FOREWORD 

This report represents a joint effort by Col. Richard L. Weaver and 1st Lt. James 

McAndrew to address the request made by Representative Steven H. Schiff (R-NM) for 

information regarding an alleged crash of an unidentified flying object (UFO) that 

occurred in the state in 1947. This publication duplicates the information provided to the 

Secretary of the Air Force and to the General Accounting Office (GAO). It was written 

as a result of Colonel Weaver’s and Lieutenant McAndrew’s efforts to locate the records 

that explain the events of July 1947 leading to what is popularly known as the Roswell 

Incident. The only information presented here that was not in the report delivered to the 

Secretary of the Air Force and the GAO is the photograph section. It appears after 

Colonel Weaver’s final attachment, at the very end of this book. 

The importance of attachment 32, Lieutenant McAndrew’s synopsis, derives from his 

description of Project MOGUL, the top-priority classified project of balloon-borne 

experiments, which provides the explanation for the “Roswell Incident.” Interest abounds 

surrounding the UFO wave of 1947 which began in the spring and did not dissipate until 

fall. Interest in UFOs climaxed during the summer, when multiple sightings of such 

objects occurred. 

RICHARD P. HALLION 

Air Force Historian 

... 

111 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

This report and publication would not have been possible without the expert assistance 

and outstanding cooperation of many persons and organizations. Appreciation is extended 

to the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Mr. William Davidson, 

and to his predecessor, Mr. Robert McCormick. The Air Force Historian, Dr. Richard P. 

Hallion, generously offered the services of his staff and facilities. Col. Jeffrey Butler, of 

the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Security and Special Program Oversight, made 

signal contributions to both the research and writing of this report. 

The primary research conducted for this report was provided by the Secretary of the Air 

Force’s Declassification and Review Team (SAF/AAZD), headed by Col. Linda Smith. 

Lt. Col. Dale Freeman and Maj. Len Shoemaker initiated the project. Maj. Bill Coburn, 

CMSgt. Owen Costello, and MSgt. Jean Hardin provided invaluable assistance throughout. 

SSgt. Jim Bruns acquainted himself with the numerous research facilities available in the 

Washington, DC, area, and contributed mightily to the effort. Grace Rowe, the Records 

Manager for the Secretary of the Air Force, provided unparalled guidance and counsel to 

help sort through fifty years of records amassed by the U.S. Air Force. 

At Bolling AFB, we are indebted to Col. George Williams, Commander of the Air Force 

History Support Office, and to his staff for their expert advice, guidance, and kind use of 

facilities. Our foremost debt is owed to historian Sheldon Goldberg, who greatly assisted 

our efforts. Additionally, historians Alfred Beck, William Heimdahl, Roger Miller, Eduard 

Mark, and Jacob Neufeld shared with us their wide knowledge of Air Force history. Also, 

Robert “Gus” Bell contributed with his attractive art work; Richard Wolf provided 

invaluable computer expertise; and Maj. Myrt Wilson, SSgt. Steve Rapp, SRA Francis 

Noel, and Debra Moss supplied essential administrative assistance. Thanks go to editor 

Barbara Wittig for her efforts in this undertaking. 

A special thank-you goes to Bruce Ashcroft, chief historian at the National Air 

Intelligence Center, Wright Patterson AFB, OH. Mr. Ashcroft gave freely of his official 

and personal time to provide assistance whenever we asked. Moreover, his unique 

previous experience, as a historian in the State of New Mexico, added a wealth of detail 

that would otherwise have been missed. 

We must also express our sincerest gratitude to the staff of the USAF Phillips Laboratory, 

Geophysics Directorate at Hanscom AFB, MA, especially to Lisa Duffeck, of the 

Research Library, whose research talents contributed significantly to this report. We thank 

John Armstrong, also of the Research Library, for having the foresight to preserve the old 

V 
balloon files; Neal Stark and Jack Griffin, of the Geophysical Directorate’s Aerospace 

Engineering Group, whose corporate knowledge of Air Force ballooning answered many 

difficult questions; and to historian Ruth Liebowitz for sharing her files and photographs. 

Many thanks also to Sheilagh Banacos in Information Management and Evelyn Kindler 

of the Public Affairs Office. 

At the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, DC, it was a 

pleasure to collaborate with archivist Edward Reese of the Military Reference Branch. Mr. 

Reese, who retired in October 1994 after more than fifty-three years of faithful civil 

service, provided a much-welcomed professional logic and calm to our endeavors. Also 

at the Military Reference Branch, Wil Mahoney’s knowledge of Air Force records proved 

invaluable. At the Washington National Records Center in Suitland, MD, we thank 

Reference Section archivist Carry Conn, who patiently led us through the stacks, and 

Richard Boylan, Reference Branch Assistant Chief, for his truly prodigious memory. At 

the National Personnel Records Center, in St. Louis, MO, archivists Bill Siebert and Eric 

Voltz helped to map out a search plan, while Carl Paulson capably guided us through it. 

Pearline Foster shared her time, personnel, and an all-important photocopier. At National 

Archives 11 in College Park, MD, Allen Lewis graciously provided access to their 

excellent facilities. 

Numerous individuals agreed to be interviewed for this publication. We would like to 

express our sincerest thanks to them and their spouses for helping guide us through the 

complex maze of names, projects, and places that had been shrouded in secrecy by the 

passing of nearly fifty years. Special thanks go to Athelstan and Kathy Spilhaus, Charles 

and Wilma Moore, Col. Albert and Jean Trakowski, Lt. Col. Sheridan and Mary Cavitt, 

and Maj. Irving Newton, USAF (Ret). Also sincerest thanks to Mrs. Emily Duffy and 

Mrs. Mildred Crary for sharing their recollections and photographs of their distinguished 

husbands. 

We also put to good use the fine reference facilities at the Naval Research Laboratory in 

Washington, DC, and thank Eileen Pickenpaugh, the Deputy Librarian, Murray Bradley, 

head of Research Reports Section, and Ralph Peterson, the Research Report Librarian, all 

of whom helped immeasurably to make our searches easier. 

Our thanks go also to the men and women of the 913th Airlift Wing (AFRES) at Willow 

Grove ARS, PA, especially to Col. Richard Moss, the 913th Airlift Wing Commander, 

and Lt. Col. (Col. Select) Robert Hunter, the 913th Logistics Group Commander, for 

providing end-of-year assistance. And we are grateful to CMSgt. Michael Breitenbach, 

for sharing his very useful experiences and insights. 

We are most grateful to the members of Air Force Publishing-Ray Del Villar, Linda 

Garmon, and Jack Fischer-who brought this publication into print, and to SRA Garrety 

Wood of the 1 lth Communication Squadron Photo Lab for excellent photo reproduction 

services. 

In the course of researching and writing this report, numerous other individuals 

contributed to the success of the project. Among them were Col. Gerald Merritt, Director, 

vi 
Clinical Investigations and Life Sciences Division, Headquarters Air Force Medical 

Operating Agency, Bolling AFB, DC; John Jenkins, Freedom of Information Act 

Manager, USAF Phillips Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, NM; George Horn, Technical 

Publications Editor, Air Force Environmental Technical Applications Centers, Scott AFB, 

IL; Steve Dean, Computer Specialist, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon; 

George Cully, Historian, 81st Training Wing, Keesler AFB, MS; Gene Schreiner, 

Technical Publications Editor, USAF Rome Laboratory, Griffiss AFB, NY; MSgt. A1 

Mack, Historian, 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, NM; Lois Walker, Historian, Air 

Force MatCriel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH; TSgt. Donald Valentine, 

Administrative Specialist, 89th Airlift Wing, Andrews AFB, MD; Maj. David Thurston, 

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Office; Dr. Saxson and Betsy Hudon of the 

University of Texas at Arlington Library; Col. Joseph Fletcher, USAF (Ret); Robert Todd; 

Frank Press; Vance Mitchell; Lt. Col. Joseph Rogan; Maj. Kevin Stubbs; SRA Donald 

Crissman; Francis Whedon; Richard Hassard; Joseph Worzel; John Peterson; Martin 

Koenig; Eileen Ulrich Farnochi; and the late Vivian Bushnell. To all, we extend our 

sincerest gratitude. 

RICHARD L. WEAVER, COL, USAF 

Director of Security and Special Program Oversight 

SAFIAAZ 

JAMES McANDREW, 1ST LT, USAFR 

Declassification and Review Officer 

SAFIAAZD 

vii 

GUIDE FOR READERS 

This publication contains two narratives: The Report of the Air Force Research Regarding 

the “Rowel1 Incident” by Col. Richard L. Weaver and the Synopsis of Balloon Research 

Findings by 1st Lt. James McAndrew. These are the same narratives and supporting 

documents that went to the Secretary of the Air Force and to the Government Accounting 

Office, except that a photograph section has been appended. It appears at the end of the 

book, after Attachment 33. 

Thirty-three attachments support Colonel Weaver’s Report. Attachment 32 consists of 

Lieutenant McAndrew’s Synopsis, itself followed by eleven attachments and twenty-five 

.appendices. McAndrew’s appendices reproduce the actual sources cited in his report. 

The attachments to the Weaver Report are located by black tabs printed at the lower 

right-hand comer of their cover pages, whereas the attachments to McAndrew’s Synopsis 

are located by black tabs printed midway up the page. Appendices to the McAndrew 

Synopsis are identified by gray tabs which apear at the top right-hand corners of their 

respective cover pages (see below). 

Weaver Attachments 

1 I 

’ 

McAndrew Attachments McAndrew Appendices 

Choosing to distinguish attachments and appendices from each other by using separate 

colors and placements for the tabs has been done to avoid creating ambiguity in 

repaginating the original source material reproduced here. Because many of the 

attachments and appendices appeared in previous publications and were integrally 

numbered there, their original pagination has not been changed for the purposes of this 

report. Additionally, any blank pages appearing in these source documents, though 

ix 
numbered there, were not printed as pages in the present document. This accounts for any 

discontinuity present in the page numbering of the source material reprinted here. 

Security markings have been deleted from previously classified documents. The reader 

is advised that blacked-out areas noted in the top and bottom margins of pages printed 

in this document indicate pages that originally contained classified information. These 

pages have since been declassified, and so can be printed here. 

Also, privacy act restrictions apply to witnesses whose statements and interviews are 

reproduced for the purposes of this report. The reader will see that the addresses of such 

individuals have been deleted. Such witnesses are identified by name only. 

X 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Foreword .................................................... iii 

Acknowledgments .............................................. v 

Guide for Readers .............................................. ix 

Introduction .................................................. 1 

“Report of Air Force Research Regarding the ‘Roswell Incident’,’’ with 

5 

Memorandum for the. Secretary of the Air Force, by 

Richard L. Weaver, Col, USAF, July 27,1994 ................ 

Attachments to Colonel Weaver’s Report of Air Force Research: 

1. Washington Post, “GAO Turns to Alien Turf in Probe,” January 14, 1994 

2. Letter and GAO Code 701034, RichardDavis, GAO, to William J. Perry, DOD, 

February 15, 1994 

3. Memo, Marcia J. Van Note, DODAG, for Distribution, subj: General 

Accounting Office (GAO)Letter Dated February 9,1994 ....February 23, 

1994 

Memo with Indorsement, Vaughn E. Schlunz, SAFFMPF, for Distribution, 

subj: GAOReview Letter Dated February 15,1994, “RecordsManagement 

Procedures ....February 24, 1994 

Memo with Addendum, Robert J. McCormick, SAF/AA,for Distribution,subj: 

GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with Weather 

Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents .... March 1, 

1994 

Memo with Attachments, AFAN for SAF/AA, Subj: GAO Inquiry into Records 

Management Procedures Dealing with Weather Balloons, Unknown 

Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents, March 14, 1994 

4. 

5. 

6. 

xi 
7. Memo, Brig Gen James L. Cole, Jr., AFISE, for SAFIAAZ, subj: GAO Review 

on Records Management Procedures with Weather Balloons, Unidentified 

Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents . . ., March 14, 1994 

Memo, Col Michael W. Schoenfeld, SAFIAQL, for SAFIAA, subj: GAO 

Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with Weather 

Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents . . ., March 22, 

1994 

Memo, Col Steve 0. Ouzts, AFKOWP, for SAF/AAZ, subj: GAO Review on 

Records Management Procedures Dealing with Weather Balloons, 

Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents . . ., March 9, 1994 

10. Memo, Grace T. Rowe, SAFIAAIQ, for SAFIAAI, SAFIAAZ, subj: GAO 

Review of Records Management Procedures Dealing with Weather 

Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents . . ., March 10, 

1994 

11. Memo with Attachment, Richard S. Rauschkolb, AFHRNCC, for AF/HO, 

SAFIAAZ, subj: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures 

Dealing with Weather Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash 

Incidents . . ., March 8, 1994 

12. Memo, with Attachments, Edward C. Mishler, HQ AFOSI/HO, for SAFIAAZ, 

subj: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures . . ., May 11, 

1994 

8. 

9. 

13. Records Searched 

14. Letter, Lt Col Thomas Badger, Jr., HQIAAF, to Commanding General, AMC, 

15. Appointment Book and Diary, Lt Gen Hoyt S. Vandenberg, July 7-9, [1947], 

16. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Photographs of Balloon Debris, [July 9, 19471 

17. Satement, Lt. Col. Sheridan D. Cavitt, USAF (Ret), May 24, 1994 

18. Interview, Col Richard L. Weaver with Lt Col Sheridan D. Cavitt, USAF (Ret), 

[May 24, 19941 

19. Letters, Brig Gen E. O’Donnell to Commanding General AAF, July 8, 1946; Lt 

Col W.H. Congdon and Col D.P. Graul to Commanding General AMC, 

September 9, 1947; and Brig Gen Tom C. Rives to Commanding General 

AAF, September 10, 1947 

subj: Issuance of Orders, June 5, 1947 

and July 5-9, 1947 

20. Statement, Athelstan F. Spilhaus, June 3, 1994 

21. Statement, Charles B. Moore, June 8, 1994, and Hieroglyphic and Balloon 

22. Statement, Albert C. Trakowski, June 29, 1994 

23. Interview, Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James McAndrew with Professor 

24. Interview, [Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James McAndrew with] Col Albert C. 

25. Drawing, NYU Cluster Flight No. 2 

Train Drawings, August 28, 1992 

Charles B. Moore, June 8, 1994 

Trakowski, USAF (Ret), June 29, 1994 

xii 
26. Photographs, Project MOGULBalloon Trains 

27. Table No. 7, Summary of NYU Constant-LevelBalloon Flights, November 20, 

28. Museums Contacted 

29. Blueprint, Comer Reflector, ML-307WAP Assembly 

30. Statement, Irving Newton, July 21,1994 

31. Photographs,ML307UAP Device with VintageNeopreneBalloonsand Debris 

1946-July 5 , 1947 

32. Synopsis of Balloon Research Findings, with Memorandum 

for SAFIAAZ, Att: Colonel Richard L. Weaver, by 

James McAndrew, 1st Lt, USAFR 

Attachments to the McAndrew Synopsis: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. Illustrations, ANKRT-1 Sonabuoy 

5. 

6. 

7. Map of New Mexico 

8. Illustration, Weather Balloon and Corner Reflector 

9. Letter, Brig Gen E. O’Donnell to Commanding General AAF, July 8, 1946 

10. Hieroglyphic Drawing, Charles B. Moore, August 28, 1992 

11. Alamogordo News, “Fantasy of ‘Flying Disc’ Is Exlained Here: News Men 

Fort WorthStar-Telegram, Photographs of Balloon Debris, [July 9, 19471 

Organizational Chart, Watson Laboratories, January 20, 1947 

Drawing, NYU Cluster Flight No. 2 

Blueprint, Comer Reflector, ML-307WAP Assembly 

Table No. 7, Summary of NYU Constant-Level Balloon Flights, November 

20, 19464eptember 9, 1947 

Watch Army Radar Crew Launch ‘Disc’,” July 10, 1947 

Appendices to the McAndrew Synopsis: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

Rowel1 Daily Record, July 9, 1947 

Interview, Col Richard L. Weaver with Lt Col Sheridan D. Cavitt, USAF 

Statement, Irving Newton, July 21, 1994 

Letter, Lt Col Edward A. Doty to Mr David Bushnell, March 3, 1959 

Letter, Brig Gen E. O’Donnell to Commanding General AAF, July 8, 1946 

Report, Maurice Ewing for General Carl Spaatz, “Long Range Sound 

Report, HQ Fitzwilliam Fwd, “Sonic Balloon Test Kwajalein,” May 17, 

(Ret), [May 24, 19941 

Transmission in the Atmosphere,” n.d. 

1948 

xiii 
8. Memo, Brig Gen Tom C. Rives to Maj Gen Curtis LeMay, subj: Relief of 

Major R.T. Crane as Project Officerfor MOGULand TORRID, June 18, 

1946 

9. Memo, Maj Gen Curtis E. LeMay to Maj Gen L.C. Craigie, April 16, 

1947 

10. New York University, Constant Level Balloons, Final Report, March 1, 

195 1 

11. New York University, Constant Level Balloons, Section 1, General, 

November 15, 1949 

12. New York University, Constant Level Balloons, Section 3 , Summary of 

Flights, July 15, 1949 

13. New York University, Technical Report No. I , Constant Level Balloon, 

April 1, 1948 

14. Athelstan F. Spilhaus, C.S. Schneider, C.B. Moore, “Controlled-Altitude 

Free Balloons,” Journal of Meteorology, Vol. 5, August 1948 

15. New York University, Progress Report No. 6, Constant Level Balloon, 

Section 11,June 1947 

16. New York University, Special Report No. 1,ConstantLevel Balloon, May 

1947 

17. Personal Journal of Albert P. Crary 

18. New York University, Progress Report [No. 71, Constant Level Balloon, 

Section 11,July 1947 

19. New York University, Progress Report No. 4, Radio Transmitting, 

Receiving and Recording Systemfor ConstantLevel Balloon, [Section 

I], April 2, 1947 

20. Interview, Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James McAndrew with Professor 

Charles B. Moore, June 8, 1994 

21. Report, Holloman AFB, “Progress Summary Report on U.S.A.F. Guided 

Missile Test Activities,” August 1, 1948 

22. Interview, [Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James McAndrew with] Col 

Albert C.Trakowski, USAF (Ret., June 29, 1994 

23. Report, Cambridge Field Station, Air Materiel Command, “Review of Air 

Materiel Command Geophysical Activities by Brigadier General D.N. 

Yates, and Staff, of the Air Weather Service,” February 10, 1949 

24. New York University, Constant Level Balloons, Section 2, Operations, 

January 31, 1949 

25. Combined History, 509th Bomb Group and Roswell Army Airfield, 

September 1-30, 1947 

Attachment to Colonel Weaver’s Report of Air Force Research: 

33. Mensuration Working Paper, with Drawing and Photo 

xiv 
Photograph Section 

General Carl A. Spaatz 

Lt Gen Hoyt S. Vandenberg 

General Nathan F. Twining 

Maj Gen Curtis E. LeMay and Brig Gen Roger M. Ramey 

Col William H. Blanchard 

Maj Gen Clements McMullen 

Brig Gen Donald N. Yates 

Albert P. Crary and Phil Chantz 

Dr. W. Maurice Ewing and Albert P. Crary 

Dr. Althelstan F. Spilhaus and Col Marcellus Duffy 

Capt Albert C. Trakowski and Dr. James Peoples 

Charles B. Moore 

U.S. Army GR-3 Sound Ranging Set, TNT Detonation, and Project MOGUL PT Boat 

Project MOGUL Neoprene Balloons and Standard Meteorological Weather Balloons 

MOGUL Balloon Train, AN/FMQ-1 Radiosonde ReceiverRecorder, and Project MOGUL 

Microphones 

Polyethylene Balloons 

Project MOGUL Balloons 

Seyfang Laboratory Balloons 

Project MOGUL Balloon Train Components and Debris Recovered 

Heights of Familiar Architectural Structures Relative to the Length of a Project MOGUL 

Map of New Mexico 

Balloon Train 

xv 

INTRODUCTION 

Throughout the latter half of the twentieth century the subject of Unidentified Flying 

Objects (UFOs) has evoked strong opinions and emotions. For some, the belief in or study 

of UFOs has assumed the dimensions of a religious quest. Others remain nonbelievers or 

at least skeptical of the existence of alien beings and elusive vehicles which never quite 

seem to manifest themselves. Regardless of one’s conviction, nowhere has the debate 

about UFOs been more spirited than over the events that unfolded near the small New 

Mexico city of Roswell in the summer of 1947. Popularly known as the Roswell Incident, 

this event has become the most celebrated UFO encounter of all time and has stimulated 

enthusiasts like none other. Numerous witnesses, including former military personnel and 

respectable members of the local community, have come forward with tales of humanoid 

beings, alien technologies, and government cover-ups that have caused even the most 

skeptical observer to pause and take notice. Inevitably these stories coming from the 

desert have spawned countless articles, books, films, and even museums claiming to have 

proof that visitors had come from outer space. 

In February 1994, the Air Force was informed that the General Accounting Office (GAO), 

an investigative agency of Congress, planned a formal audit to ascertain “the facts 

regarding the reported crash of an UFO in 1949 [1947] at Roswell, New Mexico.”’ This 

task was delegated to numerous agencies, but the focus was on the U.S. Air Force, the 

agency most often accused of hiding information and records on Roswell. The Presidential 

Science Advisor had also expressed an interest in the investigation. Thereupon, the 

Secretary of the Air Force directed that a complete records search identify, locate, and 

examine any and all information available on this subject. From the outset there was no 

predisposition to refute or overlook any information. Moreover, if any of the information 

discovered was under security classification, it was to be declassified, and if active or 

former Air Force officials had been sworn to a secrecy oath, they were to be freed from 

it. In short, the objective was to tell the Congress, and the American people, everything 

the Air Force knew about the Roswell claims. 

Subsequently, researchers conducted an extensive search of Air Force archives, record 

centers, and scientific facilities. Seeking information that might help to explain peculiar 

tales of odd wreckage and alien bodies, the researchers reviewed a monumental number 

1. Memo, Marcia J. Van Note, DODIIG, for Distribution, subj: General Accounting Office (GAO) 

Letter Dated February 9, 1944 . . ., Feb 23, 1994. 

1 
of documents concerning a variety of events, including aircraft crashes, errant missile 

tests, and nuclear mishaps. 

The researchers reported to the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force 

(SAF/AA), the office responsible for both Air Force records and security policy oversight. 

Within SAF/AA, the tasking fell to the Director of Security and Special Program 

Oversight and its specialized subunit, the Declassification and Review Team. This team, 

comprised entirely of Reservists, was well versed in the Air Force’s records system and 

its complex declassification procedures. Previously, Declassification and Review Team 

members demonstrated their expertise and effectiveness by declassifying millions of pages 

of Southeast Asian War and Prisoner of War-Missing in Action records. 

As this study makes abundantly clear, the Declassification and Review Team found no 

evidence of any extraterrestrial craft or alien flight crew. In fact, what they did find had 

been declassified for more than twenty years-a shadowy, formerly Top Secret project, 

code-named MOGUL. 

Project MOGUL resulted from two important post-World War I1 priorities set by the 

Commanding General of the Army Air Forces, Henry H. “Hap” Arnold. These were to 

continue the cooperative wartime relationship between civilian research institutions and 

the military, and to maintain America’s technological superiority, especially with respect 

to guarding against a bolt from the blue-in other words, a devastating surprise attack. 

MOGUL addressed both of these concerns. Developed partly under contract with leading 

scientific institutions-such as New York University (NYU), Woods Hole Oceanographic 

Institution, Columbia University, and the University of California at Los AngelesMOGUL’S objective was to develop a long-range system capable of detecting Soviet 

nuclear detonations and ballistic missile launches. 

Army Air Forces officials assembled an expert group of military and civilian scientists 

to carry out the project. The group included Dr. W. Maurice Ewing of Columbia 

University, a preeminent geophysicist and oceanographer; Dr. Athelstan F. Spilhaus, the 

Director of Research at NYU who later advised five presidents on scientific and cultural 

matters; Dr. James Peoples, the Air Force’s civilian project scientist and later editor of 

the Journal of Geophysical Research; Albert P. Crary, also a civilian Air Force scientist, 

known for significant contributions to Antarctic research; and Charles B. Moore, Project 

Engineer at NYU and an atmospheric physicist who pioneered the use of giant plastic 

research balloons still widely used today. Col. Marcellus Duffy, a respected Air Force 

pilot and scientific administrator, led the project. Capt. Albert C. Trakowski, a young 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate, followed Duffy in the leadership role. 

Determining whether the Soviets were testing nuclear devices was of the highest national 

priority; it demanded the utmost secrecy if the information gained was to be useful. When 

the Soviets exploded their first atomic device in August 1949, the experimental Project 

MOGUL was not in operation. However, the explosion was detected by a specially 

equipped Air Force B-29 aircraft. Accordingly, MOGUL was conducted under stringent 

security-secluded laboratories, code words, maximum security clearances, and strictest 

enforcement of need-to-know rules. Nevertheless, while the nature of the project remained 

2 
shrouded in secrecy, some of its operations obviously could not. The deployment of giant 

trains of balloons-over thirty research balloons and experimental sensors strung together 

and stretching more than 600 feet-could be neither disguised nor hidden from the public. 

Moreover, operational necessity required that these balloons be launched during daylight 

hours. It was therefore not surprising that these balloons were often mistaken for UFOs. 

In fact, MOGUL recovery crews often listened to broadcasts of UFO reports to assist them 

in their tracking operations. Additionally, the balloons were unsteerable, leading to such 

amusing events as the one reported by the New York Times in which a secret MOGUL 

balloon “floated blithely over the rooftops of Flatbush . . . causing general public 

excitement . . . before it came to rest on top of a [Brooklyn] tavern.”’ In another episode, 

MOGUL balloon recovery technicians directed a B-17 bomber, which was tracking one 

of the tests, to buzz and scare off a curious oil rig crew that was about to “capture” a 

balloon train that had fallen near Roswell. The ruse worked. However, too much activity 

was going on for the project to remain completely hidden. A MOGUL project officer later 

noted, “It was like having an elephant in your backyard . . . and hoping no one would 

n~tice.”~ These occurrences were typical, leading the recovery crews to describe 

themselves as Bulloonatics, due to the predicaments in which the wandering balloons 

sometimes placed them, but the information the balloons were attempting to obtain was 

vital. 

To attempt to limit unauthorized disclosure, the Air Force employed a security mechanism 

known as compartmentation. Compartmentation controlled access to classified information 

by dispersing portions of the research among several facilities and institutions. Each 

participating entity received only enough information necessary to accomplish its assigned 

tasks. In the case of MOGUL, only a small circle of Air Force officers received the 

intimate details that linked together these unrelated research projects. The use of 

compartmentation along with strict enforcement of the need to know enabled MOGUL to 

remain a secret-despite its obvious security difficulties-and to remain unevaluated for 

many years as the cause of the Roswell Incident. 

The issue of compartmentation was significant because some UFO researchers assert that 

the persons who recovered the MOGUL equipment, members of the 509th Bombardment 

Group stationed at Roswell Army Airfield, should have been able to recognize the debris 

collected at the crash site as that of a research balloon. Although members of the 509th 

possessed high-level clearances, they were not privy to the existence of MOGUL; their job 

was to deliver nuclear weapons, not to detect them. The unusual combination of 

experimental equipment did not encourage easy identification that undoubtedly left some 

members of the 509th with unanswered questions. Some UFO enthusiasts have 

manipulated these unanswered questions to support their flyingTsaucer recovery scenario, 

while eagerly supplying unfounded explanations of extraterresti-ial visitation and cosmic 

conspiracy. Additionally, many claims of a flying saucer crash at Roswell rest on the 

description of debris collected at the Foster ranch site. UFO researchers, including those 

2. New York Times, “Balloon Staggers Down to Brooklyn Tavern, Hooks Itself to Roof and Upsets 

3. New York Times, “Wreckage of a ‘Spaceship’: Of This Earth (and U.S.),” Sep 18, 1994. 

Decorum,” Oct 1, 1948. 

3 
who are said to have known all about MOGUL, apparently did not compare the 

descriptions of the suspect debris with that of the components of a Project MOGUL 

balloon train. MOGUL reports and documents that contain descriptions, illustrations, and 

photographs have been publicly available for at least twenty years. Had the researchers 

completed even a cursory comparison, they would have found that the materials were 

suspiciously similar; detailed examination would have shown them to be one and the 

same. In the final analysis, it appears these individuals have pursued the convenient red 

herring provided by Roswell Army Airfield, while the real explanation lay just over the 

Sacramento Mountains at the MOGUL launch site in Alamogordo. 

This report explains the events that transpired in and near Roswell, New Mexico, in the 

summer of 1947. It is based on written documentation and first-hand accounts of 

participants, all of which are provided here in their entirety. While these answers are not 

as titillating as tales of unearthly craft and creatures, it is a fascinating story nonetheless. 

JAMES McANDREW, 1ST LT, USAFR 

Declassification and Review Officer 

SAFIAAZD 

4 
OFFICE OF THE LECRETARV 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON DC 20330-1000 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE 

FROM: SAF/AAZ 

1720 Air Force Pentagon 

Washington, DC 20330- 1720 

SUBJECT: Report of Air Force Research Regarding the "Roswell Incident" 

Attached is a report prepared in support of a General Accounting Office (GAO) audit that 

is seeking to identifj information concerning the "Roswell Incident." The report documents the 

considerable effort expended by numerous Air Force offices and personnel in this matter. 

The Air Force efforts did not identifj any indication that the "Roswell Incident" was any 

type of extraterrestrial event or that the Air Force has engaged in a 47 year conspiracy or "coverup" of information relating to it. Therefore, it is assumed that pro-UFO groups will strongly 

object to the attached report and denounce it as either shortsighted or a continuation of the 

"cover-up" conspiracy. Nevertheless, the attached report is a good faith effort and the first time 

any agency of the government has positively responded officially to the ever-dating claims 

surrounding the Roswell matter. 

Program Oversight 

Attachment: 

Report of Research Regarding 

the "Roswell Incident", 27 Jul94 

5 
REPORT OF AIR FORCE RESEARCH 

REGARDING THE 

"ROSWELL INCIDENT" 

JULY 1994 
REPORT OF AIR FORCE RESEARCH 

REGARDING THE 

"ROSWELL INCIDENT" 

JULY 1994 

REPORT OF AIR FORCE RESEARCH REGARDING 

THE ”ROSWELL INCIDENT” 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

The “Roswell Incident” refers to an event that supposedly happened in July, 1947, 

wherein the Army Air Forces (AAF) allegedly recovered remains of a crashed 

“flying disc” near Roswell, New Mexico. In February, 1994, the General Accounting Office (GAO), acting on the request of a New Mexico Congressman, initiated 

an audit to attempt to locate records of such an incident and to determine if 

records regarding it were properly handled. Although the GAO effort was to look 

at a number of government agencies, the apparent focus was on the United States 

Air Force (USAF). SAF/AAZ, as the Central Point of Contact for the GAO in this 

matter, initiated a systematic search of current Air Force offices as well as 

numerous archives and records centers that might help explain this matter. 

Research revealed that the “Roswell Incident” was not even considered a UFO 

event until the 1978-1980 time frame. Prior to that, the incident was dismissed 

because the AAF originally identified the debris recovered as being that of a 

weather balloon. Subsequently, various authors wrote a number of books claiming 

that not only was debris from an alien spacecraft recovered, but also the bodies 

of the craft’s alien occupants. These claims continue to evolve today and the Air 

Force is now routinely accused of engaging in a “cover-upN of this supposed 

event. 

The research located no records at existing Air Force offices that indicated any 

cover-up” by the USAF or any indication of such a recovery. Consequently, 

efforts were intensified by Air Force researchers at numerous locations where 

records for the period in question were stored. The records reviewed did not 

reveal any increase in operations, security, or any other activity in July, 1947, that 

indicated any such unusual event may have occurred. Records were located and 

thoroughly explored concerning a then-Top Secret balloon project, designed to 

attempt to monitor Soviet nuclear tests, known as Project MOGUL. Additionally, 

several surviving project personnel were located and interviewed, as was the only 

surviving person who recovered debris from the original Roswell site in 1947 and 

the former officer who initially identified the wreckage as a balloon. Comparison 

of all information ‘developed or obtained indicated that the material recovered 

near Roswell was consistent with a balloon device and most likely from one of 

the MOGUL balloons that had not been previously recovered. Air Force research 

efforts did not disclose any records of the recovery of any “alien” bodies or 

extraterrestrial materials. 

11 

9 

USAF in September, 1947, the USAF inherited equipment, personnel, records, 

policies, and procedures from the AAF. In this particular case, the Air Force also 

inherited the allegation that it had “covered up” the ”Roswell Incident” and has 

continued to do so for the next 47 years. 

Within the Air Force, the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary 

of the Air Force (SAF/AA) is responsible both for information management 

procedures (SAF/AAI) and security policy and oversight (SAF/AAZ). Because of 

this organization, SAF/AA was the logical entity to assist the GAO in its audit, 

and SAF/AAZ was officially named as the Central Point of Contact for this 

endeavor (Atch 4). Subsequently, the then-Administrative Assistant, Mr. Robert 

J. McCormick, issued a tasking memorandum dated March 1,1994 (Atch 5), to a 

number of current Air Staff and Secretariat offices that might possibly have 

records related to such an incident if, indeed, something had actually occurred. 

This search for records was purposely limited to Air Force records and systems 

since: 

(a) The Air Force had no authority to compel other agencies to review their 

(b) The Air Force would have no way to monitor the completeness of their 

(c) the overall effort was the task and responsibility of the GAO-not the Air 

records; 

efforts if they did; and 

Force. 

During the in-briefing process with GAO, it was learned that this audit was, 

indeed, generated at the specific request of Congressman Steven Schiff of New 

Mexico. Earlier, Congressman Schiff had written to the Department of Defense 

Legislative Liaison Office for information on the ”Roswell Incident” and had been 

advised that it was part of the former UFO “Project Bluebook” that had previously been turned over to NARA by the Air Force. Congressman Schiff subsequently learned from NARA that, although they did, indeed, have the “Bluebook” 

materials, the “Roswell Incident’’ was not part of that report. Congressman Schiff, 

apparently perceiving that he had been ”stonewalled” by the DoD, then generated 

the request for the aforementioned audit. 

It is within this context that the following research and assistance efforts were 

conducted in support of the GAO. This report is intended to stand as the final 

official Air Force response regarding this matter. 

THE ”ROSWELL INCIDENT‘‘-WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY REPORTED IN 1947 

The modern preoccupation with what ultimately came to be called Unidentified 

Flying Objects (UFOs) actually began in June, 1947. Although some pro-UFO 

researchers argue that sightings of UFOs go back to Biblical times, most researchers will not dispute that anything in UFO history can compare with the phenomenon that began in 1947. What was later characterized as “the UFO Wave of 1947” 

began with 16 alleged sightings that occurred between May 17 and July 12,1947 

11 
(although some researchers claim there were as many as 800 sightings during that 

period). Interestingly, the ”Roswell Incident” was not considered one of these 

1947 events until the 1978-1980 time frame. There is no dispute, however, that 

something happened near Roswell in July, 1947, since it was reported in a number 

of contemporary newspaper articles, the most famous of which were the July 8 

and July 9 editions of the Roswell Daily Record. The July 8 edition reported ”RAAF 

Captures Flying Saucer On Ranch In Roswell Region,” while the next day‘s 

edition reported, ”Ramey Empties Roswell Saucer” and ”Harassed Rancher Who 

Located ’Saucer’ Sorry He Told About It.” 

The first story reported that the Intelligence Officer of the 509th Bomb Group, 

stationed at Roswell Army Air Field, Major Jesse A. Marcel, had recovered a 

“flying disc” from the range lands of an unidentified rancher in the vicinity of 

Roswell and that the disc had been ”flown to higher headquarters.” That same 

story also reported that a Roswell couple claimed to have seen a large unidentified object fly by their home on July 2,1947. 

The July 9 edition of the paper noted that Brigadier General Roger Ramey, 

Commander of the Eighth Air Force at Forth Worth, Texas, stated that upon 

examination the debris recovered by Marcel was determined to be a weather 

balloon. The wreckage was described as a ”. . . bundle of tinfoil, broken wood 

beams, and rubber remnants of a balloon. . . .” The additional story of the 

“harassed rancher” identified him as W.W. Brazel of Lincoln County, New 

Mexico. He claimed that he and his son, Vernon, found the material on June 14, 

1947, when they ”came upon a large area of bright wreckage made up of rubber 

strips, tinfoil, a rather tough paper, and sticks.” He picked up some of the debris 

on July 4 and ”. . . the next day he first heard about the flying discs and wondered if what he had found might have been the remnants of one of these.” 

Brazel subsequently went to Roswell on July 7 and contacted the Sheriff, who 

apparently notified Major Marcel. Major Marcel and ”a man in plain clothes” then 

accompanied Brazel home to pick up the rest of the pieces. The article further 

related that Brazel thought that the material: 

. . . might have been as large as a table top. The balloon which held 

it up, if that is how it worked, must have been about 12 feet long, 

he felt, measuring the distance by the size of the room in which he 

sat. The rubber was smoky gray in color and scattered over an area 

about 200 yards in diameter. When the debris was gathered up the 

tinfoil, paper, tape, and sticks made a bundle about three feet long 

and 7 or 8 inches thick, while the rubber made a bundle about 18 

or 20 inches long and about 8 inches thick. In all, he estimated, the 

entire lot would have weighed maybe five pounds. There was no 

sign of any metal in the area which might have been used for an 

engine and no sign of any propellers of any kind. Although at least 

one paper fin had been glued onto some of the tinfoil. There were 

no words to be found anywhere on the instrument although there 

were letters on some of the parts. Considerable scotch tape and 

12 
some tape with flowers printed upon it had been used in the 

construction. No string or wire were to be found but there were 

some eyelets in the paper to indicate that some sort of attachment 

may have been used. Braze1 said that he had previously found two 

weather balloons on the ranch, but .that what he found this time did 

not in any way resemble either of these. 

EVOLUTION OF THE EVENT FROM 1947 TO THE PRESENT 

General Ramey’s press conference and rancher Brazel’s statement effectively 

ended this as a UFO-related matter until 1978, although some UFO researchers 

argue that there were several obtuse references to it in 1950’s-era literature. 

Roswell, for example, is not referred to in the official USAF investigation of UFOs 

reported in Project Bluebook or its predecessors, Project Sign and Project Grudge, 

which ran from 1948-1969 (which Congressman Schiff subsequently learned when 

he made his original inquiry). 

In 1978, an article appeared in a tabloid newspaper, the National Enquirer, which 

reported the former intelligence officer, Marcel, claimed that he had recovered 

UFO debris near Roswell in 1947. Also in 1978, a UFO researcher, Stanton 

Friedman, met with Marcel and began investigating the claims that the material 

Marcel handled was from a crashed UFO. Similarly, two authors, William L. 

Moore and Charles Berlitz, also engaged in research which led them to publish 

a book, The Roswell Incident, in 1980. In this book they reported they interviewed 

a number of persons who claimed to have been present at Roswell in 1947 and 

professed to be either firsthand or secondhand witnesses to strange events that 

supposedly occurred. Since 1978-1980, other UFO researchers, most notably 

Donald Schmitt and Kevin Randle, claim to have located and interviewed even 

more persons with supposed knowledge of unusual happenings at Roswell. These 

included both civilian and former military persons. 

Additionally, the Robert Stack-hosted television show ”Unsolved Mysteries” 

devoted a large portion of one show to a “re-creation” of the supposed Roswell 

events. Numerous other television shows have done likewise, particularly during 

the last several years, and a made-for-TV movie on the subject is due to be 

released this summer. The overall thrust of these articles, books, and shows is that 

the “Roswell Incident” was actually the crash of a craft from another world, the 

US Government recovered it, and has been “covering up” this fact from the 

American public since 1947, using a combination of disinformation, ridicule, and 

threats of bodily harm, to do so. Generally, the USAF bears the brunt of these 

accusations. 

From the rather benign description of the “event” and the recovery of some 

material as described in the original newspaper accounts, the ”Roswell Incident” 

has since grown to mythical (if not mystical) proportions in the eyes and minds 

of some researchers, portions of the media and at least part of the American 

public. There are also now several major variations of the “Roswell story.’‘ For 

13 
example, it was originally reported that there was only recovery of debris from 

one site. This has since grown from a minimal amount of debris recovered from 

a small area to airplane loads of debris from multiple huge "debris fields." 

Likewise, the relatively simple description of sticks, paper, tape and tinfoil has 

since grown to exotic metals with hieroglyphics and fiber optic-like materials. 

Most versions now claim that there were two crash sites where debris was 

recovered, and at the second site, alleged bodies of extraterrestrial aliens were 

supposedly retrieved. The number of these "alien bodies" recovered also varied. 

These claims are further complicated by the fact that UFO researchers are not in 

agreement among themselves as to exactly where these recovery sites were 

located or even the dates of the alleged crash(es). Consistently, however, the AAF 

was accused of securing these sites, recovering all the material therefrom, keeping 

locals away, and returning the recovered wreckage (and bodies) to Roswell under 

extremely tight security for further processing and later exploitation. 

Once back at Roswell. Army Air Field, it is generally alleged that special measures 

were taken to notify higher headquarters and arrangements made to have 

recovered materials shipped to other locations for analysis. These locations 

include Fort Worth, Texas, the home of the Eighth Air Force Headquarters; 

possibly Sandia Base (now Kirtland AFB), New Mexico; possibly Andrews Army 

Air Field, Maryland; and always to Wright Field, now known as Wright-Patterson 

AFB, Ohio. The latter location was the home of "T-2" which later became known 

as the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) and the Air Materiel Command 

(AMC), and would, in fact, be a logical location to study unknown materials from 

whatever origin. Most of the Roswell stories that contain the recovery of alien 

bodies also show them being shipped to Wright Field. Once the material and 

bodies were dispersed for further analysis and /or exploitation, the government 

in general, and the Army Air Forces in particular, engaged in covering up all 

information relating to the alleged crash and recovery, including the use of 

security oaths to military persons and the use of coercion (including alleged death 

threats) to others. This, as theorized by some UFO researchers, has allowed the 

government to keep the fact that there is intelligent extraterrestrial life from the 

American public for 47 years. It also supposedly allowed the US Government to 

exploit recovered extraterrestrial materials by reverse engineering them, ultimately 

providing such things as fiber optic and stealth technology. The "death threats," 

oaths, and other forms of coercion alleged to have been meted out by the AAF 

personnel to keep people from talking have apparently not been very effective, 

as several hundred people are claimed to have come forward (without harm) with 

some knowledge of the "Roswell Incident" during interviews with nongovernment researchers and the media. 

Adding some measure of credibility to the claims that have arisen since 1978 is 

the apparent depth of research of some of the authors and the extent of their 

efforts. Their claims are lessened somewhat, however, by the fact that almost all 

their information came from verbal reports many years after the alleged incident 

occurred. Many of the persons interviewed were, in fact, stationed at, or lived 

near Roswell during the time in question, and a number of them claim military 

14 
service. Most, however, related their stories in their older years, well after the fact. 

In other cases, the information provided is second or thirdhand, having been 

passed through a friend or relative after the principal had died. What is uniquely 

lacking in the entire exploration and exploitation of the "Roswell Incident" is 

official positive documentary or physical evidence of any kind that supports the 

claims of those who allege that something unusual happened. Conversely, there 

has never been any previous documentary evidence produced by those who 

would debunk the incident to show that something did not happen; although 

logic dictates that bureaucracies do not spend time documenting nonevents. 

SEARCH STRATEGY AND METHODOLOGY 

To insure senior Air Force leadership that there were no hidden or overlooked 

files that might relate to the "Roswell Incident," and to provide the GAO with the 

best and most complete information available, SAl?/AAZ constructed a strategy 

based on direct tasking from the Office of the Secretary, to elicit information from 

those functional offices and organizations where such information might logically 

be contained. This included directing searches at current offices where special or 

unusual projects might be carried out, as well as historical organizations, archives, 

and records centers over which the Air Force exerted some degree of control. 

Researchers did not, however, go to the US Army to review historical records in 

areas such as missile launches from White Sands, or to the Department of Energy 

to determine if its forerunner, the Atomic Energy Commission, had any records 

of nuclear-related incidents that might have occurred at or near Roswell in 1947. 

To do so would have encroached on GAOs charter in this matter. What Air Force 

researchers did do, however, was to search for records still under Air Force 

control pertaining to these subject areas. 

In order to determine parameters for the most productive search of records, a 

review was first conducted of the major works regarding the "Roswell Incident" 

available in the popular literature. These works included: The Roswell Incident 

(1980) by William Moore and Charles Berlitz; "Crashed Saucers: Evidence in 

Search of Proof" (1985) by Moore; The UFO Crash at Roswell (1991) by Kevin 

Randle and Donald Schmitt; The Truth About the UFO Crash at Roswell(1994), also 

by Randle and Schmitt; The Roswell Report: A Historical Perspective (1991), George 

M. Eberhart, editor; "The Roswell Events" (1993) compiled by Fred Whiting; Crash 

at Corona (1992) by Stanton T. Friedman and Don Berliner; and numerous other 

articles written by a combination of the above and other researchers. Collectively, 

the above represent the "pro" UFO writers who allege that the government is 

engaged in a conspiracy. There are no specific books written entirely on the theme 

that nothing happened at Roswell. However, Curtis Peebles in Watch the Skies! 

(1994) discussed the development of the UFO story and growth of subsequent 

claims as a phenomenon. There has also been serious research as well as a 

number of detailed articles written by so-called "debunkers" of Roswell and other 

incidents, most notably Philip J. Klass, who writes The Skeptic's UFO Newsletter, 

and Robert Todd, a private researcher. The concerns and claims of all the above 

authors and others were considered in conducting the USAF records search. 

15 
It was also decided, particularly after a review of the above popular literature, 

that no specific attempt would be made to try to refute, point by point, the 

numerous claims made in the various publications. Many of these claims appear 

to be hearsay, undocumented, taken out of context, self-serving, or otherwise 

dubious. Additionally, many of the above authors are not even in agreement over 

various claims. Most notable of the confusing and now ever-changing claims is 

the controversy over the date@) of the alleged incident, the exact location(s) of the 

purported debris, and the extent of the wreckage. Such discrepancies in claims 

made the search much more difficult by greatly expanding the volume of records 

that had to be searched. 

An example of trying to deal with questionable claims is illustrated by the 

following example: One of the popular books mentioned that was reviewed 

claimed that the writers had submitted the names and serial numbers of ”over 

two dozen” personnel stationed at Roswell in July, 1947, to the Veterans Administration and the Defense Department to confirm their military service. They then 

listed eleven of these persons by name and asked the question: “Why does neither 

the Defense Department nor the Veteran’s Administration have records of any of 

these men when we can document that each served at Roswell Army Air Field.” 

That claim sounded serious so SAF/AAZD was tasked to check these eleven 

names in the Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. Using only the names (since 

the authors did not list the serial numbers) the researcher quickly found records 

readily identifiable with eight of these persons. The other three had such common 

names that there could have been multiple possibilities. Interestingly, one of the 

listed ”missing” persons had a casualty report in his records reflecting that he 

died in 1951, while the writers claimed to have interviewed him (or a person of 

the exact same name) in 1990. 

While the historical document search was in progress, it was decided to attempt 

to locate and interview several persons identified as still living who could 

possibly answer questions generated by the research. This had never been 

officially done before, although most of the persons contacted reported that they 

had also been contacted in the past by some of the listed authors or other private 

researchers. In order to counter possible future arguments that the persons 

interviewed were still ”covering up” material because of prior security oaths, the 

interviewees were provided with authorization from either the Secretary of the 

Air Force or the Senior Security Official of the Air Force that would officially 

allow discussion of classified information, if applicable, or free them from any 

prior restriction in discussing the matter, if such existed. Again, the focus was on 

interviewing persons that could address specific issues raised by research and no 

consideration was given to try and locate every alleged witness claimed to have 

been contacted by the various authors. For example, one of the interviewees 

thought vital to obtain an official signed, sworn statement from was Sheridan 

Cavitt, Lt Col, USAF (Retired), who is the last living member of the three persons 

universally acknowledged to have recovered material from the Foster Ranch. 

Others were also interviewed as information developed (discussed in detail later). 

Additionally, in some cases survivors of deceased persons were also contacted in 

16 
an attempt to locate various records thought to have been in the custody of the 

deceased. 

Even though Air Force research originally started in January, 1994, the first official 

Air Force-wide tasking was directed by the March 1, 1994, memorandum from 

SAF/AA (Atch 5) and was addressed to those current Air Staff elements that 

would be the likely repository for any records, particularly if there was anything 

of an extraordinary nature involved. This meant that the search was not limited 

to unclassified materials, but also would include records of the highest classification and compartmentation. 

The specific Air Staff /Secretariat offices queried included the following: 

(a) SAF/ AAI, Directorate of Information Management 

(b) SAF/ AQL, Directorate of Electronics and Special Programs 

(c) AF/SE, Air Force Safety 

(d) AF/HO, Air Force Historian 

(e) AF/IN, Air Force Intelligence [including the Air Force Intelligence Agency 

(f) AF/XOW, Directorate of Weather 

(g) [added later] The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) 

(AFIA) and the National Air Intelligence Center (NAIC)] 

In addition to the above Air Staff and Secretariat offices, SAF/AAZ also reviewed 

appropriate classified records for any tie-in to this matter. With regards to highly 

classified records, it should be noted that any programs that employ enhanced 

security measures or controls are known as a Special Access Programs (SAPs). 

The authority for such programs comes from Executive Order 12356 and flows 

from the Department of Defense to the Services via DoD Directive 5205.7. These 

programs are implemented in the Air Force by Policy Directive 16-7 and Air 

Force Instruction 16-701. These directives contain detailed requirements for 

controlling and reporting, in a very strict manner, all SAPs. This includes a report 

from the Secretary of the Air Force to the Secretary of Defense (and ultimately to 

Congress) on all SAPs submitted for approval, and a certification that there are 

no "SAP-like" programs being operated. These reporting requirements are 

stipulated in public law. 

It followed that if the Air Force had recovered some type of extraterrestrial 

spacecraft and/or bodies and was exploiting this for scientific and technology 

purposes, then such a program would be operated as a Special Access Program 

(SAP). SAF/AAZ, the Central Office for all Air Force SAPs, has knowledge of, 

and security oversight over, all SAPs. SAF/AAZ categorically stated that no such 

SAP or SAPs exist that pertain to extraterrestrial spacecraft/aliens. 

Likewise, the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff, who head the 

Special Program Oversight Committee which oversees all sensitive programs in 

the Air Force, had no knowledge of the existence of any such program involving, 

or relating to, the events at Roswell or the alleged technology that supposedly 

17 
resulted therefrom. Besides the obvious irregularity and illegality of keeping such 

information from the most senior Air Force officials, it would also be illogical, 

since these officials are responsible for obtaining funding for operations, research, 

development, and security. Without funding, such a program, operation, or 

organization could not exist. Even to keep such a fact “covered-up” in some sort 

of passive ’‘caretaker status” would involve money. More importantly, it would 

involve people and create paperwork. 

The aforementioned March 1,1994, SAF/AA tasking generated negative responses 

(Atchs 6-12) from all recipients; i.e., all offices reported that they had no information that would explain the incident. Consequently, these negative responses led 

to an increase in the already ongoing historical research at records centers and 

archives. 

The extensive archival and records center search was systematically carried out 

by the SAF/AAZD Declassification Review Team. This team is composed entirely 

of Air Force Reserve personnel who have extensive training and experience in 

large scale review of records. (Previous efforts include the Southeast Asia 

Declassification Review, declassification of POW /MIA records, and the review of 

the Gulf War Air Power Survey records.) The team members all had the requisite 

security clearances for classified information and had the authority of the 

Secretary of the Air Force to declassify any classified record they found that might 

be related to Roswell. SAF/AAZD conducted reviews at a number of locations, 

including the National Archives in Washington, DC; the National Personnel 

Records Center, St. Louis, MO; the National Archives, Suitland MD; the National 

Records Center, Suitland, MD; Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC; 

Federal Records Center, Ft Worth, TX; the INSCOM Archives, Fort Meade, MD; 

National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC; Air Force Historical Research 

Agency, Maxwell AFB, AL; Center for Air Force History, Bolling AFB, DC; 

Phillips Laboratory, Hanscom AFB, MA and Kirtland AFB, NM; Rome Laboratory, 

Griffiss AFB, NY; and the Library of Congress, Washington, DC. 

A listing of the specific record areas searched is appended as Atch 13. The areas 

included all those subject areas logically believed to possibly contain any 

reference to activities at Roswell Army Air Field during the period of time in 

question. It is anticipated that detractors from this effort will complain that “they 

did not search record group x, box y, or reel z, etc.; that’s where the real records 

are!” Such complaints are unavoidable and there is no possible way that the 

millions of records under Air Force control could be searched page by page. The 

team endeavored to make logical searches in those places where records would 

likely be found. They were assisted in this task by archivists, historians, and 

records management specialists, including experienced persons who have 

continually worked in Army and Air Force records systems since 1943. The team 

also searched some record areas that were recommended by serious private 

researchers such as Robert Todd, who had independently obtained almost 

encyclopedic knowledge of the complexities of Air Force records systems, 

particularly those related to this subject area. 

18 
Not surprisingly, the research team found the usual number of problems in many 

of the records centers (particularly St. Louis) with misfiling, lost or misplaced 

documents, mismarking of documents, or the breaking up of record groups over 

the years and refiling in different systems. This included, for example, a small 

amount of missing ”decimal files” from the 509th Bomb Group at Roswell that 

covered the years 1945-1949, that were marked on the index as ”destroyed.” The 

researchers noted that there was no pattern to any anomalies found and that most 

discrepancies were minor and consistent with what they had found in the past on 

similar projects. 

WHAT THE ROSWELL INCIDENT WAS NOT 

Before discussing specific positive results that these efforts revealed, it is first 

appropriate to discuss those things, as indicated by information available to the 

Air Force, that the ”Roswell Incident” was not: 

An Airplane Crash 

Of all the things that are documented and tracked within the Air Force, among 

the most detailed and scrupulous are airplane crashes. In fact, records of air 

crashes go back to the first years of military flight. Safety records and reports are 

available for all crashes that involved serious damage, injury, death, or a 

combination of these factors. These records also include incidents involving 

experimental or classified aircraft. USAF records showed that between June 24, 

1947, and July 28, 1947, there were five crashes in New Mexico alone, involving 

A-26C, P-51N, C-82A, P-80A, and PQ-14B aircraft; however, none of these 

occurred on the date@) in question nor in the area(s) in question. 

One of the additional areas specifically set forth by GAO in its efforts was to deal 

with how the Air Force (and others) specifically documented ”. . . weather balloon 

, . . and other crash incidents.” In this area, the search efforts revealed that there 

are no air safety records pertaining to weather balloon crashes (all weather 

balloons ”crash sooner or later); however, there are provisions for generating 

reports of ”crashes” as ground safety incidents in the unlikely chance that a 

balloon injures someone or causes damage. Such records are only maintained for 

five years. 

A Missile Crash 

A crashed or errant missile, usually described as a captured German V-2 or one 

of its variants, is sometimes set forth as a possible explanation for the debris 

recovered near Roswell. Since much of this testing done at nearby White Sands 

was secret at the time, it would be logical to assume that the government would 

handle any missile mishap under tight security, particularly if the mishap 

occurred on private land. From the records reviewed by the Air Force, however, 

there was nothing located to suggest that this was the case. Although the bulk of 

remaining testing records are under the control of the US Army, the subject has 

also been very well documented over the years within Air Force records. There 

would be no reason to keep such information classified today. The USAF found 

19 
no indicators or even hints that a missile was involved in this matter. 

A Nuclear Accident 

’ One of the areas considered was that whatever happened near Roswell may have 

involved nuclear weapons. This was a logical area of concern since the 509th 

Bomb Group was the only military unit in the world at the time that had access 

to nuclear weapons. Again, reviews of available records gave no indication that 

this was the case. A number of records still classified Top Secret and SecretRestricted Data having to do with nuclear weapons were located in the Federal 

Records Center in St. Louis, MO. These records, which pertained to the 509th, had 

nothing to do with any activities that could have been misinterpreted as the 

“Roswell Incident.” Also, any records of a nuclear-related incident would have 

been inherited by the Department of Energy (DOE), and, had one occurred, it is 

likely DOE would have publicly reported it as part of its recent declassification 

and public release efforts. There were no ancillary records in Air Force files to 

indicate the potential existence of such records within DOE channels, however. 

An Extraterrestrial Craft 

The Air Force research found absolutely no indication that what happened near 

Roswell in 1947, involved any type of extraterrestrial spacecraft. This, of course, 

is the crux of this entire matter. “Pro-UFO persons who obtain a copy of this 

report, at this point, most probably begin the “cover-up is still on” claims. 

Nevertheless, the research indicated absolutely no evidence of any kind that a 

spaceship crashed near Roswell or that any alien occupants were recovered 

therefrom, in some secret military operation or otherwise. This does not mean, 

however, that the early Air Force was not concerned about UFOs. However, in 

the early days, ”UFO meant Unidentified Flying Object, which literally translated 

as some object in the air that was not readily identifiable. It did not mean, as the 

term has evolved in today’s language, to equate to alien spaceships. Records from 

the period reviewed by Air Force researchers, as well as those cited by the 

authors mentioned before, do indicate that the USAF was seriously concerned 

about the inability to adequately identify unknown flying objects reported in 

American airspace. All the records, however, indicated that the focus of concern 

was not on aliens, hostile or otherwise, but on the Soviet Union. Many documents 

from that period speak to the possibility of developmental secret Soviet aircraft 

overflying US airspace. This, of course, was of major concern to the fledgling 

USAF, whose job it was to protect these same skies. 

The research revealed only one official AAF document that indicated that there 

was any activity of any type that pertained to UFOs and Roswell in July, 1947. 

This was a small section of the July Historical Report for the 509th Bomb Group 

and Roswell Army Air Field that stated: ”The Office of Public Information was 

quite busy during the month answering inquiries on the ’flying disc,’ which was 

reported to be in possession of the 509th Bomb Group. The object turned out to 

be a radar tracking balloon” (included with Atch 11). Additionally, this history 

showed that the 509th Commander, Colonel Blanchard, went on leave on July 8, 

1947, which would be a somewhat unusual maneuver for a person involved in 

20 
the supposed first ever recovery of extraterrestrial materials. (Detractors claim 

Blanchard did this as a ploy to elude the press and go to the scene to direct the 

recovery operations.) The history and the morning reports also showed that the 

subsequent activities at Roswell during the month were mostly mundane and not 

indicative of any unusual high-level activity, expenditure of manpower, resources 

or security. 

Likewise, the researchers found no indication of heightened activity anywhere 

else in the military hierarchy in the July, 1947, message traffic or orders (to 

include classified traffic). There were rio indications and warnings, notice of alerts, 

or a higher tempo of operational activity reported that would be logically 

generated if an alien craft, whose intentions were unknown, entered US territory. 

To believe that such operational and high-level security activity could be 

conducted solely by relying on unsecured telecommunications or personal contact 

without creating any records of such activity certainly stretches the imagination 

of those who have served in the military who know that paperwork of some kind 

is necessary to accomplish even emergency, highly classified, or sensitive tasks. 

An example of activity sometimes cited by pro-UFO writers to illustrate the point 

that something unusual was going on was the travel of Lt Gen Nathan Twining, 

Commander of the Air Materiel Command, to New Mexico in July, 1947. 

Actually, records were located indicating that Twining went to the Bomb 

Commanders’ Course on July 8, along with a number of other general officers, 

and requested orders to do so a month before, on June 5, 1947 (Atch 14). 

Similarly, it has also been alleged that General Hoyt Vandenberg, Deputy Chief 

of Staff at the time, had been involved directing activity regarding events at 

Roswell. Activity reports (Atch 15), located in General Vandenberg’s personal 

papers stored in the Library of Congress, did indicate that on July 7, he was busy 

with a ”flying disc” incident; however this particular incident involved Ellington 

Field, Texas and the Spokane (Washington) Depot. After much discussion and 

information gathering on this incident, it was learned to be a hoax. There is no 

similar mention of his personal interest or involvement in Roswell events except 

in the newspapers. 

The above are but two small examples that indicate that if some event happened 

that was one of the ”watershed happenings” in human history, the US military 

certainly reacted in an unconcerned and cavalier manner. In an actual case, the 

military would have had to order thousands of soldiers and airman, not only at 

Roswell but throughout the US, to act nonchalantly, pretend to conduct and 

report business as usual, and generate absolutely no paperwork of a suspicious 

nature, while simultaneously anticipating that twenty years or more into the 

future people would have available a comprehensive Freedom of Information Act 

that would give them great leeway to review and explore government documents. 

The records indicate that none of this happened (or if it did, it was controlled by 

a security system so efficient and tight that no one, US or otherwise, has been 

able to duplicate it since. If such a system had been in effect at the time, it would 

21 
have also been used to protect our atomic secrets from the Soviets, which history 

has showed obviously was not the case). The records reviewed confirmed that no 

such sophisticated and efficient security system existed. 

WHAT THE “ROSWLL INCIDENT” WAS 

As previously discussed, what was originally reported to have been recovered 

was a balloon of some sort, usually described as a ”weather balloon,” although 

the majority of the wreckage that was ultimately displayed by General Ramey 

and Major Marcel in the famous photos (Atch 16) in Fort Worth was that of a 

radar target normally suspended from balloons. This radar target, discussed in 

more detail later, was certainly consistent with the description of July 9 newspaper article which discussed “tinfoil, paper, tape, and sticks.” Additionally, the 

description of the “flying disc” was consistent with a document routinely used 

by most pro-UFO writers to indicate a conspiracy in progress-the telegram from 

the Dallas FBI office of July 8,1947. This document quoted in part states: ”. . . The 

disc is hexagonal in shape and was suspended from a balloon by a cable, which 

balloon was approximately twenty feet in diameter. . . . the object found resembles a high altitude weather balloon with a radar reflector. . . . disc and balloon 

being transported . . . .” 

Similarly, while conducting the popular literature review, one of the documents 

reviewed was a paper entitled “The Roswell Events” edited by Fred Whiting and 

sponsored by the Fund for UFO Research (FLJFOR). Although it was not the 

original intention to comment on what commercial authors interpreted or claimed 

that other persons supposedly said, this particular document was different 

because it contained actual copies of apparently authentic sworn affidavits 

received from a number of persons who claimed to have some knowledge of the 

Roswell event. Although many of the persons who provided these affidavits to 

the FUFOR researchers also expressed opinions that they thought there was 

something extraterrestrial about this incident, a number of them actually 

described materials that sounded suspiciously like wreckage from balloons. These 

included the following: 

Jesse A. Marcel, MD (son of the late Major Jesse Marcel; 11 years old at the time 

of the incident). Affidavit dated May 6, 1991. ”. . . There were three categories of 

debris: a thick, foil like metallic gray substance; a brittle, brownish-black plasticlike material, like Bakelite; and there were fragments of what appeared to be Ibeams. On the inner surface of the I-beam, there appeared to be a type of writing. 

This writing was a purple-violet hue, and it had an embossed appearance. The 

figures were composed of curved, geometric shapes. It had no resemblance to 

Russian, Japanese or any other foreign language. It resembled hieroglyphics, but 

it had no animal-like characters. . . .” 

Loretta Proctor (former neighbor of rancher W.W. Brazel). Affidavit dated May 

5,1991. ”. . . Brazel came to my ranch and showed my husband and me a piece 

of material he said came from a large pile of debris on the property he managed. 

22 
The piece he brought was brown in color, similar to plastic . . . . ‘Mac’ said the 

other material on the property looked like aluminum foil. It was very flexible and 

wouldn’t crush or burn. There was also something he described as tape which 

had printing on it. The color of the printing was a kind of purple . . . .’’ 

Bessie Brazel Schreiber (daughter of W.W. Brazel; 14 years old at the time of the 

incident). Affidavit dated September 22,1993. ”. . . The debris looked like pieces 

of a large balloon which had burst. The pieces were small, the largest I remember 

measuring about the same as the diameter of a basketball. Most of it was a kind 

of double-sided material, foil-like on one side and rubber-like on the other. Both 

sides were grayish silver in color, the foil more silvery than the rubber. Sticks, like 

kite sticks, were attached to some of the pieces with a whitish tape. The tape was 

about two or three inches wide and had flower-like designs on it. The ’flowers’ 

were faint, a variety of pastel colors, and reminded me of Japanese paintings in 

which the flowers are not all connected. I do not recall any other types of material 

or markings, nor do I remember seeing gouges in the ground or any other signs 

that anything may have hit the ground hard. The foil-rubber material could not 

be torn like ordinary aluminum foil can be tom ...” 

Sally Strickland Tadolini (neighbor of W.W. Brazel; nine years old in 1947). 

Affidavit dated September 27, 1993. “. . . What Bill showed us was a piece of 

what I still think as fabric. It was something like aluminum foil, something like 

satin, something like well-tanned leather in its toughness, yet was not precisely 

like any one of those materials. ... It was about the thickness of very fine kidskin 

glove leather and a dull metallic grayish silver, one side slightly darker than the 

other. I do not remember it having any design or embossing on it . . . .” 

Robert R. Porter (B-29 flight Engineer stationed at Roswell in 1947). Affidavit 

dated June 7,1991. ”. . . On this occasion, I was a member of the crew which flew 

parts of what we were told was a flying saucer to Fort Worth. The people on 

board included ... and Maj Jesse Marcel. Capt. William E. Anderson said it was 

from a flying saucer. After we arrived, the material was transferred to a B-25. I 

was told they were going to Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. I was involved in 

loading the B-29 with the material, which was wrapped in packages with 

wrapping paper. One of the pieces was triangle-shaped, about 2 1/2 feet across 

the bottom. The rest were in small packages, about the size of a shoe box, The 

brown paper was held with tape. The material was extremely lightweight. When 

I picked it up, it was just like picking up an empty package. We loaded the 

triangle shaped package and three shoe box-sized packages into the plane. All of 

the packages could have fit into the trunk of a car. . . . When we came back from 

lunch, they told us they had transferred the material to a B-25. They told us the 

material was a weather balloon, but I’m certain it wasn’t a weather balloon. . . .” 

In addition to those persons above still living who claim to have seen or examined the original material found on the Brazel Ranch, there is one additional 

person who was universally acknowledged to have been involved in its recovery, 

Sheridan Cavitt, Lt Col, USAF (Ret). Cavitt is credited in all claims of having 

23 
accompanied Major Marcel to the ranch to recover the debris, sometimes along 

with his Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) subordinate, Lewis Rickett, who, like 

Marcel, is deceased. Although there does not appear to be much dispute that 

Cavitt was involved in the material recovery, other claims about him prevail in 

the popular literature. He is sometimes portrayed as a closed-mouth (or sometimes even sinister) conspirator who was one of the early individuals who kept 

the “secret of Roswell” from getting out. Other things about him have been 

alleged, including the claim that he wrote a report of the incident at the time that 

has never surfaced. 

Since Lt Col Cavitt, who had firsthand knowledge, was still alive, a decision was 

made to interview him and get a signed sworn statement from him about his 

version of the events. Prior to the interview, the Secretary of the Air Force 

provided him with a written authorization and waiver to discuss classified 

information with the interviewer and release him from any security oath he may 

have taken. Subsequently, Cavitt was interviewed on May 24,1994, at his home. 

Cavitt provided a signed, sworn statement (Atch 17) of his recollections in this 

matter. He also consented to having the interview tape-recorded. A transcript of 

that recording is at Atch 18. In this interview, Cavitt related that he had been 

contacted on numerous occasions by UFO researchers and had willingly talked 

with many of them; however, he felt that he had oftentimes been misrepresented 

or had his comments taken out of context so that their true meaning was changed. 

He stated unequivocally, however, that the material he recovered consisted of a 

reflective sort of material like aluminum foil, and some thin, bamboo-like sticks. 

He thought at the time, and continued to do so today, that what he found was 

a weather balloon and has told other private researchers that. He also remembered finding a small “black boxN type of instrument, which he thought at the 

time was probably a radiosonde. Lt Col Cavitt also reviewed the famous 

Ramey/Marcel photographs (Atch 16) of the wreckage taken to Fort Worth (often 

claimed by UFO researchers to have been switched and the remnants of a balloon 

substituted for it), and he identified the materials depicted in those photos as 

consistent with the materials that he recovered from the ranch. Lt Col Cavitt also 

stated that he had never taken any oath or signed any agreement not to talk 

about this incident and had never been threatened by anyone in the government 

because of it. He did not even know the ”incident” was claimed to be anything 

unusual until he was interviewed in the early 1980’s. 

Similarly, Irving Newton, Major, USAF (Ret), was located and interviewed. 

Newton was a weather officer assigned to Fort Worth, who was on duty when 

the Roswell debris was sent there in July, 1947. He was told that he was to report 

to General Ramey’s office to view the material. In a signed, sworn statement 

(Atch 30) Newton related that ”. . . I walked into the General’s office where this 

supposed flying saucer was lying all over the floor. As soon as I saw it, I giggled 

and asked if that was the flying saucer . . . . I told them that this was a balloon 

and a RAWIN target. . . .” Newton also stated that ”. . . while I was examining 

the debris, Major Marcel was picking up pieces of the target sticks and trying to 

convince me that some notations on the sticks were alien writings. There were 

24 
figures on the sticks, lavender or pink in color, appeared to be weather faded 

markings, with no rhyme or reason [sic]. He did not convince me that these were 

alien writings.” Newton concluded his statement by relating that ”. . . During the 

ensuing years I have been interviewed by many authors, I have been quoted and 

misquoted. The facts remain as indicated above. I was not influenced during the 

original interview, nor today, to provide anything but what I know to be true, 

that is, the material I saw in General Ramey’s office was the remains of a balloon 

and a RAWIN target.‘’ 

Balloon Research 

The original tasking from GAO noted that the search for information included 

“weather balloons.’’ Comments about balloons and safety reports have already 

been made; however the SAF/AAZ research efforts also focused on reviewing 

historical records involving balloons, since, among other reasons, that was what 

was officially claimed by the AAF to have been found and recovered in 1947. 

As early as February 28, 1994, the AAZD research team found references to 

balloon tests taking place at Alamogordo Army Air Field (now Holloman AFB) 

and White Sands during June and July 1947, testing ”constant level balloons’’ and 

a New York University (NYU)/Watson Labs effort that used ”. . . meteorological 

devices . . . suspected for detecting shock waves generated by Soviet nuclear 

explosions”-a possible indication of a cover story associated with the NYU 

balloon project. Subsequently, a 1946 HQ AMC memorandum surfaced, describing the constant altitude balloon project and specified that the scientific data be 

classified Top Secret Priority 1A. Its name was Project MOGUL (Atch 19). 

Project MOGUL was a then-sensitive, classified project, whose purpose was to 

determine the state of Soviet nuclear weapons research. This was the early Cold 

War period and there was serious concern within the US government about the 

Soviets’ developing a weaponized atomic device. Because the Soviet Union’s 

borders were closed, the US Government sought to develop a long range nuclear 

explosion detection capability. Long range, balloon-borne, low frequency acoustic 

detection was posed to General Spaatz in 1945 by Dr. Maurice Ewing of Columbia 

University as a potential solution (atmospheric ducting of low frequency pressure 

waves had been studied as early as 1900). 

As part of the research into this matter, AAZD personnel located and obtained 

the original study papers and reports of the New York University project. Their 

efforts also revealed that some of the individuals involved in Project MOGUL were 

still living. These persons included the NYU constant altitude balloon Director of 

Research, Dr. Athelstan F. Spilhaus; the Project Engineer, Professor Charles B. 

Moore; and the military Project Officer, Colonel Albert C. Trakowski . 

All of these persons were subsequently interviewed and signed sworn statements 

about their activities. A copy of theses statements are appended at Atchs 20-22. 

Additionally, transcripts of the interview with Moore and Trakowski are also 

included (equipment malfunctioned during the interview of Spilhaus) (Atchs 
23-24). These interviews confirmed that Project MOGUL was a compartmented, 

sensitive effort. The NYU group was responsible for developing constant level 

balloons and telemetering equipment that would remain at specified altitudes 

(within the acoustic duct) while a group from Columbia was to develop acoustic 

sensors. Doctor Spilhaus, Professor Moore, and certain others of the group were 

aware of the actual purpose of the project, but they did not know of the project 

nickname at the time. They handled casual inquiries and/or scientific inquiries /papers in terms of “unclassified meteorological or balloon research.” Newly 

hired employees were not made aware that there was anything special or 

classified about their work; they were told only that their work dealt with 

meteorological equipment. 

An advance ground team, led by Albert P. Crary, preceded the NYU group to 

Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, setting up ground sensors and 

obtaining facilities for the NYU group. Upon their arrival, Professor Moore and 

his team experimented with various configurations of neoprene balloons; 

development of balloon “trains” (see illustration, Atch 25); automatic ballast 

systems; and use of Naval sonobuoys (as the Watson Lab acoustical sensors had 

not yet arrived). They also launched what they called ”service flights.” These 

“service flights” were not logged nor fully accounted for in the published 

Technical Reports generated as a result of the contract between NYU and Watson 

Labs. According to Professor Moore, the ”service flights” were composed of 

balloons, radar reflectors, and payloads specifically designed to test acoustic 

sensors (both early sonobuoys and the later Watson Labs devices). The ”payload 

equipment” was expendable, and some carried no “Reward” or ”Return to . . .” 

tags because there was to be no association between these flights and the logged 

constant altitude flights which were fully acknowledged. The NYU balloon flights 

were listed sequentially in their reports (i.e., A, B, or 1,5, 6, 7,8,10 . . .), yet gaps 

existed for Flights 24 and Flight 9. The interview with Professor Moore indicated 

that these gaps were the unlogged ”service flights.” 

Professor Moore, the on-scene Project Engineer, gave detailed information 

concerning his team’s efforts. He recalled that radar targets were used for tracking 

balloons because they did not have all the necessary equipment when they first 

arrived in New Mexico. Some of the early developmental radar targets were 

manufactured by a toy or novelty company. These targets were made up of 

aluminum ”foil” or foil-backed paper, balsa wood beams that were coated in an 

“Elmer’s-type” glue to enhance their durability, acetate and /or cloth reinforcing 

tape, single strand and braided nylon twine, brass eyelets and swivels to form a 

multi-faced reflector somewhat similar in construction to a box kite (see photographs, Atch 26). Some of these targets were also assembled with purplish-pink 

tape with symbols on it (see drawing by Moore with Atch 21). 

According to the log summary (Atch 27) of the NYU group, Flight A through 

Flight 7 (November 20,1946-July 2,1947) were made with neoprene meteorological balloons (as opposed to the later flights made with polyethylene balloons). 

Professor Moore stated that the neoprene balloons were susceptible to degrada26 
tion in the sunlight, turning from a milky white to a dark brown. He described 

finding remains of balloon trains with reflectors and payloads that had landed in 

the desert: the ruptured and shredded neoprene would ”almost look like dark 

gray or black flakes or ashes after exposure to the sun for only a few days. The 

plasticizers and antioxidants in the neoprene would emit a peculiar acrid odor 

and the balloon material and radar target material would be scattered after 

returning to earth depending on the surface winds.” Upon review of the local 

newspaper photographs from General Ramey’s press conference in 1947 and 

descriptions in popular books by individuals who supposedly handled the debris 

recovered on the ranch, Professor Moore opined that the material was most likely 

the shredded remains of a multi-neoprene balloon train with multiple radar 

reflectors. The material and a ”black box,” described by Cavitt, was, in Moore’s 

scientific opinion, most probably from Flight 4, a “service flight” that included a 

cylindrical metal sonobuoy and portions of a weather instrument housed in a box, 

which was unlike typical weather radiosondes which were made of cardboard. 

Additionally, a copy of a professional journal maintained at the time by A.P. 

Crary, provided to the Air Force by his widow, showed that Flight 4 was 

launched on June 4, 1947, but was not recovered by the NYU group. It is very 

probable that this Top Secret project balloon train (Flight 4), made up of unclassified components, came to rest some miles northwest of Roswell, NM, became 

shredded in the surface winds, and was ultimately found by the rancher, Brazel, 

ten days later. This possibility was supported by the observations of Lt Col Cavitt 

(Atchs 17-18), the only living eyewitness to the actual debris field and the 

material found. Lt Col Cavitt described a small area of debris which appeared, “to 

resemble bamboo type square sticks one quarter to one half inch square, that were 

very light, as well as some sort of metallic reflecting material that was also very 

light . . . . I remember recognizing this material as being consistent with a weather 

balloon.” 

Concerning the initial announcement, ”RAAF Captures Flying Disc,” research 

failed to locate any documented evidence as to why that statement was made. 

However, on July 10,1947, following the Ramey press conference, the AZamogordo 

News published an article with photographs demonstrating multiple balloons and 

targets at the same location as the NYU group operated from at Alamogordo 

Army Air Field. Professor Moore expressed surprise at seeing this since his was 

the only balloon test group in the area. He stated, “It appears that there was some 

type of umbrella cover story to protect our work with MOGUL.” Although the Air 

Force did not find documented evidence that Gen. Ramey was directed to 

espouse a weather balloon in his press conference, he may have done so because 

he was either aware of Project MOGUL and was trying to deflect interest from it, 

or he readily perceived the material to be a weather balloon based on the 

identification from his weather officer, Irving Newton. In either case, the materials 

recovered by the AAF in July, 1947, were not readily recognizable as anything 

special (only the purpose was special), and the recovered debris itself was 

unclassified. Additionally, the press dropped its interest in the matter as quickly 

as they had jumped on it. Hence, there would be no particular reason to further 

document what quickly became a ”non-event.” 

27 
The interview with Colonel Trakowski (Atchs 23-24) also proved valuable 

information. Trakowski provided specific details on Project MOGUL and described 

how the security for the program was set up, as he was formerly the Top Secret 

Control Officer for the program. He further related that many of the original 

radar targets that were produced around the end of World War I1 were fabricated 

by toy or novelty companies using a purplish-pink tape with flower and heart 

symbols on it. Trakowski also recounted a conversation that he had with his 

friend, and superior military officer in his chain of command, Colonel Marcellus 

Duffy, in July, 1947. Duffy, formerly had Trakowski’s position on MOGUL, but had 

subsequently been transferred to Wright Field. He stated: ”. . . Colonel Duffy 

called me on the telephone from Wright Field and gave me a story about a fellow 

that had come in from New Mexico, woke him up in the middle of the night or 

some such thing with a handful of debris, and wanted him, Colonel Duffy, to 

identify it. . , . He just said ’it sure looks like some of the stuff you’ve been 

launching at Alamogordo’ and he described it, and I said ’yes, I think it is.’ 

Certainly Colonel Duffy knew enough about radar targets, radiosondes, balloonborne weather devices. He was intimately familiar with all that apparatus.’’ 

Attempts were made to locate Colonel Duffy but it was ascertained that he had 

died. His widow explained that, although he had amassed a large amount of 

personal papers relating to his Air Force activities, she had recently disposed of 

these items. Likewise, it was learned that A.P. Crary was also deceased; however 

his surviving spouse had a number of his papers from his balloon testing days, 

including his professional journal from the period in question. She provided the 

Air Force researchers with this material. It is discussed in more detail within Atch 

32. Overall, it helps fill in gaps of the MOGm story. 

During the period the Air Force conducted this research, it was discovered that 

several others had also discovered the possibility that the “Roswell Incident” may 

have been generated by the recovery of a Project MOGUL balloon device. These 

persons included Professor Charles B. Moore, Robert Todd, and coincidentally, 

Karl Pflock, a researcher who is married to a staffer who works for Congressman 

Schiff. Some of these persons provided suggestions as to where documentation 

might be located in various archives, histories and libraries. A review of FOIA 

requests revealed that Robert Todd, particularly, had become aware of Project 

MOGUL several years ago and had doggedly obtained from the Air Force, through 

the FOIA, a large amount of material pertaining to it; long before the AAZD 

researchers independently seized on the same possibility. 

Most interestingly, as this report was being written, Pflock published his own 

report of this matter under the auspices of FUFOR, entitled RosweZZ in Perspective 

(1994). Pflock concluded from his research that the Braze1 Ranch debris originally 

reported as a “flying disc” was probably debris from a MOGUL balloon; however, 

there was a simultaneous incident that occurred not far away, which caused an 

alien craft to crash and which the AAF subsequently recovered three alien bodies 

therefrom. Air Force research did not locate any information to corroborate that 

this incredible coincidence occurred, however. 

28 
In order to provide a more detailed discussion of the specifics of Project MOGUL 

and how it appeared to be directly responsible for the “Roswell Incident,” a 

SAF/AAZD researcher prepared a more detailed discussion on the balloon project 

which is appended to this report as Atch 32. 

Other Research 

In the attempt to develop additional information that could help explain this 

matter, a number of other steps were taken. First, assistance was requested from 

various museums and other archives (Atch 28) to obtain information and/or 

examples of the actual balloons and radar targets used in connection with Project 

MOGUL and to correlate them with the various descriptions of wreckage and 

materials recovered. The blueprints for the ”Pilot Balloon Target ML307C/AP 

Assembly” (generically, the radar target assembly) were located at the Army 

Signal Corps Museum at Fort Monmouth and were obtained. A copy is appended 

as Atch 29. This blueprint provides the specification for the foil material, tape, 

wood, eyelets, and string used and the assembly instructions thereto. An actual 

device was also obtained for study with the assistance of Professor Moore. (The 

example actually procured was a 1953-manufactured model “C” as compared to 

the Model B which was in use in 1947. Professor Moore related the differences 

were minor.) An examination of this device revealed it to be simply made of 

aluminum-colored foil-like material over a stronger paper-like material, attached 

to balsa wood sticks, affixed with tape, glue, and twine. When opened, the device 

appears as depicted in Atch 31 (contemporary photo) and Atch 25 (1947 photo, 

in a ”balloon train“). When folded, the device is in a series of triangles, the largest 

being 4 feet by 2 feet 10 inches. The smallest triangle section measures 2 feet by 

2 feet 10 inches. (Compare with descriptions provided by Lt Col Cavitt and 

others, as well as photos of wreckage.) 

Additionally, the researchers obtained from the Archives of the University of 

Texas-Arlington (UTA), a set of original (i.e., first generation) prints of the 

photographs taken at the time by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, that depicted 

Ramey and Marcel with the wreckage. A close review of these photos (and a set 

of first-generation negatives also subsequently obtained from UTA) revealed 

several interesting observations. First, although in some of the literature cited 

above, Marcel allegedly stated that he had his photo taken with the ”real” UFO 

wreckage and then it was subsequently removed and the weather balloon 

wreckage substituted for it, a comparison shows that the same wreckage appeared 

in the photos of Marcel and Ramey. The photos also depicted that this material 

was lying on what appeared to be some sort of wrapping paper (consistent with 

affidavit excerpt of crew chief Porter, above). It was also noted that in the two 

photos of Ramey he had a piece of paper in his hand. In one, it was folded over 

so nothing could be seen. In the second, however, there appears to be text printed 

on the paper. In an attempt to read this text to determine if it could shed any 

further light on locating documents relating to this matter, the photo was sent to 

a national-level organization for digitizing and subsequent photo interpretation 

and analysis. This organization was also asked to scrutinize the digitized photos 

for any indication of the flowered tape (or “hieroglyphics,” depending on the 

29 
point of view) that were reputed to be visible to some of the persons who 

observed the wreckage prior to its getting to Fort Worth. This organization 

reported on July 20, 1994, that even after digitizing, the photos were of insufficient quality to visualize either of the details sought for analysis. This organization was able to obtain measurements from the ”sticks” visible in the debris after 

it was ascertained by an interview of the original photographer what kind of 

camera he used. The results of this process are provided in Atch 33, along with 

a reference diagram and the photo from which the measurements were made. All 

these measurements are compatible with the wooden materials used in the radar 

target previously described. 

CONCLUSION 

The Air Force research did not locate or develop any information that the 

”Roswell Incident’: was a UFO event. All available official materials, although 

they do not directly address Roswell per se, indicate that the most likely source 

of the wreckage recovered from the Braze1 Ranch was from one of the Project 

MOGUL balloon trains. Although that project was Top Secret at the time, there was 

also no specific indication found to indicate an official preplanned cover story was 

in place to explain an event such as that which ultimately happened. It appears 

that the identification of the wreckage as being part of a weather balloon device, 

as reported in the newspapers at the time, was based on the fact that there was 

no physical difference in the radar targets and the neoprene balloons (other than 

the numbers and configuration) between MOGUL balloons and normal weather 

balloons. Additionally, it seems that there was overreaction by Colonel Blanchard 

and Major Marcel in originally reporting that a “flying disc” had been recovered 

when, at that time, nobody knew for sure what that term even meant, since it had 

only been in use for a couple of weeks. 

Likewise, there was no indication in official records from the period that there 

was heightened military operational or security activity which should have been 

generated if this was, in fact, the first recovery of materials and/or persons from 

another world. The postwar US military (or today’s for that matter) did not have 

the capability to rapidly identify, recover, coordinate, cover up, and quickly 

minimize public scrutiny of such an event. The claim that they did so without 

leaving even a little bit of a suspicious paper trail for 47 years is incredible. 

It should also be noted here that there was little mentioned in this report about 

the recovery of the so-called ”alien bodies.’’ This is for several reasons: First, the 

recovered wreckage was from a Project MOGUL balloon. There were no “alien” 

passengers therein. Secondly, the pro-UFO groups who espouse the alien bodies 

theories cannot even agree among themselves as to what, how many, and where 

such bodies were supposedly recovered. Additionally, some of these claims have 

been shown to be hoaxes, even by other UFO researchers. Thirdly, when such 

claims are made, they are often attributed to people using pseudonyms or who 

otherwise do not want to be publicly identified, presumably so that some sort of 

retribution cannot be taken against them (notwithstanding that nobody has been 

30 
shown to have died, disappeared, or otherwise suffered at the hands of the 

government during the last 47 years). Fourth, many of the persons making the 

biggest claims of “alien bodies” make their living from the ”Roswell Incident.” 

While having a commercial interest in something does not automatically make it 

suspect, it does raise interesting questions related to authenticity. Such persons 

should be encouraged to present their evidence (not speculation) directly to the 

government and provide all pertinent details and evidence to support their claims 

if honest fact-finding is what is wanted. Lastly, persons who have come forward 

and provided their names and made claims may have, in good faith but in the 

”fog of time,” misinterpreted past events. The review of Air Force records did not 

locate even one piece of evidence to indicate that the Air Force has had any part 

in an ”alien” body recovery operation or continuing cover-up. 

During the course of this effort, the Air Force has kept in close touch with the 

GAO and responded to their various queries and requests for assistance. This 

report was generated as an official response to the GAO, and to document the 

considerable effort expended by the Air Force on their behalf. It is anticipated that 

that the GAO will request a copy of this report to help formulate the formal 

report of their efforts. It is recommended that this document serve as the final Air 

Fdrce report related to the Roswell matter, for the 

/ 

GAO, or any other inquiries. 

Y&dL HARD L. WEAVER, COL, USAF 

SECURITY AND SPECIAL 

Attachments 

1. Washington Post Article, ”GAO Turns to Alien Turf in New Probe,” 

January 14,1994 

2. GAO Memo, February 15,1994 

3. DoD/IG Memo, February 23,1994 

4. SAF/FM Memo, February 24,1994, w/Indorsement 

5. SAF/AA Memo, March 1, 1994, w/ March 16,1994 Addendum 

6. AF/IN Memo, March 14, 1994 

7. AF/SE Memo, March 14, 1994 

8. SAF/AQL Memo, March 22,1994 

9. AF/XOWP Memo, March 9,1994 

10. SAF/AAI Memo, March 10,1994 

11. AF€-IRA/CC Memo, March 8,1994 

12. AFOSI/HO Memo, May 11,1994 

31 
13. List of Locations and Records Searched 

14. HQ AAF ”Issuance of Orders,” June 5, 1947 

15. Copy of Vandenberg’s Appointment Book and Diary, July 7-9,1947 

16. July 9, 1947 Photos of Balloon Wreckage, Ft Worth Star Telegram 

17. Signed Sworn Statement of Cavitt, May 24, 1994 

18. Transcript of Cavitt Interview, May 24,1994 

19. Letter, July 8, 1946, Project MOGUL 

20. Signed Sworn Statement of Spilhaus, June 3,1994 

21. Signed Sworn Statement of Moore, June 8, 1994 

22. Signed Sworn Statement of Trakowski, June 29,1994 

23. Transcript of Interview with Moore, June 8,1994 

24. Transcript of Interview with Trakowski, June 29,1994 

25. Illustration of Project MOGUL “Balloon Trains” 

26. Two Photos of Project MOGUL ”Balloon Trains” 

27. Log Summary, NYU Constant Level Balloon Flights 

28. List of Museums Contacted 

29. Copy of Blueprint for ”Pilot Balloon Target, ML-307C/AP Assembly’’ 

30. Signed Sworn Statement of Newton, July 21, 1994 

31. Photos of ML-307C/AP Device, With Vintage Neoprene Balloon and Debris 

32. Synopsis of Balloon Research Findings by 1st Lt James McAndrew 

33. ”Mensuration Working Paper,” With Drawing and Photo 

32 


- A22 FRIDAY, JANUARY 14,1994 TAE WASmm posr 

GAO Turns to Alien Turf in Probe 

Bodies of Space Voyagers Said to Have Disappeared in 19 4 7 

By William Claiborne Washmgngton Post SUH Wnter 

~ 

Where television’s “Unsolved Mysteries” has 

tried and failed, the General Accounting Office 

is unafraid to venture. 

At the request of Rep. Steven Schiff (RN.M.), Congress’s investigative branch has 

launched a study to determine whether the 

government covered up a story alleging that 

the bodies of alien space voyagers were re- moved from a crashed flying saucer found near 

Roswell, N.M., in 1947. 

After the purported crash of the spacecraft, 

the bodies of the extraterrestrial visitors were said by a local undertaker and other conspiracy 

theorists to have been autopsied and secretly 

flown to an Air Force base in Ohio. 

Even though the “Roswell Incident” has been 

repeatedly dismissed by the Defense Department as nothing more than UFO fantasizing 

triggered by the discovery of a downed weather balloon, the GAO has begun searching for 

documents to prove allegations that the Air 

Force “suppressed” information sought by 

Schiff. 

Schiff is a member of the House Government 

Operations Committee, which oversees the 

GAO. 

GAO spokeswoman Laura A. Kopelson said 

the office’s investigation, first reported in the 

Albuquerque Journal yesterday, stemmed from 

a meeting in October between Schiff and GAO 

Controlkr General Charles A. Bowsher. Schiff 

complairied then that the Defense Department 

had been “unresponsive” to his inquiries about 

the 1947 incident. 

Kopelson said “as far as I know only one investigator had been assigned” to the case, and 

that not enough work had been done to report 

any results to SchifY. At another point, Kopelson said “the people doing it are either on sick 

leave or are unavailable.” 

She said there was no way of estimating how 

much the investigation would cost, and that the 

GAO does not release such information anyway. 

GAO conducted 1,380 inquiries into government operations in 1992. Its budget has risen 

from $46.9 million in 1965 to $490 million last 

year. The agency has been criticized, especially 

by Republicans, as the “lap dog of the requesters,” producing reports that tend to support 

whatever conclusion the requesting member of 

Congress suggests. 

Kopelson said Schiff had asked the GAO “to 

see if there is any evidence that information 

regarding UFOs had been suppressed” following the Roswell incident. 

Schiff, however, said that at a routine October meeting he had merely complained about 

the Defense Department’s lack of responsiveness but a GAO official said, “We’re willing to 

take a stab at it.“ 

Schiff, in a telephone interview from Albuquerque, said that last March, after receiving 

inquiries from “UFO believers” and some Roswell residents who were in the military in 

1947, he wrote Defense Secretary Les Aspin 

asking for more information about the reported 

spacecraft crash and the alleged disappearance 

of the aliens’ bodies. 

The crash of a mysterous object 75 miles 

northwest of Roswell. which the Air Force later claimed was a weather balloon equipped with 

a radar-reflecting device, was the subject of 

several books and remains many UFO buffs’ 

greatest riddle. 

A privately owned museum in Roswell contains a namber of documents and photographs 

purporting to prove existence of the aliens. It 

also displays a re-creation of the spacecraft 

surrounded by figures portraying the dead extraterrestrials. 

UFO buffs contend the incident marked the 

beginning of a government conspiracy to suppress evidence of alien life. 

.Much of the speculation stems from claims 

by William Haut, a former Air Force public affairs officer, who said that on July 2, 1947, he 

was told to prepare a news release reporting 

the Air Force had recovered .parts of a flying 

saucer and then was told to change the story to 

report a weather balloon. 

Also, a nurse reportedly told a local funeral 

home director that she witnessed the autopsies 

of the spacemen, whom she described as having 

oversized heads and beetle-like features. The 

nurse subsequently died in a plane crash. 

After the autopsies, conspiracy theorists said 

the bodies were flown to Fort Worth and then 

to what is now Wright-Patterson Air Force 

Base in Ohio. 

In 1989, NBC’s “Unsolved Mysteries” investigated the controversy, which the program’s 

host, Robert Stack, concluded remained unsolved. 

Schiff said after calling Aspin last March to 

request a Defense Department briefing on the 

Roswell incident, he received a call from an Air 

Force lieutenant colonel, who brusquely told 

him the documents had been turned over to the 

National Archives. 

However, Schiff said, Archives officials told 

him they did not have the records on Roswell, 

even though they did have records of “Project 

Blue Book,” a 1969 hr Force study of reported 

An ”alien” depicted on NBC’s ‘UnSOiVed 

Mysteries,” which concluded Caw is unsolved. 

UFO sightings. That study, Schiff said, did not 

deal with the Roswell case. 

“I was getting pretty upset at all the running 

around,” Schiff said, adding that at his meeting 

with GAO officials, “they made an offer to 

help.” 

“Generally, I’m a skeptic on UFOs and alien 

beings, but there are indications from the runaround that I got that whatever it was, it 

wasn’t a balloon. Apparently, it’s another government coverup.” Schiff said. 

He called the Defense Department’s lack of 

response “astounding,” and said government 

accountability was an issue “even larger than 

UFOs.” 

Asked if the GAO might not be extending 

itself, Schiff acknowledged that the agency 

‘‘usually does fiscal investigations and at present I can’t find a fiscal impact” in the Roswell 

incident. 

Had the agency said, “ ‘This is beyond our realm of expertise,’ ’’ Schdf said, “I wouldn’t 

insist on it.” He added, “If the Defense Department had been responsive, it wouldn’t have 

come to this.” 



FE% 151996 

FEP 9 1954 

The Eonorable Willlam J. Perry 

The Secretary of Defense 

Attention: 

Dear Mr. Secretary: 

In response to a congressional request, the General 

Accounting Office is initiating a review of DOD's policies 

and procedures for acquiring, classifying, retaining. and 

disposing of official government document8 dealing with 

weather balloon, aircraft, and similar crash incidents. 

The review will involve testing whether DOD, the military 

services, specialized defense agencies, and others such as 

the National Archives, have systematically followad the 

proper procedures to ensure government accountabflity over 

such records - 

DOD Office of the Inspector General 

Director for GAO Surveys and Reviews 

The work will be performed under GAO code 701034 by staff 

from our National Security Analysis group in 

washington, D.C. If you have any questions concerning 

this assignment, please contact either Mr. Gary Weeter, 

Assistant Director, at (202) 512-4603 or Mr. Jack Kriethe, 

Evalustor-h-Chsrge at (202) 512-4567. This revicu has 

been coordinated with Dan Chambers of the Inspector 

General's Office. 

Sincerely YOUSr 

ichatd Davis 

irector, National Security 

Analysis 
GAO ENTRANCE CONFERENCE FOR 

ASSIGNMENT CODE 701034 

ISSUE: 

Has the Government met its responsibility in the handling, 

retention, and subsequent disposition of official records 

concerning the investigation and reporting of air vehicle and other 

crasl-! incidents similar to the reported crash of a weather balloon 

near Roswell, New Mexico in July 1947. 

SCOPE : 

Initial work will be performed at the Department of Defense, the 

Services, specialized defense agencies, and other executive branch 

agencies as required. 

APPROACH: 

(I) Interview responsible officials and review pertinent directives 

and regulations to determine the executive branch policies and 

procedures governing the reporting of air vehicle and similar crash 

incidents. 

(2) Select a sample of crash incidents covering different time 

periods (1947 to present) to determine whether proper procedures 

were followed. 

(3) For the incidents selected, determine whether proper records 

management procedures were followed in the retention and subsequent 

disposition of those records. 

(4) Determine the "OFFICIAL" explanation of what has become known 

as the "Roswell Incident". 


Apalpsis 

and Palleuup 

INSPECTOR GENERAL 

DeEPARTYtNtOF DLFENSE 

400 ARMY NAVY DRIVE 

ARUNtfON. VIRGINIA 22202.2Ob4 

FEB 231994 

The DoD Directive 7650.2 designatas this office as the 

central DoD liaison for tasking, controlling, and monitoring CAO 

sumey!, review, and report activities, The enclosed mfomti on 

Sheet .describes the specific DoD procedures for tasking GAO 

surveys/reviews and the DoD primary action office (PAO) 

responsibilities, 

notification letter on the subject effort, 

Security and International Affairs Division (National Suurity 

Analysis) is dohg the work. 

Representative Steven 8. Schiff (R-NX). 

On February 15, 1994, we received the enclosed official GAO 

The GAO National 

The review is at the request of 

Representative Schiff requested he GAO review two ismea of 

concern (1) the DoD records management procedures for crash 

incidents involving weather balloons and -own aircraft, such 

as UFos and foreign aircraft, and (2) the facts regarding the 

reported crash of en UFO h 1949 at Rosvall, New ldaYIC0. Shce 

the UFO story appeared in an epiSOae of the television program 

mvnsolved Mysteries," Representative SchifZ has received many 

requests for an investigation into the alleged aDoD cover-up." 

Apparently, reports on the incident were attributed to a weather 

balloon crash. 

The GAO 1s adous to respond to Representative Schiff's 

request and to dispel any concerns that the DoD is being 

unresponsive. For that reason, it is important that we identify 

the correct DoD representatives so that the GAO can begh its 

work. Since the enclosed GAO notification letter did not mention 

the Roswell incidqnt or specifically site unknown aircraft as the 

area of interest, we have been unable to detesmfne the 

appropriate bob primary and collateral action offices. 
2 

We have scheduled an entrance meeting with the a0 for. 

February 28, 1994, 1O:OO a.m., 400 Army Navy Drive, Room 730, 

Arlington, VA. 

the extent that a DoD primary action office can be identified. 

The entrance meeting should clarify the issues to 

-Please provide the name and telephone number of your 

representative(s) for the entrance meeting- as soon as possible to 

my action Officer, Pattie Cirino, (703) 693-0214. 

available, I can be reached on the same number. 

If she Is not 

1 Marcia J. Van Note 

Director 

GAO Sunreys and Reviews 

Enclosures : 

As stated 

DISTRIBUTION: SEC 

SEC NAVY 

SEC AIR FORCE 

CMDT, USHC 

USD (P) 

ATSD(LA) 

ATSD (PA) 

GC 

USD (Pm) 

ASD(C3I) 

DIR, JS 

PIR, AM 

DIR, RSA 

UScIEfcsPACB 

USCINClTRANS 


MEMORANDUM FOR 

- SAF/AQXA 

- X-SAF/LLR 

- SAF/FM 

- X-SAF/PA 

SAF/ IA 

-- y SAF/AAX (OPR) 

- SAF/ FMBMD 

FROM: SAF/FMPF 

- 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON OC 

--- X AF/INR 

--- X AF/SPO 

- X-AF/HO 

--- X AF/JAG 

- AF/SCXX 

--- X AF/XOS 

- X-AF/ SE 

_-- X AFAA/DO 

-s-AFIA/CVS 

AFOTEC/RMR 

AFSPACECOM/ FMP 

AFCC/ MA 

ANGRC / FMP 

- 

- 

- 

- AFMC/ IGQ 

- 

- AETC: FMFM 

- ?ACAF/IGIX 

- USAFE/FMEP 

- AFMPC / RMM 

- WC/FMAP 

- ACC/FMP 

SUBJECT: GAO Review Letter Dated February 15, 1994, "Records 

Management Procedures,Dealing With Weather Balloon, 

Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents", (GAO 

Code 701034) -- ACTION MEMORANDUM 

This memo is to advise you of the subject review and to 

request each organization indicated as OPR or OCR above to 

designate a Central Point of Contact (CPC). The CPC should return 

the indorsement immediately. This package is provided to other 

listed organizations as information. Air Force Regulation 11-9 

applies. 

rsview on the Air Force. if the assessment indicates the need, 

rke CPC should brief :he Deputy Chief 35 Staff and other 

zfficials, as appropriate. 

The CPC should further assess the potent:lal impact af =he GAO 

5300 

SAF / 

7605 

An entrance meeting , in Room 730 at 400 

FMPF point of contact 

~i. 

is scheduled for February 28, 1094, arr 

Army Naw Drive, Arlingccn VA. The 

is Mrs. Ann Cook, Xoom 4C228, extens1 

Liaison and Followup h( Financiai Management : 

: AtCh 

1. 2oD(IG) Yemo, 'ebruary 13, 1??4 

:. Indorsement 
1 K;i: 1994 

1st Indorsement 

TO: SAF/FMPF, Room 4C328, Pentagon 

SUBJECT: Central Point of Contact, GAO Code .=. 

1. cpc Richard L. Weaver , Col , SA F/ AA Z , 50972 ,3-2013 

NAME GRADE OFC SYMBOL ROOM EXT . 

Alt Jeff Butler , Lt Col , SAFIAAZ , 50972 , 3-2013 

NAME GRADE OFC SYMBOL ROOM EXT . 

FAX Number 693-2059 

2. You will be notified of any changes in the above designees. 

SAF/AA focal point for all audits and inspections is Ns. Carolyn 

Lunsford, SAF/AAX, 697-9057, FAX 693-9763. 

Colonel, USAF CC: SAF/AAZ 

Director, Plans, Programs, & Budget SAF/ AAIQ 

Office of the Administrative Ass't 
Memo, with Ad&ndum 

Robert J. McComrick, S 

Distribution 

Subj: GAO Review on Rwmb 

Management Procedm 

with Weather B 

Incidents . . . 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON DC 20330-1000 

OFFiCE OF THE SECRETARY 

MEMORANDUM FOR DISTRIBUTION 

1 March 1994 

SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with 

Weather Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents (GAO 

Code 701034) - ACTION MEMORANDUM 

References: (a) 23 Feb 94 DoDAG Memorandum, Subj, same as above 

(b) 15 Feb 94 GAO Memorandum of Review Notification 

The Depamnent of Defense and other executive branch agencies are undergoing a 

review by the GAO concerning whether the US government has "met its responsibility in 

the handling, retention, and subsequent disposition of official records concerning the 

investigation and reporting of air vehicle and other crash incidents similar to the reported 

crash of a weather balloon near Roswell, New Mexico in July 1947". To fulfill the Air 

Force portion of this review, addressees, as applicable, are requested to: 

(a) identify pertinent directives concerning records retention and disposition; 

(b) identify pertinent directives concerning reporting air vehicle crashes, 

investigations, and wreckage/debris retention and disposition; 

(c) identify my records (unclassified or classified) related to air vehicle (aircraft, 

lighter-than-aircraft, rockedmissile, or other) impacts or crashes in New 

Mexico from 20 June to 3 1 July 1947; identify record groups andfor other 

indexes associated with these records for further review; and 

(d) provide copies of pertinent directives (including any changes of policies on 

rttention and disposition) and records (i.e., item c above) to SAF/AAZ, 1720 

Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1720. 

Please provide your responses (interim or final) by 14 Mar 94. Contact Col 

Weaver or Lt Col Butler at DSN 223-2013/7 or commercial (703) 693-2013/7 if there are 

any questions. 

2 Attachments: 

1. 23 Feb 94 DoDAG Memo w/encl 

2. GAO Issue/Scope/Approach 

DISTRIBUTION: 

SAFIAAI 

SAFIAQL 

AF/SE 

AF/HO 

AFm 

AF/xow 

Administrative Assistanq 
OFFICE OF THE SECRITARV 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON DC 20330- 1000 

16 March 1994 

MEMORANDUM FOR AFOSVHO 

FROM: SAF/AAZ 

1720 Air Force Pentagon 

Washington DC 20330-1720 

SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with 

Weather Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents (GAO 

Code 701034) - ACTION MEMORANDUM 

Reference: SAFIAA 1 Mar 94 Memorandum w/atch, Subj. same as above 

SAF/AAZ has taken the lead for the Air Force in providing the GAO with all 

pertinent records and information related to the above subject. Pan of this review will 

involve retrieving records. histories, reports of investigations, ctc. related to sightings of 

unknown aerial objects/phenomena 

To insure that we have searched all applicable document holdin s, rcquest you 

research AFOSI histories for any records that might be relevant to the d A0 review. Such 

records might have been mated prior to the formal establishment of AFOSI, e.g., 

AAF/CIC or USA/CID records. Request you lit your search to holdings within your 

pwiew for the period Jan 1947 through Dec 1953. 

this subject. 

