPED To provide for the future
requirement of 1200 amps de and to allow for further growth, a 1500 amp doc ground power system
was developed. Because no electrical components are
available to handle these high electrical loads, the
total load was divided between two busses-an electrical main power bus and an electronic bus. Two
750 amp external power receptacles (one for each
bus) determined the name, "Dual D-C Ground Power
System."
MODEL 1049A

LOCATION OF COMPONENTS See Figure 1. The two

receptacles are installed in a pressure box forward of

the radome between fuselage stations F 36.8 (stress

station 564.4) and F 55.2 (stress station 582.8). They
are accessible through an external door, located
slightly to the right of center on the lower surface of
the fuselage. The white "power on" lights, one for
each receptacle, are in the receptacle box.
It was necessary to place the receptacles in this
position, rather than in the former ground power
receptacle location, to avoid a severe weight penalty.
This present location is close to the inboard propellers, which necessitates revising the sequence of
engine starting in the interests of ground personnel
safety. The revised engine starting procedure will be
given later in this article.
An interphone junction box is installed adjacent to
the two receptacles and is accessible through a separate door in the skin.
The relays for the system are installed in a fiber
glass box on the right side of the forward baggage
compartment, between fuselage stations 73.6 and 92.0.
The external power switch and the "EXTERNAL
POWER ON" green lights are in the same location as

before on the main junction box (M]B) No.1 panel.

NEW SYSTEM OPERATION

USING THE RECEPTACLES To supply doc ground
power for checking out the electrical system only:
Connect doc power source capable of continuously
supplying 600 amps into the electrical power recepacle.

Figure 1 Location of Components

16

To supply doc ground power for checking out both

the electrical system and the electronics system or

DC-EXTERNAL POWER
RECEPTACLE BOX

ELECTRONIC BUS
EXT POWER ON IT

SP

P5~20

P552A20

ELECTRONICS BUS
POWER ON IT

F===t~~~~~~SP~55~5~B~2~0~~~~:::l-r~~~~~~]=;~

MJB NO, 3
FLIGHT ENGRS
WARNING LIGHT
CIRCUIT BKR

25fl37W

ELECTRONIC BUS

P573A20N
.2.GND
"="STUD

r----P566C20-+--.[IGlI~

ION-oJ
P550B 1 I0N-1ol'.

~g~RE~Al

P555B20

P550A 1

SWITCH

P550CI 10~11
P553A 1 / 0 - - - + - - - - ; - - - , . , .
P553Bl/0----t----+--:::7l:l

P144B18N

10-===tC:~~=~~~~~~~~~~~::;:;;~~~dU

P553Cl
P554A 14-----+':.--d"::'~

EX~ERNAl POWER
IELECTRICALRECEPTACLE

P145B18-4---o--(l
SHIP'S
BATTERY
SWITCH

~
-

ELECTRONIC EXTERNAL POWER

RECEPTACLE

P144C18N

P144A18N---~

MJ B NEGATIVE
BUS

M J B NO, 1 PANEL

P557A 14----l--~5=-A~,........J
E!.ECTRICAl -----'
EXT PWR C ONT
RELAY CKT BKRS

+
+

p561A181

P569B20

1
S P MAIN BUS

P574~20Nl POWER ON
L
tIro--' GND STUD

IT

II~

P57;:1:~:t

_ _l_8-+-=-.",.-l..:"

L--+'P=-=5"':'6"'6'B 18
~'_

- - --P569A20

,J

~A18

X,-~

EXTERNAL POWER
ISOLATION
CONTACTOR
CONTROL RELAY
1----~5':"A'tR....E-lA-Y-...."B-'-'H--I+-+P564A1 8 - 1 - - - - - - - - '
5A

RELAY "Au

EXT PWR CONTACTOR CKT BKRS

FORWARD CARGO COMPARTMENT
CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL

25fl37W

MAIN
XP312A 1/0- ELECTRONIC
INVERTER
SPARE
XP313A1/0-ELECTRONIC
INVERTER

P568A 18N

P572A14

P551A1/0-~~~:TORS

PANEL

H738A8-- ~~~~::~OWER

50A
P560C1
Q-+!--P560B1

H739A6--~1ARBLOWER

10 --+----.....
10 --+----.....,
10--i-----e"'

