Skip to content
UAP LEDGER
Department of War

DOW-UAP-D093: Analysis of Flying Object Incidents in the United States, 1948

Released: July 10, 2026

This file contains a U.S. Air Force (USAF) Air Intelligence Division study, “Analysis of Flying Object Incidents in the United States,” Study No. 203, d…

Full Document Text

Text extracted directly from the source PDF. Text extraction via abigailhaddad/ufo-releases; original file at war.gov.

Read the full text (64,379 characters)
--- PAGE 1 ---
DEClASSIFIED




               J
                   YSIS OF FLYING 0BJJ£CT INCi
                      IN THE UNITED STATES

                   203
                         -~- ·--=
                             -- - - ·~-
                                    -- - -   ~

--- PAGE 2 ---
•

--- PAGE 3 ---
NEVE.,  -E
                                                                 ~PROVALS, DISAPPROVALS,
     MEMO ROUTING SLIP                                    -CONCURRENCES, OR SIMILAR ACTIONS

 1 NAME OR TITLE                                                      INITIALS           CIRCULATE


     ORGANIZATION AND LOCATION                                        DATE               COORDINATION


 2                                                                                       FILE


                                                                                         INFORMATION


 3                                                                                       NECESSARY
                                                                                          ACTION

                                                                                         NOTE AND
                                                                                           RETURN

 4                                                                                       SEE ME


                                                                                         SIGNATURE


REMARKS




                             /4·~6r-F7
                                        r/~·~
 .~£k._                                                                          .
     w , · ~ ~~~~----,;;,--.....pre,//"'-A.

                    ~ ~- 7.7Y/

 .Q~GANJZATIGN AND L8CATION                                                          TELEPHONE




D. D      1
              Ff.GERM~,.,. 9__ -_
                     vu        _
                                    5   ReplacesDAAGOFortn895,1Apr48,andAFRQ
                                        Form 12, 10 Nov 47, whibb may be used.
                                                                                      16-48487""' GPO
                                          --.

--- PAGE 4 ---
t..trasucm nr1JIS10:1 srurn:
                                              OI/USAF-'Ol-0:} ••

                                        ,
                        !ll!¾1S:: or,, rtm•o oa.Bar nicnr~:ij;s n1 THE u.s.

                  20)                                               10 nccembc,r 1948




    J:1T.Sr~IµUl'IC l

    Air r.ntel eq Ulv                                               land 3



•
    Air E1tio3~B                                                           4
    ODI                                                                    2
    A1r Intel DiV



                                                                                -
                                                                               . 3

--- PAGE 5 ---
.
    •       ' ot   fl.TI:na l)   t
                       ct1da




•

--- PAGE 6 ---
mrra
             1. To e:P:uune              ttom or tnctico or ~Flying SAucnr:.U (ht'1'Gimftar
    roforre;l to oo .tl.ylnJ objeota) and to devolop oonclum,ona aa to thi
    JX)Cllib1.llty of eximnca.

                                         JU,crs A~   DISCUSSIO.i

             2 .. . A dotnUed di:ccwmion of inforoatio:l f . ) ~ on 'the F,Oblc
    a.c =t forth above 10 otttiched. WJ Ap::, n<li.x rAo. Tho rm.n pointo oottib­
    liuhed thereiJ:l nra au=nrl~od bol<m.
             3. 'l'ha f'r4qu 07 or reported :tnc1d:mtn, tho oinilarity !i.t mny o!
    t..~ elmractoti.ctice1 nttrib"i1t«l to -th:, obue:nrcd object nntl tho qunlj.ty
-   a.r obtiorv rs comdderod ,aa 'O              halo, aupport th             cont,ntio.11 t~t co

    t ~ or flyiriG objmct ma b:lan obaorwd.                          A!)!Jroxit!.n.tol_y 210 itwi<Wntlil

    lmv-s been ,:,.oportod. AnonB the obsorvarc r porting on auch incidantu
                                                                                                      •
    nra tr.:iinad and cxp,rienoed u.s. ll'eather nur~u ~ nnel., USAF rated
    ~accn, •~<.l!lced CiViliOJl piloto, toobnicuuts cumociatea m.th
    vat""lO>JD resoarch p.rojcsctc and techhid.nn• emplo                       d by ~ o i o l nir­

    l1ne••
             4•    Th• po■s1b1l1ty t • t reported ob nation ot flJ1ng object■
    overt e u.s.            r~ 1nn,umced by previcma lli(l21t1ne                   or lOidentut d

                    in nurop ,            rt1culnrl7 over "caDllinavia :1n 1946, and tl t

    t.   oblervara raoortit'lJl ~ in'.!ldents                         bavc,        int rafted in b-

         nin               1 _tXlbl.1.eity t.!J.V       Cl C
                                                                               •
              1-", t.ho    pOS•lb'i 11ti.ea                     itlprobabl.e                        lecttd


-   report• CWl

    adl.n      •
              11      tMd
                          II t      C




                                   "1'Vttr
                                           from u.5.
                                 ' strmtion• or          t ~ ba.llooo■
                                               • ai Ud stran
                                                                                                  ex-
                                                                                                           u.,


            .-, o • a: cl ano      11"     ,arver      1 11    tt1       1Llilil.sr o ;j ct ~    ne

--- PAGE 7 ---
ocoolicm. \'bD laat obi,a~tion at \oidcnt1tiod ol>,,1eot,s wao 1n Al)rl.l..

. 194?• 0\ all tour ocoaaiono too             tbcJi'   Uoon and tl        uninantifi-1
 objcota wen !rt v1'n thr-<mgb thi tbeodolito. Thoco obotnat.1.ona at.
Rio~d nurcau occ~ •w.ntl 1:10ntha before i,.iblloity on tbiJ tl11nc

   ~aera a peared in •       u.s. nG'Jfopap;r.
         s. Deecrl.ptiQ.'1\1 ot the tly:ln objoote till into thN• CnntiB\ir&...
 tion cutagorioa, (l) diak-ahapcd {2) rou · cl~b:lpc,d (3) balls ct
 fJN,.     -~lo/,Ul!l conditions ot Y.i.o1b1.Uty and ditfeNUco, 1U angleo at
wlloh thtt objecto may havo been v1aw d :lntroducaB a pooo1b111ty, t a
 o1nl9,a tYJ>l,I objc,o~ f/JAY hDv   bOcn ob1orvad rtt.t.lier tl1IJ\ thr     d.1.tt:•ront.

 ~a.         Thia ~ b i l i t y 11 f"llrtbcr nbatlntiate.d by tho taot that in

 tM            'Wbo1'W auah ob,3eota bt&fl been obeetrvod U- t4nt1o ot tho three
      em oaor~t1on1 io •P~tol-1 tm


 'tm S.dtnt1ttcatlon of that obj a\ ®rlnot bet raadU¥ acccul)llebed on tb
 bii11 of inl'ormation l'epottod 01:1 oacb incidtnt.          tt, 11 po1otbla tha\

 obj.ct, or objoot1,         7        betm do!lorltica~ 1&111chad dm.cCNI web

wetmr ballo=a, rook.9t.~              Mr     ntal n.,,ttl(! ffinC aircratt, or' cele
 ttal phenanana, It la n•o1N11&.\'7 to obtain tnto
 aoti"fity to ~firm or deny t.~11 p1>anib1Uty.                pendJ.na upon.

