DOW-UAP-D095, Joint U.S.-Canadian Aviation Projects and UFO Sighting Reports, 1954-1955

Authority:
NND 974373

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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+

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This document consists of ______ pages
Copy Number~-- of _,l.1,, ··- copies.

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DEPARTMENT OF TBE AIR FORCE

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Head.quarters United States Air Foree
Washington 25, D. C.
10 December 1954

Lieutenant General Donald I.. Pu·tt
Deputy Chi et 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
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S E C Ft B 'f

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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

wne

Dipat ia ooamectica Yi'tll . . &niel.• OD.. rnelJl.tioury 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
Be re.,lie4 in tu attimatift Ml
iatiea'W. \Mt we wre oa aolil pva4 em "11&, 'tbe »reJect lliernefore .... - · - 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..

Ul4 Air fiatt

.•1;1oa.

•• liaoe the reoeipt ot "1le aaoru4a trca the :lan.\i'ft
Seere\&ry at tile 8ciertitic .lbiaory Join. (!alt A), . , iawa\ipUeu
M f t revealed. '1ae tollowiq:

a.
.. toll.on:

!lie eneat ot coonliu.Uoa Oil the article ia AD waa
)Ir.~

Irr Jl&o--

- 2Cl.
- 2C1

Lt Colonel Pvrior - 2Cl

Celoul Zoller
Jlr. C11lllor•
ColOIIMll. Mw
••

- 2C

- 21
- 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 ~ i c a l Xnaioa,

..a

Diree\orate o'f Jleae&Nll
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 nport of the Scientitic Mriaor, Board on their atud7 ot the •t17ing 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 technical 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
l . .lvro rpt, 07 2

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CBIS!II I. IWDT
._cutiw Secretary

lcien.titic .Adrlaor, Board
- ottice ot 'tM Ohief ot Statt

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COYER$
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SUSPENSE

OIIIIIII a,

DATE
AIIISICiiNED ..,

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( Un.cl)

Memorandua for Record

Iniiial " l N " column t o denote review prior t o action.
action; ; for coordination.)

I n i t i a l "OUT~'

column t o d e n o t e review of completed action.

---,----

IN

OUT

{X for

OFFICE

OFFICE

Olll-2X

OIN-Xl

OfN•lU

Sit ARMY OFF

18:

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2 5 JUL 1955

AJOD-X

C:OMlfENT NO.

.Af0Df-2X

C0IIMIIITI (U. ...... ~-·•,,,.)

1Porwar4ec1. ror your approval and signature.

c.
Colonel, USAF

Directorate of Intelligenoe

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/ar• •1)ed1:am (or not ~tt~obt4},

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this Co ...,... et"!•..,c·., .. ,.,11 ... e uill b, down.ed to
!~"'-"~
-·---- ln
cordance with Par
• A1B 20&-1.
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AFHQ "~: 53 0-86

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PR!YIOUI EDITIONS OF THIS FORII

COVER
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ORIGIN OF

SUSPENSE

SIC
ASS l&NED BY

TE

12 Ju 55

SUBJECT

lleaonm4111. for Beeonl
ROUTIIQ
prior to act ioi.. bi tial "OOT• column to det.ote re..-iev of C<npleted

1 :

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P'RON:

DOil-20
Att&oMt. 1a an Air Statt 8wr7 Suet oGIIIIPlY1Jac nth paragrapll 2.a. of CWu

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VIRGIL L. ZOLLER
Colon.el, USAJ

Directorate of Inte1111..,.

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'EltVfOUS EDfTIONJ 0, Tttt• J'eRM W.Y K

USED,

SUSPENSE

at 161H OF &AS IC

DATE

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D IY

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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(

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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 o f ~ 9 o f ~ :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-•.

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4M ll .r.l 55

FCRM

AFHQ tt JUL 94 0-88

.E. SCHIIIDD
·.·•·~:,~
Colonel, US.A.1'
Directorate ot Intellia•DO•

. ,£Rvtous u1n0Ns o, THtl '°""' MAY H usro.

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.AFOIN-2C4

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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
DISCUSSION:
--···AND.... ·----. ..... 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 misinterpretation 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:

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AFOIN-2C4, Col. MacDuff, ext. 52
AFOIN•-2Cl, Lt. Col. Farrior, ext.
AFOIN-2C2, CoJ.. Gould, ext. 56200
AFOIN-205, Col. OWynne,,ext. 55538

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DEPARTMEN

A.F RQ- 50 fl!."' 21 June 48)
44►

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10-5

I
OFFICE OF PREPARATION

TO

.UOil-204
TEL.

- - - - , - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - - - - - « - - - - - - - ' I GRADE - SURNAME

52466

Col Whitaain/t>PS

SUMMARY
l. On 6 July the cm ot a l'.C-97 taker ~rtecl the aigb:tillg ot an Wli4entifie4
e'b.1ect 1n the l'elffnndlaa4 aNt& 1
) • At the tiae ot the aightiq a
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. A CQllllittee, appoiatec1.

by tbia Directorate t. eV&l:ct&te this sighting reviewed r-.,orta n111~:riz1Dg the inciclent

by the Bortlleaat Air CCIIIIM4.

!he e-:1 ttee 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. ..

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
2.

ulq.

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•••ace

. .• . 3•. Atta.cul u !ab A ia a JropNe4
to the ee.uMr IIACCII, tirectiBg • •
• aCJ:'lllllJi. ot
llaJra aa reecaanua 1t7 tu Nll■i ttee.
•
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DCCIIIIIDA.TIOJI
It.. Sipature of attached •aaage.

FRANK B. CHAPPELL
Colonel USAF
Directorate ot Intelligex1ce

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PrQoae4

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IIBIIORANDt111 FOR THE RECORD

SUBJECT:

NOV

3 1955

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 outstanding 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.onitoring 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 inforaal 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 satisfaction for a job well done. Hence, the forwarding of the
correspondence from ADC by the letter indicating our appreciation.· It is felt that we should take this chance to help
the• continue the good work.