P560A 1
MAIN BUS EXTERNAL POWER
REVERSE CURRENT RELAY

MAIN
POWER
BUS

DC-EXTERNAL POWER CONTROl BOX

Figure 2 Electrical Schematic Diagram of New Ground Power System

17

for checking out the electronics system only: Connect

both the electrical receptacle and the electronics
receptacle to a power source capable of supplying at
least 1200 amps continuously, or connect each receptacle to separate power sources capable of supplying
at least 600 amps each.
NOTE
The two new d-c ground power receptacles

LAC PIN 619176-1 are a different configura-

tion than the former receptacle. In order to

properly match the new receptacles,
plugs on the d-c ground power cart should
be Burton Electric Engineering Co. PIN 217.
These plugs are available from Burton Electric Engineering Co., III Maryland Ave.,
EI Segundo, California.
System operation when external power is connected

to the electrical receptacle: Refer to Figure 2. With

the external power switch on MJB No. 1 panel in

"OFF" position, the "ELECTRICAL BUS EXTERNAL POWER ON" green light will indicate that
external power is available to the main power bus..
When the external power switch is placed in the
"ON" position the external power isolation contactor
control relay becomes energized. This relay then disconnects the two electronics bus external power isolation contactors "A" and "B", dividing the d-c system
into two busses-an electrical bus and an electronics
bus. At the same time the relay completes the circuits
from the short pins of the external power receptacles
to the "SW" terminals on the electrical main bus
external power reverse current relay and the electronics bus external power reverse current relay. This
makes possible the energizing of the electronics bus
if power is later supplied to the electronics receptacle.
Therefore, the electronics bus can be energized only
when the electrical main bus is energized.
The electrical external power receptacle will now
energize the electrical main bus only, provided the
external power is of the right polarity and potential.
The white light in the receptacle box will indicate
that the connection from the electrical external power
source is completed.
System operation when external power is added
through the electronics receptacle: Refer to Figure 2.

The electronics bus external power reverse current

relay will connect the electronics receptacle to the
electronics bus as soon as the small pin becomes energized, provided the external power is of the right
polarity and potential. The "EXTERNAL POWER
ON ELECTRONIC BUS" green light on the MJB
No. 1 panel will indicate this condition, while a second white light in the receptacle box will indicate
that the connection to the electronics bus is completed.
18

Since the new

location of the dual d-c ground power receptacles is
close to the inboard propellers, the engine starting
sequence has been changed. Also, the d-c ground
power cart must be placed in a different position than
before when starting the engines.

NEW ENGINE STARTING PROCEDURE

At the LAC production flight line the d-c ground

power cart is placed about 5 feet aft of the wing
behind nacelle No.3. This location requires power
leads about 30 feet long. Locating the power unit
either forward of the receptacles or aft of the landing
gear is not recommended. The location forward of
the receptacles would result in ground personnel having to walk through the propeller plane, and the
location aft of the gear would place the unit under
fuel tank vents, which would create a potential fire
hazard.
The following is an extract from the latest revision
to the Flight Handbook describing the new engine
starting procedure for aircraft with the new dual d-c
ground power system.
The new engine starting sequence is 4-1-3-2. Engine
No. 4 is started first to provide secondary hydraulic
pressure. Outboard engines are started first to allow
ground personnel to remove the ground power leads
and cart before inboard engines are started.
All radar equipment, recirculation fans and unnecessary radio and electrical equipment must be turned off
before starting of inboard engines to reduce the load on
the ship's batteries and outboard engine generators.
Check secondary hydraulic system for pressure and
check operation of Bight controls after engine No.4 has
been started. This check must be made to ensure that the
crossover valve is functioning. The hydraulic system
crossover switch (if installed) should be positioned to
"EMERGENCY" and then returned to "NORMAL" for
this check. The right cabin air mixing valve should be
positioned to cut off right wing refrigeration so that
hydraulic pressure will be available.
After starting engines No. 4 and No. 1 (outboard
engines) the starting procedure for the inboard engines
is as follows:
a. Run outboard engines at 1200 rpm.
b. Switch ship's batteries and outboard engine generators "ON."
c. Switch external power "OFF."
d. Have ground power supply removed.
e. Start engines No.3 and No.2.