 With whtoh thie         7    ae<impltehld, tora1        dffloeD 1:l\111\     n      con-
 •1d• d Bl a po1n1D111ty.
         7. 'lh8 pt.item ot •1ftit1n        u detinable,       1    tin     haw be

      t 1n                    t the ltatea bof'der1n          Atlantic             clfio
      at JJ.ne•• 1r1d        c.t.ral 1ta • ot Ohio «nd ent\ieij. A
 loc&Uon of el          in ;9 1e at obtd •• A paidUt o "•
                                     den   • s., not; qo
                                                                .
                                                              1.ri&bla.
                                     (1)




                                      ru

--- PAGE 8 ---
reportod flying objecto, particularly those described ae disk~ and
    rough oi~r _aha~a.          (Seo Append1eea "C11 and nn11 . ) Among those which
    Jiave been operational in recent yeara are the XF5U-l ("Flying Flapjack")
              .
    developed by Obance-Vaugb:tt, tM Northrup B-35, and the turbo-jet powered
    Northrup YB-49•       Tb& ~osent exiatence of any privately developed fiying­
    wing type aircraft baa not been determined but one ouch aircraft, the
                                 I
                                         .
    Aru.p taille$8 monoplane, was operational at south Bend, lndiana, prior
    to 1935. {2) Objects are fore:i."1, snd it ao, it would aeem most logi­
    cal to consider that they are from a Soviet eouree. The Sovieto posoese
                      •    l,        '             '   "



    intormtion on a number of Oenian ni,.ng-1iringt1P9 aircraft such aa the
    G>tha P60A, Junkers EF 1~ long-range, high-speed j~t bomber and the

    Horten 229 twin-jet fighter, -whioh p-:irticularly reaablea ooe ot the
    descr1pt1ona of unidentified flying objects (See Appendix 11 0 11 ) . As
    early aa 1924 Tncheran01rt1k7 devoloped a "Parabola" airorart, an all
    wing de&ilJl, which wno the outcoms of oonm.darabls Soviet experimentation
    with gliderD or the oame general. form.            SOYiet aircraft baf!led on ouch
    deaigna m.1.ght bave speeds approaching trnnsonio •peeda attributsd to aome
    flying object ■ or greater overall performance assuming the succ&as.ful
    developxnent at eome unueual propulaion d~ce aaeh aa atomic energy
    engine.
         9. That tb9 Soviet■ have a current interest 1n flyinc•'Wing type
    •iroraft 1• auggeated by their utilization of nr. OuS1ther BOolc who, at

    the end ot world rrar n, • • 1n charge ot the nyJ.ng-wtng progru in

    Germany' (see Appendix ttA", ~•graph 3, page 4). Aobievementa aat1•­
    taotory to tbs u.s.s.R. are indirectly indicated by the pereooal recog­
    nition h• 1• report.ed to be NoetTing in the u.s.s.n.             Recently it ha11
    been repoi-ted tt»t the u.s.s.R. 1• planning to build a n ..t of 1,800
-   Horten flying-Wing aircraft.             Informati(m of low evaluation baa baon
    reoeind etatintr t!nt a regl.lns.nt ot jet m.ght .t ishtere, Hod•l Ilorten
    XIII, 11 at Kumm:f kha, an air base two miles t1outl'Pfea\ of Iiokutak.

--- PAGE 9 ---
Kurm;ti kha. is identified as one of a number of airfields for the pro-

-   tection ot an atomic energy plant at Irkutsk. The Horten XllI as
    developed by Oermny ,ms o. glider.
         10.   Assu.idng that the objects might t,ventually be identifiod as
    forei~ or foreign-sponsored dev-lces, the possible reason for their

    appe,arance over the u.s. requires consideration.    Several posoible ex­
    planations appsnr noteworthy,, v.i.zi
               a. To ne~te u.s. confidence in the a.tom bomb as tho moot
    advanced ond decisive weapon in warfare .
               b.   To perform photographic reconnaissance missions.
               c.   To test u.s. air defenoeo.
               d.   To conduct :f'ami.liari~ation £lights over u.s. territoey.
                                   OONCLUSI<llS

         u.    Since tm .Ur r.-orce is reaponsiblo for control or the air in
-   the dofcnae of the u.s~, it is 1.mperativn that all other agenoies oo-­

    opsratc, 1n confirming or denying the poeoibility that theae obje-,ts
    have a domestic or1:61n•   otherwiao, if it is fir.inly indicated t.bat
    there 1a no d01ne1t10 explanation, tM object• are a throa~ and warrant
    m.ore activo etforta of identification and intorc~tion.
         12.   It mua-t be accepted tmt some type of fi1ina obj•ots ha'Ye been
    obae"11d, although the i r identification and origin are not diaoernabl.e.
    Di the intereot ot' national defense it would bj un'rfiN to overlook the
    po~sibility that e    e ot tmee objects i:ny bs of toreia;i origin•


    4 Inole1
      l~ " d1X "A" - Analyaie of Flying Objeot Inoidents in tbl u.s. and
                         Hypoth9t1oal Taotios Employed
      .Appendix "B• - Plot or Flying Objeo'b S1Sht,1np in the U.S.
      Appendix II C1' .. Selected Reports of Plying ObJeot Incident•
      Appl.tldb. ?tD• - FlJing lfinl Type Airoratt

--- PAGE 10 ---
APPEiDIX llAlf

                 ANALYSIS OF FLYilTG OBJECT IUCIDENTS Ilf Tlm U.S.
                      AND HTPOTHETIOAL TAOTICS l'?iPLOXED

         l.   Introduction.    To formulate tho possible tactic• of
    jects reported ovor the U.S. assumes from the outGet that firm conclu­
    sions have beon reached on both the exiotonce pnd origin of the r oported

    flying objects.    The current status of information on such incidents
    and overall analys1o doec not cllow subotentiation for auoh concluaione.

    However. the lack of such firm concluaions points to the necessity for
    an immodiato and sound statisticnl annl7oiA of every nepect of the aituo.­

    tion and doeo not proclude a concurrent examination of the reported in­

    cidents to develop explanatione of their possible tactioe.         The latter

    will be useful at oome future date ohould tho exictencea.ndoririn of the

    flying objocts be definitely e•tabliahed.        Theroforc , tho followint;
    anolyais of availablo information ii advanced in order to praeent evi­
    dence on the actunl exhtenoa of somo tn,e fl7ill(; object and to relate
    samo to tactical purposen for which the objects are pose1bly deeiEned.

    The foJ.lovin,:; dhcueslo.n mu.at be cone1derod a provi111onal o.nalycie,
    pend1n6 a further dotailod analyaio of all aspects of the problem.
         2.   Somn J1.1rpoota RMIU'tllM F171na ObJeot Incld~nt4.     A. cureory

    cxaM1nat1on of evidence on reported incident ■ haa been mnde o.nd it 1•
    po111ble to cite certain genorAlltiee which it npp~nre MQ.1 be borne out

    when detailed a.nal71os ha~• been completed.

              Amo~ the 1noidentB reported there are m&IJ.1' otatemonta by

    reliable and experienced pereone which t~nd to confirll that fl7lng ob­
    j~ote havo been aeon.     The detcription of ouch objeot~ 1nem• to fall
    rou«hl7 into thre• catogor1$ ■:    (1) 811••r dieke or balls. &pproxil0at1n&

-   a Horton will«$ tn>e aircraft; (a) Dal.le Qf fire ot Tnrlous colore and
    lntenei\101; (3) Ott r or p noil-shaped object, atmtl~r i~ apponronce
    \o V-2 type rockets in horliontal flight.        ihe numbere of configurations


                                       1

--- PAGE 11 ---
>




        might be further roduced wi          the follow~ conoideratione i n mind:

        Silver disks or balls have,        or the greater part, been observed in
        daylight nnd a number under lear weather conditions with visibility
        unlit1i~edt     In aost instanc a. balla of fire have been oboerved at
        night.     Oie;ar. or pencil-sh    od objects have been aig~tod in fe\fer

        nwnbers but ~,ith about equa       distribution in daylight and at nieht.