Please contact me or Lt CoI 

1 Attachment: 

SAFIAA 1 Mar Memorandum 


DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE I 

Id 

MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/MP' 

FROM: AFilN 

SUBJECT: GAO Inquiry into Records Management Procedures Dealing with Weather 

Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents - INFORMATION MEMORANDUM 

References: (a) SAF/AA Memorandum, 1 Mar 94 

(b) Telecon: Lt Col Butler/AAZ - Mr. Foley/lNXA, 3 Mar 94 

In response to references, the following information is provided--with answers keyed to ref a: 

a. None. 

b. None. 

c. None, but see below for related material. 

d. None. 

Ref para c above. Although we possess no official records related to the subject matter, we 

do possess documents received from FOlA requesters that discuss the Roswell Incident which we 

think may be pertinent to the GAO inquiry: 

a. One is a FOlA request from Dr. Neal in California. It is of particular interest in that he 

claims to know of a physician in California who allegedly participated in the hands-on pathological 

exantination of four alien bodies. (Atch 1). Dr. Neal does not identify the individual. 

b. There is a second document called 'Synopsis of Roswell Incident.' (Atch 2). In its 

recapitulation of the events that allegedly transpired on that day in Roswell, the synopsis cites 

several people who relate stories told to them by alleged eyewitnesses to the event. 

We also attach a report from the National Air Intelligence Center (NAIC) at Wright-Patterson 

AFB OH, which summarizes its research, and that of others at WPAFB. into UFOs and the Roswell 

Incident (Atch 3). The NAlC report concludes that after exhaustive research there is no evidence 

of the existence of any relevant documents, flying saucer debris, or space aliens on WPAFB. 

AF/IN's POC is Mr. M. J. Foley, ~31664. 

Attachments: 

1. Dr. Neal's FOlA Letter 

2. Synopsis of Roswell Incident 

3. Summary of NAlC Research 
RICHARD M. NEAL, JR, MD, INC. 

Feb'ruary 5, 1993 

Freedom of Information Act Request 

(5 U.S.C. 552) 

Department of the Air Force 

P-9 'JSAF/DADF 

Washington, DC 20380 

RE: ALIEN WMANOIDS/UFO*S 

Dear Sirs: 

As a physician I have done personal/private research in the 

field of Ufology for the past twenty years. Of great interest to 

me is the July 2, 1947 crash of an extra-terrestrial object in New 

Mexico. 

Also of Greater interest is the recovery of 4 alien bodiss 

from this crash - a separate portion of the conpartment/control 

room/crtw cabin area vas found several miles from the rest of the 

UFC debris. There has been rumors of post-mortem examinations 

being performed on these bodies. 

The bodies were described as the body of a small humanoid, tan 

(or sunburned) in color, approximately the size of a ten year old 

boy, was examined at a laboratory of the Cuggenheim Foundation then 

on 23rd Street in New York City. The pathological examination 

disclosed a human with a skeleton having two extra ribs on each 

side, whose flesh had a somewhat higher mineral content than we 

would consider normal and somewhat denser bones. 

Regortedly, shortly after the discovery of this vehicle and 

its occupants - it prompted then President Harry S. Truman to 

appoint (on Sept. 18, 1947) a committee of twelve individuals - 

called the '*Majestic-l2" or MJ-12 to secure and study the crashed 

UFO debris and its occupants. 

An important person - one of the MJ-12, was an individual 

named Dr. Detlev W. Bronk, a neurophysiologist. In June 1947 he 

was named a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the 

Brookhaven National Laboratory; he subsequently became the sixth 

President of John Hopkins University ip 1949. It is believed that 

Dr. Bronk was the medical director of a team that performed these 

pathological examinations of the aliens; his medical team would be 

restricted to a limited number of physicians - such as the 

following: 
Freedom of Information Ac;$.,$equest 

February 5, 1993 

Page 2 of 3 

I). Pathologist 

2). Radiologist 

3). Neurophysiologist (Dr. Bronk) 

4). Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgeon 

Presently living in Southern California is one of the 

physicians who participated in this project. I must respect his 

confidentially and anonymity. He is in his mid to late 70's and is 

probably the last link (firsthand) to have experienced this 

research on the alien bodies in 1947. 

In regards to any release of this subject matter, existence of 

this material/past research would not be exempt from mandatory 

disclosures under the FOIA because it would not/does not interfere 

with our national security nor knowledge of the above would give 

any other foreign country a military advantage. 

Serious UFO researchers believe that the Air Force now wishes 

the American public, to know the truth, of the extra-terrestrial 

origin of the UFO phenomena, and thus are "leaking" some 

information out to various researchers. 

Nationwide polls revealed that over 70% of our population 

believes in the extra-terrestrial theory; movies such as "E.T.", 

"Close Encounter of the Third Kind", "Hanger 18" and *'Cocoon'* are 

being released to cushion the public to the truth. Could the 

government/private corporation use subliminal suggestions in the 

above movies or possibly TV - To prepare this country eventually 

to the truth that UFO's and aliens exist. 

Being in this field of research - specifically physiological 

and psychological effects suffered secondary to individuals who 

were allegedly abducted by aliens has increased my knowledge that 

we are definitely being visited by an alien race. I have enclosed 

for your review a brief synopsis of what occurred in and around 

Roswell, New Mexico in July 1947. Please review this information. 

Why have I decided to write at this time This is the 45th 

year anniversary of UFO's - many lectures and seminars will be 

scheduled around the country to herald this event. Because of 

this, it is hopeful that through the FOIA someone sympathetic to 

our research efforts will release some "shocking" information for 

us tc relay to the general public. It seems coincidental/ironic 

that the most prominent seminar was the MUFON 1992 International 

UFO Symposium on July 11-12, 1992 at the Convention Center in 

Albuquerque, New Mexico. 
0 

Freedom of Information Act Request 

February 5, 1993 

Page 3 of 3 

PROJECT SIGMA 

The project was originally established in 1954. Its mission 

was to establish communications with aliens. This project met with 

positive success (SIC) when in 1959, the United States established 

primitive communications with the aliens. On April 25, 1964, a 

USAF intelligence officer met two aliens at a pre-arranged location 

in the desert of New Mexico. The contact lasted for approximately 

three hours. The Air Force officer managed to exchange basic 

information with the two aliens. The project is believed to be 

continuing at an Air Force base in New Mexico. 

I am respectfully requesting the following information: 

1). An authentic photocopy of the "Majestic-12" (MJ-12) 

2). Any photocopies of pathological reports (post-mortem) 

3). Any authentic photocopies of aliens - full body 

4). Project Whirlwind - a UFO study done at M. I.T. in. 1949, 

groups information - a 9 page document (1947). 

performed on the aliens in 1947 (comparative anatomy). 

exposures: close-up photos, ctc. 

then referred back to the Dept. of Defense, 

Although I realize that the government is reluctant in giving 

out information, particularly to civilian researchers, my approach 

wiii continue to be positive and will have a optimistic outlook. 

While I might accurately anticipate some negative reactions to a11 

this information (continued debunking) in the letter, I would 

nevertheless value your response. 

Sincere1 y , 

1 Richard M. Neal, Jr., M.D. 

Enclosures 
SkNOPSIS OF ROSWELL _- INCIDENT 

I am writing to request a clarification of the U.S. Government's mmnf position concerning 

evenu which occumd in and around Roswell, New Mexico. in July 1947. 

According to newspaper accounts and eyewitness repom. 

a local rancher, William W. Brwl, discovered pieces of 

d bris from an object which cnshed on the property he 

managed outside Corona, on or about July 2. 1947. He 

brought some of this material to the actention of Chaves 

County Sheriff George Wilcox, who called the Roswell Army Air Field. The base Intelligence Officer, Jesse A. Marcel. 

and a Counter Intelligence Corps Officer, Sheridan Cavitt. 

went to the mch to inspect the material. 

They discovered a great deal of lightweight debris which 

couldn't be cut, burned. or even dented with a sledgehammer. On orders from the base commander, Col. Willim 

Blanchard, the Public Information Officer, Walter G. Haut. 

issued a news releve that the Amry Air Force had recovered 

'lying disc." Some of the debris WJS flown to Fort Worth. 

as where the Commander of the Eighth Air Forre. Gen. 

Roger Ramey, identified the material for the press as the 

remains qf a weather balloon and its radar target. 

However, subsequent investigation has raised considenble 

doubt about the weather balloon explanation. For e.xiunple: 

H According to his son and neighbors. Bnzel was held 

incommunicado by officials at the Ronvell base for nearly 

a week, questioned extensively and ordered not to say 

anything about his experience: however, in a newspaper interview, he said that the material he recovered 'did not in 

any way resemble a weather balloon," many of which he 

had recovered on his property. 

Sheriff Wdcox, to whom Bryel initially reported finding the debris, also wasordered by the military not to say 

anything, but members of his family say that not only did 

he see debris at the crash site - he also saw four "space" 

beings." one of whom was alive. Moreover. his grandhughter, Barbara Duper. uns told by her grandmother. her 

Wilcox, that the entire family was threatened with death by 

the military if they discussed the incident. 

H The former manager of KGFL Radio in Roswell, Jud 

Roberts, says the station was threatened with loss of its 

license by government officials in Washington, DC, if it 

broadcast the story about the "flying saucer." In addition. 

.rding to Lydia Sleppy, a secretary at KOAT Radio in 

Jquerque, a wire transmission of the news story on the 

event was intcrmpttd by a message something like: "CEASE 

TRANSMISSION. NATIONAL SECURITY ITEM." 

' According to Brig. Gen ...Th omas 1. DuBosc (USAF, 

mt.), who was Gen. Ram$s Chief of Staff. Maj Gen. 

Clemnts McMullen, the Deputy and Acting Commander, 

Strategic Air Command, ai &dm 'Am Air Reid, 

ordered that some of -the debris recovered on the ranch be 

brought directly to him in Washington. Gen. DuBose says 

officials at the Headquarters of the Eighth Air Force were 

did to tell the press that the mluial was from a weather 

balloon ndar target, and that the weather balloon uplanation was a "cover story" -to divert the attention of the press. 

The pilot who transported some of the wreckage. Oliver 

W. Henderson. said he saw the bodies of alien beings at the 

Roswell base, according to his widow, Sappho Henderson. 

his daughter. Mary Kathryn Groode, and his friend, John 

Kromschroeder. 

A mortician who worked for the fund home in 

Roswell. Glenn Dennis, says M Amj ~IUKC friend told him 

about participating in the autopsies of three alien bodies at 

the base. 

Thereforc. I m formally requesting that you seek to determine whether the highly unusual material recovered near 

Corona was from a "flying disc," a weather balloon. or 

something else. 

Please dvise me. at your earliest opportunity, of the 

United States Government's arrenr position on the nature 

of the material recovered outside Roswell, New Mexico, in 

July 1947. and its current explanation for dl official actions 

taken with respect to this event, 

Sincerely. 
SUMMARY OF HQ NAIC RESEARCH INTO THE ROSWELL INCIDENT, 

UNIDENTIFIED FLYING SAUCERS, AND PROJECT BLUE BOOK 

PURPOSE. To summarize sources of information used in the HQ NAIC study of the 1947 

Roswell incident. Allegations are that a flying saucer(s) and/or alien(s) were found at the crash 

site and transported to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. 

BACKGROUND. In 1993, Congressman Steven Schiff from New Mexico began an investigation 

of the Roswell incident. Pursuant to that, a General Accounting Office auditor visited the HQ 

NAlC History Office to see what records were available within the center. Also, a local 

television station picked up the story. In addition to HQ NAIC records, the Historian visited 

other base archives to search for material. 

FIND1 NGS. 

1. A review of the HQ NAIC History Office and CIRC holdings, plus other base and 

USAF Museum archives, encompassing several million pages of documents, did not turn up any 

reference to the Roswell incident or the presence of flying saucer(s) and/or alien(s) at the base. 

2. An electronic search of the Air Force Historical Research Agency archives, again, 

several million pages of documents, did not turn up any reference to the Roswell incident or the 

presence of flying saucer@) and/or alien(s) at Wright-Patterson AFB. 

3. A review of the Dayton Daily News for July 1947, all of the UFO-related material 

available in the Dayton, Centerville, and Woodbourne Public Libraries, as well as information 

in the Wright State University holdings and material in the AFIT, Base Technical Library, and 

Base Library did not turn up any conclusive evidence that flying saucer(s) and/or alien(s) had 

ever been at Wright-Patterson. 

4. Conversations with a dozen people who had worked in the Project Blue Book office 

or with Blue Book materials did not turn up any evidence that there had ever been a flying 

saucer(s) and/or alien(s) at Wright-Patterson. 

5. Over the years, there have been several congressional investigations of this 

organizations study of UFO reports. None has ever turned up evidence of a flying saucer(s) 

and/or alien( s) at Wright-Patterson. 

6, All of this organization’s UFO study files were transferred to the National Archives 

and made available to the public. 
CONCLUSIONS. 

1. Concerted research has failed to turn up any evidence relating to the Roswell incident 

or of a flying saucer(s) and/or alien@) at Wright-Patterson. Because this conclusion is based on 

the absence of documentation, the issue can never be definitively resolved. There will always 

be those who say "You didn't search hard enough" or "We know you really do have the 

records/saucer(s)/aIien(s), but you are just not revealing them to us." It would almost be a 

physical impossibility to search every desk drawer in every building on Wright-Patterson looking 

for the report, if it ever existed, on Roswell-related material. HQ NAIC is convinced that no 

such record currently exists. 

2. Because no document has ever been found, however, leads center researchers to the 

conclusion that the Roswell material, if it came to Wright-Patterson for analysis, was nothing 

remarkable, certainly nothing extraterrestrial. The standard procedure for any government record 

is that it is kept for some period of time, then retired or destroyed according to a general 

schedule established by regulation. One might assume that a document purporting to be the true 

analysis of extraterrestrial material would always be needed and, thus, would have been 

preserved. 

3. Because the Roswell incident occurred so long ago, now nearly 50 years ago, there 

may be no record trail to follow to absolutely determine if a study had ever been conducted. 

4. Despite the best efforts of UFO researchers over the years, not one scrap of physical 

evidence or one incontestable photograph of either a flying saucer or an alien has ever been 

found relating to the Roswell incident. Some researchers have devoted years of their lives to this 

effort. Again, using an argument based on the absence of evidence, the fact that several hundred 

man-years of effort have followed all of the research trails imaginable leads HQ NAIC to believe 

that nothing extraterrestrial was found at Roswell. 

5. The earliest UFO literature, books by Ruppelt, Keyhoe, and Menzel do not mention 

the Roswell incident. Also, the Blue Book records and the Condon report do not mention the 

Roswell incident, though many sightings from 1947 were investigated by this organization's 

predecessors. 

6. HQ NAIC realizes that the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, but every 

reasonable avenue of research has been exhausted without finding evidence that a flying saucer(s) 

and/or alien(s) have ever been at Wright-Patterson AFB. 

7. Because the GAO will have searched the records of many federal agencies, HQ NAIC 

suggests that they be contacted, or Congressman Schiff be contacted, for a comprehensive report 

of their findings relating to the Roswell incident. 
SUGGESTED READING. 

Blue Book Special Report 14 and the Project Sign and Project Grudge reports. These 

priinary documents should have been part of this organization's UFO study files and currently 

available through the National Archives. 

The UFO Controversy in America, David Michael Jacobs. Contains a comprehensive 

review of documents belonging to this organization's UFO study files. 

The Report on Unidentified Flyinn Objects, Edward Ruppelt. Ruppelt was the UFO study 

project officer from 1951-1953 and he investigated a series of reports from 1947. He found 

nothing, apparently, about the Roswell incident. 

The UFO Experience, J. Allen Hynek. Written by the chief scientific advisor to this 

organization for UFO studies. Associated with Sign/Grudge/Blue Book from 1948-1969, he 

found nothing, apparently, about the Roswell incident. 

Flyinn Saucers: Top Secret, Donald Keyhoe. Keyhoe helped establish NICAP and was 

one of the earliest to allege that the government was withholding UFO "secrets" from the public. 

He found nothing, apparently, about the Roswell incident. 

Flying Saucers and the U.S. Air Force, Lawrence Tacker. States the official Air Force 

position as of 1960 and includes earlier Air Force statements about UFOs. 

HQ NAIC, March 1994 


DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

HEAOOUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON DC 

MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/AAz 

ATTENTION: LT COL BUTLER 

FROM: AF/SE 

SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with Weather Balloons, 

Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents (GAO Code 701034) - 

INFORMATION MEMORANDUM 

In response to your memorandum dated 1 Mar 94, same subject, Air Force Safety has 

identified 2 directives concerning the investigating and reporting of air vehicle crashes. One is 

within our purview, while the other is managed by the Office of the Judge Advocate General. 

AFR 127-4, Investigating and Reporting US Air Force Mishaps (attached), provides 

guidance for Air Force safety investigations, to include "air vehicle mishaps." The mishap report 

is used for mishap prevention purposes only and is not normally released outside Air Force 

channels. It does not cover the investigation of air vehicle crashes belonging to other branches of 

government or civilian crashes. 

AFR 1 10- 14, Investigations of Aircrafl, Missile, and Nuclear and Space Accidents, 

provides guidance for Accident Investigation Boards, which are convened primarily to obtain and 

preserve available evidence for claims, litigation, disciplinary and administrative actions, and for 

all other purposes. The accident report is normally releasable to the public. 

Normally, the safety investigation is done first, after which the wreckagddebris retention 

and disposition becomes the responsibility of the Accident Investigation Board. AFR 1 10-14, 

paragraph 10, Disposition of Wreckage and Other Evidentiary Materials, states "HQ USAF/JACC 

[now AFLSNJACT] manages the retention of aircraft wreckage for anticipated litigation or in 

cases where there is a high degree of publicity. The Air Force is not under any general 

requirement to retain wreckage for long periods of time, but in some cases, it is advantageous to 

do while in others the wreckage can be disposed of quickly." 

The Air Force Safety Agency searched the microfilm records (classified and unclassified) 

for air vehicle mishaps for the period 20 June through 3 1 July 1947. The only mishaps reported in 

New Mexico during that periods are as follows: 
2 

AIRCRAFT DATE TIME* LOCATION 

A-26C 24 June 1947 0809 7 miles northwest of Hobbs NM 

P-5 1N 10 July 1947 1252 7 miles northwest ofHobbs NM 

C-82A 12 July 1947 1206 7 miles southeast of Albuquerque NM 

P-80A 18 July 1947 1200 Carrizozo NM 

PQ- 14B 28 July 1947 093 5 15 miles southwest of Alamogordo NM 

* all times are Mountain Standard Time 

We have no information regarding mishaps of air vehicles belonging to civilian or other 

government agencies. Please note that mishaps involving unmanned air vehicles (which during the 

1940s included remotely piloted aircraft, low-speed "cruise missiles" like the V- 1, and most 

balloons) are considered "ground mishaps." Reports on such occurrences are not retained for an 

extended period; AFR 4-20, vol11, Table 127-2, rule 4 directs the Air Force Safety Agency to 

destroy them after 5 years. 

JbS L. COLE, JR., Brig Gen, USAF 

Chief of Safety 

Attachment: 

AFR 127-4 ' 

cc: 

AFLSNJACT (atch w/d) 


DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON DC 

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY 

MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/AA 

FROM: SAFIAQL 

SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with 

Weather Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents (GAO 

Code 701034) (Your memorandum, 1 Mar 1994) 

-- INFORMATION MEMORANDUM 

SAFIAQL is not the OPR for: 1) directives concerning records retention and 

disposition or for 2) directives concerning reporting air vehicle crashes, investigations, and 

wreckage/debris retention and disposition. Additionally, we do not possess any records 

related to air vehicle impacts or crashes in New Mexico. 

+ 

Memo 

Col Steve 0. Ouzts, AF/XQWP, for 

Subj: GAO Review an Recod 

' 

SAF/W 

Management Procdurm Dealing 

with Weather Balloons, Unknown 

Aircraft, and Sirnilar Crash 

Incidents . . . 

March9, 1994 
; i 
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE 

09 Mar 94 

MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/M 

ATENTION: Lt Col Bulter 

FROM: HQ USAFKOWP 

1490 Air Force Pentagon 

Washington DC 20330- 1490 

SUBJECT GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with Weather 

Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents (GAO Code 

70 1034)- INFORMATION MEMORANDUM 

Reference: 1 Mar 94 SAF Memorandum, Subj, same as above 

There is no requirement for weather personnel to record weather balloon landings. 

Only meteorological data are retained. 

We did not find any records in the Air Force weather archives of a weather balloon 

crash near Roswell, New Mexico from 20 June to 31 July 1947. If you have any 

questions, my point of contact is Lt Col Jim Near DSNg4-5163. /4c STEVE 0. ZTS, Col, USAF 

chief, pok$Division 

Directorate of Weather 

DCS, Plans and Operations 



OFFICE OF THE SECRRARI 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON DC 20330-1000 

10 March 1994 

SAF/AAIQ 

1610 Air Force Pentagon 

SUBJECT: GAO Review of Records Management Procedures Dealing with 

Weather Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash 

Incidents (GAO Code 701034) - INFORMATION MEMORANDUM 

Reference your memorandum, 1 March 1994, request items: 

(a) Identify pertinent directives concerning records retention 

and disposition. 

The Air Force current regulation is AFR 4-20, Volume 2, Disposition of Air Force Records, Records Disposition Schedule,, dated 1 

May 1992. 

Earlier schedules were: 

AFR 12-50 volume 11, Disposition of Air Force Records, Records 

Disposition Standards, 30 October 1987; 31 January 1986; 14 May 

1984. 

AFM 12-50 Volume 11, Disposition of Air Force Documentation; 

1 October 1969. 

AFM 181-5, Records Management, Evaluation and Disposition of 

Records, 1 December 1966; 1 July 1963; and 10 November 1958. 

AFM 181-5, Records Management, Disposition of Records, 1 July 

1956; and 1 August 1954. 

AFM 181-5, Administration of Records, 1950. 

(b) Identify pertinent directives concerning reporting Air 

vehicle crashes, investigations, and wreckage/debris 

retention and disposition. 

AFR 110-14, Investigations of Aircraft, Missile, and Nuclear and 

Space Accidents (AF/JACC) . 
AFP 127-1 volume 1, US Air Force Guide to Mishap Investigation 

(AFSA/SEP) 

AFP 127, Volume 3, Safety Investigation Workbook (AFSA/SEP) 

AFR 127-4, Investigating and Reporting US Air Force Mishaps 

(AFSA/SEP) 

AFR 127-11, Participation in a Military Civil Aircraft Accident 

Safety Investigation (AFSA/SEP) 

(c) Identify any records (unclassified or classified) 

related to air vehicle(aircraft, lighter-than-aircraft, 

rocket/missile, or other) impacts or crashes in New Mexico 

from 20 June to 31 July 1947; identify record groups and/or 

other indexes associated with these records for further 

review. 

We asked the National Personnel Records Center to see if they have 

any files for Roswell Air Force Base for the 1947 time frame in 

their holdings. They noted that the histories for the 509th Bomb 

Group and Wing for Roswell Army Air Base for period of NovemberDecember 1947 was transferred to Air University in 1953. The 

regular 1947 records have been destroyed. They do have a packet 

of Top Secret for 509th Bomb Wing, Walker Air Force Base, 

Roswell, NM for 1949-1950. They said we would need to look 

through this for any records. 

(d) provide copies of pertinent directives (including any 

changes of policies on retention and disposition) and 

records (i.e.,item c above) to SAF/AAZ, 1720 Air Force 

Pentagon, Washington, DC 20330-1720. 

We are attaching appropriate extract from our disposition schedule 

since 1950. This is our earliest schedule. 

Chief, Records Management Branch 

Directorate of Information Management 

1 Atch 

Extracts from AF ($19 Records Schedules 
with Attachment 

s. J3&Wae&olts, AF%RA/cc, 

for M/HO, SAWAM 

Management %“rocedures Dealing 

S&j; C3AO Review on Rexords 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

AIR FORCE HISTOR1CM RESEARCH AGENCY 

YAXWEtL AIR FORCE BASE. AUBAYA 

8 Mar 94 

MEMORANDUM FOR AFIHOr 

SAFlAAZ~& 

IN "URNFROM: AFHRA/CC 

600 Chennault Circle 

Maxwell AFB AT., 36 112-6424 

SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with 

Weather Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents 

Reference: SAFIAAZ Ltr, 1 Mar 94 

Attached are the results of the records search conducted at the Agency 

pursuant to the instructions of referenced letter. Point of contact at this Agency is 

Dr James Kitchens, DSN 493-5068 or commercial (205) 953-5068. 

RICHARD S. RAUSCHKOLB 

Colonel, USAF 

Commander 

Attachment: 

AFHRA's Report 
REPORT 

GAO INVESTIGATION OF "THE ROSWELL INCIDENT": 

RELEVANT HOLDINGS AT THE AFHRA 

8 March 1994 

Preface 

On 1 March 1994 a facsimile transmission from the Secretary of the Air Force, Office of 

Administrative Assistant (SAF/AA) directed the Historical Research Agency to support 

the General Accounting Office's investigation of "the Roswell incident" Specifically, the 

Agency was directed to identify any records in its possession concerning the 

investigation and reporting of air vehicle and other crash incidents similar to the 

reported crash of a weather balloon near Roswell, New Mexico, in July 1947 ("the 

Roswell incident"). This report presents the search procedure and results and indicates 

some possible additional locations for Air Force files on the Roswell incident. 

Definition of a Search StratePy 

The AFHRA/RSQ (Inquiries Branch) was assigned the task of responding to the 

SAF/ AAZ directive. On 2 March 1994, Inquiries Branch staff developed a list of possible 

file locations which might contain relevant documents. Primary items on this list were 

Roswell Md installation histories, together with unit histories of the Air Force 

organizations stationed at Roswell in June-July 1947. In addition, the following rubrics 

were identified for insertion into the Agency's finding aids: 

Roswell 

Roswell Army Air Field 

Unidentified Flying Objects 

Weather Balloon( s) 

uFo(s) 

Results of the Search - Unit Histories 

In June/ July 1947, the principal Air Force unit stationed at Roswell was the 509th Bomb 

Group (H). This group, its constituent squadrons, and support organizations were 

therefore indicated as the most likely locations for any reporting about the Roswell 

incident in Agency files. On 3 March 1994, the unit histories of Air Force organizations 

stationed at Roswell AAFld were retrieved and examined page-by-page for any entries 
related to unidentified flying objects and/or the crash of a weather balloon near the base 

in the June/July 1947 time frame. The results of this search were as follows: 

509th Bomb Group (€3) - June/July 1947 - One brief passage mentioning the office 

of Public Affairs and "flying disc" activities 

Appendix I). 

in GP-509-HI, July 1947, p. 39 (~ee 

393rd Bomb Sqdn - No AFHRA files for June/July 1947. 

7l5th Bomb !3qdn - No AFHRA files for June/July 1947. 

830th Bomb Sqdn - Nothing in unit hisbry for 24 May 1946-23 June 1947 (SQBOMB-830-HI, 24 May 1946-23 June 1947). 

1027th Air Materiel - Nothing in unit history for 17 Dec 1944-Nov 1947 

Ssdn (SQ-SV-1027-HI, 17 Dec 1944Nov 1947). 

427th AAF Base Unit - This unit's historical reports are included in Roswell AAFld 

installation histories (AFHRA series 288.17-28,1947). No 

mention of Rowell incident found. 

390th Air Service Sqdn - No AFHRA files for June/July 1947. 

1395th Military Police - No AFHRA files for June/July 1947. 

Company (Aviation) 

603rd Air Engineering - Nothing in unit history for Feb-Nov 1947 (SQ-ENGR-603- 

Sqdn HI, Feb-Nov 1947). 

It should be noted that the period from approximately 1946 to 1950 is the least well 

documented era in the Air Force's unit history program. During this time of drastically 

reduced forces and peacetime concerns, major unit histories were frequently thin and 

their content sketchy at best Small units, especially support units, frequently did not 

submit histories at all during the 1946-1947 period. Although we cannot be absolutely 

sure that the histories marked "no holding'' in the above list were never written, it 

appears virtually certain that they were not, in fact, ever created. If written, there is 

good evidence through accessioning and microfilming records that the Agency never 

received those indicated as absent from the AFHRA collection. 

Result of the Search - Base Histories 

On 3 March 1994 the Agency's files of Roswell AAFld histories for June/ July 1947 were 

examined. These base or installation histories are designated AFHRA 288.17-28, Roswell 

Md Histories, Jan 1946-Dec 1947 (3 vols), These histories amount to approximately 

two linear inches and are largely concerned with administrative matters (number of 
personnel, transfers, routine administrative actions, etc.). No mention of the Roswell 

incident was found in them. 

Result of the Search - Card Catalog - and IRIS 

On 3 March 1994 appropriate rubrics in the Agency's card catalog such as "Roswell," 

"Roswell AAFld," WFqs)," "Unidentified Flying Objects," "Weather Balloon(s)," were 

examined. No entries were found which identified information remotely related to the 

Roswell incident. 

The Agency's IRIS electronic data base was also queried for potential entries. The 

following key words or phases were entered: 

ROSWELL 

UFO 

UFOs 

UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT 

UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS 

WEATHER BALLOON 

WEATHER BALLOONS 

The IRIS search produced no documents concerned with a flying disc and/or weather 

balloon crash at Roswell Md. The IRE search, however, did reveal a substantial file 

in AFHRA microfilm roll 33,764, beginning frame 562, which is Concerned with flying 

disk reports in the western United States during the summer and fall of 1947. This file 

was apparently maintained by the Air Force Missile Development Command. It reveals 

contemporary investigative agencies, methods, and personalities both Air Force and 

civilian, thus it provides archival clues for further investigation of the Roswell incident. 

Extracts from microfilm roll 33,764 are attached as Appendix IL 

Finally, a passage mentioning balloon operations from Holloman AFB during JuneJdy 

1947 was located in AFHRA K280.10-54G, 1947-1958, Con)ribufions of Balloon Operafions 

to Reseurch and Development at the Air Fore Missile Development Center, Hollomun Air Force 

Base, N. Mex., 2947-2950 (Holloman AFB, NM. AFMDC, n.d.), pp. 1-2 (Appendix III). 

This passage indicates that a cluster of "rubber-type weather balloons" was launched at 

Holloman AFB on 5 June 1947, the equipment from which was recovered. A second 

launch of polyethylene balloons was made on 3 July, the equipment for which was not 

recovered. 

Aircraft or "Vehicle" Crash Reports 

The AFHRA does not hold aircraft accident reports. The office of record for such reports 

is the Air Force Safety Agency/SERR, Wand AFB, NM. 
Summarv and Conclusions 

The Historical Research Agency is primarily a repository for unit histories and 

supporting documents, and it has never routinely received the kind of records which 

might provide details of the Roswell incident If such records survive today, they will 

undoubtedly be held by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 

either at the Washington National Records Center (WNRC) or the Southwest Regional 

Depository (Fort Worth, Texas). 

Recommendations 

Because the records management policy of the federal government requires that obsolete 

office files be retired to the NARA, the WNRC and the NARA Southwest Regional 

Depository might be searched for files related to the Roswell incident. 

AFHRA microfilm roll 33,764 indicates that the Fourth Air Force and its A-2 intelligence 

section apparently carried out investigations of flying disks in the western US in 1947. 

Research in the NARA, therefore, might reasonably include a search for surviving HQ 

Fourth AF and Fourth AF A-2 Section files in the NU 

YAMES H. mCHENS, III, PhD 

Archivist 

Inquiries Branch 

RICHARD S. RAUSCHKOLBColonel, USAF 

Commander 

Appendix 

1. 509 BG History, Jun/Jul47 

2 Extract from "Flying Disks 1947" LJ 1 

3. Ballon Operations at AFMDC, 1947-1950, pp 1-2 
509mBo~~ 

AND 

:. I. , 

ROJWLL _- _c ARMY Am F 

1 TULY 1947 THROUG~ 31 JULY 1947 

- ._ .. '. 

. ~. 
8 July 1947 

1. Pursuant to authority cxituincd in Hqs. 8th Afr Borco TrX 

nun:ar 4 1593 dated 5 July 19.:7, tli: undersigncd hcrcby nsaumcs 

cG?maRd of tho Rasticll ;army Lit- Ficld, Rosi:foll, Ee?v :kxico. zffcctivc 

this datc. 

"A" 6: Fost (325) Fer s ornol 

Clnssificction 

Iiqs. 8th AF 

Col . Jonsings 

Hqs. SAC 
OZl”UiYIZATI0 N 

Amy significant chsinges .in orgznization as activation or derctivntion 

chap tor . 

L-L 

0 f no $we 11 

2omanding 

Lt 

Officor of 

of units, or change of comami, will be dealt kith in ‘;his - 

Colonal Tayno Jec:Sngs, ileputy Co.m-andor, assumed comaid 

Army Air Zeld on e July 1947. Colonel i7. H. 9lanchard, 

Officor went on losvo. 

Colonel Charles X. Hortat;on, Jr., ws assignad as Cmxancling 

J’qua:’,ron “A”, vice Lt I=oIoml aichard P. Schmacher on 

2/ 

14 July 1947. 

overseas and ?as rsglacsd by kFFtaiu Joseph A. Jones. 

The Squadron Aijutant, Captain Soman, was transferred 

Somand of t21e 3rd Photo kooratory Unit (VH) , nas assmed bj 

1st Lt Sarold 3. Araer ?er Paragraph 3, Special Order, #139, Eeadquarters, 

Roswell lamy Air Tiell, dated 1s July 1947. He relieved 1st Lt Le-ds 

C. Bolianen who ms transfsrred to the 701st MF BU, IIanil+&n Wsld, 

California. 

The 390th Air Service Squadron received a new commandiri officor 

iz tilo person of Lt Colonel SWter Yo Lucas, who assmed connand on 

1 July 1947. 

who thsn assumed somad of the 715th Bomb Squadron (m), formerly 

comadoc! by Colonel Lucas.. 

Colbnel LUCES relievsd L’c Colonel Tilliam C. Kiagsbwy 

1st Lt 3. G. Hilburn, fonnor Assistant Base Adjvitant, transferred 

’t?m Squedrm “A“, 427th IWF FU e0 603rd Air Engineering Squadron as 

Sqxadron AdjGtaIIt. 

for an overseas assigment to Project PAC 

He replaces Cqtaia Earl.0. Cassy, who is on orders 

- I,?. G.0. f5, paragraph 1 - WF, Ros;=Il, flew Hexico .- 
Tho other threo Sriefings were those which 

and a simulnted briafinq to a largo group of Air 

mre given to tho TIP 

Scouts reprasenting 

all of the troops in ?Jew Ibxico vhish rras given on 15 July 1947. 

Several small projects were completed during the month including 

signs on all the office doors, a building dircctory, and a vmrld situation 

map vhick is main+ainsd on a day-to-day 

%e Bistorical Section of 5-2 has ~~ ~ ~ 

the removal of the regular stenozrapher 

basis . 

been seriously handicapp:?d by 

with the reduction in force. 

Due to che fact elat quality of tho doparhmt reports has 

in general been so inadequate; lectures are being prepared to be givoo 

early in August to properly train the liaison rspresontntives of ea& 

departmezlt . 

The OfMce of Pu3lic Infomation was kept quite busy during the 

month answering inquiriss on the "flying disc", which was reported to 

be in pqssesslon of the 509th Bonb Group. 

a radar tracking balloon. 

- 

zhe objeot turned out to be 

The main project of the mont? ms making all arrangements for a 

successful Air Force Day. 

at Santa Fey made atrangensnts for Colonel Blanchard to visit t?m Governor 

of Bew Eexico and ask hh to declare Air Force Day in Jew Kexico on 

Lt. Colonel Oliver LaFbrge, Air aeserve Corps, 

1 AUgUS t 
The Public Information Office was host during +he rnont2 to the 

Sonior Air Scouts of Se-:: Xerico, and to the several groups of visitkg 

VIP‘s. 

Tublic Infomation Office a more comfortable plsce in which t;o entertain. 

Several easy chairs and couches have been procurred to make the 

‘fie Public Infornation Officer and tko Commanding Officer were 

guasts of the Xiwenis Club of itosr;ell at a luncheon, for which Colorzel 

3’- B. Blanchard was the guest speaker. Colonel Blanchnrd spoke on the 

fiJ‘;ure of ths Air Force, snci tho talic was very well received. 

Arrangements have nox been mado to have the P.I.O. called on 

all crash calls in accordance with AAF 3egulation. 

F.I.0. has been called too late to get to the scene in the to do &?y 

In the past, the 

good. 

The 3rd Photo Labcrntory Unit (vii) is now comaarded by 1st Lt 

Irarolct W. Arner per paragraph 3, SO #139, Headqvxtsrs, this station, 

datod 18 Jdly 1347. 1st Lt. Lewis C. Bohamin, former cornanding officer 

of the 3rd Photo Lab Unit, was trsnsferred to the 701st CV;F BU, Hamilton 

Aeld, California. 

The principal difficulty regorted is P critical lack of photA8tat 

paper. This has caused a large back log of important work to pile up. 

The following is a breakdown of work performed during the month 

onding 31 July 19471 

Ccntn& Prints.. ....... .3@58 Pro jeotion Prints ....... .403 

Photostats ............. 0 Grounri Negatives.. ...... .285 

Copy Negatives.. ........ 168 Aerial Roll film.. ....... 741 feet 

35 m film........... b...454 feet 

40 
VISITOBZS 

1 July 1947 - Lt Colonel R. *%milton fkrtin and Lt. Colonel Loberg, 

,%adquarters, Eighth Air Force, arrived this date to 

coordinate with S-3 and check imentov of printing and 

repwduction equipment. 

2 July 1947 - Colonel Brown, Colonel Dubwe, and others from Headquarters, 

Eighth Air Force, arrived on official visit and inspect50Xh 

Others included Lt Colonel -Raymond 3, Spurgeon, to coordinate with Adjutant’3 Section; Lt Colonel aaJr C, Uta, to 

coordinate with Engineering; and Lt Colonel Donald 8. DunQs, 

to coordinate with the Legal Section (Judge Advocate). 

arrived to coordinate with S-3 on flylng safety, 

2 July 1947 - Major 0”eal J. T. Archer, Headquarters, 3ighth Air Fome, 

2 July 1947 - &. Yr, E. %dt, Engineering &pot, St. Louis, Ussour%, 

visited to coordinate with Theater Officer. 

3 July 1947 - k. Giles, Fire hevention Inspector from Strategic Air 

Cod, departed this station after completing his inspection of the Fire I)e~~nts, 

8 July 19L7 - Eighth Air Force Group Competition Inspection Team, uder 

the supervision of Lt Wonel Burns, arrived to We the 

competition inspection. Major L. J. Seibert and kjor 

Rogers L. Pearson were amoq those present. 

8 July 1947 - k. Job H. Kawka, Sighth Air Force, arrived on an amaaunltion inspection. 

9 July 1947 - S-4 was inspected by rbjor K. I). Thompson and Captain J. 

V. Bra$., 

regardiii Quartermaster Stock %ntrol. 

10 July 1947 - &. E. S. Rupp axxi Mr. C. D. Hall, SAW, risited Base Supply 

3.l July 19&7 - Captair! Billy M. Seargeant, 70th AAF BU, 103rd Veather Group, 

arrived on Weather Station Inspecticn. 

11. July 19h7 - Captain Eciward G. Retartyk, Bghth Air Force, arrived to 

coordinate with kdget and Fiscal Officer, 
ll July 19L7 - a$., 3. W. Rvitt, Cost Analyst, Eighth Air Force, coLI1 Jxly 19&7 - Colonel Sager, Surgeon, Zighth Air Force, arrived to coordi4 Jay 19117 - captain R. R, Showalter, Jr., and ikjor L, A. Boatright, 

ordinated with Budget and Fiscal Officer on cost aml~3is. 

nate with Station Hospital and Base Commanding Officer, 

Headquarters, Eighth Air Force, arrived to coordinate with 

Statistical Control on cost analysis, 

16 July 1947 - Brigsdier Gmerzl Roger P. -%mey arrivsd from Ft Worth on 

an official visit. 

16 July 19&7 - Lt Colonel J, P. Hines, Ifajar Louis R, Fisian, Major Hmd 

A, Beck, and Lt Colonel John 3, Bell arrived Xrom &adque 

tcrs, Strategic Air Command, for inspection ard cooKiinatfon 

of s-lc Section, 

17 July 1Fh7 - Brigadier General Roger Y. by departed this station en21 July 1947 - &. W, L, Tilson, Sum, arrived to coordinate with the 

route to Tucson, Arizona. 

Air Installation Officer and AACS, regarding Headquarters 

AX projects, 

for a visit nith the Commanding Officer or Executive 

Officer, . He is Chief Surgeon, kblic Health Sedce, 

Ft Stanton. 

22 July 19&7 - Dr, E. U, Towmead, FTS, Ft Stanton, Kew Mexico, arrived 

23 July 1947 - 19 VIP consisting of several college presidents and deans, 

They were 

also CAP and National Gm-3 notables from the western states 

arrived from Hamilten Field to spend the night, 

enrpute to Eglin Field, Florida, to witness demonstration 

of latest arngr air force equipment. 

214 July 1947 - Tho above msntioned VIP departed thi3 base after a short 

24 July 1947 - bjor R, J, D, Jolmson and' Captain lV. A, Hartzop, Jr,, 

cOUFteay tour, including a sample briefing. 

Amy Air Forces, Washington, D, C,, .arrived for imestigation of the B-29 crash which occurred 20 lrsg 19h7. 

25 July 1947 - Sovernor Thomas J, Wxy of h Bdexico, and party, nere the 

guests of honor of Romll An4p Air Field, Brigadier General 

Roger Y. Ranmy, Comnanding General, Zighth Air Force, was one 

of the visiting dignitaries to welcome the Governor. 
BI SLIO GrnY 

1. Iiistcrical Liaison Officer's Beports 

2. Pissi.cn iiegorts, filed in Intelligence Office 

3. G?erat;ions Reports, filed in 3-3 Cffice 

4. Zommndiog Officsi~ Daily Diary, filed in Ease 

Ad jutants Ofiico 

5. Trmscript cf Strff Eee-kings 

66 



DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

AIR FORCE Of’CICE OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS 

1 1 May 1994 

MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/AAz 

FROM: HQAFOSIIHO 

226 Duncan Ave Suite 2 100 

Bolling AFB, DC 20332-0001 

SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures (Your memo 16 Mar 94) 

1. This is to inform you that on 19 December 1975, the HQ AFOSI History office 

transferred two cubic feet of documents consisting of directives and policy guidance 

relating to the conduct of investigations of the type GAO is reviewing and all investigative 

files covering the period of 1948 to 1968 to the National Archives. You will find attached 

a copy of the Standard Form 135, Record Transmittal and Receipt, signed by the Assistant 

Chief, Military Projects Branch, National Archives, on that date (atch 1). My predecessor, 

who was instrumental in transferring these records informed me that these were the only 

records that AFOSI held. Currently, anyone who requests information on the subject from 

HQ AFOSUInformation Release is directed to the National Archives. Further, you will 

find attached a copy of my input to a staff meeting of 8 February 1989 in which I noted 

that 40 years earlier a meeting was held in the Southwest U.S. concerning subject (atch 2). 

At that time, District 17, Kirtland AFB, NM, was designated to be responsible for 

collection and reporting on aerial phenomena. That is about the only reference I’ve found 

in AFOSI historical files relating to the subject for the period of 1948 to 1953. AFOSI did 

not become operational until 1 August 1948, so we have no histories dealing with events 

before that time. 

2. If you have any fbrther questions, please contact me at DSN 297-5725 or Commercial 

(202)767-5725. 

EDWARD C. MISHLER 

Historian 

Attachments: 

1. Copy of SF 135, 19 Dec 75 

2. Copy of HO Input, 8 Feb 89 Staff Meeting 

“HELPING TO PROTECT A GREAT WAY OF LIFE” 
-- 

RECORDS TRANSMITTAL STASJARD fORM !X JULY ‘%I i31TION 

CCYR ‘1‘ CIRl 01- i 4 GEhCRAL SERVICES 6CWlh AND RECEIPT 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Send original and two copies to appropriate Federal Records Center. 

EXCEPTION-Send original and three copies to the 

Alexandna, Virginia, Center 

FROM: th’a~w and oddrrra of Apency trorujerr6ng rrsordr) 

HQ XFOSI/HO 

Rm 1-H-053, Forrestal Bldg 

1,000 Inmndence Ave., SW %. h 

70 1E COMlLElED AT FEDERAL RECOROS CfhlER 

ACCLSIK)I( ~ 1 RCCCRD GROUP N3 

“-375-209 

SIGhATURL I OblC RCCCRCS RCCCVL3 

f->.&- 112-17-75 

/% ),I* Y ./ ?b:’,,ec .fS Gb4~: h , h&f(G,.\ 1 4 rL h 

TO: Feberal Records Center, Csil 

The..\rchivist.of the Unit d Srz: 

National Archives & Recorss Ser: 

Gene ra 1 S e r vi c e s .A dm 1 n 1 s t ra t i o i? 

A-S61sfA*lf c 6 c 

,.* - - 7 In, 

I2 80) 

FRC ONLY 

2 SOUARE FEET OF SPACE CLEARED 3 FfLfNG EOUfPMENJ EMPTIED ’ 

A OfFlCE I STORAGE b FILE CADINCTS (Na.) I TRANS F’lLfS (NO.) C SHELVING (LIi. f1.I 

50 AS XMEDULED WTMOUT FURTHER AGENCY CONCURRENCC’ 0 YES 0 NO c 

10 TITLE Chi e ocumenta- I 11. ObTE 

tion Div,fbi?ectorate ob 19 Dec -: 

I3 

(Shou orponiratimd canponml rrrafinp rrcwnd.) (Schdulr aid IIor 50 ) 

4 CUIIC Fir OF crcsnx TRANSFERRED 

-- 2 

Source documents dating from 1948 to 1968 

concerning the USAF investigation of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). These 

records contain documents on investigative 

policy and Air Force Office of Special 

Investigation reports of investigations on 

UFO sightings. 

SOURCE DOCUMENTS 

5 hAME OF AGENCY CLS-ODIAN OF RLCOROS 

Kurt K. Kunze, Capt, USAF, Historian 

File folders 24-185-1 through 24-155-27 (Sote: 

There is no file for 24-185-5; there are two 

files under the number 24-155-17; and there 

is no file for 24-185-26) These files contain policy guidance and AFOSI District 

reports of investigation concerning UFOs 

(filed primarily by district). 

File fo1de.r.s. 24-155-001 through 23-185-.008 

ccntaining policy guidance and XFOSI District ’ reports of investigation concerning UFOS 

~ (filed primarily in chronological order.). 

! 

6 BUlLOlNG Ah0 Rx)U NO , 7 TELfFhO\E NO. 

Forrestal Bldg, Rm lI-?-O$j 6G53-39aSTlYDA*D fORU 135 JULT IY6I EDlTlOh (Lire Standard Form 13SA for continuation sheets) 

5-U I. GOVERhWI- PRI\lI’& WflcT ‘Cf-OiSS-I53 a7-C 

135-‘C 
HO Input for 8 Peb 89 Staff Heating 

The following are two old items from the APOSI arChfV88. ?ortY Years mo, 

representatives of US invertigative and intelligence agencies met in the 

clouthwestern United States. They decided Dirtrict 17, Kirtland APB, NH, would 

be responsfble for the overall collection and reporting on aerial phenomena. 

These phenomena, later termed unidentified flying object8 or UFOs, had been 

righted with some frequency In the New Hexico area. This program was 

initfally called Project Sign, then Project Grudge, and was renamed Progect 

Blue Book in 1951. NOTE: APOSI turned over all its investigative filer 

pertaining to this project to the National Archives in 197& Twenty years 

w, in response to the increasing drug problem in the Air Porce, OSI took 

rteps to provide additional training. District 17 rponrored a narcotics 

seminar at Kirtland AFB, NM, which 225 people from state and local law 

enforcement sgencier M well as OSI wento attended. OSI also developed M 

advanced Narcotics Investigations Course designed to teach the latest technics 

In combatting drug abuse. 



ARCHIVES/ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

NOTE: RECORD GROUP 310, RECORDS OF THE ARMY STAFF MESSAGE CENTER, WERE SEARCHED FOR 1947. 

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RECORDS OF ARMY AIR SUITLAND 

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IG REPORT- INDIVDUALS NARA SUITLAND 

10 CORRESPONDENCE NARA SUITUND 

G2 INTEL RECORDSOF NARASUWND 

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@ AF 

8thM 

SAC 
342-49D601 5 

342480801 5 

3424855025 

34249E6015 

342-49H-5025 

342-5&7029 

342-51 -701 2 

342-51 -71 10 

342-51 -71 1 1 

342-51-71 12 

342-51A-5071 

342-51 8-081 4 

342-51C-5071 

342-52-7m 

34252-7089 

342-52-7089 

342-52-7089 

342-52-7089 

342-52-7089 

342-52-m89 

342-52-7089 

34252-7091 

342-52-7098 

342-52-7103 

342-52-86087 

342-52Aa33 

342-52A-5Qm 

34252446117 

342eB4003 

34242B4oO3 

342528-4003 

342528-4003 

34252B4003 

342528-4003 

342528-4003 

34242Mo67 

342mQ-4002 

342-52a-4002 

342-53-7aB 

20F3 

3 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 OF8 

20F8 

30F8 

40F8 

5OF8 

60F8 

70F8 

8 

1 

1 

1 

1 OF2 

23 

1 

1 

1OF7 

2OF7 

3oF7 

4OF7 

5ff7 

Off7 

7 

20F2 

1 

1 

1 OF25 

SAC 

SAC 

8th AF 

SAC 

8th AF 

10 th AF BROOKS AFB 

HQ BOLLING AFB 

428 MFBU KlRTLAND 

AFB 

KlRTLAND AFB 

KlRTLAND AFB 

BOLLLING FLD COMMAND 

BOLLING FLD 

BOLLING FLD 

3151 ELEC GRP WATSON 

LABS 

3151 ELEC GRP WATSON 

LABS 

3151 ELEC GRP WATSON 

LABS 

3151 ELEC GRP WATSON 

LABS 

3151 ELEC ORP WATSON 

LABS 

3151 ELEC GRP WATSON 

LABS 

31 51 ELEC GRP WATSON 

LABS 

3151 ELEC ORP WATSON 

LABS 

WRIGHT PAT 

JOINT LONG RANQE 

PROV GRD 

AIR WEATHER SERV 

ADW 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

10TH AF 

lo(h AF 

CAMBRIDGE LABS 

8th AF 

8th AF 

8th AF 

8th AF 

8th AF 

8th AF 

mAF 

HQAMC WRIOHTPAT 

ach AF 

8th AF 

8th AF 
342-53-7028 

342-53-7028 

342-53-7028 

~2-53-7077 

342-53-7077 

342-53-7077 

342-53-7077 

342-53-7070 

342-53-71 08 

342-53-71 08 

342-53A-6074 

342-53A-6074 

342-53A-6070 

342-53AaQ70 

34253A-6078 

342-53A-78 

342-53A6079 

342-53AaQ79 

342-53A-6079 

342-53A-79 

34253A-6079 

342-53AaQ79 

342-53Amm 

342-53A8019 

34253AaQ79 

342-53A-mn 

342-534m79 

342-53AaQ79 

342-53A8081 

342-53A-6Q81 

342-53A8081 

34243A8001 

342-53A-6Q81 

342-53A4061 

342-53A-6087 

342- 

34253A6087 

34253346081 

342-536-8079 

11 OF25 

12 OF 25 

13 OF 25 

20F6 

30F6 

40F8 

60F8 

1 

1 OF2 

2 

1 OF2 

2 

1 OF 18 

2 OF 18 

30F 18 

40F 18 

1 

1 

10 

11 

12 

3 

4 

5 

6 

r 

8 

9 

1 

2 

2 

3 

3 

4 

1 

2 

3 

4 

1 

8th AF 

8th AF 

8th AF 

3088 EXP TEST GP 

HOLLOMAN AFB 

3WO EXP TEST GP 

HOLLOMAN AFB 

3088 EXP TEST GP 

HOLLOMAN AFB 

3069 EXP GP HAFB 

mMSCU(PGP 

HOLLOMAN MB 

CONAF MITCHEL FLD 

CONAF MITCHEL FLD 

WRIGHT PAT 

WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMCWRIM PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRlM PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRM PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRM PAT 

HQ AMC WRM PAT 

HQ AMC WRM PAT 

AMC HQ WRIGHT PAT 

AMC HQ WRIGHT PAT 

AMC HQ WRlQMl PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIM PAT 
342-!j3c8079 

342-54-E-6128 

342-54-F8128 

3423cF-6128 

342-54F4128 

342-54F-6128 

342-54F-6128 

342-5406097 

3425486097 

342-5486097 

3425486097 

342-54F-4022 

342545-4045 

34235Asogs 

34245Adogs 

34245A6099 

34258A-6191 

34244067 

34244002 

4 

1 

2 

2 

2 

1 

9OF48 

1 

2 

2 

1 

1 

1 OF3 

34244002 20F3 

!Wth BG ORDERS 

MORNING REPORT JULY 1947 

MORNING REPORTS JULY 1M7 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHTPAT 

HQ AM WRIGHT-PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AM WRIGHT-PAT 

HQ AM WRIGHT-PAT 

HQ AM WRIGHT-PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

Ha AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

lzth AF 

HQ AMC WRIQHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIQHT PAT 

Ha AMC WRIGHT PAT 

HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 

CAMBRIDGE LABS 

AMC HQ WRIQHT PAT 

BWAF 

AF 

509(h BOMB GROUP 

509(h BOMB QROUP 

427AAFBU 



HEADQUARTERS, ARMY AIR FORCES 

WASHINGTON 

U -. 40. ..$ 

Appointment Book; Dimy 

Lt Gen Hoyt S. Vandenberg 

July 7-9 f1947j: My 7-54 1947 I * 


APPOINTMENTS 

H 

I 

i 

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j 

I 

i 

i 

i 

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I 

i 

1 

i 

No. 845 15 

NATIONAL BLANK BOOK COMPANY 

Holyoke, ksmchwetb 

MADE IN U. S. A. 
- I 

1 89 

I 

JULY 7 1 

- 1 8:OO 

I. c 

8:30 i -I-- 9:OO 

1 9:30 

11 10:30 

1 1 :30 1- 

-_ I 

12:30 I- I :oo 

1:30 

-~--- 

4:oo 

P:30 

3:OO 

I 

3:30 

4:30 

5:OO 

5:30 

6:OO 

6:30 

7:OO 

7:30 
- '# 

4:30 't 

9:30 

-1:oo--- 

18:30 

1 :oo 

1:30 

3:30 -5 

, .. -- * 

5:OO 11 

L5:30 11 

, 6:OO 15 

- 

7: 30 1 
1 ‘11:30 

-[ -Tp:30- 

4 1:3O 

P:OO r i 

I 

3:OO. ,’ 

I r. 

I 

4:30 t 

530 

I 7:OO 

’ 

7:30 

I 

Julv 5, 1947 

1:oo P.". 

F:15 A.X. 

?:15 X.X. 

9:LO A.M. 

9:43 A.M. 

9:LS A.g. 

9:5C A.Y. 

9:55 2.x. 

&turned *on: Xichit8 Falls, Texas. 

Julv 7. 1947 

Arrive bf fice . Gen. Raxlings 

bn. Bcatner with mail. 

Cclunel Garland on phom with reference to menorandm frm Gcneral 

Kenmy an hm to l-ave more groups and fewer people. 

Approved tG extent Fnstructlons given that SAC units be lea alone 

until September and &.that tbe make a deci8icn as to approval of 

Kenney's orgarbization and hm extensively It will be used in the 

Air Farce. Find out if Kenney has been advised and let me knm. 

Cclonel hllmar thanking General Vandenberg fur n-hct he put on for CIC 

Colonel Garland advised that General Hocd had handled the matter of 

SAC units anl wauld be right am to brief Gen. Vandenberg. 

Gea Chauncey on phone fPac Pocatello, Idaho to stbte that Gen Camon 

doesn't want goody or Turner in Oeorgia. 

rats to substltue San Karcos. 

a Uttle bunch in Texas and take over fields that belong to/&&bs 

Ilke Bmoks and Bergstram. 

we dll have to @,vc up the two In Georgia. Gen Chauncey stated he 

advised Gen Cannan tc put his rcants in trriting ard nd to telephone iu 

GET: Chtui?cey feels Gen Cenncri L not too sue of hiu5rlf, as two matk 

ago he wanted to get out of San Uzrcos and nm he rants It and also 

Bmoks & Bergstrar,. 

Whs that approved 

Doesn't rant Colunbus at allKants to ccncentrate all expansion in 

Oeneral Cha=q- rays that it is possible 

1O:OC k.& rm Hocd ck Col Hobsan -briefing on SAC utits. 

1O:j~k.r- W. Zuckert re civilian personnel and lidtations and prsannel 

at LnactiYe installations QF Lnstallhtims whizh we are nct plarnL?g 

tc retain in our permanent structure. 

ll:O5 A.Y. Kr. Robert Gross ar.d 13. Xaher of Lockheed 

11?55 A.Y. Gen. Sam An;ierson 

12:OU Tc :!iar Council In absence of h. Spaatz 

12:23 3.1'. %turned and tr.cn tc lmch 
Julv 7. 19L 7 (Cont'd) 

1:lO F.K. 

1:20 P.L:. 

1:LO p.;,:. 

1:50 P.J. 

1::2 k.1.:. 

1:55 Pi:. 

2:03 F.2. 

2220 P.1:. 

Li.. Hicks of the Toronto Star, Toronto, Canada on phone - 

He spoke in regard to the 'fl:JinZ discs". Chey understend 

these discs are a U.S. plane that is still on the secret 

list. 

i'an Kas quite noncmittal. 

Xationsl Guard ).lanes were on duty on their ow volition 

to search for the discs, but that no planes have been put 

on duty fro% Hq, k.1.F. 

i3e esked Gen. Ven what he thought they *era and Gen. 

Gen. Van said that soGeneral Tomy Power 

Cong. Drewry of Va. on Fhone requesting a, B-29 be sent to 

Blackstone, Va. for a celebration by the UF and volunteer 

fire organisations in the vicinity. Date - July 27. hay 

be able to do some recruiting on that day. Gen. Van said he 

rould look into the kriatter and advise Lx. Dreviry's office. 

Xr. Leo on phone re article on "Szucersn. 

found with instructions on it to get in touch Fith Colonel 

Frank Hackett in Spokane. 

General Schulgen, G-2. 

ti.. Zuckert on phone inforninf: him with reference to National 

Gurd that all plaoes where we heven't scusdron or group 

hezdquerters should take their people away. 

t:r. Leo and General Leky with reference todiscs. 

Colonel Frank Hackett, Spokane, hashington on phone - 

General Van informed Colonel Backett that we hed Eotten a call 

fro& the Houston Chronicle saying that a flying disc had landed 

there with his (Colonel HECkett'E) neme on it. Gen. Van asked 

if he her; anything about it. 

notkine at all about it. 

here thct Col. H. said that his people her all about it and thet 

5 ststeaent was coning out fror. 3ktington. 

have said nothing". 

to Fet in touch riith the P.b.1. - get photographic Froof - end thn 

Eet in touch with Gen. Trinin&. 

Colonel Bob iiarren, Ellingtan Field, Tex on phone. - 

Gen. Van inforrced Col. ii'erren that the h'ouston Chronicle had 

founS a disc about 23" in diameter atxi 5 or 6' tbick. It is 

sup~osed to have Col. Frank Hackett's name on it. 

anxious to e-ode this thing. 

get in touch with the Chronicle, ask then where it is, go out 

and see the thin$ and then call me back. The line of aprroacn is 

thft re heve mthing like that, re don't understand whet it is, 

but ue are leevinc p.3 stone unturned to be sure. Colonel Larry! . scid it nuld be e courle of hours before he code csll bzck. 

Said one had been 

Lx. Leo reported the mGtter to 

Solonel HEckett stated that he her; 

Gen. Ven told Col. H. thet it t3s reported 

Col. H. said, "I 

Col. 11. had the C-hronicle called and told 

k are most 

I would appreciate it if you would 
2:30 P.Y. Tc airpcrt to meet Yr. Symlngton and then to Ik. %iln@ont8 office. 

A:lO P.Y. Returned. 

G:~O P.M. Genera: I&ay 

4:20 P.11. Col, Eazren called back re Gen. Vandenberg's directive that 

he m dam the story about the flying discs. Col. TI. finally 

located the reporter vho picked up the story fran another man. 

This man Uves in Goose Creek. He ncx says that it was entirely 

a fignent of his lmaginatian ad that he Just made it pp. 

K. talked to a Mra Evans who Is handling this thing at the 

Chronicle - and theg took It up with sunebody up at the nir 

Depot at Spokane. 

thing up. Col. Warren said tnat the Chronicle seeaed to be 

satisfied that the thing was just a cock and bull story. 

Col. T. is going to check with the loczl F.B.I. and possibly 

drive Over to see the man at Goose Creek. 

develops he will ca-.1 Gen. Vandenberg. 

Col. 

- - - - He said to them that he just made the 

If a+hing hrrther 

4:30 P.?!. Yr. Leo on phme - Gen. Van told hi3 the above story. A civilian, 

Joe Shipan, Iho works with Col. Hackett is re:orted to have tGla 

the Chrdclie to contact Gen. Tninbg. 

5:03 P.u. To see Kr. Symington 

5:15 P.:!. %-parted far offlce of Cangressmn Hofh. 
July 8. 1947 

9:20 AoUe 

9125 A.M. 

2:lO P.M. 

2r30 P.Y. 

3too P.Y. 

3810 PeM. 

Arrive off ice. 

General Gardner d General Parer - approved restricticns an 

flying due to gasoline shortage 80 that the Air Force nould be in a 

tenable position if it became necessary to curtail civ. gas consumpti~c 

Gen. LeKay 6r Dr. Bale8 - briefing for JRDB meeting. 

PRDB Meeting with General IaMay. 

Returned - then to Mr. S:rmingtcn uith reference to personnel 

for tbs President's Air Board. 

Returned. 

Colonel Nome m phone who 8tatedSenator Guerney stopped him in 

the hall and said thq-were Starting hearings at the three million 

8iX hundred thousand dollar cut h mg pay. 

Cien. RawUngs advised Colonel Moore that the cut was akay as we had 

reduced the number of people 0 f3ying stat=. 

Yome that Sen. Ouerney had been sent the letter of June 20 that 

nent to the rest of the members of the comaittee uith reference to 

Mr. Chalmers Hall on phone with reference to a study he is going 

to present to Senator Vandenberg ath reference to the security 

of this cormtqr. Read his plan8 in detail to Oen. Vandenberg 

and tha General advised him that all the thing8 contained in his 

8tudy were in the new bill QI uniflcatim - that It had all the 

elements he was plugging for. 

0tmer.l won on pharo with reference to the case8 of MaJor John M. 

White and Gerald R. J&mm*fcr transfer to th Air Fmces. All 

transfers by War Department directian have been cancellad a8 of 

31 Yarch. In the case of Kajor White there will be no broubb in 

event PP the merger goes through and recomtuerd this case be held until 

then. Johnson was recommended azainst by General Fairchild. 

Also advised Colonel 

nyhg P~;v. 

3~25 P.M. Senator Cob& Lodge 011 the pha~ rrlth refemnc e to increased 

(1) Wss the 70 Omp Program cleured by the Budget or not? Qen Van raid no-were cut dawn to 

55 QWU?S. (2) can y'ou have acmeone in your dace dte M 

arguinent as to it should be 70 Graqrr? - Gen Van advised hLm 

apprqwiatim to call for 70 Q.mp8. 
3:25 p.m. ( Cont'd) rants a etatement prepared 

from him - not an Air Force or General Vadenberg 

statanen& for the 70 Gmup Rogram instead of 55, 

He wants this In a daEJ or taro. 

he can use as cdn; 

3a35 p.m. 

3:43 p.m. 

sr07 p.m. 

5:08 pone 

5:l2 p.m. 

5:u p.m. 

6:15 p.m. 

6:20 p.m. 

Briefing & Gen Kauch, Yr* Zuckert, A-3, A-5 on Alaskan Air Base 

To Office Of Congressman Folverton rlth b!r. Zuckert on the 

sub egt of Abs ky ~i;r Bases, Pock up ntter of startinr hesrir 

et $his $ession o ,.i~ give us e3 zneyier toFor 

Any hez i?TS t be held G 

Returnez h'cp 8mgressman olve on's office. 

TO Kx'. 

Air Board. 

t. is cozuttee. * % terted next Keel:. 

with reference to persame1 for the President' 

Oen. Rawling8 on the box refereace reqwst of Senator Cabd Lcdgt 

mentSoned above (3:25 porn.) 

To Icr. Syzbgton - re personnel for th president's hlr Board. 

Gen. Klssner cn plane re request of Senator Lodge fur 

statement in connection with appropriations. 

ulll have t:Ua ready by Nom tornorrar, 

To licr. 40's office and then hane. 

General Alssner 
8:30 A.X. Arrive Office. 

8:50 A.2. -era1 Chauncey 

9:13 A.M. General Staarley re letter in cohrlection uith motion picttlre 

persmnel. 

Have to take a reading on exactly hm we can get by uith 8 reserve 

officers an2 2 regulars and ttill spend that money ~1 them. 

($~,OOO each) 

reserve officers and that his office should write the letter. 

Gen. Van advised it uould not get by Secretary Pattersc 

Gen. Van advised him to look into the matter of 

9:17 A.K. General Gardner, General Pwer, CCL Peterson 

9:33 A.Y. Cong. Harness of hd. re Capt. Roger Smith 0-74464l who has had 

5 years overseas with B.29'~ ani is now an terminal leave. 

uants reassignment - regular ur otherwise, and is nilling to k 

placed on foreign senrice. Gen. Van asked that he c0.w uver to 

see llajor Wnite a& ue l~ould get him the inforin&ian. 

Cong. Harness advised he thmght we were getting the Merger Bill 

rcrked out pretty fine. 

General boolittle an phone. 

He 

9:35 A.K. 10 cane in at 10:30. 

9:30 A.K. b. Ben Pearse with reference to two stories he is writing - 

one abmt the AnglcAnerican cil Agreement ard the other about 

CIG. 

9r25 A.I.!. Haiag~EEruno Of Nerr York - Gm. advised he muld let hk how 

as soon as he could with referenze to an engagenent for week-en2 

either 18 Julv,3 Jul;l, 1 Auiwst or 8 kuaust. 

ll:L5 X.P. Krs. Emers Of the T;hite House called %jor 'Knite to advise that 

Gen. Vandenberg should be In the Fresident's office at U:15 

tomrrm for signing of Air Farce proclunztion. 

l2:l5 P bl. Returned fYaC Chief of Staff's office. 

12:50 P.?? To Er. Syrington 
July- 5, 19L7 (Cont'd) 

Returned from JCS 

Tab. ,cylrioston 

Retuned 

Kr. Leo on phom re "zhis recruiting matter". 

office recanmends against tt on the ground that that is a 

small enterprize dorm there and they don't want to 6et a 

precedent. 

Also, Genes1 StreelLhas been comerned in the event of unificatioz 

ab& recruitment funds a& wanted gr. Leo to express to Gen. 

VandeRberg his opinion that it ought to be a gradual s5ift 

if there was not going to be a central recruithent. 

General Anderson - General Vaq inf'oxmd Gen. Arderson fhat he 

was definitely against his bating Tlashingtcm at the present 

time end plans to recamerr! to Gen. Spaatz that it not be dcme. 

ILr. Pethick (Navy), b!r* Lawrence 

Gen. Streett's 

&. Leo fill check hrrther and call back. 

Pethick and b!r, &mence. 

(President d the RactlQl Ydors) and General fiesentd 

to General X&ay and General Vandenberg problem of their monitary 

position *ich was bad and they were afrd of being refused 

cantracts uhich would set back the Jet rocket motor development 

several pars. 

up with Flright Field and present their case out there where tb 

ccntracts are let. 

Genere1 hr$y stated th&t they were to take it 

16 

Fort Worth Star-Telegram 

Photographs of Balloon Debris 

[July 9, 19471 







STATEMENT OF WITNESS 

Date: 24May94 Place: ,W=iUWOn 

w? I Sheridan W.Cavin, hereby state that Richard L. Weaver was identified to me as a Colonel, 

USAF. I do hereby voluntanly and of my own free will make the following statement without having been subjected 

to any coercion, unlawful &ce or unlawful inducement. 

&I was a Counterintehgence Corps (CIC) Sped Agent for the US Army Air Force who was initially assigned to 

Roswell AAF followmg my graduation kom CII school at Ft. Holabird, MD, in late June or Early July, 1947. 

Shortly after aniving at Roswdl , New Mexico in that lime hme I had Occasion to accompany one of my 

subordinates, MSGT Bin Rickett, CIC, and Major Jesse Marcel, Intelligence Officer the 509th Bomb Group, to a 

ranchland area outside of Roswell to help recover some mated. I think that this request may have come directly 

firom Major Marcel. I do not know who may have made the report to him. To the best of my knowledge, the three 

of us traveled to the aforementioned ranch land area by oursehres (that is, no other pgsons, civilian or military, were 

with us). I believe we had a military jeep that Marcel checked out to make this trip. When we got to this locatiOn we 

subsequently located some debris which appead to me to resable bamboo type square sticks one quarter to one 

half inch square, that were vay bght as well as some sort of metallic re&ctmg mataial that was also very light. I 

also vaguely recall some sort of black box (like a weather instrument). The area of this debris WBS very small, about 

20 feet square, and the material was spread on the ground, but there was no gouge or crater or other obvious sign of 

impact. 1 remember recognizing this material as being consistent with a weather balloon. We gathered up some of 

this matmbl, which would easily fit into one vehicle. there cuiahly wasn’t alot ofthis matmid, orenought0 make 

up crates ofit for multiple airplane Wts. What Marcel did with this maw at the time was mown tome, 

although I how now &om reading about this incident in numerous books that it was taken to Eighth Air Force 

Headquarters in Fort Worth where it was subsequently identified as a weather ballom, which I thought it was all 

dong. I have reviewed the pictmes in the 1991 Book by Ran& and Schmitt onthe UFO Crash at Roswdwhereol 

Marcel and Ramey are holm up this material and it appears to be the same type of material that we picked up from 

the mch land. I did not make a report of this incident to my headquarters since I f& that the recov~y of a weather 

balloon was not a big deal that did not merit a written report. In the same refaenced book by Randle and Schmitt I 

was reputed to have told Rickett ( on Page 63) that we were never there and this incident never happened. The book 

seems to imply this was in some sort of conspiratorial tone; however it is more likely I told him not to mention it to 

ourheadquamrs because we had wasted our lime recovering a balloon. I only went to this area once andrecwaed 

debris once and to the best of my knowledge there were no other effints to go back there. Ifthere were, they did not 

mvohre me. There was no secretive effort or heightened security regarding this incident or any unusual expenditure 

ofmanpower at the base to deal with it. In fkt, I do not recall theincident bemg mentioned again as bung any 

deal and I never even thought about it again until wd after1 retired fram the miMary when I began to be contacted 

by UFO researchers. Many of the things I have mentioned to these people have either been taken out of context, 

misrepresented, or just plain made up. I did know both Jesse Marcel and Bin Rickett vay wdl (both are now 

deceased). I considered them to k good men, however both did tend to exaggerate on occasion. With 

regards to claims that we tested this material by hitiing it with sledgehammers without damaging it, I do not recall 

any of us doing so. 1 also did not test this material for radioadvity with a Geger counter (or anyttung else). 1 do not 

recall attempbng to bum any of this debris but my wife tells me she recalled that Jesse MarceI, his wife and son did 

have a small piece that they held over the fire when we had a cdokout. In short, I did help recover some debris near 

Roswe& New Mexico in the summer of 1947. I thought at the time and think so now, that this debris was &om a 

crashed balloon I am not part of any conspiracy to withhold information from anyone, eith the US Government 

or the Amuicanpublic. I have never been sworn to any form ofsecrecy by anyom concaning this matter and I 

have receivsd authorization ftom the SeCrrCary of the Air Force to discuss with Colonel Weaver any information of a 

ciassified nahm that I may have concuning it. There is no cMed information that I am withholding. I have never 

been threatened by the US Govemment or any of its subdivisions, or by any persons, not to talk about this incident 

is that this whole incident 

was no big deal and it certainly did not involve anything extrataratrial. 

with anyone, and m fact I have talked to a number of private researchers. 
I 

I CONTINUATION SHEET FOR AF FORM 1168 AND 1169 I / 

\ //I/ 

/ 

I further state that I have read this entire statement, initialed all paps and corrections, and signed this statement, and that it is correct and true 

\ as 

written. 

WITNESSES: 

(S&MrUre) 

I (Address) (Slgnarure) 

Subscribed and sworn to before me, a person authorized by law to adminis- l- (Address) 

I 

AF AyRys 1170 GPO : 1986 0 - 168-568 'A=cc;;- O' rAG

G, L,---- 
Interview 

Col Richard L. Weaver with Lt Cul. 

Shet-idan D. Cavitt, USAF met) 

May 24, 1994 

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW OF SHERDAN CAVITT 

(Note: RW = Cot Richard L. Weaver; SC = Sheridan Cavitt; MC = Mary Cavitt) 

RW: Today is the 24th of May 1994. I am in 

Weaver and I am talking to Lt Col Sheridan Cavitt, US Air Force, Retired. Also present in the 

room is his wife, Mary. Colonel, you don't mind that I tape record this do you? 

I am Colonel Richard L. 

SC: Go right ahead. 

RW: O.K. thank you. What I would like to ask you is to confirm you were with the Counter 

Intelligence Corps (CIC) (at that time of the US Army) in 19471 

SC: Yes.. . the Army Air Corps. ..right. 

RW: When did you get transferred to Roswell, Sir? 

SC: I went to Roswell after going to the CIC School in Baltimore, Maryland, at Camp 

Holabird ... in 1946. I do not remember the month. My wife might. It was in the Fall was it not? 

MC: June of 47. 

SC: June? 

RW: I think on your records you graduated in June of 47. 

SC: From Holabiud? 

RW: Yeah, Holabird. 

SC: 0.K ... I told you my dates are slipping my mind. 

RW: That's O.K...I have the same problem. 

SC: It's hard to remember July 47. I hadn't been there very long. 

RW: Did you know a Major Jesse Marcel who was the Intelligence Officer during Roswell at that 

time? 

SC: Oh yes. I knew Jesse, his wife, and his son. We were very close fiends. We were in the 

same building in the CIC office, which was next to the intelligence office. We associated socially 

as well as business. 

RW: Sir, you were the senior officer and the commander at the detachment there at Roswell? 
SC Yes, 1 guess you could say that. I was the only commissioned officer. I had two enlisted 

agents "working for me" quote end quote. 

RW: Who were the enlisted agents that worked for you? 

SC: The senior was a Master Sergeant by the name of Rickett and the young agent, Jack 

Williams. I later had some other people working for me after CIC deceased and OSI took over 

for the Air Force.. . the investigative agency. 

RW: That actually came, I think, in September when the Air Force first stated. You were one of 

the charter members of OSI, as 1 understand? 

SC: Yeah, over fiom CIC and OSI; and then I went to OSI school later. 

RW: You reported through your chain of command? You didn't report to General Blanchard, 

the Base Commander? You reported like we did in OSI through the separate chain of command, 

as I understand it; is that right? 

SC: Yeah, our parent organization was 700 CIC and I believe that there ... they had sort of a 

branch up in Colorado at that time, but I think most of our work was sent directly back to Bolling 

at that time. I am a little fizzy on that because I wasn't in the organization very long, you know. 

RW: OK. General Blanchard was the Base Commander and evexyone else in the 509th basically 

reported to him then? 

SC: Oh yeah. Colonel Blanchard. 

RW: Oh yeah. Excuse me, Colonel Blanchard. 

SC: He was the Wmg Commander of the 509th right. I didn't report to anybdy on the base. 

RW: Just like in OSI? 

SC: Yeah, I associated and coordinated stuffwith Marcei and I had no responsibility to 

Blanchard or Marcel. 

RW: Do you recall an incident that happened during the early part of July when you were asked 

to accompany Major Marcel to go recover some wreckage of anything? 

SC: Well, there again I couldn't swear to the dates, but m that time, which must have been July, 

we heard that someone had fbund some debris out hot too fk hm Roswell and it looked 

suspicious; it was Unidentitied. So, 1- out and I do not recall whether Marcd wcnt with 

Rickett and me; I had Rickett with me. We went out to this site. There were no, as I understand, 

check points or anything like that (going through guards and that sort of garbage) we went out 

there and we found it. It was amall amount oc an1 reed, bamboo sticks, reflective sort of 
material that would, well at first glance, you would probably think it was aluminum foil, 

something of that type. And we gathered up some of it. I don't know whether we even tried to 

get all of it. It wasn't scattered; well, what I call, you know, extensively. Like, it didn't go along 

the ground and splatter off some here and some there. We gathered up some of it and took it 

back to the base and I remember I had turned it over to Marcel. As I say, I do not remember 

whether Marcel was there or not on the site. He could have been. We took it back to the 

intelligence room.. .in the CIC office. 

RW: What did you think it was when you recovered it? 

SC: I thought a weather balloon. 

RW: O.K. Were you familiar With weather balloons at the time? 

SC: I had seen them. I had seen them. As I recall, I am really reaching back, I think they were 

equipped with a radio sonde or something like that, that transmitted data fiom, when it got up to 

altitude (what altitude I have no idea) and somebody on the ground received it and that way they 

got some information on what was happening up there. 

RW: O.K. 

SC: This is all over my head. When I saw it it was to flimsy to be anything to carry people or 

anything of that sort. It never crossed my mind that it could be anything but a radio sonde. 

RW: How did you get the report that the material was out there? 

SC: That I don't recall. Looking back on it, I imagine somebody called the 509th. The 509th 

called Marcel and said tbere is somethiqs over here, wherever. and then... more and more thinking 

back on it now he must have k..I must have been with him.... "lets go out look and see what 

the hd ..." 

RW: Did youjust make one trip out to the area? 

SC: I can't rd ever making more than just that one trip. 

RW: And you think it was you, Marcel, and Rickett? 

SC: Well, I not sure it was Marcel but I know Rickett was... 

RW: Rickett was thac? When you got back with this stufFyou turned it over to the Intelligence 

mce. whathapparedthal? 

SC: Nothing, as hu aa I'm concerned. I don't think I even made a report. Our CIC had gone 

by... 700 CIC was tbe CIC Headquartem. 
RW: 700 CIC was the Headquarters? 

SC: Yes, I don't think I even made a report to them, which I normally would if there was 

anything at all unusual. 

RW: Do you remember the newspaper? It actually was, I think, July 7, 1947, where this now 

famous newspaper says they found a "flying disc" in RosweU? That was actually the Roswell 

paper, that was the first one. How about you, Mary, do you remember that at all? 

SC: I don't remember it. We took the local paper to get some weather reports. 

MC: We were so new there. In fkt, I think I had just been there just maybe just a few days 

because I had been up to my sister's wedding and I don't think at that time we might not even 

been taking the paper. We heard no... 

SC: I don't remember anything in the paper. 

MC: We heard nothing. Of course, we didn't associate with people on the base, either 

RW: Yeah, I understand. 

MC: We were brand new. Jesse and Salazar were best friends. At th at... starting about the first 

of July on. 

RW: Atter you found this, Sir, do you remember any sort unusual activity Occurring? Like a big 

military alert, or people going out to the base and large numbers of high security? 

SC: No. The reason I wouldn't have been involved in anything like that, ifthere was any activity 

like that, I was Counter Intelligence Corps, this didn't have anything to do with counterintelligence. It looked to me, somebody lost a weather balloon. I couIdn't care less...tough Iuck. 

RW: But when you wcnf out and saw this material, there was no doubt in your mind that it was 

some sort of man made material? And, you though at tbe time was a weather Moon, some sort 

of balloon? 

SC: When I first saw it. 

RW: When you said the wreckage wasn't very much, could you, was it as long as your house 

here, or just a small little clump? 

SC: Maybe as low as this mom is wide. 

RW: So, twenty feet maybe? 
SC: Some here, some here, some here. No concentration of it. No marks in the ground, dug up, 

anything hidden, or anything like that, just out on the territory around the bottom of New Mexico, 

just good for growing sheep - they don't eat too well. 

RW: Yeah, I don't imagine. They probably have to eat on the sun out there. Do you remember 

at the time the article or the photo of General Ramey and Marcel holding up a piece of material? 

Have you seen that since that time? 

SC: Oh yeah, I have seen it, yeah, but at the time I don't recall seeing anything like that. 

RW: In that photo, actually there are four separate photos there, Marcel, I think in two of them, 

is holding up material. Does that look like the material that you picked up out in the desert? 

Actually it's in this book if you don't mind... 

MC: I was going to say that I think it's in there. 

SC: I don't remember.. .Yeah, Yeah, that's.. . 

.RW: The first picture is actually with Jesse Marcel and that's General Blanchard and... 

SC: I think this was taken at the Headquarters at Carswell. 

RW: Yeah, that's right. That's correct. 

SC: And I obviously ... Marcel took it to Fort Worth. Yeah that's the... 

RW: Yeah. That doesn't look lie they substituted anything fiom what you found? 

SC: No,No. 

RW: Is this about the extent of the material? I realize you can't see all of it in any of the pictures. 

Or was them large ... could you fill up an airplane with it? 

SC: Oh, good God! You couldn't fill up (unintelligiile) with it. Yeah, I can't tell what those 

sticks look like. But, as I recall, to me they look like bamboo or some sort of very small lav type 

material ripped out. 

RW: Could you break them or bend them, or ... 

sc: Ididn'ttry. 

RW: O.K. 

SC: It was someone else's balloon as far as I was concerned. I didn't want to fool around with it. 
RW AAer you picked that up and you turned it over to Marcel, did you ever hear anything more 

about this7 Did people fiom Washington come and talk to you about it? Did you have to swear 

any security oaths or debriefing statements? 

SC: I don't remember anybody fiom Washington coming there. It's possible that somebody came 

over to talk to Marcel that I didn't even know about. To my knowledge, no. Certainly nobody 

fiom Washington. I would have, I think, remembered that. Someone &om the headshed coming 

down and talking to me. Certainly, I would have. And I was not sworn into any secrecy ever 

about any of this stuff. 

RW: So, as far as you are concerned, none of this was ever classified? There was no attempt to, 

I use the word, "cover up" this information or to clw it? 

SC: Well let's put it this way: as fiu as I hew, I never heard anyone say, "Don't talk about this 

and its hot stuff." I think Marcel, would ... I'm sure he would have told me somethmj~. 

RW: Would he have? Did he ever say anything to you after this incident occurred until the time 

he left? Or, anywhere up until the time he died? 

SW: Oh, Rich, dealing with him there in the office or the next office to him so he probably said 

something about it. That he had taken it down to Rmey or something. But, nothing that would, 

you know, stick in my mind of importance. Do you understand what I mean? If he had said 

something like, "I took it to 8th Air Force Headquarters, General Ramey was excited; they were 

going to take it to Wright-Pat" (or wherever they allegedly took it). Oh, Fm sure I would have 

membered that. 

RW: It had been alleged in a number of books, including the one by Randle and Schmitt, that 

there were a number of airplam flights back and forth of (254's and 829's going into Wn&t-Pat 

and Kirtland, or to Fort Worth. Back and fbrth, loaded up, with very tight searrity, haulii this 

wreckage. Do you recall any of that going on? 

SC: None.. .Nothing. 

RW: And then its indicated (and not diredy quoting ) Some counterintelligence people from 

Washington or Andrews (as they said in the book) had come out there and apparently done 

photographs or crime scene searches or whatever. There was nobody else out there from CIC or 

Counter Intelligence Corps &at you hew of? Other than Rickett? 

SC: Not to my knowledge. Not to my knowledge. I made a booboo. I said it was 700 C at 

Bolling. I believe now that you mentioned Andrcws, it could have been Andrews. But no nobody 

came out. Maybe they did, maybe! tbey didn't talk to me. CIC did some crazy things in those 

days, shuttling some people around. 

RW: But it would have been likely, had you been involved in recovering something kind of 

special that thq would have talked to you? 
SC: Yeah, I think they would have asked me, "Cav, what did you see"...right. 

RW: Did Rickett ever talk to you about this again? 

SC: No ... I don't think so. I don't think so. Right about that time just before OSI was formed and 

we all were absorbed into OSI. I think he went on a special undercover job up to ...maybe 

somewhere to an Air Force Base up here in Washington. 

MC: Fort Lewis, I think he ... 

SC: Was it Lewis or McChord? I dent remember. Anyway, he went on to an undercover 

assignment, and that's what I said about CIC doing some crazy things. They didn't even tell mc. I 

was his boss locally and they didn't even tell me that he had gone up. He use to bc a mechanic at 

one time, Rick did, in the Air Force; the Air Corps. I think they wanted to ... they were having 

some trouble with their planes being what they thought were sabotaged and they asked him to go 

up there and try out the machine...liike an airplane mechanic, which he could do pretty good. 

Outside of that, I don't know of anything that Rick did. 

RW: One of the things that was mentioned in this book.. .and I don't know how much you read it, 

is that Rickett some time later that Fall apparently went with a scientist by the name of Doctor 

LaPaz, and he accompanied him and th9 went around to various places. Dr. LaPaz was a well 

known person.. . 

SC: I knew of him. I never met LaPaz personally, but I knew what he was. 

RW: Did Rickett go with him that you recall, accompany him around? 

SC: He could have, but it certainly didn't stick to my mind. It wouldn't be for any extended time 

I don't think, because we ded him around the office 

MC: The Ricketts were Eriends of ours too; and his wifk and I. I don't member Mack ever 

=ying anything. 

SC: Mack was his w&. 

MC: . . .that he was gone for a long time. 

SC: He could have, but Rick& would go off the deq end every once in a while. He was a 

fhntwtic story teller. He worked for an insane asylum up in the Washington DC area. I think his 

wifkworked there, also. Hewould sit around and tell some ofthemost Wous, ridiculous 

stories about things that happed in this nut howe, so to speak. 

RW: Was that St. ELizabeths? That's the big government mental institution. 
SC: I don't know. It's in the Washington DC area. I forget since I was there in the Washington 

area for awhile but I never did get acquainted with the insane asylum. 

RW: It's always best to keep it that way. 

SC: No, well I put it again, he might have gone off with LaPaz for a few days, but I can't imagine 

what excuse I would have been given as to why he'd be out goofing around with an astronomer. 

LaPaz was a well thought of individual in New Mexico and, I imagine, all over the United States. 

He had quite a reputation. 

RW: He did quite a bit of work for the Air Force, as I found through research. 

SC: Contract work or something ... Yeah. 

RW: But there was nothing that you knew of that he did as a direct result of this incident on the 

stuff that you recovered out there? 

SC: No. Of course, I could have been held in the dark about it; but as fiu as I know, no. 

RW: O.K. I went through and pulled out wherever, in this book UFO Cras h at Rowell by 

Randle and Schmitt, this is a 1991 ... I pulled out wherever you were identified. They never 

identified you by name except in the credits when they interviewed you, but they always referred 

to you as the "Senior CIC man" and "Senior CIC agent". They identified Rickett and Marcel, of 

course, by name. There are many things that are in the book that people said that you said or 

implied that you said, without directly saying that "Colonel Cavitt told me such and such." 

sc: Yeah. 

RW: I pulled a couple of these out and just ask you if you can comment on it to set how they 

ring with your memory of the incident. "The second fellow we interviewed" (this right 6om the 

hnt on page Six) "was au agent in the count&t&gence corps. He accompanied another 

intelligence officer on the initid trip to the crash site and we Men wrote a report of the incident 

fix his superiors in Washington "...implying that was you, since you wen the senior guy. 

SC: I'm just reading this end quote "book." No, No. I assume... I assume when I read this thing 

for the first time that they sent me a big deal, you know ... 

RW: An autographed copy? 

SC: An autographed copy and all that. No, I didn't say ail like that. 

RW: On the next page, on seven, again referring to you: "A! first this intelligence agent refid 

to admit that the event had occurred at all. There had been no newspapa story, no fuss, not even 

the recovery of a weather balloon. Mer much prodding, that he was going to admit tbt 

something came down and was recovered, and but that was as tiU as he would go. He admits no 
personal involvement even though other reliable sources gave him a central role. That kind of 

Sums up everything in.. . 

SC: No. No. From the very start, when these clowns started hounding me, Randle and Schmitt, 

I told they accused me of covering up and having signed a security... 

RW: Berlitz and Moore? 

MC: Now, you see, he was here at the house. he heard numerous deals on the radio when I'm 

listening at night and all this, all of this, has been... 

SC: I told these guys when they first talked to me, I said: "I have taken no security oath. I'm 

under no obligation to not tell you anything, because, as far as I was concerned, it wasn't anything 

other than a weather balloon." And, I said: "I want you to quit iderring that I am staying silent 

under an oath of security." And, finally, I think about two yean, later Randle told me: "Hey, we 

believe you." It was getting ridiculous. I was getting so sick and tired of this garbage. 

RW: Yeah. I sensed a little of reluctance when I first called up and..."lie, Oh no, here we go 

again" type of thing. 

SC: I did, really. 

MC: He gets so many phone calls. I usually answer the phone and say: "Who's calling please?" 

And then, I don't know whether ... come and write a book... 

SC: You've hear of Mock? 

RW: I know who he is, yeah. 

SC: He's our chiefdebunker. I lean toward him. 

MC: Rich, have you got, read, Randle and Schmitt's latest book? 

RW: I've not. I've tried to find it and I haven't been able to find it. 

MC: It just came out in April. 

SC: They haven't sent me a copy yet. I think they are mad at me. 

MC: Didn't they tell us that they found some new information and it wasn't at the spot that... 

sc: Right. Right. 

RW: Yeah. As I understand it, the new information (and this may not be quite right, since I 

ham't read it, this is by) is that there was this crash...wbat they caU the crash site, 
apparently, where you were at and picked up this material, and then there is another one 120 miles 

or so away. 

SC: A richochet. 

RW: Yeah. Which at one time was on the Plains of San Augustin and now it has apparently in 

this new book been changed to a location closer to Roswell. And, that's where these bodies were 

supposedly recovered. I think their new research has to do with that aspect of it. 

MC: Well we haven't seen it, but I know it came out in April. 

RW: O.K. Lets see; also on the same page it said: "The CIC responded to the phone call. Jesse 

Marcel was one. "The intelligence and the CIC responded to the phone call. Jesse Marcel was 

one of them. Colonel William Blanchard and the other officer suggested that Mar4 and CIC 

agent accompanied Braze1 to the ranch to see what was there." Brazel, of course, was the farmer 

who apparently came in and made the original report. 

SC: Yeah. To the best of my recollection, I newer met the rancher, Brazel. 

RW: O.K., because as I go through here you1 see that you're accused, I say "accused"; claimed, 

to have been with him on a number of occasions and basically, it was alleged that the Army Air 

Corps had imprisoned him, ifyou will, for about a week and kept him away fiom everybody. Not 

that you personally did, but the Army Air Corps in general: "The trip to the ranch took the rest of 

the afternoon ...they were forced to stay in a small cabii with no electricity no running wat er... the 

next morning they headed out into a field weft Brazed had found the debris." So, this would have 

been you and whoever else accompanied you. 

SC: Totally, made up, or tirbricated, or whatever. I didn't have any experiences like that of 

spending the night out on the ranch. 

MC: Eating a can of beans... 

RW: Eating beans.. .yeah, that is, in fkt, mentioned in one of tbe.. . 

sc: Yeah. 

RW: O.K. Now this: "Marcel would later say that the material was like nothing he had ever seen 

and the metal was as thin as newsprint and as light as a father. It was flexible but very strong. 

He tried to dent it with a sledge hammer but Marcel and the CIC agent tried to bum it but it 

would not bum. It was lighter, sbongcrand more fire resistant than any ofthem bad ever seen. 

Marcel, dong with the umterintelligaxx agent picked up as much as they could and begun 

loading it up in Marcel's convutiile and the counterintelligence agent's Jeep Carryall vehicle with 

a rear box." So, apparently, according to Marcd's version of the story (and I don't know when 

this was SiVen, sometime after 1978) you hammered on it and tried to rip it and did other stuff 

withitanditwaslikenothingyouhadeverseaL 
SC: No. 

MC: I remember we were at the Marcel’s house and I can remember Jesse had something had 

something on the pad ... and then went out to ... and took it out onto the back porch. And, I 

remember that (unintelligible) 

RW: Was it some sort of material, metal material or.. . 

MC: And it’s in one of these books and then they ... and as little Jesse said, they cemented over 

that.. . 

RW: Oh yeah...O.K. I remember that. 

MC: I can still visualize the stove of where they were and we were out there. 

SC: No, he could have had some there at the house. 

MC: I honestly do remember that. 

RW: O.K. Was it like tinfoil type stuff or do you recall... 

MC: I don’t remember. 

SC: I remember. He could have had some there at the house and it was, and it looked like a foil 

of some sort, and he could have tried to bum that and it didn’t bum very well, I don’t know. I 

don’t remember that. I can’t why imagine he’d be beating on it with a hammer for, but it doesn’t 

make sense. 

RW: One of the other things that Iujustjump to real quick was that you had tested tbe matend 

with a Geiger counter. Did you ever have a Geiger counter? 

SC: No. 

RW: Now that’s not standard OSYCIC issue that I was aware of 

SC: Honest to God, no! 

RW: he never seen a Geiger counter rnW& but I didn’t know if you knew what one was. 

SC: I had never seen one...what CIC would ... No, absolutely. 

RW: That comes a little f...did you have a Jeep carryall, was th at... ? 

SC: No. 
RW: When you went out to the site, do you remember how you got out there? 

SC: I don't. It was a possibility we could have taken a Jeep. Marcel had gotten a Jeep...Marcel 

had gotten a Jeep. 

RW: Just a regular Jap? 

SC: Yeah. out of the motor pool, but certainly no Carryall. 

RW: O.K. Then it said: "After Marcel had gone to Fort Worth and came back Marcel 

challenged the ClC man who had remained at the base asking to see (your) report. Marcel was 

told that the reprt was now classified and he wasn't authorized to see it and it was on its way to 

the Pentagon if he had a problem with that he could take it up with the Pentagon." 

SC: Negative. 

RW: O.K. "Blanchard, who was still at the base...ordered Marcel to accompany the rancher back 

to Corona,"' You said you never saw...and then you said you were going to ...y ou never saw the 

rancher fiom what you told me previously? 

SC: No. 

RW: Or dealt with him personally? 

SC: I certainly don't remember ever meeting Mr. Brazel or Brazzel, whatever his name was. 

RW: O.K. Hen is where they talk about the Geiger counter. You have already said that you 

didn't test anything fbi radioactivity because you didn't bve anything to test it with. 

SC: No. 

RW: Oh. Then Marcel said there was a wirelike material that looked like monofilament fishing 

line. Do you rccall any of that? 

SC: Oh, no. It sort of tickles a little bit of remembrance oc you know, of aII this junk foil, I 

would call it, and the sticks and so forth. There probably was some line of some sort there to 

hold it together, I guess. 

RW: What they... 

sc: what was supposed to have ban with that I... 

RW: Well when they go with tbat, later on, is that this is where we developed fiber optics fiom. 

That this is, was, in fkt, &er optic cable which was, of course, unheard of in 1947. 
SC: Yeah. 

RW: Yeah. We were still dealing with copper wire. You can bend light with fiber optics, and 

that's where we got ... we (the world) got fiber optics fiom that material which we reverse 

engineered. That's the implication. 

SC: 0.K ... I didn't see any of that, but there could have been some wire or nylon or something. 

RW.0.K. "Together Marcel and the Counterintelligence agent walked around the entire 

perimeter looking at clues. It took them most of the morning to do it because of the size of the 

field they started collecting material at the outer edge of the field and moved in toward the 

center." So, this implies that this was a pretty major undertaking that you and Marcel - in order 

to examine all of this stuff took a long time because of the volume of the material. This is what I 

imply from that. 

SC: Wit were true, you know, the size of the rancher's field they are sometimes a section that are 

miles square, maybe larger. No. 

RW: But there wasn't material all over? 

SC: No. 

RW: You are ri@. You could walk into New Mexico forever with... 

SC: Oh Lord! Ranches are big out and down in New Mexico. No, ... I didn't spend any extended 

time down there at the site. 

RW: O.K. Then, on page 55, it talks about there was discussion that this may have been a foil 

parachute fiom a V-2. Were you aware that they were testing, we were testing, V-2's at that time 

out of White Sands? 

SC: Oh yeah. I went down to a couple of launches. One abort and one launch. 

RW: O.K. But there was no doubt in your mind that this was not part of V-2 or any other type 

of rocket when you saw the debris in the field? 

SC: No. No. I never had any idea that it was anything with the V-2. They told us down at the 

V-2 site that they weren't shooting them toward Rome& anyway. Ofcourse the sent up a few of 

them and they had an awful lot of aborts. They had to detonate them or pull the trigger... shortly 

after they got off the launcb pad because they went am, shall we say. 

RW: Yeah. Apparently one went av and went into Mexico, too. They already found that 

her. 
SC. No, I had no idea, no suspicion, that it came fiom Holloman. Holloman is that ... 

RW: It was White Sands. 

SC: It was White Sands. Holloman base. Alamagordo. 

RW: O.K."Marcel would take some of the sample to Fort Worth to show Ram9. In the mean 

time, the CIC man would head back to the crash sit with some MP's showing them exactly where 

this field was and to round up the rancher. There were now additional questions for him." This 

implies that after you came back you took some MP's and went back up there. 

SC: I went back down there? No. No. 

RW: So you were just there the one original time and you didn't go back with any MP's, the 

rancher or anybody else? 

SC: No. 

RW: O.K. "Marcel would go to Fort Worth and the CIC man would stay behind to lead the clean 

up detail at the site another reason thy send Marcel was the CIC had there own chain of 

command that reported to Kirtland in Albuquerque rather than Fort Worth and although 

Blanchard outranked the CIC agent (meaning yourself) a phone call to Kirtland could have gotten 

his orders overturned." So, this implied that you reported to Kirtland, which I know, of course, 

we did later when District 17 was formed. 

sc: Yeah,OSI. 

RW: Yeah, but at that time you didn't necessarily - the CIC did not report to Kirtland? 

SC: No. No. Kirtland was just another Air Base as Ear as we were concerned down at RosweU. 

They weren't part of SAC. They weren't anything to do with us CIC -wise or nothing. 

RW: 0.K ... Here is where Rick& comes into the picture, and Rickett makea a nun& of claims 

that basically ... I don't know ifRickett is still alive or not. 

SC: No, Rick is dead now. 

RW: O.K. Because I...(Unintelligr'ble) 

SC: No, he is dead and I think now maybe his wife might be now. We use to exchange 

Christmas cards up uirtil a couple of yean ago when he died. Two or three years ago. 

RW: So, he died two or three yean ago? OK. He makes a number of claims that, at least Randle 

and Schmitt; and when I say "Randle and Schmitt Fm not trying to pick on them or to imply that 
they're doing anything different than any of these other people ... they just happen to have the most 

current stuff on the street. 

SC: Trying to write a book. 

RW: "Rickett, the Provost Marshal"...wtcuse me ...p age 61. "According to Lewis Rickett, one of 

the CIC Agents, he, with the commander of the CIC shop, drove a staff car fiom the motor pool 

and returned to the crash site. They were followed by a second car carrying several MP's. An 

MP did ask for identification because neither of the counterintelligence men were in uniform." So 

this would have been the second trip, which you said you did not take. But, he did apparently go 

with you on the first tip? 

SC: Rickett? 

RW: Rick ett... Yeah. 

sc: Yeah. 

RW: And I assume at that time, just like in OSI, you did not wear dorms for the most part? 

SC: I didn't even have any uniforms. 

RW: Yeah. I know the feeling. For the first eight years in OSI, I think, the only uniform I had 

was my mess dress. "But Rickett, the Provost Marshal and the senior intelligence officer walked 

into the debris field, examined the -e. Rickett said it looked like mdal and asked ifit was 

radioactive". . .and you said it wasn't. That was page 62. This is on the, you would have been on 

this now second bip again, OK? oh pap 63: as they prepared to leave the crash site the CIC 

agent told Rickctt: "You and I were llcytf out here. You and I never saw this. You don't see 

any military people or militsry vehicles out here. Rickett agreed saying yeah, we never wen left 

the office." Now that's the little quote they have out also in the.. 

SC: Now what page is that on? 

RW: That's on page 63. 

SC: 63? No. Now I could have said something Mous like that after we got back to the 

office, &er I was convinced that it was a weather balloon, or some such contraption. I didn't 

know, naturally. I could have said &er we got back to the office: "Rickett, this has been a big 

boondoggle. I don't even want 700 CIC Headquarters to know we wasted our time on it. Forget 

we ewer did it." I mean I could have... 

RW: O.K. 
SC: said in a facetious way: "Lets make out like it newx existed, because we're wasting our 

time." But I didn't say it in such a way that it would be this is so highly classified we won't have 

anything to do with it. 

RW: O.K. On page 86, it said: "The counterintelligence people came into Roswell on a special 

flight fiom Andrews Army Air Field on July 8.". So that, to me, implies that this would have been 

your CIC Headquarters also sent some other people out there. 

SC: Yeah. Right. That's what it sounds like. 

RW: Yeah, but you said you would have known if anybody fiom Washington had come into your 

area, sort to speak. More than likely. 

SC: Well I certainly hope so. We were secretive and so forth, but I think they would have 

touched base with me, since obviously ifthey talked to Marcd he would have probably said 

something to begin with, but they would have wanted to know what I knew. No, I... 

MC: Of course Jack Williams was there. Jack could have been on some of these... 

SC: No Jack was young and sort of scatterbrained, as you well know. And I never died much 

on him for anything. He's the type that would read a book while he was on a road trip driving his 

car. He'd finish a book while driving ... 

RW: While he was actually driving? 

SC: Ohsure. 

RW: Sounds like the people driving on 95 in Washington the in the trafEc jam. 

MC: There weren't many people on the road. 

SC: Jack rabbits. No. No disrespect to Jack, but he just wasn't a solid citizen as fhr as Fm 

concerned. And ifanybody f3om headquarters CIC came in rm positive they would have checked 

in with me. 

RW: O.K. The page that's kind of devoted to you, if you will, is on 171 and it said tbat "Schmitt 

suggested the possibility that the crash had been a V-2 or A-9, (which is one of derivatives of the 

V-2, that we were playing with at that time). Schmitt asked if there had ever...ifthqr bad ewer 

retrieved anything like that mywhere in New Mexico. Never, he said any rocket gob off course 

would be destroyed by the range officer andthey wouldn't have wanted to riskinjury tocivilisas 

on theground. Randle asked ifhe nmembend any talkat all about aflying saucer. He(meaning 

you) insisted that nothing at all happed. Tbe former CIC man hadn't heard my nnxunsabout a 

crash. All this, including the story sbown on "Unsolved Mysterks", was a bunch of &arbage. 

Schmitt and Randall spent two hours with the man, he told them that any reports he wrote in the 
normal course of his duty was sent to Washington not 8th Air Force in Fort Worth. He was 

attached to the S09th, but his chain of command was diht than the 8th Air Force, that's ..." 

SC: That's one of the few true stones they had in this book. 

RW: "In fact he talked about many things Willingly. He said the ranks of CIC agents were all 

classified at the time" (I know that's the way it was in OSI for years) "It didn't look right to have a 

Master Sergeant investigating a Colonel so no one on the base, except for a few clear to know, 

had any idea of what he or any of the others were. (Ofcourse, that's the way we did business.) 

SC: True. 

RW: "He provided names of others who might be able to hdp and he described his llorrrml 

unclassified duties at Roswell, but according to him the crash and recovery had never happened. 

There was no investigation on the Foster ranch, no mystay flight, and no discovery of alien 

bodies, nothing." Now we are getthg to the part were they make you sound like somewhat of a 

conspirator. It said, "Randall said he and Schmitt had literally two dozen Witness' to the special 

Bights out of Roswell and the special clean up operation on the ranch. Something must have 

happened, the CIC man finally conceded, but I don't know what it was. As they left, the CIC man 

asked them, if you boys found something that med national Security would you keep it to your 

self? The former CIC man grins, and said 'very good'." So, somehow, by that remark, I imply 

that this was kind of, "I know something that you guys don't and if affects national security so 

we're not going to tell you." That's the way that 1 interpret what they wrote. Because, the rest of 

ifjust kind of recounts the way we did business, even when I came into OSI twenty years after 

that. 

sc: You think they're talking about me there, "the former CIC man?" 

