Powder and Propellants : Energetic Materials at Indian Head, Maryland, 1890-2001

Revised and updated, this is the story of the U.S. Navys premier facility for research, development, testing, and evaluation of energetic materials, the chemical compounds used in gun and rocket propellants as well as in aircraft cockpit ejection seats. Initially charged to improve the penetrating power of warheads against steel armor, Indian Head became the proving grounds for testing guns, propellant powder, shells, mounts, and armor, notably the manufacture and testing of Jet Assist Takeoff (JATO), Zuni, Talos, and Polaris rockets and missiles. First published in 1990 as a private publication for the Navy, Powder and Propellants is now available again as a revised and expanded second edition, with a new chapter on the institutions last decade. Those interested in military history, technology, and government institutional history will find this book invaluable. Table of Contents......Page 4 List of Tables......Page 7 Preface to the Second Edition......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 About the Author......Page 13 Acknowledgments......Page 14 List of Abbreviations......Page 16 CHAPTER 1: Origins of the Naval Ordnance Station......Page 22 A Patented Breech—The Naval Inventor at Work......Page 26 The Proving Ground—Structured Innovation in Ordnance......Page 29 Structured Innovation Under Way: Testing of Guns, Armor, Shells......Page 31 1889–1896: Ordnance Issues and the Place of Indian Head......Page 37 CHAPTER 2: Early Powder Manufacturing and Ordnance Testing......Page 40 Powder Under Development......Page 41 Powder Factory: Industrial Management......Page 45 Doubled Capacity......Page 47 The Beginnings of Civilian Management......Page 48 Management Problems: Information, Staff, Costs......Page 53 Cost Accounting and Chemical Engineering......Page 55 Proving Ground: Guns, Armor, Shells......Page 56 Experimental Work......Page 58 Zealots at Work......Page 61 CHAPTER 3: Ordnance Technology in the World War I Era......Page 64 Range Safety......Page 66 Standardization of Shells and Powder......Page 68 Powder Expert at Work......Page 71 Relationship with Private Industry—The Roles Redefined......Page 72 Powder Production......Page 76 Indian Head Goes to War......Page 78 Evolution of Mission......Page 83 CHAPTER 4: Indian Head in Ordnance Research, 1921–1941......Page 84 Factors Shaping the Research Agenda......Page 87 Specific Problems: Lessons Applied......Page 90 The Variable Delay Fuze—A Case of Incremental Innovation......Page 94 Policies, Budgets, Treaty, Foreign Progress......Page 96 The Agenda Juggled: Ships Challenged From Above and Below......Page 99 Indian Head—A Place in the Network......Page 102 The 1930s—Experiments, Personnel, Technology Transfer......Page 104 The Interwar Years—Quiet Progress and Cross-Currents......Page 107 CHAPTER 5: Indian Head: The Navy and the Community, 1890–1940......Page 110 Indian Head's Earliest Years......Page 112 World War I and Postwar Growth......Page 116 Indian Head Between the Wars......Page 120 CHAPTER 6: World War II......Page 126 Indian Head in Rockets, World War II......Page 128 The JPL at Indian Head......Page 134 Explosives Investigation Laboratory......Page 135 Powder Factory Research and Development During the War......Page 139 CHAPTER 7: Postwar Patterns......Page 166 Early Work on JATOs......Page 167 The Postwar Search for a Research and Development Mission......Page 168 Pilot Plants and Manufacturing Expansion......Page 172 Research and Development: Problems with Implementing the Mission......Page 176 CHAPTER 8: Years of Transition, 1955–1963......Page 182 Continuing Problems: Personnel, Safety, and Equipment......Page 184 The Search for a Mission......Page 186 Internal Divisions......Page 188 Ad Hoc Mission Add-Ons: CAD, Terrier, Weapon A......Page 191 Mission Redefinition by Planned Remodelling......Page 194 The Shaping of a Dominant Personality: Joe L. Browning......Page 196 Management Problems Addressed......Page 197 Browning's Management Ideas......Page 199 Polaris Work......Page 201 Challenge and Response......Page 204 CHAPTER 9: From Naval Propellant Plant to Naval Ordnance Station......Page 206 Mission Visions, Market Realities......Page 207 Products, Plants, and Processes in 1960......Page 209 The Propellant Plant in 1962......Page 211 Management Concepts......Page 213 Workload Development: NASA Efforts and Inert Diluent......Page 214 From Research to Production: Otto II......Page 215 The Bootstrap Problem Mastered......Page 217 Shots in the Arm: 2.75 Revived, Zuni, Line-Thrower, C-3 Plastic......Page 219 Guns: Old Weapons Redesigned......Page 221 A Crisis in Workload—Pessimists' View......Page 222 The Optimists' View......Page 224 Facing the Seventies......Page 227 CHAPTER 10: The Post-Vietnam Years......Page 230 Lee Aboard—Reorganization and Public Relations......Page 233 Ordnance Devices......Page 235 Simulators......Page 237 Work for Others......Page 238 Reorganizations......Page 239 Problems and Solutions......Page 240 Production and Engineering: Striking the Balance......Page 241 New Assignments......Page 246 Planning Conferences, Review Panels, Training......Page 248 A New Technical Director......Page 251 Glassware to Stainless Steel; Laboratory to Production......Page 256 CHAPTER 11: The Second Century Begins......Page 258 A Decade of Turbulence......Page 259 Navigating into a New Century......Page 262 Buffeted by BRAC......Page 265 Growing Role in a Shrinking Business......Page 267 Responding to Requirements......Page 273 Integrated Circuits and the Internet......Page 276 Energetics and the Environment......Page 277 Continuities and Changes......Page 280 EPILOGUE: Retrospectives and Prospects......Page 282 1. Tours of Duty, Inspectors of Ordnance in Charge and Commanding Officers, Indian Head......Page 290 2. Biographical Information, Officers in Charge and Commanding Officers, Indian Head......Page 292 3. Oral History Interviews Conducted for this Work......Page 303 4. Milestones in Technology and Management......Page 304 5. Chiefs of the Navy Bureau of Ordnance and its Successors: 1881–2001......Page 308 NOTES......Page 310 C......Page 348 E......Page 349 H......Page 350 N......Page 351 P......Page 352 S......Page 353 T......Page 354 Z......Page 355 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 356 C......Page 362 H......Page 363 N......Page 364 R......Page 365 W......Page 366 Z......Page 367 Annotation Powder and Propellants is the story of the U.S. Navy's premier facility for research, development, testing, and evaluation of "energetic materials, " the chemical compounds used in gun and rocket propellants as well as in aircraft cockpit ejection seats. Initially charged to improve the penetrating power of warheads against steel armor, Indian Head became the proving grounds for testing guns, propellant powder, shells, mounts, and armor, notably the manufacture and testing of Jet Assist Takeoff (JATO), Zuni, Talos, and Polaris rockets and missiles. First published in 1990 as a private publication for the navy, Powder and Propellants is now available again as a revised and expanded second edition, with a new chapter on the institution's last decade. Those interested in military history, technology, and government institutional history will find this book invaluable