        A few accounts toll of             ·eks havil'.l,f; u rough eigar- ahapo whon
        viewed vh1lo maneuvering.          me of the dioka are described no having
        lw:ninoa1t7 in daylight.           hereforo is poseible that e sin&lo type
        of object J11a1 be involved i           cightinga. and diffo~onceo in dee­

        cription n1A7 reault from vi         ng tho objects at variouo ~lee and

        under diftoring conditiona          vieib1lit1.
                      Tho n.boTo           indicate that some type object h:l.e been oeen
        and tho poseibil ity                t tho object or obJecta aeen aro conven-

        tional domestic deviceG , ru        e.a we&thor balloons, test rockets, or Jet­

        equ.ipped aircraft with pane          or flyi~ will£ oonfigur~tiona.

                      The nos1ibility e    ate that the reportiJ:I& of f~ill8 objects
        may have                            rliar reports on similar inoidente in
        Soondino.via. and OllXltral Ilur        The publication in newaq>npera of de­

        tails on auch incidents. bo         foreign and dom~atic. 1187 hove induced
        eo~o of the description pro        ded in reported domeatic inoidenta.          However,

        one of the enrlieot reporte        1ightiD4t~ in thou.a. wae the one obaencd

        by U.S. Weather Dureau per1          el in April 1947, at lliobmon,, \irginia.
        and on \hG baei• ot                report lt appears that the diek• are not

        bulloonn.      It vould aeem \      thin aighttng w•• not lnflueno~d by the re-
        port• of forGt n 1nc1dontm,        be nev~Bfer aooou.nte of domoetic lnoidente,
-       nor by mieldentiflcation of         conTcntional object.
                      Altho~h reported      mestie 1noidonte are l.1id.oly aoetterod through­
        out the u.s., fregy.ency of        ,;htl:ng a.nd n'U.lllber of obeervors per sighUue;

--- PAGE 12 ---
. '



'asouoes a definable pattern." There is a large concentration of aight­

inga along the ~stern Seaboard. another large concentration throU(;h­
out the 1t'ostern Coast states, and a . few sightiru?s
                                                    - '-n the Mi ddle ,1est.
Distribution of incidonts by configuration of object snd description

of maneuverability is approximately equal in each of theoo araaa and
this i o believed to further 's ubstanti ate the possibility tbet one type

of object mieht have been observed in different asneots of fl i €ht.

                If sightings are induced by rumor, it seeca unusU£>1 t.lult more

incidenta have not been reported from tho vreas with hi€h concentra-
t 1on of population.       Reports from such areas would also hnve creater
facility in channel1IJG either to newspapers or official reporting ngon­

clee.        For the most part , _o1ght1J1€;s have b~en made 1n fairly onen country
where there are few ro,trictione to vhibilit7, .·~-hich may indicate that .
obstructod vision hn.o reduced oightingo in bu11,-up aroas.
                It thorofore Geems th.at aome type of flying objoct has been ob­

served; tho identification of ita origin requires tho co~!pletion of other



        3.    Eoaa1blo Or1«1~ of UnuoU4l J'lrlns Objnpt1& Provided, upon the
completion of annlyaeB, it 1c inrlicated that nome or nll of the reported
flyill8 objects over the U.S. nro of foreign or1&in, the objectc could

from a logical viewpoint, be couaidered Soviet.          It is evident from the
perforaance character1et1oe attributed to the un1dnntified objectn at

thiu time that 1f they are foreign, the1 involve efficiencies of por­

formanoe which hnve not been ro&liz•d in nn~ op~rat1ollt\l airborne de­
vice in thie country.         It would, therefo•e, be o. rnietake to analyae the
technical n,weets of the situation within th• limtt, of our cwn knowl­
edge of p~actinnl dcvelopmentn.         It is more deeirable to consider then
the 0\1ter llmiti, of poealble Soviet develop11entfl and objecti1.ve11 in nt•
tEJmptlng to !c,rmul&.te aom      idea of the tectic" whioh might be involved.

--- PAGE 13 ---
of all, the                             objectiveG of ihe u.s.s.R. ha.ve

-   been st tod many times and indicatod i n many f orms,                                  The most clear­
    cut statement of this obJoctive is prob bl7 the one contained in the
    prea ble to the         ourth five- year Plan (1946-1950) which states that
    the objective of Soviet science ie to overt ke and surp an the seienti-
    .fio and technical development ,of the ca 1tali t nat1ona~                                     It appar ntly
    .would be · n imnosoible tosk for the Goviet Union to                                  ocoopliah such an

    .objoctive by proce ding st~- by- atep                       lone; the same lines of develop­

    ment already achieved in the capitalist                           tione.         This would menn that
    it would b-e ne oossary to rapidly proceed through en.ch phase of aero-

    n utic I development that bae                       lr aa,- been accomplished in thia country, and
    this ~robably would never have any pro pecto of ace ler ti                                        Soviet dev lop­

    ment b yond any point re ched by the U. S.                            Th       obviou an wer to        coom­
    p lioh their objoct1v           of not onl7 overt kin , but surpassing the capitalist
    oountrioa would b a sci nt1f1c shortcut .                             Thi poe 1b1lity 1 not so r -
    mote when examined on the b aio of our knowl dge of th curr nt                                         ituation
    in th U. S. S. R.       Provi~ d Soviot eophasis was ·iven to the mot promieing
    and    dvaneed idea       ncquir d fro                Ge     ny in 1945 and th                work aided by

    Germ n aoientiote, the po e1b111t7 of catchi                               ~     and pooaibly Ul'p ssin
    other n tion         int ohnic 1 dev lopment, b comes mor                              re 11at1c.      It be­
    comes ev n oor         re 11 tio if th                Soviet     hav       shown        t ndency to ooncen-
    tr te on cort in d8velopm nte whioh have still not reoe1v d                                        llaltimum of
    priority in our own progr                      •

                    It is know that the u~                 .s.R. hae sine 1946 enli ted the I r-
    vie    of Vr .         nther        oc,            German who head d all develop                  nt of low

                Uo (flyin          wi        ) t        aircraft in Ge               Y'•    Dr.     ook: 111 bulteved

    to b   th       op              ci ntie             in cl re      t                     !' I.AM whio     re

    "1r                                                                        h                    7urth r, 1

    1•                              oc                                                               e fr fly-
    1           t        airer f         0     he       vi t •                                • co     ld rd

                                                          4

--- PAGE 14 ---
•.     the Germans o.nd possibly

-          flyi ng wing ty-pa aircraft w se confi[;Uration would be sinilor to des~
           cr1r tions of cortain             r eported flyinc ovor the U. S.    The eati­
           mated q,eeds of such                           range of the lower limits of
           speed attributed to flyin,e o jecta over the U. S.                    -
                                                                     It ia not 1I!Jposs1ble   ~
           .
           that emphaois on surpas~ll'lo     oroii;n developments haa led to unuoual pro-
          gres& in fucloandpropulaio         by the u.s. s.R.    In connection with pos-
           a1ble advancemento in the fi ld of fuelo and propuloion. 1t: shou.ld be
          observed that tho Russian o         oituation (regardless of eotimated oil
          reaorvor,) io quite differont from t~t in the U. s.          i"or e~le, u. s.
          oil industry is preparod to        urn out tremendous qunntit1ea of hi~hly
          fractionotod petroleum pro         tq, while the u.~.s.R. cannot reasonebly

          approach ouch c~pab111tiee.        Thie consideration dictates d1f!orent solu­
          tions on fuel~ for propuls1o        1n the two countrieo and 1n turn, dictnte1
-         the direction taken in dev~~ omont of jat motors or the U88 of other pro-
          puloiv& dovicoa.    We must tl rcfora. arrive .at the concluoion that any-

          Soviet aevice which mar have made ite s~penranoe over the u.s. as des-

          cribed, would possaeo unusUR performance charaot~ristioa ~hioli, in all
          probability, would include                 renge.   The poo1ibilit7 th~t they could




         ' unconventional aircraft moy ~ve been flown ov~r tho U.S. tor ono, all, or
          a oombinntion of the followi g reasons:




                                             ha•• b~eu used in• propB&&nda eonao. it
          would be r easonable to assum      thnt the Goviete would mooee ttret to

          fri«hten pro-Aoler:l.oan no.tton   in .filu.rope with the ap_p•aranoe of a rnd.1.ooll;y


                                                 5

--- PAGE 15 ---
.,


nev we~pon to counteract        abilit~ of the U. S. t o obtain full propaganda

effectivenees with the atom             It will be remeI!l'berad t hat strange

objects first appeared over he Scandinavian coUhtriee in 1946.           The ob-
jects observed there had unu ual range and unusual performance oharacteris-

tics.    As this demonstration over tho Scandinavian countries occurred
tho U. S. was making a v1goro s campaign for t he economic and political

aligru:ient of these nations    th other pro~merican ieatern ~uropean na­

tions.     \?hen                subsidod, strange flyine; objPcts bocan to

be observod at an increaoine rote over the u. s.       The conclusion on this
point is that flyill(; object   may h~ve been used to frighten both Euro-

pean nations and the u.s. b~ tho appearance of a new device, and thnt

foilure to i dent ify such a         object would give them inval uable in­

dication that U. S. dovelopm      i s far behind that of tho Soviets.