RW: Yd. 

SC: If1 said tbat, I probably said it really memhg that ifthuc guys tiying to make abwk 

writing their sensational book runinto to somctbingthat dy affected national searrity, I meant 

don't put it in a book. 

RW: Yeah. OK. 

SC: Turn it over to somebody. 

RW: But you weren't implying that this incident aEected national Security and you weren't going 

talkaboutit? 

SC: Oh, no! No way. 

RW: OK. I see you have some materials you brought out here. That looks like one of you basic 

agent classes. Is that one of yaw besic agent ClaMe8 there? 
SC: No, that was the old District Office 17, OSI 

RW: Oh. OK. 

SC: So this is after. Dr. Mock sent me that. I got it out when Mock sent it to me. This is 

Rickett. 

RW: OK. 

SC: And that is Jack Williams and that's old Cavitt. Down on the lower left. 

RW: Oh. OK. 

SC: That's me, and these are the two boys that were with me there at Roswell. I have them all 

identified and who's no longer with us. This thing that Mock sent me, this picture. It says that 

Jack Williams is deceased. No wonder why somebody didn't contact him. I didn't even know he 

was dead. We were not fiends. He was a StafF Sergeant, and a good honest kid, I think. 

MC: Asmartguy. 

SC: What? 

MC: Really, he was quite intelligent. 

SC: Oh, yeah. He read. Read books while he was on road trips. 

RW: Well the names I recogni# hm here that were still: are Doyle Rees and John Stahl. 

SC: Doyle is still Jin. I have a letter hm him. 

RW: I think he's in the Association of Former OSI Agents. 

sc: Yeah. fight. 

RW: And I am also a member of that so I see a lot of that. So, I see a lot of their letters and 

&, pictures that tbey send. 

MC: We get correspondcllcc fiom Doyle. Chris' son ded him not long ago. He had a hole in 

oneonhisu&icthbirthday. 

RW: Oh, is tbat right. Was it his first one? 
MC: Nice, nice man. 

SC: He is a nice man. And a nice family. I don’t know what the date on that is. Letter fiom 

Doyle, it says: “When you call the press conference to tell the world, let me know, because I want 

to be there.“ So, I just got reams of this stuff fiom books. 

RW: Do you mind if1 look through that real quick? 

SC: Oh, heavens no. I got it (Unintelligible) 

RW: Stanton T. Freidman? 

SC: Freidman or whatever. 

RW: Yeah, he doesn’t like me a lot. He writes me nasty letters. 

SC: He called me a couple of times. I could hear him a little bit, but it wasn’t good enough for 

me to try to strain my brain. He apologized a little later. He wrote me back and said sorry we 

had a bad telephone connection. On your end! 

RW: OK. Here is the stuff about Schigthat I referenced earlier. Asking the GAO to look at 

this. Karl Mock... 

SC: You know, you can look at any of that. You can have copies. As a matter of fkt I don’t 

know what I’m going to do with it. 

MC: Oh,yoursonswantit. 

SC: Oh, I don’t know. 

MC: Oh, yes thy do. Jay said last night maybeDad could make afortune out ofbeing ahero. 

SC: Wdl, if1 wanted to make a little money I could have imagined a lot of things and cooperated 

more. 

MC: Well, that’s what Doyle said. 

SC: With these authors and so forth I could be given royalties for a long time. 

RW: Oh, this was out of the C&&d RC~UES . I don’t remember Seeing this in there. Oh, Karl 

Mock wrote this for the Global Reliance. 

sc: Have you ever sea that clipping? 

RW: This om on Rickett here? 
sc: Yeah. 

RW: No, I never saw this. 

SC: I don't know what that is fiom. 

RW: "But at least one surviving member of the recovery team actually handled the material, 

(Unintelligible). Eighty two year old Lewis Rickett. 'Cavitt had been there the day before, but he 

wouldn't tell me what was going on until we got there.' With armed troops standing guard 

Rickett wandered through the security phalanx and saw metallic debris scattered in an outer circle 

with a diameter of 25,30, or 40 fat." 

SC: It must have been Rickett sort a flipped of little bit. See this was something that he...an 

interview he had shortly before he did, I think. 

MC: Well, when they interview Rick he was older and trying to make people remember things 

that happened umpteen years ago is pretty hard. 

SC: I have probably received an awfirlly lot more than that, Rich, and threw it away. Sarry. 

RW: So these people have been pretty much tracking you down on a regular basis then? 

SC: Oh, yes! Mary can verifjl that. She said she had been home when she got telephone calls. 

MC: I have talked to some of these fellows myself 

SC: Yeah, if I'm not here she talks to them. Blabber aways and she gives it right down the line. 

"Have they ever tried to influence you to say that I am lying or holding anything out?" 

MC: No. Ijust tdl them that you are tdling the truth. 

SC: They don't believe you when you tell the tnrth. 

RW: I guess they don't. That's the problem we have with this whole line of inquiry and attempt 

to look this. It is very hard to prove the negative. It is hard to prove that something didn't 

happen, because you don't document stuff that doesn't happen. 

SC: No, it is pretty hard to, dacult, but a good bagidon can. These boys have it. 

MC: ThepicturethatwasintheRoswell paper, as I said, wehadjust gottenthae so we 

probably had to start subad- to it. But nobody passed it araund. 

RW: Well let me tell you what's in the official records that we fd so tat. So you Win have 

fed. 
SC: Please, do. 

RW: We did this, as investigators would, logically. We figured, "where would this stuff be"? So 

we went to all the different records. Working for me I have a group of reservists who are 

declassification experts. They are excellent researchers. They spend their whole time dealing 

with records, so these people know where all this stuff is buried. So, we have been to all the 

major record centers. The Archives and nuclear records (ranging hm unclassified to TS nuclear 

stuff because the 509th was the only nuclear unit in the world at that time. So, some of there 

records were TS and still are.) That is because they have never been declassified. Anyway, we 

found that there was no airplane crash that could account for this. Just to show you how unsafe it 

was to fly at that time, there were six airplane crashes in less than a month in New Mexico alone 

in 1947, and that doesn't include the rest of the United States. We were lucky to have six. 

SC: Remind me to double back on that. Go ahead with your story and I11 tell you another tittle 

Story. 

RW: We found no indication of a V-2 launch that is not accounted for. There was one scheduled 

on the 3rd of July and that was scrubbed. There was no indication that there was some sort of 

nuclear accident at that time where we either dropped a weapon or did something stupid, which 

we had to consider during that period of time, but there is no indication of any of that happening. 

Weather balloon themselves are; (although they have a "return to" type of thing on them) 

supposed to crash. I mean, they go up and then sooner or later they're going to come down. 

Right? Now what we did find, however (and I not implying what you saw up there), but its a 

possibility. There was a project run by New York University, out of HonOman at that time. It 

was a balloon experiment that lasted for years. But at the time a portion of it was Top Secret. It 

has since then be declded. It was called Project Mogul. 

SC: Never heard of it. 

RW: Mogul was designed to run balloons at very bigh altitudes with extremely sensitive (1coustjc 

sensors (what we were looking fbr were nuclear test on the part of the Russians, because we 

a constant altitude, we could see...because there were no satellite (Unintelligible) they had a 

couple Mogul balloons and several ofthose are unaccounted for during that period of the. They 

are very large in the sense that some of them were up to 600 feet long, not one gigantic balloon, 

but a series of balloons, because as they went up to altitude some of them broke ofI: and some of 

them dropped ballast and they were very sophisticated. They had a lot of tin foil on them and a 

lot of different things. Mogul is a possibii. We found a couple of researchers hm New 

Mexico that we are in contact with now becausethey kept phte fccocds in some regards. But, 

of cow that was a Top Secret project at the time and we don't know XBlanchard knew about 

that or not: (we don't have any indication that he did). And that they used the weather balloon in 

an attempt to cover the other balloon which was a chssified project. 

thought the Russian3 had gottenthe bomb) so you needed high enough and fhr enough So, and at 
SC. Yeah. that is possible. 1 didn't know about that particular thing. I just knew weather 

balloons went up and measured. This was my first impression. I didn't know anything else, so 

O.K.. that's it, forget it. The thing that disturbed me is why they cannot shoot down this story 

about the little bodies and so forth that were allegedly taken to Wright-Pat or some place. 

RW: Wright-Pat, right. 

SC: And put in a sealed (unintelligible) or so forth. And the only thing, Rick might have gotten 

confused about something. You mentioned crashes. We had one there at Roswell. They 

practiced this air to air refueling, which was just., I think, getting into real high-tech stuff as far as 

I knew. 

RW: B-29'~? 

SC: Yeah. And they were refbeling them. We had one rather, rather hell! Where the plane that 

was being refbeled for some reason or other pitched up when they were either getting to attach 

the cord, or the other one came down, which doesn't sound logical, I think it's more apt to have 

went up. One or both of those planes crashed. I forget what direction it was up fiom Roswell, 

but I went out to that crash at the request of Marcel; maybe Blanchard, and I probably took 

Rickett with me. We had bodies all over the place, and it was a sad thing. We recod some 

fingers, of course, there was one hell of a big fire after it happened. I collected a bunch of hands, 

fingers and so forth, trying to identiQ them. A! the time I thought this was sort of stupid. They 

had a list back at the Operation Office. Other than identlfjring body parts so that some guy's wife 

would know that she had part of her, used to be, former husband. And I don't remember where 

we sent those things for iddcation. I ranember going into the office after that trying to get 

prints off of these old shriveled up fingers and so forth. What good it would do, I don't know. I 

didn't know then, but I WIW wonder if maybe Rick got confirsed that mybe this was some of the 

bodies. I doubt it, but it is just a possl'bility. But I don't know why they can't trace down those 

bodies. 

RW: Well, that is the ultimate part of the quote "cover up" that we're involved in. You and I 

would probably think as OSI agents ifyou rccovend a body that is unusual, that would genesate a 

whole bunch ofpapawork. We arc a psperwork society. I mean, it may be classified with a 

batillion stamps on it, but it would generate a lot of study and things. And we have not been able 

to locate one piece of anything to indicate that is so. 

SC: It boggles my mind that we would not be able to find anything. The Air Force having the ... I 

mean we were close knit and it seemed that there had to be a trail and pick up and eventually end 

there in that grip, or whatewer they put these bodies in. 

RW: But did you cver hear of any talk of that type of stuff when you were at Rod 

SC: Downthere. No. 
RW. When did all of this first surface, in your life? Mer you picked up the original stuff and you 

went on to your career. When did the UFO part first surface in your life? 

SC: You mean this sort of stuW 

RW: Yes. Was it with Berlitz and Moore? 

SC: Our son sent this book to us. 

RW: This is 1980, I think. Yeah 1980. 

MC: A lot of that has been debunked by the other two guys. 

SC: Well, I don’t remember where Jay got this book. 

MC: They bought it, they bought it. And he came by to see us and we had just back fiom fishing 

and you had one of your cluster headaches. And I did most of the talking here, because Cav was 

having his cluster headaches. 

SC: I had another cycle of cluster headaches. Similar to migraine. 

RW: I understand those are really painttl. 

SC: I am about to come out of it, althoufi I had one last night, and I was awake all night long. 

MC: Don’t you think that is it. I never even gave it a thought. 

RW: Until Mr. Moore and company showed up, around I980 time fiame? 

sc: Yeah. 

MC: 16 September 82 tbat hc was hae. 

RW: O.K. Now fiom my research (not of AF records, but of popular literature records) 

Friedman is the guy who ran into Marcel down in LoUisiana in 1978, because Friedman had been 

a UFO researcher for years. He ran into Marcel and fiom his interview of Marcel it got Berlitz 

and Moore interested, and that’s when Marcel then started talking to all of these different people. 

And then it has kind of grown since then. 

MC: And thenofcourse, it’s toobadapparedy, you sa little Jessewas about 11. Cavnever 

told me arrythiag. He said Ill llcvc~ tdl you anythins tben you won’t spread anything. We always 

wondered how little Jesse knew SO much To US it should have ban buh. Ne01 (Marcd’s 

wik) apparently wa8 not able to give any infodon atk Jesse ctisd. 
RW: Yeah. The son is mentioned in a number of publication, because he claimed his dad brought 

this stuff to his house and they hammered on it and... 

MC: Which I remember seeing. 

SC: He was a smart little devil, his son. 

RW: He is a doctor, I think. 

SC: Is he is a PHD type of doctor or a Medical doctor? 

RW: Yeah, I though he was a medical doctor. 

MC: He is an MD, but his brother was medical type technician. 

SC: They were a smart fhily. I always thought Marcel was just a little on the outer scale. 

RW: Since you were fiends with both Marcel and Rickett, is there any explanation that they 

would (in your mind, since you knew them) tell these stones and get this interest generated? 

SC: No. 

MC: I wouldn't think purposely, would you darling? 

SC: Not purposely, no. I gave you a little insight on Rick, he could sit and tell stories that last 

hours. 

MC: They were visited by a lot of people, more than we were. Handier to some people, beiig in 

Florida where they were. She would Write on cards, so and so has been bere, but I don't think 

purposely they would try to make up tales fbr beii heroes or glorifjing anything. 

RW: Let me ask you officially fbr the record. Did you take any kind of Security oath, promise, 

sign anything, or verbally agree to anything not to talk about any ofthis, that occurred $New 

MCXiCO? 

SC: No. I told you that awhile ago. I'll take an oath on that. I swear. 

RW: O.K. Has anybody in the US Government, the Air Force, or anyone connected with the 

Government, ever threatened you if you said anything about any of these incidents that something 

would hnppen to you, your fiunily or anybody else? 

SC: No. Noway. 

RW: O.K. 
SC: I am telling the truth, and I have told all of these other people the truth. That, I don't know 

anymore than what I told them, and I don't know anything about any "little men", or anything. I 

am a pretty stupid person, when 1 say "I don't know anything." 

RW: Well, I appreciate having to ask you some of these questions, even after you told me that.. 

SC: I know you have to. 

RW: But, we want to do this officially, because as neat as we can tell nobody ever has before. 

SC: I certainly wish you good luck. I hope you can convince these people. 

RW: Well, it is going to be difficult, because like I say we have nothing other than this one 

formerly classified project that was dng out there at the same time that was even a little bit 

"funny", ifyou will... 

SC: Yeah. Had I known about that, Rich, at that time I would have probably hooked it up with 

that instead of a weather balloon. 

RW: But, a balloon is basically a balloo~. Some of them are bigger and some of them are 

smaller. 

SC: Some do some things, some of them do others. 

RW: One of the things that they mentioned, going back to the balloons for a minute, was what 

Marcel called "hieroglyphics". It was dug that was written or printed on some of the 

debris. Do you recan any of that? 

SC: No. But in reading over some of my other garbage hem, I have seen some hieroglyphics. I 

don't think there were any claims that these! were the Roswdl deal. Were there? 

RW: uarcdclaims. 

sc: Marcelsaysso? 

RW: However, the day &er the onghal flying saucer article in the Roswell paper, there was a 

follow up article where they interview Braze1 (the rancher), and he descn'bed this stuffalmost 

War to what you did, almost like bad wood type of sticks and tin foil type of things. Then he 

said some had what rrpperuedtobe W tape with little purple flowers stamped on it. 

Appandy at that time, as near aswc can tdl, one ofthe balloonmandbms did use some type 

of tape that had some sort offlowmi 011 it. It is possr'ble, I guess, that somebody could mistake... 

MC: I think there is a picture in me oftbese... 
SC: Well, some of these authors, Mary, you got to remember, they will skip from the Roswell 

incident to something that happened someplace else in the United States and they get a little 

confbsing. You just read through it. I remember something about some hieroglyphics, not on 

that one. I didn’t see anything. I do not remember any writing at all on the thing. But if Marcel 

saw something, maybe he did. 

RW: Did you know Haut, Lt. Haut? The public affairs guy at the time? 

SC: Just vaguely. What was he, base information, or something of that sort? 

RW: Yes. 

SC: Not close at all. As a matter of fact I couldn’t even describe him. I got a picture with a tall 

fellow and I didn’t know much about him, at all. 

RW: Is there anything else that you can recall or lie to add? 

SC: I have beem thinking about it ever since you called, and said you were coming out. 

MC: It is a shame that Don Yeager was in the office with Jess. 

SC: Yeah. Is he dead now’? 

MC: Idon’tknow. 

SC: But he won’t know a thing, Mary. He wouldn’t know a thing. 

MC: He wouldn’t have known anything with Jesse? 

SC: No. No. Jesse didn’t trust Don vay much. I wddn’t want (unintelligiile). He was trying 

to keep up, but ddn’t. He just wasn’t a reliable sort of individual. 

MC: So Jess probably wouldn’t have... 

SC: No. No. I don’t even think he even talked to Don about it. There was another Captain in 

the Intelligence office at the time who I always thought was a very sharp individual, his name I 

don’t remember his fust name...Cad was his first name, Macamer. He ended up as a fill Colonel. 

MC: Now we gave Randall their names. We pve them everything we could think of 

SC: Yeah. cI1.imightbedeadnow. Ialwaysthoughthewasaprettysmartindividuai. 

MC: Carlwasthelastweknew. 
SC: Somewhere up in the North. wasn’t he? 

MC: He is our generation. He would have retired. 

RW: Did he switch over to the Air Force too, when he ... 

MC: WhoMacamer? 

RW: Yeah. 

MC: Oh, yeah. He was in the 8th Air Force. 

RW: So when you all just went over to the USAF when it formed in September? 

SC: He went right along with the 8th Air Force, becoming USAF. We being OSI, well ... 

MC: He was always Air Force. He was always Army CIC, or was he? 

SC: Who,me? 

MC: No. No. Carl. 

SC: Carl wasn’t even in the CIC. He was in intelligence. He was just in the intelligence office 

there at ... He was under Marcel. He was under Blanchard. He was under Ramey. Wasn’t that the 

General’s name over at the 8th Air Force, Roger Ramey? 

RW: Yeah, that’s right. In fhct, they named a SAC base in Puerto Rim after him. 

SC: The things that Ramey and Blanchard used to! Blanchard atme over to the Philippines. I 

think he was IG in 1963 or 4 snd I was District Commander ofthe OSI District 42 in the 

Philippines. Wehadafiwchudcst ogetheraad... 

MC: Do you recall once when we were some place and Roger, and Ramey and I were dinner 

partners. I think it was Greece. You were on one of your many trips. 

RW: Blanchard was the IG, you’re right. 

SC: He and Ramey, I don’t know what he was after the commander of the Eight Air Force, but 

he and Blanchard use to have some ...( unintelligiile). Oh Lord! I knew these guys pretty wdl. 

No. I don’t kmow anything about any crashed space ships. I don’t know anything about any little 

men. 

MC: I am quite surethat we nenrgave it a thought until that book 
RW: 1'11 tell you what, if you can indulge me for a few minutes and let me set up my computer 

Do you mind signing a statement. I11 make it very short. (unintelligible). 

SC: Sure. Youbet. Yeah. 

RW: And we'll just make a kind of quick summary statement if you can bare with my computer 

skills here. 

SC: I11 prick my finger and sign it in blood. 

RW: I don't think we'll require that. 

MC: Rich, it always seems fb~y to us with all these, if these things happened. How can 30 or 

even 3 people keep something a secret? 

RW: Well, I would kind of like to know how they did it, because in my real job we handle all the 

Special Programs that do keep all the secrets. And we would like to figure out how they do it so 

we can duplicate it. Because it is very hard to keep secrets, as you well know. 

MC: But you see, I am talking about civilians and other people who were in on these bodies 

going to the morgue and all that. (unintelligible) some grave digger from the hneral home or 

whatever.. . 

RW: Well, of course, Randle and Schmitt do claim that those people are out there and that they 

have interviewed them. They list a whole bunch of them. Now, we're not tryine to go &er them 

and undo every interview they had done. That is not our point. In fist, you are the only person 

we have gone out and interviewed, because you're always reputed to be the guy... one of the two 

or three people that was there picking up the stuff... 

MC: And he is the only one that is still living. 

RW: Thatisright. 

MC: That is what Doyle Rees said on his post card. He said you better keep this going. If 

anybody likes publicity as he.. .(unintelligible) 

SC: But what he was saying, all of these guards ... 

RW: He claims that he had intemiewed a number of these people and said that they did guard 

something and there were a number flights. Now, we have never found the flight records to 

substantiate tbat, w I don't know where they b. Ifthey have. 

SC: Thecrewchi&ontheairplanethataremakingtheseflights. Thqrwentwithtbem. Flight 

EnghCWS? 
MC. It will be interesting for you to get Randle and Schmitts last book. 

SC. Their latest book? They promised they're going to take it easy on me. 

RW: Well, I have tried to find a copy, because, among other things, that have happened, is that 

people keep changing the dates of when things happened. 

MC: And sites! 

RW: Yeah. And that makes it very difficult when you are try to track down records. If you are 

looking between this period of time and all of a sudden they change the period of time. 

MC: Well, when they came here about 14 months ago they sat right there and we became good 

fiends down in Sierra Vista and we would tell them everything we know, honestly. We gave 

them gobs of names. They sat down and said we have something new, something different. 

Something happened at this site and it was not on the same date. So, you could have one of your 

researchers get that book, and research that. 

SC: You are very well aware of the good guy bad guy approach of when they interrogation. 

RW: Ohyes. 

SC: Well, I got a perfect example of this with Randle and Schmitt. Randle is the outgoing, 

buddy-buddy type and this ScMtt he'd sit over their and he'd took over at me like this (while 

Randall is asking me a question), "you lying Cur." Particularly down in Sierra Vista. They just 

grated on me. 

RW: You probably had done that a time or two yourdf You would know what he was doing. 

SC: Not really. Let him type up this deal that I... 

RW: Yeah, I don't want to take up all of your time. 

MC: We have all day. I11 go down and get a hamburger or ... 

RW: If you don't mind, ifyou got a plug in over by the table. I need two plug ins to make this 

thing work. 

sc: Youneedtwo? 

RW: One for the computer and one for the power supply. 

SC: O.K. 
RW, If that is possible. Although the cords are a lot longer than this one, hopehlly 

SC: Where would be the best place? 

RW: In fact, I can probably.. . 

MC: (unintelligible) 

SC: Your cord is not all that long. 

RW: (unintelligible) 

SC: Is that tape recorder still running? 

RW: Yeah, let me shut the tape recorder off. Its about 12:30 here on the 24th. 

SC: Well, you're not interrupting anything here. 

.RW: O.K. We'll just do this. I11 make it a short one which just kind of summarizes what we 

have already talked about. 

SC: Good. 

END RECORDING 


Ltr Watson Labs. Jun 46, subjr Whange in Class. of Wogul,' Item 188-5.1I 

1st Ind. TSELT-2/WHD/mch 

Hq., Air Idateriel Conmand, Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio. 8 July 1946. 

TO: Commanding General, Amy Air Forccs, Washington 25, D.C. 

THRU : (AC/AS-b) 

1. To amplify the infomation given in the basic letter it is 

desired by Electronic Subdivision that the following information and 

scientific data pertaining to project rWogullf be classified WOP SECRET:" 

8. Precise data as to the exact placement of measuring 

instruments. 

b. 

mili taq application. 

Scientific observations and measurements that have 

C. Detailed methods of measuring results. 

2. Enginocring preparations for the final test that are not in 

conflict with the above rill be classified Wmfidential.1' 

3. Contractual documents vrill be classified the sme as the 

security classification of the equipments involved. Equipments used in 

project lfhlogultl are common to other systems or sets that are now classified "Confidential, If Restricted, or Wnclassified; 11 contractual 

documents should be classified accordingly. 

4. Authorization is requested to observe the security classifications pfoposed herein. 

E. OtDONfTELL 

Brig. Gen ., U S .A 

Deputy Chief 

Engineering Mvision 


Basio ltr VIAEC, 9 Sop 47, to CC NC, subj: "ROBQVO~ Opt8 in Alaska." 

1st Ind TSE!LT( "3 EL0 ) /JGR /i a 

Eq AX, Wrii;ht Field, Dayton, Ohio. 10 Sap5 47 

To: Cornanding Cenerel, Army Air Porcos, Fiaah%+an 25, D. C. 

ATTNt AC/AS-4 

1. The proporsod opration ogtlincd in the basio oorreepondeaca is 

concurred in by this coxian~d. 

2. In view of the idgh priority ocrrried by this projeot, requelrt 

that nooarsary action bo takon to have the Alaskan Doperbent provide 

tho neoelrslry foailitios. 

Is/ Tom c. Uves 

TOLf C. RIVES, Brig Qen, USA 

Chief, Yleotronlo Subdivi don 

Engineering Division 

C 

0 

P 

Y 
20 

Statement 

Athelstan F. Spilhaus 

June 3, 1994 

STATEhlEhT OF wTT?jESS 

Date: 3 Jun 91 Place. v A 

I Atheistan F Sphus, hereby state that JeEiey Butler, was identified as a Colonel, USM and Jim 

Mchdrew, was identified as a Lieutenant. US.@ on this date at my home and do hereby, 

voluntarily and of my own free will. mde the following statement. This is done without h3ving 

been subjected to any coercion, unhwfd duence or unlawfd inducement. 

I was the Director of the Nk'u Balloon Project and also involved with many other sensitive 

activities. Until these discussions, I had no indication of what the "Roswell incident" was. I was 

involved in numerous unusual activities such as reconstruction of captured Gcnnan rockets, 

development of drone planes and the like-such as long range balloons. The Amy Air Force had 

seen what the Japanese had done with long range balloons; although not effective as weapons, they 

did initiate the long-range balloon research which led to u9c of balloons for the detection and 

collection of debris from atomic explosion. Although I was involved m sensitive classified 

programs, I completed secrecy agreements for Various projects, and I undemtand that this activity 

(Mogul, etc. is now declassified) and I did enforce "need to know". In part, I left NYU because 

the administration wanted to know too much about the various projects I was involved in (the 

Bikini test). At one time I was sent by the US govemment to assist the South Africa meterologicd 

efforts and I worked numerous other special missions. Even though the war was over the Cold 

War had just started and certain things wert sensitive. I recall that it was Col Duffy who brought 

me from the Reserves to active duty. It was during this pexiod that I did become involved in a 

"UFO case". Some bush pilot had found some pock marks in dry snow in Alaska in 1950. So we 

flew up and saw peculiar round holes in the snow. We landed and took dog sleds to the site and 

found craters with a hole in the center. We cored one out of the snow and found a center of 

frozen conical ice. I began to think of something I had seen in the desert where glass had been 

formed simiIarly after a lightening strike (the "horoles"). I took one back to the university in dry 

ice and wrote a classified report. We even simulated a small lightning strike over dry snow (just 

from the snow blowing over the surface) and came up with conical ice formations. This was the 

Stony River Incident and it wasn't a UFO. On the December 1947 balloon project reports the 

"service flights" probably refer to the then Top Secwity project MOAT 1 (related to MOGUL) 

which was to produce a report to the President when the Russians exploded an atomic device and 

were wdy to produce a droppable atomic bomb. We coordinated all the listening posts to 

determine what stage the Russians were at. Concerning the Watson Laboratory gear, I don't 

remember the specifics of what that gear was. I recommend you check with Charlie Moore for 

those details. Many of the projects I just new about in generd-these were sensitive times-it was 

somelimes better not to know too much-I knew about the collection of debris with special planes 

daily fiom Eilson AFB to the North Pole and back, PTARMIGAN Wts, that lasted through the 

50's. Concerning the Japanese balloons, I don't recall any specifics. Nor do I recall whether we 

had REWARD tags on all the balloons. I went many times to Alomogordo AAF and White 

Sands--not necessarily for balloon flights. I worked on naval activity such as the thermal affects on 

SONAR. Concerning actual balloon construction, Wmzen of St Paul Minnesota, in association 

with General Mius, did most of the balloons. General Mills also did some balloon projects. 

Winzen made the first polyethelene (non-stretchable balloons). Fllght FS, I really did not get into 

the details of the individual fights or experiments. The polyethelene material was veq durable-it 

was designed not to burst--you could push a sharp thing through it but it would be difEcult to tear 

A% 
w 

it with vour hands. There was also debris collection on sticky -_ paper. - Most of the balloon projects 

were not concerned mith weather--that's why there weren't radiosondes on all the balloons.- The 

"cosmic ray train" was probably just a cosmic ray es 

were made ofsections and h3d tape reinforcements but mcall any specifics on the tape material. 

Mylar was not called that originaUy--it may have originated as polyethelene. All the poIyetheiene 

we use was of a translucent material. Neoprene was used during the ww, generally for 

meterological and artillery firing ballons. The artillery radar tracked the balloons with comer 

reflectors-this gave the minds aloft to assit the gunners. The radar reflectors were sheets of 

reflective mated and they changed over time but I don't recall the details of the changes. On 

reviewing Charlie Moore's letter, the acoustic detection relates with the atomic debris collection. 

The reflectors were for tracking and was made up of a meed paper or fabric. Charlie explains 

the flowers-I'd heard about the flowers before, don't remember where-we used whatever we had 

in the experimental realm. The targets were throw-aways-we didn't put a tag on them, maybe a 

radiosonde, but not a target. Such a train would make gouges (shallow) as it was dragging the 

ground. We used meterology as a cover story-it was a natural. It had a purpose beyond the 

project-we could use the constant level analysis of the constant pressure (isobaric) MI umstant 

altitude to study atmosphcrics mathematically-therefore using it was natural. hey's press 

conference-the Air Force position makes sense for the mistake that the PI0 made in his 

statements. (All the NYU personnel had left Alomogordo when the "mated" was brought insomeone stated that it may have been Col Duffy's and therefa sent it to him at Wright Patterson- 

-not because it was extraterrestial) It is a logical reason to send it (the debris fiom the desert) 

there-not because it was special-Col DufQ was a tine officer and I'm sure he'd recogniZc it. I 

was not aware of any association between our balloon projects and the alleged "RosweU incident" 

until this interview. I am not part of any conspiracy to withhold infonnation fiom either the US 

government or American public. There is no classified information that I am withholding related 

to this inquiry and I have new been threatened by US Government persons concerning not talking 

T.. qt on one of our ballons. The balloons 

- 

about this situation . 

SIGNED: 

WITNESS(s): 

Subscribed and swom to before me, a 

person authorized to administer oaths 

this 

3rd day of June 1994 

VA 

J@m* BUTLER, .. COL, USAF 
21 

Statement, with Hieroglyphic and 

Charles B. Moore 

June 8, 1994 

Balloon Train Drawings 

STATEMENT OF WITNESS 

Date: 8 Jun 94 PlaCC: NM 

CBd I, Charles B Moore, hereby state that Je* Butler, was identified as a Colonel, USAF and Jim 

McAndrcw, was identified as a Lieu!cnant, USAF on this date at my home and do hereby, 

voluntady and of my own frtt wilt, make the foIlowbg statement. This is done without having 

been subjected to any coercion, unlawfid influence or unlawfid inducement. 

I was the Project Engineer for the NYU balloon project during the 1947 time frame. I was not 

aware that the project had the name MOGUL until 1992 when 1 was contacted by an individual 

who was working on some rescar& related to the "Roswell Incident" and the relationship to the 

NYU balloon project. Our ody purpose for the NYU group was to devtlop COIlstant 1-1 

balloons. In the early flights at Alomocgodo, starting in June, 1947, we used radar targets to track 

the balloons (not all the balloons had targets). Some of the targets were apparently manufbchmd 

by a toy or novelty company. Ed Istvan was the procurement officer and he had contacted some 

company that txtruded toothpaste tubes as well as radar chaff. The early balloons were made of 

neoprene andmaaufacapedprhnadybythe Dewey Atmy company m CIlmbridgt and the 

I<aysam company. Dewcy balloons were dip type and the Kaysam ones were cast m a mold. The 

neoprene balloons were susceptible to degrsdation m sunlight turning hm a translucent milky 

white to a dark brown. Some of the material would almost look like dadc gray or black Bakes or 

ashes after exposure to thc sun for only a few days. The balloon mattrial and radar wet material 

would be scatted aftcrntrpniagto the ddepcnding on the surfkc winds. The balloon 

material also had a peculiar acrid odor due to plasticizers and anti-oxidants. Thtre is a recollection 

fiom another procuemeat pcrson (F'etcrson) that he had obtained radar reflectom fkom a toy 

manufacturer. I have a specific rcwllection of rtinforcisg tape applied to the scams ofthe 

reflectors that had some symbols such as arcs, flowers, circles and diamonds. These wen pinkish 

m color. To my knowledge, them were no radar reflcctora m New Mexico m 1947 like the ones 

we used until the NYUgmup arrivtd nLc Colurnbiagroup was prhnariryirrvohncdm developing 

low frequency microphones for long range dctcdon of explosions. There was intense pr#glm for 

these dmlopmcnts, the umstant ahihldt balloons and the microphone gear. I was hhed in 

against Japan. Our subsequent work with the balloons and microphones was highty classified and 

we didn't know that there was a project name until 1992. Concaning the make up of the balloon 

trahs, we used braided or twistcd nylon lines-thm were no rnmoiilament lines during the 1947 

time he. Some of the balloons m early June carried radar targets for tracking purposes since 

we did not have radiosonde 

pressure waves where we didn't have the Watson Lab microphone gar. An the radiosondes were 

covertnd m white painted cardboard; I don't recall the color of the sonobouys lmt I believe they 

were covered m metal. On review of the photos m the RanWSchmia book, the material looks 

like one of our balloon and target assemblies. The wooden beams were made of a balsa wood that 

had been coated m an Ehnm-like glut. The targets had eyelets where the vatious strings were 

attached. The 307(B) modcl was more of an aluminum foil material than the 307(C) modd, 

which was more of an ahmmuzcd paper. Thetargctsweuscdappeadmonfragilethanthelater 

c p A. 

A4 

1945 in China-B~rma-India for the instaflation and maintaining Of WCBthct tquipment in the W~T 

with us.Some also CaRicd sonobow for detecting the 

.. 

q3d 
CRd 

modeL I think that Flight #4 was the t&ht that was launched out of hogordo on June 4,1947. 

This is based on Dr. Crary's actual diary of the launch and other events. This is also one of those 

events where we went to multiple radar targets because we were not having good success with 

smgle targets. This flight was with muhiple balloons and targets and may have had a sonobouy 

(black box?). The Watson Lab gear was the microphone Csuipmcnt specScaUy for MOGUL. 

The idea was proposed in a 1945 letter from Dr EWing (Woods Hole and Columbia) to G~II 

Spaatz that we might be able to detect nuclear blasts ~ pressure waves and low fkcqucncy 

microphones. This was developed fnnn a study of the 1883 Krakatoa cxl~losion where the 

presswe waves circled the earth sevcn times. Dr Cmy was sent to Ascension island (the 

antipodal) to attempt to detect the Croseroads shot for Operation Crossroads on Kilohuea or 

Bikini. He didn't get anything. In December, 1946, Dr Cmy was sent to Alomogordo to mn the 

field stations for MOGUL. There were several ground microphone sites for detecting blasts 

(bombs) detonated off the New Jersey coast. He also initiated activities off Bmuda and Panama. 

Dr Cmy and Dr Peoples were the advance people and schlilic monitors for our project. Dr 

Peoples told us to use the cover story of meteorology and to enforce the need-to-know-m fact I 

had been reluctant to discuss any of this until only a few years ago. Your letter (SAF/AA) is the 

5 first official document rvt seen that says this is declassified. Concerning the Japanese balloons, 

we did not use any of them for MOGUL. We didn't pattem our work after the Japantst balloons. 

We were very secretive of our work, but the .cover story waa not a detailed developed cover story. 

Our new hires were not even aware of the purpose. They thought they werej\Lst handling 

meteorological equipment. Any of the flights that had "tags" would have stated, "Research 

Balloon Flight, Request Return to NYU". The "service tlights" for Dr Peoples were specific ones 

canying the microphone gear. The radar test flights were not recorded. Them was a lot of 

pressure to develop the constant level balloons. The tracking was to be done by the Watson Labs 

radar for the V-2 launches, etc. Starting in early June, 1947 the 307(B) targets came from NYU. 

We also launched TNT on some of the balloons to simulate airbmts for detection. AU of these 

balloons were accounted for. These and the radar test flights had no tags-we did not want these 

to be associated with our project and the explosive ones would all be destroyed with pressure 

switches. To my knowledge, the NYU group were the only ones using balloons in New Mexico 

during this time but others were involved in other activities so debris fiom rockets, aircraft 

dropsondes, etc. may have been found throughout this area. Initially we did not coordinate any of 

CUT balloon launches with the Civil A~MU~~CS Administration. We had no contact with any of 

the Roswell personnel- although Cmy or Peoples may have. There were two July 8th press 

releases: in the earlier release, Col J D Ryan stated that radar ieflectors were bcing used to track 

balloons for wind information. July 8th is the same day the NYU group returned to "U, so we 

had no contact with the Roswell personnel when the announcemnt was made concenhg having 

found the "discs". When we heard the news back in New York, we joked that they probabv 

found one of our balloons. From that time up until about 1980, no one, officially or otherwise 

made any contact with me concerning the possible association between MOGUL and the "Roswell 

incident"( it was in about 1980 that William Moore contacted me and asked questions about 

balloons malung "gouges" in the earth). The July loth Alomorgodo News article shows a 

demonstration of some of our multiple balloons and target trains. We had no one there so it was 

surprising to see this. It ahhost appears that there was some type of "umbrella cow story" to 

protect our work with MOGUL. c ,4.d 
I can think of no other explanation for Roswell than one of our carty June service flight balloons. 

If one of our balloons went down there was no shroud of secrecy about it. We would attempt to 

recover the flight gear when possiile, but the reflectors, balloons, and microphone equipment was 

expendable. We went to no great effort to rtcovc~ the quipment and we ccdniy would not 

cordon off an area where one of our balloons went down. We would sometimes send out 3-4 men 

to recover the equipment if we knew where it went down. The July loth Alomqordo News 

report was a good cover-it dots not appear to be a coincidence-I don’t know who may have 

initiated it. Trakowski does not recall being involved m a cow story in one of my conversdtiolls 

with him. In New Mexico during 1947, all of our balloon operations were launched hm 

Al;rmogordoAAF* cpni. 

@ fw I am not part of any conspiracy to withhold infodon hm cithcr the US govenrmcnt or 

hexicam public. There is no class&d infixmation that I am withholding related to this inquiry 

and I have never becn threatened by US Government persons umccmingrc~ hm talking 

about this situation . CRd 

SIGNED: 

WITNESS(s): 

SubQaibed and swom to before me, a 

peswm authd to administer oaths 

this 

8thdayofJune 1994 fi rNM 

S MCAI&X&W, ILT, USAF JT 
Tape reinforcement of panel attachment to the balsa wood 

!I White paper side of reflective panel 

Reflective panel made 

of aluminum-coated paper 

Balsa wood, 

approximately 

8 mm square I 

Cemented 2 

joint 

Aluminum aide 

MY RECOLLECTION OF THE REFLECTOR MATERIAL ATTACHMENT TO THE BALSA WOOD PIECES 

ON THE ML-307/AP PILOT BALLOON RADAR TARGETS IN 1947. 

AN APPROXIMATE REPRODUCTION OF THE FIGURES PRINTED ON THE TARGET-REINFORCING TAPE 

(This is not authoritative since I last saw one of these targets more than 

20 years ago.) 

C.R.i&& 

C.B. Moore 

Augurt 20, 1992 
Three to five sounding balloons. 

350 gram size, each inflated 

to about 4 feet in diameter 

- Wind 

1 Three ML-307 radar targets h (corner re f 1 e c t or s) 

(cut and let go free 

Restraining line 

at launch.) 

/ 

TYPICAL RADAR TARGET FLIGHT TRAIN USED BY THE NYU BALLOON GROUP IN 1947 

statement 

Albert C. T&ow& 

STATEMENT OF WITNESS 

Date: 29 Jun 94 Place: VA 

I, Albert C. Trakowslu, hereby state that Jeflkey Butler, was identified as a Colonel, USAF and 

Jim McAndrew, was identified as a Lieutenant, USAF on this date at my home and do hereby, 

voluntarily and of my own fiee wdl, make the following statement. This is done without having 

been subjected to any coercion, unlandd influence or uniawfiil inducement. 

I was provided a background on the Air Force efforts related to the GAO audit and it's association 

with the "Roswell Incident" and project Mogul. I personally know all the persons that Col Butler 

identified to me as having been contacted in this effoa (Spilhaus, Moore, Lstvvan, Fletcher, Ms 

Duffy). I have also been contacted by several researchers and writers and discussed project Mogul 

and provided some documents to some of them. Robert Todd, rm not sure whether he was a 

believer or not. Charles Ziegler was worlung on the history of nuclear weapons detection 

capability. He had some lettdpapem that I did not have such as the lettcn, the Gen Spaatz 

directed the establishment of project Mogul. Carl Mock apparently wanted to establish the 

"incident" of RosweU as a UFO incident. Charlie Moore was primarily responsible for 

development of the constant level balloons for lifting the instrument packages. Concerning a cover 

story for the project Mogul, there was no planned cover story. I do not recall any documentation 

nor any efforts to develop a cover story even though the security for Mogul was of great concern. 

Charlie Mmre and Athel Spilhaus used meteorological research as a cover but this was a spur of 

the moment effort--it was an obvious answer to a query-there was no documentation for using 

meteorology. We never considered a.glanne4 cover story; we were concerned with security. 

I was the project officer succeeding Col Duf@ in approximately November 1946. My primary 

purpose was nuclear weapons and guided missiles detection programs. Previously, I was 

appointed as the laboratory chief in the Signal Corps as an Air Force officer in charge of the 

Spherics program and later for the development of weather radar. Since my background was in 

physics, I took over project Mogul. It was the only Top Secret project at Watson Labs and I was 

the Top Secret Control Officer, so I knew the impacts with security associated with the project. 

We moved fkom Watson Labs to Cambridge Me which combined became the Air Force 

Cambridge Research Center, and I became the Director of the Air Force Geophysics Lab (and 

remained so until 1949). Through 1949, I was the director of both MX968 and Mogul. As the 

Mogul director, I went to Alamorgordo hy Air Field in early July 1947, to observe the New 

York University balloon group. The "Roswell Incident" occurred after we had returned to Red 

Bank (Watson lab) NJ. I became aware of this only after Col called me from Wright Field 

firom his home. This was just an hfoxmational call, he just wanted to let me know that someone 

had come to him with some debris fiom New Mexico and he said, "this sure looked like some of 

the stuff that you launched fiom Alamorgordo." Duffy was very familiar with the various 
apparatus and materials for the project, so if he said that it was debris fkom the project, l'm sure 

that's what it was. He was not concerned with a breach of security for the project. 

Concerning the name Maj Pritchard, he may have worked for me but I don't recall him. I have no 

knowledge of any counterintelligence. or intelligence persons on the project or associated with my 

directorate at Watson or Cambridge Labs. When we took over the project, we were awm of the 

sensitivity of the project-we were aware that we were working in the open-it was a weakness of 

security because the activity could be observed. I never observed any of the balloon "trains" but I 

did see some of the early reflectors. Some of the reflectors were procured fkom sources out of 

nod channels. Some of the contractors lined up were not quite in concert with typical Signal 

Corps practices and procedures. Jack Peterson was very energetic and could make procurement 

actions take place. Ed Itsvan, who I believe actually arranged for production for some of the 

reflectors, actually went to a tay mandacturer in New York city to get some. It was kind of a 

standing joke. I remember that some of the prototype and prtproduction targets had this pink or 

purplish tape holding the material to the balsa beam. This tape had flowers and other designs on it. 

The reflectors were probably made starting in late 1944 but I do not recall how long the 

production run was. I do not recd any other specific attributes but they were geometrically and 

structurally simple. 

I am not part of any conspiracy to withhold information fkom either the US govenunent or 

American public. There is no classified infomation that I am withholding related to this inquiry 

and I have never been threatemed by US Government persons concerning refraining fiom talking 

about this situation . 

SIGNED: 

wITNESS(s): 

Subscn'bed and sworn to before me, a 

person authorized to administer oaths 

day of June 1994 at v%Lk 

BUTLER, COL, USAF .I 

S MCANDREW, lLT, USAF 'T 

, VA 


Transcript from 8 June 94, Interview with 

Professor Charles Moore 

(A) Professor Charles Moore 

Project Engineer - Project Mogul 

(Q) Colonel Jeff Butler 

(Q) Lieutenant Jim McAndrew 

8 June 1994 

A: ... Dr. Spilhaus, who you may have met, was really the 

Director of the project. 

Q: We talked with him last week. He sends you his 

He's a very interesting man to chat with. 

But I was essentially the project engineer and a 

regards. 

A: 

graduate student, whereas he was Director of Research at New York 

University at that time. 

documents related to Project Mogul and some of the other work 

that you and Dr. Spilhaus and others have done with the Constant 

Altitude balloon projects. According to Dr. Spilhaus, he said 

you would be the technical expert as it related to those types of 

projects in terms of the materials involved, the instrumentation, 

that sort of thing. Is that a pretty accurate statement? 

Q: We have gone through many of the various technical 

A: I think that's correct. 

Q: What we're really here for is to discuss this that came 

out in the newspaper and the General Accounting Office's 

investigation of how we deal with records, the acquisition, and 

ultimately disposition. There is an allegation that the 

Government is involved in a conspiracy and coverup of something 

that occurred in 1947, which is the allegation of their being 

some sort of flying disk, flying saucer, UFO, what have you. 

A: That's correct. 

Q: Of course the people who put out things such as this 

journal, MUFON, Mutual UFO Network, the books that have been 

written by William Moore, and Randall Schmidt, and others, a lot 

of the popular television shows, they've just exacerbated the 

situation where a lot of things, quotations, some of your 

quotations taken out of context. One of the individuals, 

Sheridan Cavitt, who at that time was a Counter-Intelligence 

Corps officer at [Roswell] Army Airfield who actual11 went out 

with Jesse Marcel to recover some material that has b?en alleged 

to be the results of a UFO which Colonel Cavitt specifically 

states looked like a weather balloon to him. 

A: I'm aware that he had been there, but I'd understood 

that other quotations had been attributed to him. 

Q: Yes, sir. As we go through this, I believe I've got a 

copy of essentially a statement he made to Colonel Weaver, whom 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 2 

you've talked with also. 

Cavitt two weeks ago. So a lot of the statements that have been 

attributed to Sheridan Cavitt, he says they're taken out of 

context. He refutes a lot of the information that appears in 

these various books. 

Colonel Weaver talked with Sheridan 

What I'd like to do, even though this is out of a popular 

UFO type of magazine, is there are some statements attributed to 

individuals concerning the material that was found, supposedly by 

Mac Brazel, somewhere northwest of Roswell, New Mexico. They 

talk in terms of materials that look like metallic foil, and 

specifically that "could not be bent or broken.'' 

As we've gone through the various research, what we believe 

to be Project Mogul was probably involved in this incident. The 

materials that were being used in Mogul included, of course, not 

only the polyethylene balloons, but included the neoprene 

balloons at some point, the various types of radar reflectors, 

the instrumentation that was being used. Is there any type of 

material from that project that you can think of that would be 

pliable, would be bendable, but could not be torn? Could any of 

the polyethylene or the foil-like radar reflectors, could that be 

the case? 

A: Let me get a picture for you. This is a radar 

reflector manufactured in 1953. It's the ML-307C. 

Q: Which is a little different from the B model that was 

used in 1947? 

A: Where this looks like a pine stick, the material on the 

ones we had, this was all balsa and somewhat smaller in diameter, 

but the configuration, with one exception ... This configuration 

of corners, these corners were the same thing. Here's a picture 

of this sort of target being used in 1948, and you can see we are 

launching multiple targets beneath this balloon. 

Q: Is this the same type of target as this, or is this the 

B model? 

A: This is the B model we flew in 1947 and 1948. Those 

are pictures of the B model. 

can see a sort of a discoloration, and that's where my memory of 

the reinforcing tape was that they talked about. 

as I remember, did not have these three vanes up here. You don't 

see particularly any suggestion in other photographs I have, I 

don't remember these which would make the thing rotate in flight. 

with a heavy laminated paper. So the material they talk about, I 

think, was derived from some version of this. 

If you look, faintly along here you 

The B models, 

But this, in the B models was more like an aluminum foil 

Q: They talk in terms of the material, being able to 

crumple it and releasing it, and it would unfold by itself and 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 3 

not leave any creases. 

be like aluminum foil, would crease and remain creased. 

A: It does have this paper laminate, and the paper, I 

think, was maybe a bit tougher on the earlier thing. 

no explanation for the fact that it couldn't be bent with a 

sledge hammer, as one of the people said, and couldn't be... 

This material looks like it would almost 

But I have 

Q: Burned? 

A: I think some of the balsa wood was dipped in something 

like Elmer's glue, and as a result had some sort of a glue 

coating on it which would make it somewhat resistant to burning. 

Q: I know in Colonel Weaver's discussions with Sheridan 

Cavitt, they talked about the aspect of burning. 

recall burning anything, but then his wife indicated that there 

had been one night they'd been out and had a barbecue and had a 

few beers and that Jesse Marcel just took a piece and stuck it in 

the barbecue and then pulled it back out. So if that's what 

they're using to say it wouldn't burn, that's what we consider 

typically testing a material for burning or not. 

A: I need to say here, you need to qualify everything I 

say with the memory of almost 50 years ago. I will say things 

that are to the best of my memory, but on the other hand, should 

other evidence indicate my memory is faulty, I readily accept 

that. So I'll state things to the best of my memory, but... 

He did not 

I have a memory that there was something like Elmer's 

glue ... behind. 

There was a problem in attaching this to the paper 

Q: Going back to the reinforcing tape and things, there 

were discussions concerning unusual symbols and almost like 

hieroglyphics -- purple, pinkish in nature, that sort of thing. 

A: I don't know if I sent Colonel Weaver a copy of the 

sketch. 

Q: No, we did not see that. 

A: Robert Todd, who has been a person very interested in 

trying to get to the truth of this, asked me to make a sketch of 

what I remember. A couple of years ago, or a year or so ago, I 

made this sketch, and this is my memory of what was there, 

I do remember every time I prepared one of these targets for 

flight, I always wondered why these figures were on the tape. 

There was always a question of why they were there, When this 

purplish-pink marking on the debris came up, I immediately 

remembered this sort of marking. Other people, I have a letter 

here from one of my technicians, who says oddly he remembers the 

same marking. You, perhaps, have talked to Albert Trakowski.. . 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 4 

Q: We have tried to reach Colonel Trakowski, and he has 

not returned our calls. We've left messages on his answering 

machine, and there's been no response. 

A: He may be out of town. 

and he made the point that... He was our project officer. He 

and I served together under Colonel Duffy in the Air Force 

Liaison Office in 1943 to... Well, I went overseas in '44 but 

Trakowski stayed and took a commission in the Air Force when it 

was offered and was the project officer on Mogul. I have some 

paperwork here from General LeMay's files in which after the war 

a number of people were to be sent overseas because they had not 

had overseas duty. There is a history of Colonel Trakowski. 

Perhaps you have it from the Pentagon files already, from the AG 

files. 

I did visit him last October, 

Q: We have some records, yes. 

A: Anyway, Albert Trakowski was the Watson Laboratory 

project officer on this. When I raised this question to him he 

said he had talked to John Peterson, one of Colonel Duffy's 

procurement men, and they were joking about these markings on the 

tape. I have a letter that I can give you a copy of in which I 

quote Trakowski in saying, "What do you expect when you have your 

targets made by a toy factory in Manhattan?" 

Q: So essentially, the original targets were made by a toy 

company? 

A: Well, it's either a toy company or a garment 

manufacturer in the garment district in Manhattan, or it was by a 

novelty company. I talked to Ed Istvan who was another one of 

the Air Force liaison office people who stayed in. Istvan lives 

in your area. I can give you documentation on these things. 

Istvan says that it was some outfit that extruded toothpaste 

tubes and he got involved with them because they made radar 

chaff. In the early days of this effort, there were a number of 

different targets made. I don't have them here, I have them 

downstairs, there were a number of different forms the targets 

were made. One idea was just the inside of a meteorological 

balloon, to put radar chaff and adhere it with glycerine. Just 

wet the inside of the balloon with glycerine and then shake in 

dipoles cut to the proper half wave length. When the balloons 

were inflated, these would be all on the inside, coating the 

inside of the balloon. 

target that the corner reflector gave. 

This didn't give nearly the sort of 

But anyway, Istvan initially went to New York hunting for a 

(Pause) 

source of supply and came across a company. 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 5 

A: ... much of which we can copy and make it easier for 

you. These are balloon fragments, things that held balloons [up] 

after they'd been exposed to the sun. 

Q: Is this the neoprene type or the... 

A: That's the neoprene type. I have the polyethylene 

type.. . 

Q: Is this from the '47 era? 

A: That's a balloon probably from the '50s. That's a KSan balloon. The kind of balloons we used then were the 

(inaudible) derricks balloons, and that's the way they look after 

they've been out in the sun. That's about three weeks' exposure 

to sunlight here in New Mexico. 

Q: So the polyethylene really is degraded by sunlight. 

A: That's neoprene. All that's neoprene. 

Q: This almost looks like ashes of paper. 

A: That's right. And there's a big point in some of the 

recovery that the material was black... 

Here is the list of the people who,were assigned under 

Colonel Duffy in the Air Force liaison office. Istvan's name 

you'll find in there. He ended up being in the Titan program 

and, I think, retired as a lieutenant colonel maybe back in the 

'70s. 

Schneider was the administrative director of our project. 

He and I worked together. He was in Maine, and was not really 

technically involved. I have letters from him if you're 

interested in seeing them. He says he has no memory of this. 

A person who was heavily involved in developing this whole 

radar thing was Colonel Joe Fletcher. I wrote him a letter 

asking for his help and he essentially says he doesn't remember 

much. 

Q: He's also been hounded by some of these UFO... 

A: And by Todd and by me. 

Q: So it appears as though you, yourself, have done some 

extensive research into this particular incident. 

A: Until two years ago, I was quite convinced one of our 

polyethylene balloons we didn't recover caused it. 

this newspaper, Todd sent me this, and I immediately saw there's 

no way that could be a polyethylene balloon. 

Then I got 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 6 

Q: W.W. Brazel mentions eyelets which appear in the 

reflectors. There's also, on the polyethylene balloons, the 

shroud however you had it hooked on there. There's eyelets 

around the base. There was a ring at the neck of the balloon and 

then there were attach points to that ring, were there not? 

A: But there were no eyelets. 

Q: I believe there were. I've reviewed the New York 

University documents and there's a very clear depiction in one of 

them of eyelets. 

A: Okay, I was thinking of the later... Here are the NYU 

Q: In one of the configurations they clearly show eyelets 

reports, the originals of them. 

in the drawing. 

Q: Going back to Brazel, you state that you think it could 

not be one of the polyethylene balloons. He indicates in this 

newspaper article that he actually found the debris in mid-June, 

however it didn't subsequently come out until July. 

A: You're right. That is in one of the polyethylene 

balloons, you're correct. I fall back on my plea that my memory 

isn't.. . 

Q: It comes into depending on what Brazel was speaking 

about. 

A: There are clearly eyelets here. In fact there's a 

little swivel. 

He talks about the smoky gray rubber... 

Q: Which these samples here, as you say, if they'd only 

been out for a short time, a matter of days, smoky gray, that's a 

very good description of what they looked like. 

A: And when you first retrieve it has a bad odor. And 

people talked about there being a burned odor. 

We need to talk about these neoprene balloons because they 

came in different... There were two manufacturers -- one, Dewey 

&I Olney in Cambridge manufactured with a dip process and they had 

very much the appearance, if you will, of a condom. They were an 

ivory colored jell. The Kaysam company in Patterson made a cast 

neoprene emulsion into a mold, and then they inflated the mold. 

They had to put a lot of plasticizers so they could take this wet 

jell and inflate it and make it into a meteorologic balloon. 

This is a Kaysam balloon here, which I think is not a good 

candidate. 

Q: Kaysam? 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 7 

A: A guy named Sam Kay formed a company and it was called 

Kaysam. In fact I have, and you're welcome to them... 

(Pause) 

A: Kaysam balloons because of the way they were made, and 

this jell that had to be inflated had this ring, cardboard ring 

put in them. That's the neck of a Kaysam balloon, and here are 

more modern Kaysam balloons, the sort that are still being flown. 

Q: These are just used for the typical meteorological type 

balloons. 

A: Carry radio (inaudible), that's correct. 

Dewey t Olney have gone out of the business and Kaysam 

bought them out. Here's a Kaysam balloon that is made by a dip 

mold. This is somewhat indicative, I think, of the way one of 

those balloons of the type we're using. As you can see on 

exposure just to ordinary light, they discolor. But these are 

balloons that were made probably in the '70s. 

with plasticizer and anti-oxidants for ozone, they certainly 

change in appearance. The balloons we... 

As they change 

I have pictures here, pictures in the hangar. There, as you 

can see, these are the ivory colored balloons of the sort we were 

flying. This is the balloon you just found the eyelets on in the 

hangar. These are pictures from the 1947 era where we're getting 

ready to fly the 15 foot H.A. Smith balloon. 

Q: The reinforcing tape on these balloons, these 

polyethylene balloons, we were told is a type of acetate. It had 

none of this symbology, is that correct? 

A: None at all. 

Q: So the symbology on the tape was only related to the 

radar reflectors. 

A: That's correct. Here is a later model polyethylene 

balloon, and it's a little thinner than the ones we were flying, 

but there's a polyethylene balloon. 

Q: It looks like polyethylene sheeting that I would use to 

cover up... 

Q: 

bag quality. 

cleaner bags . 

I've also heard the early balloons described as carrot 

Material they would use in a carrot bag. Dry 

Q: Dry cleaner bags. We think of them as being very 

fragile, but materials from this time frame have been described 

as durable -- something you couldn't tear with your hands. 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 8 

A: That's about two mil polyethylene here. 

Q: Obviously, you could tear this. 

A: This was four mil. These balloons that we had... 

That's Flight 8. These are the little balloons here that are 

seen from the air. 

Q: From a B-17? 

A: I think this was a C-45. We did, indeed, have B-17's 

attached to us, and C-54's. But I think this was trying to chase 

Flight 8 down. 

thought might have been, until two years ago, I thought might 

have been an explanation for what occurred. 

This was one of the candidate flights that I 

Q: Why did you change your mind at that point? 

A: Because of that newspaper report right there. 

Q: Because of him saying that he actually found the 

material in mid-June? 

A: No, because he said it was balsa sticks and smoky 

rubber and had those curious markings on that. That's a very 

vivid memory I have of these markings on the radar targets we 

flew. 

Q: You said you often wondered why those markings were on 

there. Had you ever resolved that for yourself? 

A: Only what Albert Trakowski told me, that our friend 

John Peterson, the procurement man, was just joking, 'What else 

do you expect when you have your targets made by a toy factory?" 

Let me go back, if I may. Colonel Duffy was assigned to 

extract meteorological-equipment out of the Signal-Corps in 1943. 

There was a great argument that went on between the Army Air 

Force and the Signal Corps. The Signal Corps didn't want to let 

any meteorological equipment out until he thought it was perfect. 

At the same time, General Arnold was expanding for a global war, 

and was trying to get meteorological equipment all around the 

earth. So Colonel Duffy got assigned to expedite the equipment. 

As various of us graduated from the meteorological cadet schools, 

he took those of us with engineering backgrounds and assigned us 

to bird dog various things within the Signal Corps engineering 

laboratories. I got assigned to... I ended up with some 

appendicitis and got pulled off of an overseas shipment, and 

while I was recovering I got assigned to prepare this manual that 

Colonel Duffy, he was unhappy with the rate at which Signal 

manuals were coming out so he wanted a loose leaf arrangement to 

send things out. So I got assigned to prepare this manual. 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 9 

, 

At the same time, then Captain Fletcher was assigned ... Duffy had heard that weather was giving trouble to radar, so 

Colonel Duffy just turned around and said, "Gee, you mean radar 

can pick up weather?" And ended up with Captain Fletcher being 

assigned to both convert this for looking at storm clouds and 

also to make wind measurements. There was a big problem, the 

Weather Bureau prior to World War I1 determined upper winds 

merely by releasing a pilot balloon, following with the 

(inaudible), and estimating the rate of rise, and then from the 

elevation and azimuth angles and the assumed height after a 

certain time, to calculate what the winds were. 

Q: Is that the Boford Scale? 

A: Well, Boford was Navy, that was the Na vy... 

Q: Like taking a Pi Ball reading now. 

A: Exactly. It was called a Pi Ball then and it is now. 

Colonel Duffy pushed very heavily to get electronic means for 

'measuring winds aloft. There were two approaches. One, use a 

radar target, and the SCR-584 with which you may be familiar -- 

the early gun-laying radar. Colonel Duffy talked to the field 

artillery that was procuring through the Signal Corps, gun-laying 

radar, the SCR-584, which is, that's this radar right here. 

Q: We've seen that photo before. 

A: This is Spilhaus's book. So Fletcher ended up with a 

whole bunch of his own 2nd lieutenants around. There was a Jud 

Tibbett from whom I have a photograph showing an earlier model 

target, the A Model target. Istvan was one. There are a bunch 

of them listed. This listing is for you if you'd like to have 

it. 

Tibbetts ended up being the big installer of radar and, in 

fact, was assigned down to the Tulerosa Range Camp to make wind 

measurements for the Trinity shot, the test in 1945. As far as I 

know, that was the first time these targets had been used in New 

Mexico. Tibbetts, who until recently lived in Albuquerque, he's 

now moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. Tibbetts says that he did not 

ever fly this kind of target in New Mexico, which will be of 

interest with you when they talk about, that people should have 

known what a target looked like. 

Q: Right. There were discussions concerning having radar 

targets, but supposedly the B Model and subsequent models were 

brand new, had never flown anything like that in this area. 

A: According to Tibbetts, the A Model had bit aerodynamic 

drag. 

coming down that made a corner reflector. 

like... 

another surface, and this is yet another, and they were held by 

It was a flat plane of aluminum foil and had two triangles 

This is one surface, this is 

The A Model looked 

Then across here was that. 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 10 

strings from these four corners. Obviously, trying to take 

something that's almost a meter in cross section, a meter on a 

side, take it sideways up through, gave a lot of drag, and it 

took a lot of lift to make the balloons rise very rapidly. 

So instead, somebody came up with this smart idea of this 

other arrangement of a corner reflector that had much less drag. 

These, according to Tibbetts, weren't distributed until something 

like November of 1945. As far as I know, as you will see in the 

various correspondence, there were no SCR-584s which were 

required to track them, issued to the weather services here in 

New Mexico. Obviously, after the Trinity shot, there was no bit 

military operation that required wind determination in New 

Mexico. 

Q: So essentially you'd say there were no radar reflectors 

in New Mexico until 1947 until this appeared? 

A: That's my opinion. 

Q: Was Major Pritchard doing any kind of balloon project? 

A: No. He and Dyvad and others were at Watson 

Laboratories, 

Air Field was about to be closed down as surplus. The people at 

Watson Laboratories seized on it and were able to keep it on 

active status for two projects -- one, the radar project from 

Watson Laboratories that was set to track the V-2 being flown 

from the proving ground across the Tulerosa Valley; and Project 

Mogul, 

I understand from Trakowski that Alamagordo Army 

I joined the NYU group in January of '47, and while I was 

finishing up at Georgia Tech I had talked to my chemical 

engineering professors, I'd already been recruited by Duffy and 

Spilhaus, and I asked if you wanted to make a balloon of nonextensible material, what plastic would you use. My professor 

named Grubb told me you ought to consider polyethylene. It's a 

new plastic just now becoming available. You can heat seal it. 

It has a lot of desirable properties. 

So as soon as I got to NYU, I began talking to everybody I 

could find in Manhattan -- DuPont, all the sales offices,.. 

Q: We saw your listing. 

A: I was concerned with where we could get the plastic and 

who we could get to manufacture the balloons. 

just a recent graduate. I knew nothing about manufacturing. But 

we did try to get a manufacturing company that would fabricate 

balloons for us. 

I was in my 2Oos, 

During that period we heard of the Navy project that was 

going on at General Mills where Jean Get was planning to make a 

flight to 100,000 feet. General Mills at that time was making 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 11 

balloons out of a Goodyear film called pliofilm. It was a vinyl 

chloride that just went to hell when exposed to sunlight. It 

really came apart. So I'm very proud that we began pushing them 

for polyethylene balloons. With some difficulty we got Otto 

Winzen who was the entrepreneur and promoter, working with Get, 

and we got him to make these balloons you see here in the design 

that was being planned for Project Helios, with the pliofilm 

balloons. At the same time we got an entrepreneur who was even 

faster acting, and that was this fellow A.J. Smith. A one-man 

shop. He would do anything for money. He, indeed, did. With no 

great technical background, he made a number of these balloons 

for us. 

Q: Kind of a garage type of affair where he would sit down 

and make them one by one and... 

A: I don't know. He got some girls and got some assembly 

workers, for a contract from us. Anyway, we got these balloons 

going, made visits to Minneapolis to push General Mills. The 

pressure from the Air Force was enormous. There was a similar 

problem, of course, in developing microphones that would pick up 

low frequency sound waves with Columbia. There was much 

enthusiasm, in testing these microphones. 

Q: How did you come to join the Army Air Force? 

A: When World War I1 broke out I applied for pilot 

training, and so did everybody else. Because I was a senior at 

Georgia Tech in a chemical engineering course with a fair amount 

of thermodynamics and other things, I got diverted into the 

meteorological cadet program. I still wanted to be a pilot but I 

got diverted into the meteorological cadet program, and the next 

class that I could join didn't start until December of '42. I 

joined up sometime in '42. So I went through the meteorological 

cadet program and found I was a lousy forecaster, but I did end 

up, when Spilhaus came recruiting for people with engineering 

background, I got recruited into Colonel Duffy's liaison office. 

Q: Was that directly for General Arnold's staff? 

A: I was assigned, believe it or not, to Headquarters, Air 

I was a 

Force... I still have the Headquarters Air Force [rondelles]. I 

ended up being assigned to Headquarters, Army Air Force. 

second lieutenant. 

Q: So you got recruited by, at that time, Captain 

Spilhaus. 

A: Right, and I got sent to the Weather Equipment 

Technician School in Spring Lake, New Jersey, essentially Fort 

Monmouth. When I finished the training course for radiosonde and 

for maintenance of equipment, I was headed for North Africa, and 

I had a medical problem. 

assigned back to Colonel Duffy. I remained there. I finished 

When I got out of the hospital, I was 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 12 

this manual in '44. I was commissioned in September of '43, 

finally, and then finished the school in November, was assigned 

to write this manual which was finished in the summer of '44, and 

then I got an assignment to China. 

Q: With Dr. Spilhaus? - 

A: No. 

CBI and the Spilhaus came over later. 

going very much better. 

storm detection system, the spheric system, the predecessor of 

what's used now for lightning detection, the storm scopes, and 

the LLP. If you're familiar with LLP, the lightning location 

system.. . 

I ended up being the weather equipment officer for 

At that time the war was 

Spilhaus and Duffy had a long range 

Q: 

A: We have one of the stations here on campus. And we 

Used by the Weather Service. 

actually have, if you're interested later on we'll go over and 

show you, we have a map of the lightning strokes over the entire 

U.S. as they occur. 

laboratory. 

We have a read-out right here in our 

Q: So you're doing that work from China? 

A: Spilhaus came over with the spherics net, it was 

called, and got a station installed in Chianting, China to work, 

of course, for the bombing of Japan. 

think the summer of '45 is when he came over. We had the radio 

wind, the ra-win, the SCR-658s, we had a number of them that were 

being installed. We had one up in Yunan in the communist area; 

we had several of them in China for getting good wind 

measurements. Spilhaus had been involved in that. I think by 

'45 it was clear that things would be over relatively soon. 

thought we'd be back in '48. In any event, he got an assignment 

over to 10th Weather in the summer of '45 and came over. 

So Spilhaus came over I 

We 

Q: At what point did you ever hear the term long range 

detection? 

A: That's a good question. I didn't know the name Mogul 

I knew what we 

until Robert Todd told me two years ago. I'd never heard the 

name Mogul -- the classification was that high. 

were doing. When "Helgolandnl was exploded in April of '47, we 

had balloons in the air. We launched balloons out of the Watson 

Laboratory, actually Eatontown, what had been the Eatontown 

Signal Laboratory, but I think it was now Watson Laboratory. In 

any event, we launched a string of balloons, even though we 

didn't have [constant-level) balloons, we still carried 

microphones aloft and a C-54 orbited overhead and followed the 

balloons out to sea. I have no idea about the results that they 

got 

Q: Did you number that balloon flight? 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 13 

A: No, we didn't. 

Q: Not a letter or a number? 

A: Wait a minute. The answer is, I don't know. 

Q: If you did give it a letter or a number would it be 

on... There are some of these flights that appeared to have no 

sequence number and they were talking in terms of being service 

flights and the impression that we got was that the service 

flights were either test flights just to check the balloons out 

or they were the highly classified flights where the information 

was not being logged into essentially an unclassified document. 

A: You notice that Flight 1 was made from Bethlehem, 

Pennsylvania. 

Q: The football field there? 

A: LeHigh, exactly. That's where we did it, from the 

football field. And we did this because a professor at NYU had 

just gone to head up the physics department at LeHigh and he 

invited us over. His name was Frank, Butler keeps coming to 

mind, but I'm not sure that's the right name. Anyway, we went 

there and that was for an early, early attempt for Helgoland. I 

think the Helgoland explosion got scrubbed, but we had balloons 

in the air from this and we were woefully not ready. We had all 

sorts of problems. We adopted the balloon technique that a 

cosmic ray investigator at NYU, a fellow named Sergei Korf, we 

adopted his technique and we had a lot to learn. We got our 

hands torn up with nylon line being pulled through it as we 

couldn't hold the balloons down in the wind ... 

Q: Speaking of nylon line, were these braided type lines 

or were they monofilament type lines? 

A: Neither.. I think initially we used either parachute 

cord, which was braided. I don't remember the details of what we 

used, but we rapidly used that the radiosonde cord we used was 

not strong enough at all to hold the forces that came, so we went 

to what was called lobster twine. We used a lot of lobster twine 

that was twisted, a laid line that was used in lobster nets. 

Q: Do you recall there ever having been some sort of 

monofilament similar to the monofilament fishing line in any of 

the projects? 

A: I think there was none available at that time. My 

memory, the answer is yes, we've used an awful lot of 

monofilament and we use it now all the time. 

Q: 

A: I think it was not available. 

But at that time you don't think it was available? 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 14 

Q: The early nylon line, would it have degraded, such as 

the balloon material degraded, and maybe fused in the hot sun? 

A: I doubt it. If we had any it would have been white, 

which would have been a high (inaudible), would not have absorbed 

a lot of sunlight. 

Q: There were discussions about what appeared to be 

unbraided or unstranded fiber type lines. It's been alluded to 

that was the precursors to what we use for fiber optics today. 

The materials that were found. That's why I asked about the 

monofilament line. 

A: A lot of what we used early was a linen cord, not 

twisted, and it was indeed, a brown, a dull brown color. But 

because it was designed just for radiosonde balloons, and we 

rapidly exceeded its strength. So very quickly, and I don't know 

when, but we very quickly went over to this twisted lobster 

twine. 

To answer your question, there are three flights that are 

missing here -- two, three, and four. I've identified Flight 4. 

Flight 4 was a flight we made, and you don't have it there, but 

Flight 4 we made in Alamagordo something like June 2nd or 3rd of 

1947. The reason I have it identified is I have Albert Crary's 

diary. The scientific end of the group was heavily based from 

Columbia University. It was Dr. James Peoples who was an 

employee of Watson Laboratory, and there was an Albert Crary who 

had been a graduate student under Dr. Ewing. 

Q: Who later also was an employee of... 

A: Who was then an employee of Watson Laboratory. I have 

Crary's diary. Here is a translation... 

(END OF SIDE) 

A: ... Here is the diary starting May 24, '47, and on May 

28 he has "B-17 from Watson with Mirs, Hackman, NYU and Alden, 

they plan to test fly balloons tomorrow. 

recording equipment due to leave Watson Laboratories Saturday. 

Got everything ready for Hermes Rocket today.'' 

May 29th. ''Mirs and Hackman got balloon ascension off at 

1:00 p.m. today without plane to follow it. 

Donyo. Bill and I out to E. White Sands to record Hermes." 

Other gang with 

Don and Godby out to 

I've marked the key things here with red, and then I've 

given you a page without my red if you have any need for that. 

June lst, ''C-47 with Moore, Schneider and others from NYU, 

also Irewin, Minton, Olson, NYU men worked on balloons, north 

hangar. 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 15 

June 4th, "Out to Tulerosa Range and fired charges between 

0-0 and 0-6" something. "NO balloon flight again on account of 

clouds. 

good luck with receiver on ground but poor on plane." 

that's Flight 4 right there. 

Q: So that's June 4th. 

A: As to that flight made by Mirs and Hackman earlier, we 

Flew regular sonobuoy mike with cluster balloons and had 

I think 

have no record of it here in the NYU summary. 

Q: If he flew that on June 4th and it carried the 

microphones, the radar reflectors, that would have been with a 

neoprene type balloon. 

There were no plastic balloons delivered until the 28th 

or 29th of June that year. 

Helgeland flight that we made and the other flight, they were all 

meteorological balloons prior to late June. 

A: 

So everything as evidenced on the 

Q: That would have also had the B Model reflector, this 

type of reflector, but the B Model? 

A: My memory is that Jim Peoples, because we were being 

It was 

sent down by B-17 and by air, didn't let us take the radiosonde 

receiving equipment which at that time was very heavy. 

like a 500 pound rack with a receiver, frequency meter, recorder, 

etc., and we weren't allowed to use that. Instead, the idea was 

that Peoples would provide tracking on the balloons with radar 

targets and so on. So this is where I think the radar targets 

come in. If you look in these reports you'll find here 

statements, radiosonde reception, and you'll see 60 percent with 

recorder, 50 percent without recorder, 100 percent without 

recorder for June 5th. A hundred percent without recorder. 

so I think we tried the radar targets, as I remember, our 

contact who was a Captain Larry Dyvad found that they weren't 

able to track our flights at all. They had a radar that was 

entirely aimed at looking at the missiles. To look at slow 

moving balloons with poor signal return was difficult for them. 

So we started off with making single target flights. I think we 

went to multiple target flights, and still didn't have any 

success, so I began putting radiosondes and then just audibly, as 

the tones would change, I would log it on a piece of paper. I'd 

count the pressure... Are you familiar with radiosondes? 

Q: Somewhat. 

A: The commutator with the pressure contacts, etc. I 

would count contacts and record it and you'll see in some of 

these flight reports, there's two different interpretations 

possible, depending on what the contact sequence was. An 

ordinary radiosonde is very good for something that's going one 

way. But for something that's going to go up and float, you can 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 16 

have ambiguities. 

get the next pressure contact switch. You'll find that sort of 

uncertainty in describing the report. 

You don't know if it went up or down when you 

So I'm quite sure that as a result of the failure of the 

radar tracking, I went back and started using radiosondes even 

though I didn't have the right equipment. 

gear, the microphones, and it was also Columbia that was 

developing the low frequency microphones. You had all of that 

gear on these balloons, is that correct? 

Q: You mentioned a few moments ago the Watson Laboratory 

A: No, not on all of them. That mention of a sonobuoy 

microphone, in the early ... While the improved low frequency 

microphones were being designed and built, we flew on balloons, 

believe it or not, sonobouy used to detect submarines. We were 

flying sonobuoy microphones on the balloons. 

Q: But the material that's been identified as Watson Lab 

gear shows up as very generic in all of these reports and things. 

That was all part of Mogul also, is that correct? 

A: That's correct. I think what happened is because the 

Watson Laboratory radar wasn't very successful, I think we made a 

number of flights like this. I think I sent a sketch like that 

to you. We made a number of flights like that which was an 

unorthodox use of radar targets, and it's my opinion that the 

thing that caused the debris that was picked up was probably from 

a cluster of meteorological balloons carrying a cluster of 

targets. 

When something like the idea of a cluster balloon was not 

only to carry the weight, but was also to keep the target in the 

air for a long time. If one balloon burst, we still would have 

enough buoyancy for awhile to keep the thing airborne. When it 

would come to the ground this would drag along the ground and get 

shredded, but this would still be carried downwind until another 

balloon would burst, whereupon this one would start getting 

shredded. 

such a large area was, indeed, because it was a cluster, it was 

multiple targets and cluster balloons. 

So I think the explanation of why things were over 

Q: Of course the issue of the large area has been 

different in different reports. 

200 yards, Cavitt in his description, described it in terms of 

his living room which was not that large. 

Different people have stated the 

A: Even a single target, if it came down, wouldn't have 

filled a single living room, but a multiple target, begins 

dragged sideways and then blown transversally by any later winds, 

could have filled a reasonable area. 

Q: And left pieces of debris everywhere. Depending on... 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 17 

A: What the wind did. 

The description that Braze1 gives here that everything would 

weigh about five pounds when it was all together, is more than 

you would have gotten from a single balloon. 

something like that? 

At that time we didn't 

have any bigger balloons than 350 grams, so the balloons would 

have been 350 grams. 

Q: 

A: 

Those were measured in terms of 300 to 500 grams or 

Three hundred and fifty only. 

Q: About one pound. 

A: Correct. And the targets are nominally maybe a quarter 

of a pound. 

Q: 

A: Here was the specification spelled out for it. 

Approximate weight, 100 grams. These, as I say, are somewhat 

heavier than the ones we had. 

Those targets are only four to five ounces? 

Q: 

sort of glue such as Elmer's glue. 

You indicated that the balsa wood was coated with some 

. 

A: That's my memory. It wasn't completely coated. Some 

of it was and some of it wasn't. 

Q: Some of the balsa wood is fairly dense, as far as being 

durable, and one of the descriptions concerning this @@wood-likeol 

material was that you couldn't dent it with your fingernail. So 

if you have a fairly dense balsa wood coated with a glue, it may 

be quite possible that a person would not be able to put their 

fingernail in it. 

material was more aluminum foil than here. These are second or 

third iteration targets, as evidenced by this picture, wherever 

that picture is down in here of the 1948 flight. It certainly 

looks more aluminum-foil like. 

A: That's correct. It's my memory that the reflective 

Q: What year were you discharged from active duty? 

A: '46. 

Q: Before you left active duty, while you were still 

working with Duffy and Spilhaus, did they invite you to join the 

staff at New York University, or to continue your studies there? 

A: I came back from overseas and was assigned to Colonel 

Duffy's, he had a little flight detachment assigned to him with a 

8-29 and a B-25 and some other aircraft. I ended up being the 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 18 

executive officer of a flight detachment at Newark Airport. I 

got back from overseas in February of '46, I think. After 

getting out of the replacement depot, I got assigned back to 

Colonel Duffy and was assigned at Newark. 

leave something like July of '46 and went back to Georgia Tech 

and finished two quarters. I had two quarters to finish at 

Georgia Tech. While I was at Georgia Tech I began working with 

a microwave, an anonymous propagation research group that turned 

out, oddly enough, was under Colonel Duffy's direction. I didn't 

know it. 

but I had a student assistanceship working on that. 

I went on terminal 

It had nothing to do with my getting deployed there, 

I made some report, and my name came back in front of 

Colonel Duffy in September, I think, of '46, and I got asked to 

come up to his office. I think he was still at Bradley Beach, 

Sharp River Hills Hotel there near Belmar, New Jersey. When I 

was there, who should come in but Spilhaus. They told me they 

had a problem involving balloons and asked if I would be 

interested in working with them, and they offered me a graduate 

assistanceship at NYU, and I wanted to go to graduate school in 

physics, so I was delighted to have that opportunity. That was 

either September or October of '46. 

Q: So Spilhaus, since he was on the staff there, he 

A: Yes, he did. 

invited you to come to New York University. 

Q: So you went to New York University when? 

A: Right after Christmas. January 1, 1947. The program 

had already started. I presume you have all the details. I have 

a copy of (inaudible) letter to General Spaatz. I presume you 

have all of that. 

Q: I believe we do, but I'd still like to review it and 

make sure it's the same letter. 

A: In any event, there was a big push. I guess after 

Operation Crossroads the first nuclear test in the Pacific was in 

July of '46, and Crary, because of the long range detection 

concept, Crary was sent to Ascension Island which is the antipode 

for, as close as they could get to the antipode for Bikini, and 

failed to detect any signal from Operation Crossroads, from the 

nuclear explosion. 

Q: You mentioned detection. What drove the aspect of 

detection? Was it because of our test? 

A: Yes, our test was being used as a signal source. The 

question was in order to detect any Soviet test, could we detect 

our own tests. 

if he could detect the nuclear explosion. 

So Crary was essentially sent to Ascension to see 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 19 

Q: He was unsuccessful? 

A: He was unsuccessful. 

Q: What method did he employ? 

A: Low frequency microphones on the ground. Are you 

familiar with the Krakatou measurements? 

Q: No. 

A: In 1883, Krakatou, near Java, made an enormous 

explosion and the pressure wave from that went around the worldseven times, and was picked up and... There was a report, a big 

analysis by Lord Railey and others... 

Q: A volcanic eruption? 

A: Volcanic eruption. Here are the isocomes of the 

pressure waves from Krakatou as it went out. 

took the signal to go out and come back, he went to the antipode 

which is around Colombia or Venezuela, and came back as a big 

spherical wave. 

British investigators were able to show that there was a duct up 

around the tropopause, and the speed of sound, as I remember, was 

something like 310 meters per second instead of the regular 334 

that we had at sea level. From that they could deduce the 

temperature of the medium in which the sound was propagating and 

it was something like minus 25. 

frame? 

From the time it 

It went back and forth around the earth. The 

Q: How was this detected as a pressure wave in that time 

A: Barograph. 

Q: What year? 

A: 1883. This is what prompted Ewing. 

Q: I'm familiar with barometer-type measurements being 

used to measure that pressure wave and the fact that it traversed 

the earth, you said seven times. 

A: Maurice Ewing had been an oceanographer at Woods Hole 

and had found a similar acoustic duct in the ocean. You may be 

familiar with what's called Sofar. In 1945 he wrote a letter to 

Spaatz suggesting this might be useful in detection of Soviet 

activity. 

Q: The 1945 letter was kind of the initiative as a means 

of detection. 

A: That's correct. That caused the Army Air Force to 

begin this research. 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 20 

Q: How did you come in possession of it? 

A: Todd. Todd does everything. 

Q: Did he say where he got these documents? 

A: Freedom of Information, I think. 

Q: It looks like National Archives. I believe I have this 

letter. 

So Ewing was at Woods Hole... 

A: And was going to head up the geophysics department at 

Columbia. These are subsequent documents of people in the Air 

Force considering the desirability of it. 

After Crossroads there seemed to be an enormous push to try 

to put microphones into the sound channel. During WWII, the 

constant level balloon. It had not been very successful. I knew 

a bunch of people in the balloon branch. 

'Signal Corps had laid on them the requirement to develop a 

The reason I got into balloons is that while I was working 

on this manual there was a great problem in the winter of '43 

with the supply of gum rubber cut off, meteorological sounding 

balloons weren't flying very well. In the summer time, the 

balloons would go through the depth of the troposphere, but in 

the winter time, the balloons began bursting down at levels of 

15,000 feet or so because the neoprene wouldn't stretch at low 

temperatures. Somewhere Spilhaus came up with the idea, talked 

to somebody in the Weather Bureau, that maybe you ought to heat 

the balloons. He told a couple of us second lieutenants, that I 

wonder if that would work. We got a blow torch and a mop bucket 

and we had a radiosonde, and he was in charge of the Air Force 

push on radiosonde technology. I was his leg man on that. We 

put a blow torch on a.mop bucket and heated the water to boiling 

and flew the balloon. Much to our surprise, the balloon went to 

about 60,000 feet. 

Q: So it stretched without rupturing. 

A: It turns out that neoprene crystallizes and you can 

make it back into an amorphus state with high elasticity. 

Elasticity changes as a function of the degree of crystallinity. 

By heating, we removed that. 

In any event, there was a group in Spilhaus's detachment 

known as the balloon [boilers]. The Signal Corps, it turned out, 

was very unhappy with this idea. They wanted no interest in it 

at all, and their manual doesn't use it. 

introduction, that's how I got attached to ballooning, as a 

result of doing this simple thing for Spilhaus. 

But that was my 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 21 

It's of interest, in the Holloman report there's a big talk 

about boiling balloons. 

association from our early balloon boiling days. When you look 

at the instructions on the modern balloon, you see that it is 

really a physical effect that can be controlled. 

That's certainly a heritage of the 

Q: You went on board at New York University, and you 

immediately set out, as documented in the reports, acquiring the 

various materials, [putting out bids], things of this nature. At 

that point you were working at New York University under the 

direction... 

A: Spilhaus was the nominal principal investigator and 

director of the project, but he just turned us loose. 

Q: So you were the project engineer? 

A: I was the project engineer, and Schneider was the 

project administrator. We employed a lot of students, a lot of 

people that we could, and were a mixture of trying to develop a 

constant level balloon and providing service flights for Peoples. 

Peoples was entirely our contact. 

Q: He would come to New York University? 

A: He would go down to Red Bank. He'd call and say he 

wanted certain things, can you do it, so we made this flight out 

at Lehigh and then we made the Helgoland flight down at Red Bank, 

and he wasn't really happy. There were all sorts of constraints 

flying balloons in the New York City area even then. 

Q: All the problems with air traffic and getting FAA, or 

their equivalent at that time, approval, etc. 

A: So up in the stratosphere above my level, a decision 

was made that we go to Alamagordo, and there would be a big 

flight. We had balloons promised, but even ahead of that time 

people wanted to test microphones. He had Crary already, about 

from December of '46, I think Crary went to Alamagordo and ran a 

field station and... 

Q: That field station was for ballooning in general? 

A: For Mogul. It was more than that. Crary was operating 

sound-ranging microphones on the ground there. 

bombs dropped off the New Jersey coast and trying to pick up the 

acoustic signals in New Mexico. 

He was having 

Q: He was having the bombs dropped in New Jersey, off the 

coast, and trying to detect them in New Mexico? 

A: That's correct. 

Q: What technique? Balloon borne? 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 22 

A: No. We were the balloonists, This was all groundbased stuff. There was also an operation in Bermuda. Then later 

you'll find... 

Q: Crary also initiated that? 

A: He was in charge of it. He was running it. They went 

Later you'll find that they did 

and got a whole bunch of 500 pound bombs out of the Earl 

Ammunition Depot in New Jersey. 

a bunch down in the Canal zone. Then eventually they went to 

Alaska. 

Q: This was prior to '47? 

A: The New Jersey, and I think the Bermuda operation, 

you'll find a hint in this diary I gave you, you'll find a hint 

about Bermuda and so on in there. 

measure the sky waves coming in. 

He was talking about trying to 

If you're interested, we can go extract, there's a paper in 

the Journal of Meteorology in something like '47. 

Q: I believe I have that. Is that the same one? 

A: No, this is by Crary. 

Q: Crary did quite a few publications for Red Bank and 

then for Cambridge Labs. 

A: Correct. But you'll find one, I think it's either '74 

or '49. 

Xerox of it. 

If you want we can go over to our library and make you a 

Q: .I'm familiar with that one. 

A: It's very circumspect as far as classified matter. 

Q: 

affiliation? 

So Peoples and Crary had Columbia University 

A: Well, Watson. They were derived from Columbia. Both 

of them were derived... 

at Columbia, and Crary didn't get his doctorate until later. 

I think Peoples got his PhD under Wing 

Q: You said Crary's ground station was Alamagordo, but he 

was actually doing explosions in Alaska, off Bermuda, Panama, the 

Jersey coast. 

A: In the late '46, early '47 era, he was in Alamagordo, 

The Panama Canal 

in and around Alamagordo. 

off the Jersey coast and I think off Bermuda. 

operation I think was not associated with Alamagordo at that 

time. 

He was very concerned about explosions 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 23 

Here's a nice paper that came through courtesy of Todd. 

'48 there was a big operation in the Pacific for Operation 

Sandstone, and we were heavily involved in that. Here's the 

Fitzwilliarn... Schneider and J.R. Smith... My chief associate 

technically was a fellow named Dick Smith, James Richard Smith, 

who unfortunately, died two years ago. Smith and Schneider and 

some other of my associates went out on Sandstone to Kwajelin, 

Guam, and then Oahu. 

In 

Q: I've seen that in publication. I have to acquire it. 

A: You can Xerox it. 

Q: Moving chronologically, Professor Ewing had affiliation 

with Woods Hole, and he was a meteorologist by trade? 

A: No, oceanographer. He was a physicist, a geophysicist. 

Q: 

A: 

Physics. 

Q: 

A: 

Q: 

A: 

Q: 

What was he doing at Columbia? 

I think he ended up head of the Department of GeoI don't know the details. 

For the AMC contract he was developing ... He, as we, were contractors. 

He was developing the acoustical... 

That's correct. 

That acoustical gear, this is a later flight but it's a 

fairly good depiction. It-shows payload here, and payload is 

mentioned in a lot of the reports without any further 

elaboration, what the payload was. That was primarily the low 

frequency microphones ... A: That was their euphemism for... 

Q: So as not to be able to talk about what was then a 

A: Here are the sort of instruments. A chamber with a 

classified payload. 

leak in it, and then a method of sensing the pressure inside the 

chamber. That affected the frequency of an oscillator that came 

to ground. 

Columbia. 

That's the sort of thing that was developed at 

Q: Dr. Spilhaus also mentioned about trying to detect 

particulate matter. 

A: That was another operation. A Tracer lab, have you 

come across Charlie Ziegler at Brandeis? 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 24 

Q: No. 

A: He worked for a Tracer lab and is just bringing out a 

book on the early detection system. 

Q: That was Project Center. MX-968. 

A: There was another one that followed on this to measure 

krypton. It was called Grab Bag in our lexicon. 

Did you ever hear of the project Bequeath? 

knowledgeable, essentially, of the intent and what was required 

rather than the project names. 

Q: 

A: No. Being a civilian and outside, I was more 

Q: What type of clearance did you hold? 

A: At various times I had Top Secret and Q and I don't 

remember exactly when I got various clearances. I also had a 

clearance with the CIA. 

Q: So at this time in New York University you were cleared 

but you had no need to know. 

A: I knew exactly what we were doing. I knew about 

Helgoland. I knew, just being an atmospheric physicist, I knew 

about the sound duct channel and I knew what we were doing, but I 

just didn't know any of the operational details and I wasn't 

concerned with them. 

Q: From a security standpoint, did anyone ever discuss 

with you, other than the letter that I showed you stating that 

this is now unclassified, did anyone ever tell you never to 

discuss any of this with anyone? 

A: I can't say they did. 

Q: It was just a matter of enforcing the need to know what 

classified project ... 

A: I guess I was aware this was highly classified, and 

having been in the military was aware this wasn't something to be 

discussed lightly. But no, I can't say that... 

Q: The reason I ask the question is there are some 

statements made in the various publications and books -- the 

popular press, about people being threatened not to talk about 

things they had seen or that sort of thing. 

if there had been anything stated to you never to discuss any of 

the activities either related to this project or any other 

project . 

I just wanted to see 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 25 

A: 

what we were doing in Alamagordo was highly classified and was 

well aware, and I guess had been perhaps encouraged to have a 

suitable cover story to explain what we were doing. 

So you were encouraged by whom to have a cover story? 

Probably by James Peoples, who was our scientific 

There's a gray area here. I was certainly aware that 

Q: 

A: 

monitoring... As you may be aware, there is a former colonel, 

later General DuBose, who makes a statement that something was a 

cover story. When I read this, I was not at all surprised. I 

interpreted that as saying someone was covering up on Mogul. 

That was my interpretation when I read what was attributable to 

General DuBose. So from his point of view, there were certainly 

no threats, but we were aware we weren't supposed to be talking. 

use meteorology as a cover story, or... 

Q: 

A: I don't remember the details, to be truthful... 

Q: 

A: 

So was it Dr. Peoples then who actually actively said 

But it was kind of a natural thing to think of in terms 

We were careful around NYU with the various technicians 

It's certainly my memory that we were aware that this 

of meteorology? 

we hired. 

ourselves. 

was classified, but we weren't threatened. We were just 

instructed that this sort of information was not to be passed 

out, even though the technical aspects we understood. So the 

answer is yes, we very well understood this was classified; and 

second, there was no physical threat or anything like that. We 

were instructed not to talk about it, and until Todd told me that 

Mogul had been declassified I was very reluctant to say anything 

about it. 

We kept our knowledge of what we were doing to 

Q: Anywhere- in the early days were you ever aware of 

involvement by General LeMay? 

A: Not at all. 

Q: Not at your level. How about the [AFOAT-11 study 

A: I became involved with them later on Project Grab Bag 

group? 

and others, and I knew a bunch of people in [AFOAT-11 -- Doyle 

Northrop ... heavily involved in various classified things. 

I knew that, but later ballooning got even more 

Q: Where were your duty locations involved with [AFOAT-l]? 

A: Probably at General Mills. 

Q: Not ever in Washington? 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 26 

A: Oh, yeah. I visited people in Washington. 

Q: Just for the record, .Major Marcel later worked at 

[AFOAT-11. Do you recognize him at all? 

A: Not at all. The people I was involved with were 

civilian scientists. 

Northrop, Doyle Northrop sort of sticks in my mind, and there are 

other names I've seen related to that. 

but I never knew Marcel. 

If we looked at a list of people at 

Yeah, I knew that guy, 

Q: So you went, moving into Mogul, you did go on the June 

and July field trips. 

A: I ran them. 

Q: How many did you go on? All of them? 

A: I didn't go to the one in the Pacific. If you look at 

the planning on the Project Fitzwilliam, my name was listed as 

the person as being there. Then suddenly, I'm not. What 

happened, my people got taken away from me and I had to recruit 

brand new people to help me fly balloons into Alamagordo during 

the April and May 1948 operations. So I had new personnel, and 

we went up and down the Rio Grande Valley trying to launch 

balloons so they would pass over the ground stations at 

Alamagordo. 

Q: During that early period, before you had your full 

complement of various types of balloons, did you ever use any of 

the Japanese balloons? 

at least a few of the Japanese balloons made available. 

A: 

communicate, and I have pieces of the Japanese balloon downstairs 

if you're interested in seeing a piece of it. 

translations. 

Office, a Dr. Wadati, and he put me in contact, so I have 

extensive files on the Japanese balloons. 

We were given the impression there were 

I got very interested in the Japanese balloons and 

I met the chief of the Central Meteorological 

And I've got 

Q: 

A: None whatsoever. That was part of a promotion that... 

When I went to General Mills, Winzen who had been the great 

entrepreneur, had gotten fired. 

prevarication about whether or not the Navy was going to provide 

money. He was replaced by a fellow named Frank Jewitt. 

recruited me out of graduate school. 

balloons. 

as a precursor to Mogul or anything like that. 

But were any of those used as precursors to Mogul or... 

He'd gotten caught in a 

We really promoted 

Jewitt 

That's part of the balloon promotion. 

Q: None of the Japanese balloons were actually used as far 

A: That is absolutely correct. 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 27 

Q: 

launch them. 

But you had them available for study, but you didn't 

A: No, they didn't have any. 

Q: 

A: That's interesting, because I have no memory of them 

In the New York University report it says that you were 

provided two Japanese balloons. 

whatsoever. Spilhaus may have. But I have no memory that I ever 

saw them. In the spirit of being given proper scientific credit, 

in the paper that you have, the Journal of Meteorology Paper, 

we, heavily written by Spilhaus, credited the Japanese with 

doing, with their trans-Pacific flights. So what we were doing 

certainly was based, came after what they had done, and we didn't 

want to take credit away from them. But I'm told that on my own, 

completely free from this, I talked with Wadati and others on a 

Japanese balloon. I've never seen a Japanese balloon that I know 

of, I've never seen the payload, but I do have fragments of the 

Mulberry Favor. 

Frankly, we did not depend on the Japanese balloons. The 

Japanese just preceded us. But we didn't pattern what we were 

trying to do on what the Japanese did. After all, they had 

opaque balloons, and my belief from the beginning is balloons 

ought to be transparent so they don't absorb sunlight so at 

sunset you don't have the cooling and the ballasting. 

nothing to the Japanese other than the fact they were ahead of 

us. 

So we owe 

Q: You went on these field trips. When you left, getting 

back to the cover story, you were the project engineer. 

people come to you and say you need to put something together in 

case one of these things falls in somebody's hands? 

Did 

You didn't. 

Did you brief your people, your personnel, when they were 

there, that they if should go into town for food or something if 

someone says "Why are you there?". . . A: We were certainly secretive and not talkative, but at 

the same time... 

Q: In other words, was there a developed cover story where 

everyone got together, discussed what you were going to say or 

not say concerning the various activities that were going on at 

Alamagordo and other locations? 

A: That's a good question. I have no memory of such a 

thing. 

not to encourage speculation on what we were doing. 

I'm just aware that we were under very strong stricture 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 28 

Q: So is that pretty much maybe a condition of hiring? I 

notice you used a lot of former military people. 

tell them at the outset, #@This is a classified project for AMC?Il 

Or were they not read on to the project at all? 

for the Air Force. 

Did you just 

A: By and large, people thought we were flying balloons 

Q: As far as they were concerned they were just launching 

meteorological balloons? 

A: That's correct. 

Q: They didn't particularly quiz you about the microphone 

you hung in there or... 

A: No. 

Q: The balloons that you did launch for Project Mogul and 

some of the other test balloons, without the actual instrument 

packages, did they have reward tags, "Return to New York 

University," or "Return to Roswell Army Air Field," or to 

Alamagordo Army Air Field or anything like that? 

A: The ones that we wanted to get back, which were the 

test constant level balloons and the ones that had microphones on 

them, by and large, they did have NYU reward tags on them, 

Q: Dr. Peoples, whoever was directing you, was there ever 

any concern voiced that this is a top secret object we're sending 

into the atmosphere and we're not sure where it's going to come 

to earth. 

wherever it came down, it came down? 

Did they ever express any problem with that, that 

A: I think the argument was that when it came down, it 

would be mixed in with our other gear, and it was just part of a 

flight that was to be recovered by NYU. He thought nobody would 

interpret what those sorts of instruments would be. 

Q: So the tags were kind of generic, like a meteorological 

tag, say. "This consists of meteorological instruments...11 

A: "This is a research balloon flown by New York 

University.. .I1 

Q: Were you doing other research? When you went to New 

Mexico was there another agenda other than the top secret 

project? 

A: None whatsoever. Our whole life revolved around the 

NYU constant level balloon project. We were developing constant 

level balloons, and the service flights for Peoples just sort of 

got hidden in that. 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 29 

Q: The service flights were which ones? 

A: The ones carrying the microphones. 

Q: 

flights from... 

A: That's right. You'll notice when you look at this, 

that the flights out in the Pacific don't even get mentioned. 

There's just no report on the flights in the Pacific, and the 

flights in '48 that we made for Sandstone, there are some flight 

numbers recorded, but there are no details at all provided. 

So specifically that term was used for the microphone 

Q: That was Grab Bag? 

A: No, Grab Bag was to grab stratospheric air to measure 

Essentially particulate detection and gaseous.,. 

the krypton 85... 

Q: 

A: That was gaseous. The particulate was, I think we were 

less involved in grabbing particulates. There have been 

thousands of flights made, and certain people did carry cascade 

impactors and other things, but that was a minor part of what we 

did, whereas Grab Bag was a very measure effort. 

Q: That was in '48? 

A: That was more '50 odd. 

Q: Was that Fitzwilliam? 

A: No, Fitzwilliam was entirely acoustic detection. Again, 

very long range detection. Fitzwilliam was spring of '48. There 

were various code names, and thanks to our friend Todd, I've 

learned about the code name got termed Black Heart and a whole 

bunch of odd names... 

Q: Black Heart, Rock Fish. He may be wrong on that part. 

A: I heard Mogul got converted into Rock Fish. But I 

He may be right, but.. . 

heard the detection part of Fitzwilliam ended up being called 

Black Heart. 

Q: He may be in error on that. 

A: As I say, I'd been much more concerned with the 

technical aspects than the military operations. 

Q: 

about the various flights, and this is the report that lists all 

of the numbered flights and it talks about, it says, "Excluded 

are the flights made to test,@@ it's technical report number one, 

This is one of the technical reports and it's talking 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 30 

"Excluded are those two tests' special gear in launches which 

were not 

A: Right. 

Q: So the special gear that's referred to here is the 

microphone gear? 

A: Yes, sir. 

Q: There's another passage that talks about the 

intelligence gear. Was that considered also... 

A: Did we make such a faux pas as that? 

Q: It's in there. 

Q: I have the classification letter from July of '46. You 

might want to review this. 

you. 

Maybe your friend has shown that to 

A: No, I've never seen this. 

Trakowski argued that even the name Mogul was classified, 

and he said it had the same classification as the Manhattan 

Project had, which surprises me, because in various reports that 

Todd has sent me, such as the monthly progress reports from the 

people at later Holloman Air Force Base, Mogul appears in things 

that are no higher classification than confidential, but 

Trakowski insists that Mogul was super classified. 

(END OF SIDE) 

Q: This is a copy of the letter you wrote to Colonel 

Weaver. One of the things that you talk about in this letter was 

that the radar test flights were not reported, which is exactly 

what we were discussing a moment ago in your kitchen. Would you 

go over again what you just described as far as this particular 

test flight that occurred? What we just went through in there. 

A: As I said initially, the essence in trying to develop 

constant level balloons, we needed to know what the altitude was. 

At the same time, we were under a lot of pressure to carry the 

test microphones for the Watson Laboratory and Columbia people. 

We got into an operation at Alamagordo in early June of 1947, in 

which we were required to make flights in which the tracking of 

the flights would be provided by the Watson Laboratory Radar that 

was already in place at Alamagordo for tracking the V-2s and 

other rockets the Ordnance Corps people were flying over at White 

Sands. So we came down to fly balloons in early June, in which 

the tracking of the flights was to be done by radar, tracking 

corner reflector targets, which I think we brought with us. 

don't have any evidence of this. 

I 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 31 

Q: So you made your plan in New York to fly ... Your 

primary research was the acoustical detect... 

A: That's correct. 

Q: Secondary was refining the technique of constant level 

And that was on hold until we got the delivery of the 

balloons. 

polyethylene balloon that was scheduled for the end of June. 

the first of June we came, really, just for the test flight of 

microphones, doing service flights for Watson Laboratories. 

A: 

So 

Q: 

A: To fly meteorological balloons, tracked by a Watson Lab 

And you launched these balloons in conjunction with V-2 

To fly the balloons in association with... 

radar on the ML-307B targets that I think we brought with us. 

Q: 

A: Those went independently. Albert Crary was monitoring 

firings? 

the V-2 firings. 

Q: 

A: You're right, I beg your pardon. As you'll find in the 

That was with the ground microphones? 

diary, that we launched Flight 8, these cluster balloons, we 

launched those at 3:OO o'clock in the morning for a V-2 firing. 

You're quite right. I'd forgotten that. We launched those in 

the morning, then the rocket got scrubbed while Flight 8 was in 

the air, and we were out of plastic balloons that day in early 

July -- this is jumping ahead to early July -- and we inflated 

meteorological balloons for the delayed firing of the V-2 rocket 

on the afternoon of July 3rd, you'll see. Then there was an 

accident over at White Sands and the V-2 got scrubbed a second 

time. What was Flight 9, we launched Flight 9, as you will see 

in here, as a dummy flight, and it probably had radar targets on 

it. 

Let me just read this. This is Crary's summary for the week 

of 30 June-5 July 1947. "Balloon tests 7, 8, 9, and 10 off this 

week. Test 7 slated for July 1 postponed to July 2nd because 

equipment not ready. A hundred tanks with helium obtained from 

Amarillo Monday evening. Trakowski went over in a C-54 and 

picked them up. 

sonobuoy not operable. Test 7 at dawn, July 2nd, with Pi Ball. 

One hour, first falling with the autolights. Winds were very 

light, and balloons up between base and mountains most of the 

time. Included a cluster of met balloons, followed by C-54 

several hours, and finally landed in mountains near road, south 

cloudcroft. 

stolen. Station operating in north hangar, Cloudcroft and 

Roswell. 

Also radiosonde receivers set up by NYU but 

Before gear could be recovered, most of it had been 

Shots made repeatedly at Site 4 and picked up goods 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 32 

from north hangar and from Cloudcroft for awhile. 

Roswell. 

Nothing from 

"On Thursday morning, July 3rd, a cluster of GM plastic 

balloons sent up for V-2 recording, but V-2 not fired. No shots 

fired. Balloons up for some time." 

Q: 

A: 

Q: 

too? 

A: 

Q: 

I'm going 

What is a shot? 

Explosive on the ground. 

