Joint U.S.-Canadian Aviation Projects and UFO Sighting Reports, 1954-1955

Authority: NND 974373 f , DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE Head.quarters United States Air Force Washington 25 1 D. C. SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD TO THE CHIEF OF STAFF, tJSAF' scn;NrIFIC ADVISORY BOARD :REPORT ON AVRO PROJECT Y2 ~ Novembex· 1951+ ----------:" This document consists of ______ pages Copy Number~-- of _,l.1,, ··- copies. 0 ECRB±' .... . , t DEPARTMENT OF TBE AIR FORCE Head.quarters United States Air Foree Washington 25, D. C. 10 December 1954 Lieutenant General Donald I .. Pu·tt Deputy Chiet of Staff, Development Headquarters United States Air Force Washington, D. C.. Dear Don: In response to your request tor BAB commen·t,s on the Avco "Saucer'' project, the SAB baa taken the following action: The Aircraft and Propulsion Panels were brieted on September 28 ·by represente.tivea ot Bq. ARDC, at ·the time of the Fall meet~j.ng of the Board in Omaha. The tentat:ive conclusions ot bo·tb panels immediately atter this briefing were to the ettect that th.is pro­ .Ject warranted no more than limited support. l!oveve:r, to assu1·e ·thoro\lgb. consideration ot this project, I requested rt:?presentatives of these two panels to supplement. the briefings given 'to -them at ~ by a. Tisi·t to A. V. Roe- Canada Ltd., Malton., Ontario. With the advice of Clark Millikan and Dean Soderberg., a select committee ,ms choaen to conclude this study. It was c~sed ot Dean Soderberg, Chairman of the Propulsion Panel and senior member o'f the group; Professor Markham, of the Aircraft Panel; and Mr .. Donovan, who has been serving both as a member or 'the Aircraft Panel and as lie..:I.son member with the Propulsi,on Panel. The attached report ot this ,group is ~orwarded with my «.PPt•oval, representing the results ot the SAB's ccapleted study. Sincerely, /a/ J. H. DOOLr.rTLE Actins Chairman Scient.itic Advisory Board Office ot the Chief of Sta.ff Inclosure • S E C Ft B 'f - .. We h&Te preaate4 to 7011 ao■e eT14ao• Uult fl7fac aaw,era ai-e w:lthia the oapa'bili\iea of \he exiatinc •au.te •f Ille ar\1 in thia oeunv7 ad 0uad&. !he ••tat• of \he art• ia well boa in ~opeaa ceU11tri••• !he a.au.a effeo\ baa \••• bon to all oou.triea aad ~• &PJ)lica,1oa ta ut be70n4 ill• oapa'bili\iea of th• Sevieta. It 1• poaaibl.e ta&\ hnan projeota tor flT,lq •ucea ena\ed at th• •a4 of tile var. 91.e au 00•114.ered P•••i'bl• tei>• la thia field ia auppoaecl to b• 1a ~ u.a. aov. W• haYe repor\a •• •P vit•••••• ot tl71ac aauea ia 8oTie\ \err1'9r7. Ult.I ~1»11'211 1. !he eatlr• 1•-•lligen.oe oe1111W1l,7 be alerte4 to a poaalbl• SoT1et aotivit7 h 11>.11 fiel4. a. All exiatinc tt.1•• oa toreip tl.Jiac·aauoera ahoul.4 \e reT1ewe4 u4 anal7se4. 1. llrm Ba\eicah llhoul4 'be iaterropted '7 iatelllc•aoe aaalyata 11ho haTe a full baolr.gr.ad •• ex1a,1ac 1a,e111ceaoe. ,. le\•r• Kie\he llhould be feud. Poaail>l7 Kietae OM.14 1l&Ye uuce4 hi• name k llruao Jer'beioh er aoae • tiler al.iaa. s • .A. oolleotloa reca.uiN•nt aheul.l be plaeed. ea all aceoi•• ia the field. i:D.Olu41q the .A.itach••• SECRET DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE HEADQUARTBM UNITED STATES AIR P'ORCIE WASHIN<aTON &I. D. C. JAN 131955 - POI IIIIIAL UWOD 81IBJJIC!lt Anicle "91e J'qi.. Diao• ill DeCIIDW I•- of-. Air Iatellipae• lt:l.·•t 1. 111r1J1a tM latter ,-n ot ...,.._er I wu annached. _, Jll.1or Boated. u4 uud fer a ..., auaar:, or atataat flt peai't1• oa UPO' ■, pnt.-..q cluaitie&, 'for ue 1a '1w Air Iatellipaoe Dipat ia ooamectica Yi'tll .. &niel.