Except for thi1J                  i e believed that the uce of tho objects

to promoto fear                 hleaa 1n that the U. S. public has tended

to characterize the&e incid tn entirely_an ho.llucinationE1 by ''crack pote 11 ,
misldentific~t1on of convent onal objecta, or that they repres~nt a secret

American project                 not be publici~ed.     Any fear that micht re­

ault from Soviet                e only b~ a discovery that the objects h4ve
been Soviet aircraft and t       they involve radical developmanta which
ore 1n advance of our




objeot~ for the cellecticn       ~hotograph1o intGlligence or the mappil'IB
of certain aren1 in the U.S      The evaaive action emplo7ed by all objocta

•16hted                          an attempt to avoid bei!l€ aightod. na an
~ttcmpt to prevent d11clo1u      of the ex&ct t;vpe of fl1ing crmtt and it•
miaeion.     !rhe ~l~ht1nc of o eets over the U.S. ru o ~een most intense 1A
              •
Eaetorn and Westorn Coa~t                 ln addition, Jightitl&• of flying ooJeote


                                    6

--- PAGE 16 ---
J




         have been made near Oak Ridge, Tenn.; :Uo.s Cruces. n, H. , and in the

·-       general area of the Hanford Works in ' Orogon_.      Gonernlly, aightinis have

         not been made over what we consider strategic industrial arooe .        The
         reason for thia mi~ht be either thnt the flying_objecto have boen ob­
         served only enroute to or from misoiono over tbeGe . oore concentrated
         strategic arena, or that the Soviets obtained sufficient information
                                                           .
         during thoir World War II liaioon with u.s. industry to natiafy tho1r
         intelligence reQuirements and have a more active requir~~ent for in~oroa-
         tion on industrioe and area~ which were not available to the~ during
         World Uar It contacts.     This 12 of inter~st in connection with the
         sightinca near Oak Ridge, LaG Cruces, and in tha general area of the Hanford

         Works nince theee eetabliohmnnts wrenot , end ara not , acocsaibl~ to Soviet

         collectoro of photo~raphic intelli -~onco.


                          lt is poffolblo thnt the use of 5oviot f1Yill6 objects over
         the U. S. io int~ndcd oni,- to dotormine the ability of the U.3. defenses

         to npot ioreign aircraft .     Thie would be of extreme laportanoe to the
         U.G.S.R. in tho event that a one-way all-out attack of Soviet atre.te­
         g1o bombers 1o plcnned.      Ability to operQto oYer the U.S. unin'W.bitod
         at a time when the u.s. is suppoced.17 ro-a1'1i21ng and puttin« greBt atrea1
         on defenaee would provide yaluable informatiott on which to base e1tlmate1

         for probnbilit7 of suocftoe in bombing stratoeic obJectiTe1 1n the U. S.

                    d.   Ew;l1l111rbetiop Zl,ittht1....2If'I£ U.8. T0n:1to;a.
                          This poaolbl~ reacon le ptrbnp$ the mott improbable.         lt

         ie aooumod thnt, ohould thie 1;1urpooo bo involved, other purposori are

         prob bl1 nl~o ccoolllpllahed ln ite execution.       Frov1dcd the u.n.s.n. het
-        unUoutilly hlsh pl!rformnnee a1rcreft they ~1{:ht find it ~dv.ontaeeoue to

         famllit1rhe the11eo).Toe '11th the tol)o,;ro.pbf of the C'.8. in anticipation

         ot futuro combat mi~aione to ~tratee1o tarcote •

                                                ..,

--- PAGE 17 ---
•   I    •




             5.   Concluaioa.   !he conclusion thot some tYPe of flying object

        has been observed ovor the U.S. seems to be substantiated.       It is not
        known at this time whether these obae:r"V'at1ono are mioidontifieations
        of do~estically launched devices, natural phenomenn, or foreien un­
        conventional aircraft.     It is, therefore, i mpossible to noke any re­

        liable oxplanation for their ar,pearanco over the U~S• or the tact1cB
        which they may- employ 1f the objects oboerved includo any foreign
        developmente in aeronautical fields.     It is likewise i.Jp.possible at
        this time to contain diecuesiona of posoi~le perfornance charaotoristice
        or tactics within limits of practical reason, if for no other reason

        than the faot that proof of the existence of a foreign development of        ,..   i.
        this tn>e would neoesearily introduce considerations of new principals

        D.nd means not ¥et conoidercd practical poeaibilitiee in our own re-

        eeorch and devol0pment .




                                            8

--- PAGE 18 ---
•

                                                                         ;
                                                                         i
                                                                      t1
                                                                      fJ)
                                                                      M

                                                                      rJ ~
                                                                      Sc
                                                                     0
                                                                      en
                                                                     ""J
                                                                             I
                                                                             H
                                                                             a

                                                                     ~ •
                                                                     r.,
                                                                     0
                                                                     ~
                                                                     1111
                                                                     ij
                                                                     r.o




                        •   r iol's
                    -       ''Oll ·h
                              •~::ur sh19e
                    ♦ '1.111 o" Fir.,
                    41 nO"'· n: '•'it'"
........... _....           Co"l~i~:1ti<m •·nct,-;te ·ni.n~q..




                                   All llGVN

--- PAGE 19 ---
1J

--- PAGE 20 ---
APPENDIX II 011

                   SEIEC.CED REPORTS (I!' FLYnrn OBJECT INCIDENTS


               A nunber ot reports on unidentified fly;l.ng objects come trom
observer• fflio, beonuas o! their teobnioal background and experience do
not appear to be infiuenoed by unfounded senaationallam nor ino,linod to
report explahable phena1uma as new types 0£ airborne devices.                  Some of   .
the detailB of their reports are presented in this appendix~ slang with
those from posDibly le3s reliable sources who have reported evidence
which is of such a nature that it cannot be entirely ignored.
           >
      2.   Descriptions
            ,           ot Bifi'}liticant :inoidente, arranged ohronologically,
follow.a
               a. During April 1947, two employeea ot tbs wentber Bureau
Statioa at Richmond, Virginia reported aee1ng a stranee metallic diak
cm three ooc&aion• through the "tbeodolite while_. making PIBAL observa­
t.ion••    One observation was at 15,000 feet when a disk waa followed for
15 seconds.        The diak appeared metallic, ■baped 10tt10thing liko an ellip1e

with a flat bottaa and a ro\ll'ld top. It appeared balcnY the balloon and
waa much larger in Bise. The di ■k appeared to be moving rather rapidly,
altboue)l it waa impouaible to eatimate its apsed. The otb!tr obaervationa

""'"' Jllllda at 27,000 t eet :in like manner.
               b. The tollorin1 lit0Xlth, Byron B. Savage, a f i eld engl.noer f or
                           :""Hiii!\rt1. n
                                         ,   iWl>oned a diak tlying near hiu homo in
                                                eot no thought to be at an alt itude
                                               eet, and waa novinR toward t he north


                                                   feet on a courM of ))0 d•~os,
                                               , Nevada, an .ill' force lieutenant r~
                                               oiroular object , in cloea tormat1on auia_.

t   Yelin at an        etimated •P d of 28S mil•• pol' hour. Thi• ei6ht1ng
occurred on~ June 1947.