You were doing explosives on the ground in New Mexico 

Crary . so Crary would give you the signal, he'd say at 0400 

to launch a balloon, and at 0500 I'm going to... 

A: 

balloon. 

No, he wouldn't launch a balloon. I'd launch a 

What Peoples would do is say I want a flight up 

tomorrow morning. 

flight, and then Crary would go out with his crew and fire 

explosives up and down the Tulerosa Basin while our balloons were 

in the air. 

So the NYU group would get ready to make a 

Q: So you had multiple explosions on the ground, the V2... 

A: And explosions on the East Coast. 

Q: On the East Coast, Caribbean, and you had those timed 

so you knew when those were going to take place and you were 

simply waiting for... 

A: They had them timed and we balloon types just fit into 

the schedule. But the plaster, the timing., bringing.al1 this 

together, we knew nothing about. 

balloons. 

We were just scheduled to fly 

Q: But you did want to launch early morning for the light 

winds. 

A: We did want to launch early in the morning for light 

wind. We had freedom to tell them what we could do and what we 

couldn't do. We actually on this, in addition to everything 

else, we actually flew blocks of TNT on free balloons and fired 

them while we had other balloons in the air. 

Q: 

A: Probably. 

Did those have radar targets on them also? 

Q: Were those detonated by... 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 33 

A: By a pressure switch. 

Q: Were those tracked? Was there some sort of log that 

would tell you where those particular balloons were? 

wouldn't want to just release TNT to float anywhere, would you? 

until they burst. 

area. So the answer is yes, we did. 

out to be abysmally poor. I don't know why, but they were 

abysmally poor. 

when you asked me the V-2 question ... 

asked. 

You 

A: They wouldn't float. The balloons would just go up 

And we were on the edge of the restricted 

1'11 have to get back to this. The radar tracking turned 

That's why I got off onto this part of it. And 

Let me finish this, and then we'll get back to what you 

'@Thursday morning, cluster of GM balloons sent out, V-2 not 

fired, no shots fired. Balloons up for some time, no recording. 

Pi Ball showed no West winds. Balloons picked up by radar, WS." 

I presume that means White Sands. You'll find this hard... and 

hunted by somebody's name I couldn't get. 

Maryalls' "C-54, located on Tulerosa Range by air. Out PM with 

several NYU men by weapons carrier, but we never located it. 

Rocket postponed until 7:30 p.m. Thursday night," which was the 

third. "But on last minute before balloon went up, V-2 was 

called off on of accident at White Sands. Sent up cluster 

balloons with dummy load. Balloon Flight 10 on dawn, July Sth, 

had gone out with C-54, again with Moses and Dufeld to hunt for 

Flight 8 but not sure was found then." 

It looks like 

Then I added a note here, "Flight 8 was never recovered." 

"C-54 went to El Paso July 4th and picked up single smith 

plastic balloon and GM cluster plastic balloons." 

So the answer is yes. We did try to coordinate the balloon 

launchings for the V-2 firings, and Crary would also take that as 

a time of opportunity to go out on the desert and fire TNT. He 

had vast stocks of explosives available to him. 

Q: Was that primarily on the White Sands range, or did he 

go out into other areas, say Northwest of Roswell? Did he 

contract with any of the ranchers to use these locales, other 

than the actual missile range itself? 

A: I think all the explosions he made were coordinated 

with the White Sands Proving Ground people. Alamagordo Airfield, 

later Holloman, was just on the fringe of the proving ground at 

that time. Crary sent his men to all sorts of places -- over to 

Roswell, to Artesia, to Hageman, up and down the Pecos River 

area. He had a place you'll read about, Fabians, Texas, which 

turns out to be just down the Rio Grande from El Paso, maybe 50 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 34 

miles. Then he had Don Edmondson went to Silver City frequently. 

Then he had some place he called Donna, Las Cruces is in Donna 

Anna County, but I don't know where his Donna site was. But I 

think he had microphones scattered all around in central New 

Mexico and West Texas. But the explosions were all created 

either on the White Sands Proving Ground, or there were V-2 

rockets, or they were things coming from... 

apparently are, maybe they were cruisers firing off the Jersey 

coast. 

I won't take the time now, but he talks about cruises, which 

We got off into this, we were talking about tracking, and we 

went down to, in early June, to make service flights which were 

to be tracked by radar, and the radar was unsuccessful. 

memory that we made a number of flights just to test out the 

radar. These would not have had a reward tag on them. These 

were throw away flights. Once a target like this comes down from 

high altitude or drag, you don't want it back. It's my memory we 

didn't want to have anything traced back to us, if we weren't 

going to go out and pick it up. 

It's my 

Q: So you just kind of let the material lie wherever it 

fell? 

A: We shot a balloon into the air and didn't want to do 

any more. There are some pictures of our going out to recover 

things. On one of the early flights we went out east of Roswell, 

and I remember beyond the Bottomless Lakes, going out in oil well 

country, picking up one of our flights that had come down. We 

aggressively tried to recover our own flights. 

Q: So were you directed to that location by aircraft? 

A: By the aircraft. 

Q: Did they give you a lat and long, landmark? 

A: We talked to them by radio. The transmitters on these 

microphones were so low powered that, believe it or not, they had 

B-17s just orbiting under our balloons with receivers aboard the 

aircraft, and we, of course, would talk to the aircraft, and 

they'd tell us when things would come down. So it was a 

coordinated operation. 

Q: So you had explosions or V-2 going through. So the 

aircraft had recording devices. 

the balloon and the aircraft had the recording device that would 

record the sounds. 

You had the acoustical pickup on 

A: That's correct. Would record the signal from the 

balloon. 

Q: In what media was it recorded on? 
35 PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 

A: Brush recorders. [Strip charge] recorders feeding out 

at high speed. 

records. 

You'll see in here, you'll see the sort of 

Q: The graphic representation. 

A: The recorders looked like that. 

Q: 

A: That's correct. As you'll see, they said they had 

So that was recorded on the aircraft and then... 

receivers at Roswell, at Alamagordo, and they had them on the 

airplane. 

Q: 

of the low power receivers. 

A: Most of the reception, the detection, was really ... The balloon received the acoustics, and sent it down by radio to 

the aircraft. It often didn't work. That was the reason why for 

Operation Sandstone in April and May of '48, we went up and down 

the Rio Grande Valley ... There's 

a ground cloth for the balloon to be laid out. There's a balloon 

being inflated, just getting ready. So we tried to get up wind. 

Carazoso and was reported in to us, and we thought it was one of 

ours. 

aggressively trying to recover our equipment and that just 

happened to be something that was on the ground. The technician 

that had been in that group, remember the [Marginal] tape, 

Herbert Crow. 

trying to recover a load. That turned out not to be ours. 

But most of the detection was via the aircraft because 

Here are some of the pictures. 

That's a device from White Sands that was picked up around 

So I took a weapons carrier and drove up there. We were 

That's a picture he took when we were aggressively 

Q: What is it, and who did it belong to? 

A: 

who was the chief scientist at Watson Laboratory. Dr. O'Day. 

You'll see, when you read the Duffy thing, where Duffy thinks 

maybe there were things that were flown by Dr. O'Day. 

that just happens to be a picture in the collection of NYU 

photographs. 

launching.,. 

It probably was flown on a rocket or by Marcus O'Day 

Anyway, 

Q: So there were a lot of other people flying balloons or 

A: Not balloons. We were the only balloon flyers, That 

came down by parachute. 

flown in the early days there, and a lot of high altitude 

aircraft. Duffy says there were dropsondes. 

But there were a lot of rockets being 

Q: So it could be that some of the material found may not 

But the description that 

have been associated with a balloon. It is possible it could 

have been some other type of material. 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 36 

Brazel gives the impression that it is the smoky rubber of a 

balloon that's been in the sunlight. 

A: That's circumstantial. That fits exactly with what 

would have been done, and orthodox use of radar targets would not 

have produced what he found. But you're quite right, there's 

debris that was reported to us that... 

Q: ... some sort of cylindrical instrument, though, that's 

obviously an instrument package of some sort. 

A: It had a plexiglass, it looked like maybe it had a w 

sensor. 

dome that was shattered... 

There was some optical equipment under the plexiglass 

Q: You're familiar with the popular literature about the 

various crash sites. There's one crash site, two crash sites, 

three crash sites and all that craziness? 

A: Yes. 

Q: What I'm thinking is we may have two incidents here, 

where they collected your debris from your radar targets, 

then there may have been another something else not related to a 

balloon. 

and 

A: There could have been other things from White Sands. 

This was on the edge of the proving ground. There's a story 

behind this, and that is that a rancher, whose land had been 

taken from him to form the proving ground, had cattle that were 

still on what had been his land. 

looking for his cattle, I can show you on the map if you're 

interested. Anyway, he called in to Alamagordo about this. So I 

went up to see if it was one of our missing balloons. 

were there, a range security guard came on the rancher and really 

castigated him for breaking the law, coming back onto the range. 

So this was really on the range. 

understand how the sort of operations, which I knew, could have 

fallen as far away as these other sites you talk about. 

really on the northeast corner of the range, just west of the 

town of Carazoso. 

He had found this while he was 

While we 

It would be hard for me to 

This was 

Q: So that's not too far from here. 

A: Here's the northeast corner. [Looking on map] Right 

on this road, right about there is where that load there was 

found. 

bend of the road here, and there's Roswell. 

Here is where the Brazel finding was, just north of this 

Q: You're talking in terms of sites around Corona and in 

that vicinity. 

types of debris from the proving ground or... 

So it's quite possible that there had been other 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 37 

A: As I say, I find it hard to think that something ... While we may have been flying TNT on balloons and being very 

carefree about it, I really doubt that a thing of any military 

significance would have fallen this far away from the proving 

ground. It could have, but... 

Q: Other than your balloons. 

A: Oh yeah, those first flights we didn't even coordinate 

with CAA. Peoples was so eager to go get those measurements, 

that these were going to be flown from a restricted area and he 

didn't worry about it. We later, before the Civil Air Board in 

El Paso, but that was two or three months later. 

Q: When you went on the field trips, what was the chain of 

command at that point when you arrived? Who did you report to? 

A: We were somewhat self contained, but we got housing 

provided by, I guess Crary was our contact, if you will. Some 

way or another, barracks were made available for us to live in at 

Alamagordo. 

Q: Would anyone at Roswell Army Air Field have known about 

your activities, what your purpose was? 

A: Not at all. In fact, we went over and tried to get 

into the weather station at Roswell and because of the atomic 

bomb security of the 509th, as I remember, we couldn't even get 

on the base. We drove up in a weapons carrier to the Roswell 

Army Air Field, and tried to get on the base because we wanted to 

go to the weather station, wanted to see if we could put a 

radiosonde receiver there. As I remember we got turned away. 

Q: But you ultimately did put a radioson receiver there. 

A: In a motel. We just worked out of motels in Roswell. 

Q: I thought I saw you had a radioson receiver on Roswell 

Army Air Field. 

A: Again, forgive my memory, but I do remember being 

turned away. But if you can find it, I'd be glad to have my 

memory refreshed. 

Q: I saw that you had a copy of the 509th Bomb Group 

history. In the 509 the Bomb Group history from September I saw 

a meeting where Dr. Peoples met with LTC Joe Briley, 830th the 

Bomb Squadron Commander, 509th, Air Group Roswell. Do you know 

why Dr. Peoples would meet with the squadron commander of a B-29 

outfit? 

A: Only if he wanted to get in to put a receiver on the 

base there. That would be my guess. We had a big operation. We 

went back to Alamagordo in September. We had our first 20 foot 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 38 

diameter General Mills balloons. We had a very successful set of 

balloon launches in Alamagordo in September of '47. My only 

guess is trying to have a down-wind receiving station. 

Q: There are some other names mentioned that I can't 

recall. 

Q: What about then Colonel Blanchard and General Ramey? 

Do you think they may have had any knowledge of what your 

ultimate purpose was? 

A: I think not. I want to say something about Colonel 

J.D. Ryan. He was Chief of Staff of the Air Force later, but 

"Dr. Peoples, Murray Hackman, and First Lieutenant Thompson from 

Air Material Command, were out at the field to inspect Air 

Material Command installations and to confer with LTC Briley." 

Well, well. Hackman was one of our radiosonde operators. 

There's Colonel John 0. Ryan right there. That's interesting. 

On the morning of this famous press release, July 8th, in 

The Roswell Daily Dispatch, there is a statement about a flying 

disc being identified, and Colonel J.D. Ryan who is on the staff 

of 8th Air Force said that the Air Force was now using radar 

targets to measure winds aloft in some stations. 

I find that of interest because apparently in reading some 

But the Roswell morning paper 

of the various things that happened in General Ramey's office, 

apparently someone that afternoon did think this was a radar 

target that had been brought in. 

clearly showed that there was a knowledgeable person in Fort 

Worth. 

Q: Is that in the article, the 8 July article, that Ryan 

made the statement? 

A: Yes. Maybe not .the article you're talking about. 

Q: Is this the one that William Haut... 

A: No, this is that morning, not that afternoon. (Pause 

to look for clipping) There's Newt Goldenberg, you mentioned him 

earlier in one of our conversations. 

controls. 

That's one of our altitude 

Here's the morning paper, "Report flying disc found." Down 

If you want 

here is about Colonel J.D. Ryan, and he mentioned the existence 

of radar wind measuring equipment in the Air Force. 

a copy of that... 

Q: Then there's, subsequently, no mention of the radar 

targets until General Ramey discusses it on the 9th, talking 

about the material being a balloon. 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 39 

A: On the afternoon of the 8th. It may have been 

published on the 9th, but... 

Q: You're right. Evening of the 8th. Examination by the 

Army revealed last night, a high altitude weather balloon. 

General Ramey, Commander, 8th Air Forces, cleared up the mystery. 

A: In these pictures here, don't show these flaps. This, 

I think, is my step ladder that I used to reach high targets, 

when we have these big balloon trains going way up in the air. 

Here again, is an unorthodox use of radar targets. We did that, 

and as far as I know, other people didn't. 

Q: Did you ever use radar targets with the polyethylene 

balloons? 

A: Yes, sir. In fact somewhere I have a picture where we 

flew a missile, we launched a missile for OCR Special Devices 

Center in 1949. I have a picture showing the targets up and down 

the balloon train there. 

Q: Do you remember trying to pin down some of these 

flights that could possibly cause this misunderstanding? You 

talk about putting a target with the neoprene balloons, but at 

that time you also launched them with the polyethylene? 

A: This picture I showed you right here. This is a 

polyethylene balloon. 

Q: So you used a visual by the aircraft to watch the 

balloon? It would circle underneath. 

A: The aircraft circling underneath were really to pick up 

the microphone signals. 

operation. Our operation, we depended on radiosons and where we 

could get radar tracking for tracking air balloons. But the 

aircraft operation here was entirely to support Project Mogul. 

We didn't consider ourselves Mogul because I didn't even know the 

name. 

That was part of the Watson Lab 

Q: The summary of flights ... 

A: That's one of the flights with the mixed 

interpretations because of the radiosondes. 

Q: In one column it says "tracking percent." Then 

sometimes it will say by aircraft. 

A: That's true. 

Q: So "aircraft observation", was that a visual 

observation or an electronic? 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 40 

A: That's really saying did we have aircraft on it or not, 

and what percentage. Here the B-17 was on it for 40 percent of 

the time. Indeed, that was the aircraft tracking for the Mogul 

operation. 

Q: That was for the electronic data gathering. 

A: That's correct. 

Q: Not observing the balloon to tell you where it went 

down. 

A: That's right. Well, we did have the aircraft stay as 

long as we could. 

expensive aircraft chasing an air balloon, we were happy. 

flight that came down east of Roswell on one of these, Flight 5 

or so on came down east of Roswell, the aircraft spotted it on 

the ground for us and told us where to go to look for it. 

As long as we could end up with that very 

On the 

Q: About 17 miles east of Roswell. 

A: Then we had another one, Flight ll... 

Q: That's the one that appears to come down northwest of 

Roswell. 

A: Correct. 

Q: It appears to have almost come down exactly where 

they're talking about. 

A: That's right. 

Q: That's the one where you provided a depiction to 

Colonel Weaver. 

Q: No, that's another one. 

Q: That's an earlier one, that's right. 

A: Where is that old NYU report? (Pause) 

Here it is right here. More or less due west of 

Walker, Roswell Army Air Field. 

Q: Then this graphic conflicts with this graphic, which 

shows Number 11 coming down... Is that circle the Roswell 

reporting station? 

A: That's about right. 

Q: 

be Roswell? 

Is this .circle a weather reporting station which would 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 41 

A: You're right. 

Q: This has it coming down northwest. 

A: What's the origin of this? 

Q: It's in the back of one of the reports. 

A: It looks to me like it may have been out of this 

report. 

Q: 

which was number eight. 

Not every report had this graphic depiction like this 

(Pause to look through documents) 

A: With those numbers it wouldn't have been in that first 

report because these flights were much later. 

Q: Technical Report No. 1. 

A: Right. And Flight 58 and 55 aren't going to be in that 

early report. They occurred after that report was written. 

(Pause) 

A: I would say what was in that first report is more 

accurate than this. This, I think, occurred after I left NYU. 

It's a general summary. Flight 11 was a very important flight. 

They got very important data on it -- Crary and Peoples. 

Q: Spilhaus based his article from Journal of Meteorology 

on it. 

A: Right, and he wrote a paper in the bulletin. The fact 

that the balloon trajectory has this hook in it when it went over 

the mountain ridge ... Q: That's obviously the [ano-cyclonic] winds aloft. 

A: Exactly. So he and Bernard Harwitz were very excited 

about the fact that the balloon at nominal constant level, had a 

change in direction when the air was forced over the mountain 

barrier, and they published a special paper on that. So 

everybody was happy with this flight. 

As soon as that flight was made, that was the 7th, and we 

went home on the 8th. 

Q: That would be the reason why there would be no one 

there in the area who could explain this debris that was brought 

in. There were no experts there who dealt with this particular 

type of material or radar reflectors. 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 42 

A: There was really no contact, at that time, as far as I 

know, between Peoples and Roswell, and there's no way Roswell, 

other than my memory of getting turned away by the MPs at the 

gate, there's no way that the people at Roswell would have known 

what was going on over at Alamagordo. When we sent people to 

Roswell, Hackman worked out of a motel to receive. 

So the more puzzling thing in line with what you say comes 

from Crary's diary. 

ttAlamagordo. Balloon Flight 11A, off at 5:07. Big plastic 

balloon with small auxiliary plastics," etc. "Watson Lab and 

gear. It '@Followedt1 (inaudible) ''receiver until about 11. Picked 

up on radiosonde receiver at Roswell then followed. 

down. At 10,000 feet, cap should have punctured plastic. Then 

it came down near Highway 70, between Roswell and Tulerosa. 

Third balloon with two and a half pound stick of TNT and cap set 

by pressure element set to fire at 35,000 feet, up at 6:20.@@ 

Here's what Crary's diary says: 

Then came 

'#Second balloon, met balloons with radiosonde up about 6:30. 

Q: What day is that again? 

A: July 7th. 

ttSurface bombing at Site 4 from 5:45 to 8:45 at 15 minute 

intervals. (Inaudible) followed main receiver only threequarters of an hour, but followed radiosonde about three hours. 

Thirty-five thousand food implosion? off about 6:55. Vivian got 

instructions for completing work on Flights 1 to 30 and packed 

all records and photo. Sent off TWX regarding Bermuda flight 

and wrote up memo on it. Worked with Eileen on April 1st rocket 

plotting HD5 HT SST, whatever (that is]." 

July 8th. "C-54 off about 10:30 with 23 people, all NYU, 

Watson Lab including Vivian, Eileen," and somebody else. I can't 

tell. "Lieutenant Thompson, Edmondson, Reynolds and myself left. 

Wrote a report on East Coast flights for Peoples." 

Here's 9 July, the time this occurred at Alamagordo. 

@IWorked today on balloon flight. Studied Watson Lab records of 

them briefly and wrote memorandum to Peoples about results. 

in car this PM later. 

and stayed there." 

Left 

Flat tire between Roswell and Tulerosa, 

July 10th. "Changed tire and went into Roswell. Bought new 

tire. Off to El Rho, Oklahoma today. Stopped in cafe in 

Hereford, Texas and met Danny Hard from UGC. 

and saw Bob Cowden, somebody in charge, and supervisor." 

involved in any coverup such as this clearly is. 

coverup right here because they talk about our operations, they 

talk about our balloons we thought went to Colorado,and they all 

claim it to be part of Pritchard's radar operation. 

Went up to office 

That's the end of it. So there's no hint that Crary was 

This is a 
PROFESSOR 

Q: 

A: 

Q: 

picture? 

A: 

Q: 

A: 

Q: 

A: 

Q: 

A: 

Q: 

that? 

MOORE - 6/8/94 

But he wasn't launching balloons. 

He wasn't launching balloons. 

So where did they get the equipment to take this 

Did you leave equipment behind? 

This is right outside of the hangar. 

Those are your people? 

It's our equipment and my stepladder. 

Did you leave equipment there? 

Yes. Everything 

Because you expected to return. 

We were just going back... 

It looked pretty tricky. How did they know how to do 

43 

A: I just don't know anything about the hierarchy above 

us. I do know that I worked carefully with a guy named Larry 

Dyvad, a pilot, who later became a private pilot, running a fixed 

base operation in Alamagordo, and got killed 20 years ago. But I 

know I worked with Larry Dyvad whose name you'll see here. I 

don't remember Pritchard at all, but Dyvad was my contact with 

the radar. I know they didn't have balloons or anything else, 

yet they talk about boiling balloons there. 

Q: So when you returned in September, did you see that 

somebody had tampered with your equipment and used up some of 

your balloons? 

A: If it did, it didn't ring a bell. 

Q: And no one mentioned it to you. No one said hey, look, 

we had to do something while you were gone. 

A: I think we were just some ignorant, little innocent 

graduate student contractors on a military base, and things were 

going on that we didn't know anything about. 

Q: So no one approached you to say they had used some of 

your equipment? 

A: Not at all. 

Q: This photo that's depicted here n the July 10th 

Alamagordo News, this could have been taken during one of your 

actual launches versus... 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 44 

A: I think not, because they say, the whole article is 

this was a demonstration. I would have thought, since Crary was 

a senior person and he and Peoples, Peoples was our contact with 

the base. But other than Dyvad, we had no real contact with 

anyone I remember. I do remember being very disappointed with 

the radar. 

Q: If this were a demonstration sometime on the 9th or 

10th of July, prior to this being published, they talk in terms 

here of these radar reflectors. These particular radar 

reflectors, as having labels on them. The radar reflectors you 

were using, did they have any type of labels talking about being 

property of U.S. Army, or Watson Laboratories? 

A: None that I know of. We were strongly encouraged not 

to mix in the Air Force with what we did. Everything we did had 

an NYU label. I may be able to dig back in my file somewhere... 

Q: So they may have had an NYU label on it. Even the 

service ones. 

A: On service, but on radar test flights, there's no way 

we would have put a label on. 

Q: Those were just shakedown flights. You were just 

saying hey, what's going to work best to get the data, so let's 

use some of the equipment we have and see what works, so you'd 

have someone on the radar and say yeah, this configuration works, 

this one doesn't. That's what you were doing. Then later on you 

refined your technique ... 

A: What we would do is we would put up things and they'd 

But we were running that end of the balloon 

come back and say it didn't work. So we'd scratch our heads and 

do something else. 

end of the operation. 

There may have been a radiosonde operation out over White Sands, 

but there was not one,.as.far as I know,.at either-Roswell or 

Alamagordo. 

using standard AMQ-l... 

Nobody else was flying balloons around us. 

If there had, I would have used them because we were 

Q: But you did coordinate with Big Spring, Texas. 

A: Did we? 

Q: It's in the report, saying you guys, when you came back 

to New Jersey, you were sending thank you letters to various 

organizations that helped you while you were in the field. 

Springs, Texas; some other places that you had coordinated with. Big 

A: Thank you.. . 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 45 

Q: The New York University reports are very voluminous. 

There are three big bound volumes. 

your signature. 

other nearby radiosonde station for us to receive things. 

forgotten all about Big Springs, but I'm sure we made every 

effort we could to get radiosonde reception. 

Q: Can you think of, just in general, any other 

explanation for what became the so-called Roswell incident, other 

than what we've discussed here as far as potentially your balloon 

project, which at that time was a very secretive project. 

there any other explanation you can think of? 

A: No, and the particulars of this case are sufficiently 

nearly unique, that I think no one else had anything that could 

have fit into providing these results. No, we were doing 

something that was unorthodox, using targets that, as far as I 

know, had not been flown before in New Mexico. There's no way 

that the rancher could have ever seen one. And there's no way 

that either Major Marcel nor General Ramey or General Ramey's 

people could have come up with providing a radar to substitute 

for the real debris. I think there's a very high likelihood that 

the unusual things we were doing provided this debris. 

I have the originals with 

A: You're making my point, that there probably wasn't any 

I'd 

Is 

However, all the other stuff that's in, and a lot of the 

material, I can't explain bodies or material that can't be 

(folded] by a sledge hammer. 

turns out that during this time frame, 1947, 1948, 1949, there 

were numerous aircraft accidents, a lot of fatal aircraft 

accidents, in this general vicinity. Did you all ever come 

across any of those? 

Q: Let's dwell on the bodies just for a second here. It 

A: No, sir. 

(END OF SIDE) 

Q: There was an accident that took place right out of 

Roswell, a B-29, two B-29 accidents that resulted in fatal 

crashes. We were wondering if maybe over time people were 

beginning to think in terms of those fatal accidents, which 

essentially scattered body parts, small parts, over areas, where 

people were getting confused with what occurred in those aircraft 

accidents with the sensationalism of this UFO story. 

the 8th of July and we heard about that afternoon, and we just 

thought it was one of our balloons. All of us that were in that 

group have held onto that view for a long time. 

letter here. 

Sandstone pickup crew in '48, but he knew that we knew that we 

A: As I said in my letter, all of us went back to NYU on 

I do have Crow's 

He apparently joined us for that Operation 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 46 

thought the Roswell incident, so-called, was caused by one of our 

balloons. 

Q: Did anyone ever mention it to you once you returned? 

Did any of the Red Bank folks mention it to you, or even in 

passing, or told you that maybe you'd better tighten up your 

procedures or anything of that nature, or a memo? 

A: I have no memory. I do think that Peoples had the idea 

that it was one of our balloons, and it wasn't a matter of 

tightening up our procedures, it was just one of our balloons we 

couldn't recover. As you'll see looking at Crary's diary, there 

was no frantic effort to recover the earlier flights, even though 

they had microphones on them. I read to you one about some 

equipment had been stolen by the time we got there. 

see in the diary, there's no record that there was any major 

problem. 

As you can 

Q: So even though the equipment was taken, there was no 

shroud of secrecy, the MPs didn't come out and close down the 

area or anything of this sort. 

A: No, not at all. 

Q: It was just expected in the normal course of research . Expendable equipment. 

A: Expendable equipment. 

Q: And you had no fear that it was going to be taken by 

enemy agents or... 

A: No, the biggest fear was the thought of loose talking, 

and we just didn't talk about the purpose of this. We certainly 

did talk a lot about our balloons, and there was just no security 

or no concern. We were flying constant level balloons. 

Q: For pressure and temperature ... 

A: For meteorological trajectories. A lot of interest in 

trajectories. 

One thing I should mention is that after I had visited from 

William Moore around '80 or '81, I wrote Ro Peoples and at that 

time Jim Peoples was in the Geology Department at the University 

of Kansas. 

saying that he had died. So I wrote her back and said there was 

considerable interest still in this Roswell incident, and did he 

ever get called out... 

involved in classified things and left us. I asked her did he 

ever talk to her about anything regarding this debris that had 

been recovered. 

was the fact that no, he thought that flying saucers were a bunch 

of hooey, and he had a very low opinion of people who believed in 

I wrote him and got a letter back from Ro Peoples 

I do know that on occasion he got 

Her letter, which I perhaps can find somewhere, 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 47 

flying saucers. I did get a letter back from Ro to the response 

that he had not been, as far as she knew, he had not been 

involved in any classified identification of something. That had 

occurred to me that things could have gone on that I had no need 

to know. I tried to extract that. 

Q: 

him, when you got back to New Jersey, discussing it. It caused a 

lot of fuss. 

So you had no recollection or strong recollection of 

imp 

for 

A: I'm really surprised at this newspaper story because 

licit in this is the idea that someone provided a good cover 

us, and yet Crary's diary doesn't show that he was involved 

in it, and I wasn't aware that my contact, Dyvad, was privy 

enough to our operations to have carried this out. 

bit of a mystery to me. 

So this is a 

Q: What would you speculate, how would someone, just 

circumstances, coincidences, or intentional? 

A: It's very clear that it was intentional, and there was 

a better security operation going on than I appreciated at the 

time. That would be my assessment. 

Q: So you believe that someone was privy to your 

activities... 

A: Trakowski was there. I had forgotten, but he reminded 

me that he had gone on the C-54 to pick up the helium at 

Amarillo. I asked Trakowski had he been involved in 

manufacturing a cover story. He kept saying how important Mogul 

was, how highly classified it was, and how he was really wheeling 

and dealing. He apparently went down to Fort Bliss, to the 

commanding general there -- I guess he was a captain at the time 

-- and had no trouble talking the general into releasing 

something like maybe several hundred 500 pound bombs for this. 

At the same time, Trakowski has no memory of a coverup. 

Q: He didn't have participation. 

A: Whether he was on that C-54 that had 23 people on it or 

not, I don't know. Crary's list of the people left, there was 

only one military type, a Lieutenant Thompson, in what you have 

here. 

Q: Who did you report to? 

A: Peoples. 

Q: Then getting back to talking about quarters and things 

like that, did you have to go introduce yourself to the 

commanding officer at the base, or... 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 48 

A: That's the surprising thing. As far as I know we just 

Q: 

never interfaced with the military. 

Where were you actually operating from? 

A: We operated out of the north area of Alamagordo Army 

Air Field. This hangar right here, which was a big wooden 

hangar, on the south side of the ramp in the north area. 

Q: That was arranged by Peoples? 

A: Crary was already resident there when we had arrived. 

Q: That's right. He arrived first to establish the ground 

stations first. 

A: Correct. As you'll see in this, he was already firing 

explosive for the GR-6, the various sound-ranging microphones. 

Q: Did he have a cover story for those ground explosions 

and the microphones? 

A: I don't know. There were very few enlisted men on the 

airfield. As Trakowski said, it was about to be closed. There 

was a motor pool, because in the stuff Todd has dug up, there 

were a bunch of weapons carriers being requisitioned. We 

certainly had some brand new, good ground transportation that was 

just turned over to us. 

carriers to carry helium around, and to go into town to get 

meals, etc. 

We civilians were driving weapons 

Q: So you operated from Alamagordo Army Air Field. You 

did not operate out of White Sands. 

A: That is correct. 

Q: There is a difference. 

A: A very strong schism between the ordnance people across 

the valley 50-odd miles at the proving ground, and the skeleton 

group at Alamagordo Army Air Field. 

Q: So there weren't many people at Alamagordo. 

A: Correct. The main people I have a memory of were the 

people operating what sticks in my mind as either C-5 or an M-5 

radar. I knew the Signal Corps designation, the SCR-584s and 

270-s, etc., but this was some new radar that had a bigger dish 

on it and was on the north side of the ramp. 

been... This is looking toward the south. You can see here, 

those are some old abandoned, those were barracks used to handle 

air crew during training of World War 11. 

and dusty and we didn't use them. 

somewhere on the main base. 

It would have 

They were all closed 

We were in barracks down 

But we were just in an enlisted 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 49 

men's barracks down on the main base and there was a mess hall 

that we ate lunch in, ate our meals. We were up at odd hours, as 

you can see, these 3:OO otclock launchings. 

Q: Who did Alamagordo report to? You indicated it was 

Fort Bliss? 

A: No. There was a commanding officer, and I'm not sure 

which command he was in, but the people in the north area were 

all, if you will, tenants. We didn't use that word, but we were 

all associated, one way or another with Watson Labs. 

Q: So Trakowski then, his reporting chain was... 

A: 

Q: There was no real interface, Trakowski had no real 

His reporting chain was Watson Lab to Colonel Duffy. 

interface with the Alamagordo people or anyone else around 8th 

Air Force. 

A: There were some fancy orders that gave him a position 

to talk to the commanding officer and get what he wanted, to 

arrange what he wanted on the basis of orders out of Headquarters 

Army Air Force. 

take a security monitor type person or security officer to come 

by and just say I wanted to see how you were... 

Q: While you were operating, doing your procedure, did it 

A: No interface at all. 

Q: You don't remember any strangers poking around or.... 

A: No, just absolutely nothing. We were just a little 

bunch of civilians there on an almost deserted base, doing what 

we wanted. 

Q: Going back to the orders that you mentioned, were these 

some sort of special orders different from what we would 

typically see as military orders? 

is that he had orders that came from a fairly high level that 

introduced him and let him do what he wanted to. As the research 

changed, he didn't have to go back and get new orders. He was in 

the position of doing what Crary and Peoples wanted. 

A: Youtll have to talk to Trakowski on it, but my opinion 

Q: Like Jim and I have blanket orders that say we're 

authorized to go anywhere, essentially, in the world; but was 

there anything specific in those orders that said provide all 

assistance requested ... 

A: I suspect so. I too, have had such general orders -- 

do as someone may deem necessary. In fact I have a copy of my 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 50 

1944 orders that say such things here. 

to Trakowski. My feeling is that he and Peoples provided the 

interface to the base and we just weren't bothered. We never saw 

anybody in security. There was certainly nobody keeping us 

secure. If anything, we were keeping ourselves secure. 

But you'll have to talk 

Q: These are the pictures taken in General Ramey's office, 

8th Air Force Headquarters by a news photographer of the Fort 

Worth Star Telearam. It's four pictures that show various people 

with some equipment, and I'd just like to know what you believe 

that equipment tc be. 

A: Joe Fletcher has written your friend Todd, and said 

there's no question that's a target. The only question is that 

there are people who allege this is a target that's been 

substituted for the real debris, and there are also stories where 

Marchelle said the picture in which he appears are the real 

stuff, etc. That looks very much like our radar targets. And 

youtll notice that this does look more aluminum foilish than what 

I have here. It's my memory that there was good, bright, 

aluminum metal foil, not painted stuff on the targets we were 

using. That looks like more than one target to me in the various 

pictures. That looks like the stuff we were flying. 

Q: I think they talked in terms of being a rawin target in 

this book. 

A: It's just radio wind. There are two kinds of radio 

winds -- the 400 megacycle transmitters tracked by the SCR-658, 

the old bed springs; and then the radar wind. Ray Win is the 

right way to say it. 

Q: So the rawin would be a radar target that most of the 

officers and the weather people there would have been associated 

with, they would have some knowledge of? 

A: Not really. ..As I say, these came out right at the end 

of the war. The warrant officer, I have a letter that he wrote 

Todd, I don't know if you've seen it... 

(Pause) 

Q: We've got this thing narrowed down to just a few 

flights. There couldn't have been... Due to your time frame, 

when you were there, the rancher went on the record of saying he 

picked it up the 14th or the 15th. 

A: The 14th. 

Q: So it would have to be in the June field trip, early in 

June. You had several service flights but you also had, you called them experimental flights. 

the testing... 

The experimental flights with 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 51 

A: 

other words, all flights we were making for Peoples, and we had 

some radar test flights. 

The ones in early June were all service flights. In 

Q: 

A: All the balloons launched in that period would have 

So to go with the June 14th date, what type of flight 

do you think would have... 

been meteorological balloons, 350 gram meteorological balloons, 

some of them with radar targets just to test the radar out and 

some of them, I'd forgotten all about it, but Crary's diary says 

we had sonobuoy microphones on some of them. So that black box 

that Cavitt had really began to get my attention. 

Q: That would not be a radiosonde. 

A: That would not be a radiosonde. 

Q: 

A: 

box, and the fact that we were involved in radar is because we 

weren't allowed to have our radiosonde equipment. We weren't all 

set up for that. 

What would a radiosonde look like? 

It would be a white, usually a cardboard or a plastic 

Q: You said you didn't bring it with you. 

A: We didn't bring the receiver. I have to correct 

myself, we did attach radiosondes to them, to the flights 

carrying microphones because there's a statement in this summary 

here of radiosonde reception. Radiosonde recording. So I take 

that back. Yes, we had radiosonde. But we did fly this one 

mentioned here, on June 4th, out to Tulerosa range, no balloon 

flight, again, on account of clouds. By that he means none of 

their flights. Then 8gFlew regular sonobuoy mike on a cluster of 

balloons and had good (inaudible) receiver on ground but poor on 

plane. 

stocked sonobuoy while Professor Wing was trying to perfect his 

technique of the low range frequency microphone. 

A: Oh, the low frequency microphone, right. That's 

Q: I notice early on you were going ahead with the Navy 

correct. 

Q: He was experimenting with both AM and FM, is that your recollection? 

A: In the laboratory, devices for measuring low frequency 

acoustic waves were well known, but what he was attempting to do 

was to modify these and devise something to be a throw-away 

microphone and radio transmitter, so this was to build an 

instrument for a certain purpose. He actually had a fGllow named 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 52 

Joe Johnston, the electrical engineer at Columbia, whose name 

will come up as the person who did these. 

Q: But you think in these early service flights you did 

have sonobouys? 

A: Initially we had sonobouy, according to Crary. We 

initially were flying radar targets on the balloons only. 

by about Flight 5, we'd had sufficient lack of results that we 

began putting radiosondes on. 

Then 

(Pause) 

Q: The end report we're going to write is going to be 

based on official records, and essentially, transcripts such as 

this. So there will be a lot of things, Cavitt's tape, the 

transcript will not be part of that. This statement will be. 

A: If you remember, there's a note in there from Dave 

Atlas to Colonel Duffy, a copy of a letter. Dave mentioned 

somewhere or another that Colonel Duffy took him down in the 

basement and Colonel Duffy had trunkfulls of documents that were 

unclassified. 

contact Mrs. Duffy ... I wonder if it would be possible for you to 

Q: I was wondering about what she might have. 

A: 

have the address and phone number. 

Rhode Island. 

She may have a great deal. Maybe in the Duffy file I 

I think it's Barrington, 

(Looking for name and phone number) 

A: Here's a letter Todd got having to do with chasing down 

modern targets, the people who now make targets, who know nothing 

about this earlier affair. 

Q: We talked with the Signal Corps up at Fort Monmouth and 

that's where we got the copy of the engineering drawing, which is 

a copy for you. 

They have a national stock number and they can be made, butthey 

would have to go out and write a new contract for them. 

They said these targets are no longer made. 

A: This is the C Model. It doesn't show the 

reinforcements. 

Q: The young lady I talked with at Fort Monmouth indicated 

this drawing pre-dated that time frame. June of '44. 

A: I'll be darned. 

Q: I found that unusual when she said that was June of 

'44, and I didn't pick up on the designation being printed on the 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 53 

side. 

wrongly so, that the C Model would have come later. 

I thought the B Model was a 1947 vintage and assumed, 

A: This, then, is really ... So they didn't change the 

numbers. It does show the little swivel there, in '44. Well, as 

always, my memory can be improved. 

Tibbetts, the radar lieutenant working for Fletcher, said 

that when they got these in '44 there was a lot of trouble with 

breakage in the air and they had to go back for reinforcement. 

Q: 

A: He said that's where the tape came in. Because it 

certainly doesn't show this. There's just no question in my 

memory, bad as it may be, that there was a tape there. That 

impelled me to drag out Herbert Crow's letter. 

that, here is a communication between Todd and a Warrant Officer 

Newton, who identified things in General Ramey's office. 

That's where maybe the tape came in? 

While I'm finding 

(Pause) 

Q: It says a material like mylar. Do you have any 

knowledge of when that term came into use? 

polyethylene, it's a metalized polyethylene. 

mylar is a 

A: It's not really a polyethylene, it's a polyturpoline ... 

Q: I'm not a chemist. 

A: It's really quite a different thing. We certainly got 

involved with mylar balloons in General Mills around 1950 or 

1951. 

Q: Nothing that early, though. 

A: I think not. It was really quite a new plastic. This 

is mylar. As you can see from the appearance, it's really quite 

different than polyethylene. It's non-extensible, where this 

really stretches. This scatters light and this doesn't. We have 

flown mylar balloons and mylar balloons vacuum coated with 

aluminum, but I think we didn't fly any in this era. It would be 

my guess that someone is sort of confusing this with later 

things. There were a lot of mylar balloons carried on rockets, 

and it was called Jim's sphere. Someone named Jim came up with 

the idea of increasing the turbulence around a following sphere 

by putting a little protuberance, little combs out on it. That 

was Jim's sphere. A lot of them were flown to measure winds in 

the low ionosphere, flodh on rockets, from White Sands. They 

could well have fallen, but to my memory, it would have been 

anachronistic, out of times. 

Here's a letter to me from Herbert Crow who was one of my 

technicians in the 1948 operation. These pictures you saw, 
PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 54 

including that debris, are pictures that he sent to me with that 

letter and a subsequent letter. 

Crow. 

These are pictures taken by 

Q: When did Alamagordo become Holloman? 

A: Probably about September of '47. 

Q: It says HAFB on the back of the truck. 

A: Those pictures were taken during the Sandstone 

operation in April of '48. 

Q: I take it the side arm was for protection against 

rattle snakes? 

A: Good question. 

Q: Some of the popular writers have alleged that certain 

persons were turned away by armed guards, etc. 

A: Not in our area. 

Q: I mean as far as the so-called... 

A: Oh, out at the ranch. 
24. 

Interview 

[Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James 

McAndrew with] Col Albert C. 

Trakowski, USAF (Ret) 

June 29, 1994 

Colonel Albert Trakowski 

29 June 1994 

Q: We have [concluded] independently from several other researchers the fact that MOGUL 

is probably responsible for the so-called Roswell incident ... The Air Force position on that is that it was 

a misidentified balloon. The balloon was not a weather balloon, but was then a classified project, Project 

MOGUL, which has since been declassified. 

What we have not found is any documented evidence that there was a planned cover story related 

to Project MOGUL. Jim has culled through literally millions of pages in various archives and repositories 

trying to find some sort of documented evidence where somebody at some level has stated that a cover 

story of weather research or weather-related activities would be used for Project MOGUL, the real purpose 

of which was nuclear detection ... 

(Pause) 

A: ... All of that is to say that I know these people, and I know of what their involvement was, 

so I can at least give credibility and corroboration to what it was they did and where they fit in the 

picture. 

There have been several writers who have been interested in this story, and they have been in 

touch with me. I have given them a lot of words, and in some cases documents that I had in my personal 

files. They were at first a Charles [Robert] Todd, from Ardmore, Pennsylvania, who was writing a story, 

and I never quite could determine whether he was on the side of the believers in UFOs or was writing to 

refute the believers. That I really was unsure of. One thing, he did appear to be sincere in getting the facts 

that surrounded the matter. 

Another was a Charles Ziegler, a professor of physics at Brandeis University who was writing a 

monograph or perhaps a book on the history of nuclear weapons detection. It figured, of course, that 

Project MOGUL would come into view. So he had done a great deal of documentary searching and had 

found some documents that I did not have. For example, the original letter from Maurice Ewing to Carl 

Spaatz, then Chief of Staff of the Air Force. And some of the original letters of General Spaatz directing 

the establishment of Project MOGUL. All of this Charles Ziegler apparently found, and I did not have them 

at all. 

Another fellow recently came into view, a Carl Pflock from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He 

appeared to want to substantiate the existence of the UFO incident as a UFO. I have a tape here, a onesided tape, my half of the conversation only, with him. You’re welcome to listen to that. 

Charlie Moore has been in it since the beginning. Charlie was not a general project scientist or 

engineer on Project MOGUL. His efforts were confined to the development of the constant level balloons 

which were the instrument carriers for the devices that we hoped would pick up the sound waves operating 

in the sound channel in the stratosphere. The constant level balloon was the lifting mechanism, and Charlie 

was the principal in the development of that. 

All of these things I have recorded on this tape to Mr. Pflock and also on the tapes that I made 

for Ruth Liebowitz, the historian at the Air Force Cambridge Research Center. 
COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 2 

Maybe the best thing to do before plowing over all this old ground would be to consider some 

specific questions you may have. In the course of that, the history may come out. 

Q: Were there any documents, or were there any directions either from yourself or from 

someone else up the chain to develop a cover story for MOGUL? 

A: Not to my knowledge, no. I have never seen such a document nor have I ever heard of 

any effort to develop a cover story for MOGUL. The security of MOGUL was a great concern of mine from 

the very beginning, because it was like trying to hide an elephant in an open farmyard-almost ludicrous. 

Q: Both Dr. Spilhaus and Professor Moore have indicated that they did use weather research 

as essentially a cover story when asked questions about what they were doing. 

A: Correct. That we did. I’m aware of that. But it was not a policy. It was, if anything, a 

lash-up idea on the spur of the moment. And indeed, it was obvious. I may have been involved in using 

such a story myself, but to the best of my recollection there was no official stimulation [sic] or 

documentation of doing that. If you find such a document I, indeed, would be surprised. 

Q: In the course of the research projects you worked on, in that time frame-the postwar 

period-would they give you a cover story on any particular project, even other than this one? Would they 

say, this is what you do, say this? Or would they kind of leave it to you, that it was a classified project 

and you just didn’t discuss it and you just avoided questions? 

A: The latter. I have no recollection of a cover story being used on any project that I was 

involved in, nor that a prefabricated cover story existed. No. I never encountered any such thing. We 

simply treated the security classification straight and did all we could to adhere to it. 

Q: So you, as the project officer, you knew that MOGUL was a Top Secret ... 

A: Did I know that? There was no way to avoid it. I was the project officer, succeeding 

Colonel Duffy, and all that history is in the tapes that I made for Ruth Liebowitz. I came into being as 

the project officer on Project MOGUL about November of 1946. I had considerable background in nuclear 

weapons detection, using devices that I had developed in the Signal Corps. I was an Air Force officer 

assigned to the Signal Corps as part of Colonel Duffy’s office. Much to the chagrin of the Signal Corps 

hierarchy, I was appointed a laboratory chief in the Signal Corps for purposes of developing instrumentation that the Air Force required, and I did that. In connection with that instrumentation, I conceived of an 

application of that instrumentation for use in detection of nuclear weapons. We conducted field 

experiments which at best were controversial, and at worst showed no positive result. 

So my studies took me into the nuclear weapons problem. I had a background in physics-in 

nuclear physics and high-energy physics and modem physics-so I had some understanding of what was 

going on. I then took over the development of the original weather radar prototypes that the Air Force 

required in 1946. I did that in 1946. From that position, I was transferred to Colonel Duffy’s new position 

as project officer for Project MOGUL in the Air Force, Watson Laboratories. I took up that task, I believe, 

around November. Those dates I think are specific in the tapes I made for Ruth Liebowitz- November 

of 1946. Colonel Duffy was reassigned to Wright Field, and I was the project officer. I was Top Secret 

control officer in addition to other duties, it being the only Top Secret project at Watson Laboratories at 
COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 3 

the time, and probably ever. I remained project officer of Project MOGUL through our move of the 

laboratory from Watson Laboratories at Eatontown, New Jersey, to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and 

combined my laboratory, which was then known as the Geophysical Research Directorate, with that of 

John Marchetti’s Electronics Research Directorate, and these two components made up the Air Force 

Cambridge Research Center. 

I continued in my position of the Director of the geophysics component until May of 1949, when 

I was relieved of the duty at my own request and returned to school at MIT. 

Q: Until ’49, were you still on Project MOGUL? 

A: Yes, indeed. And Project MX-968. 

Q: You were on-site in New Mexico when Charlie Moore was doing most of his work, some 

of the early launches out of Alamagordo. 

A: Yes. Jim Peoples and I went down to Alamagordo in early July 1947 to assist and observe 

the prototype launches being done by Charlie Moore and his crew from New York University. 

Q: You said you went in July of ‘47, so you were there only in July. Was that early in July? 

A: Yes, it was early in July. Again, I think those dates are in this tape of my conversation 

with Mr. Pflock. It was early in July. The Roswell incident occurred after I returned to Watson 

Laboratories. I wasn’t involved in it at all. Really, the only thing that I knew about it, after it happened, 

was that Colonel Duffy called me on the telephone from Wright Field and gave me a story about a fellow 

that had come in from New Mexico, woke him up in the middle of the night, or some such thing, with 

a handful of debris, and wanted him, Colonel Duffy, to identify it. 

Q: 

A: 

no. 

Q: 

A: 

Q: 

A: 

Q: 

A: 

Q: 

Did he identify who the person was? 

No, I don’t remember the person at all. I don’t remember who came from New Mexico, 

Someone came from New Mexico with this debris? 

Yes, I believe that’s correct. 

They came to his quarters? 

Yes, at Wright Field, yes. He had quarters on the base at Wright Field. 

Was his family there? 

Yes. 

Did he identify the type of debris? 
COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 4 

A: He just said it sure looks like some of the stuff you’ve been launching at Alamagordo, 

and he described it, and I said yes, I think it is. Certainly Colonel Duffy knew enough about radar targets, 

radiosondes, and balloon-borne weather devices. He was intimately familiar with all that apparatus. 

Q: What was his position at Wright Field? 

A: He was on the staff of General Tom Rives who was Director of the Electronic Subdivision 

of the Air Materiel Command, and under whose purview the Watson Laboratories was run. 

Q: Why did they bring this debris to Colonel Duffy? Why didn’t they bring it to someone 

else? 

A: Probably because of questions about who knows about this project put to people at 

Alamagordo. I’m not sure. I can’t answer that with any firm knowledge at all. 

Q: So you had no idea there was an “incident” until Colonel Duffy called you, and you were 

back in Massachusetts at this time? 

A: At that time we were at Eatontown, New Jersey. But what you said is correct. I had no 

knowledge of the so-called “incident” until Colonel Duffy called me. 

Q: Do you recall what day you actually departed Alamagordo? 

A: No. No, I don’t. I have a full file of my TDY orders upstairs. Right offhand I can’t tell 

you, but I was back in Watson Laboratories for several days before Colonel Duffy called me. 

Q: Do you recall there being a Major Pritchard on-site? 

A: I remember the name, yes. 

Q: Did he work for you at Watson Laboratories? 

A: No. He didn’t work for me. I don’t recall him working for me. I only had one major 

working for me, and I was a captain. He was a dull fellow ... Right offhand I can’t remember. 

Q: You were the Chief of the Applied Propagation Subdivision. 

A: Yes. 

Q: I’ve seen the organizational chart, the way those things go ... 

A: I was. 

Q: You were at the top, and then down below, as a technical adviser, below your name on 

the chart, is Major Pritchard. 
COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 5 

A: Is that so? I don’t remember. I simply don’t remember. But if the chart says that, I’ll go 

along with the chart. 

Q: Major W. D. Pritchard. On July 10th in the Alamagordo newspaper, there’s an article 

where it shows, it doesn’t say when this was taken, but it says a Major Pritchard and his balloon group 

are demonstrating to reporters what these balloons and the various radar reflectors look like. Now, Charlie 

Moore took a look at that and said, “I don’t recall there being any other balloon group in New Mexico 

or in that area at the same time we were there.” 

A: I think Charlie’s right. I don’t recall any either. 

Q: So we were trying to figure out whether Major Pritchard was maybe a counterintelligencetype person or whether he was there reviewing the security procedures, or maybe he was there for 

promulgating the cover story of weather balloon and weather research so that MOGUL would not come out 

in the open. The article in the paper talks about the use of reflectors for tracking purposes-the radar 

reflectors for tracking purposes-but it never comes out talking about MOGUL and the instrumentation that 

you all were using for nuclear detection or the tests that were being conducted. 

A: Could Major Pritchard have been attached to or some way connected with the base 

weather station at Alamagordo? 

Q: Well, sir, we don’t know, but he is identified in that newspaper article as being a public 

information officer. When we traced that name back to your organization, we thought he may have been 

essentially undercover himself. We don’t know if that’s the same person, even though it’s the same name. 

A: I’m afraid I can’t offer any positive knowledge here. 

Q: Were you associated with any counterintelligence people in Watson Labs or. .. 

A: Not to my knowledge. If some were around, they were spoofing me because I didn’t know 

it. 

Q: Were there any other types of intelligence persons on your staff or the staff of Watson 

Laboratories? 

A: Not to my knowledge. 

Q: So the only people you had were actually civilian researchers ... 

A: And a few military officers, yes. 

Q: Signal Corps and Army Air Force? 

A: All the officers that I had on my staff were Air Force. I had no Signal Corps people at 

all. 
COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 6 

Q: A few more names came off that news article where they’re displaying the balloon 

launch-Maj. W. D. Pritchard, Maj. C. W. Mangum, Lieutenant Siegal, and a Capt. L. H. Dyvad. 

A: None of those names are in my memory, firm in my memory, at all. 

Q: You were aware of the previous Colonel Duffy’s predecessor, Major Crane ... 

A: 

I never met him. 

I never met Richard [Robert] Crane. I knew him only by the path of debris he left behind. 

Q: When you took over, was there any worry about security on the project, that security was 

possibly a problem, or that there was a problem or that there could be a potential problem that might 

warrant scrutiny by Air Force intelligence or security people? 

A: We were aware of the delicacy of security on the project, and the reason was obvious. You 

could not conduct field operations of the size that we had to without somebody asking questions. Anybody 

with a pair of 8x50 binoculars on the side of the mountain could look down and see what was going on, 

and that, of course, would prompt questions. We were aware of all that, and we didn’t really know what 

to do about it except to go on doing our job and taking care of things as they occurred. But we were 

aware of the sensitivity and of the weakness of security in Project MOGUL. Not from the people in the 

project, not disclosure by them, but simply the obvious activity that could be observed. 

You can’t fill a balloon that’s give-or-take 60 feet high without somebody seeing it. 

Q: When you were at Alamagordo and some of the various balloons were being launched, 

what was the largest array that you saw out there? 

A: You mean payload? 

Q: No, the entire assembly. The balloons, payloads, reflectors ... 

A: I didn’t observe any of the reflectors, and if I did, they were so commonplace that it 

wouldn’t have stuck in my memory. The neoprene balloons bearing reflectors were just common 

occurrences. I wouldn’t have lodged any of those observations in memory because they were just too 

common. 

Q: Charlie Moore has indicated that some of the balloons they tried during the early 

experiments were the relatively new types of reflectors that probably had never been used in New Mexico 

before, the M307B model, and that Ed Istvan had gone to several essentially toy manufacturers, to try to 

get some of these reflectors made. 

A: That’s correct. I don’t know [about] that Ed Istv an... Ed Istvan got out of line. Charlie may 

have told you this, and I don’t mean to tell tales about Ed, but Ed was a ve ry... indeed, every man on 

Colonel Duffy’s staff was very energetic. It was the Signal Corps’ responsibility to procure those targets; 

it was not the responsibility of our and Colonel Duffy’s office. However, to accelerate the activity of the 

Signal Corps and spur them to action, our Air Force officers in Colonel Duffy’s office were literally on 

the backs of the Signal Corps people who did the job, and oftentimes did things they shouldn’t have and 
COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 7 

were out of channel, so to speak. It was on such an occasion that Ed Istvan acted to line up contractors 

for these targets. He got into a considerable amount of, shall we say, controversy with the Signal Corps 

because he was out of line. 

Q: Do you recall any of the contractors he may have worked with? 

A: No, I don’t remember them by name. They were not within my purview at the time. As 

I have told others, including Mr. Pflock, we had an outstanding expeditor on our staff, on Colonel Duffy’s 

staff, by the name of John E. Peterson. Jack Peterson was a major at the time. He was a prewar graduate 

of Harvard Business School, and he knew business operations inside and out. Again, he was an extremely 

energetic fellow. He was very, very valuable and successful at breaking loose stuck contracts and stuck 

production and things that weren’t moving as fast as they should. During the war that was very important. 

Jack monitored the procurement of these radar targets, and I believe Ed Istvan either worked for 

or alongside Jack Peterson, and I remember when they finally ... Now this was all not under my purview, 

but I worked in the same building with them, and I knew Jack very well, he was a very good friend and 

we talked and joked with each other a lot. I remember so clearly when the contractor for these targets was 

selected, and Jack thought it was the biggest joke in the world that they had to go to a toy manufacturer 

to make these radar targets. Then it was even a bigger joke when it turned out that because of wartime 

scarcities of materials, the tape that they used to assemble these targets, the reflecting material on the balsa 

frames, was some kind of a pinkish purple tape with a heart and flower design on it. This was, again, a 

big flap. 

Q: Did you ever see any of those? 

A: Yeah, I saw some of them. Not in connection with my work, but they were around the 

office. The prototypes were around the office, and the first production runs were there. 

Q: So you would say it’s a limited number of a few runs maybe. 

A: I have no idea how many hundreds were made, or even thousands. But like everything 

else that goes into production, the contractors have a limited production to begin with until they work out 

the bugs, and then they go full blower in the high production. 

Q: Do you remember a rough span of times when you saw these: when you saw the first one, 

and when you saw the last? 

A: 

produced. 

It was probably 1944 or 1945. It was probably late in 1944 when the first ones were 

Q: Where did you see those? What part of the country? 

A: Right there at Signal Corps. We were all working at that time, and John Peterson had his 

offices at the Toms River Signal Laboratory, which was actually located on the jurisdictional lines between 

Sea Girt and Springlake, New Jersey. It was an old night club that the Signal Corps had rented for the 

purposes of doing remote experimentation. 
COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 8 

Q: The Sea Girt Inn? 

A: Exactly. That’s where John had his office, and I was there for a time doing work on 

developing the operational procedures of the SCR-658, the radio direction of wind- meteorological data. 

Rawinsonde-I did most all the work on developing how to use that instrument, and it was done there 

at the Sea Girt Inn. 

Q: Do you recall any other physical attributes about the radar reflectors, the balsa wood? 

Charlie Moore indicated that the material had been coated in something like Elmer’s glue which made it 

much more durable. Do you recall anything like that? 

A: No, I don’t. I didn’t concern myself with that except as an observation to the side. The 

radar targets were geometrically elementary. There were three intersecting planes: X, Y, and Z. Their 

geometry was such, as you well know, that any incident wave would be reflected exactly, precisely, in 

the direction from which it came. So they were simple. I don’t recall any of the details of how they were 

made, what what the materials were, what coatings were used, or anything. At the time it wasn’t within 

the range of my job. 

Q: Did Colonel Duffy inform you officially? When he said he called you, was this like an 

official.. . 

A: No. It was just an informative call. There wasn’t any official transmission of knowledge 

nor expected action to result from it. 

Q: Did Colonel Duffy consider this to be some sort of security violation? 

A: No. Not to my knowledge, no. It was part of doing business. 

Q: So he wasn’t particularly upset, and he didn’t require a formal explanation. 

A: No. 

Q: So that’s the first you were aware, when he called you. None of your technicians had 

mentioned it to you? 

A: No. Not to my knowledge. 

Q: Did you have any interaction with the people at Eighth Air Force such as General Ramey 

or anyone else who may have been at Roswell Army Air Field? 

A: No. I don’t recall any interaction with them, no. 

Q: What about Dr. Crary or Dr. Peoples? Do you know if they had interaction with the 

[Eighth Air Force] folks? 

A: I don’t recall any, no. 
COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 9 

Q: At some point in Project MOGUL did you utilize equipment based at Roswell Army Air 

Field? 

A: No, we had our own aircraft based at Fort Dix, New Jersey. 

Q: Did you ever have a rawinsonde receiver at Roswell? 

A: Not to my memory. No. We may have, but the specifics on that, I don’t recall, 

Q: Can you think of any reason why Dr. Peoples would meet with one of the bomb squadron 

commanders at Roswell in September of 1947? 

A: Probably to arrange air drops of bombs as signal sources for testing the MOGUL sound 

receivers. We had a fellow who was assigned to the electronics test squadron at Fort Dix by the name of 

Duff, Eugene Duff, an ordnance expert, and he may have been involved in arranging for bombs to be 

exploded in the air as sound signal sources for testing the MOGUL receivers. 

Q: Did you also procure aircraft from Middletown, Pennsylvania? 

A: Yes. I believe our electronic squadron was moved from Fort Dix to Middletown-to 

Olmstead Air Force Base. When that was, I can’t exactly pinpoint, but it was probably some time in 1947. 

Gene Duff, our ordnance man, was a part of that group. I don’t know whether Gene Duff still lives or not, 

but he is a name that you might look into. Eugene Duff. 

Q: 

happened? 

Has anyone asked you to explain what happened at Roswell? In your opinion, what 

A: Until these recent inquiries, I don’t recall anyone asking me to explain. I don’t recall it 

ever coming up for me to answer in connection with the MOGUL tests. I don’t recall that. You know, 

things happen every day, and you treat crises from moment to moment as though they were so much 

cordwood. They aren’t all worthy of memory. But I don’t recall it. 

Q: Other than our conversation here today, has anyone ever discussed with you not talking 

about MOGUL? It’s essentially declassified-it is no longer a classified project-but has anyone in the 

government-the Air Force, the Army, the Department of Energy, or anyone else-ever said don’t discuss 

this? 

A: Absolutely not. No such thing. 

Q: What we’re trying to do is make sure we are open to the General Accounting Office and 

to the American public as a whole when we publish our reports. So to all the people we’ve discussed this 

with, we want to make absolutely certain that someone has not come to them and said, you’re going to 

get in the cover story. We want this to be as open as possible and get this thing resolved once and for all. 

There are going to be those individuals-as you have stated, the true believers-who may not accept what 

we have to say, but we just want to try to get everything out in the open. 
COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 10 

A: It’s about 45 years since all of this happened. Even at the time, as I mentioned a moment 

ago, one gets very busy in a project of this sort, and you treat rather large events as they come; you give 

them action, and then you go on to the next. All of these events don’t stay in memory. 

Q: We understand that you’ve been contacted by various people such as Mr. Pflock and Mr. 

Todd, and we do appreciate your spending some time with us in this endeavor. We think it’s very valuable 

for people who were actually on the scene to provide their accounts of what occurred. It is valuable to 

us, and we do appreciate that. 

A: 

(Laughter) 

I wish I could be of more help on this thing. Apparently, things like this die very hard. 

Q: Did you ever hear of any intelligence people getting involved in this thing? Colonel Duffy 

mentioned that some of the people at AMC maybe wanted ... 

A: No, I don’t. Certainly no intelligence people ... Certainly I was not involved with any 

intelligence people in this matter. If I was, I don’t recall it. Colonel Duffy and the group at Wright Field 

protected me greatly, I know that. They never said it, but I know they did because they left me free to 

do the project. And if anything would interfere with getting the project done as quickly as possible, they 

would try to steer that away from me. I know they did. Again, they never said it, but their actions were 

obvious. 

(Pause) 

A: ... I was assigned for about two months to MOAT-1. Then Colonel Benjamin Holtzman, 

later General Holtzman, pulled me out of MOAT-1 and sent me to Baltimore because the Air Research 

and Development Command had just been organized, and I arrived on the scene while they were still 

trying to find chairs and desks. We worked in the old Sun newspaper building in downtown Baltimore. 

Q: They had intelligence personnel there, didn’t they? 

A: They may have. I’m not aware of that. Then after I left the headquarters of ARDC in 

Baltimore, I spent four years at the Air Force Research and Development Command Office in Brussels, 

Belgium. Following that, I spent more than three years on the Air Staff in the Pentagon. 

Q: What year did you retire? 

A: On my birthday in 1963. I then went into industry, and I worked for EG&G, a hightechnology company based near Boston, and I became a Vice President of one of their subsidiaries. I 

became the project manager and developer of the National Space Science Data Center at Goddard, in 

Greenbelt, Maryland. I built that and set it up. 

Then when the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency, was formed in December of 1970, 

I was invited to join the newly formed EPA, and I did. I accepted the position. I went into the EPA as 

a Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Office of Research and Development. Then in 1973 and 1974 I 

served as Assistant Administrator for Research and Development in the EPA, the position from which I 

retired in 1982. 
COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 11 

Q: Did you have interaction with Spilhaus in your civil service career? 

A: No. Oh, I met with him. Spilly was a consultant, and even in his advancing age he was 

still an enormous source of ideas. If you brought him into a meeting as a consultant, surely somewhere 

along the line he would offer an idea that was useful. So he found a lot of contact throughout many 

organizations, particularly in those related to geophysics ... meteorology, geology. I know he worked with 

the U.S. Geological Survey, a very, very fine organization, and with NOAA. Those are two that I know 

he continued relationships with. But I had very little contact with him. 

Spilly was a very intimidating character. I lived with him for awhile. 

Q: Were you involved in his exploits in North Africa, out there in the desert with him? 

A: No. Nor in China. 

Q: He had quite some stories about some of his past exploits. 

A: No matter where he went, he gathered stories. 

25, 

Drawing 

Cluster Flight No, 2 

Ar.c*ut. -3 (R.in/orc.d) 

0 Cutoff 5 uib rrling 

0: 4&! 

TRAIN FOR CLUSTER FLIGHT NQ2 

err-. U. .,, Lo",.- l''-Is'8 

To Be FLOW" L\T ~IIMLIWIY, *IMMIVLVINIA 

3CILI.i ALL c..,n.rr - I" = r 0" 

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28 

Museums Contacted 

27 MAY 94 

MFR 

SUBJECT; OTHER CONTACTS ON BALLOON ACTIVITY OR AVIATION 

MISHAPS THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE "ROSWELL INCIDENT" 

The following organizations and individuals have been contacted during the period 23- 

27 May, concerning information on balloon activity and types of balIoons being used 

for various purposes in New Mexico during 1947. 

a) US Army Signal Corps Museum, Ft Gordon GA 

Mr Ted Wise, Director, DSN 780-28 18 

''no actual balloons but will take a look for photographs, or descriptions, etc. 

ref Mogul" 

Ms Carol Stokes, Historian 

b) US Army Communications and Electronics Command Museum, Ft Monmouth NJ 

Ms Mindy Rosewitz, Curator, DSN 992-2440 

"no examples or photos of balloons but did find a mechanical drawing (9 Jun 

44) for an Air Pilot Balloon radar reflector" for which a copy was provided 

Mr Richard Bingham, Command Historian, DSN 992- 1675 

Ms Ruth Fiomartto DSN 992-578 1 

c) Westinghouse Electronics History Museum, Baltimore MD 

Mr Robert Dwitzbe, President 

Westinghouse became involved in balloon "TCOM" and dirigibles in the 50s and 

60s; we have no reference to Project MOGUL" 

Ms Betsy xxxxxxxxxx 

"no balloon activity or balloon-borne electronics packages in the 1940's; 

d) Sperry Hagley Museum 

Ms Gail Dietrzyk, Curator, (304) 658-2400 ext 330 

no contact as of 3 1 May--no information as to the manufacturer of the instrument 

packages associated with MOGUL 

e) AF/SE 

Lt Col Lineberger, 3-7280 

Mexico in 1947 and 1948--response: B-29 crashed on T/O from Albuquerque in Jan 

1947 and a B-29 crashed on T/O from Walker AAF (Roswell) in Aug 1948; both had 

multiple fatalities; no refueling mishaps between B-29 and B-50 in 1947/48 

Mexico" area (ie, NM and surrounding states) for the period 1947-50; information to 

include specific date, crash location and number of fatalities: Lt Col Lineberger said 

they were on microfilm, that all mishaps were filed chronologically and that there 

were 7,000 mishap files; a manual review will take at least 60 days; I requested an 

update in two weeks and a followup after the first year's entries had been reviewed 

AAZ requested information related to B-29 and/or B-50 accidents in New 

On 26 May AM requested information on all B-29 mishaps in the "New 

f) Smithsonian Air and Space Museum 20 May 94 

Mr Tom Crouch, Aeronautics Curator, (202) 357-25 15/3 133 

"no examples of 1947 vintage balloons; have photographs but are taken at 

such a distance that no details of the balloon construction are evident; recommend 
contacting Mr James Rand (Jim) of Winzen Balloons, Sioux Falls, SD; Jim Rand is 

the President and his office is at 12061 Network Blvd, Suite 200, San Antonio TX 

Requested Lt Col Hachida at AIA to attempt to contact Mr Rand and 

determine if he had any information relative to the construction of these early 

balloons 

78249 (512) 690-3400 

g) Center for Military History, 14th St NW Washington DC 

Dr Bennett, Curator 

Dr Drea 

Ms Hannah Zeidlik, Archivist (202) 504-54 16 

US Army Military Institute" 

"no records of Project Mogul; recommend checking with DOE historian or the 

h) Dr Benjamin Cooling, DOE Historian (301) 903-543 1 

Dr Marie Hallion (202) 586-5238 @ Forrestal Bldg 

NARA; might check the 'Military Liaison Committee' (MLC), the military 

organization associated with AEC during that time; recommend discussing this with 

the AEC POC at NARA, Mr Jimmy Rush (30 1) 7 13-7250; check to see if there are 

any references to AEC people/correspondence with the MLC 

"the AEC collection from the 1947-late 50s era has been transferred to 

i) US Army Military History Institute, Carlisle Barracks PA 

Mr John Slonaker, Librarian DSN 242-361 1 

Jeffrey Butler, Col, USAF 


I 

L 

30 

Statement 

Irving Newton 

July 21,1994 

TIME LOCATION (BldglRWm NO) AND UNIT TAKING STATEMENT 

INSTALLATION DATE 

21 Jul 94 /@3D AFOSI Detachment 401 AFOSI Detachment 409 

I NEWTON, IRVING 

REPEAT (If Known) 

I OFFENSE 

LOCAL ADDRESS (Include ZIP CoaeJ 

PERMANENT ADDRESS OR HOME OF RECORD (Include ZIP Code) 

RandolDh AFB TX 

Same as Above 

SPONSOR INFORMATION(Njme. Grade, SSN, O~JnI2JtIOn. Duty Phone) 

I COMPLAINT 

USAF(RET) 0-4 

DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH (If RWurndJ 

DUTY: 

MILITARY ORGANlZATlONlEMPLOYER DEROS 

NAME (Ldlf. rim. Miuule ~rlrfldlJ SSN STATUSlGRADE 

NIA 

SECTION 111. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OFFENSES AN0 5TH AMENDMENT/ARTlCLE 3t RIGHTS ADVISEMENT (Suspect Only) 

USAF Retired 

1. I have been advised that I am suspected of the following offenses: fi 

N/A 

, 

/ 

by 

(SP, special agent. etc.) and advised me that I have the following rights according to the 5th Amendment of the US Con 

(Rank and Full Name) who identified himselfherself as a / 

Uniform Code of Military Justice (suspect initials on line next to each statement). / 

- a. I have the right to remain silent. that is to say nothing at all. / 

- b. Any statement I make, oral or written, may be used as evidence against me in a trial or in non-judicial, or administrativc 

proceedings. 

- c. I have the right to consult with a lawyer. 

- 

- 

d. 

e. I 

I 

may 

have 

obtain 

the right 

a civilian lawyer of my 

to have a lawyer present 

own choice 

during this interview. / 

- 1. I may request a lawyer any time during this interview. 

- 9. If I decide to answer questions with or without 

- h. MILITARY ONLY: If I want a military 

- i. CIVILIANS ONLY: If I cannot afford a me by civilian authorities. 

- not wish to make a statement or answer any questions. 

- not make any statement or answer any questions until I talk to a lawyer. 

3. I fully understan y rights and that my signature alone does not constitute an admission of guilt. / / 

(Signature of SuspectJ (Signature of Witnessllnterviewerj I/’ 

rAF Form 1168, JUN 91 PREVIOUS EDITIONS AM OBSOLE Tt Page 1 %:pager 
PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT 

4urtioRiw to u s c 8013. u u s c 3101. and~o 9397 

PRlNClPAl PURPOSES: Used ro record information and details of criminal activity which may require investigative acfion by commanaers. supervisor, 

iecurity polrce. AFOSI special agents, etc Used to prow& information to the appropriate indivrduals within DOD organizations who ensure thaf 

Proper legal and admininrative artion is taken 

ROUTINE USES: information may be disclosed to local. county, state and federal law enforcement or invenigatory authorities for mvenigarion .rnd 

DOSSible criminal prosecution or civil coun anion InfOrmdriOn extracted from this form may be used in other related criminal andlor civil proceedings 

DlSClOSURE IS VOLUNTARY. SSN is used to posirively identify the individual making the natement and as a conduit to check past criminal actwit) 

records 

tECTION IV STATEMENT 

THIS PAGE USED FOR SIGNATURE ONLY. TEXT OF STATEMENT BEGINS ON PAGE 3 

"I hereby volunt ily and of my own free will make this Statement without having ken subjected to any coercion. unlawful influence. or unlawful I inducement. I sw& (%affirm) I have read this statement. initialed all pages and co~ions. and it is true-t- to the best of my knowledge." 

I Subscribed and sworn to before mrrrama n authorized bv law to administer oaths. this 2 1st dav of Julv 19 96 

MIION VI. INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONTINUATION PAGEfS) 

Use plain bond paper (both sides optional). At the top ti ht of each e, print or type: .(Lair Name ofmdividudl making rhe Statement) on (Datcj '* 

At the bottom of each page, print or type: 'Page- 010- Pages . !he individual must initial the top and bottom entries and sign hisher name at 

the bottom of each page. 

AF Form 1168, JUN 91 IREVERSE) 'Ud. acmmm( Pfhnng omca to81 - 21141140159 Pagec 3 Pages 
+A 

I was asked to provide this statement, by Lt. Col. Joseph V. Rogan who advised 

me, he was assisting in an investigation at the behest of the Secretary of the 

Air Force, for the GAO, to look into facts concerning what has become to be known 

, as "The Roswell Incident''.dc< 

4,As I recall it was July 1941, I was then a Warrant Officer with seven years / service. I was the only weather forecaster on duty in the Fort Worth base weather 

and flight service center. The base weather covered only the base the flight 

service center covered most of the southwest states. I received a call from some 

one in General Ramey's office who asked that I go to the General's office. I 

informed him that I was the only forecaster on duty and could not leave. Several 

minutes later General Ramey Himself called and said "qet your ass over here If 

you don't have a car take the first one with a key". -sCt, . &,, , I was met at the General's office by a Lt Col or Col who told me that some one 

had found a flying saucer in New Mexico and they had it in the General's Office. 

And that a flight had been set up to send it to Wright Patterson AFB OH., but 

the General suspicioned that it might be meteorological equipment or something 

of that nature and wanted it examined by qualified meteorological personnel. 

The Col and I walked into the General's office where this supposed flying 

saucer was lying all over the floor. As soon as I aw it, I giggled and asked 

if that was the flying saucer. I was told it was. 

Several people were in the room when I went in, among them, General Ramey, 

&a couple of press people, a Major, I learned to be Major Marcel and some other 

folks. Someone introduced Major Marcel as the person who found this material. 

I told them that this was a balloon and a RAWIN target. I believed this because 

I had seen many of these before. They were normally launched by a special crew 

and followed by a ground radar unit. They provided a higher altitude winds 

aloft. We did not use them at Fort Worth. However, I was familiar with them 

because we used them and their products on various projects in which I was 

involved. These were used mostly on special projects and overseas. The balloon 

was made out of a rubber type expandable material and when launched was about 

six to eight feet across. When the balloons got to altitude they expanded to 

twenty feet or more. The target was used for radar reflections and I believe each 

leg of the target was approximately 48 inches. It resembled a child's Jack (like 

a child's ball and jacks set) with a metallic material between the legs. The legs 

were made of material appearing to be like balsa wood kite sticks but much 

While I was examining the debris, Major Marcel was picking up pieces of the 

-target sticks and trying to convince me that some notations on the sticks were 

alien writings. There were figures on the sticks lavender or pink in color, 

appeared to be weather faded markings,with no rhyme or reason. He did not 

,convince me these were alien writings..&$ . &,I was convinced\at the time that this was a balloon with a RAWIN target and 

.remain convinced.& . +,$J remember hearing $he General tell someone to cancel the flight the flight 

$0 Wright Patterson. +A, 

JZ54Jhile in the offilce several pictures were taken of Major Marcel, General Ramey, 

yself and others.&, I 'I 

,..I was dismissed'and went to my office to resume my normal duties.d'. 

fiDuring the ensuing years I have been interviewed by many authors, I have been 

quoted and misquoted. The facts remain as indicated above. I was not influenced 

during the original interview, nor today, to provide anything but what I know 

to be true, that is, the material I saw in General Ramey's office was the 

Page three of three 

remains of a balloon and a RAWIN target. 

R 

f A. L 

tougher. L. 2% 

5 

&, 

Photographs 

ML-307CIAP Device with Vintage 





OFFICB OF THE CECRETARY 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON OC 20330- 1000 

JUL 2 7 i994 

MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/AAZ 

ATTENTION: Colonel Richard L. Weaver 

FROM: SAFIAAZD 

1720 Air Force Pentagon 

Washington, DC 20330-1 720 

SUBJECT: Report of Findings on Balloon Research 

The following report is submitted in support of findings developed as a result of research 

efforts conducted at your request in support of the General Accounting Office (GAO) audit that 

focused on obtaining information relative to the so-called 'Roswell Incident.' 

Previously you were separately provided a liqt of the locations and records searched in 

regard to that endeavor. This is in addition to other materials and briefings previously provided. 

The focus of this paper is to concentrate on those findings developed regarding balloon operations 

that were taking place in New Mexjco during the time fiame in question. 

The following was compiled fiom records reviews and in some case, interviews with 

participants. Where appropriate, copies of the source documents used are provided as 

attachments. In the case of interviews or other references that are attached to the main report, 

these will be reflected in the footnotes, but not attached here. 

&4id,ik 
THE ROSWELL INCIDENT 

On July 7, 1947, W.W. (Mac) Brazel, a rancher from approximately 75 miles 

northwest of Roswell, NM, contacted the local sheriff and reported that sbme 

metallic debris had come to rest on the ranch on which he worked near the town 

of Corona, NM. This was during the "UFO Wave of 1947," and he told the sheriff 

that he thought this debris may be part of a "flying disc."' The sheriff contaqted 

Roswell (Army Air Field) AAF, which in turn sent intelligence officer, Maj Jesse 

Marcel, and two Counterintelligence Corps Agents, Capt Sheridan Cavitt and 

MSgt Lewis Rickett, to evaluate the debris. The officers collected a portion of the 

material and brought it back to Roswell AAF on the evening of July 7.' !The 

following day, the Public Information Office released a statement saying that the 

Army Air Forces had recovered a flying disc. This press release was provided to 

local newspapers who sent it out to wire services. Meanwhile, Brig Gen Roger 

Ramey, Eighth Air Force Commander, ordered that the debris be flown to Eighth 

Air Force Headquarters at Fort Worth AAF, TX, for his personal inspection. U on 

viewing the debris, he and his staff recognized parts which looked similar P o a 

weather balloon. He then summoned the base weather officer, who identified' the 

debris as the remnants of a weather balloon and its attached metallic radar target.3 

General Ramey then invited the local press to view and take photographs of 1 the 

materials and he declared the episode to be a misunderstanding (Atch 1). 

The above summarizes the previously reported information of what happened on 

July 7 and 8,1947. Before now, however, a larger portion of the story was neiver 

told. Recent research indicates that the debris recovered from the ranch on July 

7, 1947, was a weather balloon-but it was not being used strictly for weai/her 

purposes; its real purpose was to carry classified payloads for a Top Secret US 

Army Air Forces project. The project's classified code name was MOGUL. 

The current investigation discovered that an experimental balloon project was 

being conducted at nearby Alamogordo Army Airfield (now Holloman AFB, NM) 

during the summer of 1947.4 An examination of unclassified technical and 

progress reports prepared by the balloon project revealed that a highly classified 

program, Project MOGUL was the ultimate reason for the balloon experiments. 

Project MOGUL was classified Top Secret and carried a priority level of lA.5 It is 

Project MOGUL that provides the ultimate explunation for the "Roswell Incident. " 

1. Roswell Daily Record, Jul 9, 1947, p. 1. 

2. Intvw, Col Richard L. Weaver with Lt Col Sheridan Cavitt, USAF (Ret), May 24, 1994, 

3. Intvw, Lt Col Joseph V. Rogan with Irving Newton, Jul21, 1994. 

4. Ltr, Lt Col Edward A. Doty to Mr David Bushnell, Mar 3, 1959. 

5. Ltr, Brig Gen E. ODonnell, Deputy Chief, Engineering Division, HQ AMC, to Commanding 

General, USAAF, subj: Change in Classification of MOGUL, Item 188-5, Jul8,1946. 
PROJECT MOGUL 

Project MOGUL was first conceived by Dr. Maurice Ewing of Columbia University, 

NY, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MA. Dr. Ewing had conducted 

considerable research for the Navy during World War 11, studying, among other 

things, the "sound channel" in the ocean. He proved that explosions could be 

heard thousands of miles away with underwater microphones placed at a 

predetermined depth within the sound channel. He theorized that since sound 

waves generated by explosions could be carried by currents deep within the 

ocean, they might be similarly transmitted within a sound channel in the upper 

atmosphere. The military application of this theory was the long-range detection 

of sound waves generated by Soviet nuclear detonations and the acoustical 

signatures of ballistic missiles as they traversed the upper atmosphere. He 

presented his theory to General Carl Spaatz, Chief of Staff of the Army Air 

Forces, in the fall of 1945.6 The project was approved, and research was begun by 

the scientific research agency of the US Army Air Forces (USAAF), the Air 

Materiel Command (AMC), early in 1946, The project was assigned to HQ AMC, 

Engineering Division, Electronics Subdivision, which in turn assigned the project 

to AMC's Watson Laboratories, Engineering Division, Applied Propagation 

Subdivision, located in Red Bank, NJ. 

SCOPE 

Project MOGUL initially focused on three areas of technology: (1) an expendable 

microphone, capable of detecting, at long range, low-frequency sound transmissions generated by explosions and missiles; (2) a means of telemetering these 

sounds to a ground or airborne receiver; and (3) a system from which to suspend 

the microphone and telemetering device in the upper atmosphere for an extended 

period of time. To meet these criteria, contracts were awarded by AMC to 

Columbia University (AMC contract no. W28-099-ac-82) for the acoustical 

equipment, and to New York University (NYU) for the development of constantlevel balloons (AMC contract no. W28-099-ac- 241). After the initial contracts 

were awarded, Project MOGUL branched out into many areas related to the 

geophysical properties of the upper atmosphere, including radiowave propagation, radar propagation, ionospheric physics, solar physics, terrestrial magnetism, 

meteorological physics, and weather forecasting. Considerable resources were 

devoted to Project MOGUL which included numerous bomber and transport 

aircraft and two oceangoing vessels. At one point the staff, exclusive of contractors, numbered over 100 persons. To accommodate this sensitive, high-priority 

project, facilities of the secluded Oakhurst Field Station of Watson Laboratories 

were used. Balloon operations associated with Project Mogul were conducted at 

various locations throughout the United States and the Pacific, the latter in 

reference to acoustical detection research associated with the Sandstone atomic 

tests at Entiwetok Atoll in April and May 194€L7 

6. Rprt, Maurice Ewing for General Carl Spaatz, "Long Range Sound Transmission in the 

7. Rprt, HQ Fitzwilliam Fwd, "Sonic Balloon Test Kwajalein," May 17,1948 (hereafter "Sonic 

Atmosphere," n.d. 
By December 1948, serious concerns had arisen regarding the feasibility of the 

project as first conceived. Even though the principle on which the project was 

based was determined to be sound, questions concerning cost, security, and 

practicality were discussed that ultimately led to the disbandment of the praject, 

and Project MOGUL as first conceived was never put into operational luse. 

However, MOGUL did serve as the foundation for a comprehensive program in 

geophysical research from which the USAF and the scientific community have 

benefited to the present time. These benefits included constant-level balloon 

technology, first developed by NYU for Project MOGUL. 

WATSON LABORATORIES 

The organizational structure of Watson Laboratories Applied Propagdtion 

Subdivision, which was established primarily for MOGUL, as it appeared in 

January 1947, is shown in Attachment 2. Over the course of the project, M~GUL 

had three military project officers, or "chiefs": Maj Robert T. Crane, splring 

1946-July 1946; Col Marcellus Duffy, August 1946-January, 1947; and Capt Albert 

C. Trakowski, January 1947-May 1949. Major Crane had been personally 

recommended by Dr. Ewing, originator of the project, but by June of 1947, M~GUL 

had not met the expectations of HQ USAAF, and Colonel Duffy replaced Major 

Crane.* Colonel Duffy was a respected, highly capable career Army Air Farces 

officer. During World War 11, Colonel Duffy had reported directly to General Hap 

Arnold, Chief of Staff USAAF, as the Army Air Forces Liaison Officer to the US 

Army Signal Corps, with primary duties for securing meteorological equipment 

from the Army for use by the USAAF. Colonel Duffy had a reputatioq for 

accomplishing difficult assignments by getting the most out of his per8onnel-exactly what was desired by HQ USAAF to solve the numerous admini$trative and personnel problems that had arisen in Project MOGUL under Major 

Crane. In a short period, Colonel Duffy was able to make the necessary cofrections and was reassigned to become the Assistant Chief, Electronics Plans Section, 

Electronics Subdivision, HQ AMC, at Wright Field, OH. Colonel Duffy lalso 

continued to monitor "the upper air research program" (i.e., Project MoG~) in 

addition to his duties as the Assistant Chief of the Electronics Plans Se~tion.~ The 

primary scientist for MOGUL was Dr. James Peoples, assisted by Albert P. Caary, 

the Field Operations Director. Both scientists had previous associations with Dr. 

Ewing: Dr. Peoples at Columbia, and A.P. Crary at Woods Hole. Both scie~sts 

were assigned to MOGUL for the entire length of the project. 

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY "BALLOON GROUP" 

From September 30, 1946, until December 31, 1950, the Research Division off the 

College of Engineering of NYU conducted research under contract for the AKmy 

Balloon Test Kwajalejn"). 

8. Memo, Brig Gen Tom C. Rives, Chief, Electronic Subdivision, Engineering Division, WC, 

to Maj Gen Curtis LeMay, subj: Relief of Major Crane as Project Officer MOGUL and TORRID, Jun 

18, 1946. 

to Maj Gen L.C. Craigie, Chief Engineering Division, AMC, Apr 16, 1947. 

9. Memo, Maj Gen Curtis E. LeMay, Deputy Chief of Air Staff for Research and Develop 
Air Forces, in conjunction with Project The NYU "balloon group" was 

to develop and fly constant-level balloons while simultaneously developing 

telemetering equipment to transmit data obtained in the upper atmosphere." 

Group members launched, tracked, and recorded data only in regard to constantlevel balloon flight and telemetering of information. They did not have access to 

observations and measurements that had military applications. MOGUL, in other 

words, was conducted as a compartmented, classified project in which participants knew only what they needed to know, and no more. Due to the compartmentation, balloon flights made by NYU were divided into two categories, 

"research and "service."12 Research flights tested balloon controls and telemetering systems and were fully reported in the unclassified NYU reports.l3 A total of 

110 research flights were flown during the contract. Service flights were flown at 

the direction of Watson Laboratory personnel, but the military purpose was Top 

Secret. These flights carried classified equipment, which could not be fully 

reported in the unclassified NYU documents. Further evidence of the exclusion 

of classified information from the reports is the lack of data for balloons flown in 

association with the Sandstone nuclear tests held in April and May of 1948.14 In 

recent interviews with former NYU personnel, Dr. Athelstan F. Spilhaus, NYU 

Director of Research, and Professor Charles B. Moore, NYU Constant-Level 

Balloon Project Engineer, stated that they were never informed of the classified 

name, MOGUL, nor did they ever have access to the scientific data that was 

obtained by the USAAF as a result of their efforts. In response to inquiries, 

professional or casual, project personnel simply said that they were engaged in 

balloon re~earch.'~ 

The first balloon launches associated with Project MOG~ were carried out at 

several locations on the east coast of the United States.16 However, unfavorable 

winds, conflicts with commercial air traffic, and the need to gather data on the V2 flights currently being conducted at White Sands Proving Ground, NM, led the 

NYU group to conduct further tests from Alamogordo AAF.17 The NYU group 

would make three "field trips" during the summer of 1947 for test and evaluation, 

labeling them Alamogordo I, 11, and 111. The majority of the balloon flights over 

the next four years originated from Alamogordo AAF. 

10. Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Technical Report No. 93.03, Constant Level 

11. Research Division, College of Engineering, NMJ, Technical Report 93-02, Constant Level 

Balloons, Final Report, Mar 1, 1951 (hereafter NYU, Final Report), p. 3. 

Balloons, 

Sect 1, General, Nov 15, 1949, p. 5. 

12. NYU, Final Report, p. 13. 

13. Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Technical Report No. 1, Constant Level 

Balloon, Apr 1, 1948, Table VII, "Summary of NYU Constant-Level Balloon Flights" (hereafter 

NYU, Technical Report No. 1, Table VII); ibid., Technical Report No. 93.02, Constant Level Balloons, 

Sect 3, Summay of Flights. 

14. "Sonic Balloon Test Kwajalein." 

15. Athelstan F. Spilhaus, C.S. Schneider, C.B. Moore, "Controlled-Altitude Free Balloons," 

16. NYU, Technical Report No. 1, Table VII. 

17. Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Progress Report No. 6, Constant Level 

Journal of Meteorology, 5 (Aug 1948): 130-137. 

Balloon, Sect 11, June 1947 (hereafter Progress Report No. 6, Sect 11), p. 4. 
New York University, in accordance with contractual requirements, produced 

monthly progress reports, technical reports, and final reports detailing the various 

aspects of the balloon and telemetering research. In addition, Crary mainmined 

a detailed journal of his work throughout his professional career to include the 

summer of 1947. The following discussion is based on these two documentls and 

interviews with Moore, who was present on all three of the Alamogorda field 

trips, and, with Trakowski, who was present at the Alamogordo 11 and 114 field 

trips. 

NOTE: Technical Report No. 1, Table VII, ”Summary of NYU ConstantlLevel 

Balloon Flights,” and Technical Report No. 93.02, Constant Level Balloons, Section 

3, “Summary of Flights,” do not fully account for all balloons flown duriqg the 

initial stages of the contract to include the Alamogordo I field trip. Absent1 from 

the reports are service flight nos. 2,3, and 4. Flight no. 2 was flown on April 18, 

1947, at Bethlehem, PA, in an attempt to obtain acoustical data from the explosion 

of 5,000 tons of TNT by the British on the German island of Helgoland.’* ,WU 

flight no. 3 was flown on May 29, followed by NYU flight no. 4 on June 4., Both 

launched from Alamogordo AAF. 

ALAMOGORDO I (May 28, 1947-June 7,1947) 

The first NYU ”field trip” departed Olmstead Field, Middletown, PA, by C-47 for 

Alamogordo AAF on May 31, 1947, arriving on June 1, 1947.” Present ov this 

flight was C.B. Moore, NYU Project Engineer, Charles S. Schneider, NYU Project 

Director, and other supporting staff members from both NYU and Watson 

Laboratories. A.P. Crary, along with other personnel from Watson Laborqtory, 

were already present in Alamogordo, but they did not conduct any bqlloon 

operations. During this time, Crary and several technicians detonated gnound 

explosives, or ”shots,” for sound-wave generation purposes, on the nearby White 

Sands Proving Ground. These detonations were monitored by ground-based GR3 

and GR8 sound ranging equipment at locations in New Mexico and West Tqxas.20 

On May 28, the advance party of the balloon group arrived by B-l7.’l On May 

29, the advance team made the first launch for Project MOGUL from Alamogordo 

(NYU flight no. 3). The equipment carried on this flight was identified as 

essentially the same as that carried on NYU flight no. 2 (Atch 3 ).” NYU flight no. 

4 was launched on June 4, with a configuration the same as on flight nos. 2 and 

3. Crary’s diary indicated that flight no. 4 consisted of a “cluster of (meteorological) balloons” and a ”regular sonobuoy.”U Presumably, flight no. 3 was configured the same. 

18. Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Special Report No. 1, Constant Level l+dloon, 

May 1947 (hereafter NYU, Special Report No. I), p. 27. 

19. Personal journal of Albert P. Crary, p. 13. 

20. Ibid., pp. 4-16. 

21. Ibid., p. 13. 

22. NYU, Progress Report No. 6, Sect 11, p. 5. 

23. Crary personal journal, p. 12. 
The objective of this trip, so far as NYU was concerned, was to perfect the 

handling of large flight trains of meteorological balloons and to evaluate the 

operations of altitude controlling and telemetering devices." Already established 

before the trips to Alamogordo was that the use of the standard, 350-gram 

meteorological balloons, constructed of neoprene, was, at best, a "stop gap" 

method of achieving constant-level flight.25 Balloons most suitable for this type of 

work were made of polyethylene, a very thin, translucent plastic. These balloons, 

however, had just been developed, and, although the NYU group had contracted 

for some of them, the balloons had not been received until after the group 

departed for Alamogordo.26 For Watson Laboratory scientists Peoples and Crary, 

the purpose of this trip was to experiment with different types of equipment to 

collect and transmit sound waves in the upper atmosphere. Therefore, just as the 

"balloon group" was using meteorological balloons as a stopgap method in 

attaining constant-level flight, the Watson Laboratory scientists utilized an 

AN/CRT-1A Sonabuoy while awaiting the delivery of acoustical equipment 

specifically designed for Project MOGUL.'^ The NYU personnel developing the 

telemetering equipment experimented with components of the sonabuoy, which 

was cylindrical, nearly 3 feet long and 4 3/4 inches wide, and weighing 13 

pounds (Atch 4). The sonabuoy contained both the acoustical pickups, known as 

hydrophones, and the means of telemetering the sounds by use of a FM transmitter, the T-1B /CRT-1. 

Soon after arriving at Alamogordo AAF, a problem developed. Dr Peoples, Project 

Scientist, decided not to bring the radiosonde recorder (an AN/FMQl weighing 

approximately 500 pounds), due to the weight and space limitations of the B-17 

aircraft originally scheduled to transport the equipment from Olmstead Field. 

Radiosondes were a widely used and accurate method of tracking weather 

balloons consisting of a transmitter, which was carried aloft by the balloon, and 

a ground-based receiver/ recorder. Radiosondes, along with aircraft, were to be 

the primary method to track the Project MOGUL balloons.28 Dr. Peoples, however, 

believed that the radar currently in place at Alamogordo for tracking V-2 firings 

would be sufficient for tracking the balloons trains. However, this radar did not 

work well and often lost contact with the balloon while it was still within visual 

range. Accordingly, Moore, the project engineer, experimented with an "unorthodox" method, in the absence of a radiosonde recorder. He tried to track the 

balloons using multiple radar targetsz9 A radar target was a multisided object, 

which, in appearance, resembles a box kite constructed of balsa wood and 

metallicized paper (Atch 5). Moore and his technicians conducted test flights, 

attempting to obtain a better radar return by attaching additional targets. They 

24. Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Progress Report No. 7, Constant Level 

25. NYU, Special Reporf No. I, p. 26. 

26. NYU, Progress Report No. 7, Sect 11, p. 6. 

27. Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Progress Report No. 4, Radio Transmitting, 

28. Intvw, Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James McAndrew with Professor Charles B. Moore, 

29. Moore intvw, Jm 8,1994. 

Balloon, Sect II, Jul 1947 (hereafter NYU, Progress Reporf No. 7, Sect 11), p. 5. 

Receiving and Recording System for Constant Level Balloon, Sect I, Apr 2, 1947, p. 1. 

Jun 8,1994. 
received satisfactory results when the number of targets was increased to betyeen 

3 and 5.30 Interestingly, during July of 1948, a similar test would be made at 

Alamogordo AAF by another ~rganization.~~ Thistest confirmed Moore's Geory 

that when targets were increased to at least three, satisfactory returns were 

received by the radar. This procedure, according to Moore, was employe@ on 

flight nos. 3 and 4, but it was only marginally successful. This prompted Moore 

and his associates to configure the two remaining flights of Alamogordo I, flights 

#5 and #6, with radiosonde transmitters. 

For these two final flights, Moore devised a method of manually determbing 

azimuth and elevation, in the absence of a radisonde recorder, by counting caicks 

as pressure-sensitive contacts closed. NYU Technical Report No. 1 shows 1 two 

"interpretations" of the data which confirm that manual calculations were ysed. 

In regard to flight no. 5, it appears there was a typographical error in Techpical 

Report No. 1, Table VII, for the time of launch which is erroneously listed as 1517 

MST, contrary to figures 32 and 33 in Technical Report No.1 and Crary's diary 

(Atch 6). The correct time of launch for flight no. 5 appears to be 0516 MST. With 

the launching of flight no. 6 at approximately 0530 on June 7, the NYU group 

departed Alamogordo via a B-17 for Newark AAF, NJ. NYU flight nos. 14 are 

summarized below: 

SUMMARY OF FLIGHTS 1-6 

Flight no. Date Launch Site Configuration Landing Site 

1 

2 

4/3/47 Bethlehem, PA See NYU Tech. Report Sandy Hook, NJ 

No. I, Table VII 

4/18/47 Bethlehem, PA See Appendix NYU Unknown 

Special Report No. 1 

3 5/29/47 Alamogordo, NM Same as flight no. 2* Unknown 

4 6/4/47 Alamogordo, NM Same as flight no. 2* Unknown 

5 

6 

6/5/47 Alamogordo, NM See NYU Tech. Report East of Roswell, NM 

No. I, Table VII 

6/7/47 Alamogordo, NM See NYU Tech. Report South of Hjghrolls, NM 

No. 1, Table VII 

* Depictions of flight nos. 3 and 4 are not provided in the NYU reports. According to NYU Progress Report 

No. 6, Section 11, p. 5, the equipment to be used for the Alamogordo field trip in June was consistent with 

the depiction of flight no. .2. This information also concurred with Crary's partial description of flight no. 4 

in his diary. 

Note: An attempt to launch a balloon-train assembly which would have been NYU flight no. 3 was #made 

on May 8,1947, but due to strong winds, restraining lines failed before the acoustical payload was attached. 

Since the launch was unsuccessful, no flight number was assigned. 

30. %id. 

31. Rprt, Holloman AFB, "Progress Summary Report on U.S.A.F. Guided Missile Test 

Activities," Vol 1, Aug 1, 1948. 
ALAMOGORDO I1 (June 27,1947-July 8,1947) 

On the morning of June 28,1947, personnel from NYU and Watson Laboratories 

arrived at Alamogordo AAF to resume balloon flights. Present during this field 

trip were Dr. Peoples, A.P. Crary, Captain Trakowski, C.B. Moore, and Charles 

Schneider. The objective during this trip was to experiment with the newly 

developed polyethylene balloons which replaced the neoprene meteorological 

balloons used on the previous field trip. Also tested was an improved aluminum 

ballast reservoir that had been developed to replace the plastic tubes used during 

the June field trip.32 Another improvement that resulted from the experiences in 

June was the presence of a radiosonde receiver/recorder for improved balloon 

tracking and plotting. This eliminated the need for radar ”corner reflectors” on 

the balloon train since radar was not to be used as a primary method of tracking 

the flights. This is confirmed by Technical Report No. 1, Table VII, ”Radiosonde 

Reception %,” which indicates the use of the radiosonde recorder on all flights 

except for no. 7. Flight no. 7 was not recorded by radiosonde because the 

equipment was not operable.33 Also Figures 36,39,42, and 44 in Technical Report 

No. 1, corresponding to the July flights, do not depict corner reflectors. Allnumbered flights (except for no. 9) flown during the July field trip were summarized in NYU Technical Report No 1, Table VII. Flight no. 9 appeared to have 

been launched on July 3.34 On July 8, their work completed, 23 members of the 

combined NYU and Watson Laboratory group boarded a C-54 aircraft at 1030 AM 

and returned to the east coast.% 

Based on the above, it appeared likely that the debris found by the rancher and 

was subsequently identified as a ”flying disc” by personnel from Roswell AAF 

was, with a great degree of certainty, MOGUL flight no. 4, launched on June 4, 

1947. This conclusion was based on the following: 

1. Descriptions of the debris provided by Brazel, Cavitt, Crary’s diary, and the 

photos of the material displayed in General Ramey’s office. These materials were 

consistent with the components of a MOGUL service flight, with neoprene 

balloons, parchment parachutes, plastic ballast tubes, corner reflectors, a sonabuoy, and a black electronics box that housed the pressure cutoff switch (Atch 3). 

2. According to Brazel’s July 8 statement, the debris was recovered on June 14, 

obviously eliminating any balloons launched in July. 

3. Only two flights launched in June were unaccounted for, i.e., flight nos. 3 and 

4. Flight no. 3, most likely would not have had the ”unorthodox” configuration 

of corner reflectors devised by Moore, who did not arrive until June 1, three days 

after flight no. 3 was launched. 

32. NYU, Progress Report No. 7, Sect 11, p. 5. 

33. Crary personal journal, p. 15. 

34. Ibid. 

35. Ibid., p. 16. 
On July 7, as the NYU group members were winding down their work and 

preparing to return to New York City, a train of events began to unfold at 

Roswell AAF, 60 miles away. Roswell AAF was home of the 509th Bomb Group 

of the Strategic Air Command's Eighth Air Force, the only unit in the world 

capable of delivering nuclear weapons. It now appears that the debris from 

MOGUL flight no. 4 had come 'to earth on the plains east of the Sacramento 

Mountains, about 70 miles from the launch point at Alamogordo AAF (Atch 7). 

The fact it descended there was not unusual. Over the course of Project ~.~~oGuL, 

several balloons had landed and been recovered from that area. In fact, in August 

1947, the NYLJ group had to receive special permission from the Civil Aerorjautics 

Administration to continue to launch balloons from Alamogordo AAFl since 

"balloons have been descending outside of the area [White Sands Pltoving 

Ground] in the vicinity of Roswell, New According to the sole living 

participant in the recovery, Sheridan Cavitt, he, Major Marcel, and MSgt Nilliam 

Rickett gathered some of the material, which appeared to resemble "bamboo type 

square sticks, one quarter to one half inch square," that was "very light"-rdlecting material-and a "black box, like a weather instrument." Cavitt believeld this 

material to be consistent with what he knew to be a weather balloon. This debris, 

would soon become, for a short time, the focus of national and even worldwide 

attention when it was thought to be a "flying disc." 

On July 8, the same day that the NYLJ/Watson Laboratory group departed 

Alamogordo, the Public Information Office of Roswell AAF announced the 

recovery of a "flying disc" and that it would be flown to Fort Worth AAF for 

further examination. How could experienced military personnel have conficlsed a 

weather balloon for a "flying disc"? The answer was this was not an ordinary 

"weather balloon." Typical weather balloons employed a single, 350-gram 

neoprene balloon and a radiosonde for measuring temperature, atmospheric 

pressure, and humidity, housed in a cardboard box. If it was to be tracked by 

radar for wind-speed measurement, a single corner reflector was added (Atch 8). 

The balloon that was found on the Foster Ranch consisted of as many as 2p 350- 

gram balloons spaced at 20 foot intervals, several radar targets (3 to 5), plastic 

ballast tubes, parchment parachutes, a black "cutoff" box containing portions of 

a weather instrument, and a sonabuoy (Atch 3). After striking the ground, the 

radar reflectors, constructed of very light materials for minimum weight, would 

tear and break apart, spreading out over a large area when pulled across the 

ground by balloons that still possessed some buoyancy. It should a4so be 

understood that the term "flying disc" was not at this time synonymou$ with 

"space ship," It denoted a disc-shaped flying object of unknown (or suspected 

Soviet) origin. 

Before the announcement was made, the "disc" was flown to Fort Worthl AAF, 

at the direction of Brig Gen Roger Ramey, Commander, Eighth Air Force. General 

Ramey personally inspected the "disc," became skeptical, and summoned the base 

36. NYU, Technical Report No. 1, Table VII, p. 43. 
weather officer, Warrant Officer Irving Newton, to make an identification. 

Newton positively identified the debris as the remnants of a balloon and RAWIN 

target.37 With this identification, the incident officially closed. 