The first aircraft to have this new

d-c ground power system installed in production is AF
Serial 55-131 (LAC Serial 4404) and BuAer Serial
141306 (LAC Serial 4430). A retrofit program for

SERIALIZATION

the Air Force is authorized under T.O. lC-12l (R)548 and covers all Model RC-l2lC and RC-l2lD
aircraft manufactured prior to the production change
point. A retrofit program for the Navy is authorized
under R7V;WV Aircraft Service Change (ASC) 309
and covers all Model WV-2 and WV-3 airplanes

delivered without this change incorporated. Model

R7V-l and R7V-2 aircraft are affected by ASC 309
but only in regard to replacing the A702AA relay
with an A79lBB relay. The new relay will have a
continuous duty rating of 600 amps as opposed to a
continuous duty rating of 450 amps for the existing
~~

~~

Drain Holes In Aileron

Control
Access Doors
To reduce the possibility of water collecting and freezing in the area of
the aileron control access door, it is recommended
that three holes be drilled in each access door as
shown in the illustration. This will allow the water
to drain as rapidly as possible and prevent the door
from being torn loose or otherwise damaged by an
accumulation of ice.
~ ~

MODELS 1049A THROUGH H

SERVICE
BULLETINS
PENDING

SUPER CONSTELLATION SERIES

1049

SBNo.

Approx
Release

Subject

Description of Change

2889

Feb
1957

Replacement of Hydraulic Provides information for replacing the pressure line

Pump Pressure Line in rigid tubing with a flexible hose assembly for increased service life.
No.3 Nacelle

2894

Jan
1957

Modification of Forward
Toilet Drain Access Door

Modifies door by installing improved fasteners to

preclude failure in flight.

2928

April
1957

Replacement of Hydraulic
Pump Pressure Lines in
Nos. 1, 2, and 4 Nacelles

Similar to 1049/SB-2889 except is applicable only to

Nos. 1,2, and 4 Nacelles.

2934

Jan
1957

Revision to HRD Fire

Extinguisher Control
Panel

Relocates heater fire warning lights and selector

switches on panel for more positive identification.
~~

19

--

'.':"r'
~.(~.'" ~.>

CAA APPROVED AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUALS

MODIL
049 and IA9
60'9 and 7A9
1049
l0A9C and I with Curtiss Ilec
Props (lelssued 1 Nov 1953)
l0A9C and I with HOMllton
Standard Props (Ioillued
15 Oct 19531
10490 with Curtlll Ilec Props
O..uad 20 Juno 19551
l0A9O with HaMilton Slondard
Props I"suad 5 July 1955)
1049 0/01 104'"

PUBLICATION TInE
Molnton_ Instructions
Structural 1_lr
Molntenonco Ports Cololog
Crow Oporatlng Monuol
Intogrol Fuo' and 011 Tonk
~allng

Powerplant Buildup Inltructlons

PUBLICATION TITLE
Flight Handbook 1-11
Malntenonce Instructions (-21
Structutol I_It (31
lIIultra.-cl Port. Brookdown (...
Inspectlon loqulrDlllonll (.61
CorgO Loading Inltructlon. (-91
Powor Pocko,o Buildup
Inltructlonl (.11)

LACIEPOIT
NUMaUAND
ImSIONDATE

APPENDIX
I

APPENDIX
II

APPENDIX
III

APPENDIX
IV

APPENDIX
V

APPENDIX
VI

LI5I17
IS Dec 1955
LI6028
IS Dec 1955

23 Mar 1951
2 Juno 1955

(Deloted)
18 Apr 1955

1 Dec 19A7
2 Juno 1955
(Supplomont A
2 Juno 1955)

22 Dec lfA7
(Delotedl

10 "Mar 1953
2 Juno 1955

IA Sopt 1955

31 Mar 1955

15 Dec 1955

30 Mar 1956

LI7787
2 Sept 1955
LI9153
10 May 1956
LI91SA
30 Mar 1956
Lll0051
10 $opt 1956
Lll0052
19 Oct 1956
Llll020
1 Oct 1956

049

25 Mar 1955

10 May 1956

31 Mar 1955

30 Apr 1956

25 May 1955

SUPPLEMENT
B

SUPPLEMENT
C

--

SUPPLEMENT
D

10 May 1956

(l049D only)
31 Jan 1956

Revision dote applies to all .ections of thl, manual

Revision dat. applies to all ,ectlons of this manual

149

50/2680
15 $opt 19...
Ll5116
15 Dec 19SA

..