--- PAGE 21 ---
d.    Tll                     day a party of thi-ee, t,To of' tliem soicmtinta,

    re motJiAg a                 llllr"l!ll~          ....
                                                      lC
                                                           ~ - • " • •Sand, Ile l!exico,'
                                                                                  9# •
                                                                                          V-2.~ _,.-:~
  !ir_Jng gr!>undo a.,         ropor ~ s                           or sphere moVin8 horJ.-
  12;anto~ a             Q! o         an                               or 10,000 f           t
                           "           ~                                   . . . . ¥ ..
r mis ot uni:for::i aQ!ipc Md hld no protru • G o                  coo such as mngo.        Th~
  object r.ns in sight tor about 60 tieconds ooforo i t dis.a.ppJared to the
 nortbe.:icrt.    Tho tbro observe1·a acreod on tho dotl1lo of the uightini.;

  except that cne thought bO hld aoan vapor trails.
            e.     On 7 July 1947, five Portland, Orecc,n police o.fficerc re­

 port d vnryinc n\lmb::1•0 o.r dioka flying over dif£cr&nt port:;; o! tho city.

 All obs8rvations \T.lre m.,.dc '1i thin a mnute or trro of 1305 houra .
            t.    on the Oam!) da1, William Rhonda or Pho nix., Arizona al-
 ltJgedly enw a diok ctrolinn his locality .during ounoet



                                                               form. Tl»ec photoc;rapho
- mv been •cx1io:trietf'
 iJ:llf'!lS nnd do not op~nr to be io              rtect,1on in the      :ul.oion or irl~­

 .feotiono in the lenc.           (SaG F1go. 1, 2, 3, and 4.)
                         ootar AL 'rll">TJMAPHS DY m. ntl )(\n~

--- PAGE 22 ---
n.'                                                n.c. 4
             0\ 10 Ju1:r 1947,        r. OOC'.lrutt. a Fllll""ft'JIID oan iltr'llaJa •ohlnle
r.pc,rted • ot:roular 6bj4tc\ tl11n1 a, hi          wlooi\7, pu-alltlln1 t.be tlllr'th'•
.urn.ca   d 1e&nn1 at-nil            1oh appeaftd •• a "tiarnln up" ot \be •load
                               bal!'llll'Nd. nlff "8.rianrl Fltld~   MtfCDldlan4.   NO

O\tiv pwam• alao NW                          ob ~••n!nel s.n bl •kJ' ~ r allau\ an
                   \o&ftpbl4 bJat \bal'          A ~ • flw N,\11.\inl               lo--
Of.i'lbl ana~r\     •     oodfutr•• obelM'lt.1.on u tar •• '111 •kr eliaft           ll

aerao..-n-4. ( •        1sa., 81\d   •>

--- PAGE 23 ---
.            . _;::.,--
 .
 . ..G   .


                                ,.,

                                          . ..




                                      I




                                          ..
                                           ..
                           /
                          / .

--- PAGE 24 ---


--- PAGE 25 ---


--- PAGE 26 ---


--- PAGE 27 ---


--- PAGE 28 ---


--- PAGE 29 ---
'




           J..       4A   t l9A7a


     tt tlltlr .uc,-tt,. Thi• 4Ui    Cr, I

111d thn7 turned to fJlTe clmae. The '00-3             • tl)1ng at; 170 IIPll,         t
d1a 11.ew GU\ ot cd.{tll in .!tour as.rm:     ••
            l•   Cb 12 ' ~ 191.1,              t1y1nrz dl•a \rolling 3•t;..lln
-~ .-u of 'fire • -re np0rtea_1J n lto4 frClll               brld     or h ~ r
Ttconduor,a, aoaonU.na to tht no«td orttcor. f                  1'10 _ clffO   WlllJ

20 mt leo otf t.lw
tdeb:t; 4S IJDCCXlWI, ~ B a\ • ·~            ..ur:atcd at '700-900          t; cm-vins
in a la, , low uo.

           ~ 01 "I d&l'Nf1'1 l9J.81 •   ;aUo:uil GdlU'd pUot           I ldllad Jdiile

at,ttlqp11.inG to ohan an Qi1denW'~4"1 objoct ~ to ~,ooo :en. 'ffld.l.• it
ia Pl'Oiln4 tbat thi1 pilot slittcm anO;d.a1 NIU,ltlJlu in h1e Cl'llih, ht.a
laat lle8Glllfl to th• tower' wao, ntt •P9.t!U'8 to bo ~ta.W.o ob.1,octefl•• f4
~doua nae.... d1notl,f ahead and lll.1~i,- •'bow••.... I e::i t1;ty1pg
to oloae ~or • bettor l~.,.

                                ,                  ,                    .
   ~.c a laboratory
             .      Sect.ion,. atson J.ibaratol"5.eo. r.. J., ~
~         A r'OWld, !nd1otinct object 1n -ttn .,,_m.nS.ty o.t Hollmn Air ~
                                                                                 .
l)la,ro               .
                 co. I\ WU VtJ%7 hi~ .and t'aat1 .and • ~ to uooute
violtnt llllll'USUYOX'~ at b1r;b ~ - fbe object ... under- Obllll'V't\tlon tor
                           • and ~m,eal"Od.

--- PAGE 30 ---
•• A ~                                                  "' t,


-     •
            1 a a speed ot p
                             Lt.
                                                      ~
                                                          •                         t

                                                                                    Alt.l,tudo ot
             4SOf> t• ,. lltbw                                            n                   I




                   •

    1'H' 1an        n,111 1n exoea or an eatJJaltea 500 • • na110t11d1n& .tNII


    ao    ~. .t1nn-, r7 r,         p.'1413 mtd.1 out ot at~.
                  o.         17 - ~ 1943, • ropon ~ ltinland AU- ore•


                                                                                          1~ ot
    20, '        feet abcm,                                      varied ~ bJlt to "L" to
    eu-oi. att.ar            ~B

                       .
         por trill. It t.~ repo~d alUtws. 1• oon-eot, th• ~
         ted a, l,00 a1le1s po,. hour, aocaniins to th• ZoOpOrt.

                  P.• othar aichWi          oI lisbt. apd     tr.u., Mnor thRo d1~
    2a      l)     Npor\ctd, ViJs t

                           (l.) n112 a~l»r l.947, tm pilot and ~ o t or a
                               Pei Atmrican aircraft., en. rout9 fro. US.dway o

                              ncnolulu, u:11' a bl~to li~i; ll);>rcCf,Oblrifb
                               cllrlntJ.nB to tw.l.n ted.d.11b fil.t1WS upon mthdmtial.         ,
                                                      tlte ~ed ot i~ l.ki,.ij at about
                               1,000 ~ots.
                               \Ct1 25 Juno l                                     ey.·   •ear
                               'for tm ~. r.                  lX\.:'JY·            ar«ktioh
                                                                                     .
                                   •                  unt in                        •     a

--- PAGE 31 ---
z




                          Clt7. Mont ••     '1h11 glovtnc ll&bt 1118.do   o •ouna,
                          trav•l•4 abou\ tvloo,            oped of n oonventloJ:ld
                          alroreft o.nd tlev troa nortll to eouth no•eral tltl •
                          tn a v1de arc, finallT d.i ■ app•ai-1-ng o-.or th• horlson.
               Cl• nu-1.ng th• earl7110rnln& of 25 lul11948, \vo             atern
     .Ui-111101 pt.lot• roporte4 ba'flng ••cm a huBe fl71Dtt craft ■ 11atlu to •
     Y-a ~••s their alrornft in fll~ht.          (S•e Jtge.? an4 8.) fho a,te.cho4
     4ra"tn&a made b7 thee• two ob1enor■ Tel''f olo•el.7 reauble ~ tl71n,r ob­
     Ject !'OJ)Orto4 to ha•o bocn uacn ou 20Jul71948• b7 A. D. Ottor, chiot
     inToati$ator of Oourt ot ~ • lnquir7, and h1• dauahter v.t Arnhall,
     Heth~rlanla.    !bl• obJec~ npp••red \o bft a v1nclo•• a1rcrat\ haT1JtC tvo
     decks.   Th• craft, oSChted four Umea throuah •ca\tered cloud,: ' and tm-