THE ”COVER STORY” 

From research, it appears that the wreckage displayed on July 8 consisted of 

unclassified components of a MOGUL balloon assembly. Possibly withheld, if it 

was indeed recovered, was the AN/CRT-1 Sonabuoy, which could have compromised Project MOGUL. Although the Sonabuoy was not itself classified, its 

association with a balloon would have exposed a specific military purpose, an 

obvious violation of project classification guidelines (Atch 9). A device described 

in ”crashed disc” publications as “a giant thermos jug” was allegedly transported 

from Fort Worth AAF to Wright Field.38 This description is consistent with the 

appearance of an AN/CRT-1 Sonabuoy such as was used on flight no. 4 (Atch 

4). At some point General Ramey decided to forward the material to Wright Field, 

home of AMC, the appropriate agency to identify one of its own research devices 

or a device of unknown origin. If the debris was determined to be from an 

unknown source, the AMC, T-2, Intelligence or Analysis Division, would conduct 

scientific and/or intelligence analysis in an attempt to discover its origin. But 

since the balloons, reflectors, and Sonabuoy were from an AMC research project, 

the debris was forwarded to the appropriate division or subdivision, in this case 

the Electronics Subdivision of the Engineering Division. There, it was identified 

by Colonel Duffy, under whose purview Project MOGUL operated. Colonel Duffy, 

a former project officer of MOGUL with specific directions to ”continue to monitor 

upper air programs,” was the appropriate headquarters officer to make an 

identification, which he apparently did. According to Captain (now Colonel) 

Trakowski, the officer who succeeded Colonel Duffy as project officer on MOGUL, 

after returning from the Alamogordo I1 field trip, Colonel Duffy contacted him 

by phone at Warson Laboratories and informed him that the ”stuff you’ve been 

launching at Alamogordo,” had been sent to him for identification. He described 

the debris to Captain Trakowski, and Trakowski agreed that it was part of his 

project (MOGUL) .39 

Another occurrence sometimes said to ”prove” that General Ramey was part of 

a cover story is that portions of the debris were flown to Andrews AAF, MD. 

Andrews would have been a probable location to send the debris since it had 

components of weather observation equipment. Andrews AAF was headquarters 

of the Army Air Forces Weather Service. It is also interesting to note that the 

commanding general of the Weather Service, Brig Gen Donald N. Yates, was 

quoted in wire service newspaper articles on July 9, providing his opinion of the 

37. Rawin is short for radar wind, a technique in which a single comer reflector is towed aloft 

38. Kevin Randall and Donald Schmitt, UFO Crush at Roswell (New York, 1991), p. 103. 

39. Intvw, Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James McAndrew with Col Albert C. Trakowski, USAF 

by a single neoprene balloon to measure wind speed by radar. 

(Ret), Jun 29, 1994, p. 4. 
incident. Additionally, in 1949, General Yates received a full briefing of the 

projects, including constant-level balloons, that made up Project MOGUL.^' While 

crashed disc proponents claim that General Ramey ordered a ”colonel caurier” 

to transport portions of the debris in a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist ior the 

inspection of his superior, Maj Gen Clement McMullen, Deputy Commander of 

Strategic Air Command, it is more likely that any forwarding of such debris was 

another attempt to identify the research agency to which it belonged. If it did go 

to General McMullen, it would not have been difficult for him to have obtained 

the opinion of the Weather Service, since SAC and the Weather Service were 

located in the same building (no. 1535) at Andrews AAF. 

”HIEROGLYPHICS” 

One of the most puzzling aspects of the reports that a ”UFO” crashed near 

Corona in 1947 were the later descriptions of “hieroglyphic-like” characters by 

seemingly reliable, firsthand witnesses. Research has revealed that the debris 

found on the ranch and displayed in General Ramey’s office probably did have 

strange characters. These, however, were not hieroglyphics, but figures printed 

on the pinkish-purple tape used to construct the radar targets used by the NYU 

group. 

The witnesses have recalled small pink/purple “flowers” that appeared1 to be 

some sort of writing that couldn’t be deciphered. These figures were printed on 

tape that sealed the seams of the of the radar target. The radar targets, sometimes 

called corner reflectors, had been manufactured during or shortly after World 

War 11, and due to shortages, the manufacturer, a toy company, used whatever 

resources were available. This toy company used plastic tape with pink/purple 

flowers and geometric designs in the construction of its toys and, in a time of 

shortage, used it on the government contract for the corner reflectors. A depiction 

of these figures, as described by C.B. Moore, is shown in Attachment 10. 1 

Allegations have also been made that the debris displayed to the press on July 8 

and subsequently photographed was not the original wreckage; i.e., a switah had 

occurred sometime after the debris left Roswell AAF. However, statements made 

by Moore and Trakowski attested that the corner reflectors they launched during 

that period had the same flowers and figures that were later reported by Marcel, 

Cavitt, and Braze1 as being on the debris found on the Foster ranch in Corona. In 

fact, Trakowski distinctly remembered the figures on the tape because, when the 

targets first were produced, much fanfare was made over the use of a toy 

manufacturer for production. He related that a fellow USAAF officer, John E. 

Peterson, monitored the procurement of the targets and ”thought it was the 

biggest joke in the world that they had to go to a toy manufacturer” to make the 

radar targets and an “even a bigger joke when . . . the reflecting material on the 

balsa frames was some kind of a pinkish purple tape with hearts and flpwers 

40. Rprt, Cambridge Field Sta, AMC, “Review of Air Materiel Command Geophysical 

Activities by Brigadier General D.N. Yates, and Staff, of the Air Weather Service,” Feb lot 1949. 
designs on it.”41 Furthermore, the Fort Worth Army Airfield Weather Officer, 

Irving Newton, who was called in to identify the wreckage, also remembers the 

purple/pink marks. Newton stated that when he was called to General Ramey’s 

office he remembers meeting Marcel, who attempted to convince him that the 

wreckage on the floor of the office was a crashed ”flying disc.” Newton, having 

seen many weather balloons and targets, positively identified the debris as a 

weather device.42 In short, descriptions of the wreckage found on the ranch near 

Corona and of the wreckage displayed in General Ramey’s office are entirely 

consistent with each other. 

THE REAL COVER STORY 

On July 10, 1947, a newspaper article appeared in the Alarnogordo Daily News 

displaying for the press the devices, neoprene balloons, and corner reflectors 

which had been misidentified as the ”flying disc” two days earlier at Roswell 

AAF (Atch 11). The photographs and accompanying article quoted Maj Wilbur 

D. Pritchard, a Watson Laboratory Project Officer (not assigned to MOGUL) 

stationed at Alamogordo AAF. This article appeared to have been an attempt to 

deflect attention from the Top Secret MOGUL project by publicly displaying a 

portion of the equipment and offering misleading information. If there was a 

”cover story” involved in this incident, it is this article, not the actions or 

statements of Ramey. 

The article in the Alarnogordo Daily News stated that the balloons and radar targets 

had been used for the last fifteen months for the training of long-range radar 

personnel and the gathering of meteorological data. The article lists four officers-Maj W.D. Pritchard, Lieut S.W. Seigel, Capt L.H. Dyvad, and Maj C.W. 

Mangum-as being involved with the balloon project, which was false. Moore 

and Trakowski could not recall any of the officers in the photograph, with the 

exception of Dyvad, whom Moore identified as a pilot who coordinated radar 

activitiesa Additionally, some of the details discussed (balloon sighting in 

Colorado, tracking by I3-17s, recovery of equipment, launching balloons at 5-6 

AM, and balloon altitudes of 30,00040,000 feet) relate directly to the NYU balloon 

project, indicating that the four officers had detailed knowledge of MOGUL.^ 

Moore’s unorthodox technique of employing several balloons and several radar 

targets was shown in one of the photographs. Other techniques unique to Moore, 

41. Trakowski intvw, Jun 29, 1994. 

42. Newton intvw, Ju121,1994. 

43. Moore intvw, Tun 8,1994. 

44. NYU, Technical Report No. 1, Table VII. 
including the boiling of balloons before launch (which he personally developed 

during World War 11) and a stepladder used to launch balloons, could not all 

have coincidentally been used by other organization^.^^ 

The details may have been provided to the radar officers by Crary, Project MOGUL 

Field Operations Director, who did not depart by C-54 with the rest of the 

NYU/Watson Laboratory group on July 8, but who later left by car on July 9, the 

day the staged launch took place. Additionally, three of Crary’s staff, Don 

Reynolds, Sol Oliva, and Bill Edmonston, resided permanently in Alamogordo. 

It was apparent from Crary’s diary that he had worked very closely with Major 

Pritchard and reported to him on occasion (twelve documented meetings from 

December 1946-April 1947). One instance, on April 7,1947, Crary gave Pdtchard 

a ”progress report for MOGUL project to date,” indicating that Major Pritchard had 

access to MOGUL inf~rmation.~~ Another statement which appeared to confirm a 

cover story appeared in the caption below the balloon picture and described a 

typewritten tag stapled to the target identifying it as having come from Alamogordo AAF. Moore believed this not to be true because any equipment fodnd was 

not to be associated with the WSAAF, only with NYU; therefore flights carried 

”return to” tags identifying NYU as the responsible agency.47 

CONCLUSION 

Many of the claims surrounding the events of July 1947 could be neither proved 

nor disproved. Attempts were not made to investigate every allegation, but rather 

to start with what was known and work toward the unknown. To complicate the 

situation, events described here took place nearly 50 years ago and were highly 

classified. This Top Secret project appeared to have utilized the conkept of 

compartmentalization very well. Interviews with individuals and review of 

documents of organizations revealed that the ultimate objective of the dork, or 

even the name of the project, in many instances was not known. It was unlikely, 

therefore, that personnel from Roswell AAF, even though they possessed the 

appropriate clearances, would have known about project MOGUL. In fact, when 

the NYU/AMC group returned to Alamogordo in September, their first trip since 

the ”incident” occurred, one of the first activities of the project scientists, Peoples 

and Crary, who were accompanied by Major Pritchard and Captain Dyvad, was 

to brief the commanding officer of Alamogordo AAF and the 509th Bomb Group 

Operations Officer, Lt Col Joseph Briley, on MOGUL.48 

45. Moore intvw, Jun 8, 1994. 

46. Crary personal journal, p. 10. 

47. Moore intvw, Jun 8,1994; Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Technicd Report 

48. Combined Hist, 509th Bomb Grp and Roswell AAF, Sep 1-30,1947, p. 79; Untrhscribed 

No. 93.02, Constanf Level Balloons, Sect 2, Operations, Jan 31, 1949, pp. 36-38. 

journal of Albert P. Crary, p. 64. 
When the civilians and personnel from Roswell AAF (Marcel, Cavitt, and Rickett) 

“stumbled” upon the highly classified project and collected the debris, no one at 

Roswell had a ”need to know” about information concerning MOGUL.. This fact, 

along with the initial misidentification and subsequent rumors that the “capture” 

of a ”flying disc” occurred, ultimately left many people with unanswered 

questions that have endured to this day. 

JAMES McANDREW, 1st Lt, USAFR 

Declassification and Review Officer 

SAF/AAZD 

Attachments: 

1. 4 Photographs of Balloon Debris 

2. Organizational Chart-Watson Laboratories 

3. Drawing-New York University Flight No. 2 

4. 2 Depictions of AN/CRT-1 Sonabuoy 

5. Drawing of Corner Reflector 

6. New York University Technical Report No. 1, Table VII 

7. Map of New Mexico 

8. Typical Employment of Weather Balloon and Corner Reflector 

9. Project MOGUL Classification Letter 

10. Drawing of “Hieroglyphics” by Prof. C.B. Moore 

11. Alamogordo Daily News Article 



Same as 

Weaver Attachment 16 







Same as 

Weaver Attachment 25 




-I 

/Receiver 

Hydrophone Support 

E. R. S. 0. 


Same as 

Weaver Attachment 29 



See also 

Weaver Attachment 27 
..P 

im 

II I I I ..HI.* 

I I I I I I 

I I I I I .-I 


See 

Map of New Mexico 

in 

Photograph Section 



ML-307( ‘)/AP 



Included in 

Weaver Attachment 19 

Charles B. Moore 

Included in 

Weaver Attachment 2 1 

i 

Akamogordo Hews 

“Fantasy of “Flyhg Disc’ 16 

Explaid Here: News Men Watsh 

bY 

July 10, 1947 



Roswell Daily Record 

“Harassed Rancher Who Located 

[July 9, 19471 

‘Saucer’ Sorry He Told About It” 

I 

1 I Harassed’ Rancher who Loca 

W. W. Bra!&. 48, Lincoln county rancher living 30 miles south east 

of Corona. today told his story of 

finding what the army at first 

described as a flying disk, but 

the publicity which attended hls 

find caused him to add that if lie 

ever found anything else short of 

a bomb he sure wasn’t going to 

spy anything about It. 

j Brazel was brought here late 

’ yesterday by W. E. Whitmore, of 

:radio station KGF’L, had his pic- ‘ture taken and gave an interview 

to the Record.and Jason Kellahin. 

‘sent here from the Albuquerque ‘bureau of the -Associated Press to 

mver the story: The plcture he 

uosed for was sent out over AP 

telephoto wtre bending machine 

swcially set up in the Record 

office by R. 0. Adalr. hp wire 

chief sent here from Albuquerque for the sole purpose of getting out 

cture and that of sheriff 

Geo h’s 9‘ ge Wilcox. ’ to whom Brazel 

onginally gave the‘dnformation of 

his find. 

Brazel related that on June 14 

he and an 8-gear old son. Vernon 

were about 7 or 8 miles from the 

ranch house of the J. B. Foster 

ranch, whlch he operates, when 

‘‘Saucer’ I I Sorry HS Told Abo

they came upon a large area of 

bright wreckage made up on rubber strips, tinfoil, a rather tough 

paper and sticks. 

At the time Brazel was in a 

to get his round made and 

not pay much attention to 

he did remark about what 

seen and on July 4 he. his 

wife, Vernon and p daughter Betty, age 14, went back to the spot and gathered up quite a bit of the 

debris. 

The next day he first heard 

about the flying disks. and he 

wondered if what he had found 

might be the. remnants of one 

of these. 

MonClay he came to town to sell 

some wool and while here he went 

to see sheriff George Wflcdx and 

“whispered kinda confidential 

like” that he might have found a 

flying disk. t 

Wilcox got in touch with the 

Fkswell Army Air Meld and Maj. Jesse”A. MatCel and a man in 

home. where they picked UP the 

rest of the pieces of the “disk“ 

and went to his home to try b 

reconstruct it. 

According to Brazel they simply 

Pwn c€oaies p2cxXnpanled; hlm 

:odd not reconstruct it at all. 

rhey tried to make a kiteout of it. 

but could not do that and could 

not find any way to put it back 

together so that it would fit. 

Then Major Marcell btought It 

to Roswell and that wad the last 

he ’heard of it until he story 

broke that he had foun a flying disk. 

Brazel said that he did not see 

It fall from the sky and did not 

see it before It was tom UP. so 

he did not know the size or shape it might have been. but he thought it might have been’ about as large 

Eb a table top. The balloon which 

held it up, if that ww how it 

worked, must have bden about 12 

feet long, he felt, measuring the 

distance by the size of the room 

in which he sat. The rubber was 

smoky gray in color and scattered 

over an area .about 200 yards in 

diameter..‘ 

When the .debris w8s ;gathered 

UP the tinfoil, paper. pe. and 

sticks w& a bundle ut three 

feet long ‘and 7.or 8 inches thick, 

while the! rubber mqde !a bundle 

about 18 or 20 Inches long and 

about 8 Inches thick. ID all, he 

estimated, the en- Ipt would 

hav

T

Ln 

been 

5ign 

alth

had 

tinf

T

any

tho

of t

tape 

prin

the 

N

fou

lets 

som

bee

B

viou

vati

tha

not 

of t

“

not 

ball

any

are 

get

It.” 



Same as 

Weaver Attachment 18 

Interview 

Lt Col Joseph V. Rogan with Irving 

Newton 

Same as 

Weaver Attachment 30 

Letter 

Lt Col Edward A. Doty to Mr David 

Bushnell 

Pear !4r. Buahncllr 

There was a conthuitJ of organisation hm tbe earliest boltom 

actidties up to the prmmat. 'Ihe name changed but the gxvup eaanuod . The rdu rrwvah aotlvitler, the hambee roaket atrorphario 

inrsrtlgatl~ urd the balloon aotirltle~ were apooaarcd oriqirrpuJ 
EXWARD A. DOTX 

Lt camel, USAF 
5 

Letter 

Brig Gen E. O’Donnell to 

Subj: Change in Classification of 

July 8, 1946 

Commanding General, USAAF 

MOGUL, Item 188-5 

Included in 

Weaver Attachment 19 



1. 

I 

L'nder a cmtroct sith She 3~reau of Ehlss, AO hirtne 

proveU that :hem 13 n aca~ad channel in the ocean WltP its 

axis at a benth of' rbozt 4000 f oet. Conf1rw:ni: n nmdlctlon 

mde by trio vrltor, a f'mr oound bcmb fired at thfs depth 

bna teen beard rt a d:at;ance of 2330 !ailes, using b hpzropbone 

at. the same depth as a receiver. WLS range enornusly 

exCe9dG anythine Sefore ac:*.:eved, and is pos81ble prlmnrily 

because the 3o::rco end the roce:ve? ore placed at the most 

advanta&eour depth. Ths slcnal strongtk Lndlcates that 

far dre&ter mn2as c?;1 3% obtainsd mitho:& change of eqxintent. 

sound at ttte surface is 5001 ft/soc. 

at, a depttr or 4000 feet, mi then hcraaeen to 5065 ft/eeo 

et o depth of 16,200 feet. TbSs 8ltuotlon isdescribed a8 

a sound channel w2tb fta axle nt 4000 feet, because cll sownd 

rays are deflected downward at points above tfie axis and uward 

at oolnta below ft. Cotailed cal~~latlon of the be..?dlng of 

tho ray oath8 due to p!w8u\,'rw and teape?a?3ra shms that ~$1 

ro s leaving 8 sound 8ource on the Rxla In directions rithin 

12 of the noyftontal am refmated back and forth ecrons the 

8x28 and e8a tnrrel unlhlted dlatoncss wlthmt contact d$h' 

ourface or bottort, hence the 10- mnges. A similar c8lculatlon 

be refloated at strrfsce sad bottom mny tlrnoa in the course 

of a fer hrndreb i1iic8, hsnaa ths llmlttmd range of detecelqm 

oi ordinam tbllar sxplosionu, and the oauumnce of skip 

d istonca8 

At P typlcal place :n the oCeBn, the sped nf 

It ciecreoses to 48- ft/creo 

for n Sand 80tfrcs SOU? &h'a.6L.rf8C6 #hoWS thrt dl myS m)t 

'phs round froa an explosion at the axis of ttu rrducd 

channel has a duntton of &bout 12 aeaondr per thotitend miles 

of travel, e?d an uarnlrtakable pttem of a gradual building 

up to roulmum laten8lty rlth 0 very rharp out-off. 'Phls 

laat feature is of greet lmportanoe beoerrae It pmltr rocqrote 

trlansulation with Y network of tiwee llstonlng atatlonr, 

the mte of t.rnwrirrion being nbout one dla per rooond. 

t Refemnae 1) 
In September, 1964, it ocmirred to me that there 

1s c. slail~r sound channel in the atmosphere with the axis 

at a height of nbwJt 45,000 feet, and that, with source and 

receivcr ulsced at thls height, we debt exceed the accepted 

ranees a8 enormously IU we had In the ocean. Ln cJther wor(l6, 

It wight be ccssib?.e to detect souzd half rag nromd the world. 

The fundamant8l data on this subject PS revaaled_durlng 

a hurried search of the literature (mostly brior to 1930). &Bow 

that, for P tv3lc.l 18YgO exc3losion, there is acdibllitp from 

0 to 25 males on9 from 90 to 125 ~lle8, with Y zone of silence 

from 25 to 90 ailec. The accepted exblnnotlon of the total 

collection of these data is that the speed of sounb deareases 

from nboiit 1090 ft/sec at the eurfaca to about 970 ft/sec at 

about 45,000 feet, az3 tkcn imrcazes to abo:it 1155 ft/sec 

at about 130,000 I"aet. (Referexe 2) 

with its axis at P 5:eigbt of ako~t 45,000 feot, and if' 30th 

souncl soiirco and Toceivor are losate9 a: thls helgbt, \oe 

my BX~C: extr=odiaaq =zgez snd all the other rissftrl 

Dhcnozriena whlcb have beex founil in the samd chanael in 

the ocem This means tfiat the 31fnfkl8 rill have tighly 

chrrwterlsti~ ldentifylnc features an3 that they will permit 

aceuxte trtan~ulatlan. 

Thus there It n zmn3 channel ?n the atnosohors 

The mrrxlmula reme for 8onto 8ic;mlllng in the 

ataarsphsrla sound chamel will dopen3 primarily on the 

absorption coefficient, which I8 the rate at rhlch the 

acourticel energy is oonverted into heat by friatlannl losses. 

bollorhg Rayhigh (Reforonce 3, p. 316), it may be calculated 

that- the dirtence at 8bloh sound of frequency 50 cycles per reaond would ba reduced in lntOo8itp by the faator 7.5 by 

the effeat of frlotion alone la about 24,000 nlles at sea level, 

are inversely proportional to the square of the fmquency, 

they rould be one hundrod the8 greater for sounds of frequency 

5 arcle@ per second, rbiuh hare often >,sen observed when 

largo oxplorionr were studied. 

and .bout 45500 miles at 45,000 feet. A8 them distances 
3. 

It is lmposslble to Eake really detailed calculotlo~s 

aT the aoxlmam ra-e without better infomatlor. about temperature 

and sound velocity In loc~tions from 45,OCO to 90,000 feet, 

for It la there that the greatest frictional IosscLo #ill ocp~r. 

Rowever’, jt :P oafe to nrdlot that a bomt coctulnific a few 

?onnds of TYT om he heard from 4000 to 5900 m11.as. The 

chance t5at it could be heard to the farthoat noin% on earth 

is north consldarntlon. 

It is ny belief ttst a large rocket or jet oropulaior! motor pa.ssln_c the axiz of the scund chnnnel would also 

be detecteble by lleteclzzg at soreral tboiisand mlles, and 

subject tc? location by trianszlation if hear3 bjr tkree sultlably 

chosen stations. In time of‘ way this trlangulcition could 

locate tho launchir& sites of ths enemp, and Ih *peace time 

it is soncclvable that ca:totly ckossn 3lsten:rig sEet:ons 

could monitor t*m astlre worlc~ to detect knd locate my 

unusual rocket or ;et ?ropr;lsZon oxperlmnts, tkQR &nimizl(ng 

the danger 01- strrcrlse a5tackz zit: sccpet weapons. 

The most promislw tptb ol‘ li6tening ctotion 

accord- to ny present knowledge rould~noke u80 elther of 

tho higher mountains of the mrld or of free balloon8 to 

8.h adoquat. h016ht. It ¶8 unknown Pt prreant by how fa3 

prohibitive 88Cr%f$CO of 60ulkl abnnel phosrties. 

the fecolver rro7 ba removed from the preferred heieht with 

in the 8obs8rlne sound cbomal we have hed fairly $aod 

recaotlon with the hyUrophone at 2CcO feet when tbe nxia Or 

the chowel -8s at 4000 feet. Hence, it icr not beyond ma80n that tSe taller mountminb mlght wovide scff iclsnt 

oltitubo of tbUJle1VOS. 

Ilcnrer rt P, 

9sall str8torphem lmlloon8, provided rith radio 

moan8 for trcrrramlrrlon of sound iapulrer to 8 reosiolng 

rtrtioa either flxad or mobile, prahbly provide the -8t 

rea411y *vail*ble llstsalne mrraa&aent. 

, 

* E7 



HEADQUARTERS FITZEILLIAM FORWARD 

c/o Commander, Task Group 7.2 

APO 187, c/o Postmaster 

San Francisco, Calif, 

1'7 h!ayi 1948 

$ONIC BALLOON TEST. KVAJAUIN 

Inclosure G to FITZWILLIAM FOR'NARD Report 

The Vatson Laboratories of Air hkteriel Cmmand arranged for one (1) 

of its sonic balloon teams to participate in the FITZViILLIAbr: projeat as a 

mobile team to operate in the Central Pacific, at KPIAJAMIN, GUAM 4nd HICKAM 

FIEID, HAYiAII, in that order, changing location far each of the thee (3) 

explosions. 

The purpose of this exploratory test was as follows: first, $0 determine if an atomic explosion's compressional waves are generated in the sound 

channel existing between 50,000 and 70,000 feet (such waves would qonceivably 

travel uninpeded for long distances in this channel without touching the 

earth's surface); second, to determine whether a sound pick-up uni$ suspended 

from a floe ting balloon could detect compressional waves (possibly undetected 

by similar sound units at the earth's eurface) by virtce of the deereased 

background noise in the high-level sound channel, 

Balloons were made of high grade plastic, were of tear-drop slpape, and 

were twenty-five (25) feet at their large& sea-level diameter. 

unit was a combination microphone-transmitter which was suspended 

balloon and picked up sound wave8, transmitting them to a ground d i rectional 

antenna connected to a radiosonde receiver (standard SCR 658 air weather 

radio receiver). 

Esterline-Angus recorders. 

jet to allow a predetermined spillage rate of high grade keroaeaetethyleneglycol mixture was attached to the balloon. This was designed to pounteroct 

the helium gas seepage thru the surface -3res of the plastic ballopn. 

metered loss of ballast and controlled the rising rate of the ballioon at 500 

to 600 feet a minute, 

Tlhe sonic 

rom the 

The transmitted sound impulses were recorded on Po (2) 

J. dribble constructed of a five (5) gallon tin incorporating 41 metered 

This 

Crcund sonic equipnent consisted of World P;ar I1 sound ranging devices 

utilized to pick up smd waves from an explosion traveling along the earth's 

curf n ce, 

A radio receiver was used to obtain exploaion time notificatilon code 

signals from the ENNFTOK radio station. 

The balloon launching site had to have a dmn-wind clearance of about 

1000 feet to lay out tho 300 feet risers and cables to which were ,attach& 

the microphone-transmitter and dribbler units. 

sheltered from the wind to prevent damge to the balloon while It W(LB being 

Also the site had to be 
inflated. At KWAJALEIN a wind-break was constructed through the courtesy of 

the island commander, Captain Vest, USN. 

was inflated with a fixed amount of helium gas to raise it to an altitude of 

from 50,000 to 60,000 feet where it floated at a constant level. The balloon 

was cautiously Launched and guided until it cleared all ground obstacles. 

Electrical power for the microphone-transmitter was provided through wet-cell 

batteries, especially constructed to prevent freezing. 

visually bj use of theodolites. 

(15 April 1948) two (2) practice runs were made to minimize chance ofhilt1re 

and to improve operating techniques. 

At a predetermined time, the balloon 

The balloon was tracked 

Prior to the actual test on KlAAJALEIN on X-day 

The transportation requirement was for air Ilft to transport the team of 

six (6) scientists and twelve (12) thousand pounds of equipnent from BEW, 

!UPb. JEEY to KWAJALEIN, GUAM, HAWAII and then back to BEIMAR, NE3i JERSEY. 

Air Materiel Cm.and provided three (3) aircraft, a C-54, a B-29, and a B-17, 

and crews, under the direction of Captain Stanley C. Lewis, from the 4l49th 

AFBU, MIDDLETC", PENKSYLVANIA. The C-54 was also utilized in carrying 

Tracerlab per~onnel and equipment to KTIAJALEIN and GUAM. Maintenance assistance was afforded by the local base and tactical organizations. 

The 

The mobile team personnel was assembled and prtially trained at Eatson 

Laboratories. 

NCRTH FIELD, GUAM, on 16 April 1948; for HICKAM FIEfD on 3 May 1948. and was 

scheduled to depart frm HAWAII for its home station on 2 plus one (1) day. 

The team arrived at KYIAJALEW 31 March 1948; departed for 

The balloon team and aircraft crew personnel were 

BALLOON TEAM: 

Dr. Albert P. Crary 

Mr. Charles S . Schneider 

Mr. John IF. Alden 

h5r. John A. Maulden 

Mr. Murry Hackman 

Mr . James Smith 

B-%9 CRGW 

Captain Stanley C. Lewis 

1st Lieutenant Randall S. Kane 

1st iieutenant Wm. L. Adame 

M/Sergeant IA. L. Halllday 

M/Sergeant R. A. Kabaste 

T/Sergeant R. A. Cox 

T/Sergeant L. D. Moon 

<WE 

Captain John P. Clmry 

1st Lieutenant Richard Meeher 

1st Lieutenant Chas. A. Lamana 

SISergeant James Brau 

S/Sergeant L. H. Campbell 

Sergeant George L. Pratwell 

rQr clearance 

rQn clearance 

"Pn clearance 

"P clearance 

"Pr clearance 

"Pn clearance 

a6 follma: 

Physicist 

Meteorological Engineer 

Rpdio Engineer 

Radio Reppirman 

Meteorological Engineer 

Meteorological Engineer 

Pilot (Flight Commander) 

Co-Pilot 

Navigator 

Engineer 

Radio Operator Ase't Radio Operator 

Ass' t Engineer 

Pilot 

Co-Pilot 

Navigator 

Engineer 

Radio Operator 

Ass't Engineer 
B-17 CKEY 

1st Lieutenant bon B. Dubell Pilot 

1st Lieutenant Thomas F. Carroll c 0-Pi lo t 

1st Lieutenant John Frlertzen Navigator 

Sergeant !t;. R. Hice Engineer 

Time notFtication signals were required and provided in order to Pfford 

sufficient tine to make necessary launching preparations, and to position the 

balloons just a few minutes prior tc the predetermined arrival of the explosion sound nave. Headquarters F1TZT:IUIAIA FCFSiAHD furnished AR?ACAS 3-1 and 

3-2 b; officer courier. The team experienced no difficulty in obtaining the 

time signals. 

Reports required of the team were a brief statement as tc positive or 

negative results of the tests, and notification of team moveme:it to it's 

severol loco tions. Reports of results were made to Headquarters FITnILLIAM 

FCRYiARD and to AFXS71-1. 

Results of the KWAJALEIN test were as follows: balloon-borne equipment 

results were positive and ground equiwent results were questionable. 

accurate final analysis and evaluation report rill be submitted upon Dr. 

Crary' s return to 'C;atson Laboratories, including an accurate detenninatior. of 

results. 

An 

Due to time limitaticn and pending a thorough evaluation of results, the 

following recomcendations, of necessity, shculd be considered tentatrtte: 

1. Before departing for field locations, P survey should be cade to 

determine the best balloon launching sites, giving due consideration to 

shelter from high velocity and gusty winds, and sufficient clear space to 

lay-out shroud lines and control cables thus affording clenr possage of the 

instruments which are suspended about one hundred (100) feet below the balloon. 

2. Thnt an SCR 658, radiosonde receiver be included in the team equip 

ment list. 

weather station at each location. This presented a problem because each strtion had only one (1) receiver and it was needed by the station personnel for 

ii?per air sounding operations. This necessitated selecting the best possible 

launching site adjacent to the weather str on. 

of' a tito nithout a weather station. 

For these tests, a receiver had to be borrowed from the air 

Also, this precluded selection 

-3- 



TSELT 

MEIIoIRANDIRd FOR: Major Oeneral Curtis LeJJag 

SUBJECT: Relief of Major R. T. Crane as Project Officer for 

MWUL and TORREI 

1, In conpllanco ~i~h General S~aata' directive, I contacted 

Dr. Me Bring at Colurnbia 'Jniversity on 15 June 1946 and di8C~~88d 

tho proposed reUef of Major R, 'f. Crane as project officer on 

projects XOGUL and TORMD. 

2. Dr. Wng was excoedingly pleasant and agreed to the relief 

of mjor Crane, asking only that it be done in such a way as to 

cause a8 little eolbarraeslnent to q of the parti08 connerned.aa 

possible. I advised him that the matter ifould be handled dlplomatica~. 

3. I then discussed with 3r. mng the subject of a successor 

to Major Crane and suggested to hin that Colonel Mercellue DufQ, a 

Regular Amy officer and ire==qualified on met8orological research 

and development work, might be mado available for this duty. 

advised tht he believed that he could work mll with Colonel Dufe 

Ff he is assigned to this work. It was further agroed that a8 croon a8 

a project officer is finally selected, a conferance would be held with 

Dr. IMng and the now progect officer and Colonel Wler and Colonel 

Waul in odor that thore rill be a clear underatanding a8 to the 

obdectives to be accompurihed. 

Dr. Ening 

9 

Memo 

Maj Gen Curtis E. LeMay to Maj Gen 

April 16, 1947 

L.C. Craigie 

CUBTI3 s. byII 

MnJor Osned, U. S. 

bputy Chief of Air Strif for 

Reeeamh and Dsreloplnnt 
&lone1 Qscar&Jaier. 0 -16096 

Retention: Indefinite. No known renlacament in the AM. 

Dutiei: Chief, Rlectronio Planr Sodtion, Elecfronia Subdivision. 

Thls officer should be retained in his nrerent arsipent due to the 

background of knowledge an$ experienae whiah he ha8 with reference to 

electronic research and develoDment a8 well as meteorological reaenrah pnd develonment and the ph7ricr of the upper air. Oolonel bier ha0 

comleted nll requirements for a Ph. D. dexree from the California 

Institute of Tochnoloey excent for six monthe resldencf. During the 

nsriod 1 PebnzRry 1945 to 1 Jnnunry 1946, Oolonel Mder had been 

Commnding Offioer of Watson Laboratories in char(e of rerearah and 

develonment of ground radar, radio and electroniar nquipment Deaaliar 

to the Army Air roroer, previous to whiah Lo wai in aomand of 

varioue Signal Oorpr laborntories. Furthermore, he ha8 oomDlete 

technical knowledge and andsrotandln& of the woleote being aarried 

on by \:;'Atson Lrtboretoriee and Cambridge Yield StRtion, which can only 

be achieved by yearr of active perti~lpetion in the actual researah 

and deTelOQEI0nt of that partioular type of eleatronic eround equipment. 

Iietention: Indefinite. Ho known replacement In the Mb. 

Duties; Assitant Chief, Pleatronlc Plans Soction, Electronic 

Subdivision. 

in meteorological and electronic reaeorch and develamsnt. He ir a 

gradUte of M.I.P. in meteorology. Golone1 hffp wb~ liniron Off'iaer 

from the Commanding Oenoral, MF, to the Chief Signal Officer fot duty 

in connection with meteorolo(riaa1 equipment for the neriod 1942-1946. 

During thia Deriod he set up W rsquirementr, rtandards and training 

programs for weather equipment and personally followed thir equipment 

from the laborritories to its introduction in all combat theaters. 

From Seotember 1946 to January 1947, Colonel Duff7 WAI in charge of 

aoblisd nropagation of comrsssiond and magnetic wavee at Watron 

Laboratories. At the present time, Colonel Duff7 la monitoring the 

tinnor Air research program for the M? In addition to hie dutier as 

Assintant Chief of the Rlnctronlo Plane Section. With the Air Pome 

competing against other retviaer in the upper air reeearoh progka, 

guided rniaeilem and aeteorologiual rerearoh, a cometent, practical 

and theoretical officer is oonsidered essential in the Planr Seation, 

Thls officer has an extensive background and knowledge 

flectronic SUbditiriOn. 

Oolonel blnh L. W~~arll 0-22329 

Retention: Indefinite. Ho known replaoement in the MIC. 

Dutielr Chief of Onerations for Power Plant Laboratory. In thir 

capncity he is rerponsible direotly to the Laboratory Chiaf for tho 

nlanninrr md 

SDacifically, he res~onrlblo for rUpO?Vi8iOn Of the Rotating &gin0 

BrRnch and the Bon-Rotating Engine Branah. 

execute his reeponsibilitiee, Oolonel Wasrell mrt aoordirurte end 

approve the initiation of all rero~rah and development projeotq for 

-2- 

execution of the entire engine development progrm. 

In order to suocessfully 


Technical Report No. 93.03 

C3NSTAET LEVEL BALLOONS 

FINAL REPORT 

Constant Level Balloon Project 

New York University 

Prepared in Accordance with provisions of Contract 

W28-099-ac-213, between 

Watson Laboratories, Red Bank, New Jersey 

and 

New Pork University 

The research renorted in this dociiment has been made possible 

thronsh support and sponsorship extended by the Geophysical 

Research Mrectorate of the Cambridge Research Laboratortes, 

L%, U. S . Air Force, under Contract No. W28-099-ac-2bl. 

It is prrblished for technical information only and does not 

represent recommendations or conchisions of the sponsoring 

agency . 

Prepared by: , Project Director 

FWd 

Approved by: Harold K. Work, 

Director of the Research Division 

College of Engineering 

New York University 

1 March 1951 

New Pork 53, New Hork 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Page Number 

A . Introduction and Statement of Problem .................. 1 

B . Constant Altitude Balloon Systems ...................... 3 

C . Telemeterlng from Balloon Systems ...................... 7 

D . Lalurching Se.lces ..................................... 13 

E . Meteorological A.n.yQi8 ................................ 19 

F . Flights Utilizing the Constant Level Balloon 

Ugh Altitude Balloon Trajectory Study 

High Neutron Intensity Study 

System ................................................. 21 

(Contract AF 19(122).4s) ......................... 21 

(Contract AF 28(099)-10) ......................... 22 

List of Flights ........................................ 24 

.ferences ............................................. 27 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

Figure Nm.ber 

1. 

2. 

3. 

1,. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10 . 11. 

12. 

13 

1J.l. 

15 

Pressiire Displacement Switch for Ballast Oantrol 

Ballast Control Circuit 

Constarlt Level Balloon Flight Using Ballast Control 

FM-1 Transmitter 

FM-2 Transmitter 

AM=l Transmitter 

AM-2 Transmitter 

Balloon Flight Using Fixed Ballast Flow 

Balloon Flight Withoiit Ballast 

Fliqht Train, Service Flight 

Inflation of a 20 ft. Plastic Balloon 

Flight Termination Switch 

Balloon Rip Assembly 

Rip Assembly Cannon 

Vwo Level" Stepped Flight 

Page Number 

4 

5 

6 

8 

8 

10 

12 

13 

11 

11, 

15 

17 

18 

19 

23 
ABSTRACT 

Sytems of constant altitride balloons have been designed, developed, tested and used in various types of atmospheric research* After 

irwestigation and testing of several methods, a system comprising 

of a plastic fixed-volume balloon, electrically operated control 

instrumenkation, and liquid ballast was developed. 

This system has been used on several series of flights for carrying instruments at constant altitudes, studying dnds over long 

periods at the 200 mb level, and investigation of neutron maxima. 

Balloon launchings were carried out at various sites in the United 

States by members of the project in coordination with representatives 

of the sponsoring agency. Meteorological analysis of conditions 

over selected stations in the Western Hemisphere as requested by 

the sponsor was carried out by members of the Department of 

Meteorology of New York University. 

A. Introduction and Statement of Problem 

Contract W-28-099-ac-211 between Watson Laboratories AMC was 

entered into on 1 November 1946 to be carried ovt from 30 

September 1946 to 1 October 1948. 

Services to be finmished were as follows: 

Research, investigation and engineering services in 

connection with obtaining and furnishing experimental 

data on pressure and temperature in the ripper atomosphere, 

to involve the following: 

a. The securing of constant level balloons under the 

f ollating conditions : 

(1) Initially a six to eight hour minimum time 

for the balloon in air; eventually a fortyeight hour time for balloon in air, 

(2) The altitude to be attained by the balloon 

will be 10 to 20 lan, adjustable at 2 lan 

intervals. 

(3) Maintain elevation within 500 meters and the 

ikequency of oscillation to be svch that it 

will not interfere with operation of balloon 

borne radio equipment, 
2. 

b. 

C. 

do 

The construction by the contractor of an experimental air 

borne radio and associated air borne or ground receiving 

eqJipment which will transmit and receive information from 

a mchanical movement introduced into the radio circuit. 

The weight of the pick up device and any required powr 

supply to be carried in the balloon will not be Over 2 lbs. 

The contractor will fly the balloons, track them, and collect 

the data on pressure and temperature to be transmitted as 

the balloon goes up and at periodic intervals at flight 

altitude. 

tion, 

standard Amy Radiosonde. 

Interpretation of Feteomlogical data in connection with 

project. 

These intervals to be determined by consultaThe accuracy is to be comparable to that of the 

Five copies .of reports of design and development phases were to 

be delivered at monthly intervals. Results of meteorological 

studies were to be transmitted as completed to the sponsoring 

agency for use of Air Force scientific personnel. 

On 27 February 1948, Modification #1 revised the 11117133er of copies 

of reports to be furnished to 25. Modification #2, of 2 April 194.8, added the requirement of "Research Investigation, and 

mgineering ser~dces leading to the deternination of the dependance 

of the propagation of sound on atmospheric conditions", to the 

contract. 

requirement. 

Contract fvnds were increased to cover this additional 

Under Modiflcstion #3 of 23 April 1948,it was agreed that a 

separate final report on telemtering from Balloon Systems would 

be completed and transfitted to the sponsor. 

was extended to 1 February 1949 and contract funds increased to 

cover the increased period of performance by Modification #4 to 

the contract on 29 September 1948. 

The time of performance 

On 28 October, 1948, the rider of reports required was increased 

to fifty (50) and the place for final inspection and acceptance 

charged to Cambridge Field Station, AMC by Modification #5. Modification #6 changed the allotment for funds to be used on the project. 

The period of performance of the project was extended to 50 Xarch 

1949, by Modification #7 of 26 January 1949. 

Modification #3 of 8 April 1949, modified the requirement to that 

of maintenance of one trained person in the field to carry out 

balloon launching and tracking services in conjunction with Air 

Force scientific personnel. Funds were increased to extend the 
3. 

period of performance to 15 March 199, 

development and testing of constant altitude balloon systems 

was to be aubdtted to the Air Force. 

the delivery address for reports. 

Modification #lo of 1 May 1950, increased contract funds to 

continue field service and meteorological analysis work to 1s 

June 1950. 

A final report on 

Modification 19 dsed 

Modification #11 subsequently extended the period of performance 

to the termihation date of 31 December 1950 and Increased funds 

accordingly. 

B. Constant Altitude Balloon Sgstemr 

Development of a system to maintain balloons at constant altitudes for long periods of time was completed on 15 March 1949. 

This development has been completely reported in nTechnical 

Report 93.0211(1) by this Research Mvision under "Section 1, 

General" 

Essentially the system as dewloped at New York University consists of a constant volume-balloon of thin polyethylene which, 

when filled with hydrogen or helim, furnishes the lift for the 

system. 

ment, use of helium is to be recommended) . The balloon is inflated with enough gas to balance the weight of the suspended 

equipnent, plus a certain amount of nfree lift" which will cause 

the system to abeend. When the balloon nears floating altitude 

and becombs full, the gas comprising the "free lift" all. be 

expelled through an open appendix at the bottom of the balloon. 

The system is then at equilibrium at an altitude fixed by the 

balloon volume. The ratio of molecular weights of the Xfting 

gas and air, density of the surrounding air, and the total balloon 

load are as follows: 

(Because of the increased safety to personnel and equiphis state of equilibrium is broken, however, by changes in any 

of the above variables. Basically, losses of lift due to leakage 

and diffusion of gas, and changes of temperature o$ the lifting 

gas cause a change from eqailibrium conditions. 

Any variations causing an increase in altitude will result merely 

in a valving of gas from the fixed voltrme balloon and a slight 

increase in altitude. Changes in the reverse direction, however, 
4. 

must be compensated for by decreasing the load on the system 

to prevent descent to the grand. 

This decrease of load is carried out by dropping liquid ballast 

a8 demanded by a pressure activated ballast control switch. 

This suitah completes a circuit through a relay operated 

ballast valve whenever the balloon system descends to a region 

of pressure greater than that of its selected floating altitude. 

Ballast is thus dropped and the system returned to floating 

altitude. 

On mghts made on another project since the termination of the 

developnent phase of this project, the ballast control system 

was standardized to include a pressure displacement switch and 

an electrically operated ballast valve. 

(Fig. 1) consists of a standard temperature compensated 

aneroid cell and pen arm from a-radiosonde modulator 

The displacement switch 

Fig. 1 

Pressure Displacement Switch for Ballast Control 
5. 

(Type E prefer red)^ a rotating commutator of two segments, 

an insulator and a conductor; a six volt1 rpm motor; and 

a shelf for the pen arm. Indibratbn, the aneroid cell is 

moved across the base by mans of a screw which allowa selection of various altitudes for control. 

Initially the pen arm rides on the shelf during ascent so 

that the circuit to the valve remains open until the balloon 

approaches floating altitude. Several thousand feet before 

ascent is completed the pen arm falls off the shelf closing 

the ballast circuit (Fig. 2) and causing ballast flow during 

the final period of ascent. When the balloon reaches control 

DI S PL A C EM E N T SWITCH 

VALVE 6V. BATTERY 

BALLAST CONTROL C1RCUIT 

Fig. 2 

Ballast Control Circuit 
6. 

altitudd the pen passes to the insid-ator portion of the 

commutator and ballast flow ceases. Whenever the balloon 

system subsequently descends past control altitude, ballast 

is made to flow, maintaining the balloon altitude at control 

level. 

constant level flights maintaintng altitude to close limits 

for periods up to 60 hours. 

with this control ia shown as Fig. 3. 

This system has been used successfidly on over twenty 

An example of a flight made 

-.. -*... 

. . --- .--. 

Fig. 3 

Constant Level Balloon Flight 'Jsirg bilast Control 
7. 

A review of this systen by members of the University staff 

has b e published in 'ITransactions of the American Geophysical 

Union(i2y1! Earlier work on this development has been reported 

by members of this Research Division innTechnical Report 93.0d3) 

and in the "Joi~rnal of the American Meteorological Societyn(b). 

A manual for those interested in making use of balloon s~rstruar, 

of this type has also been published as 'ISection 31, Operations" 

of our Technical Report 93.02l1(1) . This report consists of a 

disciission of instrumentation for balloon systems, t echniques 

forlaunching and tradbng, and telemetering from balloons as 

developed and tested at New Pork University. 

C. Telemterinp: From Balloon Systems 

The second requirement of this project was the,investigation, 

development, and testing of balloon borne telemetering systems . The development was completed in June of 1948 and a final report(7) 

of work accomplished and recommendations made to the sponsor at 

that time. 

Rjo ms of transmitter Iynits were suggested as a means of 

accomplishing the telemetering of data from a balloon to ground 

station receivers. 

sight transmission allows for accurate positioning of the balloon 

system from two ground stat:ons. 

however, limits the range of this type transmitter, and ranges 

in excess of 250 miles are not to be expected with a balloon 

system floating at 40,000 ft. 

A high freqyiency sysbm, making ase of line-ofThe line-of-sight characteristic, 

Three line of sight transmitters were designed for use in 

balloon work. The first, the F'M-1, was designed to operate at 

72 mc, using a conventional reactance tube modulator. 

stages were included to deliver 1 watt output at the design 

frequency. The unit was mite complicated and the Pepired 

input Dower large due to the requirement for several stages 

to transmit at the high frequency. Fig. h is a schematic of 

the FM-1 transmitter. 

Several 

In order to Overcome this limitation of FM sets, a two tube 

transmitter was developed (Fig 5) 

resistance is used to modulate the oscillator plate voltage of 

a self-excited oscillator in accordance with the audio signal. 

This provides the freqirency modulation desired. In order to 

mainta'n a stable center frequency and render the oscillator 

insensitive to changes in snpply voltage, a neon tube voltage 

regulator was included . 

Variation in vacuum tube 
0. 

cYg. 4 

FM-1 Transmitter 

Fig. 5 

FM-2 Tranadtter 
9. 

Output of the oscillator is both amplitude and frequency modulated, 

the amplitude modulation being limited by a class W" RF amplifier. 

This unit weighed six ovnces, was fed by a plate voltage of 270 

volts uith a filament drain of 4CXhna. at 1.5 volts. The oatput 

was one watt at frequencies from 25 to looxnc. 

Before procurement of a receiver with automatic freqnency control 

an attempt was made to develop a crystal controlled oscillator to 

overcome the freqnency drift inherent in FM systems. 

was abandoned when the controlled receiver was obtained. 

crystal control unit which was developed required extreme care in 

tuning in order that modulation be linear, 

This work 

The 

A miniature power amplifier, nsing one dual triode as a pimh-pull 

amplifier was constnicted for use at 25 to lOOmc with any of the 

above mentioned transndtters. The antennae for these transmitters 

was a half-wave vertical dipole. 

The receiver found satisfactory for these systems WPB the R-2A/ARR-3 

Sonobuoy receiver. 

and will tolerate a drift - .3smc before retuning is required, 

When SCR-658 radio direction finding equipment became available 

work on these transmitters was abandoned and a 4OOmc transmitter 

used. 

systems by use of crossed asemuths from several receiving stations. 

This iyit employs Automatic frequency control 

This system allows for accurate positioning of the balloon 

A transmitter using pulse time modulation was designed for use 

with this receiving equipment. 

peak power with relatively low input power (and thus a high 

signal to noise ratio) and simultaneous transmission of several 

data channels at one frequency, This project was abandoned 

before tests could be completed due to a modification of project 

recp irements, but preliminary results indicated that this -tern 

woiild be advantageous in AM or FM transmission. This system makes 

use of short duration pulses ( .5 micro second) at a repetition 

rate of approximately 10 kc. 

For long range transmission of information an amplitude-modulated 

transmitter was developed. (Fig. 6) 

controlled, emplo-g a 3Ab miniattrre tube in a Herce oscillator 

circuit as the crystal oscillator. This circuit does not require 

an LC tank circuit and eliminates the tuning of this addi 

stage. The RF amplifier is a 3A5 miniature dual triode tu 

The unit was designed to give 1.5 watt output with a 270 vo 

plate siipply and can be used with 380 volts to give 3 watt oi2tput. 

The advantages here are high 

This unit, the ml, is crystal 
10 . 

fig. 6 

AM01 Transdtter 

Frequency ranges from 1.5 to 9mc can be employed with the AM-1. 

The modulation of the AM-1 is effected by use of a triode modulator 

(2-3AS) tubes) connected in series with the plate supply of a class 

"Ctt KF amplifier. Variation of th? plate supply voltage of the 

RF amplifier caused by change in tube resistance gives amplitude 

modulation linear with plate voltage of the anplifier. By use 

of this system modulation from DC to several hundred cycles is 

obtained . The receiver for this transmitter was a Hatmnerlund SP 400X with 

several modifications. 

ratfo a crystal filter was introduced into the IF amplifier 

circuit to narrow the handwidth. Bandwidth was also reduced by 

In order to increase the signal to noise 
decreasing the coefficient of uoupling between the primary and 

secondary of the IF transformem. By thi8 reduction of bandwidth 

to 3kc a 3 microvolt signal produced a 15.5 D3 signal t0 noise 

ratio, where at 16 kc bandwidth only 7 DB was obtained. 

In order to obtain accurate reproductSon of the amplitude of the 

audio frequencv the AVC circuit was modiFied by adding a fhed 

bias to the AVC diode of the receiver. This flattened the characteristic of the AVC circnit and no change in amplitude of recorded 

audio signal was detected over a six hour flight using a constant 

amplitude audio signal from the tranmitter. The signal was 

tapped off at the output of the second detector of the receiver 

and fed to a Brush BL 90s AC aqlifier for moording. 

used was a Brush BL-202 double channel oscillograph. A qu8rter 

wave vertical receiving antennae was employed with a counter poise 

ground, 

The recorder 

The transmitting antennae was a vertical half wave dipole. 

In order to use the AM-1 for tranadssion of infornation from 

pmssure and temperature sensors a relaxation oscillator circuit 

uaa incorporated in the s374tesn. (dotted section - Fig. 6). This 

oscillator used one half of one of the 3A5 modulator tubes and 

produced a blocking rate appmxinately proportional to tesistance 

of the sensor instmts This information could be superimposed 

on the replar moddated signal and tre0 types of information could 

be transmitted simultmeo~~sly; one as a~ amplitude and frequency 

change of the basic signal, the other a8 a frequency of pulses 

superimposed on the basic signal. 

The AM-1 has been used in balloon Oontrol reaearch 50 transmit 

information on preeeure, teraperatnre and ballast requirements. 

It was also employed to give 

ih another Air. Force project8 In order to obtain infomatian 

on balloon position on a wind studs project the aM-1 was wed 

a1 a beacon to be "homed in" on by the radio compass of aimraft(6). 

A system of diversity reception was conaidered for use with a 

dual chamel AM-1 transmitter in order to increase rsliabiliw 

despite atmosphric noise. 

modmlator was connected to two separate crgstal oscillators and 

RF amplifiers. In preltminary testa two receiver and recording 

ormstion on Neutron intensities 

In the dual channel unit a common 

Unit8 WOm Used. 

For short range balloon flights the AM-lwas modified for uae 

with subminiature and acorn type tubes. 

2327 tubes in parallel pmvide excitation for the type 958A RF 

amplifier. A circuit diagram of this unit is shown as Fig, 7. 

In this, the AM-2, two 
Fig. 7 

AM-2 Transmitter 

In addition to radio direction finding with the ~~€658 and beacon 

transmission Kith radio campass, sqveral other methods of balloon 

positioning were evaluated. Radar positioning was successful 

only if a target was attached to the balloon train, 

the -es possible with radar are not as great as those possible 

by radio direction findiqg. For direction finding on the low 

frequency AM transmitter some value was found in use of loop 

antennae. Accuracy of this method is between and 2 degrees 

and is generally hindered by sky wave reflection, 

Generally, 

A pulse time modulated transponder beacon at high frequencies 

was found to be advantageous for obtaining accurate slant range 

to the balloon. Preliminary investigation of use of Doppler 

effect for positioning indicated that this method is not feasible 

due to difficulty in measuring the low freqriency differences 

involved. 
D. Launching SeMces 

hrhg the cour8e of the pPo3ect balloon flights were split into 

two general classifications, (a] research and (b) service. 

Rerearch flights were made to test balloon controls and telemet@r= 

ing systems developed under the contract. A f'ull report o 

research flights has been mads %n nTbohnical Report 93.02 

Section LII, S\namsrg of FLightsn 

flp 

, 

Service flights were carried arb by New York University personnel 

in conjunction with technical personnel fromthe sponsoring agemcy 

to test geophysical equipat developed in Air Force laboratories. 

The requirements for these flights ware launching and tfickbg 

of ba00nS to float at specified altitudets for short periods of 

time (6 to 8 hours). Because of this shoe flight duration, 

simplified plastic balloon system8 were used. Balloons mm 

maintained aloft by ose of constant flxed ballast flow, or bal&st 

was excluded entirely from the aystem. A typical flight using 

constant ballast flow at a rate slightly exceeding leakage ldsses 

is ahm as Fig. 8. 

Tlrr-YsT 

NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 82 

Barograph Record Of G.M. 20' Plasttc Balloon With 

534 gm/hr Fixed Ballast Leak 

RLLCAUD AT ALAYOO0RDqN.Y- 0811 YST, 10 AVO 1*4e 

DIIQCNDCD AT ROSWLLL,UY- IOW YST, I0 AUS m4S 

DURATION- IIt brB 

Fig. 8 

Balloon Flight Using Fixed Ballast Flow 
Fig* 9 is a typical flfght with no ballwt. The flight train for 

them flights is shown as Fig..lo. 

Time- MS.T 

NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 71 

Barograph Record Of GM 20 Ft.,Plastrc Balloon Showing 

Balloon Performance When No Ballast Was Dropped 

RELEAILD AT ALAYOOORDO N.Y, LO4t Y8T-• JULY, I940 

RECOVERED AT VALENTINE TEXA8, 10 JULY, I940 

EITIYATED DURATION 10 HOURS 

fig. 9 

Balloon Flight Without Ballast 

1 

GM20'BdPcn7 ). 

A 

+a 

h 

f 

Payload 

1 

h 

f 

Poyload - 

f 

Ftg. 10 

Flight Train, Sedce Flight 
With lig..v weight payloads, balloon systemof this type can be 

laxinched by two or three experienced balloon men. 

is carried out in a manner similar to h t explained in Section 11, 

is inflated in the lee side of a building or wind screen, (or in 

an aircrsft hangar if one is available, or in the open when winds 

are light) with the eqiiipment train laid out downwind of the balloon, 

The amount of gas lift is equal to balloon weight plus apg-oximately 

10% to cause ascent at 800 to lOCOft. min. 

of a 20 ft. diameter plastic balloon Is shown as Fig, 11. 

The launching 

Operations, of llTechnical Report 93.02 tl7 in that the balloon 

picture of inflation 

?.Em 11 

Inflation of a 20 ft. Plastic Ball~~;l 
16. 

The following is a list of equipment needed for laimching of 

a single flight of this type: 

(a) hiinching Equ ipanent : 

1 ea .set inst~ictions perat at ions Manual) 

2 ea. elliptical shot bags (each filled with loo# of shot) 

1 ea. LO1 161 Ground Cloth 

b ea. sheets po1yethylene,.00ln to rO0411, 4' x h1 

1 ea. gas talc manifold with pressure gages and valve 

1 ea. rubber hose, 1" I.D.,lOI long with diffuser 

1 ea. rubber tubing 1/2n \>ore, 1/81, wall, 8' long 

1 ea. solution balance 

1 ea. inflation nozale, -196 for rubber balloons 

1 ea. tool kit complete with 2 sheath knives, 501 cloth 

measuring tape, bras8 wire, 1" Mystic tape, volt ohmmeter, 

pliers, screwdrivers, inflation tools, flashlights, crescent 

wrenches, soldering iron, compass, 2 open-end wrenches, 

14/8n x l-l/hn openings, 14" pipe wrench, spanner for 

helium tank valves, etc. 

1 ea. theodolite ML-247 with tripod ML-78 (optional) 

1 ea. recorder, brush oscillograph or other with amplifier. 

1 ea. SCR-658 radio direction finder 

1 ea. chronometer 

(b) night Eqtiipnent: 

2 to 5 tanks helivm 

1 ea. balloon 

2 ea. rolls acetate fiber scotch tape 

1 ea. appendix stiffeners (if appendix is to be used) 

5os# test nylon line 

7% test linen twine 

2 ea. 350 gram balloon HL-13U (for wind sock) 5 to 10 toggles or hooks 

1 ea. radio transmitter 

1 ea. pressure sensor (and temperature if desired) 

Payload inqtrumentation 

Data sheets 

Yeight sheets 

Reward tags (EnrJlish, Spanish or other language) 

1 ea. banner, 39 x 61 , 

(c) Termination Eq\iipnant 

1 ea, flight tennihation switch 

lea. set rip rigging 

2 ear cannons 

2 ea. squibs (treated for high altitude) 
17 

(d) Fixed Rate Ballast Equipment : (optional) 

1 ea. orifice spinnerette, to give proper ballast flow 

1 gallon ballast, compass fluid AN-C-UC, 

1 ea. ballast reservoir (1 gallon capacity) 

1 ea. filter 3' diameter, 325 x 325, phosphor bronae mesh 

6 inches tubing (Tygon) 3/16n bore 

Tracking of these flights was maintained by use of an SCR 658 radio 

receiver with a 400mc transmitter telemetering information from 

the balloon system. 

circuit can be recorded on a standard weather station recorder, 

a recording oscilloscope of the Brush Development type or by any 

other convenient means. 

Information received through the telernetering 

Altitude of the service flights was determined by use of a modified 

radiosonde modulator, an olland cycl modul3tor (see p.68 , Section 

knowledye of th3weight of the balloon system and volume. of the 

balloon 

I, General, Technical Report 93.02(1 f ), or by computation from 

In order to keep balloon systems from floating in the air lanes, 

a flight terminJtion switch was incliided in the circuit. This 

switch is a radiosonde modiiL.ator modified so that all contacts 

above 25,000 ft. are disconnected from the circuit. The pen arm 

rides on a shelf diwing ascent to about 30,000 ft. and then fdls 

to the commutator (See Fig. 12). 

Fig. 12 

Flight Termination Switch 
18. 

When the system again descends to 25,000, the pen arm comes into 

contact with the commutator contact and an electrical circuit is 

closed through a squib in the load line. 

and the load on the system falls six to eight feet before being 

caught by a snpplenentary load line. 

line pulls a hole one foot long in the side of the balloon and 

the system descends using the partially inflated balloon to hold 

the rate of descent to approximately 1200 fl/minute. 

has been wed successfully in over 100 flights. 

The load line is cut 

During this fall a rip 

This system 

A drawing of the rip assembly is shown as Mrs. 13. The cannon and 

squib to cut the load line are shown as Ftig. .lk. 
19 

NYLON LINE 

7 LEID BULLET 

ALUMINUM3 

Fig. 1L 

Rip Assembly Cannon 

In al1,llS service flights were made imder this contract from 

variom government installations throughovt the country. 

summary of these flichts is listed in Table I (see end of text). 

A 

E. Meteorological Analysis 

As one phase of this project, New York University agreed to prepare 

analyses of winds and temperatures in the troposphere for dates and 

localaties specified by Watson Laboratories. 

The vertical distribution of temperatirre from the ground up to 

heights of about 1s lan at the time of any particular experiment 

was estimated from the routine radiosonde ascents which were 

nearest in respect to both time and space, to the site of the 

experiment. If the time of the experiment was within three hours 

of one of the twice-daily, standard hours of radiosonde observation, the temperature distribvtion given by such observation was 

assumed to' have existed (within the limits of error in the method 

of measurement) at the time of the experiment. 

ence was greater than three hours, a linear interpolation was made 

between radiosonde observations preceding and following the time 

of the experiment. 

Ordinarily by assmning a linear horizontal variation of temperature, 

If the time differInterpolation in space was accomplished 
20 . 

However, when weather conditions indicated a markedly discontinvoiis variation of temperature (i .e . a “front ff ) , appropriate 

subjective modification of the objective linear interpolation 

technique was applied. 

The vertical distribution of wind was determined mainly from 

direct observations (pilot-balloon and radio wind-sounding 

measurements) of free-air winds at weather stations in the area 

of each experiment. 

the upper half of the troposphere often are scarce or completely 

lacking, and it was frequently necessary to make use of an 

indirect method of estimating the wind at elevations greater than 

5 lan. Charts of the distribution of atmospheric pressure(a8 

given by radiosonde observations) at selected levels between 

5 km and 1s km were constnlcted, and the wind direction and 

speeds at these levels were computed from the well-known geostrophic 

wind equation, which relates the wind to the horizontal distribution of pressure. 

However, actual measirrements of winds in 

For-the experiments carried out off the east coast of the U.5.A. 

between 1 August 1946 and 1 August 1947, it seemed feasible to 

show the distributions of both temperature and wind in vertical 

cruss-section. This was due to the fact that these experiment8 

were made, and the reslilts of same recorded, within a fairly 

narrow band centered close to a line between Lakehurst, N. J., 

and Nantucket, Mass., at which points radiosonde and upper-wind 

observations are taken regularly. However, vertical cross-sections 

of temperature and wind were abandoned as a method of representation of the distr5bution pertaining to all subsequent experiments. 

There werb several reasons for this decision. In the first place, 

the sites and character of later experiments did not fit into the 

existing weather-obserring network in a manner favorable to crosssectional representation. In the second place, experience brought 

about the conclnsion that the horizontal gradient of temperature 

is usually so amall that,within the arsa encompassed by an experiment, 

the difference in temperature at a given level between points at 

the ends of a cross-section 58 no greater than the average error 

of the radiosonde measurements. Thirdly, it was soon realized that 

the variability of the wind in space and time is such that an individual 

pilot-balloon or rawinsonde ascent is not representative of the 

average vertical distribution of velocity during the interval 

occupied by a single experiment. 

the wind at high levels in the troposphere often had to be inferred by indirect means. 

somewhat from the theoretical geostrophic wind (the latter being 

derived imder certain simplifying assrvnptions) and since the 

geometry of the pressure field is subject to some uncertainty 

Owing to inaccuracies in the radiosonde observations, it became 

apparent that the assignment of a single velocity value at any 

Furthermore, as mentioned above, 

Since the true wind usually deviates 
given point in a cross-section through the atmosphere was 

misleading . In order to avoid the suggestion of greater precision than was 

warranted byathe charaoter of the information available, it 

was decided, during the autumn of 19b7 to present the meteorological 

diagnoses in a different form. 

of cross-sections) have been constructed to show the vertical 

distributions of the estimated ran es, that is to say, the estimated 

the area involved in each experiment. 

Since that time, graphs (in lieu 

extremes of tanperature and win +- on the whole or over a part of 

Since August, 1950, the principal task has been the preparation 

of diagnoses of conditions existing dwing experiments being conducted regularly in eastern Colorado, western Nebraska and western 

Kansas by the Industrial Research Institute of the University of 

Denver. 

careful study of the available weather data and the exercise of 

a considerable amount of synoptic meteorological judgment in the 

preparation of the wind and temperature diagnoses. 

The design of these experiments necessitates a particularly 

F. Flights Utilizing the Constant Level Balloon System 

After completion of the balloon control and telemetering development 

phases of the projec't, the balloon systems wwre utilized under 

Contracts -4F 19(122)-45 and AF 28(099)-10, between this University 

and the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories. A brief review 

of these projects is as follows: 

1. (Contract AF 19(122)-45) 

Under the terms of this contract the Research Division wa8 

commissioned to launch and track constant level balloon 

systems in order to study xind conditions at the 200 n;b 

level of the atmosphere. Flights were to remain afloat 

until they hsd traveled approximately lo00 miles. 

In order to track the balloon systems, the AM4 transmitter was operated at 1746 kc, using the radio compass 

from an aircraft to "home in" on the balloon and position 

it at specified time intervals. 

altitude, ballast flow data and balloon, free air and 

transmitter battery pack temperatures was transmitted 

throvgh the AM-1 to receivers moiinted in the aircraft 

and recorded on bmsh recorders for analysis at New 

Pork University. 

A total of22 flights (two of which crossed the Atlantic 

Ocean and were recovered in Norway and Algeria) were 

Information on pressure 
22. 

2. 

made on this project. A complete report of these flights 

uipment med is included in llTechnical Report 

121.01" and the ( 87 b-r this Research Division . High Neiitron Intensitv Stady (Contract AF 28 (099) -10) 

In conjunction with a stiidy to determine the altitude of 

maximum ~etitron density a modification was made on the 

Consta-it A1 titvde balloon system developed under this 

contract. In order to study neiitron densities at two 

different altitudes Kith the same set of instruments, 

it was desirable to carry these instnimenb throligh 

a nstepped flight". The balloon system in this case 

was to ascwd to a selected altitude (say 45,000 ft.) 

float there for one hour and then ascend to a higher 

altitude (for example 65,000 ft.) to float for another 

honr before descending, 

The advantages of this type flight for Cosmic Ray stdies 

are that a given altitude maybe sanpled for a long 

enough period of time to obtain statistically valid 

results, and snch statistical sampling can be made 

at several levels uithont the necessity of releasing 

another balloon system and other set of neutron sensing 

instruments, By proper design of equipment a fairly 

wide range of altitudes can be sampled witd llaltitude 

steps" of almost any desired size. 

The step effect is attained by releaoe of a fairly 

large amount of ballast at a fast rate set off by a 

pre-set clock timer or a radio release activated by 

a transmitter on the ground. The amount of ballast 

to be released is determined from the standard altitudevolvme load relationships wed for constant-level balloon 

flight. 

ballast tank and its controls may be dropped from the 

system. 

As a part of the finslballast release, the 

If the level positions of the flight must be controlled 

to fine limits, or if they must be of long duration 

(more than two hours) it .is necessary to employ constantlevel ballast control over these portions of the flight. 

However, if the level portions of the flight are to be 

in the neighborhood of 1 hovr duration, ballast control 

during these floating period- can be elimin3ted, making 

iise of the inherent st2bilitg of the plastic balloon 

systems for short range constant level flights. 

this latter method which was used by the New York University 

group in the study of Neutron Xaxima. 

It is 
23 

In this study four flights were rnade to st?idy conditions 

at altltndes of L5,OOO and 60,000 ft. A clock timer 

was set to cause release of ballast after the system 

had floated at the laser level for one hour. After 

ballast was expended the timer caused release of the 

ballast tank to further reduce the load on the systems. 

A typical flight of this series is shown as Ftg. 15. 

Further detailc on this stud 

on "Neutron Intenpity Study ftbf by this Research Division. 

ave been given in reports 

TIME AFTER RELEASE - HOURS 

Fig. 15 

"Two Level" Stepned Flight 
24 

Flight 

No. 

PIIKF-1 

n -2 

n -3 

-4 

Date 

5/13/48 

5/14./48 

5/14/48 

5/1L/48 

7/23/48 

8/23/48 

8/24/48 

8/25/48 

8/25/48 

8/26/49 

8/30/48 

8/31/48 

9/2/48 

9/2/48 

9/8/48 

9/10/49 

9/13/48 

9/29/48 

9/30/Ls 

11 11/48 

11/4/48 

ll/4/48 

11/8/48 

ll/8/48 

11/9/48 

11/15/48 

11/15/&8 

11/16/48 

11/17/48 

11/18/48 

- 

11/18/48 

12/1/48 

12/9/48 

12/11/48 

12/12/48 

12/14/48 

12/16/48 

12/17/48 

1/13/49 

1/13/49 

1/14/49 

1/15/49 

1/28/49 

Release 

Point 

Maxwell Field, Ala. 

I1 ll 11 

n n I1 

11 11 11 

Eglin 

11 

ll 

N 

n 

n 

N 

ll 

ll 

11 

n 

n 

n 

11 

11 

ll 

ll 

ll 

n 

11 

I1 

n 

11 

ll 

n 

11 

AFB, Fla. 

11 11 

11 ll 

Il Il 

11 11 

N N 

n 11 

n 11 

n 11 

n 11 

n n 

N 11 

11 11 

11 n 

11 I1 

11 N 

n 11 

11 11 

n ll 

N 11 

11 11 

11 11 

11 N 

11 n 

11 n 

I1 11 

N 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

n 

n 

I( 

I1 11 

If 

11 

11 It 

N 11 

n' n 

11 11 

11 N 

II 11 

11 11 

11 11 

11 It 

n 11 

11 11 

n ll 

11 n 

Alti tilde 

in ft. RecuverJr 

60,oOO 

55,OOo 

55,000 

did not reach Tyler, 

altitude Ala 

45,000 

45,000 

45,ooo 

45,000 

45,000 

45,000 

45,000 

45,000 

45,000 

45,000 

45,000 

45,000 

45,000 

45,m0 

45,000 

45,000 

45,000 

45,0~ 

45,000 

45,000 

45, OOo 

45, OOo 

45,~0 

45, OOo 

45,000 

45,000 12 mL.W.,Fitsgerald 

45,000 

45,000 

45,OOO 

60,000 

62,000 

65,000 

65,000 

65,000 

Test 

50, mo 

50,000 

50,000 

300 261 N 860 291 W 

Ga.3:30 P.M. 11/18h8 

No release 
Date 

1/2 8 /49 

1/28/49 

2/16&9 

2/17/49 

2/18/49 

2/21/49 

2/22/h9 

2/22/49 

2/23/49 

2/23/49 

2/24/49 

3/2/49 

3/3/49 

3/3/49 

3/4/49 

6/7/49 

6/10/49 

6 /l0/49 

6/1h/49 

6/14/49 

6/16/49 

6/23/49 

6/23/49 

7/19/49 

7/21/49 

7 /21/49 

9 W49 

10/6/49 

11/18/49 

=/30/49 

12/2/49 

12/6/49 

12/8/49 

1/23/50 

1/31/50 

2/2/50 

2/9/50 

2/9/50 

2/9/50 

2/14/50 

2/14/50 

Release 

Point 

Eglin AFB, na. 

McDill AFB,Fla. 

Avon Park, Fla. 

11 n n 

I1 II n 

II n 0 

I1 n n 

11 n n 

I1 n n 

n n 11 

n I1 n 

n n n 

11 n n 

11 n n 

11 n n 

Clovis 

11 

I1 

n 

I1 

11 

n 

n 

n 

I1 

11 

n 

11 

It 

11 

It 

n 

11 

AFB, NoMe 

n n 

n n 

n n 

It It 

n n 

11 11 

It It 

n 11 

11 11 

11 11 

11 11 

n 11 

11 11 

11 It 

n 11 

11 11 

I1 11 

Vance AFB, Okla. 

n It 11 

II n 11 

n 11 n 

It n II 

n It II 

11 I1 I1 

11 11 11 

Altitgde 

tn ft. 

@,OOo 

50, OOo 

48,000 

50,OOO 

48,000 

55, OOo 

50,000 

40,000 

42,000 

Equipment 

failure 

50, OOo 

45, OOo 

50, OOo 

50,OOO 

45, OOO 

45,000 

45, OOo 

45,000 

45,000 

50,000 

50,000 

55,~ 

50,000 

50,000 

50,OOo 

50,000 

50,000 

50, 000 

50, OOO 

50,000 

50,000 

50,OOo 

Instrument 

failure 

50,OOO 

50,000 

So, 000 

50,000 

50,000 

50,000 

50,000 

50,OOo 

Graham, Texas 

Portale's, N.M. 

Marlow, Okla. 

La Mont, Okla. 

Frankel City, Texas 

Boonville, Mias. 

Fort Doiiglas , Ark . Centralia, I11 . Nevada, Moo 

Moore's Hill, Ind. 

Shcridan, Ky. 

Pt . Hillf ord, 

Nova Scotia, Can. 

Jonesboro, Me . Perkins, akla. 

Winchester, 

Ontario, Can. 
Flight 

NO 

EN-9 " -10 

KN-1 

11 -2 

-3 " -4 

n -5 Hi. 

-5 Lo. 

n -6 Hi. 

n -6 Lo. 

-7 Lo. ' -7 Hi. 

n-8 

-9 

-10 

1) -11 ' -12 

n -13 

n -14 

-15 n -16 

- 

-17 

-18 

-19 

Date. 

2 117 150 

3/3/50 

4/25/50 

5/12/50 

5/26/50 

5/26/50 

6/2/50 

6/2/50 

6/20/50 

6/20/50 

- 

7/11/50 

7/11/50 

7 /14/50 

7/24/50 

8/3l/50 

9/14/50 

9/14/50 

9/22/50 

9/28 150 

10/5?50 

10 /l0/50 

10/12/50 

10/26/50 

10/17 /SO 

Release 

Point 

Vance AFB, Okla. N ll n 

Sedalia 

n 

11 

11 

ll 

11 

11 

n 

11 

I1 

11 

11 

11 

N 

I1 

n 

N 

ll 

n 

n 

n 

n 

AFB, &%. 

n II 

ti n 

nn 

n 11 

n n 

11 11 

11 N 

I1 11 

n 11 

11 It 

N I1 

11 11 

11 n 

I1 11 

n ti 

nn 

N I1 

11 11 

n 11 

n it 

it n . 

26. 

Recovery 

WaShbUn, Mo* 

Booneville , Mo . Warrensburg, Moo 

Concordia, Moo 

Wapella, Ill. 

Ashtabula, Dhio 

Springdale , Ark. 

Loysville, Pa. 

California, *Yo 

Shelbyville , Tenn 

La Monte, Mo. 

Lolcisianna, Moo 

Marshall, Moo 

Dickson, Tenn . 

In addition service flights were made from Watson Laboratories,AMC 

Eatontm, N.J., for testing of items of geophysical equipment during 

the coim8e of the project. 

Dnring June, 1949, service flights were made from Luke AFB, 

Arizona, simultaneovsly with those made from Clovis AFB, New Aexico. 
1. 

REFERENCES 

Research Division, College of Engineering, New Pork 

Technical Report 93.02, Constant-Level Bdloons 

Section I - General = November, 19bg 

rations - JP~UW, 1949 

?vy of Flights = July, 1949 

REFERENCES 

Research Division, College of Engineering, New Pork 

Technical Report 93.02, Constant Level Balloons 

Section I - General = November, 19bg 

rations - JP~UW, 1949 

?vy of Flights = July, 1949 

University, 

2, Murray, W. D.; Schneider, C. S.; Smith, J. R. = Developrasnt and 

Utilization of Constant Level Balloons - "Transa&ions of the 

American Geophysical Union", Dec . 1950. 

3. Research Division, College of Engineering, New York University, 

Technical Report #l, Constant Level Balloon Project #93 - April, 1948. 

4. Spilhaus, A. F.3 Schneider, C. S.; Moore, C. B. - Controlled 

Altitude Free Balloon8 - nJournal of Meteorology" -948. 

5. Research Division, College of Wgineering, New York University, 

Determination of Neutron Maximum at High Altitudes - Progress 

Reports and Technical Report #U8.5, March,1949 to March, 1950. 

6. Research Division, College of Engineering, New York University, 

Technical Report 121.05 - High Altitude Balloon Trajectory Studz, 

June, 1950. 

7. Research Division,. College of Engineering, New York University, 

Final Report 93.17, Radio Transmitter, Receiver and Recording 

Systems for Constant Level Balloons - June, 1948. 
11 

New York University 

Constant Level Balloons 

Section 1, General 

November 15, 1949 

Technical Report No. 93.02 

CONSTANT LEVEL BALLxlaS 

Section 1 

GENERAL 

Constant Level Balloon Project 

New' York University 

Prepared in accordmoe with provisions of contract 

W28-099-a~-241, between 

Wation Laboratories, Red Bsnk, New Jersey 

and 

New York University 

The research reported in this document has been made possible 

through support and sponsorship extended by the Geophysical 

Research Directorate of the Gambridge Field Station, AMC, 

U. S. Air Force, under Contract No. W28-099-ao-241. 

published for technical information only and does not represent recommendations or conclusions of the sponsoring agency. 

It is 

Prepared by: James R. Smith 

and 

BIilliam D. Murray 

Approved by : 

Dr. Harold K. Work 

Director of the Research Division 

College of Engineering 

New York University 

15 November 1949 

New York 53, New York 
TBBLE OF CONTENTS 

Pane Number 

I . Introduotion ............................................... 5 

Contract Requirements .................................... 5 

Project Facilities ....................................... 6 

11 . Principles of Balloon C.m trol .............................. 6 

I11 . Methods of Attack .......................................... 8 

Rubber Balloons .......................................... 8 

Plastio Balloons ......................................... 9 

Internal-Pressure Balloons .............................. 14 

Altitude Controls ....................................... 16 

Flight Simulation ....................................... 25 

Flight Ternination Gear ................................. 29 

IV . Equations and The ore t i ca 1 C on side rat ions 

Floating Altitude and Altitude Sensitivity .............. 30 

Rate of Rise ............................................ 33 

Superheat and its Effect6 ............................... 34 

Adiabatic Lapse Rate .................................... 38 

Diffusion and Leakage of Lifting Gas .................... 40 

 bursting Pressure and Appendix Considerations ........... 47 

A General Equation of Motion ............................ 56 

V . Telemetering .............................................. 62 

Information Transmitted ................................. 62 

Transmitters Used ....................................... 63 

Receivers and Recorders Used ............................ 65 

Batteries Used .......................................... 65 

Radio Directhon-Finding ................................. 56 

Radar and Optical Tracking .............................. 67 

VI . Instrumentation ........................................... 67 

Altitude Determination .................................. 67 

Temperature Measurements ................................ 74 

Ballast Metering ........................................ 76 

VII . Conclusions ............................................... 79 
1. INTRODUCTION 

A. Contract Requh-ement8 

On November 1, 1946 the Research Division of the College of 

Engineering of New York University entered into Contract 

W28-099-ac-241 with Watson Laboratories of the Air Materiel 

Command. Under this contract the University was commissioned 

to design, develop and fly constant-level balloons to carry 

instruments to altitudes from 10 to 20 kilometers, adjustable 

at 2-kilometer intervals. 

The following performance was specified: 

1, Altitude to be maintained within 500 meters. 

2. Duration of constant level flight to be initially 

6 to 8 hours minimum, eventually 48 hours. 

3. The accuraey of pressure observation to be comparable 

to that obtainable with the standard Army radiosonde 

e3-5 mb). 

In addition to this balloon performance it was desired that: 

4. A balloon-borne transmitter be developed for telemetering 

of information from the balloon to suitable ground receivers. 

5. Positioning of balloon during flight be determined by 

ground tracking such as radar or radio direction-finding 

or theodolite. 

6. Appropriate meteorological data be collected and interpreted . Following the first year of work the contract was renewed for 

a 1-year period, and in addition to the provisions of the 

original contract it u8s agreed that a total of 100 test flights 

would be launahed by the University. 

In September, 1948 a second renewal of the contract was eft’ected. 

With this renewal, whioh expires in March, 1949, it is expected that the development of equipment will be concluded. 

Further extensions are under consideration whereby h’ew York University will supply standardized flight par and f1i;ht service personnel for routine test flights. 

-5 = 
B. Projeot Faoilities 

I1 . 

To meet the requimnents of the contraot, a researoh group 

was built up and the following faoilitier wm made available: 

1. Administrative section. 

2. Engineering'personnel were assigned to one or more of the 

following groups: 

(a) Balloon section 

(b) Performance oontrol section 

(c) Telemtering section 

(d) Analysis section (including meteorological and performance data analysis) 

3. A small machine shop was provided to manufaoture experimental models of equipment which was flown. 

4. A field crew for launching, tracking and recovery of 

balloons was established. 

Work-shop, laboratory, offfce and storage space was provided by New York University (Figures 1 and 2). 

was largely conducted at Army bases and Air Forces installations. 

26 with 17 part-time men on the staff at that time. Most individuals were called upon to work in several departments 

depending upon the urgency of field work, equipment preparation 

or development work. 

Field work 

At one time the number of full-time employees reached 

PRIhTC IPLES OF BALLOON CONTROL 

Following preliminary investigations, ixo distinct principles of 

achieving constanbpressure altitude for free balloons were studied 

in detail. The first of these is the maintenance of the balloon 

at floating level by the use of a servo-mechanism or other control which cause8 the supported load to vary with the buoyancy of 

the balloon. The second principle embodies the use of a nonextensible balloon capable of withstanding a high internal pressure. 

With a fixed volume and a given load, such balloons remain at a 

oonstant pressure level as long as the internal pressure of the 

ballom is equal to or greater than that of the air at floating 

level. A surplus of buoyancy causes 8up8r-pressure, but when the 

gas is oooled relative to the air environment such a surplus is 

needed to prevent excessive reductions in balloon pressure. Whenever the balloon's internal pressure becomes less than that of the 

air, it falls to earth. 

for the fire bombing of the western United States during World War 11. 

Such a balloon was used by the Japanese 

-6- 

To use the first of these, principles it is possible to maintain a condition of buoyanoy by at least the following two methods: (1) dropping a part of the load, as ballast, to match the 

loss of lifting gas which occurs as a result of diffusion and 

leakagej (2) replacement of the lifting gas by evaporation from a 

reservoir of liquified helium or hydrogen. Of these two methods, 

ballast dropping is most satisfactory from the consideration of 

simplicity of control and safety of personnel. mile the use of 

liquid helium is theoretically more efficient, the amount and complexity of control equipment adds much to the cost and also the 

weight of air-borne equipment. 

The development of non-elastic balloons which oan withstand high 

internal pressure was investigated. TWO designs which compr6- 

mise extreme cost (required for balloons of high internal pressure) 

with small wall strength, hence small super pressure, were tested. 

At first, attempts were made to control balloon performance by using 

buoyancy-load balance techniques with elastic balloons, but the 

difficulties which were experienced resulted in the development of 

a third principle of operation combining a non-extensible balloon 

with a system of controls which can be applied either to a freely 

expanding balloon or to a balloon of fixed volume. 

ikE'IIFiODS OF ATTACK 

The work on the development of controlled-altitude balloons may be 

divided into three phases, each one identified by the type of balloon which was used. Concurrent with the balloon development was 

the design and testing of control equipment required to maintain 

the balloon at specific altitudes. Some of the equipment instrumentation was used on more than one kind of balloon, but in general 

the problems and methods of attack are identified with one of the 

three types of balloons. 

A. Rubber Balloons 

Following the example of Clarke and Korff, assemblies of neoprene rubber balloons were first considered. 

freely expanding balloons it was necessary to balance the load 

to be lifted with the buoyancy given by an integral number 

of balloons. 

the essembly to provide lifting force to carry the train aloft. 

With the gear at a predetermined altitude, the lifting balloons were cut loose from the train by a pressure-activated 

switch,leaving the equipment at floating level, more or less 

exactly balanced. Since there is no inherent stability in an 

extensible balloon, any existing unbelance will cause the 

train to rise or fall indefinitely until the balloon reaches 

Using these 

One or more accessory balloons were attached to 

-8- 
its bursting diameter, the gear strikes the ground, or corrective 

aotion is taken. 

achieved, there will be unbalance occasioned by (1) bursting of 

balloons due to deterioration in the sunlight, (2) diffusion of 

lifting gas from the balloons, (3) loss or gain of buoyanoy &en 

temperature inside the balloon changes with respect to the ambient 

air temperature. This will result initially from radiative differences, and after an amount of difference (superheat) has been 

established, changes in ventilation will cause changes in buoyancy. 

Two methods of attaching the payload to the clusters of rubber balloons were tried. 

line was used,md short lines led from it to the individual balloons. "he length of such arrays was as mueh as 800 feet, and 

this rite made them difficult to launch. The single load ring 

array, seen in Figure 4, proved to be much easier to handle and 

is recommended for cluster launchings. 

balloons in suoh an array ride separated from each other and no rubbing or chafing has been observed. 

Even if the extremely critical balance is inl;ially 

In the first of these (Figure 3) a long load 

During ascent each of the 

The controls which were associated with this balloon system were 

crude and, in general, ineffective. They included (1) cutting off 

balloons as the buoyancy became excessive and a preset altitude 

extreme was passed, and (2) releasing part of the lead in the form 

of solid or liquid ballast whenever descent occurred. 

tivity of these elastic balloons makes it difficult to control 

their altitude with any system of oontrols, and as controls were 

developed it mas found more practical to change from freely expanding balloon8 to non-extensible cells not made of neoprene. 

tendency of neoprene to decay within a few hours when exposed to 

sunlight was the most cogent argument against doing more work on 

altitude oontrols to be used with such a system. 

The sensiThe 

B. Plastio Balloons 

The next attempts to control the altitude of a balloon vehicle were 

made using non-oxtensible plastic cells, with an open bottom to prevent rupture when expansion of the lifting gas is excessive. With 

a fixed mpximum volume, such a system has inherent vertical instability in only one direction. When full, there is- 8. pressure altitude above which a given load will not be carried. The instability 

of such a system is found only when an unbalanced downward force 

exists. The development of controls and films for balloon material 

proceeded concurrently , but the choice of a. non-extensible plastic 

film was made before the system of control was perfected. 

The properties which were given most conslaeration in the seleotion 

of fabric include (1) availability and cost, (2) ease of fabrication and (3) satisfactory chemical and physical properties. Pri- 
TRANSMITTER 

BALLAST 

CONTROLS 

TRANSMITTER w BALLAST 

CONTROLS 

Figures 3 and 4. Typical rubber balloon arrays. 

marily on the cost basis, an extruded film of plastic was found to 

be superior to fabrics such as silk or nylon with the various 

coatings. 

-10- 
The physical and chemical properties needed in a balloon material 

are: (1) ahemioal stability, (2) low permeability, (3) high tensile 

strength, (4) law brittle temperature, (5) high tear resistanoe, 

(6) high transparenoy to heat radiation and (7) light weight. 

In Table 1 the propries of 7 plastics and 2 coated materials are 

given. 

Suitable P ilms . From this data polyethylene and saran appear to be the most 

I 

Table 1 

pric 

olye thylenc 

Pinglite 

thocelluNeoprene 

Butyl 

rubber 

,ow Temperrture Prop- 

. erties 

Good 

Fair 

Good 

Very poor 

Believed 

good 

Good 

Poor 

Fair 

Good 

permeability 

Tensile !Tear Re= 

Strength sistance 

LOW f Good 

High !Poor 

High /Low 

Medium /Good 

High !Good 

! Iir Far 

i 

i 

Low 

Poor 

Ease of 

Fabr ioation __ 

Good 

Fair 

Good 

Good 

Cannot 

be fabric(? ted 

Good 

Good 

Fair 

Fair 

Stability tc 

Gltraviolet 

Good 

Fair 

Good 

Good 

Good 

Good 

Poor 

pair 

toad 

Having decided upon the proper fabric to be used, an effort -15 

made to interest a number of companies in the fabrication and 

production of balloons. The first supplier of balloons ado of 

.polyethylene was Harold A. Smith, Ino., Mamaroneck, NJrw York. 

In these balloons, 4 and 8 mil sheets were heat sealed to form 

a spherical cell open at the bottom. 

set into the fabric and loading lines ran from these tab8 to a 

load ring. 

sa ti sf ac tory. 

Load attachment tabs were 

This method of supporting the load proved to be M- 

-11- 
Subs6quently, other oompanies 'produced balloons of one type or 

another for us3 the total nwr and of balloons purchased 

is given in Table 2. 

Seyfang Laboratcries Neoprene-coated 

nylon 22.5-ft. 

dian.,spherical 

Table 2 

Internal 

pressure 

* Plastio Balloons 

!Film Type, Thiokness, Special Unit No. Deli vered ! 

'COmpanY 'Diameter, Shape ' Features Cost , tomb I 9 

4 harold A. Smith,Ihc. .OM polyethylene Prototype #150.00 

3-ft.diam. ,spherical! I 

n n n .mpolyethylene ~arv perme- ' 

5 15-ft .diam., spheri- I ability I 530.00 

1 cal I 

:n n N .004 polyethylene LOW perme- 

! 15-ft0diam.,spheri- ability 

% cal 

1 .OOl polyethylene 

;'l-ft.diarn.,tearI 

! 

:General Mills Inc. 4 

I drop 

n N (1 i .001 polyethylene 

I 20-ft.diam. ,tearn n n .001 polyethylene 

30-ft.diam.,teardrop 

i 

drop 

.001 polyethylene 

?O-ft.diam.,teardrop 

N n ll 

;The Goodyar Tire & .OM polyethylene 

+tubber Company,hc. 2O-ft.diam., eggI 

PinGen ResearQJnc . .015 polyethylene 

i 20-ft.diam. ,tear- 

! drop ! 

I F1-t 

,- 0 - .. 0 - - - 0 0 I 

Non-P1asti.o Bal 

Dewey and Almy Chem- 5-2000 neoprene 

ical Co. I balloon with nylon 

shroud of 15-ft, ' diam. ,spherical f i 

I 

S tre s sed 

seam 

tape type 

Stressed 

tape type 

seam 

Stressed 

tape type 

seam 

Stressed 

seam and lcrrr 

pernab il it 

tape type 

Low permeability 

aternal 

re 8 sure 

530.00 

20.00 

125 .OO 

i75 000 

115 000 

-0 

125 .OO 

i50.00 

5 

26 

175 

15 

5 

10 

20 

00 

3 

10 

i I 

! 

I 

I 

I 

! 

- 

1 
Teardrop shaped polyethylene balloons were produced by General 

Mills Ino. and Wbcen Research, Inc., both of Minneapolis, 

Minnesota. The General Mills cells were supplied in four sizes 

with the diameters of 7, 20, 30 and 70 feet to carry loads to 

varying altitudes. A 20-foot ballom is shorn in Figure 5. 

Figure 5. 20f-Diameter, teardrop polyethylene balloon. 

In all of these, film is .OOIR polyethylene, butt-welded with 

fiber tape laid along the seam to reinforce the seal, and to carry 

-13- 
and distribute the load. These tdp8, which converge to the 

load ring at the bottom, actually rupport the load (Figure 6). 

An open bottom permits the esoape of exoess lifting gas and thus 

prevents rupture. 

BALLOON 

\APPENDIX /' 

Figure 6. Appendix detail, polyethylene balloon. 

0x1 the Winten balloons, which are made from .015" polyethylene, 

all but two of the balloons were made with similar fiber tape reinforcementsi these two were produced without tapes and both of 

them have been flown with no evidences of unsatisfactory performance. 

The eggplant shaped balloon produced by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber 

Company, Inc. has been flown with satisfaction, but the exact 

amount of diffusion, which is expected to be low from this balloan, 

ir not yet ham. 

C. Internal-Pressure Balloons 

From a theoretical standpoint the most satisfactory means of keeping 

a balloon at constant pressure-altitude is to use a non-oxtensiblo 

-14- 
oell with very law diffusicm through the walls and one capable 

of maintaining super-pressure in excess of that lost with reductions of gas temperature. 

off completely or a pressure-activated valve could be used to 

permit efflux of the gas when the bursting pressure is approached. 

The neoprene-coated nylon balloon built by Seyfang Laboratories 

(Figure 7) has been used with a valve set to prevent rupturing. 

Such a balloon could be sealed 

Figure 7. Neo rene-coated n lon balloon, 

two-kirds infla te%. 

The fabric has been coated with a metallic paint to minimize 

the effects of radiatior,. However., the values of superheat obtained by the gas when the balloon is in the sun have been of 

the order of 30OC. The amount of buoyancy lost when circulation 
or sunset cuts off the superheat is so large that it is not possible 

to carry enough ballast to sustain the system under these conditions. On the other hand, the loss of buoyancy through a sealed-off 

Seyfang balloon at 4100 feet MSL is of the orQer of SO grams per 

hour which is significantly less than the loss expected from a 20- 

foot, 1 mil polyethylene cell in flight oonditions. (With the appendix 

aperture sealed,.such a cell shows a loss of lift of about 40 grams 

per hour when one-fifth inflated at sea level). 

One other type of ballom which has been used as a super-pressure 

balloon is the neoprene 52000 balloon of Dewey and Almy, surrounded 

by nylon cloth shroud. 

until it reached bursting diameter, but when enshrouded, it is 

limited to the volume of the shroud. The difficulties in launohing 

and flying this balloon are not unusually great, but on each of the 

several tests which have been made to date improper handling has 

been a possible cause of the early rupture of the balloon. It is 

believed, however, that such a balloon is not especially suitable 

fa- long flights because of the deterioration which occurs in the 

neoprene in the presence of sunlight. 

which would filter out the ultraviolet rays would protect and 

lengthen the life of such a balloon. 

The rubber balloon normally would expand 

Perhaps a shroud of material 

Despite the sucoess of the Japanese silk or rice-paper balloons, 

which were constructed on a super-pressure principle, it is not believed practical at this time to develop a balloon of such strength 

that it would successfully withstand and retain pressure increases 

corresponding to the temperature changes from night to day as the 

superheat of absorbed sunlight is gained. The super-pressure with 

a neoprene-coated nylon balloon, for example , would be approximaay 

0.6 psi. The 

cost of production, huwever, appears at this time to be unwarranted. 

That such a balloon could be built is unquestioned. 

D. Altitude Controls 

Beginning with the arrays of rubber balloons which were first used, 

various systems of dropping ballast, both solid and liquid, have 

been attempted with the aim of exactly compensating for the loss of 

buoyancy which is occasioned as the lifting gas diffuses or leaks 

through the balloon. 

mental ballast dropping was emwyed. 

to use sand as ballast since most sand contains some water which 

may freeze lrhile aloft. Further, it is easier to control the flow 

of a liquid ballast than it is to control sand particles. In the 

investigations for a suitable liquid ballast the petroleum product 

known commercially as Mobil Aero compass fluid was finally settled 

upon. 

point, and also density and viscosity over a large range of temperatures. 

On the early rubber balloons only rough increAt that time it was decided not 

These investigations included tests of cloud point, freezing 

The compass fluid is especially suitable for ballast work 

-16- 
in high alti.tudes, since it freeces below -8OaC and will flow 

readily at low temperatures. 

a very slight amount of water which might freeze aloft. 

Basically three different principles have been used in the control 

of ballast flow. The first of these is calculated constant flow; 

the second is displacement-enitch control; and the third is rateof -a scent mi tch control . 

Also, this fluid will absorb only 

(1) Constant Flow 

In the simplest of the control systems, liquid ballast is allowed 

to flow continuously through an orifice (Figure 8) at a predetermined rate. This rate is set to slightly exceed the exFigure 8. Orifice for fixed-rate ballast flow. 

pected loss of lift of the balloon due to leakage and diffusion. If this method is successfully used, the balloon stays 

full because the gas remining in it has less load to support. 

Therefore, the balloon will rise slowly as ballast is dropped, 

maintaining equilibrium between the buoyancy and the load. In 

the General Mills ZO-foot balloon, for example, diffusion losses 

are about 200 grams per hour at altitudes near 40,000 feet. The 

balloon at its ceiling of 40,000 feet with a 26-kilogram payload rises about 700 feetwith each kilogram of ballast dropped. 

This means that such a balloon using this constant-flow type 

control will float at a "adling" which rises at the rate of 

about 140 feet per hour. 

use of the manual ballast valve shown in Figure 9. 

exoessive dogging of this valve, caused by itsannular ring 

opening, gate-type valves were tested, and finally the use of 

Constant flow was first obtained by 

Due to 

-1 7- 
simple orifices of various sizes replaaed Obe manual ballarrt 

valve . 

1 

Figure 9. Manual ballast valve. 

(2) Displacement Switch 

The displaaement principle in ballast control has been used in 

two different types of valves. The first of these, called the 

"automatic ballast valve," used a needle valve,controlling 

ballast flow by an aneroid capsule to which the needle was at= 

tached (Figure 10). 

mosphere on ascent; as the balloon began to descend to a regian 

of higher pressure, a minimum pressure switch was used to seal 

off the capsule and further descent caused ballast flow. (For 

details aee Teahnical Report No. 1, Constant Level Ballocm 

University, New York, N.Y.j 1948. 

The aneroid oapsule was open to the atProjeat, Research Division, Colle e of Engineering, New York 

There are three undesirable features of this system. 

is the effect of temperature changes on the air sealed in the 

capmle. Seal-off pressure aots as a datum plane. Any inorease from this pressure causes compression of the aneroid, 

and ballast flows proportionally to the difference from sealoff pres,sure. 

entrapped air, the activation pressure of the valve changes, 

the floating level is thus ahso a function of temperature of 

the gas in the aneroid. 

Greateat 

Huwever, with changes of temperature of the 

-1 8- 
Ballast Valve Seat Ballast Valv 

Foce - Ballost Outlet 

Tube 

Tension Sprin Stem. Volve Closed 

Open Ballast p. force On Stem. 

Aneroid capsule 

by seoling at des 

altitude. Descent 

seollng Olt. cause old to contract. o ension Springs to 

ballost valve. lose Seolrng Volve 

oid Sealmg VOlVe 

pressure of aneroid 

String holds valve 

open until severed 

by squib. 

Figure 10. Automatic ballast valve. 

The second undeeirable feature of the automatic ballast valve 

system is the lag induced by the use of a minimum pressure 

mitch to seal off the aneroid capsule. 

to the lag of the aneroid itself. If a mercury snitch is used, 

the differential between minimum and seal-off pressure is about 

8 millibars; with a less dense liquid, the operation will still 

require about a 2-millibar difference. If the sealing is done 

by a fixed pressure switch, it is then necessary to prediat the 

altitude to which the balloon will rise. Failure to reach 

this height would leave the aneroid open and useless. 

under-estimation of the ceiling causes a relatively lorgperiod 

of wncontrolled slow descent before oontrol begins. 

This is in addition 

Deliberate 

The third unwanted feature is the waste of ballast which flows 

during both descent and ascent of a balloon whenever it is 

below the seal-off elevation. 

"heavy" when its downward motion has been arrested, flow 

during the return to the datum plane ir needless and indeed 

Since the balloon is no longer 

-19- 
will cause an overshoot, hence themeceSSBry exhaust of some 

lifting gas, 

The effects of temperature on the aneroid capsule of the automatic ballast valving system rmeeliminated by the use of a 

ballast switch which uses a vacuum-sealed aneroid, set to pernit ballast flow through a valve whenever the balloon is below 

a given pressure altitude. 

switch and the lag caused by its useare eliminated. This displacement-switch control has the disadvantage that the flow 

which it permits is not proportional to the displacement of the 

balloon below a datum plane but is constant through the valve. 

Normally this flow is large to permit rapid restoration of equilibrium. 

to supply power to the electrically operated valve. 

the advantage of eliminating the temperature effects on the 

aneroid compensate for these two comparatively minor disadvantage s . 

In this system the minimum pressure 

A second disadvantage is the requirement of batteries 

However, 

In practice, the displacement switch has consisted of a modified, 

radiosonde modulator in which the standard commutator is replaced by a special bar which is an insuletor above a certain 

point and a conductor at lower levels (higher pressures). 

the aneroid pen arm is on the conducting section of the commutator, a relay opens the ballast valve. To prevent excessive 

flow on ascent, the pen arm rides on 81: insulsted shelf above 

most of the contact segment of the commutator (Figure 11). 

Yihen 

Figure 11. Pressure displacemnt switch. 

-20- 
The pen drops off the shelf at a safe distanoe beluw the expected pressure altitude and ballast then flows until the 

pressure pen reaches the insulating seotion of the oommutator. 

In order to prevent the overshoot mentioned as one undesirable 

feature of the automatio ballast system, the high pressure 

end of the insulator may oorrespond to the expected maximum 

altitude of the balloon, any loss of lift due to impurities 

or esoape of lifting gas will cause the balloon to level off at 

a ceiling within the ballast-dropping range. Continued ballast 

dropping will result in the rPse of the balloon. 

estimation of the ceiling is not as oritieal as in the case of 

the previous system. 

Thus, an overRate-of -Asoent Switch 

W i t-h the displacament-switoh oontrol just deseribed there remain the problems of ballast waste and balloon oscillation resulting from discharge of ballast during rises of the balloon 

after a descent has been cheoked. 

control mitch acting on the rate of rise of the balloon is 

put in series with the displacement -itch to close the ballast 

flow circuit only when the balloon is coming duwn or floating 

below pressure altitude. When it is rising, no ballast flow is 

permitted. 

To eliminate this, a ballastThis nrate-switchn is seen in Figure 12. 

Figure 12. Rate-of-ascent snitch. 

-21- 
4 glass flask is open to atmorpheric pressure through a fine 

oapillary tube. 

various differential pressures exist between the air in the 

flask and the outside air. This pressure difference controls 

the level of liquid in a manometer mitoh, filled with =% hydroohloric acid. When the internal pressure is 0.2 mb more than 

the ambient pretssure, the switch opens and ballast flow is stopped 

even though the balloon may be below the floatin level. 

switch is set so that a rate of ohange of .1 mbAinute acting 

for three or more minutes will open the switch.) By thus restricting flow when the balloon is rising, balloon oscillations 

are minimized and ballast is conserved. 

tion is shown as Figure 13. 

With mrious rates of change of pressure, 

(The 

A sketch of this operaEollort Flow Eollart Flow 

I 

fino __c 

I 

I 

Figure 13. Height-time ourve, showing ballast control action. 

Since the rate switch is much more deliaab than the displacement switch, safety considerations have caused the combined control to be supplemented by a pure displacement switch control. 

In this, the ccnducting segment of the pressure modulator is 

divided, and only a limited pressure height range (set for desired floating level) is controlled by both switches in series. 

If the rate switch is damaged at launching (by spilling some of 

its electrolyte, for instance) or in flight (perhaps by evaporation of the electrolyte) and the balloon descends, simple 

displacement control becomes effect when the high pressure 

(lower altitude) segment of the conductor is touohed by the pres- 

-22- 
bur6 pen. The suitoh oirouit is seen in Figure 14. 

-.\! \. 

Is ‘La W, 

Figure 15 is a theoretical height-time curve, showing when 

ballast would be dropped using such a control and the re= 

sulting balloon behavior. During ascent the pressure pen is 

kept off the commutator bar until Point lwhere it falls onto the low-altitude conducting segment. (The shelf has been 

set so that the pen will fall onto the low-altitude segment in 

order that a ballast signal will be received for a shortperiod 

of time, indioating that the system is working properly. The 

balloon rises and ballast flows until the pressure pen reaches 

Point 2, the beginning of the region vYhere both switches in 

series control the ballast. 

to rise, no flow occurs. 

the control level , scends to that point. 

will flow only on the descending and floating portions of the 

flight below coctrol level. A second course is illustrated, 

wherein the rate-switch has failed. There the balloon descends to Point Z and oscillates about this level, as a result 

As long as the balloon continues 

Should the maximum altitude be above 

Then, with both controls oFrating, Mlast 

no ballast will flow until the balloon de- 

-23- 
of displacement switch actions alone. 

IF LCVELINO OFF TOO LOW, nien 

BALLAST RATE PUSHES BALLOON 

INTO CONTROL ALTITUOE. 

IF LEVELING OFF TOO HIGH TNO 9ALLAST UNTIL THIS TILE 

V @ TOP LOW ALT. COMMUTATOR 

@ BOTT. HIGH ALT. COMM 

Figure 15. Theoretical height-time curve. 

(4) Rate-of-Descent Switch 

It may at times be desirable to control a balloon merely bya 

switch aotivated at any given rate of descent. This could be 

acc ompli shed merely b.fi "mve rsing" the ra te-of -a scent switch . This type of control would prove to be quite difficult, huwever, 

for a constant level flight. 

using a type of rate-of-.descent switch as shown ih Figure 16. In 

One flight, No. 97, was made 

I 

I 

Position whtl 

apillory 

Tube 

SOI 

Figure 16. Rate-of-descent switch. 

-24- 
this switch a circuit is closed when the rate of descent exceeds 1/5 mb/minute, allowing ballast to flow. 

Flight 97 indicates that good control was obtained for a fourhour period using this switch. 

delicate and susceptible to temperature effects that its uso is 

not advised . 