• OD.. rnelJl.tioury - wne of aircraft. I atatei. oar }'Olit.1• reprtiq IJO'• &al Uliea\N. -U.t wr beat etton■ 1• '111• ti•l.4 wre coutaa1.ly tirecte4 'to li■ ccvacillC, ld.aia:lsiaa, u4 Jl.ayiJaa 4on. Ul1' ... all &\tellpta a\ ,ulioi'Q', an uclwliDC cluaitied Tebiclea a11Cla u AID. 2. Ma..1or Boaton &coepte4 "111• atataen, iaticat1111 tat the artiele oa ta...,. aircraft 1NNl.t. lte ,ultliallei. withod ._ •GIIJMlmoa piece • WO'• _. nae•tea "1».t I gl.aaoe a, 'tile tiu.1. tran. 3. I r-4 the tia&l iraft u4 aiaoe I Ml not l>ea ·pnm.~ ltrietel. an 1-111• ect I ...,.r1.a IIIJor -..tor,. nprt1ac aom Ul4 Air fiatt .•1;1oa. Be re.,lie4 in tu attimatift Ml iatiea'W. \Mt we wre oa aolil pva4 em "11&, 'tbe »reJect llierne­ fore .... -·- llad1e4 Tery CircnlllQeCi;q. .,. tiul. ·-•Uoa ,,.. to el.1aillate the lut paracraph ~ the article witll a 1ll'O i1e-1a, vtaicll vu prolNlltly cmarloek.e4 lteton ~lica\1011.. •• liaoe the reoeipt ot "1le aaoru4a trca the :lan.\i'ft Seere\&ry at tile 8ciertitic .lbiaory Join. (!alt A), ., iawa\ipUeu Mft revealed. '1ae tollowiq: a. !lie eneat ot coonliu.Uoa Oil the article ia AD waa .. toll.on: )Ir.~ - 2Cl. Irr Jl&o-- - 2C1 Lt Colonel Pvrior - 2Cl Celoul Zoller - 2C Jlr. C11lllor• - 21 ColOIIMll. Mw - 2l •• )Ir. hlJJa vu lllller u. erroaeou illprueiea that tu proJen 1IIM1. -..... fa'YOl'Uly cQU1UN4 lo" tu Air coaeil. aD4 ao a4'Yiae4 JltJor »>atod. e. eol.eul 1. •• VnQ-, m.tet ot tbe ~ical Xnaioa, Diree\orate o'f Jleae&Nll ..a D~t., &bi••• tlaat ,u pruen-t ••• Gt tM :pro.)ect w1'111a BCIJ/JJ ia u tollwa: SECRET ✓ DEPARTMENT .OF THE AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS UNITE£) STATES AIR··FORCE WASHINGTON 25. D. C. 14 December 1954 MIIDWIDUM JOI. DIBl&TCll 07 IIDLLIGDCI, DOIi SUBJJCT: Scientitio Advisor, Board bport on .A.VIO •n11nc Saucer" Project. 1. J.ttached tor yora: intonation. ia a cow of a recent n­ port of the Scientitic Mriaor, Board on their atud7 ot the •t17­ ing aaw»r• project ot .A.. v. aoe, Cu.ad&. 2. Your attention ia particul.arl.7 iDTited to ta. generally negative tiDdiDga vit.b reprd to technical feasibility expreaaed 1D thia report, in contrut to~ pnenJ. 1.lqateaeion ot techni­ cal aouadDeaa ad optiJliatic expectation.a COllff,-d in the article. on "The Pl1ing Diec• publiahed in the Decaber, 1954, iasue ot 1ihe .l1r Intelligence Dipat. 3. Thia report vu eul:aitted to Lt. Gen. D. L. Putt on 10 Deouber in reaponae to hie pretlou reqU11at tor SlB oaamta. -,,,.' Incloaure CBIS!II I. IWDT l . .lvro rpt, 07 2 ._cutiw Secretary lcien.titic .Adrlaor, Board -ottice ot 'tM Ohief ot Statt •• A -.• ­ .. • •••• ~ . ................. ....................... la .... . ....... ' ·, , ,, ' '\ " ,, ''• ' , ' .:r,1,. . . ...... ...... .... • •'• IV.. UI .. ..-. .... • • . • ·~ .... ... ........1JN\ •.·. • ........., ..... ............................ • II •· COYER$ SUSPENSE OIIIIIII a, DATE AIIISICiiNED .., .,. -..:r ( Un.cl) Memorandua for Record Iniiial "lN" column to denote review prior to action. Initial "OUT~' column to denote review of completed action. {X for action; ; for coordination.) 18: AJOD-X .... .Af0Df-2X C0IIMIIITI (U. ......~-·•,,,.) ---,---- IN OUT Olll-2X 1Porwar4ec1. ror your approval and signature. 2 Incl• n./o d,...) inal{s) Bo. ---·--"·- --------- /ar• •1)ed1:am (or not ~tt~obt4}, ------~----- cl:lSSL. icatlOD this Co ...,...et"!•..,c·., .. ,.,11... e uill b, down- ~.... '.;.)k-' ..........,.,,,, ; .ed to !~"'-"~ -·---- ln cordance with Par • A1B 20&-1. OFFICE OFFICE OIN-Xl OfN•lU Sit ARMY OFF o.\TI 2 5 JUL 1955 C:OMlfENT NO. c. Colonel, USAF Directorate of Intelligenoe PR!YIOUI EDITIONS OF THIS FORII AFHQ "~: 53 0-86 COVER ORIGIN OF SIC .. SUSPENSE ASS l&NED BY ROUTIIQ TE 12 Ju 55 SUBJECT lleaonm4111. for Beeonl prior to act ioi.. bitial "OOT• column to det.ote re..