     11■ 1ted -Ylalb1Ut1.   vaa tro"folin6 at .htch         oed at a high altitude,     J.

     aound. elmilar to that m:i.cta b7 a. V- 2 waa reported.
                r.   M object, ■ ltlil11r in t'!htq:,• to tile one in tho proced1Jl8

     incident v11• rCJ.Poned 01 an expnrleneed .American novlJ)B.yer reporter

     about 25 Jd.lometers northeaet ot Koccov on 3 Augutt 1948.            /.. &ca1an
                                    -
     acquaintanoo identified 1t ae a rigid airahip btlt th~ reporter dtaagr•o•

     becauae lt tlev at a high, but not exce11lve speed.
                :.   Oil l October 1948 nt o:;,:prox1mte11 2030 hours tho :pilot

     ot a r -51 aircraf't, 2nd '.Lt. George F. C-orman (Wort h lalcota Air DaUonal

      Ouard), tlY1D4 near nr40 1 Uorth Dakota. a1pted on 1ntemltteDt vh1to
      lipt about 3,000 taet below hie 4600 1'eot eruloint; o.ltUude.           'l'he

    , pilot ruroued the 11€ht which aFpoared to then tako evaaive tActlcs.
      !he objoet or light out-tu.rned; out-apoeded, and out-climbed the J'-51

      in e-.cr7 inatonce cluring the attempt to intercept. 'l'he pilot loot;·
      contect i!f/ ninutes aft er the initial e~hting.          The Mme l1«bt waa

9     observed by three other witnosces tro~ the ground, Kr. L. D. Jensen,
      41r iraf!ic Oontrollor~ Mr. ~nnuel ~- Jo~110n. Aenista.o.t ~r~fflc Con­
      troller. and _'Dr. t . n . Cannon •. Oceuliet.              .
                                                       A coJl!)ari1on of all testlt!ol\1'
                                                       :

--- PAGE 32 ---
NYealed that one obJeot wa• •lgbt•d and t~t lt                 on1l1ted onl7 ot •
  al'l round ball of clep vbttc, lltbt vlth :no ttp             •nt ehap• attach• •

11 vaD abQut 8 to B inch•• in dill!le\er. At ttae 1t trawled foator
than the -61 and pertomod tilll8U'Ver■ ln nn eTnd " mannor.                 tillon flr11'

1ighted the ball of llght ns traveltn« •' ,Ill           ftt   mated 250 atloaper
hour.        der thie eontlitton, the light val uo\            tlnuous ut blinked
o:tt and on.     At h~h p•~to!'IIQDee the whUo li(!ht           • contluuoua.     itub­

••4'16nt tnYegt1gatlon •lbtln~ted the ,o ai~llity              h~t \ht• illclden,
IDA7 hsv been l!llother aircraft or n mot•oroloalcr             b:Slloon.
             , • . On 18 Xoftllbor 1948 ct 03>Proximatftl ~145 houri. throe ff•
ne"e pilot ■, 21:1.d Lt . Xouwocl u. Jnok11on, 2D.d Lt. Glen L. Stalker. and

2nd Lt . Henrr o. Comba, flrin« noar .Anu.rm11 Flel             ,,~r,rltllld, encountered.

aa untdentlf1able n11~ obJect.          \'!hen                 od, it 11ppoared to be
ltr,hte4 and flyi~ 3.t About 1700 fe•t .         !l'hroe or    our pAuea verc, med•

1D au cttc:ipt to tdentt~T tt.       9he pilot ot tho          rcratt Dtatnd th.Qt
vh11• dlvln~ h1• aircr4ft at u_pproxillt\tol7 240 ai co per hour, tho
object vould cU·r:tb Tftrtice.117 end then "°ul4 dro           below tho .aircraft
from behind and continue to circle.         On tho lo.nt ~~a. tho l!lnclhls lit;ht
vae ,witched on and momontnr117 ~ dull srA7 clov               rom tho object wan ob-
•!erved. Lt . Comb1 •tate4 ho Daint~inod eont~et £ r a'bout ten minut•~
-vith tne o~ject flying between the lls}lte of ~es             naton, D. C. and hi«
aircraft .     All that could. be obr.orved wa1 nn obl o r; l:l~l with one light,
no vine• and no e.xhauat nlJl'!te.    It finall7 madt, .a vor-j tight turn and
headed toaard tho eae~ coa1t ~t Oll 'oatimatwd 500             o 600 mile~ per hour.

A~ tho 11ane t1110 Sta.t't Sorceant John J . lunbner o •encd from tho

g~o'lllld an unusual oojeot in tho    ir ovC!r :Andr"8t1t1     ield.   H" ctatea that

it van not v~r, high arul th~t it d1d not look 11              &n,aircra:.ft .
        3. Rcl_?orts of r~d31" 1ntorcopt# _point
vhic~ 1:1.~7 08 rclnted .to tl7ing ~bjeeta .
                     ,        '

--- PAGE 33 ---
A
                              .~ ~
                          lrY-ft~.
                          ~Yl.
                             I
                                I           ~I
                                            <{




                            '(I
                     -~~=···#~:   ,,.




                                                 '
                                                 tl
         ;..   '-,
....




  ....

--- PAGE 34 ---
•   !JENTIAl
    0

--- PAGE 35 ---


--- PAGE 36 ---
..
                ,   .   ',
                                   ..,
                                   ,. .
                                                  If


                                                       !S


                                           . ·"... . ....
                                                 - 'I



                                         '-\."    <
                                         •' .....•. ..      ~~
                                                                 .
                                                             ,: -:
                                                                 •
                                                                     ?   ~
                                                                         I   •   :.   .,




.. ·" ..
           .:




                             • I


                                                                                           t

--- PAGE 37 ---
~q':IENTIAl

--- PAGE 38 ---
1
l

--- PAGE 39 ---
•• en l lul-7 1,g47, a O A !'ad.Ar al       kkaido. I       &11 piclted

       ui, en       ti.entttle4 tarcet a\ 1G llilH, vUh a         ••d 1n excoaa ot tol

         ll.     Thie tarp\ swllt Into two tar~t••           ach eatlmat d to
       t an a l?-01.