'% record of 

However, the instrument is 80 

E. Flight Simulation 

To make laboratory tests on the control equipment just described, a 

flight-simulation chamber has been built combining a bell jar and a 

temperature chamber. A drawing of the temperature chamber designed 

and built at New York University is shown in Figure 17. (InvestiFigure 17. Temperature oontrol ohamber. 

gation of commercially sold chambers showed that the cost of purchasing a temperature chamber of the size desirsd would be prohibitive.) 

system; however, use of dry ice as a coolant proved to be more advantageotis. 

temperatures as high as +100oF and as low as -900F within $for a 

period of several hours. 

mately 150 pounds for a 24-hour period. 

First designs called for the use of a freon refrigerating 

This chamber, with its automatic control, can hold 

Dry ice consumption at -600F is approxiIt is possible, using a bell jar for flight-similitude studies, 

to arrange switches so that the vacuum pump is turned off and on at 

-25- 
th8 same time that ballast is normally required in flight. 

system simulates the effect of' rising and falling in the atmosphere 

and indicates the effectiveness of the controls which have been applied. 

This 

In order to simulate flight, it is necessary that three conditions 

be minixfined within the system. The first is that a leak of air 

into the bell jar is permitted at a rate of pressure increase which 

has been observed during balloon descent. A large lag chamber is 

eonnected into the bell jar to supply the second condition which 

is a delay similar to that inherent in the control action on an actual 

balloon flight. 

such a lag chamber to obtain the desired magnitude of control action. 

It is-necessary to properly adjust the volume of 

A third requirement is that the response of the vacuum pump must 

correspond to that response which has been observed when a balloon 

system drops ballast. In order to measure this, the control meohanism has been allowed not only to switch the vacuum pump on and 

off but also to actuate the standard ballast-flow equipment. l'his 

system may be adjusted so that the amount of pressure change which 

a single period of pmphg produces accurately represents the amount 

of ballast thrown off during flight. 

-. 

The barogram shown in Figure 18 is en example of such a test. 

this test the rate-of-ascent ballast switch was added to the displaceOn 

2 0 0 10 I2 

Hours 

Fliaht Similitude Record Of Pressure 

A- Displacement Switch 

Operating. 

6- Displ.8 Rate Of Ascent 

Switches Operating. 

Figure 18. Sample barograph record. 

ment switch after the latter had operated for a period of six hours. 

The combination of the two is seen to have effected a reduction in 

-26- 
the amplftude and frequenoy of oscillations induced by the servo 

system. 

is almost undetectable. 

In fact, under the influence of both controls, oscillation 

As a comequence of such tests, it is possible to predict the type, 

size and. frequency of oscillations which the servo-control equipment will introduce into the balloon flight. This is especially 

significant since it is known from flights on which no control equipment was included that oscillations do occur naturally within the 

atmosphere, apparently as a result of vertical cellular convection 

currents. By 'mowledge of the frequezlcy of oscillation caused by 

a given control system it is possible to analyze oscillations and determine which are caused by control and which are atnospheric. 

wiring diagram of the flight-similitude system is.shm in Figure 19. 

The 

I 

NOTES 

0 Sigma Relay Type 5F 

@ Rate Switch - ED 48-115 

@ Heavy Duty Relay, Guardian Series 200dpst 

@ Ballast Solenoid Valve- ED49-2 

@ Displacement Swrtch- ED 48-107 

@ Auto Syphon 

@) Counter 

6 Pump Motor 

Figure 19. Wiring diagram, flight-similitude system. 

-27- 
The v~cuum system is shown in Figure 20. 

MANOMETER 

I 

Cnrumrr VALVE 

Figure 20. Physical layout, flight-similitude system. 

This equipment has been used in testing instruments to be flown 

and also equipment which is used in the launching and preparation 

before release. 

been used in conjunction with the flight-termination switches and 

also for severing launching lines, were tested in this chamber and 

found to fail when subjected simultaneously to cold temperature 

(-50%) and low pressures (10 millibars) although tests st either 

low temperature or low pressures alone produced no failures. 

result of these tests, a new squib, the 559, has been Froduced 

by Du Pont and is used in current flights. 

which has been tested in the bell jar and the cold chamber includes 

the Lange barographs and the Olland-cycle pressure-neasuring ins trumen t s . 

For exmple, the Du Pont 564 squibs, which have 

As a 

Other equipment 

-2s- 
F. Flight Termination Gear 

The rate of descent when controlled balloons are falling after 

exhausting all ballast is sometimes as slow as 50 feet per minute. 

This means that several hours might be required to fall through 

the lanes of aircraft traffio, inoreasing considerably the hazard 

to aircra.ft (admittedly very small). 

units have been added to the flight train to cause a rapid descent 

after the balloon system has descended to some critical value, say 

20,000 feet. 

switch, is shown in Figure 21. 

switch, triggered on descent only, an explosive charge used to sever 

To minimize this possibility, 

One such destruction system, using a flight-termination 

It consists of a pressure-activated 

OF 100" TEST 

BAAIOEO NYLON 

WItu 2' SLACIC 

2wOO Fi,rnis 

mlm6 TWe IN TnEuR UWES. 

ACTS AS I rs OWN PAR?CWJTL 

&€HALF Ot'R4ltO tuLLcCn 

Figure 21. Flight termination equipment. 

the main load line, a rip line attached to the balloon near the 

equator and a snub line which takes up the strain after the load 

has fallen a fem feet. 

-29- 
When the contact is made, the load line is cut and the entire 

weight of the dependent equipment is used to pull out a section of 

the balloon wall. 

cape, and the balloon descends, using the upper portion as a parachute. 

1500 feet per minute when this system is employed. 

Through this rupture, the lifting gas can 8sThe rate of descent has been observed to vary from 600 to 

For some special applications it has beer, desirable to cause the 

balloon ta descend after some predetermined time, instead of waiting 

for the descent to air traffic lanes. In these cases, a clockwork 

switch has been used instead of the pressure-activation unit. 

dmks are used they are kept free of lubricants which will freeze. 

The best results have been obtained from the use of a Darv Corning 

Silicone (DC 701) diluted with 3% kerosene. 

available, it is better to send up a clock without any lubrication. 

Given relatively loose mechanism (a cheap alarm clock) the differential expansion of parts which is encountered at low temperatures 

is apt to cause less trouble than does the congealing of standard 

lubricants. 

When 

If this is not 

N. EQUATIbS AND "iORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS 

Development of a controlled altitude balloon has led to investigation 

of many theoretical considerations applicable both directly and indirectly to the description of variables encountered in balloon control. 

Some of these relationships have been derived directly from standard 

hydrodynamic or thermodynamic principles; others come from an empirical 

study of results of laboratory tests and actual balloon flights. In 

this section we will investigate these theoretical considerations and 

endeavor to correlate them with actual flight results. A more simple 

investigation of the equations necessary for the launching and tracking 

of a controlled altitude balloon is contained in Part I1 of this report, 

"Operations ." 

We shall first consider the relationships which aid in evaluating the 

elementary characteristics of non-extensible balloon flight and those 

which are helpful in carrying out inflation and launching operations 

of such balloons. Next, we shall discuss more complex considerations 

involved in balloon flights. 

A. Floating Altitude and Altitude Sensitivity 

To deternine the altitude at which a non-extensible balloon will 

float we must consider the weight of the balloon system, the volume 

of the belloon, 

air. [If the lifting gas is 98$ helium (molecufar weight 

4.50 lb./lb. mol), the lift of a unit of gas will be 24.4 lb./lb. mol. 

Similarly, if 98$ hydrogen were the lifting gas, the lift would be 

26.6 lb./lb. mol.3 

obtain an expression for the molar volume at which the balloon will 

float: 

and the densities of the liftin gas and the 

By using these three basic parameters, we can 

-30- 
(1) &fv = Balloon Volume x Gas Lift 

Gross Load 

[It maybe noted from this equation that a balloon can float at 

molar volumes less than that computed for maximum balloon volume 

(i.e., when it is not full). However, under these conditions the 

balloon would be in neutral equilibrium, since any vertical force 

would cause it to rise or fall until a force in the opposite direction stopped it. 

ballocms.3 

This is also the case with floating extensible 

To convert from molar volume to equivalent altitude we must know 

the pressure-temperature di6tribution of the atmosphere in which 

the balloon will float. Since it is diffieult to obtain an 

accurate distribution for each flight, the atmospheric model as 

drawn up by NACA standards has been used. In general the error 

obtained in using the KACA standard is not great, but if greater 

refinement is desired, data obtained from averaged radiosonde observations over a given launching site can be used. 

From such knowledge of the distribution of pressure and temperature, 

we may plot a curve of molar volume VS. nltitude by use of the 

following equation: 

By use of such a plot we easily find the floeting altitude of a 

full non-extecsible balloon by use of equation (1) to find molar 

volume, and then of the plot of equation (2) to find altitude. 

The two equations have been combined anr! graphed in the form of 

an altitude vsI gross load chart with helium 6s the lifting gas 

for various balloon sizes and verious release sites in the 

nOperations" section of this technical report (Part 11, page 108). 

For the NACA standard atmosphere we may derive an eqiJation for altitude sensitivity by use of the molar volume-altitude relationship. 

This is most easily done by plotting molar volume VS. eltitude on 

semi-logarithmic paper, since the curve of molar volume VS. altitude 

from 40,000 to 105,000 feet (where a cofistant lapse rate of zero 

is assumed) is approximately a straight line on semi-log paper. 

The general form of the equation for this portion of the atmosphere 

is y = aebe where y is the molar volume and z the altitude. 

It is possibls to determine empirically the constants a and b. 

For example, using the molar volume at 50,000 feet, we find from 

*359 ft3 = Molar volume of air at standard conditions (273OK, 1 atm. pressure) 

-3 1- 
the equation 2500 ft.3/lb0.mol = ae50b where 50 is the expression 

for altitude in thousands of feet. Similarly, at 70,000 feet 

6450 = ae70b, and by solving to eliminate a, we find 2.58 = e2ob 

or 20b I .95, and the constant b is equal to .0475. Thus, the 

equation may be written: 

a e .04?5 E 

(3) Y= 

y ms originally defined as the molar volume, equal (for 98% helium) 

to : 

Balloon Volume x 24.4 K 

Gross Load W 

-- 

K .0475 L 

~n turn, w'"' , where z is the expression for altitude 

in thousands of feet. 

W, the gross load. 

Fran this relationship, we may solve for 

(5) 

W= K -.0475 t -e. 

a 

In(p) = -.0475 2 

or : 

Differentiating with respect to W: 

(7) where W is gross load in lb. 

We see that the value of' the constant a is unimportant here, and 

the expression is independent of balloon volume, as long as it 

does not vary with time, 

short period of tiw buoyancy of liftirggas does not change. 

Included is the assumption that over a 

Thus, we have an expression for A, the altitude sensitivity, which 

is valid between 40,000 and 105,000 feet, 

to evaluate altitude sensitivity for o eration between 0 and 30,000 

feet. A in this range is equal to 31sgoo ft*/lb* 

A plot of altitude sensitivity against load is shown on page 109 

of the "Operations" section (Part I1 of this technical reporQ. 

Sinilarly, it is possible 

Pi 

-32- 
We may use this equation to approximate the rise of a full balloon 

system when controlled by overcompensated constant ballast flow: 

where c is the balloon ceiling, t is time, and W is total weight 

of the balloon system. 

B. Rate of Rise 

The equation of Clarke and Korfft 

has been used to obtain the relationship between rate of rise and 

free lift br excess buoyancy) for a balloon system of any given 

weight. For practical use, the equation has been modified to: 

F '12 where F is free lift in pounds 

and G is gross lift in pounds. = 1486 (2) 

dt 

Although this equation was derived for use with extensible spherical 

balloons, it predicts closely the performance of non-extensible 

balloons while they are risin to floating level. An average value 

for the constant in equation, 2) from actual flights is 1600 ft./min(lb.)ll6 

The deviatioh from this relationship, evidenced in severd flights, 

may be due to several variations from the assumptions upon which 

the equation is based. This deviation has in general been an increase of rate of rise of from 0 to 25% at higher altitudes. 

To explain this increase, let us first investigate the changes 

which may occur in the free lift. 

because of leakage through the balloon or the appendix, the free 

lift will be reduced and the rate of rise will decrease (as it 

does after the balloon is full and "levels off"). !%erefore, this 

variation may be ruled out whenamsidering rise before the balloon 

becomes full. 

If any gas leaves the balloon 

Free lift will vary with changes of temperature of the lifting gas 

with respect to the free-air temperature. 

be caused bi aoquisition of superheat of the lifting gas, or by 

temperaturd decrease or inorease caused by adiabatic expansion or 

campression of the lifting gas. 

in this report.) 

portions of flights indicate that there is no appreciable temperaA change of this sort can 

(These items will be discussed later 

Actual temperature measurements during rising 

-33- 
ture difference between the lifting gas and free air. 

the effect of ventilation as the balloon moves through the air 

oauses the lifting gas to remain at a temperature approximating 

that of the air, and the increase of lift due to temperature 

variation is small in magnitude. 

Evidently 

Since changes in the value of free lift appear incapable of! causing 

any appreciable increase in rate of rise, other possible variations 

such as a change of the drag, or fluid friction, effect must be 

considered. 

The equation of Korff is based upon the assumption that the effect 

of the change in Reynolds number and the change in size are of equal 

magnitude, but in opposite directions. Therefore, these variables 

are eliminated to obtain the simple engimering formula of Korff. 

With a non-extensible balloon, however, the change of drag effect 

is probably less than the effect of change of Reynolds number. 

fore, it is likely that the rate of rise would increase with altitude. The change in drag effect may be realized by a decrease of 

relative size of the flabby, unfilled portion of the balloon. 

there will be a decrease of the drag caused by flow of air past this 

flabby portion as the shape of the balloon changes; the result till 

be an increase in the rate of rise of the system. 

ThereThus 

C. &zDerheat and Its Effects 

The effect of the heating of lifting gas by the sun's rays has long 

been of interest to those using balloons for atmospherio investigation. 

In cosmic-ray studies using freely extensible balloons, this heating 

effect was used to advartage in extenrling the length of flights. 

These flights were often released at night using the heat aOded at 

sunrise to replenish lift lost during the night by diffusion and 

leakage. 

In constant-level balloon work, using non-extensible balloons, the 

effect of superheat of the lifting gas is more often a disadvantage 

than an advantage. The disturbance of the flight is not great when 

the gas acquires this superheat but may be disastrous when the superheat is lost. It is at this tine that a 1sr.p amount of ballast is 

required to keep the balloon system afloat. 

Let us investigate the effects of gain and loss of superheat on a 

full, non-oxtensible balloon. Pie shall try to explain these 

effects in terms of percentage loss or gain of lift of the balloon 

system by use of simplPfied engineering formulas. 

genera 1 formulas t 

First, the 

(1) Lift: L= 

vb = ballocm volume 

, where 

d,, dg = density of air and liftirg gas, respectively 

-34- 
d=- P

RT (2) Density: 

(3) Let:. 

pressure, specific gas constant, and 

p' R'T = temperature of the air or lifting gas 

At any two positions: 

Investigating the gair. of superheat, since there is no change of 

volume V1 = V2 and: 

Assume now that the balloon carries no internal pressure and that 

the differecce in lift does not cause the balloon system to pass 

through any appreciable atmospheric pressure difference (in the 

case where the balloon is floating at 40,000 ft. MSL a change of 

1000 ft.. would be only 9 mb, or a 5% change). 

The ref ore : 

Pa, = Pa,= Pg, = Po2= P 

Assume also that initially the air and lifting gas are at the 

same tezperature and that the air passes through no appreciable 

temperature change . Then : 

Then, making use of our two assumptions and substituting equation 

(2) into equation (4), we have: 

and : 
(5) -: AL L(A22) TT 

L, I-B Tg2 

or, for small temperature differences, we have: 

With increasing temperatures, there will be an unbalance in the 

direction of greater altitude. 

tude the bslloon will valve gas and come to equilibrium at a new 

level. 

extensible balloon will be a slight 'increase of altitude. 

While climbing to a greater altiThus the effect of gain of superheat with a full nonInvestigating the case ojhere an initial amount of suprhea+ is 

lost: 

and since the balloon volume will decrease with cooling of the 

lifting gas: 

v, = v, 2% (assuming constant p) 

TgI 

Therefore, again making use of the assumptions that: 

and : 

Combining equation (2) and equation (7), we have: 

-36- 
Then t 

(9) 

or for small tempemture differences: 

the negative sign indicating a loss of lift. 

From this equation we my approximate the amount of ballast required to compensate for the loss of superheat of the lifting .gas. 

It is apparent, then, that the amount of superheat gained or lost 

by a balloon's gals is of extreme importance to the control of the 

f '. ight 

For this reason a transparent film has a definite advantage over a 

reflecting fabric . floating at 40,000 feet have exhibited lifting gas superheat in 

the neighborhood of 4OoC.* Polyethylene balloons, on the other 

hand, show superheat of approximately l0W under the same conditions. 

For example, aluminum-coated fabric balloons 

Asrruming a total weight of 30 kilograms in the balloon system, with 

helium as the lifting gas ( 8 S 

at sunset, or when superheat is lost, will be necessary: 

), the following compensation 

Aluminized fabric : 

4& ' ( 4oo ) = 18.7% L = 2500 

Polyethylene 1 

*This will explsin the rapid descent of flight with fabrio balloons and 

will show the need for high 'rates of ballast flow at sunset with polyethylene balloon flights (see Part 111, "6umrmary of nights," of thir 

report). 

-3 7- 
This relationship between loss of lift and loss of superheat ia 

substantiated by analysis of Flight 94. 

the unbalance (using the equation of Clarke and Korff, see page 3 3 ) 

is in the neighborhood of 5 kilograms. 

temperature measurement on this flight, a previous flight of 

this type indicated a superheat of approximately 40%. 

(lo), with a gross load of 52 kg., the unbalance caused by loss 

of all of this superheat would be 9.7 kg. It is believed that 

ventilation past the balloor, during a low velocity descent before 

operation of the ballsst mechanism caused loss of superheat. Since 

this loss caused greater descent, and thus more ventilation, superheat was lost. An enormous rate of ballast flow would have been 

required to check descent. 

From the rate of descent 

Although there wtas no 

By equation 

D. Adiabatic Lapse Rate 

One of the causes of temperature difference between the lifting gas 

and free air during rise or descent of balloon systems is the 

difference in lapse rates of sir end the lifting gas. 

lspse rate is that temperature change caused by adiabatic expansion or compression of a gas during ascent or descent through a 

given vertic8.l distance. The actual lapse rate of the lifting gas 

is the adiabatic lapse rate plus the effects of conduction and 

radiation. The adiabatic lapse rate is defined as: 

The adiabatic 

A = 2.39 X lo-* COW erg 

where t 

Cp = specific heat at constant pressure 

= acceleration caused by gravity 

~n the metric system for helium, ( CP = 1.25 ~* O/m )* 

= - l.87*C/ km 980% 2.39 X 10-s . 1.25 LR =- 

or : 

The adiebatic lapse rete for Fir, ( Cp = 0.239- col ): 

OC /gm 

LR I - 980x 239 1 - - 9.8 oc/ km 

or : 0.239 

LR - 2.98°C/,000 f+ 

-38- 
The actual atmospheric distribution, however, does not indicate an 

adiabatic lapse rate for air but rather a lapse rate which varies 

with altitude. 

averages -1.98OC/1000 ft. It may be shown then that in the troposphere a rising balloon will get warm with respect to the air 

(neglecting ventilation and radiation effects) at a rate of 

1.98 - -57 = 1.41OC/1000 ft. 

the atmosphere is zero. 

0001 relative to the air at a rate of .57'%/1000 ft. 

For the troposphere the lapse rate of the atmosphere 

In the tropopause the lapse rate of 

Thus the lifting gas (if helium) will 

Similarly, in the stratosphere, the lifting gas will cool relative 

to the air at a rate of 2.24 + .57 = This effect 

is plotted as Figure 22. 

2.81°C/1000 ft. 

Figure 22. Lapse rate of air and helium. 

Here, below point A, the lifting gas will be warmer than the air. 

Above point A, the lifting gas will be cooler than 'the sir. 

effect of this temperature difference on the lift (as shown in the 

The 

previous section) is approximately AIL AL=L T (1-6) 

Thus, as a balloon system passes through point A, it will have less 

lift than at release. This effect has been observed on several 

flights, *ere a balloon system slowed down during ascent through 

a Qmpera ture inversion 

Since the effect of the sun in heating the lifting gas decreases 

the effect of different lapse rates, the effect is not as noticeable 

during the day as at night. 

through an inversion, lose its lift, and remain at an altitude much 

below its estimated floating altitude until warmed by the sun's rays 

at sunrise. 

At night the balloon system may pass 

-39- 
This effect add8 to the stability of stratospheric balloon Plightr. 

If a system in equilibrium in the rtr8to8pbm were to 1080 lift 

and descend, the compression of the gas would caure an increase 

of the lifting gas temperature relative to the air tampmature, 

causing a decrease in unbalance. 

Similarly, an initial unbalance oausing rise of the system would 

cause relative cooling of the lifting gas and thus again decrease 

the unbalance. Hence, the rate of rise or descent in the stratosphere nillb limited by the rate of heat exchange due to conduction md radiation, which will counteract this effect of 

adiabatic heating or cooling. 

Empirioal evidence indicates that there is a great deal more 

stability in a stratospheric balloon system than in a similar 

system floating in the troposphere. This "adiabatic stability" is 

a principal reason for better performance of stratoclphere flights. 

E. Diffusion and Leakage of Lifting Gas 

The lifting gas of a balloon can be lost by: 

leakage through small holes in the fabric or filmi 

solution, migration and evaporation thmugh fabric or film; 

true molecular diffusion through openings, such as the 

appendix opening. 

(1) Leakage 

Volumetric flow,Q,of a gas through any given opening in the 

balloon surface may be evaluated as a function of the area of 

the opening, A; the pressure head causing the flow, kand a GOefficient of leakage, Cd . 

Q = CdAm where g is the acceleration 

due to gravity 

(1) 

It would be difficult to evaluate the amount and area of hole8 

in the balloon surface. 

leakage at any given altitude with leakage at seh level, rather 

than attempting to evaluate the leakage at a given altitude. 

Let us, then, aompare the rate of 

First we shall compare the rate of leakage of a full balloon 

at any given altitude with leakage of a full balloon at sea 

level. 

face of the balloon does not vary with altitude and that the 

coefficient of leakage is constant. 

Let us assume that the area of any opening in the surThus: 

where h is pressure head in 

feet of lifting gas 

-40- 
However : 

h .= X 144 

where Ap is the pressure difference across the opening (psi) 

is density of lifting gas (1b./fte3). Combining equaand equation (3): 

(4) 

The pressure difference across any given 

uated i.n terms of: height above a known 

difference; rate of pressure change with 

opening can be evalpoint, of zero pressure 

altitude of the atmosphere (which, for aiy small section of altitude is asstuned 

to be constant); and re’zio of the demities 

lifting gas. 

opening is zero this is oiir reference point for evaluating 

height. 

f om. 

of air and the 

Since the pressure difference across the appendix 

Figure 23 shws this pressure relationship in graphic 

f 

Figure 23. Pressure differenas aoross balloon. 

-41- 
This relationship is expressed as: 

1 

40,000 1 

112 

(5) 

188 

21 8R 

M 

where B ' Mg&b are molecular weights of lifting 

gas ma air, 9espectively. 

Since, for a full balloon, AZ 

B (for our discussion) is a constant: 

is aonstant at any altitude, and 

(6) QoC 

The mass rate of flow is equal to the density of the lifting 

gas multiplied by the volmetric rate of flow: 

(7) L = Qdp -,/(a) dr air d g 

Since the number of openings will not change with altitude, 

equation (7) expresses the relqtionship for mass rate of flow 

from e full balloon for any altitude. The leakage at any 

altitude maybe expressed as a function of leskage at sea 

level : 

As an example, let us compere the leakage rates of a lifting gan 

though a full balloon at 888 level, at 40,000 feet and at 

100,000 feet. 

l%l 00,000 P I& 

-42- 
Compring rate of leakage at 40,000 feet with leakage at 

sea levels 

.27,.188.288 = 0.243 

112 1013 218 LO 

Comparing rate of leakage at 100,000 feet with leakage at sea 

level : 

!berefore, if leakage of a full balloon at sea level irs known, 

it is possible to compute theoretical leakage at any altitude. 

However, if it is not possible to completely inflate e. balloon 

on the ground in order to make a sea level teat (if lift would 

be great enough to rupture balloon or load lines), a method of 

comparing full balloon leakage with partially full ballcon 

leakage must be found, 

Let u8 assume that it is possible to obtain results of a 

leakage test for a balloon inflated to a volume 

loon volume. Again starting with equation (1): 

of fullbal- x 

Q 

V!e see thRt in this 08ce the total area of openings, A is not 

constant but 4-s a function of volume, Therefore, we have: 

We have shown that: 

Since we are comparing pertially inflated balloon leabge at 

sea level with full Iwlloon leakage at sea level the variable 

ir, the above expression is As . "his is graphically illustrated in Figure 24. 

-43- 
FULL BALLOON 

Figure 24. Comparison of ressure head across 

partially and fully inflated balloons. 

Thus, the relationship is: 

Since the density of the lifting gas is constant, we may then 

express mass leakage as: 

And then, to compare leakage of a full balloon with leakage of 

a balloon full: 

X 

-44- 
Example: 

sea level and found to have a leakage rate of 50 &. the 

leakage rate of a full 20-foot balloon at sea level would be: 

If a 20-foot diameter balloon 1 full were tested at 

10 

The leakage of a full 70-foot diameter balloon at sea level in 

this case would be: 

Values for leakage at several different altitudes for 20-foot 

and 70-fOOt diameter ballcons, .assuming a leakage of 50 gm/hr. 

for a 20-foot balloon 1 full at sea level are: 

10 

ltitude (mL) I 0 I 40,000 ft. 1100,000 ft I 

r. I 83.2 gm/h r.1 15 gm/h r. . 70-ft. diam. r. 

Another consideratian is that relationship expressed by the 

kinetic theory of gases regarding gases at low pressures. 

kinetic theory states that there is a molecular type of flow 

across a thin diaphragm through openings whose dimensions are 

of the order of the length of the mean free path of the molecules involved. Mass flow of the gas is then: 

The 

where : 

Ap J is the pressure difference across the film 

A = area of the opening 

dg = aensity of the gas in question 

This relationship, however, becomes valid only at extremely 

low pressures, and when considering balloon systems at nornral 

floating levels the more common fluid-flow relationship will 

control the rate of loss of lift through openings in the film. 

It would be of little use then to investigate further the leakage of gas through openings by means of the relationships in= 

volved in the kinetic theory. 

-45- 
(2) Solution, Migration and Evaporation through Film 

A very slight amount of lift is lost through solution of the 

gas into the balloon film, migration through the film and evaporation into the atmosphere. 

is a func;tion of the characteristics of the lifting gas and 

the partial pressure involved. 

assumed to be very nearly pure, the partial pressure is merely 

the pressure of the atmosphere in which the balloon is floating. 

This method of diffusion need not be considered when examining the loss of a balloon's lifting gas since it is of a 

low enough value to be insignificant as compared with the loss 

of gas by leakage through openings in the film. 

The rate of this type of diffusion 

Since the lifting gas is 

Tests have indicated that this type of diffusion through .001" 

polyethylene has 8 value of approximately 4 liters/meter2/day. 

At sea level this is equivalent to 5.32 gm/hr. for a 20-foot 

diameter balloon. 

approximately 1 g&r. 

At 40,000 feet BL the value would be 

(3) Diffusion through Appendix 

We have seen that there is no pressure difference across the 

open appendix of the balloon during floating. Therefore, the 

loss of lifting gas through this appendix (except when the 

balloon is rising and gas is being valved out of the appendix) 

can be only by true intermolecular diffusion of the gas into 

the atmosphere and air into the lifting gas. The expression 

for loss of lifting gas by diffusion is similar in form to the 

expression for transfer of heat through a given distance by 

c ond uc t ion : 

where : 

- - dN - time rate of transfer of molecules of gas 

dt across the area dydx in direction) 

D = a coefficient of diffusion, dependent upon viscosity and dersity of the gas involved (bC1) 

variation of molecular concentration cith 

d 

dN 

dz variation in directionz 

-- 

dydx = the differential term for area, 

Then, since a molecule of lifting gas has a given weizht, we may 

state that: 

-46- 
where K is a 

We may state 

fer and area 

the opening: 

constant. 

the relationship (13) in terms of rate of transof the opening, assuming dbl to be constant across 

d2 

where t 

8. mass transfer of lifting gas 

k= variation of concentration of lifting gas 

dz in direction* 

A = area of opening 

In order, then, to determine the rate of loss of lifting gas 

by diffusion through the open appendix we must: 

(a) determine the relationship between the coefficient of 

diffusioq D, and altitude (or pressure and temperature) 

(b) determine the loss of lift by diffusion through the appendix 

at any convenient altitude (i.8. at the ground) 

(0) derive a relationship between loss at the ground and loss 

at any altitude. 

However, determination of valid relationships to find diffusion through the appendix opening would require large scale 

laboratory testing and then tedious derivation of mathematical 

equations, a study in research in itself. 

practical to reduce or eliminate this type of loss of,lift 

by reduction of the area of the opening by use of a relief 

valve system as explained in Part I1 of this report, “Operations,” 

It was deemed more 

ppm 8-14. 

F. Bursting Pressure end Appendix Considerations 

Bursting pressure of a balloon can be computed from the equation: 

(1) Ap=F for failure of the fabric or film, 

where : 

-47- 
Ap L bursting pressure (psi) 

sf = maximum allowable tensile stress of fabria 

or film (psi) (for safety Sft1/2 S ax 

*ere maximum strees in tension! 

t = thickness of fabric or film (in.) 

0 = balloon diameter (in,) 

or t 

for failure of seams 

where : 

Ss : maximum allowable tensile strength of seams 

( lb ./in . ) 

Drballoon diameter (in.) 

In general, a balloon should be manufactured so that any failure 

should occur first in the fabric or film and thus the tensile 

stress of this fabric or film will be the factor in determining bursttng 

pressure . Since the non-extensible balloons used in constant-level work by 

the W.Y.U. group have been of the open-appendix type, bursting 

due to excessive super-pressure has not been a problem. Strength 

of the balloon must be considered, however, from the standpoints 

of back pressure induced during rise of a full balloon and pressure 

distribution of the lifting gas itself inside of the balloon. 

(1) Pressure Distribution of Lif tine Gas 

It was shown in the previous section that the pressure difference across any portion of the balloon surface may be equated: 

(3) 

A plot of Ap against At would then be a straight lir-e at 

any given altitude. 

equation (l)--.my be plotted as a function of AS , rather 

than diameter for any given horizontal plane of the balloon 

surfaoe, z LTsine this relatiorxhip, cutting any horizontal 

plane t-2 across the balloon (Figure 25), the diameter of the 

Maximum allowable balloon pressure- 

-48- 
balloon at any point t may be expressed as: 

(4) 

Therefore, maximum allowable balloon pressure at any plane I- I 

will be : 

(5) 

Equation (5) may be plotted in terms of bursting 'pressure and AE 

for any given diameter balloon. A straight line through the 

origin and tangent to the plot of Equation (5) will indicate 

the maximum allowable(dp/df) 

loan. 

of altitude VS. pressure in the atmosphere will indicate the 

minimum altitude at which the balloon can be allowed to be full. 

From an altitude-buoyancy table for any given diameter balloon, 

the maximum allowable buoyancy, or maximum allmiable gas inflation can be obbined. 

(I-B) for any given diameter balm 

Comparlng the maximm allawable (dp/&),, with a chart 

Figure 26 is a plot of equations 

ethylene ( S 900 psi ball diameters. f'2 

(3) and (5) for .001" poly- 

.oons of 20', 30' and 70' 

I I I 

Fig. 25. Fig. 26. 

Relationship db, for balloon. Graph of equations (3) and (5). 

-49- 
We see that the maximum allowable (dp/dr), (I-B) for a 30' dianstel; 

.001" thick polyethylene balloon is 256x10-3 pSi/ft . Dividing 

by (1-B) we have the maximum al lowable : 

This is comparable to an altitude of 18,300 ft. or a gross 

buoyancy of 450 lb., the maximum allowable infletion of a 30' 

diameter, #001" thick polyethylene balloon fror the standpoint of pressure distribution. 

In order to determine mathematically the point of failure due 

to pressure distribution we may um equati0r.s (3) and (5) and 

the i r derive t ivea : 

at the point of tangency of these curves (T in Figure 26): 

and in equation (3), makiag sSrt. K 

in equation (5), making 2 (dp/dZ),(I-B) = m 

we, have : 

, the slope of the line Apt = At .m 

and t 

differentiating with respect to 2 : 

-50- 
Since at T, (-), (dJs dp 

ard, sime rrt T, Apts= Apta 

Then : 

For the example above, 

D z 30', Sf= 9 , t = .001 in. , B = -*, = 0.138 

Then : (helium) 

I psi/ ft - 16 4 900. 

(%)air - a.2' 2 

8 0,298 psi / ft 

= 20.55 mb/ft 

This is comparable to en altitude of approxifietely 18,200 ft. 

Thus the raxixum allomble buoyancy for a 30' dis.meter, .001" 

thick polyethylene bslloor. filled with helium is 440 lb. 

( 2) A ppendix-Cpen in g Can riderat ion 8 

As an opec-apperdix , constent-volume ballcon ascends the 

lifting gas mill expecd due to the decrease in the pressure 

-61- 
of the surrounding atmosphere. 

which it is full it will still have an unbalame in the 

direction of ircrease of altitude due to the excess buoyency 

causillg ascent. 

balloon rises (with a fixed volime) into less derse air. 

while excess gas pressure is relieved by valving gas through 

the &ppndiX until the balloon system is in a condition of 

equilibriun. 

become fLll is known as the "leveling-off" period. 

Upon reaching the altitude at 

This unbalance is gradually decreased as tho 

MeanThe porticn of the ascent after the balloon hes 

The lifting gas which is valved out through the appendix will 

cause a "back pressure" inside of the balloon which rust be 

transferred to the balloon fabric or film. In other words, 

there must be a pressure differerme across the appendix opening 

during this period to force the excess lifting gas out of the 

balloon. 

by Picard. 

suggests that air at sea level escaping at 1333 ft/sec. produces a beck pressure of 1 atmosphere and that back pressure 

induced is proportional to the square of escape velocity of 

the gas and inversely proportional to the density of the gas 

escaping. 

within a reasonbble degree of accuracy: 

Let us enalyze this back pressure by the method used 

Using the rules of sEbsonic aercdynanics, Picard 

Volume of gas lost in ascent through 1 foot is, 

- AV : volume lost per foot of ascent (ft.3/ft.) 

AZ 

v = belloon volume (ft.2) 

p = pressure of free air (psi) 

- dp = pressure change with increase of z (Psi f t ) dP 

T = tempereture of air (OC abs.) 

AT t change in air tempereture during rise (OC) 

For ascent in the troposphere this relstionship will reduce to: 

-: AV V lf3 AZ 27,800 FT (7) 

The velocity of escape of gas, then: 

Vt-. dr V I 

dt 27,eoo' A, 

v t velocity of escape of lifting gas (ft./sec.) 
- dr f ascent velocity of balloon (ft./sec.) dt * t volume of gas lost per foot of esceEt (ft.3/ft0) 

A, : area of appendix opening (ft.2) 

The beck pressure caused by this velocity: 

Ap = back pressure induced (psi) 

v= velocity of eacape of gas (ft./sec.) 

dg = density of lifting gas at altitude 

of balloon (lb./ft.3) 

der-sity of air at sea level (1b./fto3) 430 = 

14.7 = pressure of air at sea level (psi) 

1333 = escape velocity of air to produce back pressure 

of 1 atmosphere at. sea level ( ft/SeC) 

or, combining equation (€3) srd (9): 

A8 an example, let us find the back pressure induced in a 20' 

diameter balloon with a 1' diameter opening ascendtng st 

800 ft./minute, as it becmes full at 30,000 ft. (density of 

helium @ 30,000 fto = M.m. 0.138 dao ) 

It is to be noted that equation (5) can be e.rrived at by ?ore 

sirrple reconstruction of the stendard equation for fluid flow: 

-53- 
9 = the acceleration of gravity (ft./sec .2) 

Ad = area .of the opening (ft.2) 

h = head of fluid causing flow (ft.) 

SlT!C6 I44Ap , we have: 

dg 

h: 

(1%) 

where dg 

From equation (7) we have: 

is density of the lifting gas (lb./ft.3). 

therefore : 

Conparing equations(10) and 43) we see th8.t if the equations are 

equal : 

14.7 L I 

2889 C$ 1333'dao 

If we let cd = .975 

low velocity flow of gas through the appendix, we have: 

, a reasonable value for the rehtively 

Therefore, the equations (10) and (13) are equal and interchangeable. 

It may be noted from equations (10) and (13) that for any given 

balloon, appendix area and balloor-i volume are fixed, and the 

related variables Rre lifting gas density, rate of risb, and 

allowable bpck pressure. 

greater rates of rise are allowable at higher altitudes (where 

dq is lower). 

Or.& 8 floating altitude has been decided upon or it has been 

decided to carry @ given load as part of the balloon system, we 

can find B maxixrum allowable rate of rise. We must cor.sider 

For any given allowable back pressure 

-54- 
the pressure distribution of the lifting gas and the internal 

back pressure due to valving gas. To find maximum rates of 

ascent for various balloons would necessitate a complicated 

series of trial and error solution. 

more practical to deternine a maxinzum rate of rise for normal 

operating conditions for any giver, size balloon by finding the 

maximum alldble rate for the balloon rising to its lowest 

normal operating level (i.e., we will find the maximum allowable 

rate for the worst normal operating conditions and consider 

it a maximum for all normal operating conditions. ) 

In general, it has been 

Let us take the case of a 20-foot diameter polyethylene balloon 

of .OOlW thickness. Lowest normal floating altitude is 20,000 ft. 

BL. Let us assume thet the balloon will be full and begin 

valvinf gas at 15,000 ft. MSL. 

to be foot. Using equation (1) to find maximum allowable 

internal pressure and assuming the critical x-y plane to be that 

of maximum diameter AZ = D/2 , we have: 

Assume the appendix diameter 

(Here we have introduced a factor of safety by saying sf f 900/2 

instead of 900 psi, the ultimate strength in tension of polyethylene .) Pressure distribution: 

= AZ $ (1-8) = 2. 3.38 .IO'4-.862 = .00291 psi * PD/2 

Allowable back pressure : 

= .0046 psi A pbp = A poll - A 

Maximum rate of rise using equation (13)s 

= 100.7 ftisec 

= 6000 ft/min 

It is evident from this calculation that the rate of rise of the 

20-ft. diameter polyethylene balloon is not a critical factor 

in bursting unless the open appendix becomes snarled ar.6 gas is 

not allowed to escape. 

Rate of rise and appendix openings are important from the standpoint of balloon design. 

to have a rapid rate of rise. In order to make nost efficient 

use ,of xeight, the balloon film should be thin. 

For operationel reasons it is important 

As mentioned 

-55- 
in the preceding section on diffusion snd leakage the appendix 

opening should be small. 

of our conditions better, we must sacrifice at least one of 

the others. 

rate of rise, balloon thickness, and appendix opening. 

of decreasing the eppendix opening, except during the valving 

of lifting.gas, are discussed in other sections of this techcical report. In general they consist of means of applying 

a delicate relief valve, capable of opening to a lerge area 

with application of only slight iLtema1 pressure, and also 

closing tight upon release of this internal pressure. 

It can be seen that as we make one 

Therefore , balloons must be designed compromising 

Methods 

G. dr General Eqaat!,cn of Motion 

If we collect and relate the variables incidental to balloon flight, 

we may form a general equation of motion. This is most easily expressed in terms of forces acting upon the balloon syster.. Ne may 

equate en acceleration term plus a drag or friction term against F 

term to include all other forces: 

moft + n(Dtf = CP 

This is a differential equation of a type comon in mechanical vibration problems, End solution for the variable L would not be 

difficult if relationships of the mny variables included in the 

the terms n and EF were simple. However, the complexit of the 

balloon system introduces many terms as perts of n and 3F . We shall first state the more complex form of equation (1) above 

and then attempt to explain tb variables included in each part of 

the equation. As will be shown, it is extremely difficult to find 

a complete sol*>tion of the equation since mny of the variables 

are in themselves extremely complex and at this time incapable of 

acaurate solution. Therefore, our discussion will be more of a 

qualitative rather than a quantitative nature. 

The general force equation is: 

FA = If* 0 The force due trp acceleration 

where: 

W = weight of the balloon system 

0 : acceleration of gravity 

0's : acceleration of the balloon system (An 

acceleration in the direction of greater 

altitude is copsidered positive.) 

-56- 
The force due to friction or drag 5 = c~ 2 

that there is no vertical motion of the air in which the balloon 

system is floating. 

atmospheric force is causing vertical motion of the air.) 

(This assumes 

We shall later consider tb case where an 

mere-: 

P= 

A= 

mass density of the air surrounding the 

balloon system 

projected area of the balloon on 8 plene 

perpendicular to the relative velocity 

vertical velocity of the balloon system 

(Velocity in the direction of greater altitude 

is considered positive.) 

a coefficient of drag, dependent on Reynolds 

number Did P whe re : 

P NR = 

d = diameter of sphere (ft.) 

p = mss density of surrounding 

1 fluid lb. s~c.~ 

ft.4 ( 

= viscosity of surrounding fluid 

A plot of drag coefficient aga izst %?yDOld8 nunber for 8 sphere 

shown in Eigure 27. 

is 

Figure 27. Drag coefficient vs. Reynolds Number, for sphere. 

-57- 
If a balloon is teardrop in shape rather than spherical, the curve 

would be modified so that the value of CD, for a given Reynolds 

number would be lower. 

as Reynolds number increases (the change from viscous to turbulent 

flow) would occur at a lower Reynolds number. 

In this case the sudden drop in c, 

We have thus far in our discussion assumed that there is no vertical motion of the air surrounding the balloon system relative to 

the cuardinate t . However, this is not necessarily the case 

under actual. conditions. 

found in the atmosphere. 

allaw for this vertical air muvemnt. 

was indicated as 2FA , the external atmospheric force. 

We may consider this vertical air movment. in terms of a velocity 0s. 

Then the vertical velocity of the balloon system relative to the 

air surrounding the system will be the difference between the velocity of the balloon relative to the absolute altitude DZ and the 

velocity of the surrounding air relative to the absolute altitude 

This may be equated as Dp- 06 , where Da and 05 are both considered positive in the direction of increase of altitude. 

In many instances vertical air movement is 

Therefore, we must introduce a term to 

In equation (2) this term 

The total force due to the drag, or friction will be: 

where the otations are those used previously, exqept that now 

used previously. 

The force due to buoyancy of the lifting gas Fe = vb ('%-pi) where : 

= Ue, . The relationship between N, and Cowill be those NR 

Vb = balloon volume (fte3) 

density of the air and lifting gas, respectively 

(lb./ft.3) 

This term my also be stated as: F P Vb ( ,d - A) R~T~ 

where : 

:: 

= 

pressure of air and lifting gas 

specific gas constant of air and lifting gas 

pa, 40 

RO' Rg 

Ta,*g = temperature of air and lifting gas 

The changes that will take place in this expression are those due 

to a temperature difference between the lifting gas and the free 

air, change in volume of the balloon due to loss of lifting gas, 

ohange of the gas constant of the lifting gas due to dilution with 

air, and (in the case of a balloon that will hold an internal pressure) 

pressure difference between lifting gas and surrounding air. 
Temperature effects were discussed previously in this report. 

Those discussions on superheat end adiabatic temperature change 

will apply to the general equation. In general, temperature of 

the free air and lifting gas can be measured to a fair degree of 

accuracy . Balloon volume at any time is a function of original full balloon 

volume plus the summation of all the changes in volume due to pressure and temperature changes and loss of lifting gas. It will 

also be affected by loss or gain of air by the balloon through 

diffusion and intake of air through the appendix. 

extensible balloon will have a maximum volume and thus any changes 

tending to increase the gas volume to a value greater than the 

balloon volume will result in a valvicg of the excess lifting gas 

into the air, or (in the case of a balloon which will carry internal pressure) a pressure increase of the lifting gas. 

The nonIt is for this reason that a non-extensible balloon is said to be 

in a state of stable equilibrium in a direction of greater altitude when it is full. Ecnvever, in a direction of lesser altitude, 

and with the case of a pertially full floating balloon, the system 

is in a state of neutral equilibrium. 

Composition of the lifting gas will change due to contarninetion of 

the lifting gas by the entry’of sir into the balloon, eitker by the 

flow of air thmugh tho appendix opening or by diffusion of sir into 

the balloon. We may then modify our tenn for density of the lifting 

gas to include a term for the pure gas and a term for the contaminating 

air. Using the method of partial volumes, we msy equate the density 

of the lifting gas at any time by: 

where : 

= 

o total lifting gas volume 

= 

pressure of the lifting gas ps 

vP 

‘b 

volume of pure lifting gas in balloon 

Vo = volume of air in balloon 

Rg = 

R, = 

crpecific gas constant of pure lifting gas 

specific gas constant of air 

Then, calling *: Xp and a0 V Xg (here we see that since 

“b ’b 

Pg= +(*+$) P 

-59- 
The equation for the force due to buoyancy will then become: 

F@ ' 'b [a- %(% +%)I If the balloon is of the type that will carry no internal pressure , and we may state that : 

pg 

'8 = 'b 

Discussions of the contamination of the lifting gas are included under 

the section on "Diffusion and Leakage of Lifting Gas" of this report. 

The force due to the weight of the system 

of the balloon system at any time is a function of the original 

weight of the system plus the change of weight of the system. This 

change in the weight of the system is caused by the loss of ballast 

and the weight of the system at any time ( t ): 

FwrW The weight 

where : 

wo t. 

E A wb = 

the original weight of' the system 

the sum of all the losses of balkst from 

time at whichws WX, until the time t tso 

+ 

i-0 

The value of the term CAwbdepends on the type of ballast control. 

With no ballast: 

and Wt= W, 

If a constant ballast flm is used: 

where I 

= - dW t 

tso dt 

dW t rate of ballast flow 

t = elapsed time from t=O to t: t 

If a practical fixed opening type or Dallast control is used: 

c 

where: 

t = time 

h s head of ballast above openifig 

pb s viscosity Of 'ballast fluid 

pb t 

A = area of opening 

decsity of ballast fluid 

-60- 
The ballast Plow at any time, tr 

so that: t 

to. EAWb ./C,pb A dt 

0 

where: 

C, is a coefficient of discharge, dependent 

upon Reynolds number of the flow through 

the opening 

In this equation onlye 

effeot on the opening A is negleoted), Pb is dependent upon temperature of the fluid and h is dependent upon the shape of the vessel 

oontaining the fluid and time t. 

If ballast Pluw is controlled by atmospherio pressumr 

and A are constants (if temperature 

, with a fixed valve opening 

(open-or=closed valve) 

where 'p*b 

greater than the pressure of control. 

represents the time wher, abOSFheriC pressure is 

&=C AJ20h Here, again, 

dt cpb 

d(3 relationship between rate of flow and 

press@e difference ( P- pc ) where p >pc dAP 

If we include a rate of pressure change control or a rate of ascert 

control such that there is no ballast flow if rate of pressure 

change is less th -(.& or rate of ascent is greater 

than some value (af)e ,we impose th condition for ballast flow in 

the above two oases that for flow to oocur p>q , and dp 

We might also have a control tht will open or close a valve on 

rate of pressure change suoh that: 

r 

dt 

-61- 
t 

where &> dt (&) the air surro&gd?g the balloon is greater than a design value 

of pressure change causing ballast flow. 

The general equation, then, indicates the relationships between 

the variables involved in balloon flight. 

this section of the report, "Equati on8 and Theoretical Considerations," 

attempt to qualitatiwly organize the relationships between these 

variables in order tht a complete overall picture of the aspects 

of balloon flight can be formulated. 

is the time during which pressure change of 

The discussions in 

It should be stressed that the theoretical relationships as stated 

here do not lend themselves to simple insertion into an overall 

equation which is easily solved. Rather, solutions .of maryof the 

variables are in themselves complex. At this time it appears impractical to delve too deeply into such matters as "the variation 

of diffusion and leakage through various types of balloons under 

different conditions' or "a study in the change of coefficient of 

drag on a balloon system at all points during its flight." 

has been rrore practical to generally state the relationships in 

unsolved form and concentrate the experimental portion of the research problem on such m.tters 8s actual development of balloon 

controls. 

It 

V. TELEMETERING 

A. Information Transmitted 

The need for a balloon-borne transmitter and some system of ground 

receiving and recording was recognized early in the work of the project. 

data to evaluate the altitude controls applied to the balloon system. 

the use of radiosonde-type aneroid capsules. 

pressure modulators used is given in the following section. 

A second use of air-borne transmitters was to provide a beaoon for 

radio direction-finding. With proper equipment a balloon-borne 

transmitter can provide a signal to guide an aircraft, homing with 

a radio compass, or provide a position "fix' by the crossed azimuths of ground receiving stations. 

The primary objectiire of such telemetering was to collect 

Pressure, perhaps the most ixrportant data, was measured by 

A discussion of the 

In addition to these two very important functions of altitude 

detemination and positioning, telemetering systems were used to 

detect and transmit temperature data and ballast flow data. The 

equipment used for these purposes is described below. 

-62- 
B. Transmitters Used 

(1) 72-Megacycle Radiosonde Trantmitter (T-43) 

The standard T-49 transmitter of the Army Weather Service was 

first used in project work, with a modified commutator bar 

tmitching specially coded resistors into the circuit. as the 

balloon passed from one critical pressure to another. The 

operating characteristics of this transmitter may be found in 

the following publications: 

T.M. 11-2404 and the Weather Equipment Technician' s Manual. 

The defects which were encountered in the use of this trammitter were principally (1) relatively short range and (2) 

unfitness for direction-finding using available equipment. 

Our experience has beer. that reception from the T-49 transmitter by standard equipment is not much above 80 miles under 

good conditions. 

times this distances, the inadequacy of this transmitter was 

clearly demonstrated . The problem of direction-finding is of major importance when 

attempts are made to position md track the balLoon and its 

equipment train. 

ment is available for this use with the T-49, this transmitter 

is of limited value. 

T.B. Sig. 165, T.M. 11-2403, 

Nhen flights were made which traveled many 

Since no standard directional receivep equip- 

(2) 400-Megacycle F'M Transmitter (T-69) 

The T-49 transmitter was abandoned in favor of the T-69 400-mc 

system as soon as ground receiving equipment for the latter was 

available. 

with the T-69 transmitter, the problem of direction-finding 

and positioning was attacked. 

this system is the improved range attainable. 

By using the directional receiving set SCR-658 

A second adventage enjoyed by 

Our experience has been that an SCR-658 set in good condition 

can receive a signal up to a range of 150 miles, providing 

that the line-of-sight tmnsmitter is high enough to preclude 

blocking by intervening terrain. The use of two or more sets 

to increase the area of a tracking net is discussed under 

"Radio Direction-Finding" below. 

The operating characteristics of the T-69 system and the SCR-658 

may be found in these publications: T.B. Sig. 165, T.M. 11-1158A. 

Pressure indicators were obtained, as with the T-49, by use of 

the modified commutator bar switching specially coded resistors 

into the circuit as the balloon passed from one fixed pressure 

toanother. 

system of pressure modulation. For a complete discussion 

of pressure modulation methods, see Section VI, A. 

A few special tests were made of a chronometric 

-63 - 
(3) Low-Frequency Transmitter (AM-1) 

A low-frequency transmitter developed by the Electrical Zngineering Department of New York University was adapted to re= 

place or supplement the T-49 and T-69 transmitters. The 

carrier frequencies used have been in the region 1 mc to 

3 mc. The schematic of this set is shm in Figure 28, as 

operated at 3135 kc. “he output is tipproximately 2 watts, 

and a typical air-to-ground range is 300 miles, although 

reception of more than 450 miles has been attained by both 

groiad and air-borne receivers. 

3-35 MMC 

I 

I 

Figure 28, Schematic diagram, AM-1 transmitter. 

Information is introduced in a mariner sinilar to that employed 

in conventional radiosonde transmitters: resistances are 

switched into the blocking-oscillator grid circuit. In the 

case of pressure or ballast-count, fixed resistors causing 

distinct blocking frequencies are used; for tenperature, the 

switch introduces the tkermistor resistances . 
When this transmitter operates ah a lower frequency, say 

1746 kc, the standard aircraft radio compass can be used to 

find the direction to the transmitter. No suitable standard 

equipment for ground direction-finding has been available to 

the project. 

C. Receivers and Recorders Used 

For the T-49 and T-69 radiosonde transmitters, standard groundstation equipmentwas used to receive and record the signal. 

appropriate receiver (National 110 for the T-49 and SCR-658 for the 

T-69) feeds the signal through a frequency meter and into a Friez 

recorder, model AN/F'hfQ-l(). 

10 and 200 cycles per second can be recorded. 

When the Olland-Cycle pressure modulctor is used, (see Section VI, 

A,3) with law-frequency pulses indicating the completion of the pressure or reference circuit, a recorder made by the Brush Development 

Co. (Model SL 212) replaces the Friez recorder and frequency meter. 

Nith the AM-1 transmitter, the usual ground receiver has been the 

Hammarlund Super-Pro Xodel SP-400-X. 

aircraft radio compass such as k#/ARbT-P 

An 

With this system, frequencies between 

For aircraft operation, an 

is used. 

D. Batteries Used 

To extend the life of the batteries used with the T-49 and T-68 

transmitters , experimental packs were developed using both dry 

and wet cells. A typical "12-hour" dry-cell pack for the T-69 

was composed of: 

B supply: 135V--1 ea. ESOFL (especially assembled for R.Y.V. 

by Burgess Battery Co.) or 6 ea. Burgess 

XX30 in series--parallel 

A supply: 6V--1 ea. Burgess 2F4 or 2 ea. F4H in parallel 

C bias supply: 45V tap of B9OFL or XX30 assembly 

With an AX-1 transmitter, the input power required is as follows: 

"En supply, 270 volts at about 300 nilliamperes; rain "A" supply, 14 volts at 600 milliemperes; and a separate "A" supply for the 

power amplifier, 1-i volts at 200 milliemperes. The battery pack 

includes 8 Burgess XX45 or Eveready 467 in series--parallel$ 

2 Burgess 4FH batteries in parallel: and one 4FH, respectively, 

This pack lasts about 20 hours in flight. Also ircluded in the 

battery container were batteries for auxiliary functions such as 

Olland-Cycle or program -switch motors , ballast-control relays , and bring-down mechanisms. 

The problem of operating at cold temperature was given much consideration. 

sufficient difference in performance to justify the added expense 

and difficulty of procurement. In addition, it was felt. that 

Special cold temperature batteries were tried with in- 
mass-production methods and quality oontrol associated with standard dry batteries gave greater assurance of satisfactory pa rformance. 

Subsequent measurements made of the temperature inside the transmitter battery pack showed that the tsmperature can be maintained 

above -10% if the transmitter and batteries are housed in a box 

insulated with oneto two-inch walls of Styrofoam. 

is effective 

heating is added. 

This insulation 

even through long nighttime periods when no solar 

One type of battery tested in flight was a light-might wet cell 

(Burgess Type AM) of the "dunk" type, (magnesium t silver chloride). 

These cells were vacuum-packed to provide indefinite shelf-life. 

Activated by immersion in water just before release, they were expected to produce a constant voltage over a period of 6 hours to 

overcome cold temperature effects. 

rather unsatisfactory and subject to erratic behavior. F'urthermore the cost of the cells was very great compared with ordinary 

cells. 

Those units used proved to be 

E. Radio Direction-Finding 

For ground stations, when the balloon-borne transmitter is a T-69, 

the SCR-658 RDF set has been used. With such a set the radio signal can be picked up at distances up to 150 miles and good szimuth 

bearing may be obtained (accurate to less than one degree). 

the elevation angle may be obtained with equal accuracy when free 

from distortion, angles of less than 13 degrees are usually affected 

by ground reflectior? to such an extent as to render them valueless. 

Although 

To extend the range over which such sets were effective, two or more 

usually were used, positioned elong the expected track of the balloon 

at intervals of about 100 miles. 

muth "fixes" the position mqy be dstermined. 

angle is above 13 degrees, it is possible to fix the belloon with one 

SCR-658 (assuning the pressure altitude is lcrown). 

With two sets giving crossed aziIf the elevation 

For details of the maintemnce and use of the SCR-658, see War Department publication T.K. ll-1158A. 

When aircraft are used to follow and position the balloon, the use 

of a radio-compass is found to be feasible, using the AX-1 trecsmitter at a frequency that is within the limits of the compass receiver. 

bearing until the oompass needle reverses, the balloon% position 

may be fond from initial distances of up to 500 miles. 

ciable cone of silence has been obsemed in recent flights which 

used a transmitter operating at 1746 kc. 

By homing on the signal end flying along the indicated 

h'o appreRadio compass equipentAX/A€i??-7, is described in U. S. A. A. F. 

publication T. 0. 68-10. 

-66- 
F. Radar and Optical Tracking 

Because of thei'r limited range, ground radar sets and theodolites 

were only of minor value in tracking balloons. 

SCR-584, the SPM-1, and MPS-6 are suggested when the balloon is 

expected to remein within the 60 to 80 mile range. 

Sets such as the 

A. Altitude Determination 

To provide accurate, sensitive and readable records of the pressure 

(altitude) encountered by the balloon, various systems have been, 

tried. A modified radiosonde-type aneroid pressure capsule (Signal 

Corps LIL 310-/) has been the basic secsing element, but three 

different system of modulation of the radio signal as a function 

of pressure have been used. 

(1) Standard Diamond-Hinman Radiosonde Pressure Modulator 

Seen in Figure 29, the standard Diamond-Einman radiosonde system 

provided first pressure sensor used. As the pen am is pushed 

r 

I 

1 

I 

I 

I 

L 

Figure 29. Sohematic diagram, Diamond-Binman 

radio sonde system. 

across the commutator by. the aneroid capsule, it falls on 

alternating insule tors and conductors attached to three circuits. 

-67- 
By knowing the altitude of release and counting the number of 

switches from conductor to insulator, the position along the 

the commutator is known. This in turn is calibrated to give 

pressure values, from which the altitude may be computed. 

This system was not suitable for floating balloons because 

(1) only 70 to 90 discrete contacts are provided to cover the 

entire atmospheric pressure range; this means that the best 

readability obtainable with this system is about 210 millibars, 

(2) When the balloon oscillates about a floating level, the frequent changes from one contact to another give ambiguous readings, 

since the nmber of discrete resistances used is limited. 

For circuit details of this unit, see T.B. Sig. 165 and the 

Weather Equipment Techniciar?s bfanual . (2) Specially Coded Radiosonde Modulators 

To remove the ambiguity of altitudes reported by the system 

above, extra resistances were introduced into the circuits 

of those contacts near the floating level; thus, each contact 

gives a distinctive frequency and each pressure (altitude) 

can be clearly distinguished. 

In this system, there still re,mins the lack of resolution or 

semitivity inherent in the moduletor with 70 to 90 contacts. 

(3) Olland-Cycle Eodulator 

To improve the sensitivity of the pressure measurements, an 

Olland-Cycle (chronometric) pressure modulator ms developed. 

Seer. in Figure 30, the modulator contains a standard Signal 

Figure 30, Olland-Cycle p-essure modulator. 

-68- 
Corps &310/ radiosonde aneroid unit, a metal helix on a 

rotating cylinder of insulating material, and a 6-volt electrio 

motor which rotates the cylinder. 

There are two contacting pens which ride on the cylinder and 

complete the modulator circuit of the transmitter when they 

touch the helix. 

taot at the same time in each revolution of the helix. This 

contact is used as a reference point for measuring the speed 

of rotation of the cylinder. 

is linked directly to the aneroid oell) makes contact with the 

spiral, is dependent on the cylinder speed and on the pen 

position which is determined by the pressure. By an evaluation 

chart, the atmospheric pressure can be determined as a function 

of the relative position of the pressure contact as compared to 

the reference, thus eliminating all rotation effects except shortterm motor speed fluctuatiom. 

One pen is fixed in position aRd makes a oonThe time that the second pen (whioh 

The operation of' this unit ir deroribed in detail In Sootion 

11, nOperationr,n of this report, pager 64-63. 

Some of the units flm have been made in the shops of-the 

project, w>ile others have been comercially supplied. 

following specifications have been set up for performance of 

the Olland-Cycle t 

The 

Pressure range: 

Temperature range: +30OC to -30% 

Readability; t0.1 mb. 

1050 to 5 mb. 

Accuraoyr f0.2 mb. 

A number of tests have been made on the accuracy of the OllandCycle modulator. The tests were of two types. 

made runninz the unit at room temperature while the pressure 

remained constant. In the second, the pressure was varied from 

surface pressure to about 20 millibars several times at different temperatures. 

variation of pressure for a given contact pen position was 

1.3 millibars in a series of 182 revolutions. 

The first ms 

In tests of the first type, the maximum 

The most comprehensive tests of this .type wem made with two 

Olland-Cycles in the same bell jar ruolning for three hours and 

ten minutes. Due to differenoes in speed of revolution, different numbers of revolutions were recorded in the time interval, 

138 being made by instrument lo. b416 and 181 by lnrtrumsnt No. 

B-501. 

sion and urod a Brallrford 6-volt (1 rpm nominal speed) motor, 

hard-rubber oylindetr with 8 turns per lneh of .010" niokel wire 

on a 3" aldnun plate base. No. B-SO1 rras nmde by Brallsford 

and Co. to Balloon Projetot speoiflcatlonr. 

6-volt motor, a paper bare bakelite cylinder with 8 turns per 

inch of .010" niobl wlre and was mounted on a 1/16" sheet 

aluminum frame. 

No. L-416 was made in the shop8 of the Researoh DivlIt' had the ime 
The following statistics for a given pressure (1001.8 ailiibars) 

were computed: 

N.Y.V. Shop Model Brailsford Model 

L-416 B-501 

on the mean 12.5% 

within 0.1% of mean 25 % 

41 .5% 

0.3% fl 62.5% 

I1 11 " 0.2% 

0.4$ 75 p 

0.5% " 95 es", 

34 % 

50 % 

70.5% 

85.5% 

91 % 

100 p 

Other conclusions arrived at as a result of this test were: 

(a) Since changes of speed of the motors did not occur simultaneously in the two instruments, the speed changes probably 

are not due to slight changes in pressure or temperature. 

(b) Sensitivity varied from 0.1 to 0.9 millibars. 

(c) Sensitivity increased with increase of rate of pressure change. 

It was recommended as a result of these tests that the records 

of flights when the balloon is floating be read to the nearest 

two-tenths of a percent of a cycle,or approximately ho-+,enths 

of a millibar, for high accuracy. 

manufactured by Brnilsford and Co., satisfactory accuracy will 

be attained, if neaessary, when the record is read to the 

nearest one-tenth of a percent of a cycle. 

Yrhen using the instruments 

In the second group of tests the pressure was reduced slowly 

to about 20 millibars and increased to sea-level pressure at 

different temperatures. 

The most comprehensive series of calibrations rres made with the 

first instrument made by Brailsford and Co. Two runs were made 

at room temperature ( nOC), one at -1c)oc, one at -30 to 37OC 

and one at -56 to -62%. 

ture, the unit was found to be completely unreliable. 

cause of failure was the erratic motor operation at extremely 

low temperatures. 

flights when the Olland-Cycle wns not thermally insulated. 

On the last test at the lowest temperaThe 

This had been observed previously during 

The other curves were plotted on a single chart in order to 

study their spread (see Figure 31). The envelope of curves 

thus obtained showed no regular temperature effect over the 

range a2Z°C to -37%. In general, the envelope was less than 

10 millibars wide although at some higher pressures it was as 

much as 12 millibars wide. 

closest together and 91181'8 all within 3 to 4 millibars apart 

between 50 and 150 millibars and 6 millibars apart between 

150 to 200 millibars. 

The curpee at low pressures fell 

-70- 
205 215 225 

,380: .. .. . ... .._._. .+- 

. .!. .I. 

-10.C --f+-j 1:- - 35. c 

1330 - 

980 990 I000 

Figure 31. Tests of Olland-Cycle perfom.ance. 

Hysteresis at any one temperature was the worst serious cause 

of the width of the envelope of curves. However, this 

error was minimized by the smoothness of the rotating cylinder 

and the continuous motion of the cylinder under the eontact 

pen, Probably the necessary looseness of the bearings and 

the joining to the motor gear train had a great deal to do with 

the spread betnreen different calibrations. 

The maximum variation of any one ce.libration curve from the 

mean was about f3 millibars. 

The following recommendations are made for the use of the 

Olland-Cycle modulator : 

(a) The modulator should be mounted inside the battery box and 

insulated so as to keep its temperature above -3OoC. 

(b) Durine; the rapid-rising portion of the flight the accuracy 

of the data weirrants reading only to the nearest one percent 

of a cycle, or about one millibar of preseure. 

Tests on the sensitivity of Olland-Cycle modulators indicate that although the accuracy is limited as indieated 

above, small variations may be detected with the result 

that it is valid to read the pressure record to the nearest 

tenth of one percent of one revolution. 

-71 - 
When the Olland-Cycle principle was originally adopted, both 

clocks and electric motors were considered for the power supply. 

*In addition to the tendency of clocks to stop at cold temperatures due to freezing of lubricants and unequal expansion of the 

parts, the movement of %he clocknork in discrete steps limits 

the accuracy of sampling. For these reasons, electric motors 

are preferred. 

The motor now in u1e has been built to meet the following specifications t 

(a) 6 to 7.5 volt operation. 

(b) 1 RF'M gear train. 

(0) 20 to 40 milliamperes drain. 

(d) Speed change at low temperature to be no more than 2%. 

(0) Constancy of speed during any single revolution not to 

deviate by more than 0.3%. 

To check the performance of these motors at cold. temperatures, 

a series of testawas run on the motors now in use with the 

average case seen in Figure 32. The loss in RPM was more than 

Figure 32. Speed tests of Olland-Cycle motors, 

desired, but the motors continued to operate at a steady rate. 

As long as the speed of revolution does not vary markedly within a single revolution, the error is not ser-ious. 

flights made at prolonged cold tenperature, erratic performar-ce 

In early 

-72- 
of the motor-driven units was observed; current practice is 

to provide adequate temperature insulation. 

(4) Barograph 

As a secondary pressure unit, a clock-driven barograph has been 

included on many flights. !he instrument (shm in Figure 33) 

Figure 33. Smoked drum barogreph. 

will provide up to 40 hours of pressure data if recovered. 

About 70% of all those units flown to date have been recovered. 

The performame specifications are as follows: 

(a) Rotation: 

(b) Duration: 

(c) Pressure range: 

one revolution every 12 hours 

36 hours running time 

500 to 5 mb. 

(d) Accuracy: 25 mb. 

(8) Readability: 

(f) Weight: lo00 grams 

(g) Time accuracy: 1% 

(h) Temperature compensation between 30% and -70% 

1.0 mb. or approximately -22 mm on the drum 

Instruments have been built by Lange Laboratories to meet 

these requirements (the time accuracy figure is questionable& 

-73- 
A desoriptlon of the use of this barograph is given in Part 11, 

ttOperations," of this report. 

B. Temperature Measurement 

To interpret some of the observed balloon behavior, a knowledge 

of the temperature of the gas and the outside air tempratwe was 

required. The evaluation of "superheat" effects was acoomplished 

primerily by exposing a conventional radiosonde thermistor inside 

the balloon with a control thermistor measuring the free-air tamperature. Similarly, a thermistor was sometimes installed inside the 

battery-pack housing to measure the temperature of the batteries. 

While this system was in use it was general practice to use the 

standard government service thermistors ML 376/AM (brown) and 

ML, 395/FMQ-l (white). The white elements were needed when the external temperature was measured, since no adequate protection from 

the sun was available. blS0, at floating level there is no ventilation to be had since the balloon is stationary with respect to 

the air. 

TRe resistance of the thermistors was switched into the grid circuit 

of the blocking oscillator of the AM-1 transmitter, and by comparison with pre-flieht ealibrations the audio frequency transmitted 

could be interpreted in terms of temperature. To record the sipal 

after it was received, a fast-speed Brush Co. Oscillograph Model EL212 

is used. (Due to the frequency response of the Brush recording 

system, the circuit was arranged to give lower frequencies than a 

standard radiosonde for the same temperature range.) 

bration chart, is shown in ,Figure 34. 

A sample cdiFigure 34. Saxple celibration chert for 

temperature measurements. 

-74- 
The temperature data obtained was of considerable value , especially 

to determine the effect of insuletion of the battery pack. 

found on mast flights where reasonable thermal insulation was applied 

that the temperature of the pack remained above O°C after several 

hours of exposure at nighttime. The extreme observed was -0OOC. 

Daytime flights had the added advantage of heating from the sun. 

It was 

The temperature of the lifting gas at the ground was ordinarily 

found to be somewhat below the temperature of the air. This is due 

to the extreme oooling encountered in the expansion of the compressed 

gas as it was fed from the tanks into the balloon. During the rising 

period, in daytime, the gas gained heat, since it cools adiabatically 

less rapidly 

was common. 

than does air (also less than the nomal tropos heric 

lapse rate); at the floating level a differential of about 10 li C 

A typical telrperature trace is shown in Figure 35. 

To permit the transmission of both temperature and pressure data by 

one radio channel, a psir of programming switches hbve been designed and flight tested. The first is the temperature switch (Figure 36). 

Figure 36. Temperature programming witch. 

-75- 
which switches four elements into the transmitter circuit in turn. 

Recently a motor making five revolutions per minute was used so 

that each temperature is transmitted for three eeconds. The four 

elements are the free-air temperature, the gas temperature, batterypack temperature and a reference signal. This switch is supplemented by a master program switch which altermtely places the 

temperature switch and the pressure modulator into the transmitter 

circuit. 

to be transmitted for about one minute in every fifteen. 

way represent8tive temperature sampling may be obtained, without 

materially destroying the continuity ofthe pressure and ballast 

data. 

The present arrangement is to permit the temperature data 

In this 

A second system of' determining temperature makes use of the smoked 

drum of the barograph. By adding a temperature-activated pen, this 

unit makes a record of the temperature encountered. 

the free-air temperature nor the temperature of the lifting gas but 

rather the temperature of the barograph itself, the data obtained 

has been of little value. 

temperature telemetering apparatus, this method was not used. 

Since it ie not 

Following the development of suitable 

C. Ballast Meterin. 

It is often very desirable to knownbther or not ballast control 

equipment is operating properly during flight tests. For this 

purpose, two systems of ballast metering have been devised. 

possible (1) to record on an instrument which is balloon-borne or 

(2) to detect and telemeter information to the ground concerning 

ballast flow. 

It is 

Figure 37 shows the automatio siphon which has been used in the AM-1 

transmitter circuit for the telelnetering of such informtion. A 

series of pulses of fixed frequency is transmitted whenever the 

contact arm of the automatic siphon is filled above a critioal 

level. 

rises and falls in proportion to the rise and fall of the main arm 

of the siphon. This main arm empties when approximately 3.5 gram 

of ballast have been allowed to flow into it. A8 a consequence of 

this intermittbt filling and emptying of the lines of the siphon, 

an intermittent signal of fixed frequency is transmitted whenever 

ballast ia flowing steadily. It is important that an electrolyte 

be used wliich will not freeze at low atmospheric temperatures and 

will not boil at the low pressures enoountered. After a series of 

tests it was dscided that a 24% rolution of hydroahlorio acid be 

used for altitudes up to 85,000 feet. 

platinum wire for th6 contact points. 

The electrolyte used ie non-misoible with the balla8t and 

It is neoessary to use 

In order to record in flight the functioning of the ballast control 

system a ballast recording mechanism has been developed in oonjunction with the Lange Laboratories of Lexington, Kentucky. This 

-76- 
Figure 37. Automatio siphon. 

instrument has been added as e part of the baro-thennograph. A 

cutaway sketch of thi8 ballast-reoording instrument is shom as 

Figure 38. 

Figure 38. Ballast-reoording meter. 

-77- 
Operation of the instrument may be described 8s follmst 

instrument is inserted in the load line just above the ballart 

assembly by attaching the load line to the upper ring (A) and the 

rigging from the ballast assembly to the lower ring (B). A oantilever spring (F) is set into an adjustable base (K), which may be 

adjusted for various empty ballast-asrembly weights by ohangfng the 

setting of the adjusting screw (L). 

to the oantilever spring, but oan be adjusted for different ballart 

weights by sliding along the spring (from G to 01, for instance). 

For light ballast weights the lower ring is moved away from the 

base (K) (to the right on the diagram), and for heavy ballast weight8 

it is moved toward the base. 

screw (L) and the lower ring (G) before each flight according 

to the weights of' the ballast assembly and the ballast. 

The cantilever spring is attaohed to the connecting bar (E) at (H). 

Thus the deflection of the lower ring is transferred through the 

cantilever spring to the conneoting bar and then to the pen arm 

(C), which is pivoted about a fixed point (D). 

recorded by the pen on a rotating moked drum (B). In order to 

prevent the pen from going off the drum, an adjustable rtop ir set 

at (J). 

'he 

The lower ring is attached 

Adjustments are made on the adjurting 

me defleotion is 

The unit should be calibrated for maximUrn load (pen rm at C ), 

a medium load (pen arm at C) and minimum lord (pen arm at Czj before 

each flight. A traoe of ballast function will rtart at the top of 

the drum and as ballart is discarded will fall toward the bottom 

of the drum. By measuring the deflection at any time and oomparing 

with the calibration, the amount of ballast left in the a88embly 

at any time can be determined. 

of the baro-thermograph, the traoe obtained upon recovery will contab 

information concerning altitude, temperature, and ballast functioning 

over the complete flight. After proper correction for time displacement of the three pens has been made, the three type8 of information can be correlated to give a fairly complete picture of 

the balloon flight, including reasons for various types of motion. 

Since this instrument is a part 

It is expected that this insltrument rill be ejrtremely valuable in 

determining ballast control operation over a long period of' time, 

especially after the balloon system is out of radio reception range. 

It also will give information that could not be obtained if there 

were any failure of the automatic siphon meter or the transmitter 

during launching or flight. The chief drawbaok of the instrument 

is that information is dependent on recovery. 

At the time of writing of this report the instruxwnt has not been 

flight tested. 

strument: will live up to the high expectations placed upon it. 

Since the instrument aotually records the tensile force in the load 

line during flight, it may a180 be valuable in analysis of the receleration foroes induced during periods of balloon oscillation 

in the atmosphere. 

Preliminary laboratory tests indiaate that the in- 

-70- 
VII. CONCLUSIONS 

Contiider8blO experimental work has been done in omjunction with the 

study of balloons and controls. 

cedures and the use of specially developed equipment is inoluded in 

Part I1 of this report, "Operations," (bound separately). 

The desoription of operating proA summary of the results of flights made to test equipment and oontrolr 

is given in Part 111, "Sunumry of Flightr." At this the the use of 

thin polyethylene balloons with pressure-activated ballast controls 

has been demonstrated effeotively to meet the contract requirements. 

Tests made on another contract have found controls oonsistently active 

over 24 hours with an average pressure constancy of f2 mb. at 200 mb. 

Even greater ballast efficiency has been found at higher alkitudes 

using the same pressure-activated controls. 

-79- 



Teohnioal Report lo, 93.02 

CONSTANT LEVEL BALLoOi?S 

Section 3 

SUMMARY OF FLIGHTS 

Constant Level Balloon Project 

New York University 

Prepared in Aocordance with provisions of Contract 

P128-099-ac-241, betnrean 

Watson Laboratories, Red Bank, New Jersey 

and 

New York University 

The research reported in this document has been made possible 

through support and spo~sorship extended by the Geophysical 

Research Directorate of the Cambridge Field Station, N, 

U. S, Air Force, under Contract No. W28-099 ac-241. 

published for technical information only and does not represent recommendations or conclusions of' the sponsoring agency. 

It is 

Prepared by: >- T. %& 

James R. Smith 

Dr. Harold K. Work 

Director of the Research Division 

College of Engineering 

New York University 

15 July 1949 

New York 63, New York 
Table of Contents 

Page Number 

I. Introduction a a . . . . . 5 

&amber 5. . . . . . 6 

10. . . . . . . . . . .lo 

11. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 012 

12. *14 

15-16. 0 0 016 

17.. 017 

20. 016 

23. a 018 

29-39. 019 

41. 0 0 020 

7. ... 0 00 0. ** 0. 08 

43-51. . . . . . . 022 

52. 0 *24 

54. a 0 26 

55. 028 

56. 0 0 26 

58. 0 30 

60. 0 a 026 

63. a 032 

68-72. 033 

73. . . . . . . . . . 0 . . . . 034 

74. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 35 

75. 0 0 0 036 

780 0 0 0 0.38 

79. 0 . . . . . . . . . . 39 

80. 0 040 

81. 042 

82. 043 

85. 0 0 0 044 

86. 045 

88. 0 0 046 

89. 047 

90. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04.8 

92. 0 a *50 

93. 0 0 0 52 

94. . . 0 . . . . . 0 . . 53 

96. a 0 054 

97.. . 0 . . . . . . . . . . 0 . 055 

98. 56 

302. -58 

103-111. 060 

104. a 63 

106. 0.0 0 0 064 

110. 66 
Introduotion 

In November, 1946 the Researoh Division of the College of Engineering 

of New York University contraoted with Watson Laboratories, AX, to devalop 

and fly oonstant-level instrument-carqdng balloans. 

of the final report on the work accomplished and describes the experimental 

balloon flights which were made. 

This is the third part 

In reviewing the flights a number of analytioal comments may be made. 

In most flights one objeotive was the maintenance of the balloon at a constant 

pressure level for as long as possible. On maay flightq balloon behavior 

'(01s affeoted by inetrmental oontrols of one kind or another while on soflights no controbat all were used. 

Balloms of varying sizes and of different principles of construction 

have been launched singly, in tandem and in olusters. On some, temperatures 

were measured and on others the flight peth was an obJect of special study. 

To explain certain observed flight data a careful analysis of atmospheric 

atability has been made, while other flights have special significance because they demonstrate the effect of superheat on the lifting gas or same 

other feature of analytical importanoe. 

Since over 100 flights have been made, it is difficult to tabulate the 

important results obtained on each specific flight. 

whioh has been collected each sipificant flight is presented chronologically, 

Kith drawings and details where necessary, and a sununary of the .flight 

results is given. 

To present the data 

To render this information useful, an index has been prepared with reference made to flights which show typioal or important results in each 

category. 
Flight 6: Released from blamogordo, New ybxioo, 0617 mT, June 5, 1947 

Reoovered at R08wl1, 'blew bxioo 

In thir flight, a 66-pound load war lifted with a linear array of 28 

The 

35O-gram rubber balloons. By attaohing the balloons at 20-foot interval8 

along the load line, a total length of about 600 feet was required. 

train 18 &own in Figure 1. For altitude oontrol, three lifting balloon8 

-LIfTER BALLOONS 

- - LIFTER cu I-OFF, KTS AT 35000' 

(I 

TOTAL LENGTH Of BALLOON TRAIN s&S* 

% 

(LESS LIFTERS) 

Jao+TEST NYLON LINE 

WANDtRCJDED LOBSTtR TWINE 

@SnUNO ZOO* TCf NYLON 

CANNON T3CUT OFFLAUNCWINC LINCI. 

SILK PARACMUTC 

7ZMA'JlOSONDt WITH HEAL. f DUTY 

BATTERIES 4YD ~SORDINATT~~UP~IDIT~' 

n7CSdTOa PAY LAD (l5b W T ) 

--BALLOON TO BURN 0;F AT 45CG'l 

--R*LLO)N TO BURN GrfAT4?001) 

 H HAL^ FLLCD axLoom ~0uu111.t OFFAT 

4I(,rJO1 

11 PO NT PRE SSURL fill KH F?R 3 W! JWh! 

\NDMLIASr 

593)j- 13ALLAST,DROP°CD it1 THE FOLLOWING 

SO0 -A.M1000' 300:- Af210)0' TOOc AT 27,U 

700 ATZ&OOO 

Too?? AT ZJOOO 70%- AT ZkOW (2 

TW AT I9Qoff (21 

PLASTIC RESfRJOlR ANB DRl8BLLR SET AT 

- SANDB~LLWT 1117 DLASTIC ~UB~S,TOTAL OF 

INCREvf NTS' 

-- 34000' - 

Figure 1: Train, Flight 5 

were out free at 35,000 feet, and the remaining load was weighted to balanoe 

at that point. As a preoaution against over-buoyanoy, three more balloon8 

-6- 
wre to be freed at 40,000, 42,000 and 45,000 feet. 

to be dropped in increments upon descent to altitudes below 31,000 feet, 

war supplemented by an early model of the automatio ballast valve set to expend liquid balla8t at 34,000 feet. 

the maximum altitude reached was much above the predicted 35,000 feet. 

The use of sand ballast, 

From the height-time oum of the flight (Figure 2), it will be 4een that 

A180 

HEIGHT-TIME CURVE 

WOON OURS1 

Figure 2 

the rate of rise was greater than expected. 

cess buoyanoy am attributed to superheating of the balloon by sunshine. 

The real height is somewhat in doubt because the conventional radiosonde baroswitch (Army type ML-3lO/)was used, and the pressure signal which was transaitted was ambiguous at some points. 

Both of these evidences of exOn this flight theodolite readings were taken until the balloon ms 90 

miles away from release point after 260 minutes of flight. 

visual observations were taken from a B-17 aircraft which circled the balloon for most of the flight. 

In addition, 

-7- 
Plight 7: Released from Alamogordo, HOW Ibxioo, 0509 MST, July 2, 1947 

Deroended ati Cloudoroft, New lbxioo 

2009- am' 

200gn - 32, OGQ' 

SOOp- 34 000' 

Using a aluster array (Figure 3) of 13 3SOigram rubber balloons and 

four larger lifting balloons, a S3-pomd load was aarried aloft on thi8 Plight. 

At 55,000 fee< the desired floating level, the lifter balloons were out free. 

400~rn-29,OOd 

6 0 0 9m - 28.0 00' 

6009m-2J400' 

Bauaat baro5WltCh. 

8auast dropper assembly, I6ALumtnum 

tuber of gronuldtad lead dropped b 

doreoat pmrsh svikh ink f&wi 

745mc Radiosonde.Hecrv7 duty 

Bottcrias in blarK borcrwioppd 

polyethy lano. 

800ym- 25800' 

6OOgm - 23200' 

bOO9m- 2.4~00' 

100oon,- e3#,eoo' 

moop- 23,100' 

1600rm 22,500' 

Figure 3: Train, Flight 7 

When the train began to desoend below 34,000 feet, lead shot wa8 dropped in 

increments to maintain buoganoy. 

-8- 
lhir altitude-oantral rystem operated well enough to produoe a heighttime ourve (Figure 4) with one dssoent oheobd by ballast dropping. 

muoh weight war lost %n this 8otian, and the train role until ROIW of the 

balloon8 were burst. 

Too 

Submquent desoent was not oheoked. 

From this flight it appear8 that the inherent instability of freely extensible balloons is so great that no simple oontrol will oause %em to 

remain at one pressure level. 

Traoking for the entire flight period wa8 aooomplished with a C-54 

airoraft. Two theodolite 8Dations were operated, one at the launohing 

site and one at Wafford Lookout, a fire tower about 20 miles northeast of 

the release point. 

-9- 
Flight 10: Relearalilrom Alunogordo, IOU Ysxioo, 0501 MST, July 5, 1947 

Not rooovered 

Thia flight war the first to use a large plastio balloon as the lifting 

vehiole. 

.008" polyethylene heat se8led 8t the mami (made by Harold A. Smith, Ino.). 

ll~e altitude aontrol was an automrtio ballast valve, pressure-triggered to 

throw off liquid ballast. 

in Figure 5. 

'he 0011 was spherioal, 15 feet in diameter, and the walls were 

Th. equipnt train umd on this flight is shown 

6' dia.-.008Dth~cK po1yrlhyl.a. 

&Noon. H. A.5mi t h In6 

Reinforced blow-out pahh bk 

opened by Tima-clock. 

Bridtc 01 9 nylon linas, each Isor 

test, 18'long,sewrd too. thimbk 

and attached to rein forcad patchos 

at attornah seams. 

745mc. Radlorondr wlth 2d.d 

fed ontenna.Hewv duty kLLrc. 

in block borcs,plmn*n.no 

w ra ppc d . 

Ptortic betlaat Roaarvoir wth 

3pOO 9r ballcut. 

Figure Sr Train, Flight 10 

The balloon rose to about 16,000 feet MSL and dropped baok to 9000 feet 

It is believed that the autamatio ballast valve sealed off 

MBL where-it "floated" for at least 4 hours, at which time radiosonde reoepticm failed. 

-10- 
proporly at 12,000 feet, but the air entr8pped in if8 aneroid war heakd 

and oauaed the opnting level to be at the lower value. 

oorrerpond to a ruprheaf of 30% above ae air fernpenturn. 

Later flight8 ahowed that the type of load a-tkohawnt used on thir 

balloun -8 unmtirfaotoryt hcnnrsr, nifh proper rigging, 00118 of .008" 

thiokners were good vshioler a# they nrually shmod vary low diffurion 8nd 

gar leakage. 

oroillations about a pmrsure plane (Figure 6). 

lhia would 

Hear the end of the reeorded data, the height-tim ourve rhmr largo 

%wee faotorr rihioh probably 

Figure 6 

contributed to this instability were:(l) the turbulent motion of the heated 

air over the desert, (2) the changer in temperature of air in the aneroid 

valve as intermittent clouds shut off the sun, and (3) the overoompenratim 

caused by the valve-oontrolled ballast flow. 

On this flight the first "destruction dwioe" war used for the purpose 

of b&ging down the balloon after a fixed time to prevent exoessive interference in air-traffio lanes. 

device whioh failed to operafe, probably beoause of low temperatures oauring 

unequal oontraction within the movement. 

tonating an inflammable oompound taped to the balloon, rupturing itsside and 

permitting a rapid emape of the lifting gar. 

This partioular model war a clook-driven 

Its aatim was to oonsirt of de- 

-11- 
Flight 11: MlOe80d from Alamogordo, New Uxico, 0508 MST, July 7, 1947 

I& rooovered 

On this flight a 16-foot, .008" wall, polyethylene balloon wai oombined 

with a OlUStW of six small plarti-o 00118 (Qdoot diamehr, .001" wall) to 

lift total load of 35 pounds a8 high as possible (Figure 7). The small 

Figure 7: Train, Flight 11 

oqllr did not rise as fast as the large balloonj consequently,three of them 

were inverted and filled with air. 

With this loss of lift, the altitude reached was only about 17,000 feet 

This flight demonstrated the need for a minimum-pressure swilnh 

MSL, and the automatic ballast valve (set to operate at 45,000 feet) ms not 

aotivated. 

-12- 
to aotivate the ballast valve. A fixed ballast leak of about 400 gram8 

per hour was oaused' by a defeotive valve fitting and this wad suffidnt 

to maintain the balloon at nearly oonstant level until all the ballast war 

exhausted. 

employed on many flights. 

Following this experienae, the use of a preset fixod leak -8 

The very unstable "floating" seen on Flight 10, when the automatie 

ballast valve aontrolled the flight, is not found on this flight where the 

vehiole used only a fixed-leak oontrol, 

oompensation and the serious effeotr of temperature ohanges on the aneroid 

oapsule, whioh are found when the automatic ballast valve is used. 

This eliminates both the overThe trajeotory of this balloon (Figure 8) shows a very interesting deformation at the transit of the Sacramento Mountains. Ihe anti-cyolonia 

Figure 8 

ourvature over the eastern slope suggests that the air stream at the floating 

level was distributed by the terrain, and the deformation predioted by dgnrrsrio 

theory may thus be given a physioal illustration. 

termined by airoraft and theodolite observation. 

The trajeotoryuas deAnother striking feature of the flight is the disagreement between the 

aotual flight path and the trajeotory whioh might have been estimated from 

routine upper-wind reports. 

White Sands were used for comparison with the observed trajeotory. Except 

for Vfhite Sands, none of these stations reported any wind from the WSW at or 

near the floating level during the 12-hour period OQVered by the flight. At 

White Sands a very shalluw durrent was deteoted moving in the direotion hdioated 

by the balloon flight, 

the ordinary pilot balloon observation. 

Reports from bl Paso, Romll, Albuquerque and 

This clearly demonstrates the non-representiveness of 

-13- 
Flight 12s Released from Lakehurst, Ben Jersey, 0714 EST, August 5, 1947 

Reowered at Sarpnur, Delaware 

Thir flight MU the first we of ~evoral new items. The balloon was the 

first .OQ1" polyethylene cell flown; a 397 m(T-69) transmitter was flown, 

with radio dirsotiun-finding oquipnt used to track the balloon3 a 3 ma 

(AM-1) trandtter nas tested for the first time and the first model of a 

miniaum-pms8ure snitoh was provided to aotivate the automatic ballart valve. 

The equipnt train for this flight is illustrated in Figure 9. 

I 

Figure 9: Train, Flight 12 

Measummentr in the hangar prior to -lease indicated that lift losses 

from leakage and diffusionwere about 200 grams per hour, and in addition 
to the automtBtiC ballast valve system, a fkOd-flW needle Val- -8 6et 

to diroharge ballast slightly b8XOOS8 Of the expoCed lOS8. Both EyStsoa6 

failed to keep the balloon afloat, and (L rlor deroent from it8 maximum altitude of 14,000 feet MSL rerulted. 

uar not reached, and this is believed to be due to mixing of the air with 

the lifting gas during rising. 

no proteoting skirt or valve to keep out air. 

rupture with an internal pressure of 0.017 psi, some form of skirt or external appendix was suggested for future flights. 

'Ihe expeoted altitude of 38,000 feet 

The bottom of the balloon WSLE open with 

Since the thin fabrio would 

Fbdio reoeption with the 3 mo transmitter was exoellent and far surpassed the performance of either the 72 ma or 394 mc tranmitters which were 

also floun. 

Because of the low elevation angle of the trandtter, the single SCR-658 

radio direction-finding equipmntwas not of muoh use for positioning, 

Tracking by aircraft was satisfactory throughout the flight. 
Flight8 13, 14, 15, 16 and 20: 

pr5mary purpose the testing of extarnal balloon appendices to prevent excessive dilution of the lifting gas with air. 

%he balloons' asoent and caused the cell to burst at3 it beoams full, 

unsatisfactory models tried are seen in Figure 10, as well as the skirt 

Mado in September, 1947, they had as their 

Q1 three of these flights the loose polyethylene tubes twisted shut during "he 

Figure 10 

stiffened with external battens which was developed on Flight 20'and used 

swcessfully thereafter. 

On most of these fli&ts, radio diraction-finding equipment (SCR-658) 

was used, as well as theodolite and aircraft for tracking and positioning 

the balloons, A system of air reconnairsance and ground recovery ~RLS developed using a radio-equipped jeep to move cross-country at .the direction 

of the airoraft obsemer. Several satisfactory recovery missions =re made 

on these and later flights using this technique. 

-16- 
Flight 17: Released from Alamogordo, New hxico, 1647 YIST, September 9, 1947 

Reawered at Croft, Kansas 

On this flight the first balloon nrade of .004n polyethylene was lamahed. 

Ihe altitude controls were a fixed-flow needle valve 

at 100 grams per hour and an automatia ballast ralw aativated by a minimmapressure switch. 

This flight reached floating level shortly before sunset, and the 

balloon took on superheat whiah was lost when the 8un went dome 

cooling necessitated the rapid disbharge of ballart C nuint8in buoyanoy. 

The operation of the automatic ballast valve at this time was satisfactory 

and restored the balloon to a floating l’evel within one hour. Following 

restoration a satisfactory floating prlrformanae was indiaated for as long 

as radio contact was maintained (Figure 11). Ihe need for a balloon-borne 

orifiae riet to leak 

!his 

.... . 

Figure 11% Height-time curve, Flight 17 

barograph was demonstrated by this flight.whioh traveled more than 500 

milee from the release point. 

-1 7- 
Flight 258 Released fran Alamogordo, New hxico, 0918 MST, September 12, 1947 

Not recovered 

A 5-2000 neoprene balloon was enoased with a nylon shroud and rovided 

with a mlw to permit gas to escape after a small superpressure (+. of 

water) was exceeded. 

1" 

The balloon in its shroud is shown in Figum 12. 

Figure 12: Neoprene balloan encased in B nylon shroud 

If a "superpressure" balloon is used, much lesl ballast is required since, 

during minor oscillations, the reduction of buoyancy will not cause the balloan to descend as long as the remaining buoyancy is equal to or greater than 

the load rrupported. 

This balloon, and three similar ones (Flights 38, 66, 871, failed to achieve 

any constancy of altitude. All four failed during the rising period or soon 

afbr the shroud became full. 

to romtom elastioity.) 

(The balloons were heated prior to release 
Flight8 29 through 39: They were made from Almogordo, New Mexico during 

aovember and December, 1947 to test ballast oontrols and to develop a 

launching technique satisfaotory for high winds. !he period of data reaaption by radio was too short in all of these flights to permit much eralwtion of the altitude controls. 

mateoroyaph was added to the train to reaord flight pressure; of 11 balloons 

released, only theme three wre not recovered. 

On three flights (33, 36 and 39) a Ferguscnm 

On seven fliats the pressure signals reoeived by radiosonde were lost 

while the balloon was still rising; Flight 38 was a shrouded neoprene 

balloon which burst as it became fulls and Flight 39 was a polyethylene 

balloonwhioh burst at or near its ceiling folldng a very rapid rise. 

(-is was the first balloon to burst using a short external appendix with 

stiffener s . ) 

On the .other kro flights (30 and 35) a very short period of level flight 

was recorded before the balloon-borne radio transmitter passed out of range. 

Besides these two, several other .Wl" polyethylene balloons probably 

were maintained at constant or near-constant levels for several hours, as 

oan be seen from their points of recovery (Figure 13). 

seen descending 18 hours after release. 

One balloon was 

Figure 13 

On Flights 29 through 33 only a fixed ballast leakwas used, set for 

flows of from 300 to 600 grams per hour. 

ballast controls. 

the balloons aloft, there was no cIear evidenoe as to what amount would be 

needed for most efficient operation. 

metering was indicated in this series of flights. 

Other fllghbr used automatic 

Although these fixed leaks seernee: to be sufficient to keep 

"he need for a system of ballast 

-19- 
Flight 41s Beleaeed from Indimtown Gap Military Reservation, Pennsylvania, 

Not roo overed 

0956 EST, February 16, 1948 

The balloon was of .001" polyethylene and had a fixed-leak ballast 

control set to provide a oonstant flow of 650 grams per hour. 

objeotiw of this flight was to test airoraft reception from a balloonborne transmitter. 

oeive oloar signals from the tranrmitter at leaat 150 dies away *om 

it and wre able to home in oh the signal by using the radio compass. 

was a questionable tone of about a 15-mile radius beneath the balloon, 

and it is probable that this represented a cone of silence from the vertioal antenna. 

10,000 feet. 

Ihe principle 

Using RDF equipment, two B-17 planes ware able to reThere 

The balloon was near 40,000 feet With the planes at about 

On later flights, using a frequenoy of 1746 ko, reaeption range nas exBy flying tended to over 400 miles and no oone of silence was encounter6d. 

along the bearing indicated by the oompess until it abruptly reverses, 

the position of the balloon may be determined. 

the presence of the balloon overhead. 

Visual observations oonfirmed 

On service flights made from this same base during this week, two new 

pieoes of flight gear were added to the train. 

010th parachute, mounted upside down in the line to senre as a drag, acting 

against Bxcessive rates of rise. When mounted above the cloth identification 

banner, thi8ohnte also act8 to minimize sway and lateral oscillation of the 

equipment . 

Zhe first of the88 was a 

The second unit was a new type of hestructioa devioe--a pressure-activated 

mechanism by which a large hole is ripped in the balloon upon descent into 

the lanes of' air traffic. 

mitted to fall freely for a few feet,jerking a length of line through the 

ballom side. 

load line, and the ruptured balloon acts 8s a parachute to lower the gear 

to the ground at about 1000 feet per minute. 

In this device (Figure 14) the equipment is perAfter this fill, the equipment again is oarried by the main 

-20- 
Figure 14: Rip-out line in place cm balloon 

-21- 
F1ie;bt 45 throue 51: 

ml" polyethylene balloons and fixed-leak ballast cantrole. 

of these flights were recovered. 

In April, 1948 a nmber of flights were made using 

Only four 

The landing points of these are shuwn in 

Figure 15 

Little is knm positively about the floating levels since radiosonde 

data was not obtained on most flights, and no barographs were available. 

Three reoeiving stations at Alsmogordo, Romll and Carlsbad, New Mexioo were 

used to position the balloon with radio direction-finding equipment. By assuming a floating level corresponding to the load, sevedflight patterns 

were derived. No aircraft tracking was provided to check these oamputed 

trajeo torie 8 . 

-22- 
Ch these flight8 fixed ballart leaks of from 260 to 600 gnmr per hour 

were used. 

through needle wl-8 whioh had been in use previously. 

reduoed the posribility of ologging. 

41- with a modified T-69 (400 mo) radioronde transmitter. 

obtained on this flight were not sati8faotory, but later test proved 

The80 lerks u'ero protided through rouud orifioer rather than 

'&is bnpromment 

On Flight 43 the first model of UI 011-d-oyole presruro modulator was 

The result8 

8UOO088fUl. 

The train seen h Figure 16 is typioal of those flown during this period. 

Note the presenoe of the devioe to rip the balloon when dewending into 

air lanes and lhus speed up itr fall. 

Payload - 

Fbmchute .-b 

ckifi ce 

Banner 

Ballast 

f 

7 

B 

01 

Flight 16: Train, typical OF those flown in April, 1948 

-23- 
Flight 52: Released from Alamogordo, New bxico, 0958 MST, April 23, 1948 

Recovered at Galseburg, Kansas 

On this flight a .001" polyethylene balloon carried the first model of 

the Lange Barograph and an improved Olland-cycle pressure modulator to give 

improved radiosonde pressure data. !he signal from the radiosonde was lost 

soon after the release, but the barograph was recovered and the altitude 

record is shown in Figure 17. It will be seen that the balloon rose h> a 

HqgMbme Gyve 

fLt GHT 52 

April=-iw 0350 M.S.T 

I 

Released at AIarnogordoNM. i 

, I Recovered at Galesbug,,Kons. ! 

Figure 17 

pressure such that the barograph pen passed off the chart, and several hours 

of flight were not recorded. 

firstlong-period confirmation of the expected behavior of a balloon controlled by a constant ballast 1081. The flow in .this case was set for about 

250 grams per hour, and the altitude change was about 400 feet per hour. 

This rise of "ceiling" is somewhat larger than predicted and heightened 

the interest in obtaining temperature measuroments 80 that the buoyancy behavior could be more exactly determined. 

The slowly rising ceiling seen here was the 

-24- 
Three other points of interest may be seen on this barotmoer (1) The 

two vary pronounced step effeots found on the rising portion of the flight 

at about 625 mb and 480 mb oorrespmd to rtable layers 5n the atmosphere as 

8een from the El Paso radiosonde rounding taken at 0800 MST (Figure 18). 

Figurq 18 

(2) The clock of the barograph stopped after being exposed about 10 hours 

at cold temperature. 

tions are seen on the pressure record. 

is no variation in the foroes of the balloon system exoept the constantly 

decreasing weight of ballast and the monotonio loss of lifting gas, and 

these osoillations must, theliefore, be attributed to some fomin the atmosphere. 

(3) During the floating period many small oscillaBeglecting superheat changes, there 

-25- 
Flights 54, 56 and 60: On these three flights, made in April and May, 1948, 

fixed-leak ballast losses were used to keep a .001" polyethylene balloon 

aloft, but no barograph reoord of pressure is available, 

points (Figure 19) and the radiosonde dab whioh waa reoeived it is believed 

that the ballast flows of about 300 grams per hour were adequate, 

From the descent 

Figure 19 

On both Flights 56 and 60 a very light load was lifted, a;nd the floating 

level in each case was over 60,000 feet MSL. 

in both cases, and a reversal from Westerlies to Easterlies was experienced 

Light winds were encountered 

-26- 
near the floating level on Flight 60. 

elevation, the balloon passed from Westerlies (below) to Easterlies (above) 

with the result that the balloon wfis still visible from the launching site 

(Alamogordo, New Mexico) at sunset, 14; hours after released. 

reported seeing the balloon desoend 35 hours after release. 

piith a relatively slight change in 

The finder 

Sinae the ballast fluwing to maintain buoyancy would have been exhausted 

in only 5 hours, this flight provide4 the first evidence that such a balloon in the stratosphere maintains buo-pncy much longer than at lower levels. 

The two factors which contribute to this are the heat added to the helium 

by adiabatic compression when descending and the aimirdrPled diffusion of 

lifting gas at a low pressure. 

On Flights 56 and 60, a three-station network was set up to receive 

pressure signals on radio direc tion-finding (SCR-658) equipment. 

addition, theodolites were used for severalburs in each case, 

In 

-2 7- 
Flight 55: Released frm Alamogordo, New bxioo, 1907 MST, hy 3, 1948 

Recovered at Kortheast, Pennsylvania 

On this flightra barograph ma flown, and a satisfaotory Olland-oycls 

pressure modulator was also used for over 5 hours to give height data. 

length of time of signalmaeption is significant, shoe the battery box 

of the transmitter was not insulated, and there was no heat to be gained 

from the sun during this nighttime flight. 

was obsemed descending 22 hours later after travelicg m0-q than 1500 miles. 

The 

The .001" polyethylene balloon 

me altitude oontrol used on this flight was an automatic ballast valve, 

activated by a minimum-pressure mitoh, and as evidenced by the barogram 

in F'igure 20 (12-hour rotation), the balloon maintained its altitude for over 

Time-MST 

NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 55 

Automatic Ballast Valve 

Barograph Record Of G.M. 20 Ft. Balloon With 

RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, N.M., 1907 MST- 3 MAY, 1948 

RECOVERED AT NORTHEAST, PA., 4 MAY, 1948 

DURATION 23 HOURS 

Figure 20 

15 hours before beginning its acoelerating desoent. 

cord, marked oscillations are observed at three points. 

of automatic ballast oontrols which might cause oscillatory motion, these 

rises and falls must be attributed to atmospheric disturbances shoe the 

magnitude of the forces required to produce suoh accelerations is far 

greater than any which could be supplied by the control equipment. 

On this flight reDespite the presence 

-28- 
A oheclc against the trajectory and end point of the balloon Pli&t was 

made by a group of graduate students of mbtsorologY at New York University. 

By constmcting constanbpressure maps from the appropriate radiosonde data, 

the expected trajectory was computed assuming the balloon would move with 

the geostrophic wind. The result8 of this comparison (Figure 21) show that 

the balloon tends to move aorosr the isobars tonard lower pressure. 

Figure 21 

-29- 
Flight 58: Released from blamogordo, New Mexico, 2033 MST, May 10, 1948 

Reoovered at Val D'Or, Quebec 

A .001" polyethylene balloon was the vehiole on this flight oarrying a 

barograph as well as an early model of the Olland-oyole pressure modulator. 

!his flight was released at night with a fixed ballast flow of about 300 

&om the barogram t Figure 22) (12-hour rotation) it appears that the oriftoe did not permit 

sufficient (if any) flow to maintain buoyanoy during the first several 

hours (perhaps the orifioe was clogged or frozen). 

33,000 feet at 8Ulri-ea floating level was maintained with 4 kilograms of 

ballast available. Ihe full flow rats could not have been maintained much 

more thaa the 11 hours during whioh the balloon was at this pressure. 

rams pr hour expeoted to keep the balloon afloat. 

After a dement to about 

Time- M.S.T 

NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 58 

Barograph Record Of G.M. 20 ft. Plastic Balloon With 

300 gm/hr Fixed Ballast Leak 

RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, N.M. - 2033 MST, 10 MAY, 1948 

RECOVERED AT VAL D'OR, QUEBEC, CANADA-24 MAY.1948 

ESTIMATED DURATION- 24 1/2 ha. 

Figure 22 

On this flight, oscillations 5.n the pressure reoord were seen. With 

no control system which could cause such behavior, they must be attributed 

to atmospheric motion. 

The descent point was compared with that expected from analyses of the 

pressure field. The results of a number of suoh analyses are shom in 

-30- 
Figure 23. As on Flight 55, the balloon appears to have moved aoross the 

isobars , toward lower pressure. 

Radio direction-finding tracking (SCR-658) was used during the first 

367 minutes of this flight. This was made possible by a strong output 

from the battery, indicating that no harmful effeots were experienced in 

the cold atmosphers despite the absence of solar radiation. 

measurements of' the temperature of fhe batteries was suggested by this 

The need for 

f 1 i gh t 

-51- 
Flight 63s Releared from Alamogordo, New kxico, 1116 l@T, lday 13, 1948 

Desoended at Alamogordo, New Mexiao 

On this flight a Seyfang hboratorior balloon, made of neoprene-ooaMd 

nylon, was flown with a mil- in the appendix rot to open after an internal 

prersure of 0.02 p6i was built up. 

loon ms flown with no valve but an appendix held dosed with a rubber 

bands it ruptured upon bsooming full. 