COMMERCIAL PUBLICAnONS
MODEL
60'9

7A9

La 5795
15 Juno 1953
Feb 1952
LI6027
1 Juno 1955

L15909
1 Juno 1955

.
..

l0A9C
LR 8681
I Oct 1956
La 8882
15 July 1956
Oct 1956
La 8758
1 June 1956

1049G

104'"

LI9814
1 Apr 1956

LI 10050
15 Juno 1956

Dec 1956
LI11360
15 Oct 1956

VC-12l1
INCLUDED WITH
1C-121 A-

YC-121F
T.O. 1C-121 'II CISUPPLEMENTSI

MILITARY PUBLICATIONS
MODEL

C-121 A
T.0.1C-121A-

C-121C
T.0.1C-121C-

1 Sept 1950
15 Feb 1956
AN Ol-75CM3
1 Aug 1956
'1 Feb 1956
AN 0175CM6
loillued
1 Jon 1953
IS Apr 1955

1 Jan 1956
I Sopt 1956

1 Aug 1956
15 Aug 1956

15 Apr 1956
15 Nay 1956

1 Sept 1956
1 Sept 1956

15 May 1956

1 Juno 1956
1 Mar 1956

1 Aug 1956
I Nov 1956

15 Aug 1956
1 July 1956

15 Sept 1956
15 Nay 1956

15 Oct 1956
1 Dec 1956

20 Fob 1956

15 Apr 1956
1 Aug 1955

I Dec 1956

l0A9E

10490

LI 10038
15 Oct 195A

l0A9
La 7788 and
LR 7963
1 Feb 1953
La 7789
15 Sopt 1956
Dec 1952
LI7786
15 May 1955

l7V-l
AN 01-75CMA

SUPPLEMENT
A

IC-121C
IC-121 0
T.0.1C-121 '11C- T.0.1C-12111ID-

15 July 1956

WV-2
AN 01-75CKC-

WY-3
AN 01-75CKC-

...
...

lol..ued
15 Dec 1953

I Aug 1955

YC-12l1
AN 01-75CMA
(SUPPLEMENTSI
15 Mar 1956
I Jon 1955
AN 0175CM3
I July 195A
1 Jan 1955

1 Mar 1956

15 Sept 1955
15 Fob 1956

AN 0175CM6
1 July 195A

15 Sopt 1955

T.O. lC121 (YlFl

1 Dec 1956

The Lockheed Parts and Service Organization

Walter C. Smith, Director
FIELD SERVICE AND TRAINING DIVISION

N. M. Harrison, Manager

field Service Operations Dept.

LE. Mason

field Service Planning Dept.

R. G. Richards

field Service Training Dept.

.1. l.larson

SPARE PARTS DIVISION

Commercial Spares Dept.
Military Spares Dept.
Spares Stores Dept.. .
Spares Technical Dept..
Maintenance Equipment Group.

D. S. Stevenson, Manager
R. A. Barnard
W. A. Marco
W. M.lowe
E. Scott
C. R. Young

CONSTELLATION FIELD SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES

LOCATION
COMMERCIAL
Miami, Florida
New York City, New York
New York City, New York

NAME

MAILING ADDRESS

TELEPHONE

V. H. Freitag
Regional Service Representative

c/o Eastem Air lines, P.O. Box 787

Int'l Airport Branch, Miami 48, Fla.

NEwton 4-3571
Ext. 560

F. W. Gates, Jr.
Regional Service Representative

Room 2-E-14
Hangar No.2, N.Y. Int'l Airport, Jamaica 30, N.Y.