                    b.    0J.1 1.G Bepteaber lfM?. on MDf radar at i'ukuolra. lapllll,

       plclmd up a tar •t nt 89 11lle• and trallod it to 19 ml••• wo~ :lt
                                                         .
       tadou .        eod va• 840-900 ~b.      iho wpoed ,monaur~en\, ot1de 1>1          auod

       crcv thrQ\IGh n 70-milo tr~ek, is believed o.cClll'ate.
               4.    InToaU at1ou, conducted b7 Hea4qunrtoro. Air Mc~~riol Com­
       man4. havo tlotinitel7 e1tablinhe4 the \dont1fioat1on ot 18 ot cpprorl­
       matei, .a10 cs-o-callecl fl.Jlng aoucc:ir• which ?ui.-vo been reported.         ~rozl­

       matel.7 nine por cent of the total ~Wlbcr ot 1no1dentu •re, ther•fo:re,

       elbainatad fro~ turth•r opeci!ic cona1derntton. Aaona thooo incldenta
       poa1t1v•l1 axplnlned, \hNo were houea, tvo 1oro trom wirol1~blo ~1t­
       ne1ne1.       In \he roJDaining 1~ cl1mlnato4 1neldenti, objcetc yore actually
       11een lnit il1TeeUgut1on ha• oho-.,n that tl1G7 were cele1tial bol11eo or

       phonomona. moteorologlcal and eamiTal balloon•• and airborne c:oamic rq

       expei-luental equipment.        Tho following etxallple!> arc preaent$d for eom­
       pariaon of the inforr.w.tion re_porbed b7 vitncneeo and truo idantifieation
       of tha obJect 1nvolvod:
                    .o.   On 22 .Tuly 1918• Cai>ta1n Roney Olovor {01•dnanco .lloaarvo)

       a.nd his ~ifo oboer:v•d at fan Ifuira, Colifomia 1 an object vhi~ the7
       vere unnble to pooit1vel7 1dent1t7:           ObJect nt first appeared to be
       round and looked like          ~~nthor balloon ~t . ~~out 2 ,000 foet but there
'•   "' vao no ehnracter1stic bobbing.         '?ho wind vaa blowi~ on the crounrl bu.t
                          .
       the object \f:ln quite ctea'1,y.      0\11"in.; the time it vaa under ' ob~~rvat1ont

       about an hour, it tr~velod throoah ·a vertical arc of ~bout t~ent7-f1To ·
                                                                            .             .
                                      Tho observor
                                             .                                       .
                                                   conelud~d that it vus not a celectiol
       bo~.. - It had                •     . and aa tho sun . ~et, the
                    . e b1uio.h lUDine~ccru,o                            objeot• e
                                                                     ... .
               .       .
       color groduall7 ohtui~ed to                   duok and ceased to be illuminated ,
                                                        .. '

--- PAGE 40 ---
al a\ i ,tant eou•l7.             outline va ■ clear and the   l r wa■ clear

    wl\h 'Yl ■ lbtllty 'Wllla1ted. fhe obJ•c\ tru 1•4 from t e • st to he


         !his o J•ot ~o• deteraalu4 07 inYo■ tt,:ation to hav beano           lloon


                 b.   Ob 19 Aucuet 1948. al approx1aat•l1 1050 houra an un1den.t1-
    fted t ~ obJect was vletble fro• the croun6 nt Co~n. Air tore•                  ,e.
    Itentuelq.        lo object va1 e1tiaat~d to be al about 30,000 to 40.ooo
    ~o•t nltl\u •• ~erlcnl in ahnpa, brl~ht ■ilYer color and eaY• a brlCh\
    re~lcct1on fro• the eun. An F-51 wae d119pa,ched frog St•ndlford Atr
    7orce Daoe. Ientuo)q, to obtervo tho obJect.         llw-1.na ob1enation from
    tho cro'AD4, thero v~s no chr::wa• ln the elevation of tho obJect and it
    aeccd to be 11ovlgg aoutbweot fror:i Oodman Alr t"orce llaae.      ~o Ji'-51

    vhleh a• fiying ov~r Oodlrlen AiB nt an elt1tu.4e ot 30,000 to 35.oon

-   te•t reported that lt we wiable to locate tho obJcot nltho~h 1, ~a•
    otlll viaiblo from tho ,:round with the naked •1• •       l111luth and eleva­
    tion rco.d1v.1t wero taken. bf theodolite ever¥ ,nnut• end tho path of the
    obJoct vai chartod.
          fhe object was dt:lterminod to· be the planot Yonus bf Kr. Mooro.
    the head astronom~r at tho Un1TGr•it7 0£ Louisvillo, t.ouinille. Ken-
                                              .
    tucq.      It i D belic,ved that earlier incident:, at God.man :iiold (reference
                                          ~

    paras.mph 2k, pnp 6, :PPendix C) ,:i:q also have oeen ob ■ er-rotloD.c of -th8
    ;plmlet Ventto.

          5.     Aaong tboee inciden.tn '1till not po_a itivel.7 explained, reported

    obeel"'fat1ons differ to eome extent. but three--general categories ot
                               .                                       .
    ctehtin,ge emerae -- the fl71J18 diek. • the 'ball of fire ®d the _larce. Jet

    roekot.      Intere~ttntt obs~not1ona that were notod are :
                 a.   Moat of the obJooti ,11re a t~in diok. round on top end fl«t ~
    on the bottom. · The f~ont halt ot the diek ie often circular, Clteeptnc
               a squore tail across the full wldtb~

--- PAGE 41 ---
• .l bl     rte f     liab •   w 11 ••       arent ab111,, to
           tl lea• or ho••r fore on•ld•rable 1
Oated.

           o.          oned al1e1    ye Yarle4 fro• Iba\ of• 25-cent pleoe

to 260 foet ln dlaa ter. n:nd f:roa tho s11e or a pur ut, pl e to tho
bulk ot •lx          29 alrpl   ••

           a.    Speeds hnY boon et1tl        tod thro~out the en\1r   r
tro •or7 nlov or hovorlng to• ereon1c.
           e.        undo c.ind 'Yieual trail• are not nora 117 aaao010t•d with

the   1   ti    ••




                                        14

--- PAGE 42 ---
AFl?l9DlX •121t
                                            lJ,TlUG WING TJPD AtaOllAff.


                1. Ae~onautlolll engineere in ceyeral. oountrtoe h~vo beon •ncaced
           tor ,omft tiae in tho design, construction. and flight of ~lyip,e wing

           t7Pe aircraft.           'l'he ,tudy of flTin& objecto require,. at leaat. a brief
           examination of propo1ed and exieting unconventional aircraft whole con•
           fi~rnttons. when seen b7 the uninitiated. could lead to report• of
           1trange flying devices.              A deacription of aome of the more significant

           typeo b~ country followe.
                2•         llnrmnn:y:

                            At the end of World War II. German aircraft deeicn.ere had
           n'Ulllerous projects under we.7 concerning taille11 aircraft which con­
           ceivl.lbly could be mistaken for "Flying Bauoors" or disc-like objoote.
           It is not clear Just what the Soviets are <loin£ in the way of dovelop-
           1n6 these projects but it iso,neiderod that Gorman studies on tailless,
           deltn- winr.. and related configurations are available to the u.s.s.R.
                            a.   Arado Night p.nd Ban WeRther J'ightor, Project I
                                   This h    a 1aillosa. low-win& monoplane witll e\'fOJ)t-ba.ck
...
           wi~ of large root cho rd o.nd having a lo~. ne.rro" fuselDge.
                                   Span                              60.3 feet
                                   Length                            42.5 feet
      ..                           Power Plant                      2 HeS Oll turbo jet units
                                   Max. Speod (sea level)           441 t1ph.
                                   Max. Speed (a9,500 feet)         503 mph.

                                 Arndo E 681-4

                     ,,.          A hith- wing t~illess single-ceater with a single jet unit
           mounted in the fuselago.              Ii'in ruid rudder units are mounted on the wing
           midway betw6en fuselage and wing tip at the trailing edge.
                                   Span                             29.3 feet
                                   Leneth                           18.4 feet
                                  Power Plant                       1 HeS 011 turbo jet unit
      '·                          Max. Speed (eoa level)
                                  Max. Speed (service ceiling)
                                                                       -

--- PAGE 43 ---
fhia ~u• tho t1r~t of. tho P GO eerie ■ of Je• figbtera.
It ion tl11DB wi~ t1P• and. eince the pilot and observer lie prone,
there ie no proJeot1ng oanopT, \hua permitting ape.r\icu.luly clean

~eai~n,   The jet units a.e mo'1111ted ot the rear of the oenter eeotion,

one above and one below.

                 Spd!l                           40 feet en- 1n.
                 WiQ& Area                       504 aquare teat
                 Power Pl.iint                   2 l3MW 003 turbo Jet unit&
                 Max. Speed ( J3,000 feot)       598 milea per hour

           a.   H,tngl .. P 1Q8Q
                 This is a eingle-aeat · tighter with a ahat-ply • • ~ a --·•,..it.