On an earlier flight (59) ruah a balBoa a constant ballast-flow orifioe and an autoanatio ballast oontrol 

uofd used to keep this balloon buoyant. 

surplur of buoyancy might have been aoquired when. 8uper~ressure war built 

up inside the 0011. 

aftor a short period of floating, and its descent wa~ not cheeked (Figure 24). 

In addition to the ballast, a 

Despite these controls, the ballom began to desaend 

Figure 24 

An analysis of the aaaeleratian whioh oould be gained from a loss of superheat indioated that if the coated fabric had absorbed radiation and gained 

SOoC Over the outside air, the superheat thus obtained would be so great 

that its suhsequent rapid 1088 (as by ventilation) could not be aompenssted 

for even with the brrllart fluwing at full rate. To improve the analysis 

of balloon flights, a measure of the temperature difference between lifting 

gas and air temperature nns suggested. 
Fliats 68 through 72: In July, 1948 this series of flights was made without 

ballast oontrols to determine the naturalbuoyanoy of the General Millr, Inc. 

20-foot .001" polyethylene balloons. 

barograph reoords wure obtained, one daytime flight (70) and one night flight 

(71). 

hours at the highest altitude reached. 

be noticed, preoeded and followed by a nearly oonstant fall. 

this step is not apparent, although a check has been made of the atmospheric 

struoture of that day. 

Of five such flights, only two good 

In both cases a nearly constant level was maintained for about four 

On the barogram of Flight 70 (Figure 26) a motion of arrested descent may 

!he cause of 

--- Time- MS.7: 

NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 70 

Showing 20' General Mills Balloon 

Psrforman.ce When No Ballast Was 

aEuAsm AT woLLoy*n AFD.ILY-JULY ~s40 

Dropped 

OSSS YST- RECOVERED AT KEllT,TEXAS 

Figure 25 

On Flight 71 marked oscillations are seen at the floe-ting level and also 

during the descent portion of the barogram (Figure 26). 

represent atmospherio motions since no controls of any sort were in use. 

There is no reason to believe that rapid changes in superheat occured, sinoe 

the floating level was far above the oloud level. 

at night and no sunshine was encountered. 

Clearly these must 

Also the flight was made 

Time- M.S.T. 

NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 71 

Barograph Record Of GM 20 FI Plastic Balloon Showing 

Balloon Performance When No Ballast Was Dropped. 

RELEASED AT ALAYOQORDO NU, 204L YSTLS JULY, 1.48 

RECOVERED AT VALENTINE TEXAS, 10 JULY. lS4a 

ESTIYATED DURATION 10 HOURS 

Figure 26 

-33- 
Flight 7s: Releamd fran Almogordo, New bxico, 1948 MST, July 14, 1948 

Reomred at Linooln National Forest, New Mexico 

The obdootivu of *is nighttime flight was to determine whether a 

fixod balla6t leak of 100 grams per hour would sustain a 20-f0ot, .O0lm 

polye4&ylena balloon at floating levels near 50,OOO feet. 

oyclo prouswe reoord (Figure 27) it appears that loss of buoyancy due to 

From the OllandFigure 27 

diffusion and leakage is more than this. Indeed, the balloon with this 

ballast flow did not remain at altitude as long as either Flight 70 and 

71 which were without altitude controls. 

-34- 
Flight 74: Released from Aleogordo, New Nexico, 1040 MST, July 19, 1948 

Not ret overed 

!This mas a test of a single 7-foot balloon made of .OOln polyethylene, 

carrying a 4-kilograrr! payload. 

of hn automatic ballast siphon used to detect and telemeter the amount of 

ballast being discharged through an automatic ballast valve. 

Onepart of the load was the first model 

The balloon flew at 7000 feet MSL across a heated desert area and into 

a moun);ain pas whose elevation was about 6000 feet PSL. During the first 

two hours its behavior was reported by radio, and the accompanying timeheight curve (Figure 28) shows haw the ballast valve operated successfully 

Figure 28 

to sustain the balloon. 

ballast were expendod per hour, but the pronounced orographic and convective 

currents probably necessitated more oontrol than would be required in a 

more stable e.tmosph8re 

During this turbulent flight about 200 grams of 

The very useful information about ballast flow was reported clearly, and 

the principle of the auto-8iphon was used repeatedly on later flights. 

variations are seen in the pressure at which the ballast flow began. 

the balloon was floating below the base of clouds, this represents the changes 

of activation pressure which resulted from changes of superheat 

entrapped in the aneroid. 

Small 

Since 

of the air 

-35- 
Flight 75: Released from Alamogordo, New Fsxico, 1010 HST, July 20, 1948 

Recovered at Hollister, California 

In order to reach higher altitudes than was possible when 20-foot plastic 

balloons were used, 8 'IO-fOOt, .001" polyethylene cell was fluwn on Flight 

75. To determine the duration of buoyancy of this type of balloon no controls were used. 

hours and successfully withstood the loss of superheat occasioned by at 

least two sunsets. 

the very rmrlced effect of superheat is apparent. 

Despite this, the balloon remained aloft for more than 60 

From the height-time curve of this flight (Figure 29) 

fUYlT 'IS-MROORAPII REGORD. 

Shommg Nduml Strklty Of 

td aY BALLOON-NO GONTMKI) 

-JULY 2 JULY 2- 

TI ME-MST 

Figure 29 

The record of the barograph was not complete since the clock stopped each 

night (clearly recording the lowest elevation reached, however) and ran 

down completely after 56 hours. 

Since the small external appendix with cardbosrd stiffeners WEIS not 

suitable for the large balloon, a new design with aluminum formed stiffeners 

(Figure $0) was Used. 

flights, and it is likely that the long duration of this flight may be attributed in part to satisfactory closing off of the aperture. 

This type of appendix closer worked well on later 

In addition to 

-36- 
aarintenance of the purity of the lifting gas, this balloon floated in a 

region of very low prossure, thus reducing the loss of buoyanoy by diffurion. 

t 

BATTENS OF .032"-17ST OR 24ST ALUMINUM, 

EOQES __ - COVEREO WITH YYSTIK TAPE. 3 BATTENS 

ItO* APART BENT IN FIELD TO FORM LIOHT 

CLOSURE Ob APPENDIX. 

Figure 30: Aluminum battens for balloon appendix 

A third factor contributing to the long flight was the heat gained by 

adiabatic compres8ion of the helium during descent. 

version of the stratosphere this adiabatic heating would add to the buoyancy 

by superheating the lifting gas. 

In the temperature inFrom this flight it becomes apparent that the control required to maintain 

buoyancy at high levels is much smaller than that at low levels. 

day, before Flight 75 had ended, a second 70-foot balloon was flam with 

standard automatic ballast controls, and this flight mas never recovered. 

s~lably the marked easterly flow then observed above 60,000 feet carried this 

second flight into the Pacific Ocean. 

On the next 

PreRadar, RDF and theodolite were used to track the balloon. 
Flight 78: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 2038 MST, July 22, 1948 

Not recovered 

This flight was the first to be made with (white) thermistors exposed inThe flight was at night and the balloon temperature was colder than 

side the .OOln polyethylene balloon, inside the battery box and exposed to 

the air, 

the air temperature by about 5% during the short period of th.e that the 

temperature valubs were telemetered. The standard SCR-658 reoeiver and 

Friet radiosonde ground station were used to record this data which was transmitted by a T-69 radiosonde. 

uaed to send ouf pressure data. 

A New York University AH-1 transmitter was 

An automatic ballast valve, activated by a mercury minimum-pressure switch, 

was used to control ballast flow but the cold temperature presumably caused 

the mercury to freeze and no ballast flow was evidenced. 

siphon was part of the equipment,) 

(A ballast-metering 

On subsequent flights, the minimm-pressure switch used en electrolite 

which can withstand the cold nighttime temperatures of the upper air. 

The evidence of the thernistor in the battery box is very encouraging, 

since after four hours of f1ie;ht the temperature remained above 10% . This 

was the first measurement obtained on the cooling of batterieg and indicated 

that no speoial cold teqmrature betteries were needed if insulation is carefdly made. The tenperature data and the height-tine cume of Flight 78 are 

ehuwn in Figure 81. 

Figure 31 

-30- 
Flight 79: Released from AlmOgOrdO, N~w Mexico, 1614 MST, July 25, 1948 

Recovered at AlEUnOgOrdO, New Mexico 

This was the third attenpt to use a coated nylon balloon, sealed off with 

a valve in the bottom. From Figure 32, the heighttime curve, it my be seen 

Figure 32 

that this balloon did not remain aloft very long but that a high degree of 

superheat was generated in the lifting gas, despite the aluminum coating 

of the balloon. 

operativqand as soon as the balloon lost its initial excess buoyancy (corresponding to the super-pressure maintained behind the safety valve) it descended. 

force equal to 5% of the gross load (52 kg) was acting to bring the balloon 

dm. 

over YOOC of superheat was lost by ventilation. 

The automatic ballast controls included in the flight equipment were inFrom the speed of the descent it was computed that an accelerating 

This force was in turn derived from the loss of lift encountered when 
Flight 80: Released at Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1126 MST, July 24, 1948 

Recovered at. Rihcon, Eew Mexico 

On this flight an automatic ballast valve aativated by a minilM;lm-pressure 

mitoh was used to support a .001", 20-foot polyethylene balloon. 

height-time curve (Figure 33) it may be seen that the balloon remained at its 

maxhum height for tuo hours, then began to dewend slowly. 

was in use, and no ballast flow was recorded until the balloon descended to 

about 30,000 feet. 

Frozen at the higher levels, or that the squib whioh the switeh oontrolled 

failed to detonate until a higher pressure was reached. 

From the 

A ballast laster 

It is likely that the mercury minimum-pressure witoh was 

Figure 33 

Follawing the activation of the aneroid capsule of the automatic balkst 

valve, Sallast was released in four separate blocks. 

ballast except the fowt!, the balloon was returned to the seal-off pressure 

of the aneroid with no change in this pressure (321 mb=28,500feet). The 

fourth ballast-flow period lasted until the balloon had risen to 330 mb(30,OOO 

feetland ballast cut off there. Since the sun had set between the third and 

With each flaw of 
fourth ballast-flow periods, this rise in "oeiling" is attributed to the 

cooling of the air entrapped in the aneroid of the .automatic ballast valve. 

This decrease of' pressure of 21 mb corresponds to a loss of 8% of superheat. 

In each of the four periods of ballast flow, there was enough unnecessary 

ballast lost to cause an overshoot en the balloon returned to its floating 

level. This exoess ballast was that used during the period when the balloon 

had begun to rise but was still below activation altitude of the automatia 

ballast valve. 

to such a control systen. 

The inefficient use of ballast was one of the major objections 

On t?.?is flight the ballast load of 3 kilograms was exhausted in only 

three hours, indicating a large loss of gas fromthis particular balloon. 

It is believed that the large initial acceleration provided by the rapid descent of the balloon caused the restoring foree, and the subsequent overshoot, to be very large, and the high ballast flow is probably much greater 

than was the loss of buoyancy on this flight. 

-41- 
Flight 81: Released from Alamogordo, New Nexico, 0548 BT, August 6, 1948 

Not reo.ove red 

The balloon flown on this flight was made of .W4" polyethylene, and it 

was eggplant shape about 20 feet in diameter and 25 feet long,. 

its kind, this balloon was made by Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Inc. 

The f'irst of 

Only a short period of radio reception was obtained, but during this time 

the balloon rose with predicted speed (500 feet per minute) nearly to its 

predicted altitude (40,000 feet) and floated within 1500 feet of the 37,000- 

foot level. Figure 34 is the height-time curve for this flight. 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

2 

i -Kl 

$ 

3 

I 

FLIGHT 81 

Released at Alamogordo,NM. 

Aug.6,1948 - 0548 M.S.T. 

OUAND CYCLE DATA 

OOOOYEM eMuoNwTH 

Figure 34 

Since the balloon did not descend far enough below its maximum altitude 

to activate the minimum-pressure switch and the automatic ballast valve, no 

ballast flow data was telemetered wnile the balloon was within the radio 

range. 

balloon. 

This indioates a very low rate of gas loss through the walls of this 

42- 
Flisht 82: Released from Alamogordo, New Xexico, 0515 ItIIST, August 10, 1948 

Reoovered at Romll, New ullexico 

This flight was made with a 2O-foot, .001" polyethylene balloon carrying 

a load to 54,000 feet and sustained by a fixed-leak orifice control, expending ballast at abcut 525 grams per hour. With 4500 grams of ballast aboard 

the balloon should have been increasingly buoyant for 8j$ hours after release. 

From the barogram (Figure 35) it may be seen that the "wiling" did rise, at 

0500 0600 0700 0800 0900 1000 1100 1200 1300 140 

1500 1600 I700 

limo-MST 

NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 82 

Barograph Record Of G.M. 20' Plastic Balloon With 

534 gm/hr Fixed Balldst Leak 

RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, N.M.- 0511 MST, 10 AUG 1948 

DESCENDED AT ROSWELL,N.M.- 1630 MST, 10 A08 1948 

DURATION- Ilt hrr 

Figure 35 

a rate of 700 feet per hour (525 gram of' ballast was lost each hour), lor 

about 7; hours, and then generally accelerating descent was experienced. 

On this flight, radio reception was maintained ?'or the entire air-borne 

period of 11 hours. 

fixed-leak orifice for altitude control b.~ ballast dropping. 

Flight 82 is a good example of flight using a single 

-43- 
Flight 85: Released at Alamogordo, New hxico, 1542 MST, August 17, 1948 

Not recovered 

1 

I 

The objeotive of this flight was to oarry a standard radiosonde to a 

high level; there it was to be released on a parachute and, at the moment 

of release, the batteries for the transmitter were to be activated. 

aocomplieh this a pressure-triggered switch was rigged on a .001", 20-foot 

polyethylene balloon. Below the baromitch a standard T-69 radiosonde was 

8upported with a parachute stuffed into a case also har,ging from the parent 

balloon (Figure 36). 