-iev of C<npleted 1 : .aoD-2 P'RON: DOil-20 Att&oMt. 1a an Air Statt 8wr7 Suet oGIIIIPlY1Jac nth paragrapll 2.a. of CWu 2. 2·Incla Incl 1 MM~-1 Incl .... ueet 2 1u1a Colon.el, USAJ Directorate of Inte1111..,. VIRGIL L. ZOLLER - ..i.....t•) ... .. ....,. .1~ •• "°' ..., ...... .. ilasalf!catlon ot thia ­ or__. \e ........... 0-88 'EltVfOUS EDfTIONJ 0, Tttt• J'eRM W.Y K USED, SUSPENSE at 161H OF &AS IC DATE 0IN-2Cl~ D IY TE TYPE SUBJECT Memorandum. for Record ROUTING r to &ctioa. Initial "OUT" column to deuote reTiew of completed T : AFOIN-2 f'ltOM: AFOIN-2C Col. Ma.cDuff COMi£NTS( !Ot AJOD-2C 15 JlllJ' 1,,, e-..•.a l AftD-lt' 1. A con ot ~ •'"aebM. te .UOD•ll ..._ .UOD-2.A.. 1. tt ia teaint tbat yow. tau the.tollolt1.nc two ~iou; it. •· PrQue a letter to t1ae »cs ,eJ=-tina, r.r . ....-.i SUrtor4'• a1patve, GOat&iaiJla the i-ec-alat1ca of~ 9 of~ :a. 'b. Prepare a ,-er for :rel-• to the BCD coataill1Jlc the 1.afort111.t1• 1:aclde4 iJl ~ 1 ~ 6 ~ ,-r . '!Ilia pqer alllul4 -• cocml1u.te4 tbnq'b .DGD-2 prior to rel-•. .E. SCHIIIDD ·.·•·~:,~ Illcl Colonel, US.A.1' ~b7 Directorate ot Intellia•DO• 4M ll .r.l 55 COl. 7 FCRM AFHQ tt JUL 94 0-88 . ,£Rvtous u1n0Ns o, THtl '°""' MAY H usro. l * ., ,. • .;,' ,. .AFOIN-2C4 ' Col. MacDuff/bps/524-66 w/11 July 1955 MEMORANDtM FOR RECORD PROBUM: .. .... -­ 1. To evaluate Kc 97 crew sightings and ground radar returns of object in the Newf'o,mdland.. area (491 5950W) . FACTS AND DISCUSSION: --··· .... ·----- ...... ­ 2. OIN-2C directed ·the OIN-2C cotmllJ.ttee 011 8 July to evaluate the 6 July Kc 97 sightings and GCI radar returns over Newfound.land as summarized and detailed inCAF IN 15592, dtd 6 JuJ.y 55 and CAF IN 90703 dtd 7 July 55. 3. In arriving at the following conclusions the conmittee reviewed reports summarizing the incident, the crew interrogations and the NEAD evaluation of the j_nc1.dent. In addition certain new U.S. and Canadian developments in high performance unconventional aircraft were considered. CONCLUSIONS: 4. It was concluded that no intelligence is available to support or deny the existence of unconventional Soviet aircraft comparable to those un.der consideration in the US and Canada and provid1.ng performance such as reported. 5. The committee was unable to explain the simultaneous ground radar returns and aircrew visual sightings, and tentatively accepts the NEAC evaluation attributing the :i.ncident to electrical phenomenon on the one hand and mis­ interpretation of -the s:i.ghtings by aircrew members on the other. 6. It was further concluded that this inc:f.dent should be classified as UFOB. 7. This i ten1 is not consj_dered suitable for inclusion in D/I Policy Book or the Daily Staff Di..gest. RECCMOOIDATIONS: ....... 8. Due to the serious technological threat should tmfriendly nations succeed in developing high performance unconventional ai.rcraft increased effort should be made by all collec·tion agencies to penetrate the Soviet Research and Development establishments a.nd programs in order to give the U.S. adequate warning of any developments in this area. 9. It is further recommended that in the event of future incidents of this nature fighter scrambles be effected without delay. COORDINATION: ....... i···• ■ •· I ■■ ■ -■U AFOIN-2C4, Col. MacDuff, ext. 52 AFOIN•-2Cl, Lt. Col. Farrior, ext. AFOIN-2C2, CoJ.. Gould, ext. 56200 AFOIN-205, Col. OWynne,,ext. 55538 TO DEPARTMEN ----,---------+-----+--------«-------'I GRADE - SUMMARY l. On 6 July the cm ot a e'b.1ect 1n the l'elffnndlaa4 aNt& 1 CICI raclar in the aaae ar-. obtaiaed a raclar r•~ o~,aa !b.1ect vllich apparently,,.. 