Olympia 6-5314
or 6-5315

Room 2-E-14
Hangar No.2, N.Y. Int'l Airport, Jamaica 30, N.Y.

Olympia 6-5314
or 6-5315.

C. W. Price
Resident Service Representative

Kansa,.City, Kansas

R. T. Slusser
Regional Service Representative

TWA Overhaul Base, Room 102

Fairfax Airport, Kansas City, Kansas

DRexel 1-5680
Ext. 50

Sydney, Australia

E. l. Duclos
Regional Service Representative

c/o QANTAS Empire Airways

Hangar 58, Kingsford-Smith Airport
Mascot, N.S.W., Australia

MU 042, Ext. 211

Mascot N.S.W.

c/o Air India Intemational

Santa Cruz Airport, Bombay 29, India
c/o Pakistan Intemational Airlines
Karachi Airport, Karachi, Pakistan

60076, Ext. 278

Bombay

Bombay, India
Karachi, Pakistan

J. R. Gipson
Resident Service Representative {

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

S. E. lucas
Regional Service Representative

c/o John I. Wagner, Av. Franklin Roosevelt 39

14 Andar, Sala 1411, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

25-2165
Rio de Janeiro

Amsterdam, Holland

G. H. Smith
Regional Service Representative

lockheed Aircraft Hangar No.9

PTT Schiphol Airport
Amsterdam, Netherlands

62411, Ext. 556

6 Route de Versailles
Petit Champlan longlumeau
Seine et Oise, France

GoBelins 45-85
Ext. 51-64 Paris

P.O. Box 218, Naval Air Test Center

Patuxent River, Maryland

Volunteer 3-3111
Ext. 645 or 251

Paris, France

B. J. Bruno
Resident Service Representative

NAVY
Patuxent River NAS, Maryland

C. R. Pi"man
Regional Service Representative

Patuxent River NAS, Maryland

D. H. Horadam
Resident Service Representative

P.O. Box 218, Naval Air Test Center

Patuxent River, Maryland

Volunteer 3-3111
Ext. 645 or 251

Jacksonville NAS, Florida

C. R. Kelley
Resident Service Representative

P.O. Box 1766

Yukon, Florida

Evergreen 9-7711
Ext. 8217 or 8284

C. F. Wemle
Resident Service Representative

AIRTRANSRON 8 lVR-81, Navy #128 FPO

c/o Postmaster, San francisco, Callfomla

4-05", Ext. 42214

Hickam AFB

F. R. Swanson
Regional Service Representative

P.O. Box 1010, McClellan AFB

McClellan, Callfomla

Wabash 2-1511
Ext. 3-123

P.O. Box 1010, McClellan AFB

McClellan, Califomia

Wabash 2-1511
Ext. 3-123

Directorate of Aircraft
Deputy for Materiel EADF
Stewart AFB, Newburgh, New Yode

Newburgh 4900
Ext. 746 or 8128

AIR FORCE
McClellan AFB, Callfomia
McClellan AFB, Califomia
Stewart AFB, New York

R. E. Ripley
Resident Service Representative
E. C. Joslen
Regional Service Representative

Charleston AFB, South Carolina

D. E. Markley
Resident Service Representative

lockheed Box
Charleston Air Force Base
Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston 4-4211
Ext. 3469

Otis AFB, Massachuse"s

R. P. Mcintyre
Resident Service Representative

P.O. Box 336

Pocasset, Massachuse"s

Cataumet 700
Ext. 2536

Washington, D.C.

H. D. Sale
Resident Service Representative

111 So. Kensington St.

Arlington, Virginia

liberty 5-6700
Ext. 71920

Ent AFB, Colorado

D. J.Schmittner
Resident Service Representative

2312 No. Wood Avenue

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Melrose 2-5511
Ext. 2754 & 2033

Norton AFB, Callfomia

D. C. Swalla
Resident Service Representative

c/o Dlredorate of Flight Safety Research, Ftr. Br.

Norton AFB, San Bemardlna, Callfomla
A": LocIcheed Service Representative

San Bemardino
9-4411, Ext. 5131
or 6216