                                    type, but having a sin&le fin and ro.d­

           o tail plane.                                              -
                 Span                           • 29 .a feet
                 ~ing ar~a                    218 square f9et
                 Bo performance e~timGtes are available.

                Junkerg lilJI 130

                 Of the flfin& ving type, this project was

                 , h1gh-epeed Jet bomber.

                 Span                            78.8 feet
                 Wing Aren                       1290 aquare f eot
                 Power Plant                     4 Hes 011 turbo
                 Max. ~eed                       620 miles -o~r ho
                 llange                          3700 oiloe .



                 This in a tail'less mid-wing mono1>lane driven 'by- two

pusher propellors with the engines contrall1 located in the win~s on.
.each side of the stubby rounded fuselage.                                            ,
                 Span                            56 feet
                 Length      •                   25.4 feet
                 !tax. Spaed                     455-465 miles per hour
                 Power Plant                     2 Dl3 603 reciprocating enginee


 .   '
           g.   Horten Wing
                 ~he closest resemblance to the~estimatod configuration
of "Flying D!ek-s 11 1e represented by the Horte?! Wing aircraft.     Work on

--- PAGE 44 ---
\b.e ler\ea aao. • \wla J•' tlght•r• had pncr•u•t to •b.• tlaal • ~ •
a\ the ead of orld Var U.     lt11 prototne, a a.nea cltuw, nooe11-

tully •oar•d ... an altitude •f 1•,aoo teet •• ••i-17 •• 1938, pNTIJl&' the

,owuln••• of thl1 de1lcu. (~le•• l, 2, and 3)




                              :rtg. l

--- PAGE 45 ---
I   •1,




'   I   I
    '




                  Fig. 2

--- PAGE 46 ---
•  d:!:?:I~ r·mm:
t~"i:::~::.:;~g ~]~·:;;.
                                                                         S~~St ~ i'J~j.7L~_s
                                                                         f i,~...i d.1i!".(;
                                                                                                  •         •
     ~ ";   ·::lt.:i ;j::fi              t:t·J                    r;ilo't of thi3
           c~:i:t :t.: ta::, :no-sa ,1                           ths t"t.-o J;)'t, un.:lt.s ,.,       ...
                               t!:. io tle sign ~7:.6 !JZ'·Ovcd OS ce.:rly B.S
                        . ~··.:.::s e~.. 1~·:i,_JI: !} ~~o·t~t~:~-~ 01-: ..t -tt}
    .... 1
    a.-.                           1-1\-9200
        C:T( C:
            --·o,.,_.o

--- PAGE 47 ---
..




Fig. 2



  4

--- PAGE 48 ---
C"\
                                             •
                                            tlO
                                            t




                -   - .. _-----..:: -
....
       ......                           -
                                        •

--- PAGE 49 ---
33567 A.               w,....+.,..fl ~9, fqina
      -wing                   1       finichillg
       Otatr.)                    t    ... this
      a1rp                             Jet un1           •
      Th,                                   oorl7
      1938                                  229.,   t)
      to
      CRED       :   • •     . .c.     tt




•




                                                             •

--- PAGE 50 ---
..




    .,




5

--- PAGE 51 ---
jifififl!iluiRE




                       a.   Wat metron,c Whityortb
                            The AW 52 G, s glider, ud the AW 53, a twin-Jet ain>lane.
 are ~rtti1h dee1gna of tailles ■ a1raraft.               !he Tertical stabilizer■ aN
 looated at the tlp• of the ■wept -back vine• (rte,. 4 ana 5)                Data on the
 AW 52 appear below.
                             Span                          90 f'. .t
                             lieat h                       37 feet
                             Max. ~eed (1ea leY•l)         436 mot ■
                             Max. Speed (20 , 000 feet)    436 knot ■
                             Max. Speed (36 , 000 feet)    417 knota
                             RaJl&e                        1300 nautical mil••
                             Pov•r Plant                   2 5ene I I turbo Jet unit ■




ARMSTRONG
WHITWORTH
   A.W.52
Ex p e rime n tal
 Flying-wing
   Aircraft
  (cl.   N o. I ◄031




                                                  6

                                              f[?JIJ.

--- PAGE 52 ---
-   .       .   ..-
•   •   .....-,           .             ~   .~
                                                 l

--- PAGE 53 ---


--- PAGE 54 ---
A<327l4 A.C.                •
        Pro


               IT: "U   o       .,

--- PAGE 55 ---
•



•

--- PAGE 56 ---


--- PAGE 57 ---
..   ., D..C.. "




•

--- PAGE 58 ---
-'• llaUt!l ltett•

•
                                              ()


               8 •   l'Qvbron, »-i55
                      Ible ia a fl71ne ving trpo aircraf, powered by four re-
    o1prooat1ng engine1 and hat a wing epan ot 172 ft t nnd a lencth ot
    only 53 :feet. (Dee Ftg. 6)

--- PAGE 59 ---
''




•

--- PAGE 60 ---
I




l'l': "US.   " .c.

--- PAGE 61 ---
ce-VnUP,h' Airer f\, this radical de­
■ ign promic~s the reality o    h~b ond low ~eedpAr!ormance.      Powered
07 two ll'- 2000-.?. enginc11, th airplane will havo a apeud ranee of from
40 to 425 miles per hour,




                    f       '




..

--- PAGE 62 ---


--- PAGE 63 ---
•           •
    I
    '
    j




        •

--- PAGE 64 ---
'b,.   llgrtlu:Rn ID 49        0

                   Powered by eight turbo•Jftt ~nginon, thio nirplo.ne 1a the
Jat..ipropelled veroion of th• Northrop Fl)'i.D(; Willg {! ~6).   (Bee Big. 7)

--- PAGE 65 ---
••   ♦NIP ta111111 leaoplant



      \hle drplaa• •• Ma \wo-,eat ■aolune with a 70 h.p. Le~lead •aa,;1u•.••


      ln nao•lle•••• 1   Ia plaa fora, the vine it alaoat eemi-olrcular.
                     All Air force fila,         1.A.eronautlcal Oddlt1e1 1 ,      1.bow1   thi1
      airplane in flight a\ South Jead, Indiana and in eoae attitude ■ appears

    --·ldenttoal to the photograph included hi ~p•adlx "0" a1 llgure 4. Al-
      thou«h it h belieYed th.at the JJmP Muutacturinc Oo. le no longer in
      exl1tenoe 1 lt le poealble thilt later mod•l• of thie or 11allar U. B. ciril
     alroraft lllAJ' ~Te boen obeened.

                     Span                                      22 toe\
                     L•mcth                                    19 feet
                     Power Plsat                               l J.eBl ond ea«lne
                     Max. l_peed                               88 Iii.le, pei- hour


•



                         Three views of an Experimental Arup tailless Monoplane.

                         •

--- PAGE 66 ---
-         I




•
    ---




•

--- PAGE 67 ---
.1/:~
        • ~ >...   •




                                                                                    -. -
                                                                                                  -.      . . --
                                                                                           r---.~,------<lil.o-




                                                                          /




                                                  tower~a lY· ef(&h.i t.\iri>o..~J(:}t; ;e:n~iAe.$:~ .th.l-~ a.t~lan_e'- .i.$. • th~­
                            J·tit-pt()jelle4·:Y~·t s'i:t:>n ·:of ·tP.e •J;i(iir~·ht~p:· tiftng·. wtn.g ..(~. 3$.)          c1       (~ee -_1 'ig. 7)



                                          \




                                                                  I   •




                       ,J




                                                        •,   ·,

.' ''




I




                                                                              £'11Bftt1At
                                                                                                                   ___ _ _ ,._ _ .. ____ ______ _ _ _
                                                                                                                                ,                      :,__




        NW 91410
        Oocld:347~097;8 Page 46i
View the official file

Congressional Context

No confirmed links between this file and the congressional record yet. Connections are added only when the source text supports them, never inferred.