14-'tical to 1:he one the KC-97 crew ba4 Dier viaual obeenation. by tbia Directorate t. eV&l:ct&te this sighting reviewed r-.,orta n111~:riz1Dg the inciclent by the Bortlleaat Air CCIIIIM4. ' A.F RQ- 50 fl!."' 21 June 48) 44► ....,' Hf}I 10-5 I OFFICE OF PREPARATION .UOil-204 TEL. SURNAME Col Whitaain/t>PS 52466 l'.C-97 taker ~rtecl the aigb:tillg ot an Wli4entifie4 ) • At the tiae ot the aightiq a A CQllllittee, appoiatec1. !he e-:1ttee ten:tativel.1' attribute4 the sighting to electrical ph-.eacm and visual Jliainte17retaticm by aircrew J1811ltera. . At the auae tiae, honver, the P--~ttee 41acuee4 the poaaibility that the object might have been an hip pertomu.ce 'IUlCODva.ticmal aircraft. !bi• Directorate is or the op1Jlien that tbe clevelopaent of such an aircraft by u untri~_nation woucl. conetitute a aeriou teolmelopcal threat to the Uaited states, and therefore eve-ry ettort mat be aa4e to 14eatity ·aightiaga 1n the tature. ... 2. In ita cliacuaaioa of aethecla to be uaed to obta:f.B 1i.ent11'1catien or objects aighte41a a similar fashion ill th.e tuture, the CGIIM:Jttee eoael114ecl that the aetho4 po•••••iD& the ••t l1ke.l.ihoe4 of su.ceeaa YWl4 1-e interceptio ot the ob.1ect by tia;b.ter 'tile •~t •t :tat.are incicleJlta ot.thia natve fighters ulq. , , •. •• . .• . 3•. Atta.cul u !ab A ia a JropNe4 •••ace to the ee.uMr IIACCII, tirectiBg •• • aCJ:'lllllJi. ot llaJra aa reecaanua 1t7 tu Nll■i ttee. • •• DCCIIIIIDA.TIOJI FRANK B. CHAPPELL It.. Sipature of attached •aaage. Colonel USAF Directorate ot Intelligex1ce l Incl PrQoae4 ••a to C4r DAC ~1703 I 00 11579 .. ,. .....,_ ,.... ,. - ,lllllt,---;~ • ............ ........ ,......... 11U111tt1111• - . •;' . ' . . ,..... ..... ... ,, •' . . . ,•. ....... ',,t· : •• ..... - . . .........,... .. ,r NOV 3 1955 IIBIIORANDt111 FOR THE RECORD SUBJECT: CIBVIS Program 1. In accordance with AFR 200-3, Bq KATS, is responsible for contacting commercial airlines and pilots to indoctrinate them and secure their participation in the CIRVIS program as outlined in the JAMAP 146 series. 2. Intelligence Division, Rq JIATS, has done an out­ standing job in this indoctrination, having contacted coJD.ercial airlines, the National Business Aircraft Association, and the pilots in both. They have secured the cooperation of all coapanies and associations through writing a multitude of letters. They have gone into the field and personally lectured to regional pilots' meetings and have succeeded in getting a real interest in CIRVIS aroused for the first tiae. This has been a treaendous task a.nd has only been accomplished by an' exceptional effort. However, the only way to keep the interest at a peak is to keep. eaphasizing the illlportance of the CIRVIS program to them.. MATS' efforts aust continue. 3. Al'OIK-lA-P, wherein lies the responsibility for 11.oni­ toring the CIRVIS program. for APOIN, and in part for Hq USAF, has long felt that JIATS should be compliaented in writing on their fine job, and ~t the same tiae be urged to continue their prograa. It is felt that any letter of recognition or comaendation should COJl.e originally from CINCON.AD and an in­ foraal suggestion has been made along these lines. 4. However, this seeas like a good opportunity for us to easily and naturally show our awareness of and satisfac­ tion for a job well done. Hence, the forwarding of the correspondence from ADC by the letter indicating our apprecia­ tion.· It is felt that we should take this chance to help the• continue the good work.