To 

Two plugs were set to keep the transmitter circuit 

t- BAROSWITCW 

CLOTH SACK 

~~~ 

Figure 36: Equipment train, Flight 85 

open until the baromitch fired the "cannon" whicn severed the supporting line. 

Then the circuit plugs were to be pulled from their stops, and the parachute 

was to be pulled from its sock, supporting the radiosor.de on its descent. 

The railure of this system to act may be attributed to the use or a squib 

to fire the line-cutter cannon. 

squibs work better) were made with a satisfactory release and activation of 

the "dropsonde." 

Subsequent tests at laver levels (where the 

-44- 
Flight 86: Released from Alamogordo, New bxico, 0941 MST, August 19, 1948 

Recovered at Valmont, New Mexico 

This was the fourth flight made with a single, 7-foot, .OOl" polyethylene 

balloon (Figure Y7), aarrying a light load to relaCively low altitudes. 

Figure 37: 7-Foot polyethylene ballom 

On Flight 74, the automatic ballast meter showed that a ballast flaw of ZOO 

grams per hour was required by an automatic ballast valve on such a balloon. 

Fli&t 84 was launched in August, 1948 with a low-altitude barograph and no 

altitude controls to ascertain how long such a balloon would stay up, Using 

radar and helicopter that balloon was tracked for nearly 2 hours at an altitude 

of 12,500 feet wit)? a load of 3 kilograms. It was still floating when lost. 

On Flight 86, a fixed ballast leak was used, set at 170 grams per hour. 

After an 

with a plane; a floating level of about 14,500 feet was maintained for 4 hours, 

with a rise of "wiling" of about 1200 feet per hour. 

early railure of the radiosonde transmitter, this balloon WRS follomd 

This balloon was observed during descent and was still distended, indicating 

that the lifting gas had been replaced by air both before and during descent. 

-45- 
Flight 88: Released from Alamogordo, Hew Mexieo, 1241 MST, August 25, 1948 

Reoovered at Lovington, Texa1 

This flight was planned to measure the diffusion and leakage of lifting 

gas through a ZO-foot, .001" polyethylene balloon at 40,000 feet. A fixedleak orifice was set to flow at 100 grams per hour, and an automatic ballast 

valve wa1 inoluded to supply more ballast as demanded. This automatic valve 

brake on release, and the flow of 100 gram8 per hour was not suffioient to 

keep the balloon and equipment up. 

Temperature dab on this flight -8 obtained from thermistors inside the 

These data and the heightDuring the period rrom 1400 to 1530 when 

balloon, inside the battery and in the free air. 

time curve are shown in Figure 38. 

Figure 38 

the balloon was slowly descending, the temperature of the gas increased with 

respect to the free air temperature, and a differential of 15% was recorded 

at 1530. 

presumably by ventilation. 

after four hours aloft. 

With subsequent, more rapid descent, this differential was reduced, 

The batter- box temperature remained above lOOC 

-46- 
Flight 89: Released from Alamogordo, Xew Mexico, 1005 MST, August 26, 1948 

N o t rec overed 

On this flight a .001*, 20-foot polyethylene balloon was used to carry 

a ballast meter to about 45,000 feet to detennine the ballast requirements 

at that altitude, using an automatic ballast valve. No record of ballast 

flow was telemetered during this flight, but it is not known whether the 

ballast meter was inoperative or the ballast valve itself failed-possibly 

due to failure of a squib to detonate at the combined low pressure and cold 

temperatures aloft. 

was in a near floating condition for about five hours aftermaching its maximum altitude. 

of 400 grams per hour would have been required if the ballast was used 

during this period. 

From the height-time curve, Figure 39, it will be noted that the balloon 

‘be total weight available on this flight was 2 kg, so a loss 

From Flights 70 and 71 we know that a balloon has remined for about four 

hours at slightly higher altitudes with no ballast flaw to support it; Flight 

89, therefore, is not necessarily an example of the action of the automati0 

ballast valve control. 

-47- 
Flight 903 Released from Alamogordo, Hew hbxico, 1502 MST, August 27, 1948 

Recovered at Romll, Kew Xexico 

The .OOln, 2Q-foot polyethylene balloon used on this flight was released 

in mid-afternoon to provide a test of the sunset effect on a ballom supported 

by the automatio ballast valve. 

From the height-time curve, Figure 40, it may be seen that the balloon 

had attained a floating altitude shortly before the sunset and that the 

action of the automatic ballast valve was sufficient to restore the buoyanoy 

Figure 40 

and cause the balloon toagain reach a floating condition. The difference between the two floating kels may be explained b:r a donsideration of the automatic ballast valve and the minimum-pressure mriteh which was used to seal 

off its aneroid capsule. 

the switch to seal off the valve before sunset, this action was accomplished 

Since the balloon had not fallen far enough to permit 

-48- 
during the sunset descent (caused when the superheated helium lost the SUII*E 

heating effeot). A further descent of 5 nib (500 feet at this level) was re= 

quimd to start the flow of ballast. By this tirne, the balloon had lost 

oonsiderable lift and in exchange had acquired a downward velocity of about 

120 feet per minute. To check this descent a ballast rlowwas required for 

about 40 minute8. 

back to the seal-off pressure of the automatic ballast valve. 

oiency of this valve system is demonstrated by the ballast which was lost 

after the balloon had regained its buoyancy and had begun to rise. 

ballast was wasted then me required to check the descent. 

entire 3000 grams available ma expended at this time, acaording to the evidence of the ballast meter. 

During the next hour the balloon wa6 buoyant and climbing 

%‘he ineffiMore 

Indeed, the 

On this flight there was no apparent change in the activation pressure of 

the automatic ballast aneroid between the times when ballast flow began and 

ended. 

ficant temperature change during the two hours of ballast operation. 

This indicates that the er;trapped air had not experienoed any aigni- 

-43- 
Flight 92: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexioo, 0911 MST, August 31, 1948 

Reoovered at Ft. Stockton, Texas 

On this flight an automatic ballast valve (with ballast meter) was used 

to support a 20-f'oot, .001" polyethylene balloon. 

operated properly for about six hours, and 3000 grams of ballast was ex= 

hausted soon after sunset. 

The automatic ballast valve 

In this case (Figure 41) the floating level of the 

TY-rp 

Figure 41 

balloon was not seriously affected by sunset as was the case in Flight 90, 

since the balloon had already descended to the abtivation level of the autometic ballast valve. 

stable flight during which time no ballast was released. 

scent represents the delay in operation caused by the activation of' the aneroid 

oapsule by a minimum-pressure swilxh, added to the lag of the aneroid itself. 

Following the initial activation at about 38,500 feet, small oscillations were 

introduced into the flight pattern by the action of the automatic ballast valve. 

This deecer-t followed about three hours of relatively 

"he 5000-foot deFlight 92 provides a good example of the control of a balloon's altitude 

The adulteration of the 

by the use of a pressure-set automatic ballast valve. 

is no tendency to rise to higher and higher levels. 

lifting gas with tlir reduces the buoyancy of the balloon, and through the 

ballest-valve control, the load is diminished to the same extent so that 

equilibrium is maintained at the activation pressure of the automatic b8.llaSt 

valve's aneroid. In this flight the altitude constancy achieved was the best 

of all flights made to date. For seven hours and 35 minutes this balloon was 

held within 1000 feet at 38,000 feet MSL. 

to a pressure difference of 10 millibars.) 

In such a flight there 

(At this altitude 1000 feet corresponds 

-50- 
!l%e runret effect resulted in a rise of about SO0 feet (5 mb) in 

the floating level of the balloon at 1850 MST. 

ohange in the effeotive seal-off pressure of the aneroid capsule of the autormtio ballast valve which was the tonsequence of a decrease in the temperature 

of the trapped air inside. The rise in altitude experienoed oorresponds to 

a deorease of temperature of about 6OC, the superheat of the aneroid, which 

was lost at sunset. !Ms valve may be oompared with the 30% found on 

Flight 10. 

the equipment was polished aluminum, with a highly refleotive surface. 

lhis seems to be due to a 

On the earlier flight a blaok valve was used while tx~ this flight 
Flight 93: Released from Alamogordo, New hxico, 0712 MST, September 1, 1948 

Recovered at Neuva6 Carae Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico 

This daytime flight with a 2O-foot, .00lW polyethylene balloon went up 

rith defective ballast control63 oonsequently the flight'6 main value is in 

ohowing the natural stability of such a balloon without any altitude controll6 As with Flight 88, which went to about the same height (40,000 feet), 

this balloon remained at a near-floating level for less than two hours 

(Figure 42). 

the four-hour duration at 50,000 feet shown on Flight 70 and 71. 

the effect of reduced pressure on diffusion of the lifting gas is a major 

faator contributing to the longer floating period at the lower pressure. 

It is interesting to compare this duration at 40,000 feet with 

Probabl? 

tylIQ1 

Figure 42 

-52- 
Flight 94: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1208 MST, September 3, 1948 

Reoovered At Villa kbumada, Chihuahua, Mexico 

On this flight, a fourth attempt was made to sustain a Seyfang, neopreneIn addition to 

ooated nylon balloon. 

equipment had been in operation, and 80 a omoful reoord of ballast flow on 

Flight 94 was desired. 

this and the barograph and Olland. pressure-measuring instrument8, a thennograph wns alro part of the equipment train. 

plus of this balloon (for the most part due to superpressure held behind 

On Flight 79, a previous Seyfang flight, no ballast 

This was provided by a ballast meter. 

The height-time curve (Figure 43) shows that the initial buoyancy surI 

1 

a/ \ 

Figure 43 

the safety valve) was reduced by diffusion so that after one hour of floating 

it began to descend at an accelerating rate. 

the automatic ballast valve began to operate, and ballast was discharged at 

the rate of 20 grams per minute. 

superheat which the balloon had acquired was reduced by ventilation. 

After falling about 2000 feet, 

During the descent, huwever, the strong 

The adiabatio lapse rate of helium is 2OC per kilometer, whereas air in 

the troposphere warms up aSout 6% with each kilomster of desoent. 

means that ~5th eaoh kilometer of fall, the lifting gas was cooled relative 

to the air by an additional 4OC. The combination of inertia, loss of superheat through ventilation, and adiabatio cooling of the gas as it was compressed, proved too great for the limited flow of ballast through the autamatic yalve, and the balloon fell unchecked to the ground. 

Thia 

From Flight 79, it was cetermined that superheat of nearly 40% is built 

up when Seyfang balloons are flown in the sunshine. 

buoyanoy of the balloon would be reduced by one-sixth, and no satisfactory 

control could be achieved by baalast droppicg. 

If this were lost, the 

-53- 
Flight 96% Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0733 MST, September 8, 1948 

Not reo ove red 

On Flight 96 a .O0lw, 20-foot polyethylene balloon was used to carry a 

ballast meter to abbut 45,000 feet to determine the flow required at that 

altitude using an automatic ballast valve. xo record of ballast flow was 

talemetered during this flight, but it is not huwn whether the meter was 

inoperative, or the valw itself failed--possibly due to failure of a squib 

to detonate at the oombined low pressure and eold temperature aloft. 

From the height-time eurve, Figure 44, it will be noted that the balloon 

was in a near-floating eonditfon for about four hours when the transmitter 

Figure 44 

signal gave out. 

flight obtained ms due to the natural buoyancy of the balloon or the action 

of the automatic ballast valve. 

There is no way of telling whether the constant-level 

-54- 
Flight 97: Released from Blamogordo, New bxioo, 0856 MST, September 10, 1948 

Recovered at Duncan, Oklahoma 

On this flight a .001", 20-foot polyethylene balloon was used to test a 

new type of ballast .control. In this system, ballast flow was excited at any 

altitude if the balloon desoended at a rate equal to or greater than 1 millibar in five minutes. 

!Che buoyancy record and the Olland-oyole pressure data obtained from this 

flight show a disagreement of &bout 10,000 feet (Figure 45). No explanation 

has been provided for this differenoe and the following evidence has been 

eonsidered. 

with the Olland-cycle radiosonde data. 

extremely slowly and may have taken in air to dilute the lifting gas. 

event, the floating level night easily have been reduced by 10,000 feet. 

The predicted floetine level was about 45,000 feet, in agreement 

On the other hand, the balloon rose 

In this 

Figure 45 

Once at the floeting level, however, the balloon was maintained within 

1000 feet (or 1200 feet) of a constant level for over four hours. 

dicated that the control system was in operation since previous flights 

(88 and 93) at this altitude descended after about two hours of fliehtwithout ballast. 

This in- 

-56- 
Flight 98: Released from Red Bank, New Jersey, 0948 EST, October 28, 1948 

Not recovered 

On Flight 98 a 20-foot, .0Oln polyethylene balloon was used to test 

radio reception usfng a new model of the Olland-cycle modulator and a T-69 

radiosonde transmitter 

and azimuth angles a8 well as the pressure altitude recorded by RDF (SCR-658) 

equipment. 2he trajectory of this flight (Figure 46), reconstruoted from the 

data received at the Bound station, indicates that the balloon was more than 

Three receiving stations were used, with elevation 

Figure 46 

175 miles *om the Nantuoket station at the time the signal wis first received. 'his reception is much greater than may be expected from most 

-56- 
SCR-658 ground setswhen the 2-69 transmitter is used. 

were not very strong, and there was only an interrupted record of the pressure 

heiot. From the height-time curve (Figure 47) it will be seen that a threeto four-hour period of floating was recorded, at an altitude near 60,000 feet 

MSL. 

(70 and 71) at this level when no control apparatus was included. 

Ihe signals obtained 

This is in good agreement with the results obtained from earlier flight8 

m (LST.) 

Figure 47 

-57- 
Flight 102: Released Prom Red Bank, New Jersey, 1023 EST, December 9, 1948 

Not recovered 

Flight 102 was the first test given to a 30-foot, .001" polyethylene balloon manufactured by General Mills, Inc.; with this balloon a 30-kilogram payload was swcessfully lifted to 58,000 feet. A oornbination rate-of-asoent 

switch and displaoement switoh was used to control ballast flow, but no record 

of ballast was made since the ballast meter was broken at launching. 

Flight data was received by three ground stations, and the signal from the 

AM-1 transmitter (with about 10 pounds of batteries) was received for about 

400 miles. 

transmitted by the AM-1 (M .Y .U) transmitter under daytime conditions. 

trajectory of this flight is Figure 48. 

This was a good test of the distance to which a signal may be 

The 

-i - . . __ 

~RAJECTORV - FLI~HT 101 

RELCASLD AT RID BANK, N i 

DEc. 9-194R- 1323EST 

-. - - - 

Figure 48 

In the height-time ourve (Figure 49) it is interesting to note the cieecent 

which began shortly before sunset. 

fall wa8 being checked by ballast flow. 

There is reason to believe that this 

The normal descent after a balloon 

-58- 
begins Do fall is aocelersting, while on this flight aoceleration is evident. 

With a loss of lOOC superheat, and a limited flow (900 gram8 per hours), it 

would require two hours of flow to restore the buoyancy of the balloon. 

This is a demonstration that more rapid compensation is required. 

rm 

Figure 49 

-59- 
Flight 103 through 111: 

1949 from Alamogordo, Nem blexico to test the aotion of the oombined ballast 

controls (displacement snitoh and rate-of-ascent switch) . were rtationed at Alamogordo; at Miami, Oklahoma and at h8hvil10, Tennessee; 

airoraft were used both te reoeive the signal and also to tmok and poeiticm 

the balloon by the use of the radio compass. 

These flightsmre released in January and February, 

Receiving units 

For the first time on these flights, a program witch was used to permit 

a single trandtfer to tnndt three temperature signals as wll as brllastflow data and pressure informatian. 

drta for short intern18 of temperature data, all of this information was 

telenwtered with the AH-1 (N.Y.U.) frmsmitter. 

By interrupting the pressure and ballast 

Airoraft roooption of 5uO miles was reported on these Plights, but ground 

reception was limited to about 250 miles, perhaps due to mountains surrounding 

the receiving station. 

No significant data was obtained on four of these flights, and on two 

more the principal objective of the flight was defeated by the excessive gas 

loss from the balloons. 

From the height-tine oumes of Flights 103 and 107 (Figures 5D and 52) 

may be seen that even with constaot ballast flow (at 2400 grams per hour) 

r I I I 

TIME-MET 

Figure 50 

-60- 
Figure 51 

the balloon continued to descend. 

the ascent portion of the flight indicates that the controls were operative, 

but there was no test of efficiency since on-off' operation was never perIn both cases the token ballast flow on 

mitted. 

The temperature data of these flights is in generally good agreement with 

that seen earlier with the balloon gas being warmed by the sun to acquire 

a superheat of 100 to 20W. 

-61- 
Flight 106: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1015 WT, hbruary4,1949 

Recovered at Mountain View, Oklahoma 

On Flight 103 a B-17 airplane was used to follow the balloon, homing in 

on the signal from the AM=l transmitter with the radio compass. Ihere were 

fen clouds over the first section of the balloon's path, and very exact 

positioning was obtainable. 

and no cone of silence was found when the plane passed beneath the balloon. 

Ihe fixes indicated on the trajectory (Figure 62) show how exactly the path 

of the balloon may be determined when tracked in such a manner. 

The compass needle reversed almost immediately, 

I -i I 

Figure 52 

-62- 
Plight 104: Released from Alamogordo, New bbxioo, 1123 MST, Feburary 5, 1949 

Recovered at Hale Center, Tsxsr 

On this flight a r8b)lrire floating level u~r achiewd by the dropping of 

weight from the U)-foot, .001' polyethylene balloon. 

aurve (Figure 53) ae 01- from 36,000 foot YISL to 47,000 MSL can be seen. 

A time dock war mod te atart the rapid flow of ballart after about one hour 

reremoir it80lf mi releared to caure the final rire of the balloon. 

From the height-time 

at the fk6t 10-1. FOllOWhg a0 O-Urti- Of 811 brlhst, the ballast 

By the we of' thir tootmiquo. afmosfierio runpling of my kind may be 

conducted with two or more 1evels rampled on 8inglo flight. Hitfiout using 

any control to mep the balloon conrtantly at a given altitudo for a long 

the, the sampling rfeps &odd not be expeated to be muoh longer than one 

hour apieoe . 

Figure 53 
Flight 106: Released fran Alamogordo, New bxioo, 0657 MST, February 8, 1949 

Roomered at Ellemore, Kansas 

=is was the first flight to olearly demonstrate the efficien& aotion 

of a ooabination ballart control--displaoement dtoh and rate-of-asoent 

mitoh-en a 20-foot, .001" polyethylene balloon. 

and ballast-flow reoord (Figure 54), it will be seen that the ballast oontrol war operating at 41,000 feet MSL during the period of radio reoeption 

from Alamogordo, Nan Mexioo. 

up the signal, all of the ballast had been exhausted and the balloon was 

filling. 

load of 600 grants to be exhausted in less than five hours. (Average used in 

first two hours ma 1700 grams per hour.) 

From the height-tine oxarm 

By the time the seoond reoeiving station pioked 

On this flight a high loss of lifting gas oaused the total ballast 

II I 1 I I I 4 I FLIGHT 106 

Rrlrarrd at Alamo9ordqN.M. 

DALLAST fLOW-SUCr Fob.8.1949- 0651 YST I O~LAI QYOLC DATA 

- 

IIyL-ylt 

Figure 54 

The dement point of this balloon was compared with that predioted fran a 

study of .the atmospheric pressure patterns at floating level. 

strophio flow, member8 of a graduate olass in meteorology at Nem York 

Assuming geo- 

-64 
uniwrsity oomputed the points of desoent men in Figure 5s. As in the oases 

of Flights 55 and 58, the balloon appears to have moved aoross the isobar8 

toward lower pressure. 

L 

Figure 55 

-65- 
Flight 1101 Released frcnn Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0649 WT, February 11, 1949 

Rboovered at Kershaw, South Carolina 

This flight had as its main objeotives the testing of a Winten Research 

Inc. .OOISw, -foot polyethylene balloon, and further testing of the oonibination ballast control-=displacement switch and rate-of-ascent switoh. 

the initial ascent of this flight, a slaw descent resulted from loss of 

lifting gas. 

pressure where ballast flow was begun. 

indioate the satisfactory nature of this Winzen Researoh Ino. balloon. 

ballast ~ltarted, the valve stuck and a constant flow at 1800 grams per hour 

followed. 

pattern for a balloon whose load is being steadily decreased at a rate in 

exoess of the loss of buoyanoy. 

Following 

Three hours were required for a descent of 2000 feet to the 

'his and the general flight pattern 

After 

The rising ceiling seen in Figure 56 is the typical flight 

Figure 56 

On this flight all three of the receiving stations positioned along the 

expected path were able to moeive and moord the pressure and balbet sip 

nal. lo temperature equipment was flown. 
A omparison of the point of desoent predicted from geortrophio flow 

and that aofually observed nas made by members of a graduate olass of 

meteorology at New York University (Figure 57). Using M airplane fix 

Figure 57 

made during the flight the aotual trajeotory seems to have oeen well to the 

north of the "oenter of gravity" of predioted points of desoent, and %he 

aotual flight path we~s oonsiderably longer than that predioted. 

pressure pattern at the eastern end of the flight was antioyolonic, this 

seems to be in aooordanoe with the idea of super-geostrophic flm associated 

with antioyolonic systems. 

was made, the balloon apparently moved across the isobars toward lower 

pressure . 

Since the 

As in all the earlier cases where such a study 

-67- 
- Index 

(All references are to flight numberr. The number of the flight on which a 

partioular instrurment or prinoiple waq first demonstrated is underlined. 

For example, airborne radio direction finding was first used on Flight 41.) 

Adiabatio temperature changes, 60, 75, 

94 

Airborne radio ;irectian4'inding, 41, 

Airoraft traoking, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13- 

Air flow 

103, 110 

20, 86, 103 

deformation of, over mountaln 

geostrophio , compared with balloon 

Altitude sensitivity, 52, 02, 86, 110 

Appendices (external) on polpthylene 

range, 11 

b-ajectories, 55, 58, 106, 110 

ball 0 on 8 

first use of, 13 

need for, demoii&ated, 12 

stiffened with cardboad, 20, 39 

stiffened with mstal, - PS 

Arrays of rubber balloon8 

cluster, 7 

linear, 5 

Atmospherio oscillations, 10, 52, 55, 

Automatio ballast valve 

68, 63, 71 

effect of superheat on, 10, 74, 80, 

92 

first activated by minimum-pressure 

miteh, 12 

first use oP; 5 

sunset effect Tn, 80, 90, 92 

typical flight with, 92 

Mlla st meter 

need for, demonstrated, 29-39 

UEO of, 74, 78, 80, 86, 89, 90, 92 

94, 96;'lOZ 

Ballast requiremen to 

with .001", 7*-diametsc plywith .001", 80'-dirmater polyothylens b8lhOn8, 74 

ethylene ballOOn8, 54, 66, 60, 

80, 92, 106 

Ballast requfcsmentr (oonf'd.) 

with .OO8., lSt4iwbr polyBthyAene 

with Seyfatqg kllocm, 94 

ballom, 11 

Balloon8 

flrghts using other than polyethylene 

neoprene-ooatad nylon (Seyfang) , 

rubEr, 5, 7 

shrouded rubber (Dewey and AW), 

23 38, 66, 87 

fl i,e+us ing polyethylene 

.00lW,7'-diameter, 74 

.001" ,20' -diameter,m 

.00lW,70'-diameter, % 

.00lW,3Ot-diamster, 102 

.004" ,2O'-diameter, 17 

.008" ,15'-di~meter , 

59, 63, 79, 94 

- 

Barograph 

longest record af, 75 

need for-, demonstrated, 17, 29, 30, 32 

use of (Fergusson), 33, 35, 39 

use of new model (Lange), - 52 

Buoyancy 

ohmgee in, due to sunset, 75, 90 

natural 

SeyPang balloms in pe troposphere, 79 

7 ' diameter polye thy>ene balloons 

in the troposphere, 86 

20t-diameter polyethylene balloons 

in the stratofiphere, 60, 96 

2Ot-di~ter polyethylene balloons 

in the troposphere, 70, 71, 88, 

93, 98 

in the stratosphere, 75 

70 9 -d iamb ter pol ye thylene ba 11 oons 

Combination control (rate of ascent ballast 

twitch with displacement switch) 

first use of, 102 

typical flightxtk, 106 

Ccmtrols 

first use of 

automatic ballast valve, 5 - 

68 
Controls, first use of (oont’d.) 

fixed needle-valve ballast leak& 

fixed orifioe ballast leak, g 

minimum-pressure mitoh with automath ballast valve, 12 

rate-of-asoent ballast Zteh, 97 

rate-ofascent ballast awitoh 

oombined with dirplaoement 

mitch, 102 

ruperpressure, 23 

lifter balloons, 7 

rolid balla8t. 5, 7 

- 

- 

superpresssure, g, 38, 59, 6S, 66, 

79, 87, 94 

typioal flight with 

automtia ballrot ~81~0, QZ 

fixed ballast leak, 82 

rate-of-asoent ballast rriteh 

oaaabined with displaoemt 

dtoh, 

Deformation of air flow over mountain 

range, 11 

Destruotion devioe 

first use of , 10 

first use of nZi design (ri -out 

principle), 4l, (Fig. 167 

Derrey and Almy, rhrouded rubber 

balloons, 23, 38, 66, 87 

b’Op8~d0, 85 

Easterly winds at high 1evel8, 60, 75 

Fixed-leak ballast control 

first use of, 11 

typical flight’-i;ith, 82 

Flight patterns, typioal 

with polyethylene balloons and 

automatia balla8t-vcLlVO oontrol , 92 

with polyethylene balloani and auto 

nvrtio ballsrt-valve aontrol 

thru a ~unset, 90, 92 

with polyethylene balloons and 

fixed flW Of ballast, 82 

(3eosbpphio air flow, aompared with 

balloon trajectories, 55, 58, 106, 110 

Lange barograph 

first use of, 52 

longest reoord of, 75 

Lifter balloons fox altitude oontrol, 5, 7 

Moteorograph, Fergusson, - 33, SS, 39 

Minimum-presssure switch 

failures due to freecing of, 78, 80 

first use of, 12 

need for, damonstrafed, 11 

Olland-ayola pX’O88W modulator, uee of, 

- 43, 52, 55, 58, 75, 97, 98 

Osoillationm in the atmosphere, lo., 52, 

65, 58, 63, 71 

Polyethylene ball oons 

7*-dirmster, 2, 76, 

30cdi.meter, 102 

15*-diameter , 2Oc-diamster, n, 17 

70*-diamCer, - 

84, 86 

Pnt s sum-measuring instrra~ents 

barograph, 

Ian@ barograph, 62 

Olland-ayolr moduKtor, 2, 52, 55, 58, 

73, 97, 98 

Prograra suitah, use of, 10s 

Radar traokbg, 75, 86 

Radio direotion-finding 

airborne, 2, 103, 110 
Badio direotim-finding (oont'd.) 

SCR-658, 12, 15-20, 56, 58, 60, 75, 

78, 81, 98 

Rate of rise, exoessive, 15, 14, 16,39 

Rubber balloons, 5, 7 

Seyf'ang, neoprene-coated nylon balSolid ballast for altitude control, 

loons, - 59, 63, 79, 94 

5, 7 

*king (oont'd.) 

thedoliM, 7, 11, 13-20, 56, 60, 

7s 

lWect=ies, 11, 55, 58, 103, 106, 110 

Trananitters 

5- (-1) 

first use of, 12 

longest reoeptGn distance with, 102 

longest reception tb rpith, 92 

flrst use of, 12, 

longest reosptG distanoe with, 82 

longest reoeption ti- with, 82 

397 m~ (T-69) 

Stepwise pattern of floating, 104 Typical flight patterns, Flight patternrr, 

Sunset off ec t 

92 

typical 

on automatio ballast valve, 80, 90, 

on buoyancy, 5, 75, 90 

Superheat 

effect on automatic ballast valve, 

effect on buoyancy, 75, 79 

10, 74, 80, 92 

effect on Seyfangballoon, E, 65, 

79, 94 

Superpressure balloons 

Dewey and Almg, shrouded rubber, 

Se-ng, neoprene-coated nylon, 

23, 58, 66, 87 

- 59, 65, 79, 94 

Temperature measurements, need for 

shown, 58, 63, 73, 78, 88, 103, 

106, 107 

Theodolite observation, - 5, 7, 11, 13- 

20, 56, 60, 75 

Trao king 

103 

aircraft, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13-20, 86, 

radar, 86, 75 

radio direction-finding 

airborne, 41, 103, 110 

SCR-658, 1Z;- 13-20, 56, 58, 60, 

75, 78, 81, 98 


TECHNICAL REPORT No* 1 

Balloon Group, Constant Level Balloon Pro jeot 

New York University 

Covering the period #ov. 1, 1946 to Jan. 1, 1948 

CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOON 

Research Division, Project No. 93 

Prepared in Accordance with Provisions of Contraqt 

Watson Laboratories, Red Bank, New Jersey 

W28-099-ac-241, between 

and 

New York University 

Prepared by: Charles B. Moore, James R. Smith, and 

Seymour Goldstein 

Approved by: larles S. Schneider, Project Director 

and 

Prof. Athelstan F. Spilhaus 

Director of Research 

Research Division, College of Engineering, New York University. 

April 1, 1948 

New York 63, New York 
Page 

Section 1 . Section 2 . 

Introduction to Problem ................................. 1 

Method of Attaok ............................... o.oooooo.1 

A . Balloons.. .......................................... 1 

B . Altitude Controls ................................... 6 

C . 

D . 

E . 

Altitude I)L)te.i.tion ....................... o.ooooo10 

Horizontal Position Dete.ination ................... 13 

Flight Termination Control .......................... 14 

Seotim 3 . Theoretical Relationships and .............. 15 

bltitude-Density Relationships ...................... 15 

Load-Diameter-Maximum Altitude Relationships ........ 16 

Balloon Diameter-Weight hlationships ............... 18 

A . 

B . 

C . 

D . Rate of .se ....................................... *18 

E . Ballast .quir.ents ................................ 19 

F . Internal P.ssure ................................... 20 

Section.&Flight Teohniques ......................................... 22 

A . Inflation ........................................... 22 

B . .lease ............................................. 23 

C . .oo.ry ............................................ 26 

Seotion 5 . ni&t S.afy .......................................... 26 

Section 6 . Section 7 . Appendix 

Current Objecti.08 ...................................... 32 

1 . 

2 . Correspondence ....................................... 37 

3 . 

Flight Summary Data ................................. 36 

Flight forms and tables ........................... *.47 

Seotion 8 . Referenoe Notes ......................................... 61 
List of Figurer 

Following Page 

Fig . 1 . Plastio Balloon for Constant Level Bslloon Projeot ........ ?ig . 2 . Thin. teardrop. polyethylene balloon..............^...... S 

Fig . 3 . General Mills tnenty-foot balloon ......................... 5 

Fig . 4 . Ten-fcct appendix attaohed to a General Mills balloon ..... 

4 

5 

Fig . 5 . Two-foot appendix. stiffened. shown on a General Mills 

balloon ................................................... 6 

Fig . 6 . General Mills twenty-foot balloon in flight ............... 5 

Fig . 7 . Idealized time-altitude ourves far vardous balloon 

oontrol s.te. ........................................... 7 

Fig . 8 . Manual ballast valve ...................................... 7 

Fig . 9 . 7 

7 

7 

7 

Components of Manual Ballast release assembly............. 

Fig . 10 . Manual ballast release assembly ........................... Fig . 11 . Automatie ballast ~alve ................................... Fig . 12 . Automatio ballast valve. showing loaded diaphragm ......... Fig . 13 . Automatic ballast valve ................................... 7 

Fig . 14 . Minimum Prersure 6.it.h ................................... 8 

Fig . 16 . Ballast reservoir ......................................... 10 

Fig . 16 . Ballast relemse asaembly .................................. 10 

Fig . 17 . Compbte ballert release assembly......... ................ 10 

Fig . 18 Coverage of probable balloon paths with four-station . SCR-668 net ............................................... 12 

Fig . 19 Buoyanoy VI . altitude for various diameter balloonr 

(helium) .................................................. 17 

Fig . 20 Buoyandy VIBO altitude for .various diameter balloons 

(hydrogen) ................................................ 17 

Fig . 21 . Caloulated net lift for Gemorb1 Mills Ino., balloons ...... 18 
Fig. 22. 

Fig. 23 

Fig 24 

Fig 26 0 

Fig 26 

Fig . 27 

Fig 28 

Fig . 29 

Fig 30 

Fie 31 

Fig 32 0 

Fig . Rb 

Fig . 34 

Fig 35 0 

Fig 36 . Fig . 37 . Fig 38 

Fig 39 0 

Fig 40 

Fig 41 

Fig 4% 

Fig 43 0 

Fig 44 

Fig 45 0 

Fig . 48 . Fir 47 0 

List of Figures (oont'd) 

Following Page 

Polyethylene balloon .ights .......................... 18 

Balloon weights for various fabrio weight8 ............ 18 

Free lift of balloons 7s . rate of rise ................ 19 

General Milla twenty-foot balloon billowing in a 6- 

hot *rindom ........................................... 23 

Heavy elliptioal shot bag ............................. 23 

Aluminum *oennonw in position ......................... 24 

Plan view of balloon launahing layout ................. 26 

Balloon shapes during 1aunch.g ....................... 26 

General Mills trrenty-foot balloon in Plight . . . . 26 

APPENDIX I 

Train Assembly. flight 5. (meteorologioal oluster) .... 36 

Trajectory. flight 5 .................................. 36 

Height-time curve. flight 5 ........................... 36 

Trajeotory. Plight 6 .................................. 36 

Height-time ourve. flight 6 ........................... 56 

Train assembly. flight 7. (meteorologioal oluster) ..... 36 

Trajeotory. flight 7 .................................. 36 

Height-time curve. flight 7.0. ........................ 36 

Train . ssembly. flight 8. (General Mills Cluster) ..... 36 

Trejsotory. flight 8 .................................. 36 

Height-time curve. flight 8 ........................... 36 

Train assembly. flight 10 ............................. 56 

Height-time ourve . flight 10 .......................... 36 

Train assembly. flight 11. ............................ 36 

Trajectory and height-time curve. Plight 11 ........... 56 

Train a8sembly. flight 12 ............................. 56 

- Height-tho ourve. Plight 12 ........................... 36 
List of Figures (cont'd) 

Fig;. 48. 

Fig . 49 

Fig 50 . Fig . 51 

Fig . 52 . Fig . 63 . Fig 54 0 

Fig 55 . Fig 56 . Fig . 57 0 

Po llowing Page 

Height-time aurves. flights 13. 14. 16. and 23 .... 36 

Height-time curve. flight 15 ...................... 36 

Height-time curve. flight 20 ...................... 36 

Eeight-time curve. flight 24 ...................... 36 

Height-time curve . flight 27 ...................... 36 

Height-time curvg, flights 29. 30 end 32 .......... 36 

Height-time CurvUS. flights 33. 34. 35 and 36 ...... 36 

Height-time ourve8, flights 37. 36 and 39 .......... 36 

Trs2ectory. flight 17 ............................. 36 

Height-time curve. flight 17 ...................... 36 
List of Table8 

- Pegs 

1. Prcpertier of F'abrior ured for bRllcOn nmnufacture. .......... 3 

IV. Buoymcy per Pound Mol of Gas....o.........em.............e..16 

VII. Summary of Flight Datae......e.............o......e.~..mo.m..Append~ I 

Following 

Page 36 
'ZE BULOON PROJECT TECHNICAL REPORT 

Section 1. Introduction to Problem 

On 1 November 1946, the Research Division of the College of 

Engineering of New York University entered into Contract No. W28-099-ac-241 

with Watson Laboratories, Air Uteriel Command. Under this contract, the 

University was commissioned to design, develop and fly constant-level 

balloons to carry instruments to altitudes from 10 to 20 km, adjustable at 

2 Inn intervals. 

The following performance was specified: 

a. Altitude shall be maintained within 500 meters 

b. Duration of constant-level flight to be initially 6 to 8 hours 

minimum; eventually 48 hours 

The accuracy of pressure observations shall be comparable to that 

obiAiinable with the standard Army radiosonde (' - 3 to 5 mb) 

C. 

Monthly reports have been submitted to describe the progress of the 

project, hmver, much data and details of technical nature were given only 

in a qualitative way. 

report and to review at the same time the total achievement of this phase of 

It is intended to collect these data in this technical 

the project. 

Section 2. Method of Attack ~ ~ 

A. Balloons 

A survey was made of previous attempts to produce a constant-level 

1 balloon; such as, the experiments by Meisinger with rnanned balloons, the 

shrouded meteorological balloon developed by Dewey and Almy2, the Japanese 

balloon bombs3, and the clusters of meteorological balloons which have been 

used in cosmic ray investigations by Compton, Korff and others 4 

-1- 
10, 16, 16 Fran it appeared that this survey and a study of aerostatics, 

a non-extensible balloon is highly desirable due to the vertical stability 

exhibited when such a balloon is full of the lifting gas: A non-extensible 

balloon with'no diffusion or leakage through the walls, which could withstand 

a high internal pressure, would automatically remain at the density where 

the buoyancy of the full bal-loon equaled the load. 

devices are needed to offset the lealcage and diffusion of the lifting gas 

and to correct for the motion of the balloon due to diurnal changes of 

the balloonfs temperature and to correct for vertical wind currents in the 

atmosphere. It was decided to use a plastio aa the balloon fabric, since 

available plastios have suitable characteristics, and are also relatively 

inexpensive as compared to coated fabrics. 

In practice, control 

The desirable properties to be considered in the selection of a 

plastic balloon material ares 

a. Ease of fabrication 

b. High tear resistance 

C. Light weight 

d. High tensile strength 

e. Chemical stability 

f . Low permeability 

g. Low brittle temperature 

h. 

Table I is apuditative-characteristics catalog of the film and 

High transparency to heat radietion 

fabrics investigated. 

because of the great varietions of a given property with choice of samples 

and test methods. From this study, polyethylene, nylon, saran, and neoprene 

The data in the table are presented as approxinations 

-2- 
eoated nylon ieem to be most generally satisractory. 

and balloon fabrioation ccrnpanies were contacted in an attempt to secure 

f abrioator 8. 

Eighteen plastics 

Table I 

Fabrio 

Polyethylene 

Saran 

Vinyl ite 

Teflon 

Ethocellulose 

Pliof ilm 

Nylon or silk 

fabric coated 

with: 

1, Neoprene 

2. Butyl 

rubber 

LOW Temp. 

Properties 

Good 

Fair 

Good 

Very paor 

Believed 

good 

Good 

Poor 

Fair 

GoOd 

Permeability 

Medium 

LOW 

LOW 

Medium 

LOW 

Very 

high 

Hi& 

LOW 

LOW 

Tensile 

strength 

Lcm 

High 

High 

Medium 

High 

LOW 

Poor 

High 

High 

Ease of 

Tear Fabrica- Stability to 

Resistance tion Ultraviolet 

Good Good Good 

Poor mix Fair 

LOW Good Good 

Good Good Good 

Good Cannot be Good 

fadrioated 

mir Good Good 

Fair Good Poor 

Fair 

Fair 

Fki ir 

Fair 

FBir 

Good 

8. Folyethylene zhnknown - 

4. Saran Unhown -0 

-3 - 
Table XI shows the balloons which have begn purchased from those 

manufacturers who expressed an intereet in the problem. 

Table I1 

Film type, thickness, 

Company diameter, shape 

Ha A. Smith a004 Polyethylene 

Coatings, Inca 3 feet diameter 

spherical 

Ha A. Smith .008 Polyethylene 

Coatings, Inc. 15 feet diameter 

spheric a1 

HiAa Smith . 004 € o 1 ye th ylene 

Coatings, Inca 15 feet diameter 

spher i c al 

General Mills,Inc. .001 Polyethylene 

7 feet diameter 

Teardrop . General Mills,Inc. .001 Polyethylene 

20 feet diameter 

Teardrop . DsrsYkAlmy A spherical nylon 

Chemioal 00. cloth shroud around 

a neoprene balloon. 

Special Unit Delivered 

Features - Cost to date 

Proto- $150 .OO 4 

.type 

LOU $530 .OO 5 

Permeability 

Low $530 .OO 5 

Permeability 

Stressed $20.00 25 

tape type 

seam 

Stressed $125.00 47 

tape type 

seam 

#339.00 2 

Table I1 is based upon final or modified orders in those caees where 

the rapid progress of flight technique rendered certain feakres obsolete 

before the balloons on order were delivered. 

Figure 1 shows the spherical balloon as originallydesiped. This 

type of balloon was made of .OW and .008 inch, heat-sealed, polyethylene. 

It had several good characteristics, such as very low leakage, but the method 

of load attachment furnished by H.A. Smith, Inc., was not satisfactory. 

the six balloons of thks type which were used, two ripped free from the shroud 

lines during launching. 

Of 

-4- 
5pherica/ dalfoon 

I 5 'Diame ter. 

Ealloon with riyfiny 

.9 eyelets in reinforced 

seams for attaching bridle 

be OUI '"f baNoor's epuat 01. 

to ba//oon at 30* 

_- IBluncr of flat Film 

cemenkd together to 

make sphere. 

PLASTIC BALLOON 

foR CONSTANT LCVLL BA,LLOON PROJECT AT NYU 

APRIL 27, 1947 

SCILt : 1'- 3'0'' 

FIG. I 
Figures 2 and 3 show the tear-drop cell of the streerred tape 

design developed by General Mills, Inc. 

butt-welded, with scotch tape laid along the seem to reinforce the seal and 

to carry and distribute the load. 

ring at the bottom, actually support the load. 

The film is .001 inch polyethylene, 

These strips, which converge to the load 

The overloading of a Osneral Mill8 20-foot balloon on Flight 12 at 

Lakehurst kept the lmer end of tb balloon open during ascent. 

ceiling was greatly reduced by the resulting 

air. On later flights an unsuccessful attempt to minimize this mixing 

was made, using a 10-foot external appendix passing through the shroud 

lines. 

causing the balloon to burst at pressure-altitude. 

a 10-foot appendix outside the shroud lines also failed in actual flight. 

Figure 4 shows this appendix construction on a General M 11s balloon which 

is being inflated. The final style is shown in Figures 5 and 6. It consists of a 2-foot external appendix stiffened with cardboard battens. 

This is taped on the outside of the load ring. 

valve which excludes air during ascent but allows the extra heliumto 

valve freely when the balloon is full. 

whenever the rate of rise exceeds 600 feet per minute. For optimum balloon 

performance, it has been determined that: 1) the equipment load for the 

Gemral Mills 20-foot balloon should be held tinder 30 pounds; 2) rateof 

rise should be less than 900 feet per minute; and 3) for maximum altitudes 

an external appendix is needed; hence the limiting rate of rise is about 

600 feet per minute in this case. 

!he 

dilution of the helium with 

This appendix fouled in the rigging and twisted completely shut, 

A modificationwith 

It serves as a one-way 

No external appendix can be used 

Several experimental flights have been made using shrouded Dewey 

and Almy neoprene balloons, as well as small and large experimental cells in 

-5- 
Figure 2 

Teardrop, .001" polyethylene 

balloon, 20 foot in diameter, 

designed by General Mills, Inc. 
Figure 3 

Twenty ft. balloon, showing 

burn-out petch in place. 

Figure 5 

Two foot appendix, stiffened, shown on a General 

Kills ballon. The swollen inflation tube indicates 

that the balloon is being filled. 
Figure 6 

flight with 2 foot stiffened appendix. 

General Xills 20 foot balloon in 
various cluster arrangements. None of thecie have been too satisfactory 

but further investigationrill be made in the field of shrouded or ooated 

films . 

B. Altitude Controls 

Given a balloon capable of carrying the instruments to a desired 

altitude (the theory and computations involved are discussed in Seotion 3), 

there remains the problem of maintaining the cell at a constant level. The 

buoyancy of a gas-filled cell will deorease as the gas leaks or diffuses 

through the balloon wall. To hold an absolutely omstant altitude, the 

volume of lifting gas entrapped must be maintained in an atmosphere of 

unvarying horizontal density, with no change in the total weight supported 

by the balloon and with no fluctuations of the temperature of the gas with 

respect to the air. 

be achieved through the use of liquified hydrogen, which would be permitted 

to evaporate at a rate in excess of gas leakage. 

required to control this evaporation rate appears to be prohibitive. 

The best approximation to these conditions may possibly 

The weight of equipment 

Liquid 

hydrogen, also, is not safe to handle. 

Two practical methods of keeping a balloon at nominally constant 

altitude have been devised, both using the liquid ballast dropping technique. 

(Solid ballast, such as sand, does not flow well and is liable to absorb 

moisture which will freeze at the temperatures experienced at high altitudes. 

Although a few preliminary flights mre made with desiccated sand, a highly 

refined water-free kerosene-type petroleum product,compass fluid,was found 

to be more satisfactory), 

In the simpler control system, ballast is dropped at a pre-determined 

rate, aimed to slightly exceed the loss of lift of the balloon due to leakage 

and diffusion. If this method is successfully used, the balloon stays full 

because the remaining gas in the balloon has less load to supporti therefore, 

-6- 
the balloon can rise elorvly until the ballom is again full and the 

equilibriwn is again reached between the buoyancy and the load. 

General Mills 20-foot balloon, for example, diffusion losses equal about 

300 grams per houri the balloon at its ceiling of 50,000 feet, with a 

30-pound Fayload, risea about 900 feetwith each kilogram of ballast 

dropped. 

technique, will float at a ceiling.which rises at the rate of about 360 

feet per hour. 

curve of Fig. 7., neglecting the oscillation shown at sunset. 

In tb 

This means that a balloon, using the simple ballast-dropping 

An iddalited flight of this type is shown in the Bolid 

The "manual ballast valve" which was developed for this simple 

oontrol system is shuwn in Fig. 8, 

balloon release to allcrw any predetermined flaw of compass fluid up to 

2000 grams per hour. 

with this valve are shown in Figures 9 and 10. 

1) a slowly rising ceiling oan be tolerated, and 2) the flight does not 

have to go through a sunset while at its ceiling. 

This valve can be adjusted prior to 

The filter housing and ballast reservoir used 

This method is good where 

For eoonomy of ballast, hence longer flight duration, it is desirable 

to keep the constant flaw as close as possible to +he total loss of buoyancy 

resulting from diffusion and leakage. This means that whenever rapid loss 

of buoyancy oocurs, due to changes in solar radiation, the manual ballast 

valve alone will not sustain theballoon. 

ooolsd, due to sunset or clouds cutting off ingolation (loss of superheat), 

the heavy loss will start the balloon downward and only a rapid expenditure 

of ballast will check its fall and restore its stability. 

When the balloon is suddenly 

The second type of ballast dropping control has been devised to 

operate on a demand basis, &en such a descent occurs. 

called the automatic ballast valve. 

pearance and desigp of this pressure-actuated needle ~81~8. 

This control is 

Figures 11, 12 and 13 show the ap- 

-7- 
I- 

. . -_ . - - . - - 

.- .. I , I 

LOCAL TIME 
NEEDLE 

AIR VENT-\ 

BALLAST DISCHARGE ’ 

TUBE 

MANUAL BALLAST VALVE 

FIG. 8 
Figure 9 

Fixed rate, manually operated 

ballast release assembly. 
li I 1 

I /I 


MOUNTING HOLE 

FOR SAFETY SWITCH 

BALLAST INLET TUBE 

NEEDLE VALVE 

(BALLAST COff TROr) 

BALLAST 

DISCHARGE TUBE 

9 DIAPHRAGM 

DEPRESSOR 

(FOR GROUND CHECK) 

D IAPH RAG M 

NORUALL Y OP€N TO 

A TMOSPMERE 

-SEALED AT MAX 

A1 TI WD€) 

FF RESTRAINING CORD 

PROTECTIVE CAP 

DIAPHRAGM SEAL-0 

MECHANISMSQUIB 

(F/R€O AT MAXIMUM 

A L T/TUD€) 

FIG. 13 

CANNON 

AUTOMATIC BALLAST VALC E 

M CIU - 19 JANUARY f948 - PfNCUS 
When the atmospheric pressure outside the diaphragm increaser to 

5 mb. above the internal pmssure, compass fluid will be discharged at 

the rate of 160 grams per minute under a 1-foot head. 

ballast valve is completely open (at 6.5 mb. pressure differential), 300 

grams per minute will flow. 

When theautomatic 

The automatically operated needle valve is held dosed by a loaded 

diaphragm until the balloon reaches altitude. This diaphragn is open to 

the atmosphere until the balloon descends from the minimum atmospheric 

pessure attained. At that the, an electrioal contact is nade, firing 

a squib which seals the diaphragm mechanically from any further access to 

the external air. Thereafter, the capsule contains a volume of air which 

has been trapped at the pressure and temperature existinget the time of 

operation of the sealing mitch. 'When the ambient pressure increases to 

the point where the entrapped air is compressed below this original volume, 

the diaphragm will withdraw the ballast control needle valve allowing 

ballast discharge to occurr 

Figure 14 shaws the minimum pllessure switch which makes the electrical 

contact at the time of seal-off. It consists of atrppped volume of air that 

is allowed to escape through a mercury pool as lang as the outside pressure 

is decreasing. 

drewn into the tube making the seal off contact between two electrodes. 

Ihe dimensions of the air chamber and capillary tubing are chosen so 

that during operation the change in the volume of the air would be less than 

one one-thousendth of the originel volume, 

electrodes (one under mercury, the other within the capillary tubing) was 

influenced by considerations of safety and sensitivityless than 6 mu., shaking during launching is likely to move the mercury 

A8 soon 88 the exterior pressure increases, mercury is 

fie distance between the two 

If the distance is 

-8- 
/;* 

/NYU BALLOON PROJECT 

M)NJMUM Fkmc5SURE SwrCH 

(M ERCURIALI 
sufficiently to oatme a short between the electrodes, firing the squib 

prematurely. If the distance is foo large, however, there N ill be too 

great a height difference between the the of minimum pressure and the 

time the eleatrodes are shorted. For instance, a spacing of 10 mm. would 

delay the firing of the squib until the pressure reached 13.3 mb. above 

the minimum pressure. 

(standard atmosphere) would be about 2300 feet. 

level flights, a less dense md lower freezing electrolyte for the minimum 

pressure switch will be needed to obtain the desired sensitivity of 2000 

feet. 

At an altitude of 50,000 feet, the equivalent height 

It is obvious that for high 

By adding the pressure-activated automatic ballast valve to the 

manual ballast valve, the complete pattern of the solid curfe in Figure 7 

may be achieved ideally. 

cannot be compensated for by the manual ballast valve. As soon as the sealoff pressure of the autaanatic ballast valve is exceeded by the atmospheric 

pressure, ballast flow is begun, which restores %he balloon to its ceiling. 

At sunset the rapid cooling omses descent which 

The dashed curve in Figure 7 shows the action of a balloon when the 

automatic ballast valve alone 

the balloon will sir& slowly from its ceXling (where full buoyancy just 

equals the load) to the level where the e.utomtic ballast valve drops 

ballast at a rate equal to the diffusion (the floor). 

that a flighk which is controlled in this manner is less wasteful of 

ballast and results in a correspondingly longer flight. 1he "floor" 

determined by this valve varies diurnally as tb temperature (hence pressure) 

of the air entrapped in the diaphragn is affected by solar radiation. 

amplitude of this diurnal oscillation may be as much as 6000 feet, the night 

level being higher than the day level. 

is used for control purposes. In this case 

It will be noted 

'I%s 

-9- 
To reduce the effect of varying fluid heads and a correspcmding 

variation in valve calibration, a ballast reservoir mounting was devised 

to limit the head values. This ballast reservoir, after several modifications, consists of a spun aluminum tank with filter, mounted on 18-inch 

legs. It is shown in Figure 15. The legs serve as supports for the other 

control units and a head of at least one foot is provided by tubing to the 

automatic ballast valve. 

five gallons. 

11 lhe capacity of the reservoir is approximately 

Figures 16 and 17 show the complete ballast releaee assembly. 

Che other system of altitude control may be mentioned. This is the 

method used by Korff and others4 to roughly approximate constant level 

flights for cosmic ray investi8ations. 

are inflated until they fill just support the flight load. A few other balloons 

are added to the train to give a free lift appropriate for the desired rate 

of rise (see Computations, Section 3). 

"lifter" balloons burst due to over-inflaticm, or are released by a pressure 

or time-activated mechanism. If the original balance was correct, and the 

effects of superheat and diffusion canoe1 each other, the duster of cells 

may float. when one or more of the balloons breaks, or leaks excessively, 

the train will descend. 

flights it proved to be useful only as 8 stop-gap method of carrying gear 

aloft for test purposes. 

to produce even a consistant flight pattern due to the uncertainty of properties 

and behavior of these inherently unstable balloons. 

A numberd meteorological balloons 

At some time after release these 

Although this method was used in early experimntal 

No modification of this basic technique seems likely 

C. Altitude Determination 

In order to evaluate the performance of the basic control 

apparatus, an investigation of pressure-measuring eqEipent and telemetering 

gear has been made. T124 problems of measuring upper-air conditions in general 
VENTBALLAST RESERVOIR 

FIG. 15 
RIGGING 

LINE 

MINIM 

PRESSURE 

BALLAST RELEASE ASSEMBLY 

FIG. 16 

my differ markedly from the problems of surface measurement. 

for any instrumemt used on a floating balloon, some consideration must be 

given to the effect of solar radiation on its behavior. As mentioned in 

the discussion of the automatic ballast valve, this effect is especially 

important in the action of any aneroid or other capsule which is not completely temperature compensated . within one parcel of air, rising and falling and moving sidewise as the 

air does, temperature extremes will result from radiation effects and lack 

of ventilation. We investigator has estimated that the temperatures to 

be experienced by such a body range from -6OOC after a night of radiation 

to a maximum of &O°C in direct sunlight. 

venting the undesirable results of this feature are: 

For example; 

Since the floating balloon will remain 

9 

Two ways of partially circum1. Temperature compensation of the pressure capsule for some pre-set 

pressure. 

A second method of reducing insolation effects is the use of 

highly reflective shields. 

5 %is canpensation is only complete at one pressure. 

2. 

The melhods of height detsrmination used so far are not completely 

Pressure-heights have been obtained by 72 mc. and 397 mc. 

Difficulties have 

satisfactory. 

radiosonde transmitters with long-life battery packs. 

been experienced in all long flights due to: 

1. 

2. 

Signals being lost due to excessive range or to power failure. 

Vhen the balloon begins to float and height oscillations result 

from the action of the automatic ballast valve, it is impossible 

to identify the radiosonde contact (hence the pressure) using the 

conventional baromitch of the Diamond-Hinman type radiosonde. 

These steps are now being taken to improve height measurements: 

1, The addition to the Slight ttah of a light-weight barograph, 
This could provide up to 40 hours of pressure-time data if 

recovered. At present, about 60 percent of the flights have 

been recovered. 

2. The adoption of a time-interval or Olland-cycle radiosonde 

system for telemetering pressure data. 

3. Expansion of the network of ground tracking stations equipped 

with SCR-658 direction finding sets to increase reception of 

data telemetered. Figure 18 shows the area to the east of 

Alamogordo, New bxico, and the probable boundaries of flight 

path6 following release from the Alamogordo Army Air Base. 

Table I11 shows the prevailing wind data on which these probable 

boundaries are based. Also shown in Figure 18 are the desirable 

locations for SCR-658 sets and the overlap of reception ranges 

which could be expected, using stations at Alamogordo, Roswell, 

New Mexico; Hobbs, E.b?ex; and Big Springs, Texas. 

El Paso 

Roswell 

Albuquerque 

Amar ill0 

Big Spring 

Abilene 

TABLE 1x1 

AVERbGE WIND INTENSITIES IN BFAUFORT SCAU 

AND 1 IM> DIHECTIOItS AT ELEVATIONS TO 10,000 

METERS FOR KOVENBER AND, DECEMBER 1944 AND 1945 

NOVEMBER 

Year Surface 1,500 M 3,000 bl 5,000 b! 

1944 M-3 NE-1 Visv-5 w-7 

1945 N-3 musw-a w a\-- 5 w-7 

1944 S-1 m-l w-4 -- 

1945 S-3 Wi-1 WNW-5 w-7 

1944 SE-3 -- w -3 W-6 

1945 N-3 -- WNW-5 W-8 

1944 SSW-4 w-4 wsvi-5 N-7 

1945 W-4 m-- 4 W-6 IW-9 

1944 -- wsv-4 vw-4 vi-7 

1945 -- m-3 W-6 wr%-7 

1944 -0 -- I- -- 

1945 -- 

- 

-- -- -- 

- 12 - 

DECEMBER 

Year Surface 1 , 500 M 

El Paso 1944 

1945 

Rome11 1944 

1945 

Albuquerque 1944 

1945 

Amarillo 1944 

1945 

Big Spring 1944 

1945 

- 

N-3 

NNE-3 

s -1 

SSE-3 

N-3 

N-3 

Nw-4 

m-3 

-.I 

NNE-1 

w-3 

hW-3 

m-2 

-0 

Nw-4 

w-2 

Nw-4 

wsw-3 

D. Trackine: Devices: Horizontal 

3,000 M 

w-2 

mJ110-6 

m-4 

WNW-5 

wNw-4 

NW-6 

7"-6 

m-5 

"-5 

W-6 

5,000 M 

NW-1 

W"J-6 

"i-6 

WNBY-8 

WETW-6 

WNW-6 

PJNW-9 

WJW-6 

m-7 

m-a 

10,000 M 

-- 

w-10 

WNW-9 

OPNW-8 

The flights made in the early part of this program were tracked 

optically with theodolites. Coupled with the height data, theodolite 

readings provide a fairly reliable horizontal locus of the balloon. 

even in the clear air of New %xico, this method is useful for 

However, 

not more than 

100 miles and, unless accurate height data are available, theodolite stations 

provide useful data for not mbre than 40 miles. 

Aircraft obsemtions have been used with some success when the ceiling 

of the balloon is not too great. It is expected that an inverted AN/AR-13 

radar, mounted atop a B-17, will greatly augment the horizontal tracking 

and will be of some value in determbing height. 

The most useful equipment for determining horizontal movement of the 

balloons has been the SCR-658 radio direotion finding set. Long after the 

vertical angles registered by this gear are questionable (due to reflections 

off intervening terrain), the horizontal angles are useable. Used in sets 

of two or more, or coupled with height data, fkese observations give good 

positianr with distances up to 150 miles. Mgure 18 shows the ccmerage a 

network of four of these sets would prcmide. In contrast to the theodolites 

and aircraft observations, these instruments are perfectly operative when 

- 13 - 
the balloon is not visible due to haze, cloud cover, etc. Ground radar 

has been used, .rrhen available, with fair results, particularly when radar 

targets are added to the flight train. 

E. Flight Termination Control 

Due to the size and weight of the balloons and the flight gear, 

the Civil Aeronautics Authority was advised oft he testing program. At a 

meeting in New York an 20 March 1947, the Mew York Air Space Sub-Cormnittee 

prescribed a procedure which was designed to minimize the hazard to air 

traffic. 

for flights made within tfie Fort korth Kegion of the CAB. 

respondence with the CM is included in the Appendix, Part 2. Owing to 

the slze of these cells, a very slow rate of descent should be expected 

after all ballast has been expended and the flight control devices have 

ceased to operate. 

equipment might take an hour or more to descend through the levels of 

air travel. Despite the extreme improbability of midair collision, it is 

obviously desirable to take all possible precautions against such mishap 

and current flights have the following safeguards: (1) Flights are released 

on days when cloud cmer is forecast to be light, thus permitting visual 

contact. (2) Notices to airmen are to be issued if the balloon is descending 

within designated regions of dense air traffic. (3) To reduce the time 

involved in a final descent, a special device called the "blowout patch" 

has beenctleveloped. 

side of the cell, on the equator. Sealed in with the squib, which is fired 

electrically when the cell descends below 20,000 feet, is a quantity of 

gunpowder and magnesium. When the squib is fired, the incendiary patch 

blows out, allowing a rapid escape of gas through the opening. 

Similarly, the Fort north Sub-Cammittde established a procedure 

Pertinent corThus a large balloon and several heavy pieces of 

This is an igniting squib which is fastened to the 

Since the 

- 14 - 
patch is on the equator, the cell does not collapse but serves as a 

parachute to prevent extremely rapid fall and damage to the instruments. 

Figure 3 shms this patch in position on a balloon. 

firings, a time switch hes been built into the circuit to prevent misfiring 

in launching. 

all future flights. 

Due to premture 

A rip device will be developed to replace the incendiary on 

Section 3. 'Iheoretioal Relationships and Computations 

A. A1 t itude-Density Relationships 

An investigation into the relationship between density of the 

atmosphere and altitude, with the seasonal and geographical variations 

experienced,was made. 

taken from the Konthly Weather Review, 1943 . 'Ihese basic data consisted 

'be basic data, mean aerological soundings, were 

6 

of observed temperatures, pressures, and humidities for altitudes from the 

surface up to the bursting height of balloons, normally 50,000 to 60,000 

feet. For altitude above this height, the highest. reported temperatures 

for the stations under consideration were used and the pressure data were 

taken for the remaining altitudes up to 100,000 feet, from the E.A.C.A. 

Standard Atmosphere . 7 

Density was expressed inversely in terms of pound molar volumes, 

as this relates volume in cubic feet to buoyancies of gases of varying 

purity, using fundamental data. 

volume of dry air at each altitude was computed in the following manner: 

Given: (1) The pound molar volume of any gas at standard 

Using the simple gas laws, the molar 

3 conditionsS559 ft. 

- 15 - 
(2) From the mean sounding data at 49,200 ft. (15 km.) 

mer Lakehurst, N.J. (Jan; 1943). 

Temperature =-59,5OC . Pressure = 120 mb. 

Temperature Pressure 

(standard) Temperature Pre s sure 

Molar volUrmf3 X (observed) x ( standard) 

(standard) (observed) 

= Molar volume at observed conditions. 

359 273.2 0 59.5 x l(XLE.3 2370 rt, 3 

273.2 

This is the mean pound molar volume at 15 km for Jan. 1943 over 

Lakehurst, N. J. This volume data was computed for levels up to 100,000 

ft. over several stations and my be found in Appendix 3, plotted on the 

left hand side of figures 19 and 20. 

B. Load-Diameter Maximum Altitude RelationshiDs 

Molar volume is related to buoyanoy in the following fashion. 

Using 98% hydrogen of molecular weight, 2L11 lb./mol. and dry air of 

moleoular weight 28.76 lb./mol., a buoyancy equal to the difference, 

26.65 lb/mol. (See Table IV) is available whenever one pound molecular 

weight of hydrogen displaces one pound molecular weight of dry air under 

the same conditions of temperature and pressure. 

Buoyancy per Pound-Idol . 24.6 #/=#mol , or 

11.1 kg/#mol 

Helium (98%) 

Hydrogen (9%) 26.€#/#mol, 01' 

12 b 1 kg/#mol 

- 16. - 
The number of mOl8 in a balloon volume may be readily computed 

by dividing the air density, expressed in molar volume, at a given 

altitude into the balloon volume. %he lift of the gas filling the 

balloon at any altitude is then equal to the number of mols multiplied 

by the buoyancy per mol. 

a completely inflated (hydrogen filled) balloon of 20-foot diameter, 

at an altitude where the pound molar volume is 1000 ftO3 (This is equivalent 

For example: To find the lift of the gas in 

to about 30,000 ft.): 

3 Volume of a 20-foot diameter sphere = 4190 ft . Number of mols in sphere at this altitude I - 4190 t 4.19 mole 

1000 

Buoyancy I 4.19 mols x 26.65 #buoyancy/mol - 111.7 # lift given by 

the gas at 30,000 feet. 

In one step, this becomes: 

Gross Liftballoon D (Balloon Volume) x (Difference in molecular weights - of 

air and lifting gas) 

Molar Volume at a given altitude 

Conversely, the maximum altitude to which a given size balloon will 

carry itself and a specified load can be determined, as a molar volume, which 

may be evaluated frm. a graph of altitude versus molar volume. Such graphs, 

computed as in Part A of this Section, are given in Figures 19 and 20, at 

the left hand edge. 

Hydrogen and helium lifts were computed for various molar volumes 

for spheres of lifting gas with diameters from 7.5 to 75 feet. 

and 20 were plotted using the values computed. 

determine the maximum altitude of a lballoon with a specified pay load, enter 

the table with required buoyancy (balloon weight plus payload). 

to the diagonal line representing the balloon's size, and then read horizontally 

Figures 19 

To use these figures to 

Go vertically 

on the left hand edge, either the molar volume or the equivalent altitude aver 

- 17 - 
-I 

sample stations. 

Kills balloons. 

Figure 21 shows the calculated net lift of the General 

C. Balloon Diameter-Weight %lationships 

To facilitate design discussions, charts have been drawn up 

relating the approximate weight of a balloon to its size and the unit 

weight of the balloon fabric. A ten percent increase is added to the 

weight over that determined from the surface area to account for seams 

and shroud lines. Figures 22 and 23 are these Charts. 

D. Bate of Rise 

It is important that the rate of rise of a balloon be neither 

too fast nor too slow. For example, if a General hills' 20-foot balloon 

rises faster than 900 feet per minute, there is danger of rupturing the 

balloon when pressure altitude is reached. On the other hand, if rates 

of rase under 400 feet per minute are chosen, since the free lift will 

be quite low, there is danger of: 1) a slight error in inflation resulting 

in the balloon's being unable to lift the equipment, or 2) with a wind much 

in excass of the rate of rise, the up-wind release failing due to the 

dragging of the equipment prior to its being lifted by the balloon. 

To compute the free lift neoessary for a given rate of rise, the 

4 equation developed by Korff is used. This equation is: 

where F L free lift in grams 

V z rate of rise in feet per minute 

G z gross lift in grams 

For our purposes, we wish to find F and have modified the equation 

to reads 

- 18 - 



= (A) (0 ) ' (Approximate) 

where G I gross load 

A chart, Figure 24, has beendrawn up, based on this equation, expressing free 

lift as a peroentage of gross load, allowing the rate of rise to be approximately 

predetermined . 

E . Ballast Requirement s 

The amount of ballaat which must be dropped through the mnual 

ballast valve to keep the balloon at ita ceiling, can be approximately 

determined by the following measurements: a balloon of similar size and 

construction is inflated and its loss of lift with time is measured with 

correction for variation of temperature. "his inflation is not complete, 

but is of the same magnitude as that of a balloon ready for release, 

approximately 14% of full inflation in the case of a Gmeral Mills balloon. 

The loss of lift per hour, multiplied by a factor representing the increase 

of the surface which results from total inflation, is thus obtained. This 

factor is the reciprocal of the fraction of inflation raised to the two-thirds 

power for a spherical balloon, and is appraximately the same for the tear-drop 

shaped General Mills balloons. 

Field experience has shown that ballast leak pre-set to slightly exceed 

the computed loss of lift is insufficient. 

computed loss of lift has usually been adequate. 

A ballast leak of double the 

It is believed that increased 

liquid viscosity and valve closure caused by the 'colder temperatures of the 

high atnosphere are responsible for the need for this higher ballast setting. 

An investigation into temperature effects on the ballast release systems has 

been started. 

Ihe amount of ballast which must be released et sunset to compensate 

for the loss of superheat, may be computed as folluwr; 

- 19 - 

AG I G x A2 x (1 + K) K 

T 

where AG t loss of lift 

G D gross load (balloon weight plus 

equipment load) 

AT mean temperature difference in 

lifting gas before and after sunset 

T P free air temperature 

K = specific gravity of lifting gas, 

relative to air 

The specific gravity of 9% helium, diluted with air, and with 

respect to air, is 0.157. It may be noted that with a lower specific 

gravity of a gas, lower ballast corrections are required. Hydrogen, for 

example, requires half the ballast which helium requires for the same 

temperature differential. 

be expected in the temperature of the lifting helium from day to night. 

At high altitudes, a difference of 4OoC may 

This would correspond to a loss of lift at sunset, on a General Mills 20- 

foot balloon, of about 550 grams. 

F. Internal Pressure 

The maximum internal pressure which can be held within a 

spherical container is given by Timoshenko8 : 

P t =u x t 

r 

where Su is the ultimate strength of the material 

in tension, t is thickness of the material and r is the radius of the spherical 

shape. 

General blills 20-foot balloons, Su at room temperature = 1900 psi., t = 0.001", 

and r = 10 ft., giving the maximum pressure, P s 0.032 psi. 

equivalent to about 1.1 inches of water, or 2.5 mb. This small bursting presApplying this equation to a polyethylene film, such as used in the 

This pressure is' 

sure necessitates proper inflation and load values to prevent the balloon's 

- 20 - 
bursting at pressure altitude. 

A series of forms which have been used to facilitate computations 

have been dram up. 

of altitudes based on the N.A.C.A. Standard Atmosphere‘, and other useful 

‘hey are included in Appendix 3, together with a table 

reference table 8. 

WLE V 

Glossary 

Equipment load: Weight of all equipment, rigging, and ballast hung from 

the balloon shrouds not including balloon or its integral 

parts. 

Gross load: 

Free lift: Net lift of the balloon with the equipment load attached. 

Load on the gas at release (Balloon plus equipment load weight). 

Gross lift: Lift of all of the gas in the balloon at release (Equals weight 

of the balloon, equipment load plus the free lift). 

Balloon inflation: Gas inflation to be given the balloon in terms of 

initial lift of the balloon (equals weight of equipment load plus free lift plus allowance for gas 

losses before launching). 

Floor: The locus of altitudes at which a balloon will float when lift 

losses are exactly compenscrted for on a demand basis by ballast 

dropping. In practice, this is determined bythe operation of 

the automatic ballast release and is some altitude below the oeiling. 

Ceiling: “he locus of pressure altitudes at which a non-extensible balloon 

will float when gas losses are slightly over-compensated for by 

ballast losses. 

Pressure Altitude: Ihe altitude at which a non-extensible balloon becomes 

fully inflated. 

- 21 - 
Pressure Height: The height above mean sea level as determined froea 

pressure measurements used in this work with the 

N.A.C.A. Standard Atmosphere. 

Section 4. night Techniques 

The general techniques of preparing and launching controlled altitude 

balloons are patterned after those of the smaller radiosonde balloons. The 

treatment of large, manned balloons has been studied, however, and information 

of considerable value has been gleaned; as from the Rational Geographic Sooiet;y 

11,12 

reports of the flights of Explorer I and Explorer I1 , and from the book 

13, 14, by Upson and Chandler”. Fran these and other studies 

experimentation with General Mills advice, a satisfactory technique of handling 

controlled-altitude balloons has been developed. 

and frm original 

A. Inflation 

The lifting gas used for these large balloons has been helium. 

The choice of gas was made on safety considerations. 

has several advantages over telium. 

Hydrogen, however, 

It will lift 9$ more than helium and, 

due to its lower specific gravity, requires but 5Oyo of the ballast release 

that helium requires to correot for disappearance of superheat at sunset. 

Helium, on the other hand, leaks and diffuses at a rate but 7% that of 

hydrogen. However, for long flights, hydrogen would probably have more 

over-all economy of ballast. 

Inflation has been made through a law-pressure, diffusing manifold, 

feeding from a nmber of helium tanks simultaneously to the balloon. The 

smaller balloons h8.m been inflated inside a,hangar, permitting very exact 

weigh-off of the balloon’s free lift, thus predetermining the rate of rise 

fairly well. The plastic balloons larger than 15 feet in diameter have 

generally been inflated out-of-doors, a8 no hangar large enough for interior 

- 22 - 
Mlation has been available, 

The 20-foot General Mills balloons are inflated through a tube 

in suah a fashion that the gas collects in a bubble at the top of the 

balloon. 

If this bubble is restricted, the wind cannot catch and make a sail of it. 

Ihe tube is inserted by the manufacturer and is shown in Figure 5. 

(See figure %for the rail effect.) The actual technique of inflation is as 

follows I 

In actual inflation the balloon is spread out on a ground cloth 

which cwers the launohing table and a balanoe. The balloon is 

arranged so the upper 18 feet projeots beyond the balance. Two 

heavy (80#) elliptical shot bags {see iigure 26) are covered with 

polyethylene and plaaed on top of the balloon on either side of the 

inflation tube. 

end of the balloon is weighed and tbn stretched out again don wind, 

held down with sand bags and polyethylene strips. A weight equal to 

the weight of the lawer half of the balloon, plus the equipment weight 

and the desired free lift is placed on the balance. 

started, taking care to get all twists out of the inflation tube 

before allowing full gas flow. When the balance beam falls, inflation is complete (care must be exercised to guard against underinflation due to wind moving the balloon on the balance). 

flatian tube is carefully removed, and the helium truck is moved clear. 

All personnel are now positioned for release. 

The platform is then made to balance. The lmr 

Inflation is 

The inB. Release 

During the early portion of the experiniental period, flights of 

meteorological balloons in clusters were launched. The first flights were 

made with balloons hitched one above another along a single strong load line. 
I 

I 

Figure 25 

General Mills 20 foot balloon 

billowing in a five knot wind. 
c 

# 

0 

co 

-n 4 

a5 $2 

. 0 

J 

W 
With these and subsequent rigging lines the following technique was used: 

on all lines a strength test was made and a safety factor of at least ten 

to one was demanded. 

ohosen for its low weight-strength ratio. 

line sepents each length is prepared with a small hook on either end. 

knots employed are double carriok bends. 

Most of the lines used are of braided or woven nylon, 

To facilitate handling of tfie 

The 

The total length of the early trains reached as much as eight hundred 

feet, making them extremely difficult to release. A system of restraining 

the load line was evolved with two winches paying out restraining lines 

while balloons and equipment were added to the load line. In this way the 

pull of the balloons themselves and the much greater strain caused by even 

light winds was held by winches. 

clear of the ground (wwhen the entire flight line was under tension with 

the lowest element being held back) a gunpowder squib was electrically fired 

to sever the restraining lines near the bottom of the balloon. 

shows the aluminum "cannon" holding the gunpowder, the two winch lines and 

a light line used to pull the restraining lines away from the load line after 

firing. 

fixed just above the "cannonn. 

When the final piece of equipment was 

Figure 27 

The load line has not yet been attaohed in Figure 27, but will be 

When the restraining line is severed, there is danger of a pendulm 

swing of the train causing the lmr components to be dashed into the ground. 

To avoid this action, the lowest piece of equipment is usually held by a 

member of the crew on the back of a truck. By driving downwind faster than 

the surfacu wind speed, the pull of the balloon can be reeolved into only a 

vertical component and the equipnent may be safely released when the truck 

gets under the balloon. 

With later plastic cell flights, this method of launching was also 

used in cases of light wind. Ithen wind6 of about 5 knots are endowntered, 

- 24 .. 
Figure 27 

Aluminum "cannon" and launching 

lines used to restrain balloon while 

load is being attached. 
the total rtrain on rigging lines and even on the balloon itself becomes 

exeet~sive. 

sueh a wind foroe oauses the balloon first to billow, sail-like, as ih Figure 

25, then to tear. 

With the thin polyethylene film of .the General Mills' balloons, 

To eliminate surfaoe failures on days when the wind is not calm, the 

following release teehnique is employed: The equipmenttrain is laid out 

parallel to the wind direction, with the balloon in the lee of a large building and the other components stretched out downwind. 

the balloon rests on a platform balance and the lower portion rests on a 

sloping elevewfoot table whose top is level with ths platform and whose 

bottom rests upon the ground. 

lies on another table, level with the platform. 

portion, the balloon is held down on .the seales and sloping table by bags 

of sand and lead shot. In addition, one sand bag is fastened to the lead 

thimble of the balloon by a short line which is kept eaut during inflation. 

This layout is shown in Figure 28. 

The central portion of 

The upper portion of the balloon usually 

Except for this upper 

When the balloon is inflated, it is held downat the weighing-off 

scales by the shot bags. Personnel requirea for the launching consist of two 

men at the hold-down shot bags (who lift the bags at the release signal), ond 

man near the large sand bag (who cuts the line to the load thimble when the 

balloon rises above him), one man at each piece of sensitive equipment on the 

train (to support and protect the equipent until it is airborne), one man 

at the lower end of the hold down line (who fires the oannon severing the 

last line wher, the gear is all safely lifted). 

If each operation is performed *en the balloon is directly overhead 

and if the train has been accurately laid out downwind, the entire train is 

sent off with a minimum of oscillation of the load. Figure 29 shaws successive 

positions of the balloon and gear during release. 

- 25 - 

\ 
!his method of release is 8 development of the upwind release used in 

radiosonde flights in the U.S. Weather Bureau, with refinements first used 

by General Kills Aeronautical &search Laboratories and necessitated by the 

larger balloon size and the number of ccnnponents on each flight. 

Using this method, successful releases were made at klamogordo in 

winds of 20 miles per hour with gusts up to 30 miles per how. 

c. Rscmery 

Muoh additional information on the behavior of the train oompanents 

can be gained if they are recovered. 

1) 

Two methods of recoveryare einployedr 

reward tags and 2) recuvery by the balloon crew tracking the flight. 

Reward tags attached to several componerts have encouraged the finders 

to protect the equipment and report it6 location. 

questionnaire are included in Appendix 3. 

is about 60$ of those released. 

lIhe tag and associated 

Total recovery of flights to date 

when the location of the balloon is huwn by visual observation from 

an airplane, or the landing area is indiuated by direc.tion-Pinding gear, 

recovery is attempted by truck by the ballooncrew or the crew at one of the 

downwind stations. Several successful recoveries have been made of flights 

of relatively short range. It was found in earlier attempts that the balloan 

equipment was e difficult target both in the air and on the ground. 

sequently a colored cheesecloth banner (6 by 12 ft., stiffened top and bottom) 

was added to the train. It also is a convenient marker for theodolite stadia 

measurements. 

ConA banner may be seen in Figure 30.0 White banners seem to be 

the most gene rally useful. 

Section 5. Flight Sunnoary 

A sununary of pertinent information on all flights made to date is 

Also shown bhere are flight train included in Appendix 1 as table VII. 

- 26.- 
Figure 30 

in flight, showing banner and other 

flight train components. 

General Mills 20 foot balloon 
diagrams, time-height curves, trajectories and photographs of signifioant flights, grouped by flight numbers. 

ha6 been revised since its inception and now only those flights in which 

an attempt was made to control the altitude of the balloon are inoluded 

in the suimnary. 

launahings which were not successful. 

The flight numbering system 

Excluded are flights made to test speoial gear and 

Flights A, B, 1, 5, 6 and 7 all made use of meteorological balloons 

in various arrangements and oombinations. Each flight included one or 

more "lifting balloons" which were to be released from the train when 

the desired altitude was reached, the other balloons then theoretically 

supporting the load at the constant altitude. 

Figures 31 and 36 show the tw methods used to group the balloons 

in clusters. Figure 31 shows the linear array borrowed from oomic ray 

flight techniques; figure 36 shows the modified "Helios Cluster" invhich 

lines from the balloons are joined at a central ring at the top of ths 

load line. 

The Helios cluster was by far the easier to handle because of the 

eimpler rigging ar,d the reduced launching strains. 

Plight 7 was the only one of this group in which anything approaching a oontrolbd altitude was attained. 

level off when the lifting balloons broke loose. In flights 1, 5 alld 6, 

where ballast dropping devfces were included, the ballast either did not 

drop, or the dropping did not.have the desired effect. 

however, the cluster rose till the lifters were cut off, descended until 

sufficient ballast was dropped to cause the cluster to rise to a still 

higher altitude. 

descent, 

!be previous flights failed to 

In flight 7, 

There several balloons burst, resulting in a final 

The time-height curve for this flight is shown as figure 38. 

- 27 - 
lhis flight pattern represents the best approximation to constant 

level flight that we have obtained with meteorological clusters. 

Flights 8 and 11 each employed more than one polyethylene balloon 

in an attempt to reach higher altitude than possible with the single 

balloons then available. 

and arrangement of balloons and their flight behavior. 

the maximun altitude was not high enough to cause activation of the 

autmtio ballast valve. 

diffusion other than the steady leakage of ballast through the imperfect 

seating of the valve. In flight 8, after one hour, this leak was not 

sufficient to maintain a constant altitude, so the flight terminated. 

However, in flight 11, constant altitude lvas maintained at 16,000 ft. 

+ 1500 feet for 7 hours until all of the ballast was expended. 

Figure 39, 40, 41, 44 and 45 shmthe type 

In both flights, 

Consequently, there was rro compensation for 

- 

Flight 10, in contrast to flights 8 and 11, did reach an altitude 

at which the automatic ballast control was actuated, resulting in a 

flight of perhaps more than 26 hours. 

reached by this heavy spherical cell was 15,000 feet, the ballast control 

was effective at a level of 5000 feet. 

activation level and operation level was probably exceeded because of the 

temperature effect of the air entrapped in the pressure capsule. 

Althou& the maximum altitude 

The expected difference between 

Figure 42 shows the train, and figure 43 shows the time-altitude 

curve for the 512 minutes of radiosonde data. 

The oscillations around 9000 feet during the last two hours of 

data may be attributed to the changing buoyancy of the balloon as cloud 

masses intermittently shielded it from the sun's rays. An unconfirmed 

report was received to the effect that this balloon was still floating 

26 hours later over Pueblo, Colorado. 
Flight 12 was designed to overcane the difficulties enoountered 

in flights 8 and 11, and, by the use of a thin tear-drop balloon (General 

lfills balloon) to cam the load to a higher altitude than flight 10. 

To guarantee a predetermined constant ballast flow, the mnual ballast 

valve was added to the flight train. 

replaced the fixed pressure switch to activate the alltomatic ballast 

valve, whether or not a predetermined aotivation altitude was reached. 

Figure 46 shows the train; figure 47 shows the time-altitude curve, vhich 

exhibits a marked departure from the ideal. 

failed to operate or operated near surface pressure, effectively preventing 

the operation of the automatic ballast valve. The manual ballast valve did 

not provide sufficient flow to prevent the gradual desoent of the balloon. 

Finally, the heavy load necessitated almost complete inflation of the 

balloon at the surface. 

air through the open bottom of the balloon. Instead of reaching the precalculated 38,000 feet maximum altitude, this flight had a peak of 14,000 

feet from which it slowly descended. 

act upor descent to 20,000 feet, it also failed to operate. 

The minimum pressure dtoh 

The minimum pressure mitoh 

%is distention permitted continual mixing of 

Since the blowout patch was set to 

Five of the succeeding flights (nos. 13, 14, 15, 16 and 20) had as 

a prime objective the development of a satisfactory appendix to overoome 

the loss of buoyancy due to mixing during launching and asoent. 

cocsidered have beer, discussed in Section 11, Part A of this report and 

the (two foot) appendix stiffened with battens, which was finally evolved, 

is shown in figure 5. Figures 48, 49 and 50 ghow the time-altitude owes 

for these flights. 

the trajectory data. 

The types 

Either short flight or limited radio reoeptian curtailed 

In flight 19, the danger to perscnnel of the blowout patch was 

- 29 - 
dramatically demonstrated by its firing 30 oeconds after release. 

shooks caused the baromitch pen-arm to fall off it8 shelf, completing contact 

prematurely. 

the baromitch to prevent a recurrence of this action. 

Launching 

In later flights, a time delay switch was placed in series with 

Flights 21, 22, 24, 26 and 27, although carrying altitude control 

devices, were flown to test gear for associated projects. 

reporting gear was carried or the data frm modified gear proved unreliable. 

Her,ce few performance data charts are presented. 

Either no pressure 

Flight 21, using a late-model General ifills 20 foot thin cell and 

an automatic ballast valve, is lmm to have lasted for ten hours, descending 

at Marietta, Oklahoma. 

night 22, included an earlier model General kills balloon with a 

high rate of gas leakage, and an automatic ballast valve. 

kept the balloon aloft, but for only six hours. 

The ballast control 

Flight 24, including an automatic ballast valve, is believed to have 

maintained constant It stayed aloft level, 

for at least 3& hours, when transmission ceased. 

is shown in figure 51. 

- 1,000 feet, for 122 minutes. 

The time-altitude curve 

Flignt 27 employed a fixed rate of leak rather than an automatic 

ballast valve. The nanual control did not provide sufficient ballast flow, 

accounting for the time-altitude curve shovrn in figure 52. 

Flights 29 through 37 and flight 39 were undertaken to test the 

downwinc? launching procedure, to try for highor constant level altitudes, 

and to determine the feasibility of using the General %ills thin cells for 

frequent service flights. 'he former was 

released during a rainstorm and balloon failure occured at the seams. 

Flights 37 and 39 burst early. 

- 30 - 
Flight 29, with a manual ballast vfdve, was released just before 

suuset on 22 November. 

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 14 hour8 later. 

Radio receiption wa8 for 69 minuter. 

It was observed descending 50 miles north of 

%e average wind was 130 mph. 

Of the other reoent flights, satisfactory radio perfomnoe was 

enjoyed only on flight 36. 

transmitter an& battery pack will be needed. 

signal was lost after 135 minutes, due to excessive range. 

plotted position was northeast of -1, 1II.M. 

from Burlington, Iuwa. 

Before any more flights are made, a better 

Even on this flight the 

Ihe last 

This flight was recovered 

Tlme-height curves of this series are included in figures 53, 54 

and 55. Despite the limited data, sorne results can be detennined. For 

example, flight 32 is believed to have floated for at least 7G minutes 

within 1,000 feet of a constant level above 40,000 feet MSL. 

Flight 35 also exhibited 32 minutes of constant-level flight before 

the radio signal wa8 lost. 

the otners traveled (See flight susmary Table YI, Appendix I) it is almost 

certain that they floated for long periods. 

From the remarkable distances that some of 

These flights included a simple-filter manual ballast valve assembly 

(Figure 9) designed to reduce equipment weight and cost. 

of this equipment justifies its continued use for relatively short flights. 

Comiderable difficulty was experienoed with the type of filter used. 

%e performance 

Experiments are now being conducted to improve the filter. 

Because of limited data received from earlier flights, mcdified 

Fergusson meteorographs were added to the equipment train on flights 33, 

35 and 39. 

recovered. 

As of Januaryl, 1948 none of these instruments have been 
Flight 17, using a fifteen-foot balloon of ,004 Polyethylene is 

worthy of special consideration. 

eliminates much of the prdblem of appendix design sinoe more internal 

pressure can be WithStOoda 

of the fabric, balloons of this type are too heavy and costly to be used 

Ihe thichess of this type of cell 

Despite this factor, and the low permeability 

for high altitude flights. 

Ihe trajec.tory and time-altitude curve of this flight are shown 

in figure 56 and 57. 

the automatic ballast valve combined with a fixed leak, will successfully 

maintain constant altitude through a sunset. 

feet + 500 feet for at least three hours, 

prevented further radio reception. Here again the necessity of a barograph 

was demonstrated as the balloon was recovered from Pratt, Kansas, 530 miles 

away. 

5-2000 Neoprene balloon. 

(see figure 48) attained a maximum altitude at 50,700 feet and began to 

descend immediately. 

and the balloon was seen to burst within the shroud. 

Seotion 6. Current Objectives 

This controlled-altitude flight demonstrates that 

!he balloon floated at 29,000 

after which the excessive range - 

Two flights, 23 and 38, were made using the shrouded Dewey and Alrny 

Both of these flights were failures. Flight 23 

Flight 38 (see figure 55) was observed from a B-25, 

fn order to meet the requirements for future flights, improvement 

must be made in three phases: 

1, Performanoe data for too many flights have beer. either uncertain 

or of too short duraticn. Before more flights are undertaken, 

altitudeaeasurhg instruments must be improved and increased. 

To this eni, four specific improvements are being urdortaken: 

Am To supplement the pressure data received by rddio, a 

lightweight barograph will be added to those flight 

trains in the future when fli@ts of more th~:i a fow 

hours ' duration are at tempted, 

- 32 - 
B. The improvement of radio transmitter gear; it is 

planned to utilize the three megacycle transmitter 

developed' in the Electrical Engineering laboratories 

at Eew York University. In previous tests, this has 

provided clearer reception and a hger range for 

comparable weight than either the 72 megacycle or 

397 megacycle units previously used. 

direction finding, 397 megacycle carrier signal will 

also be transmitted which will be tracked by SCR-658 

sets. 

battery pack can be developed for airborne use. 

The Olland cycle time-interval method of presssure 

measuring and data presentation is being adapted, 

with the folluwing advantages anticipated: 

To provide 

It is also hoped that a better light weight 

C. 

(1) The direct interpretation of pressure data 

in terms of the time interval eliminates the ambiguities 

inherent in counting pressure contacts in the DiamondHinman system. used in conjunction with the Brush recorder operating at medium speed, and with four turns 

on a helix rotating once a minute, the pressure readability of this system will be better than one millibar. 

(2) Under noisy conditions the recorded data obtained 

with this system will be more readable than the audio 

signal now being employed. When only pressure data is 

being transmitted, this system can b more economical 

of power than is a system of modulated audio frequencies. 

(3) In cases where data ot'her than pressure is also 

to be transmitted on the same radio channel, the pressure 

- 33 - 
signals may be arranged so as to consume a very 

small portion of transmission time. 

D. The duration of radio reception and of positioning data 

may be greatly extended by appropriately equipped aircraft. 

It is intended to utilize a B-17 with topmounted radar to 

search above the plane for tracking. Depending upon the 

noise-level encountered, it may be possible to acquire 

pressure data with a receiver in the plane. It may be 

necessary to provide at least two aircraft for continuous 

reception over long periods. 

2. It is very desirable that the simplified light-weight ballast 

control system for flights of less than 24 hours' duration be 

perfected. The elaborate ballast assembly with the automatic 

ballast valve will not be needed for the many contemplated 

flights which will be made with a useful life of less than 

eight hours. 

valve and filter provides a light-weight, inexpensive unit. 

Tests are now being conducted to find the best design for these 

c omponent 8. 

In order to float a balloon at a pre-selected maximum altitude 

it is necessary to supplement the variation-of -balla st with a new 

height control system. 

A lower-capacity reservoir with manual ballast 

3. 

A. With a given balloon, and given total load, it is 

possible to forecast the maximum height. 

I11 for the computation.) 

are desired, this maximum height may be varied by 

varying the total load, or varying the bouyancy of 

%he balloon through variation in balloon volume. 

(See Section 

If various naximun heights 

- 34 - 
The method used heretofore is variation of balloon 

load through changes in the amount of ballast used. 

However, there are upper and lower limits on the 

amount of ballast that can be used, due to the 

strength limitations af the fabric. 

sensitivity"~ that is, the ratio of change in altitude 

to change in load, is not great enough to provide suitable choice of heights. 

Another attack is to effect a change of volume by 

making openings below the equator of the balloon. 

The volume of gas contained in the balloon envelope 

is then obviously limited. 

If this method of height oontrol proves to be unsatisfactory, still other control mechanisms will be 

Also, the "height 

B. 

C. 

sought . 

The three objectives, with their indioated subdivisions, will be 

pursued to better effeot control of the balloon altitude. 

pursuit will be the investigation of other balloon types and sizes, in 

addition tothe satisfactory General Nills Polyethylene models now in 

use. Thus, plans for the future include both the development of control 

devioes currently under test and also a.broad, general study of the basio 

components of constant-level balloon trains from the theoretical as well 

as the operational viewpoint. 

A parallel 

- 35 - 
APPENDIX 1 

Train Assembly. flight 8. (mteorologioal olustet) ............ Fig . 31 

Trs,jeotory. flight 5 .......................................... Pig . 32 

Height-tim ourve. flight 6 ................................... Fig . 33 

Trajectory. flight 6 .......................................... Fig . 34 

Height-tim o~me. flight 6. .................................. Fig . 36 

Train assembly. flight 7. (meteorological cluster) ............ Fig . 36 

Trajectory. flight 7 .......................................... Fig . 37 

Height-time ourve. flight 7 ................................... Fig . 38 

Train assembly. flight 8. (General Hills Cluster) ............. Fig . 39 

Trajeatory. flight 8. ......................................... Fig . 40 

Height-time curve. flight 8 ................................... Fig . 41 

Train assembly. flight 10 ..................................... Fig . 42 

Height-time aurve. flight 10 .................................. Fig . 48 

Train assembly. flight 11 ..................................... Fig . 44 

Trajectory and height-time eurve. flight 11 ................... Fig . 45 

Train nsrembly. flight 12 ..................................... Fig . 46 

Height time curve. flight 12 .................................. Fig . 47 

Height-time aurve8. flights 13. 14. 16. and 25 ................ Fi3 . 48 

Height-ti- ourve. flight 15 .................................. Fig . 49 

Height-time ourve. flight 20 .................................. Fig . 50 

Height-time cum?. flight 24 .................................. Fig . 51 

Height-time ourve. flight 27 .................................. Flg . 52 

Height-time curves. flights 29. 30 and 32 ...................... Fig . 53 

Height-time ourves. flights 33. 34. 35 and 36 ................. Fig . 54 

Height-time CUICPOS. flights 37. 38 ~d 39 ..................... Fig . 56 

Trajeotory. flight 17 ......................................... Fig . 56 

Height-time ourve. flight 17 .................................. Fig . 57 

0 

0 

m 



11 lter asrembLy-4 batI,oona 

inflated to 3000grn.lift. 

3009m-3-4,ooo' 400cjm-29,700' 80Qgm-25800' 

200gm- 33,000' 40Oyrn-29,OOO' 800grn -25,200' 

2OOgrr - 32,000' 6ODgrn-28,000' SOOym- 24,500' 

3 00gm - 3 I, 000' 6 O 0 9 m-2J4OD' IOOOgm - 23,800' 

400gm -00,500' 6009m-26,bOOl IOOOgm- aJIOo' 

16 OOgm 22,500' 

ifter cut-off at SS,OOO'. 

NYu BALLOON PROJECT 

FLIGHT 7 

Dotc: 7-2-47 €0-48-44 1 

12ecl. balloons inflated to 9009". 

lift,4es. balloons I nfLated 

0 2100fjrn.ll~t. 

Payload in plcture frame mount 

and t ransmrtt cr. (h3 *wt.) 

I 74x5 mc Rad losonde. Heavy duty 

Batteries in bLacK boxes wrapped in 

poLy ethy Len e. 
0 

0 
x 
74.5 

Mad 

me.- Radta 

" Lo. t 0 r, 26 

sonde,& 

End fed 

'I 

Plastic Bdas I Reservoir and 

Dribbler, 5,000grn.oF ballast. 

10 Each -Conical General htlb 

Balloons, ,001 " polye k hy lc nc,7'long 

Pay load andTransmtkter 

FI G.39 

t 1 

P+F+ 7- 3-47 ED-48-40 

I I J 


& 

Pressure operated ballcast valve 

of radiosonde baroswl t t h. 

(Dribbler) actuated by 30th contQct 

15' dia.-.008" thicK polyethylene 

Balloon. H. A.Smi th Inc. 

Reinforced blow-out patch to be 

ope ned by Time -clock. 

Bridle of 9 nylon lines, each I501 

test, 13' Long, served toa thim blc 

and attached to reinforced patches 

at alternate seams. 

PQyLoQd in picture frame mount, 

and payload tr~n$mtttcr 

FI G.42 

745rnc. Radiosonde wlth 2dend 

fed antenna Heavy duty batterie 

in blacK boxes, polvethvlene 

wrapped. 

Plastic b~lLa5t Reservoir with 

3pOO gr ballast. 

INYU BALLOON PROJECT 

FLIGHT I0 

Date 7-5-471 ED4842 

t 

Plastic ballast Reservoir contains 

Dribbler to have been actuated 

by 45 th contact on radrobonde. 

3000gnr bdlast 

- 1 I 

50' 

10' 1, 

7 I- 0' 

/A 

74.5mc Fed Antenna.Black Radiosonde wtttl2O'end battery box P 

20' 

wrapped in polyethylene. 

I5'Dia.- 008'' thrcK palye thylene 

Balloon. H.A.Smith Inc. with reinforcec 

blowout patches toventyas when 

fired by 6/5. 

Baro-Swi tch set to deflate large 

Bcrlloon ahoutd train descend to IOjOOO'. 

P 

ft 

6 each.-Gene raLRl1t.s Bal~oons,200cuf~ 

-00 IU polye thy Lene. 

Payload in picture -frame mountinq, 3 

Fl G.44 

tea.- Underinftated metro BaUoons 

for Stodra measurements, 240' from 

ce n ter of small balloon to ce n te r 

OF 15'b~t100n. 

3 IN YU BALLOON PROJECT 

I FLIGHT IIA 

I""" 7-7-47 I ED-48-41 
.. 

.. ... .- 

----- I* 

.* j . , . 1' 

L. ....... - ..... ... ...................... ... ...... .. 
2O'di~. G.M. .00fpo~yethilcnc batloo 

with incendiary patch on equator 

for rapid descent bebw 20,OOO'(44od) 

2" steel nn5 for lounchtny ~incs 

Heavily reenforced baroswltch fires J ondescent to 460mb.Uses2ca. 45volt 

batteries in paratlet. BLQ& box, loaxb 

, covered wiuI pLtastlc sheeting. 

7'69, RawinJondc ((397mc),Heavy du 

bottery pack, stan dard n?odulator, 

no ventilating duct,whrte tcmperatu re ele ment, 25ordlncLte humidity. 

Date 8-5-47 

' Hittrnan's transmitter w/pressurc fton 

standard modulptor. 3.135MC (149' 

antenna through ringson 160Foot para 

chute shroud). Held taut by 6oz.Leac 

wt. at bottom. 

Estimated Length overall: 257' 

T-49-745MC Radiosonde, end Fed 

antennp,standard modulator, no ventiLatin duct, white te mpt ra tu re element,' 

Fired by 8 power supply of radiosonde. 

HEAVY DUTY BATTERY PACK 

2s or 1 inate humidity,quib In ballcut valve 

Ball~st reservoir wlth Kollrnc~sn J balLast valve PLUS Fixed rate 

LcaK from adjustable needCc volva 

set to over-compensate d~ffuston by 10% 

FI G.46 Mini mum pressure swltch actuates4 ballast vaLve when battoon descends 

15mb from maximum pres~ure,2each c 

E 0-48-43 

INYU BALLOON PROJET used in para LleL. 

Ill! 

,I 

.. I 

c 

.s: 

1 I I *-- ! r-1- -I { j .I 4, I+ 

1 , ,,. I I'i, 

,... . , 
Q 



Il I 





15.9 ky 

TZ.: t 28.0 ky 

I I adi...d. 

.I-1 rllut ==-F .cl. ad 

a d.. Iu. 141W. 

T 
MmtI. 

m1ut "- 1.u. u.41, 

lor 

3.1 y 

- 

1.o. 

5.0 tg 

- 

115 mi". 

230 d~ 
SUYYA~Y 01 1111 

n 

~ 

16.1 

U 

14.1 

kg 

31 

16.5 

kI 3s 

I I I I I I 
i 

. Ii 

I la ? 

:: + n 

. IY 

Ir 

2. AM I + n 

" 

1 I I I 

I 8 

f 

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i I PP 

a. 

"I 

I 

f 1; 
APPENDIX 2 

C or re sp ond ence 

Page 

1. Abstract from: Air Coordinating Cormnittee, New York Suboomittee on Airspace, Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Control. 

Subject: 

Lakehurst, N. J.........................................~~.o~....eo~...~8 

Approval to release free balloons from Allentown, Pa. and 

2, Letter to the Secretary, New York Subcamittee on Airspace. 

Subject: 

release of free balloons from Allentown, Pa. and Lakehurst, N.J........41 

Request for interpretation of agreement on conditions of 

3. Reply from the Secretary, New York Subcommittee on Airspace. 

Subject: Same as above................................................42 

4. Extract from: Air Coordinating Committee, Fort Worth Regional 

Airspace Subcommittee . Subject: Obstructions t o a i r ~vigation.... .......................... .43 

5. Memorandum from the Chairman, Fort Worth Regional Airspace Subcaannitte. 

Subject: Procedure for Release of free balloons in the White 

Sands Danger Area... .................................................. .45 
COPY 

Abstract from : 

AIR COORDINATING CW.ITTEE 

NEW YORK SUBCOMMITTEE ON AIRSPACE 

IIUBS OF ME AIR AND AIR TRAFFIC COKTROL 

385 Madison Avsnue 

New York 17, N. Y. 

20 March 1947 

8. Y. Meeting No. 12 

1. The Secretary of the Subconunittee presented a request from the War 

Department member in behalf of New York University for approval to release free 

balloons from AllentOWn, Pa. and Lakehurst, hr. J. 

DTSCUSSICb' 

2. The subject project is broken dawn into two phases as described below: 

A. FiiASE I. 

(1) 'Ihe type balloor. to be used in this phase of the 

project will be 6 ft. in diameter, hydrogen filled, 

encompassed by a nylon shroud with black and white 

panels 24" wide. 

mately 3 lbs. will be suspended approximately 50 ft. 

below the balloon and equipped with parachute device 

so that upon separation from the balloon, the attached 

equipment will float down tmrds the earth rather 

than beccune a freely falling body. 

It is antioipated that two flights will be required in 

this phase of operation, the release to be made during 

weather conditions in which the sky is free of clouds 

and the visibility at least three miles at all altitudes 

up to 20,000 feet., within afourhour cruising radius 

from Allentown, Pa. 

Radio instruments weighing approxi- 

(2) 

(3) The balloon, during thsee flights, shall be convoyed 

by suitable aircraft to maintain air-ground communications on the balloon trajectory and equipped to effect 

destruction of the balloon at the termination of four 

hours flight or at such time that the balloon may 

become hazardous either to aircraft flight operations 

or the persons or property of others on the surface. 

New York University will file a Notice to Airmen at 

least tnrelve (12) hours in advance of balloon release 

and a second notice will be filed at the time of release 

with the Allentown, Pa. Airways Camnunications Station. 

(4) 
The type ballom to be used in this phase of the project 

will be a 15 to 40 ft. diameter plastic balloon, bydrogen 

filled. RBdio equipent weighing approximately 25 lbs., 

will be suspended approximately 100 ft. below the 

balloon. 

levels (above 20,000 feet) by three auxilliary lifting 

balloons fastened together with a 4 lb. weight. 

equipment attached to the balloon will be equipped with 

parachute device so that upon separatior, from the balloon, 

the attached equipment will float down towards the earth 

rather than become a freely falling body. 

the desired altitude, the auxilliary lifting balloons 

will be released from the main balloon. 

Ilhe balloon will be towed to high altitude. 

All 

Upon attaining 

It is anticipated that a maximum of ten flights will be 

required in this phase of operation, 2 to 5 releases to 

be made from Allentown, Pa. and 2 to 5 releases tab e 

made from Lakehurst, N. J. Release will be made during 

weather conditions in which the sky is free of clouds 

and the visibility at least three miles at all altitudes 

up to 20,000 feet. 

zhe range of' flight during this phase of operation will 

be between 30,000 and 60,000 feet. 

will be the maximum duration of flight. 

A period of six hours 

New York University will provide an operator for tracking 

of the balloon during period of flight and will furnish 

information on its position to the N.Y. Air Waffio 

Control Center during period offlight. 

New York University will file a Notice to Airmen at 

least twelve (12) hours in advance of balloon release and 

a second notioe will be filed at time of release with 

either the Allentown, Pa. or Lakehurst, N.J. Comunications Stations. 

Destruction of the balloon will be predetermined to be 

effected over water where hazards are not present. Aerial 

convoy will not be effected during this phase of operation 

inasmuch as balloon flights will be conducted in excess 

of 20,000 feet. 

3. The War Department member requests that balloon operations along 

the lines of Phaae I1 be presented to the Washington Subccrmrmittee for 

clearance with all other Regional Airspace Subcommittees, in consideration 

of War Department plans to continue the Phase I1 type of operation from 

White Sands, New Mexico, upon completion of the 12 proposed releases 

described herein. 

I?. ldex., will involve flight through other regions. 

The type of balloon releases proposed out of v%ite Sands, 
RECOMbEXDED ACTION 

4. That the release of free balloons by New York University a8 

described above in Paragraph 2-A (Phase I), Subparagraphs (1) - (4) inolusive, 

be approved. 

5. That the release of free ball001~~ by New York University as 

desoribed above in Paragraph 2-B (Phare 11), Subparagraphs (1) - (6) 

inolusive, be approved . That the hshingtm dirspaoe Suboommittee present the Phase 

I1 operation to other Regional Airspaoe Suboonmrittees for clearance, in 

vier of War Department plans to continue the Phase 11 type of operation 

from white Sands, New Mexiao. 

6. 
April 17, 1947 

Yr. C. J. Stock, Secretary 

New York Subcommittee on Air Space 

385 Madison Avenue 

New York 17, N. Y. 

Reference: Eiew York Meeting No. 12 Subject No. 26, Km York Case #156 

mar Sir: 

Reoeipt of the minutes of the above meeting are achuwledged with thanks. 

However, on reading them, a discrepanoy was noted. 

conditions agreed upon for fiase 2 operations were not a cloudless sky, but 

no oiiling under 20,000 ft. 

We believe the weather 

Fie realize that there might be oocasions when the clouds present would 

not constitute a oeiling. 

our balloons might be considered an unseen hazard to aircraft. 

Yet, due to chaotic or unstable sky conditions, 

It is therefore requested that we be permitted to fly these rapidly 

rising, high altitude balloons after obtaining clearanoe on day8 

when there are no more than scattered clouds in thin layers up to 

20,000 ft. and visibility greater than three miles. 

This is an important point, as the phenomena whichwe hope to measure 

is not a f’requent one and our chances to investigate the remote phenomena 

are markedly reduced if we have to wait for cloudless skies axd the phenomena 

to coincide. 

This would have been brought to your attenltion earlier. 

unable, until yesterday, to confirm our impressions with the representatives 

of the Army Air Forces who were present at the meeting. 

However, we are 

Yours very truly, 

C, S. Schneider 

Research Aasistant 

css :p 
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

CIVIL SRCXlAUTICS ADMINXSTRATION 

386 Madison Avo. 

New York 17, N. Y. 

New York University 

college of 'kgineering 

Research Divi si on 

Wiver sity bights 

NmvYork 53, B. Y. 

Attention: Mr . so Schneider, Researoh histant 

bar Mr. Sohneidert 

This is in reply to your ldter of April 17th. 

It is true that at N.Y. Airspace Subcumnittee Meeting#l2, we advised 

you that the Phase I1 operations would be restricted to weather oonditions 

in which the sky was clear sf clouds below 20,000 feet and 43s visibility 

at least three miles at all altitudes up to and inoluding 20,000 ft. 

it was indicated that tBese conditions were subjeot to concurrence and approval 

by the Washington Airspace Subcornnittee. 

Homer, 

In order to expedite final approval of this case, coordination was effected 

with the Washington Airspaoe Subcdttee immediately subsequent to our 

Meeting #12. It was revealed as a reeult of such coordination that the 

Washington Committee felt tbt the oeiling restriction ms inadequate in 

the interests of air safety and required that a cloudless ally condition be 

specified 

This information was relayed to the members of the N.Y. Airspaoe Subconunittee 

and they in turn concurred with this eunendpent in tbe interest of air safety. 

The minutes of New York Meeting #12 were amended aocordingly. 

YOWE very truly, 

C. J. Stoek 

secretary, N. Y. Airspace Subcommittee 
AIR COORDINATING CObfMITTEE 

FORT WORTEI H?,GIOMAL AIRSPACE SUBCOMMITTEE 

P. 0. BOX 1689 

FORT WORTH 1, TEXAS 

August 21, 1947 

Meeting No. 30 

Tinre: 

Place I 

August 21, 1947 - 1O:OO a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

Regional Office, CAA, Ft. Worth, Texas 

Member s Re sent t L. C. Elliott, Chairman 

Lt. Col. Hall F. Smith, bar Dept. Member 

Major Williams, War Dept. Alternate Member 

Perry Hodgden, CAB Member 

Commander Jmes Douglas Arbes, Navy Dept. Uenber 

Tracy Walsh, ATA Coordinator 

Secretary: Paul 8. Boatman 

EXTRACT 'COPY 

SUBJECT PAGE NUbBER 

111. OBSTRUCTICMS M AIR NAVXGATION 

A. WHITE SANDS, NEW MEXICO, PROVmG GROUND - NEW YOFX UNlX3RSITY - IZELEASE 

OF FREE ULOONS - CASE #111 ...................*.....*. 3 

PROBLEM 

1. Ihe Secretary of the Subconunittee presented a reqtsst received from the 

New Ymk University through the hpartment of Cammeroe Member for approval of releases of free balloons at the White Sand8 Proving Ground in Phase I1 operation 

as outlined in New York Subcommittee Meeting No. 12, dated March 20, 1947. 

DISCUSS ION 

2. It was first thought that balloons would ascend and descend within the 

confines of the White Sands presently assigned danger area elnd that no further 

authorizaticm would be required; however the Subcommittee was advised by the 

University that balloons have been descending outside of the area in the vicinity 

of Rosnell, New Mexico. 

of hazard to aircraft encountered in the descent of this equipment. 

It, therefore, appeared that there was a certain amount 

3. The Subcommittee did not have full information on the number of releases 

anticipated and other pertinent details; however it appeared the chances of eollisim 

of aircraft with this equipment was very remote and due to the fact prevailing wind8 

in this area would ordinarily carry the equipment eastward, which would tend to carry 

it away fram heavy travelled already established civil aimys, that this activity 

might not be too objectionable. 
4. The Department of Commerce Kember stated that he felt it may be necessary 

to effect some coordination with air traffic in the local El Paso area but that due 

to the meager information available, this could not be determined without a discussion 

of methods and procedures with the people who were actually going to do the work. 

5. Thw War Department bmber stated that he felt it desirable to stipulate 

that local ooordination should be effected with the Commanding Offioer at Biggs 

Field. 

(NmEt ht a meeting held in El Paso, Texas, on August 27, 1947, between 

representatives of the CM and the New York University, procedures 

satisfactory to the Comeroe Member and the Commanding "fficer at 

Bias Field were established). 

RECOMMENDED ACTION 

6. That release of free bailoons by the New York University within the 

oonfines of the PJhite Sands Proving area be approved provided *at: 

(a) 

Department of Commerce Member and the Commanding Officer at 

Biggs Field to assure all precautions are taken to prevent 

collision of airoraft with this airborne equipment. 

Looal ooordination be effected to the satisfaction of the 
- COPY 

AIR COORDINATING COMMITTEE 

FORT WORlW ZGIOW AIRSPACE SURCOMMITTEE 

Pe 0. BQX 1689 

FORT WOR3H 1, TEXAS 

September 2, 1947 

&!EMORA EDUM 

To: L. C. Elliott 

Chairman, Ft. Worth Wgional Airspace Subodttee 

Lt. Col. Hall F. Smith, War Dept. Member, Ft. Worth 

Regional Airspace Subomittee 

FROM: Secretary, Ft. Worth Regional Airspace Subcommittee 

SUBJECT: Procedure for Release of Free Balloons in the White Sands Danger 

Area 

The writer mst with Mr. James R. Smith of New York University and Lt. V. D. 

Thompson of Alamogordo MF, at El Paso, Texas, on August 27 to discuss procedures 

to be followed during the descent of free balloons released within the White Sands 

Danger Area. 

Mr. Smith advised that he had met with the Commar?ding Officer at Biggs Field who 

had stated he desired no further coordination other thar what the Civil Aeronautics 

Administration might require and that he would write a letter to Mr. Smith to this 

effect. Vr. Smith will forward this to the Chairman of the Subcommittee for the 

rec or do 

Mr. Smith outliped their program, which consists for the most part of testing 

various types of balloons. 

for the next 6 months, the first flight to be released on Sept. 6, weather permitting. 

or forecasted to be covered within the expected descent area (60 mile radius). 

Their program %.ill probably be of 5 flights per month 

Weather minimums were agreed on as not more then 4/10 of the sky covered 

Balloons are tracked by VHF DF stations at Alamogordo and Rome11 for the present 

plus an aircraft. When the balloofi descends to 20,000 feet, if not in the clear, 

positions will be given every hour or so and will be put out as notams on Schedule 

"A" from the Rome11 MF. lhis will serve to advise the Army Fields, the airlines, 

and some itinerar-t traffic. In any case if the balloofi is outside the assigned 

danger area, notams will be issued whenthe balloons descend below 15,000 feet. 

"he balloons are for the most part 15 feet in diameter and plastic. 

from the balloon is a 100 foot one thousand pound test nylon line whioh carries 

the airborne equipment. 

in an average of 8 hours time; it may be frm 6 to 12 hours duration. 

Suspended 

Releases are usually made at dawn and. the fli@tterminates 

It is believed the notam procedure will serve to advise pilots of this. activity 

effectively enough to provide the desired amount of caution. It is understood 
the airlines have some instrument flights through this area at 20,000 feet; honever these are for the most part at night and to the north of the expeoted balloon 

traok. 

/a/ Paul H. Boatman 

PAUL H. BOAW 

Seoretary, Ft. Worth Regional Airspaae 

Suboomittee 

C 

0 

P 

Y 
APPENDIX 3 

Flight Forms and Tables 

Pase 

1 . Pressure in Standard A.osphere ............................. 48 

2 . Mathematical tables for diameters. volumes. and surfaces 

of spheres ............................................... .*.50 

3 . Table of basio data for computation of molar volume ......... 51 

4 . Data for molar volume-altitude graph ........................ 53 

5 . Notice to finaer (one oopy in Spanish. one in English) ...... 54 

6 . Questionnaire ............................................... 55 

7 . Preflight data sheets and canputation forms ................. 56 
PRESSURE IN SWTDARI) ATLlosPHERE 

(Accurate to ,001 mm of Hq, .0001 in. of Hg and .002 of millibar) 

Thermal Layer Isothermal Layer 

ft.per ft per 

Fre s sure (nb) Altituds (fi 1 

(feet) ( EWI XQ) (In. Hq)* (mb)- J ee 

A1 titude 

-5 , 000 

-4,000 

-3 , 000 

-2,000 

-1,000 

1,000 

2 , 000 

0 

3 , 000 

4,000 

5,000 

6 , 000 

7,000 

8,000 

9,000 

10,000 

11,000 

12,000 

13 , 000 

14 , 000 

15,000 

16 , 000 

17,000 

18,000 

19,000 

20,000 

21,000 

22 , 000 

23 , 090 

24 , 000 

25,000 

26,000 

27,000 

28 , 000 

29 , 000 

30 , 000 

31,000 

32,000 

33 , 000 

34 , 000 

35,000 

907 .SO9 35.7404 

876.533 34.5091 

846.130 33.3121 

816.582 32.1488 

787.879 31.0168 

760.000 29.9212 

706.634 27,8202 

681.114 26.8155 

732 -923 28 -8552 

656.344 25.8403 

632.308 24.8940 

608.991 23.9760 

586.375 23.0956 

564.444 22.2222 

543.180 21.3850 

522.571 20.5736 

483.251 19.0256 

464.511 18.2878 

446.362 17.5733 

502.600 19.7874 

428.793 16.8816 

411.786 16.2120 

395.332 15.5642 

379.412 14.9375 

364.01% 14.3314 

349.132 13.7453 

320.836 12.6313 

294.429 11.5917 

334.742 13.1788 

307.403 12.1025 

281.~~01 11 ma4 

269.808 10.6223 

258.140 10.1630 

246.883 9.7198 

236.027 9.2924 

225.561 8*m03 

215.473 8 .&a32 

205.754 8 .LOO5 

196.394 7.7320 

187.381 7.3772 

178.705 7.0355 

* I;ercury column at oo C. 

1210.312 

1168.615 

1128.081 

1088.686 

1050.419 

1013.250 

977.150 

942.101 

938.077 

875.053 

843.008 

811.921 

781.769 

752.530 

724.180 

696.704 

670.078 

644.282 

619.297 

595 .lo0 

571.677 

549.003 

527.066 

505.84i 

485.317 

465.471 

446.286 

427.746 

409.837 

302.540 

375.837 

359.714 

344.158 

329.150 

314.677 

300.723 

287.274 

274.316 

261.837 

249.821 

238.254 

27 

31 

36 

43 

50 

60 

72 

86 

35,332, 

36,000 

37,000 

!38,000 

39,000 

40 , OCO 

41 , 000 

42,000 

43,000 

44 , OW 

45,000 

46 , 000 

47,000 

43 , 000 

49 , 000 

50 , 000 

51,000 

52 , 000 

53,000 

54 , 000 

55,000 

56,000 

67,000 

58,000 

59,000 

60 , 000 

61 , 000 

63,000 

6% , 000 

65,030 

66,0@0 

67 , 000 

68 , 000 

69,000 

70 , 000 

71,000 

72,000 

73 , 000 

74 , 000 

62 , 000 

75 , 000 

76,000 

77,000 

170.375 6.7077 

162.430 6.3949 

154.854 6.0966 

147.632 5.8123 

140.747 5.5412 

134.183 5.2828 

127.925 5.0364 

121.959 4.8015 

116.271 4.5776 

110.848 4.3641 

105.678 4,1605 

100.7.50 3.9665 

96.051 3.7815 

91.571 3.6052 

87 ..301 3.4370 

83.229 3.2767 

79.348 3.1239 

75.647 2.9782 

72.119 2.~~93 

68,755 2.7069 

65.549 2.5807 

62.492 2.4603 

59.577 2.3455 

56.799 2.2362 

54.150 2.1319 

51.624 2.0324 

49.217 1.9377 

46,921 1.8473 

44,733 1.7611 

42.647 1.6730 

40.658 1.6007 

38.762 1.5261 

.36.954 1.4549 

35.230 1.3870 

33,557 1.3223 

32,021 1.2607 

30,528 1.2019 

29,iCG 1.1456 

27.746 1.0924 

26,452 1,0414 

25.219 .9929 

24,013 ,9466 

227.148 

216.556 

206.455 

196.826 

187.647 

178.896 

170.553 

162.599 

155.015 

147.785 

140.892 

134.322 

128.057 

122.085 

116.392 

110.963 

100.854 

96.151 

91.666 

87.391 

83.316 

79.429 

75.726 

72.194 

68.826 

62.556 

59.639 

56.858 

54.206 

51.678 

49.268 

46.969 

44.779 

42.691 

4C. 701 

38.802 

105.789 

65.617 

36.992 

35 ,266 

33 . 623 

32,055 

110 

140 

175 

22 5 

285 

3 60 

455 

580 
PRESSURE IN STANDARD ATMOSPHERE 

(Accthte to .001 mm of Hq, .0001 in. of Hg and ,002 of millibar) 

Isothermal Layer 

Ft. ner 

A1 ti tude Pressure (ni ) 

‘mj {mmHq)c ( in .Hq )c (& 1 

78,000 22,921 -9024 30.559 

79,000 21.852 08603 2S.134 

80,000 20.833 .8202 27,775 735 

81,000 19.862 07820 26.480 

82,000 18.935 .7455 25.245 

83,000 18.052 .7107 24.067 

a4,ooo 17.210 .5776 22.945 

85,000 16.408 .6460 21.876 935 

87,000 14.913 ,5871 19.882 

88,000 14.217 .5597 18.954 

89,000 13.554 -5336 18.071 

86,000 15.642 .a58 20.854 

90,ooO 12,922 .5087 17.228 1190 

91,000 12.319 .485Q 16.424 

92,000 11.745 ,4624 15.659 

93,000 11.197 .4408 14.925 

94,000 10.675 .4203 14.232 

95,000 10.177 .4007 13.568 1510 

96 , 000 9.702 ,3820 12.935 

97,000 9.250 .3642 12.332 

98,000 8.819 ,3472‘ 11.758 

99,000 8 -407 .3310 11.208 

100,000 8,015 .3156 10.686 1920 
\durn 

- 

1436 71 1511 I0 1% n iao n 

I767 I4 18% 9a IW 81 an5 69 

2144 66 

2U 61 

lRIU 

w60 

EO6 16 

lo53 u 1182 63 1315 7.3 MI 4S 

w6n 

2352 w 

nm 15 

in1 16 in5 m 

IIM m 

1510 m 

lM.7 41 n33 66 

I347 83 

k.77 VI 

IMIM 

m4 29 

,387 36 

,767 51 rw 11 ,165 I3 

m62 

595 19 PI4 37 

166 78 100 10 

mi 71 

,575 n 

am u 

mn 

VM n 

181 72 429 I2 681 97 939 M 

- 

2m 

2 76116 

3 I4159 311656 

397m7 

4 430013 

4 mn 

5 4llM 5 91917 

2 

64918 

1o5m N 

J4 

‘94 

$6 

>4 

% 

55 

% 

1: 

4 

Vdum 

0.m 

.m1. 

.ooo1: 

.om 

.mW! 

.me11 

.0116! 

.OlW 

,0212i 

.OW61 

.01511 

.MM! 

.orw 

.Wll! 

.1m 

.Irnl~ 

.m 

.m 

.3m 

,43143 

.5m 

.m 

,74151 

.wa1 

I .a 

1,1838 

I 3612 

I ,5553 

1.7671 

I9974 

2 2w 

2.1161 

2.8062 

3 4515 38082 

4.1888 

45939 

5 0243 

- 

5.4808 

19Ml 

6.4751 

7.0144 

7.5626 

.mia 

.mru 

.ow: 

3 tin 

- 

Vdums &rf.rr 

I9 6W 

21 647% 22m 

24 85041 25 967x W loMl 

294646l 

30679% 

31 919M 

33 Irn 

35 78461 37 1m 

MM 

41 ZUY 42 71824 

44 17861 45 66350 47 172% 4870692 

50 26544 53 45612 56 74497 60 13200 

67 m)17 70 M212 74 66185 

78 53975 82 51582 llb m7 

95 03310 

W *I87 01 UW. M 43m 

I7 8587 U 71H 

__ 

mm 

n 7m 

m w431 

n 471s 

39 8711 

63 617m 

go 762’p 

13 wn 

n 6762 

32 nu 37 8861 41 i?d7 48 4992 

Vd- Vdum 

- 

9m.n 

wm.n 

9743.w 

Imu.3 

ImoL.0 

1m.v 

10889.2 

lllM.9 

IIe&O 

II(M.7 

I2442.6 

IWm.0 

I3I(u.I 

1W2.0 

13m6.7 

14137.1 

Iu(3.5 

14855.V 

15224.2 

1559&5 

15978.9 

1m.5 

17157.3 

17562.5 

17974.1 

IW2.l 

18816.1 

I9247 4 1w.9 

IDIA.1 

11036.8 

IlroO.8 

u4a.3 

lU29.0 

Ml.1 

b526521.8 

f761 I .6 m9 

W.0 

I1059 3 

mo.8 

1~58.3 

1011.9 

u1n.z 

w3 

13510.3 

um.7 

8urf.a 

- 

210 71 2161.75 

m.11 

m.m 

219o.n 

m2.a 

2419.~1 

n51 .A 

2375.81 

2463.01 

2547.19 

25V6.72 

mk2.1 

26w.83 

2733.97 

wm.50 

m.43 

2874.71 

2973.46 

m.57 

3019.07 

m67.96 

3117.24 

3166.92 

3216.W 

3267.41 

3318.30 

3169.55 

nzi.19 

347s n 35n.65 

1m.47 

m.m 

3739 m 

3631 .Y 

3848.45 

m.19 

wrl.50 

1185.30 

1lm.M 

k417.llb 

1536.46 

1656.62 

I778 36 lpol .67 m.54 

il52.W 

Diu 

- 

41 

42 

43 

44 

45 

46 

47 

48 

49 

50 

51 

52 

13 

Y 

55 

56 

57 

58 

n 

P 

t’ 

H 

H 

tl 

H 

5s 

H 

H 

H 

55 

H 

54 

I4 

54 

H 

w 

54 

H 

m 

bI 

63 

UH 

H 

- 

Vdum 

36086.9 

37423.3 

3wv2.3 

IoIW.3 

4162V.7 

43098.9 

MW.2 

46110.0 

Wll2.9 

em .o M.9 

5ZM5.0 

16115.0 

i7905.8 

$9734.2 

ilao.8 

Urn.8 

W.8 

i7432. v 

- 

ns1 

W55.8 

flll8.7 

f16u.I 

r5766.3 

‘1151.7 

U447.8 

u759.3 

Dll3.6 

R5II.I 

11952.2 

w37.2 

6966.7 

9wo.9 

12160 

4325 

7136 

029) 

109) 

594 

w.47 

lA3 

4m 

W24 

loLI 

7m 

m 

.I 

mm.8 

nx 

- 

8 I812 8 8103 

9 4708 10 I635 

10 rn 

I1 64m 12 4426 I3 2719 

I4 1371 15 om I5 9789 

17 9741 

I9 0312 

21 ma0 

724493 

24 9115 

W 6116 29 0153 30 4658 31 %39 

31 1103 36 7511 40 1913 43 M62 47 7129 51 aooC 

6066w 

65 4497 

71 7663 81 3om 

87 I136 91 189.2 995409 

M I71 

I3 097 

n 832 35 6% 

43 793 12 2e bl 031 

16 9570 

m tzm 

n 6735 

16 n39 

56 1150 

ma 

m 314 

m 144 - 

IA 594 

I W 532 210 031 

im XY 

za~ m3 7.32 in 243 70 255 711 

268082 

m846 

mom 

M 576 

321 555 335 9% 350 770 %6 019 

397829 

114 403 01 431 

166 871 485 102 Yym 

17.3 598 

%I 858 w739 

bob I30 bm 036 bX 46k 

696909 

145 514 770 MI 

l96 3w 

849 3w )76 797 

)6t 512 U2 65 

IM 34 118 m w 21 161 11 

MI 703 

w 920 

543 479 

WI 4m 

no 9% 

m 5s 

mm 

III n 

- 

m1.01 

5410.(0 

5541.76 

5674.50 

m.a 

S9U.U 

(ou.12 

6221.13 

Ly1.n 

6lO3.M 

w.60 

6792.W 

m.n 

m.21 

7m.n 

7389.81 

7m.s 

7ln.Y 

7853.I 

~1l.M 

~171.1 

ma 

w4.m 

W.01 

w4.n 

3m.m 

8160.88 

P331.31 

W.31 

I676 M m2.m 

m.7 

W.0 

w.9 

w.3 

1751.3 

m5.v 

122.0 

m.7 

a.0 

m 

ml 

076 

m 

u6D 

668 

860 

W 

-. 

611.75 

637.91 

Mo 51 683.49 

706.85 

730.61 

754.76 

IF).3II 

(M.24 

829.1)I 

855 29: MI.41: 

(07.91! 

M.815 

wt.lll 

9m.m 

1017.873 

lOk6.3U 

1075.ZM 

llM.463 

I134.II4 

1164. I11 1191 5m IZZS.416 

Iu6.636 

lZM.248 

I 

1352.651 

IM5.44I 

1418,624 

1451.200 

l(a6.168 

320.213 

15m.m 

1551 m3 lrn 430 16u.%9 

1661.WI 

1693 2% 1734 941 

M9 5% 

in2.053 

847.451 

885.739 

924.120 

961.49 

W2.96 

M2.P 

13.07 

- 
Basic Data for Camputation of Molar Volume 

January 1943 

A1 tit ude 

(W 

1.620 

(Surfaoe) 

2 

2.5 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

20 

TOXIIP 

7 (OC) 

+ 3.8 

3 04 

.6 

0 2.6 

0 8.3 

-14.6 

-21 02 

-28 03 

-35.7 

-43 00 

-49 . 7 

-54.7 

-57.2 

-58.1 

-60 2 

-61 6 

-63.0 

-64.3 

-65 01 

(Mean Sounding) 

F'HOESTM, ARIZONA 

Pre8SUZ-a 

(W 

838 

800 

752 

706 

62 2 

546 

477 

416 

3 32 

312 

269 

230 

197 

168 

143 

122 

104 

88 

75 

Kolar 

ft. 

VOluy3 

- 

449 

463 

486 

522 

567 

631 

704 

786 

8 72 

983 

1140 

1250 

1450 

1690 

1990 

2320 

2700 

3170 

3700 

-63 I 54 0 5410 
Basio Data for Computation of Molar Volume 

August 1943 

Altitude 

(a) 

1 620 

(Surfaoe) 

2 

2 06 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

20 

Temp. 

(OC) 

25 02 

23 03 

20.4 

16.6 

8 08 

1.1 

- 6.6 

-11.0 

-17.1 

-24.2 

-31.6 

-39.4 

-47.0 

- 64.7 

-61.6 

-66 4 

-69 8 

-70 00 

-58.1 

(Mean Souuding) 

0 

-0 8 BUT0 

83 8 

809 

758 

716 

634 

562 

495 

436 

382 

3.73 

2 90 

251 

217 

186 

158 

134 

114 

96 

Humidity 

$ 

44 

39 

42 

48 

66 

79 

72' 

66 

46 

45 

- 

0 

0 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Molar 

Pt. 

Volye 

480 

492 

617 

641 

694 

662 

715 

803 

895 

980 

1110 

1250 

13 90 

1660 

1780 

2060 

2460 

2830 

4960 
Data for Molar Volume-Altitude Graph 

Altitude, ft. 

5 #OO0 

10,000 

15,000 

20 , 000 

25,000 

30,000 

35,000 

40,000 

45,000 

Molar Volum, fta' 

420 

490 

590 

680 

820 

980 

1230 

1410 

1750 

Altitude, fta 

60,W 

55,000 

60,000 

65,000 

70,000 

75,000 

80,000 

85,000 

90,000 

95 # 000 

100,000 

Molar volume, fta3 

2200 

2850 

3700 

4 900 

6200 

7800 

10,000 

12,600 

15,900 

20,200 

25,600 

This data assumes a oonstant temperature (-60°C) above 65,000 fie, 

and below that altitude is based on representative pressures and temperatures 

taken from Washington, Albuquerque, Pittsburgh and Lakehurst soundings. 

Individual variations f'rom season to season, and from station to 

station may be noted in the graphs at the left of Mgures 19 and 20. 

variatians are at most about .lo$. 

These 
Remuneracfon 

Le materia ha volado con este glob0 desde la New York 

University para hacer investigacionos meteorologicas.. 

Se de,sea que esta materia se vuelva para estudiarle 

nuevament 8. 

Con este motivo, se dara una remunsracion de 

dolares norteamericanos y una suma proporcional para 

deoolver todos 10s aparatos en bum estado. 

instrucciones de embarque, canuniqusnse con la persona 

siguieqte pot telegrafo, gastos pagados por 01 recipiente, 

refirLendo a1 numero del glob 0 

CUIDADO'! 

Para recibir 

PELIGRO DE F'LAblA, HAY KEROSEI!' EN EL TANQUE. 

C.S. Schneider 

Rosearch Division 

Now York University 

University Heights 

Bronx 53, Ye 

- NOTICE 

This is special weather equipnent sent aloft on research 

by Kew York Univeraity. It is important that the equipment be recovered.. 

the equipnent from damage or theft, and to telegraph collect 

to: 

University aeights, Vrest Ball,, Pew York City, U.S.A, Phone: 

LUdlow 4-0700, Extension 63 or 27. 

A dollar ($ ) reward and reasonable reimbursement 

for reoaverjl expenses will be paid ft the above $instructions 

are followed before September 19480 

KEEP AVAY FROL FEm. 'EEm IS ECEROSEFE IF? THE 'WK. 

The finder is reques'ted to protect 

Mr.. C. S-. Schneider, Few York University, l8lst St, & 

REFER TO FLIGHT # 
CUESTICNARIO 

Tenga la bondad de conteatar lo sigubnta y enviarlonols para que 

podamos mandarle a Ud. la remuneracim. 

1, En que fecha y a que hora se descubrio el globo? 

2. Donde se descubrio? Indique la distancia y diroao2cm 

aproximada del pueblo mas aeroar,Q que se encuentra en el 

mapa del sitio de descubrimiento. 

3. Se observo bajar? Cuando? 

4. Se bajo despacio o se cayo rapidamente? 

Please answer this and send to us so that we may pay you the 

reward. 

1. On what date and at what hour was the balloon disaovered? 

2. Yvhere was it cfiscavored? (Approximate distance and direotipn 

from nearest tuwn on map?) 

3. Was it obsrrved descending? If so, when? 

4. Di,d it float down slowly or fall rapidly? 
YiEIGHT SIEET Page 1. 

F1 ight N 0. _I_- 

Date 

Tine 

* . . F- Burnout Patch and Wires. 

Shrouds . . . . . . Total Ralloon F?’eight . . . . . . . . . -- - 

Launakiine, Remant . . b 

1st Unit. Serial Yo. 

--- description 

Line length - 

2nd Unit. Serial ?o. 

Line 

--. ’ 

3d Unit Serial No. 

Line 

description .- - 

lenrth 

4th Unit Serial No. 

..- -.- description 

Line length I 

Banner description IBallast assembly - description 

Eallast . . . . b . Total Equipment Weight. . . . . . Gross Load . . . 9 . . . . . 
F1 ight h? 0. - .. 

. 

Time 

Desired Rate of Rise . . ,ft ./min . Gross Load . Assumed Gross Lift (Gross Load 4 10%) G 

m 

___I '. 

G 2/3 

Free Lift 

Equipment height . . Desired Ballom Inflation Free Lift + Equipnent Total grams 

Allowance for Leakage 8 ,,dhrJ . . _. hrs. waiting n 

Actual Balloon n Inflation . 0 . . . t 

Balloon ~oiume. CU. ft. 

Helium 11.1 kg/mol 

Gas Lift/mol . * . . , Xydrogen 12.0 k&ol 

Molar Volume : Balloon volume x gas lif't/mol 

gross' load 

CU. ft. 

Xaximum Altitude . 0 . ft, m.s.1. 

Altitude Sensitivity . - f t ./kg. 
Page 3. 

BAUS T C OMPUTA TIObTS 

Flight No. 

Surface 

Percent 

(measured) 

(est hated) Balloon Diffusion 

Inflation . . . 

Date 

Time 

. bl+ 

Full Ealloon Diffusion: Surface Difkxsim x 

Ballast Leak (12% F’u11 Balloon Difhrsitm) . Automatic Ballast Valve Calibration 

Estimated Ballast Duration. . 0 . 
New York University 

Research Division 

Balloon Froject 

4. 

Sup?lemntary Information for Flight No. 

Release: Site date time 

Encoded Sounding Data: 

c. 

.-1-3 

Encoded Upper '~inds 

.-------- I 

Release lieather 

- .- - 

In- F1 ight Hcurly Ee a the r 

- - 

Train Sketch in Folder Films Sent Cut -- 

List Flight Iiecords in Folder: 

Renarks 

Checked 
Page 5 

Transmitter Perfor’rnanae for Flight Fo. . Release : Date Time Site , 0 

Transmitter Type and Serial No. . Batteries: Type and Number - .. . open Circuit Voltages : 

Voltages Under Load : 

Bception at Station #l 

Reception at Station #2 

Reception at Station #I 

Critique 
REFERENCES 

1. Meiringer, C. L. "Constant Elevation Free-balloon Flights from Fort 

Omaha," Monthly Weather &vim, Vol. 47, pp. 535-538, 1919. 

"Progress in Developing a Constant-Level Balloon", Report by Dewey and 

Almy Chemical Company, Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 15, 1944. 

"'Analysis of Japanese Weather Service", Air Vteather Service !Ibchnical 

2. 

3. 

Report 45-1, Langley Field, Virginia, May, 1946, 

4. Clarke, E.T., Korff, S.A., "The Radiosonde: The Stratosphere Laboratory", 

Journal of the Franklin Institute, Vol. 232, No. 3, September, and No. 4, 

October, 1941, 

5, 

6. 

7. 

Middleton, W.G.K. , Meteorological hstruments, Toronto, Canada, 1941, p. 46. 

"Aerological Observations", Monthly Weather Review, Vole 71, pp. 202-3, 1943. 

Brombacher, W. G., "Altitude-Pressure Tables Based on the United States 

Standard Atmosphere", Report No. 638, National Advisory Committee for 

Aeronautics, Washington, D. C. September, 1935. 

8. Timoshenko, MacCullough, Elements of Strength of Materials, Vol. 1, p. 51. 

9. Lange, K. O., Unpublished Report, Lexington, Kentucky, 1947. 

10. Warner, E. P., Aerostatics, The Roland Bess New York, 1926. 

11. "The National Geographic Society - "U.S. Andy Air Corps Stratosphere Flight 

of 1934 in the Balloon 'Explorer'", Contributed Technical Papers of the 

National Geographic Society, Washington, 1935. 

12. The Eational Geographic Society - "U.S. Amy Air Corps Stratosphere Aight 

in the Balloon 'Explorer II*tt, Contributed Technical Papers of the National 

Ge ogr aphic .S oc ie ty , Wa shingt on, 1 93 6 . 

- 61 - 
13. Lugeon, Jean, "Le Poste Aerologique de la Station Centrale de 

Meteorologie a Payerne et les nourelles methodes ruisses de 

radiosondage", Extrait des - Amales de la Station Centrale suisse de 

Neteorologie, 1941 j Zurich, 1942 

14. Lugeon, Jean, ''Quelques Innmations aux Methodes Suisses de Radiosondage ," 

Tirage a part des Annales de la Station Centrale Suisse de Meteorologic, 1942, Zurich, 1943. 

15. Upson, R., Chandler, C. Free and Captive Balloons, Ihe bland Press 

Co., New York 1926. 

16. Prandtl, L., Tietjens, O.G., Fundamentals of Hydro-and Aeromechanics, 

the Maple Press CO., York, Pa. 


JOURNAL 

OF 

METEOROLOGY 

VOLUME 5, 1948 

Publirhod bimonthly by tho 

AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY 
130 JOURNAL OF METEOROLOGY VOLUmE 5 

CONTROLLED-ALTITUDE FREE BALLOONS 

By Athelstan F. Spilhaus, C. S. Schneider, and C. B. Moore 

College of Engineering, New York University 

(Manuscript received 4 December 1947) 

ABSTRACT 

The results of an experimental program to develop balloons with associated control devices, which will 

Newly developed plastic balloons and automatic ballast equipment are dexribed. Examples of successful 

The constant-level balloon may provide data not obtainable from an ordinary pilot-balloon network. 

float at constant pressure in the atmosphere, are given. 

controlledaltitude flights are shown, together with a preliminary analysis of their trajectories. 

Future possibilities and plans for its use are indicated. 

1. Purpose in the meteorological aspects of this, using a manned 

Drift bottles have been used for many years in the 

study of Ocean currents and have provided interesting 

data. In meteorology, no corresponding device has 

been available. It is evident, however, that a balloon 

.which is free to move with the air currents, and yet 

whose altitude can be controlled, has many important 

applications in meteorology, as well as in other fields, 

where it may be desired to keep instruments at altitude for considerable lengths of time. An example is in 

the investigation of cosmic rays; here, clusters of 

ordinary extensible meteorological balloons have been 

used, but the constancy of altitude obtained is not 

sufficient for many meteorological applications. The 

purpok of the present investigation' was to develop 

a balloon with a control system which would fly at a 

predetermined constant level for periods of many 

hours. Such a balloon has wider application than the 

Ocean drift bottle, because, whereas the latter is 

limited to surface (or near surface) currents, controlled 

free balloons may be set to drift at any pressure 

elevation desired, or along other thermodynamically 

defined surfaces, as long as the element defining the 

surface changes in a monotone fashion in the vertical. 

In addition to the uses for maintaining 'instruments 

at high elevations, there are numerous potential applications of these balloons. Direct measurements of air 

trajectories and of lateral diffusion become possible. 

The balloons may also be used as vehicles to convey 

and drop radiosondes over ocean areas. One problem 

in this application is to obtain an absolute altitude 

tie-in point, as it will be difficult to identify the point 

at which the radiosonde reaches the sea surface. 

balloon. In the investigation of cosmic rays, as for 

example, by Clarke and Korff (1941), clusters of 

ordinary meteorological balloons, 350-gram or 700- 

gram size, numbering anywhere from twenty to nearly 

seventy, were utilized. No altitude-control devices 

were used; the balloons were merely given different 

amounts of inflation. Thus the whole train ascended 

to an altitude where certain of the more highly inflated 

balloons burst until the remainder just balanced the 

load ; thereafter, the assembly descended slowly due 

to loss of lift by the diffusion of gas. The only provision 

for having the system regain altitude if it descended 

too low was by arranging the launching before dawn, 

so that after the bursting of the first balloon and the 

subsequent descent, superheating of the balloons by 

the rising sun would cause the whole assembly to rise 

again, thereby increasing the duration of the flight. 

The system does not have sufficient control for many 

purposes. 

The much-publicized use of balloons by the Japanese 

in the last war represents an attempt which must be 

considered highly suecessful from the point of view of 

the length of time which the balloons stayed in the air. 

Here the objective was not to obtain any critical 

altitude control, but rather to insure that the balloons 

remained floating. The Japanese nonextensible balloons were of two types. One type was of heavy paper, 

coated to minimize diffusion, of spherical shape, about 

25 to 30 ft in diameter, and containing about 19,000 

cubic feet of gas. A solid-ballast control system was 

utilized and gas was valved at a low internal pressure 

(about two inches of water) to prevent the balloons 

from rupturing due to the increase of the internal 

pressure by altitude fluctuations or radiation changes. 

Such a valve tends to conserve the lifting gas but acts 

as a safety device to prevent damage of the envelope 

due to too great an internal pressure. 

The solid-ballast system was complex; approximately 900 pounds of sand was used on each balloon, 

distributed in thirty-six bags. The dropping of ballast 

2. Earlier attempts 

There have been numerous attempts for various 

purposes to get a balloon or group of balloons to stay 

at a fairly constant altitude. Meisinger was interested 

1 Sponsored by, and in cooperation with the Watson Laboral 

tories of the Air Materiel Command. 
AUGUST 1948 ATHELSTAN F. SPILHrZUS, C. 

was controlled by a baroswitch arrangement which 

dropped a bag by igniting a fuse when the altitude fell 

below any one of four different levels between 25,000 

and SO00 ft. In addition, a delay mechanism consisting 

of a two-minute fuse was arranged between successive 

switches so that after ballast was dropped, tw6 minutes 

would be allowed for the balloon to regain its altitude; 

if it did not regain in this time another bag of ballast 

would be dropped. The system was inefficient because 

if any one of the thirty-six fuse arrangements failed, 

no more ballast was dropped. 

The second type of Japanese balloon was similar, 

in general, but slightly larger; it was made of oiled 

silk and therefore would stand a greater internal 

pressure (approximately six inches of water). The 

higher the internal pressure that the balloon can 

stand, the less gas need be valved under conditions of 

superheating or altitude fluctuations. The Japanese 

released many balloons of these types from their 

islands and estimated five to seven per cent of those 

released reached the west coast of this country. The 

balloons floated between the surface and 30,000 ft 

above sea level; those which reached the west coast 

must have remained aloft from four to ten days. While 

the altitude maintained was not constant, these balloons were highly successful for the time they remained 

in the air. 

An attempt in this country was made in 1943 by the 

Dewey and Almy Company, to obtain constant-level 

balloons which would float at altitudes up to 15;OOO 

ft. An ordinary 350-gram meteorological balloon was 

used but its volume was controlled by a nonextensible 

shroud around it. With this method a flight at about 

SO00 ft was obtained at fairly constant altitude for 

about an hour and a half. 

3. Design of controlled-altitude balloons 

As a result of the Japanese and other expeiiments, 

the use of a nonextensible envelope for the balloons 

was indicated. If a perfectly nonextensible balloon 

could be built with no diffusion through the walls, and 

which could withstand a high internal pressure, it 

would automatically stay at a constant density where 

the buoyancy of the full balloon equaled the load. In 

practice, control devices are needed to offset the leakage and diffusion of gas, to compensate for vertical 

currents in the atmosphere, to correct for the motion 

of the balloon due to diurnal changes of the balloon’s 

temperature, and to compensate for the valving of gas 

which is necessary to prevent rupture of the envelope. 

It was decided to use a plastic as the balloon fabric, 

as some modern plastics are quite transparent to radiation, strong, easily fabricated, and relatively inexpensive as compared with coated fabrics. 

A. Choice of plastics.-In the selection of a plastic 

material of which to make the balloons, the desirable 

S. SCHNEIDER, AND C. B. MOORE 131 

properties are: (a) low brittle temperature, (b) IOW 

permeability, (c) high tensile strength, (d) high tear 

resistance, (e) chemical stability, (f) high radiation 

transmission or reflection. Polyethylene soon recommended itself for use, with its brittle temperature of 

below -8OF. It is apparently unaffected by ultraviolet 

and ozone. The permeability through one mil of thickness and one square meter of area for 24 hours is ten 

liters for hydrogen and seven liters for helium, at 

normal atmospheric temperature and pressure. 

FIG. 1. Polyethylene balloon, 20-ft diameter. 

Polyethylene is also relatively easy to fabricate. It 

has an ultimate tensile strength of 1,900 pounds per 

square inch at 25C, which, in a 15-ft balloon made out 

of four-mil fabric, represents a working pressure of 

about 2.3 inches of water. The tensile strength at the 

temperatures at which the balloon flies at high altitude 

may be more than three times the value quoted above. 

Fig. 1 shows a polyethylene balloon2 flown successfully in Flight 26 described below. Another film investigated is Saran, which has ten times the tensile 

strength of polyethylene-three times the strength 

across the seams. Saran has a higher transparency and 

one-thirtieth the permeability of polyethylene. The 

effective brittle temperature of Saran for this work is 

not known reliably. 

B. Ballast valve.-The altitude control is an automatic ballast-dropping device3 consisting essentially of 

* Made by General Mills, Inc. * Made by Kollsman Instrument Division of Square D Company. 
MULUST INLET TUBE 

'A 

MEEM VALVE 

FIG. 2. .\titomatic ballast valve. 

a diaphragm-operated needle valve which jettisons 

liquid ballast whenever the balloon is below the altitude at which the control is actuated. This is shown in 

fig. 2. The ballast reservoir (fig. 3), in general, can 

hold 15 kilograms of the liquid ballast-usually compass fluid, a highly refined kerosene-type petroleum 

product. When the atmospheric pressure outside the 

diaphragm is 5 millibars above the internal pressure, 

160 grams of ballast per minute flow under a one-foot 

head. When the automatic ballast valve is wide open, 

which is after 6.5 millibars increase over the internal 

pressure, 300 grams per minute flow. These values may 

be compared with a diffusion loss of lift of the order 

of magnitude of 10 grams per hour from the thicker 

15-ft balloon described below. Quite positive altitude 

control can be obtained. 

Efforts are made to cause the static rate of leakage, 

i.e., the leakage which proceeds when the automatic 

ballast valve is closed, to exceed slightly the rate of 

loss of lift due to the diffusion of the lifting gas from 

the balloon. To facilitate setting the fixed leak, a 

manually operated ballast valve, consisting of a leak 

adjustable by means of a fine needle valve, is added to 

the ballast-release a~sembly.~ 

C. Minimum pressure switch.-Obviously, the automatic ballast valve must not be in operation while the 

balloon is rising, as this would be a waste of ballast. 

Therefore the automatically operated needle valve is 

closed until the balloon reaches altitude. This is accomplished by having the loaded diaphragm of the 

altitude control open to the atmosphere until the 

balloon descends from a minimum pressure. .At this 

time, an electrical contact is made and a squib6 cuts a 

Since this manuscript was written, the procedure has been 

simplified. Only a simple fixed leak is used for daytime flights. The automatic ballast valve is used alone for flights through 

sunset or sunrise. ' A small electrically detonated charge. 

rcstraining cord and allows a needle valve to seal off 

the diaphragm from any further access to the air 

(fig. 2). 'The capsule then contains a volume of air 

which has been trapped at the existing pressure and 

temperature, at the time of operation of the sealing 

switch. Thereafter the aneroid will withdraw the 

ballast-control needle valve when the ambient pressure 

increases to the point where the entrapped air is compressed below this volume. 

Fig. 4 shows the minimum pressure switch which 

makes the electrical contact at the time of seal-off. It 

consists of a trapped volume of air that is allowed to 

escape through a mercury pool as long as the outside 

pressure is decreasing. As soon as the exterior pressure 

increases once more, however, mercury is drawn into 

the tube, making the seal-off contact between two 

electrodes. 

4. Height determination 

Up to the present time, the standard radiosonde has 

been used in order to determine the altitude at which 

the balloon is flying. This permits a regular radiosonde 

ascent to be obtained during the period that the balloon is rising. Thereafter, as the balloon remains at 

approximately the same altitude, it becomes somewhat 

difficult to identify the radiosonde contact, but utilizing both the temperature and pressure indication, this 

is possible. A special radiosonde modulator of the 

Olland type has been designed (fig. 5). The pressure 

f 

PRESSURE Wl 

BATTERY eox 

AUTOMATIC" \ 'k BAWST VALVE 

DISCHARGE TUBE BALLAST VALVE 

FIG. 3. Ballast-release assembly. 
AUGUST 1948 ATHELSTAN F. SPILH.-ZUS, C. S. SCHSEIDER, ASD C. €3. MOORE 133 

capsule and linkage is of conventional design but in 

place of the commutator bar, a motor driven helix is 

employed. This system permits the determination of 

FIG. 4. Minimum pressure switch (mercurial). 

pressure data without knowledge of the history of contact sequence or of the ascent or descent of the balloon. 

as is required in the conventional radiosonde. 

5. Tracking of the balloon 

The balloons that have been flown by the writers 

usually have been tracked by theodolites. Airplanes 

have also been used, to extend the observations. These 

two methods require the balloon to be visible and not 

obscured by cloud cover. When available, ground 

radar has been used in tracking the balloons, with 

good results. 

A series of SCR 658 radio direction-finders is also 

used, arranged in a net along the expected trajectory 

of the balloon. In addition, aircraft equipped with 

inverted search radar have been employed to extend 

the tracking net. 

6. Flight results 

While the characteristics of various plastics were 

being investigated, four preliminary flights were made 

with clusters of ordinary meteorological balloons, from 

16 to 26 in number, to which two to four towing 

balloons were attached. The towing balloons were cut 

free by a baroswitch at a predetermined altitude. The 

remainder of the balloons were inflated so that they 

exactly balanced the load hung from the cluster. To 

offset diffusion, sand was dropped from an arrangement of tubes, 9 to 16 in number, each containing 

about 200 to 1500 grams of sand ballast. This ballast 

was dropped by a baroswitch mechanism on descent 

only. Some of these flights were relatively successful 

as a beginning method but the dropping of discrete 

quantities of sand caused too great fluctuation of altitude and therefore was abandoned later. The first 

successful flight stayed at 51,000 ft, plus or minus 100 

ft, .for 38 minutes; another remained between 30,000 

and 40,000 ft for 147 minutes. The latter shows the 

same characteristic time-altitude curve as the cosmicray clusters, although its altitude control is superior. 

It is not believed that much improved altitude control 

can be obtained, utilizing ordinary meteorological balloons. Flight termination was usually due to deterioration of the balloon caused by the sun. 

In the first flight utilizing plastic balloons, a cluster 

of ten seven-foot diameter balloonse was used. The 

load on the cluster was 16.5 kilograms. -An altitude 

control was used. Unfortunately, the maximum altitude reached was not as high as the predetermined 

altitude which was selected to seal the diaphragm of 

the automatic ballast valve. .is a result, the cluster 

rose to ceiling and stayed at this altitude for a short 

while. Diffusion and leakage of helium produced a loss 

of lift at the rate of 125 feet per minute. 

The next flight was made with a single pol?-ethylene 

balloon, 15 ft in diameter. To insure sealing-off, the 

ballast-release diaphragm was set to operate at an 

altitude of 12,000 ft, considerably below the calculated 

ceiling of the balloon. After a dawn release the balloon 

continued to ascend to 15,100 ft where it leveled off, 

then slowly descended to 9000 ft due to diffusion 

losses. At this altitude the ballast release began to 

operate and thereafter the balloon maintained its 

altitude within f1300 ft for a period of 43 hours before 

the radio signal was lost. However, in the first two 

hours of this period, before the convection currents 

Made by General Mills, Inc. 

1 

HOUSING TO 

,, SUITABLE 

LIGHT WEIGHT 

v! ’ ~ INSTRUMENT 

DURING FLIGHT 

iITIONED 

BY ATMOSPHERIC 

PRESSURE ACTING 

ON CAPSULES 

tc- HELIX 

PLUG ~- - in - UAVE . . . . . - CONNECTIONS WIRED MOTOR 

DRIVING HELIX AT 

ABOUT 2 RPM TO EACH CONTACT ARM, 

TO HELIX AND 
134 JOURNAL OF METEOROLOGY VOLUME 5 

from the desert set in, the balloon maintained an altitude of 9200 f 150 ft. 

An explanation as to why the ballast release functioned at 9OOO ft, although it was set to operate at 

12,000 ft, is plain from the following data. The air in 

the diaphragm was sealed off on the dawn ascent at 

12,000 ft, where the pressure was 657 mb and the 

temperature 9C. However, by the time the balloon 

passed through this level during the slow descent, the 

instrument temperature was 19C. This means that 

the pressure of the air trapped inside the diaphragm 

was higher than it was at time of seal-off. 

For the ballast valve to function, the balloon had to 

descend to a pressure which would be greater by about 

3 mb than the pressure of the trapped air at its now 

higher temperature. Of course, there was little ventilation past the instrument, and therefore the instrument 

temperature was about 25C above the ambient temperature after the sun had risen. 

The automatic ballast valve operates when the 

volume inside the sealed diaphragm becomes slightly 

less than the volume at seal-off. Denoting the altitude 

at which it can operate by the subscript h, the pressure 

divided by the temperature at this altitude will equal 

the pressure at the seal-off altitude divided by the 

trapped-air temperature at the time of seal-off; in 

this case 

p, = 657 mb 

T, = 9C = 282A 

Th = 39c = 312A, 

where the subscript s refers to seal-off. Thus the pressure at altitude h is given by 

Ph = P8Tt,/T8 = 727 mb. 

This pressure, at which ballast release will begin, corresponds to an altitude of 9000 ft, which is the observed altitude maintained by the balloon for nearly 

43 hours, until the radiosonde tracking signal was lost. 

The theodolite lost the balloon in clouds earlier and 

the airplane observer never succeeded in seeing it, so 

the balloon may have remained for a considerably 

longer period at this altitude. Eleven hours after beginning the ascent, the balloon was reported to have 

been seen over Albuquerque, New Mexico, and about 

26 hours later a report was made from Pueblo, 

Colorado, which seemed to indicate that the balloon 

was still in the air at that time. The meteorological 

situation and wind data for that area at the time of 

flight support the contention that the latter observations were of the same balloon. 

The next flight consisted of an assembly of various 

balloons, as follows: 

One 15-ft diameter 0.008-inch polyethylene balloon, 

Six 7-ft diameter General Mills 0.001-inch polyTwo 350-gm meteorological balloons for stadia 

thene balloons, 

measurements. 

The single balloon had a measured diffusion loss of 

lift of 4 grams per hour. The General Mills balloons 

were observed to lose lift at the rate of about 100 

grams per hour per balloon. 

Three of the 7-ft balloons were inverted and deflated 

shortly after launching, due to differences in the rates 

of rise of the various balloons in the cluster. Therefore, 

the altitude reached was not high enough to effect 

seal-off. (It is for this reason that the minimum pressure switch was developed for use in later flights.) 

Fig. 9 shows the elevation and plan views of the 

track of this flight. The train leveled off at 16,500 ft. 

The diffusion loss of lift of the remaining balloons wa; 

approximately 300 grams per hour. The ballast valve 

used had an unusually high rate of static leakage 

which had been measured before release and found to 

be 310 grams per hour. Thus fortuitously, the loss of 

lift was compensated by ballast leakage. This nearly 
AUGUST 1948 ATHELSTAN F. SPILHAUS, C. S. SCHNEIDER, AND C. B. MOORE 135 

I 

FIG. 7. Height-time curve of balloon Flight 17. Released at 

Alamogordo, New Mexico, on 9 September 1947 at 1647 MST 

(105th meridian). Recovered near Pratt, Kansas, 530 miles 

distant. 

constant leakage held the balloon at 16,800 f 700 ft 

for 7 hours. The duration of the flight was 91 hours. 

When the original 2700-gram ballast was expended, 

the balloon descended rapidly. Even had the automatic ballast valve been functioning, the constancy of 

altitude would have been the same. This seems to indicate that only a minimum of automatic control is 

needed, provided that diffusion losses are slightly 

overcompensated by a constant ballast leak. 

Other flights also indicate the importance of a check 

valve in the balloon appendix to prevent dilution of 

the lifting gas with air. If this is not done, the altitude 

reached is far under the theoretical altitude determined by the displacement and gross load. 

7. Control systems 

Two systems of control are possible with the equipment as described. The balloon is controlled between 

an upper level (ceiling), where the full balloon buoyancy just equals the load, and a lower level (floor), 

below which the automatic ballast valve operates. 

Schematic curves for these two systems of control are 

shown in fig. 6. 

In the first system of control the rate of static ballast 

leakage is greater than the diffusion loss of lift, and 

the balloon will stay at the ceiling. If it is displaced 

above the ceiling the buoyancy is insufficient to balance the load and it will descend again. Provided the 

rate of ballast discharge is greater than the rate of lift 

by loss of gas this ceiling will slowly rise by valving of 

gas, and as gas is lost by diffusion. The less the amount 

of gas the lower the pressure (higher ceiling) must be 

for the gas to fully distend the envelope. Unnecessary 

valving is undesirable and may, in part, be minimized 

by use of a restraining safety valve set in the appendix, 

which will allow some slight pressure to be carried in 

the balloon, preventing gas loss at the peaks of minor 

oscillations but still valving gas before the balloon 

ruptures due to too great an internal pressure. 

In this system of control, the automatic valve is not 

sealed off until the balloon starts a descent due to 

cooling or other changes in lift, as when night falls. 

Upon descent the valve is activated and starts dropping ballast ‘immediately; this continues until the 

balloon is no longer losing lift at a rate greater than 

the diffusion losses. The balloon will then rise above 

its former ceiling to a height determined by the weight 

of ballast dropped, and remain there as long as there 

is ballast to compensate for lift losses. Flight 17, reproduced in fig. 7, used a low-leakage balloon and is an 

actual case of ceiling control. It may be compared with 

the idealized time-altitude curves in fig. 6. 

In the second system of control the static rate of 

leakage is less than the diffusion loss of lift. In this 

case the balloon will descend to the floor, where the 

automatic control operates and the balloon floats at 

an equilibrium altitude where the rate of ballast release exactly balances the rate of loss of lift. Floor 

control conserves ballast, since only that needed for 

altitude control is released. However, the altitude of 

the floor varies diurnally as the temperature of the 

entrapped air in the automatic ballast valve is affected 

by solar radiation. Two methods are being investigated 

to circumvent this undesirable feature. One is to 

Nor 

W E 

S 

FIG. 8. Wind vectors at 16,000 feet for El Pas0 (EO), Albuquerque (ABj, and Roswell (THJ), at 03h, 09” and lSh (MST) on 7 July 1947, in connection with balloon Flight 11, mean motion 

of which is shown by the balloon vector. Cross-hatched sector 

contains all wind vectors at these three stations for the three 

observation hours and for the three levels, 14,000, 16,000, and 

18,000 feet. 
1.36 J 0 I* 12 S .I L 0 F ,\I E T E 0 R 0 L 0 G Y VOLUME 5 

temperat iirc-conil,cns,\tc tlw tlinphragni, the other to 

insulate and sliicltl the valve from radiation. 

Using the ceiling-control system, flights of less than 

24 hours not passing through sunset, ma>- be held at 

ceiling by use of a nonestensible b;illoon and a simple 

fixed rate of leak to over-compensate diffusion losses. 

The constancy of level will be better the lower the 

diffusion and the lower, therefore, the rate of rise of 

the ceiling. The automatic control is needed for flights 

lasting through a period in which day changes to night. 

8. Preliminary trajectory analysis of two constantlevel balloon flights, 7 July 1947' 

The most striking feature of the constant-level balloon flight (Flight 11, fig. 9) originating at A\lamogordo 

.Ammy ;\ir Base at 0Sh08" MST8 on 7 July 1947 is the 

disagreement between the actual trajectory and the 

trajectory that might have been estimated from routine 

upper-wind reports. In this connection the observations 

from the Weather Bureau stations at El Paso, Roswell, 

and -4lbuquerque have been examined, since the path 

of the balloon was contained within the triangle formed 

The authors are indebted to Prof. G. Emmons for contributing 

the major part of this section. * Mountain Standard Time-105th meridian civil time. All 

further time references will be tacitly MST. 

by these stations. Over El Paso, the wind direction 

at 16,000 ft (the approximate average altitude of the 

balloon during the greater part of the flight) was 

approximately SW at 03h, ESE at 09h, and ESE at 

lSh. Over Roswell, the apparent average wind direction 

at 16,000 ft was S during this period. Over Albuquerque, 

which was considerably farther from the path of the 

balloon than the other two stations, the wind direction 

at 16,000 ft was variable between WSW and SSE during 

the interval from 03h to lSh. In contrast with these 

observations is the fact that the constant-level balloon 

floated in an essentially steady WSW current between 

06h and 09h. 

In fig. 8 the wind observations at 16,000 ft have been 

plotted for El Paso, Roswell, and 4lbuquerque for 03h, 

09h, and lSh. The wind directions at 14,000 ft, 16,000 

ft, and 18,000 ft (only the intermediate level is shown 

in the figure) are all contained in the 150-degree sector 

between directions 90" and 240"; yet the mean motion 

of the balloon (approximately 265') between 0Sh48" 

and 13hll" falls entirely outside this sector. 

-4n indication that this local WSW current was of 

small depth is given by a special upper-wind observation made at White Sands at about 13h. The observation in question recorded a wind direction of 250" at 

16,000 ft, which is in excellent agreement with the first 

0 

Rorrw 

Rorwe "'I AAF 

Trajectory 

Scale 0 ', '? fM2esJ 

FIG. 9. Height-distance curve and planned trajectory of balloon Flight 11. Released at Alamogordo, New Mexico, 

7 July 1947, at 0508 MST. (Numerals on curves indicate minutes after release.) 
AUGUST 1948 ATHELSTAN F. SPILHAUS, C. 

part of the trajectory of the constant-level balloon. 

The interesting fact about the White Sands observation is that at all but one of the other reported altitudes 

between the ground and 20,000 ft, the wind directions 

were from either the NE or SE quadrants. 

The trajectory of the balloon curved slightly anticyclonically over the eastern slopes of the Sacramento 

Mountains. This characteristic is suggestive of the 

well-known deforming effect of a mountain range on 

an air current directed toward the axis of the range. 

In this case, however, the validity of invoking the 

aforementioned effect to explain the anticyclonic curc.vature, when the wind at levels below the mountain 

summits appears to have been blowing approximately 

parallel to the range, depends on assuming that the air 

currents parallel to the range themselves constitute a 

barrier deforming a higher current blowing in a different direction across the mountains. The sharp cyclonic 

bend that occurred after the balloon had come over 

relatively flat country occurred at the time that the 

balloon began its final descent and is due to the fact 

that the course of the balloon turned toward the north 

as a result of descent to levels where the wind had 

maintained a southerly direction throughout the day. 

It is of interest to compare this flight with Flight 17 

(fig. 10). It may be observed on fig. 10 that no deformS. SCHNEIDER, .AND C. B. MOORE 137 

ing effect of the mountain barrier is apparent. This, 

however, is to be expected, as the altitude of the balloon above the mountain top is three times that of 

Flight 11, where this anticyclonic deformation of the 

trajectory was observed. ‘The balloon was ultimately 

recovered from Croft, Kansas, a distance of 530 miles 

from the release point; on the basis of the observed 

wind speeds a 12-hour flight duration is estimated. 

9. Conclusion 

Within the coming year it is hoped that a number 

of meteorological investigations may be attempted, 

utilizing constant-level balloons. Release of three or 

more from a single point to float at the same level, 

release at a number of points to obtain a synoptic 

presentation of the trajectories in a chosen level, and 

the dropping of radiosondes from balloons are some of 

the operations to be attempted. Efforts will be made 

to simplify the arrangement so that a constant-level 

flight may be made in a routine fashion and at no 

greater cost than the ordinary radiosonde flight. 

REFERENCE 

Clarke, E. T., and S. .I. Korff, 1941: The radiosonde: the stratosohere laboratory. -7. Franklin Znst., 232, 217-355. 

FIG. 10. Height-distance curve and planned trajectory of balloon Flight 17. Released at Alamogordo, New hlesiro, 9 Sepicmber 

1947, at 1647 MSI‘. First 125 minutes only are shown. (Numerals on curves indicate minutes after release.) 

15 

New York University 

Progress Report No. 6 

Constant Level Balloon 

Section I1 

June 1947 

sumnJ& 

~.sumh Dlririon, Project Eo. 93 

Delafing aotlon in 

Goodyear’ a quotation 

for bdlloorm. 

.. 
5110117 s.lu 0 

u 

I 

5h3/67 Paul Gody of 

Sollwran Instnwnt 

C.B. Moon 

5&/k7 Dr. Peopler, Hersrsr 

A.H.Mearo, John 

Alden, Charlea 

Hew flights at Alumgordo, P.M., where lover 

winds can be found. 

Kollrmvn InotruPPent Div. New dribbler design. 

Squnrs D Co. 

WuFSt, LoI.~NoYo 

Vulcan Proofing Coo Teeting of balloon 

Brooklyn, kY. fabric8 and films. 

Vatson Laboratories, Final arrangements for 

Red Bank, #.J. Uamogordo trip. 

Irelad, C .So Sohneidor, 

C.B. Mo&m 
A ooafensm v.8 held on Xay 1 at Himmapolis vlth Mr, 

0, 0, rimon of Oenenl nilla concerning tho manufacture of 

balloon# by bnsd Wr for thi8 project. At the present tlnm 

%hi8 carpapq cannot supply ua with balloona until Navy clearance 

ir obtained, hat it is hoped that amngemnta can k comploted 

in tha near futur,, Tha type of bsl100~ manufaotured Oneml 

m8 60- to k mu atsd b tho med8 Of this pr0jeCt0 

-4- 
ondrd than kfom# duo to tho hiring of mom personnel. Tho 

joint laboratory am3 offico uhich this pmjeot shms Vith 

.rrother ir highly inadoquak for rix men of thoirr and elma 

of oum - 8 total of 17 man In 8 spa- 8ppm-t.ly l5xl5 foot, 

Until plaatia hlloort. can be obtained, v. will continw 

to ?ly oltuterr of ~~ekorologlcal balloo~. 

0. 4pp.mtus and lhuim* 

only rubrtmtial chary in eqafpwnt duriw tho 

priod oorored 

of -4 llnor, lr th. 8ddition of 8 xmv main ~ld ballast dropping 

drrioo to tha oquigunt tnin of tho flight8 to k do 8t Wgordo, 

thin -part, otbr than general strengthoni~q 
It IS kllevd tht vith present aquipment tho W~OI~O) 

Bew X~X~CO, area lr tho m8t auitablo available for launching 

ppfporeu, slat30 calm virdr are conrlstently present at dawn) ad 

thore are a mhhm of Clod8 to impair g~od obrenation of tho 

blloonr in flight. 

-6- 



See also 

Weaver Attachment 25 
Covering Period from January 1, 1947 

to April 30, 1947 

CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOON 

Research Division, Project No. 93 

Premred in Accordance with Provisions of Contract 

lw’28-099 ac-;iW, between 

Watson LaborBtories, Red Bank, New Jersey 

ard 

New York University 

Assistant Project Director 

rb--u-&zs 1 L-LL-L. -. 

Approved by: JRenato Contini 

Acting Director of Research 

Research Division 

College of Engineering 

May, 1947 
A prelbhary survey bas nmde of the problerc. Specifications were drawn up for the equipment needed and mrinufacturers were contacted to constnact experimental balloons 

and altitude controls. 

A balloon crew was assembled. 

kllle awaiting delivery on the NXU designed equit;ment, 

clusters of meteorological baUoons have been flown for experience and as a stop-gap rmthod of carxying a payload bo altitude. 

In addition, two salvaged, racing-tm, man-carxying balloons 

of 35,000 cubic foot size have been procured and are being prepared for flight. Two 19,W cubic foot Ja-xmese balloons ham 

been mado availahlo bg the Navy. 

Preliminary calculations bnve been made on balloon 

tuoyaaaiea and families of curves plotting altitude VS. lift 

for various balloon 8iLbs bavb been prepared for planning and 

flight -SOB* 

Cfvfl Aeronautics Authority has given clearance for 

flight of large balloons form Lakehurst, New Jersey, and Bethlebm, 

Pennsylvania, with certain mstrictiom . 

-1- 
FEPORT 

I. The personnel workbe on this project consists of the follot;ir,s 

full-time employees: 

- rme - Duties Qua1 if i ca t ions 

Charles 8. Szhneider Asst. Pro j . Direc%or Former weather equipmect 

officer, Army Air Forces 

doing similar bark durqn;: 

tbe war. Elec. Engineering, 

Brooklyn Polytechzic & ?nnr 

Charles B. Moore Jr. Research Eugineer Former weat be r equipment 

officer, Amy Air Forces 

doing similar work during 

the bar. Graduate of 

Georgia School of Technolo= 

in Chemical Engineering. 

Richard Hassard Chief of Flight Detail Former Signal Corpos Officer, 

E3ec. Ebgineering at YYU. 

Murry HaclanaLl In chmge of the Former weather equiwnt 

Electronic bather Technician, Degree in 

Equimt. Mathematics and Statistics 

City College of Xew Pork. 

In addition to the above W-time employees, the following 

part-time pemonael are now working on the project: 

- Name - Dut its Qualifications 

Henry Ramnrenzind Computations & Equip- Undergraduate Elec. 

mnt Construction Engineering Student. 

Ralph Norroll Ruipmnt Construction Undergraduate Admin. 

&@.neerIng Student. 

James Smith Wather Obeener sled 

DraFtsmarr in drngr and Undergraduate 

Formaer Weather Observer 

Engineering Student. 

Uilliam lber Mschinist Undergraduate Engineering 

studat. 

-2- 
The follobinp personnel -re hbed but later resigned: 

Duties gualif icatlons 

Robert 'iisnieff %pip=nt Construction UndergraduatF Pbysicist 

Student . Robert Ferris Equipment Construction Undergraduate Pbs lcs 

Student 

Fred krker &-Uipmen t Construction Undergraduate Aeronautics 

Engineering Student. 

11. The following admhistrative action bas been taken in connection 

wi'th this controct: 

Personnel 

1. The assi@unent of Charles S, Scbneider to act as Assis-ant 

Project Dk8ctOr. 

2. The smploymsnt of Char1es.B. Moore Jr. of Georgia Tech. as 

a Research Assistant with duties as Ebgineer. 

3. Murry Hackman was engaged to "Wse charge of the Electronic 

weather equipnt due to his past experience as a weather equipment 

technician and as an instructor of the MF classes in the maintenance of 

radiosonde receptor AN/EMQ-l aad radio directional finder SCR-658 at 

Chanute Field, Illinois. 

4. Richard Bassard, a former SiGal Corps Officer was hired 

because of his general how$edge of electrical and radio circuits to 

handle the construction of special flight equipnt. 

Eauirn#nt 

5. As l?ewXork University did not possess all tbe necessarg 

equipnt 8 list oi oquipm3nt wa6 pepared and sutmitted to tb 

Gooemmat with tihe mpst that this equipent be loaned or furnished 

-3- 
b? $he govermnt. 

I.:X ke exct.,:io;l of tne dI/Ebiq-l, 5CIi-6?3 cnd ;he ?ref= brichtec 

bc',lcings Eeece3. for sifice erd stor- gc s+ce. 

To cete m:t of tnis e.,ui;acnt x.5 cetn recfri:Ci 

6. The list of e%ui?ment t&t t;;ls submittsC to thc governnect 

consisteci of the mjor itens thst vere necessary. fiowever, kcr'ije 

mdny mall htnt tools a15 rrciio ?arts cnd other equi:;aent were xe6sd 

fwriociczlly a -Mtty cesh fma of 2100 LTS set GJJ to fccilitxte 

?urchcse o:* sm11 items. 

Chancellor of the University reLues5ing thLt this Setty CLS~ be 

incre&ae~ to $200 &nG that B travel furxi of GlCO be estbolisnec. 

.4 further request i?Es been sutnitted. to the 

Eousiry 

7. The existi= infiation chelt,or at the school fm the 

Met,eorologicel Ge-=rtment's use wes not sdequste to hmxile the lzrge 

dieneter 2lastic balloons thE.t we ?lan to use. 

wzcc submittee =k qproved by the Contracting Officer fcr the construction of a 27 ft. cube inflEtion shelter on the cmi~pus of Rew 

Tork University. 

Subcormittee of the Civil Aeronautics Authority, Xew York gffice, 

it has since been decided not to erect this inflation shelter in the 

New Pork &me, but der to use existing facilities at Lakehurst, 

New 3ersep or OLnsteac Field, Ylddletown, New Jersey. 

Sub-Contmcts 

Therefore G recuest 

Due to restrictions placed on us by the Air 3y.ce 

8. Permission was secured from the Contr-cting Officer of the 

Fatson Laboretories to plsce two sub-contr&cts. 

cation of plcstic balloons axxi was placed with Harold PI. Szith Inc., 

of 'Xm=ro=ck, New York.. This subeontrect amount& to $7,565. The 

second sub-contrcct was glace6 with KoUsmen Instrument Civision of 

One was for thz fabri- 
Square D Incorporated st Elmhurst, Long Island, New Pork. 

sub-contrzct was for tne construction of model altitMe controls 

This 

ad timounted to $7,446. 

Correspondence written during this period is as follows: 

Date of 

Correspondence Address 

11/7/16 Plax Corp 

Hartford, Conn. 

Att: Ya. Griffith 

11/7/46 Visking Corp. 

Chicago, Ill. 

Mr. Cahn 

12/4/46 Visking Corp. 

Chicago, Ill. 

Em Be Cw 

Abstract Answer 

Forwarding P.0.#5983 3ot furnished. 

& Requesting price 

quotation aad delivery 

schedule for 4 diff. 

thicknesses of 36" wide 

polyethylene sheet 

(.001" .00225" .004" 

snd .008". 

Request to know what 

ethylene could be 

supplied in, ad 

what the cost and 

delivery date would 

be. 

maxfmtrm ddth PolyAdvising interest in 72" circumference 

securing 300 ft. of 72" Polythylene tube 

circumference polyethylene tubing request information on 

thickness and price. 

E/l .O/& Dewey & Almy Chem. Co. Acknowledging receipt 

Cambridge, Mass. of material used by 

Att: Mr. Langley V. Isom Mr. Isom in his constant level balloon 

work, Also advising 

that order for single 

and double neck 1000 

gram balloons had been 

placed. 

could be furnished. 

Reqwst to know 

quantity and thickness ,002 mil thick 

$1.4O/lb. estimate 

and would need 19 

lbs . 

None required. 

-5- 
12/16/46 Celanese Celluloid Corp. Advising this company Advising they 60 

180 Xadison Lvonue of our desire to fabri- slot believe ethyl 

New York, A. X. cate 2 balloon fron plcts- cellulose would _- 

tic fih ani our interest in ethyl cellulose 

as a possible 2lastic 

film to be used for 

this construction. Eequest that literature 

be sup2lied showing 

low temperature characteristics, tensile 

strength, etc. 

12/17/46 Nixon Nitrogen Vorks 

Nixon, New Jersey 

12/17/L6 ?lax Corp. 

Hartford, Conn. 

ktt: Xr. Griffith 

Same request made of 

this company as with 

Celanese Celluloid 

Corp. 

Advising that E. L. 

Cournard Co., recommended by Plsx, 

haa declined the 

contrmt for fabrication of balloons. 

That Unexcelled Chem. 

Corp. of New Brunswick hed agreed to 

this fabrication aad 

sup2lied the necessary 

shipping eddress for 

the polyethylene. 

12/17/46 Dewey & filmy Chem. Co. Acknowledging receipt 

Cambridge, Piass . of single and double 

Att: Mr. Isom neck balloons. Double 

neck balloons were 

received with a single 

neck plus a nub on the 

top of the balloon. 

Request to know 

whether shiTment was 

in error ard if so 

whet Jisposition to 

be mde. 

12/17/46 Dow Chem. Co. 

Miclland, Mich. 

Same reqtlest made of 

this compzny es that 

made with Celctnese 

Celluloid Corp. 

work secondly that 

they do not mke 

film only 3Dlding 

zmder - co litertt-me wailable. 

Advising they only 

make mlding 

powder. 

None required. 

Advising that nub 

must be cut with 

scissors in order 

to get double neck. 

Not received. 

-6- 
12/24/46 Unexcelled Chem. Corp. Advising $he ?lax Cor?. Advising tbt .OOZ 

his ship7ing cduress thin. Suggested 

and ~lso resuesting emeavorinq to 

his technical advice obthin 72" wicith 

on t'ne feLsability of 

using z 72" wi2e strip 

of Solyethylene, E mil. 

thickness that Visking 

Coq. of Chicago could 

Harold. X. Smith had been supplied with mil thickness too 

in .a06 nil. 

supply 

1/3/47 HarolC? A. Smith 

1/3/47 Visking Corp. 

Chicago , I11 . Att: J. I;. Lane 

1/8/47 Watson Laboratories 

Red Bank, N. J. 

Mr. A. H. Hears 

1/8/47 Vatson Laboretories 

Red Bank, N. J. 

Mr. A, H. Mears 

Acknowledge receipt of New quotation 

letter of December 26th furnished. 

containing estimated 

cost of fabrication of 

balloon. advising that 

the bid could not be 

accepted on a cost plus 

basis. ReGuesting tbt 

their Quote bd resubmitted. 

Advising tbt fabrication of balloons at 

a 2 mil. thickness 

polyethylene film would 

be extremely difficult 

to headle. hequest 

made that information 

be supslied on a 72" 

circumference film 4-6 

mils in thickness. 

Advising that 

they only have 

.004 and .006 

15 18" flat width. 

The 3611 wicth 

request could be 

made but pice 

would be pohibitive . 

Advising need of radio- Advising part shipsode receptor SCR658 

by NYU plus power units Feb. 13th. 

and technical publications. 

ment would be made 

Returning list of Advising government 

equi2ment to the records cnaged ~nd 

governmjnt loaned or that catalogues 

government furnished will be sent der 

with request that separcte cover. 

certain corrections, 

additions an3 deletions 

be maae. 

-7- 
1/34/47 Bland Chzrnas Inc. 

Yonkers, B. P. 

1/21/47 

1/21/47 

1/21/47 

1/21/47 

1/23/47 

1/23/47 

Shellmar.Projects Corp. 

Mt. Vernon, Ohio 

Mlprint Inc. 

Milwaukee, Wisc. 

h. Paul B. Hultkrans 

Rowe Packaging Co. Ltd. 

Toronto, Canada 

Western Products Inc. 

Newark, Ohio 

Kennedy Car Liner & 

Bag Co., Inc. 

Shelbycrille, Illdo 

Unexcelled Che& Coq. 

Harold A. Smith 

1/23/47 Watson Laboratories 

Red Bank, N. J. 

Mr. A. H. Mears 

Requesting to know Advising that they 

whetbr this compzny could not assist 

would consider fabri- us in fabrication, 

cation of 15 ft. diameter Slastic balloon. 

Request that they quote Advising plant 

on delivery and cost of could not cope with 

fabrication of 19 ea.15 poblem at this 

ft. hplloons. Five to time. 

be fabricated from Saran 

(Type M.00225" thick a& 

5 fron polyethylene made 

from PM-1.004t1 thick. 

Same request as letter 

to Shellmar 1/21/47. 

Same request as letter 

to Shellmar 1/21/47. 

Same request as letter 

to Shellmar 1/21/L7. 

Same request as letter 

to Shellmar 1/21/47. 

Request for quote on 

Verbally informed. 

Not interested. 

Wish to make model 

and submit same before quoting. Neve: 

heard mhing. 

Acknowledged receipt of letter 

and advising quotation would follow, 

Did not arrive. 

Verbally informed. 

Not inkerested. 

New quotation 

15-15 ft. diameter bal- furnished. 

loons and 6-3 ft. diameter balloons to be 

fabricated from various 

thicknesses of Saran 

and Polyethylene. 

Advising that tool None required. 

equipment TE-5OA was 

short a 6n ruler a pr. 

of tweezers, and 8 

socket wrench, No 

request for replacement 

for these items made. 

-8- 
Kollsman Instrument Co Reqdest for quotation Quotation supplied. 

Elmhurst, i. I. 

Att; Taul souay 

of 3 ea. of the following c.ltitude control 

equipment: 

1. Motor switched 

modulators. 

2. Elec. controlled 

dribblers. 

3 . ivkch. controlleO 

dribblers 

2/3/47 Contracting Officer 

Watson Laboratories 

Red Bank, New Jersey 

2/7/47 Watson Laboratories 

Red Bank, New Jersey 

ktt: Xr. D. Rigney 

2/13/47 ContractiG Off icer 

Watson Lab0 ra t orie s 

Red Bank,, New Jersey 

2/11/47 Patterson Bros. 

New York City 

Att: Mr. H. Carey 

2/18/47 Contracting Officer 

Watson Laboratories 

Red Bank, N. J. 

;/;c~/47 General ?+lills 

Minneapolis, Minn. 

Mr, 0. C. Winzen 

Forwarding quote from Not approved. 

Unexcelled & requesting 

approvsl. 

Requestin& permission Perinission granted. 

to build a 27 cubic foot 

inflation shelter. 

Forwadixg quotation Permission graated 

received from Kollsman to place subcontracInstrument Co. for the 

necessary control devices for the constant 

level balloon. 

Advising that one Ungar Replacement mde. 

electric soldering pencil 

is being returned under 

separate cover as it was 

received in unushble condition. Request for replacement mde. Quotation 

enclosed . Requesting perdssion toPermission withheld. 

place subcontrzct with 

Unexcelled Chem. Corp. 

for the fabrication of 

lxlloons . Request thzt cquotation Declining to quote 

be su?-plied Tor the until after conferfabrication of 15-15 i't. ence with PPU 

dimter klloons an6 representatives. 

6-3 ft. diameter bzlloons 

made of various thickne 3 so s of >olyethyle ne 

and Saran. 

-9- 
2/24/47 Blaru? Charms Co. Inc. 

New York City 

2/24/47 Leonard i'. Brb 

Gooayedr Tire & Lubber 

Akron, Ohio 

3/6/47 liatson LLboratories 

Red Bank, 11. 2. 

Mr. arophy 

3/7/47 Contracting Officer 

Watson Laboratories 

Red Bank, R. J. 

3/7/47 Godyear Tire & Rubber 

Akron, Ohio 

Mr. L. M. Hmb 

3/7/47 Seyfang Laboratories 

1300 Mediterranean Ave . Atlmtic City, 14. J. 

3/7/47 Unexcelled Chern. Corp. 

New Brunswick, TI. J. 

3/7/47 ~1s.x Corp. 

Hartford, Corn. 

3r. k. E. hes 

Sane request as lettar 

to General Ailis i/iL;/IIC7. 

30 reply received. 

Sane request LS letter 

to General Aills 

;Jotation suplieci 

15 hpil 1947. 

NO znswer received. .~ 2/24/47. 

Fonmrding copy of 

letter of rekuest that 

,hd been sent to i*. 

H. A. Smith for the 

fabrication of balloons. 

Advising that UnexcelledPermission granted. 

Chem. Corp. did not wish 

to proceed with the contract and that instead 

H. A. Smith of Xameroneck, N. Y. was willing 

to umiertake the fabrication. Guotation from 

Mr. Smith enclosed. Eequest that aproval be 

granted. 

Request a quote on the 

fabricetion of 5 ea. 

balloons' made from 

Nylon covered with 

suitable neoprene and 

5 ea. balloons made 

from fortisan covered 

in a similar fashion. 

Advising that any 

recommendations concerning balloon fabrics 

would be appreciiited. 

Quotation supplied 

15 April 1947. 

Same request as letter 

to General Wills 2/24. 

Advised interest. 

Ask for conference. 

Requesting thst polyethylene fih that ha3 

been shippea to them 

from Plzx Corp. be 

returned to 3YU. 

Request tniit shi2ping sa- Xo answer required 

dress for 2olyethylene 

film be changed from 

Unexcelled Chem. COT., 

New Brunswick, N.J. to 

H. A. Smith, 490 Bleecker 

Ave . , Xamaroneck, 11 .Yo 

Ho action taken. 

- 10 - 
3/19/47 Unexcelled Chem. Corp. Cumfirming tslephone Film shis?ed. 

New Ehnswick, 3. J. conversp-tion in which Quotation su??liee. 

Att: Ilr. Tegen authorization WES given 

to shi? polyethylene 

fila to YYU am ecvising once again of correct S:ii??iq r,&dreas. 

3/24/47 General i.iills 

Minneapolis, ILIinn. 

Mr. 0. C. Winzen 

3/2L/L? I*. R. S. bssard 

5 Hollywood Ave. 

Tuckahoe, N. Y. 

trequestix Juote snc! Chotation su?$ie~. 

aelivery aate on fibre 

screws I* long, fillister heai and 8-32 

thread. 

Acknowledge letter of 

3/11 and advising that 

our represenbtives 

would be pleased to 

discuss construc%ion 

details of thc balloons. 

Asked for conference in April. 

Advising him of 2ossibi- iIassard employed. 

lity of full-time position in Research Div. 

of IiYU. Requesting 

that he mke cppointiaent 

for interview. 

3/25/47 I*. George E. Weidner Requesting ?emission Invited to visit 

Engineer Board 

Barrage Balloon Branch 

Ft. delvoir, Va. 

for MU representztives Mr. Weidner. 

to visit with him to 

discuss constant level 

balloons and safety 

valves and control 

devices. 

3/27/47 H. A. Smith 

Mamaroneck, N. Y. 

Requesting quote an 

valves. 

3/29/47 H. A. Smith Request for Guote on 

Namaroneck, li. Y. balloons fabricated 

from nylon and fortisan film coated with 

butyl rubber. 

3/29/47 Seyfange LaborLtories Requesting quote on 

1303 Xediterranean Ave. 3 sets of stzibe-iizer 

Atlantic City, ii. J . fins. 

Supplied 

Not received. 

Received. 

v 
3/31/47 J. R. Gamin Requesting ymte for the Acknowledged. 

Advertising Co. tkt this company re- express ion of 

Douglas Leigh Sky 50,000 CU. ft. balloons Asked for definite 

Lakehurst, N. J. ceivea fron sur$us. interest. 

3/31/L7 Seyfang Laboratories Requesting mote on one Furnished. 

1300 ?iediterrznean Lve. to five each 15 ft. 

atlantic City, 24. J. dianeter balloons mzde 

of 3 02;. silk cloth 

coated with neoprene 

and 2 each 3 ft. aiameter balloons mule 

fromthe same material. 

4/1/47 Mr. J. aoyle 

Air Cruisers Inc. 

Clifton, N. J. 

Requesting quote on Euote furnished on 

25-15 ft. diameter nylon fabric coated 

balloons and 10-3 ft. with butyl rubber. 

diameter balloons made Interested but want 

from polyethylene .004t1 cost plus basis. 

polyethylene .308lt 

saran .00225a o 

fortisan fabric coated 

with butyl rubber and 

from nylon film. 

4/1/47 Molded Latex Products Identical letter as Furnished. 

Inc. above request to Air 

4/8/47 WfRE Requesting pice and 

Paterson, N. J. Cruisers Inc. 

H. J. Brailsford & 

Co. Inc. 

Rye, I?. Y. 

Watson Laboratoriee Air Space Sub-Cosmittee 

Red Bank, N. J. 

delivery date of 3 

volt price type relays. 

1/8/47 Capt. Albert C. Trakowski Forwarding minutes of None required. 

Nee t ing . 4/8/47 General idills Acknowledging receipt April date set. 

i4inneapolis, l.Iinn. 

:Mr. (3. C. Winzen 

of March 31st letter 

and notifying this 

company that our representatives would 

be pleRsed to cone at 

their conveaience. 

4/10/47 LIZ 

H. G. Brailsford 

Rye, 3. P. 

4/10/47 WIFE 

Lehigh Gniversity 

Bethlehem, Pa. 

_Prof. Frank I4yers 

ReqwstiG to knou Answered. 

how relays ordered 

were sliisped. 

Requesting permission Given. 

to make balloon release from Lehigh University on 15 April. 

- 12 - 
4/1Q/t7 WIRE 

Yeyfmg Laboratories 

1300 i-iediterrznean Lve. 

Atlantic City, 13, J. 

4/11/47 WIHE 

D-Jr c?e Almy Canbridge, Mass. 

-%. 7, L. Dawbmn 

4/14/47 WIRE 

Frank Seyfang 

Seyfong Laboratories 

Atlantic City, N. 3. 

4/15/47 

4/17/47 

4/17/47 

WIRE 

13r. Barney Frank 

27 Rochdale Ave. 

Roosevelt City, N. J. 

UIHE 

Lehigh University 

Bethlehem, Pa. 

3. Y. Sub-Committee on 

385 &,dison he., NYC 

Att: C. J, Stock 

Air Space 

4/21/47 WIRE 

General Mills 

Mr. G. C. Winzen 

HiIm&$iS, xinn. 

Requesting to know 

whether A2ril 17th 

or 13th would be 

satisfactory 50 Xr. 

Frank C. Seyfang to 

meet NU representstives to inqect 

2-35,000 CU. ft. in 

Heightstown, 11. J. 

d0,OOO CU, ft. and 

Date Given. 

Advising that single None needed. 

neck "00 gram balloons 

shoula be furnished on 

our order 148-48. 

Advising blyu represen- F'urnisned. 

tative could not keep 

engagement for April 

17th to inspect balloons 

and requesting that 

next be 8 t sdta ble 

bte bs furnished. 

Advising MU still 

interested in purchase of balloons. 

Requesting that inspection .Ate be 

changed from 17 hpr. 

to 23 kpr. 

Satisfactory 

Advising tiae of None needed. 

arrival at Lehigh to 

release balloons. 

Advising that discrepancies observed In 

minutes of CAA meting 

and requesting that 

conditions for mre 

suitable flights be 

granted. 

Request ref used. 

Advising thst EYU 

representatives would 

aake definite date 

for errival later in 

week. 
4/21/47 

4/21/A7 

4/i3/47 

4/29/47 

4/23/47 

iinm 

Barney Frank 

27 Rochdale 6ve. 

?bosevelt City, u. J. -_ 

jeyfzng Lhbomtories 

Ltlrintic City, ii. J. 

XollsmEn Instrument 

80-08 45th t?venue 

Elmhurst, L. I. 

Division 

"IFE 

Seyfang Laboratories 

Atlantic City, 3. J. 

Confirming date of 

Apr. 2j for date 

inspection of blloons. 

Confirming .zzte of 23 

mr. for date insljtction of btilloons. 

CffiPgiK detzils in 

altitube control 

purchase or?.er. 

Advisiw that 2 - 

35,030 CU. ft. balloons were purcksed 

from Barney Frank 

and that these b.1- 

loons were being 

shis?ec to hix for 

re?air. 

Barney 'Frank Advising that UniverRoosevelt City, 5. J. 35,000 CU. ft. balloons 

and that thsse balloons 

should be shi2ped to 

Seyfang LLboratories . 

i7 Rochdale Ave. Sits Tqould bw 2 - 

None neeaed. 

ansuere6. 

Sone rze2ea. 

Acknowledged. 

Acknowledged. 

-11- 
also held : 

I 

Peoole Preseni 

Dr. J. Peoples, C. 

Irelcnd, b. Rlgrwy, 

Capt. Srakowski, 

Hnchn, Moore, 

Schneider 

N. Brophy, Dr. J. 

Peopler, Cayt . Trckawski, D. higney, 

Schneider, +ioore 

Lt. Comdr. Harrison, 

Dr. Poo,)les, Scbneider, 

Moore, Hackman 

J. Sturteirant, L. Ibrb, 

Schmider, Moore 

Uatson Laboratories 

Red Dunk, N. J. 

Watson Laboratories 

Hed Bonk, 11:. J. 

Lakehurs t Naval Air 

Lakahurst, 14. J. 

Station 

Goodyear Tire & hubbr 

Akron, flhio 

co . 

Dr. Peoples, D. kidney, Watson Lnboratories 

Moore, Schneider Red Eknk, 14. J. 

r3r. Hagen, Dr. Prsndor- Molded Laatox 

gr;st, Moore Puterson, ii. J. 

D i s CU8 sed 

Government Yurni shed 

equi ,irtwn t . 

Placcment of subcoritrclcts for klloons 

with 11. A. Smith, Inc. 

Jap klloons:. 

Fabrication of 

1urE;e balloon:, 

P1;icelnent of subcrintrLrct; f'oj b&loow 

r.ni tdtitucle contxols. 

C 

H

G

u

J

s

p

A
Lt. Gunther, Comdr. 

Harrison, C. Ireltd, 

Moore 

F. Seyrang, Mrs. F. 

Seyfang, Noore, 

Schneider 

Dr. Peoples, D. Higney, 

Moore, Schneidor 

Lakehurst Air Naval Use of Ltikohurdt ws Lhke

Lakehurst, 14. J. 

Stti t ion a lnunchiw site. avai

Atlantic City, N. J. Fabrication of large A qu

Seyfang Luborutories t* 1 loo nci . be px

Watson Liboratories 1st ClucLar Flight YrupH

Red &A&, li. J. E'liG

R. Brophy, Mr. Cambridge New York Univorsity 

H. Contlni, M. Gimnini 

Schneidtjr, Wore 

Contract bdministrztion Hous

9ruv 

P. Goucly, €4oore Kollsmn Instrument Co. 

Elmhurst, L. 1. 

kllbst 

tion. 

valve construc- Chtne

During the period covered bg thin report, Mwssre. Moore and Schneider mde re

Kollsnran InetnaPent Co. and diecussed the fabrication of the modulators und other equipe

was designing for our use. These meetings nave not been considered conferences but i'or t

re$ort the dtlly) Individuals were always present, Messrs. Schneider and Moore of New York 

Paul Goudy, Engineer fo r Kollsmn Instrument Co. 

struction of the moduletors ed other scpipnemt. 

The material discussed \:us methods of 
the following ?,hc ses: 

Phcse I. The desigring of E blloon am of altitude cantrold to be 

used. as tenhtive solutions to the mhin problem. 

i. The contmting of plastic filru fkbric&$ors to obttin severti 

sources of supply for large non-extensible bdloons. 

contrict ;?ES beer let for 1: ft. dismter ~~~OOCS. 

To dote, one sub3. Tie cofitrctirg of m inztfuent con?any whici, wvild corstruct 

the altikrie control devices. A subcofitraci; nss alro Leer. let for 

altitde controls . - 4. The designing of a lcrgc belloon inflation shelter iis 'I. Y. g. 

the government until tcrininction of contmct. 

5. The repairing and testing of the rdiosondc receptor i2 De-xrtment of Xeteorology for preliminary flights >erdifig tic z.rrivE.1 of 

Goverment-locned ec-\;ri-gnent. 

6. The peliminmy flights with ciusters ;;f Xeteorologicel b113oc~ 

as stopgap metboas to attempt coristent level klloon fli&ts while 

awaitin& tie delivery of ii. Yo C. desi,aed e%d.?ment. 

7. Tbe =king of ?relimiraq- cdcuktions anc? rec-drements on 

constent level balloon erf ormince. 

2.. Sxcif ic Problems . Yet to be cieterzined is the rebtive mrits of mrio-us kllooo 

- 17 - 
%striction 00 the ?reject is tine Civil Aeronsukics ittinority 

requireant that blloon fli;,;hts be mbde mlr on C;&;?s thz are clorrcless 

u? to Z0,OCO LPeet. 

States but a3pars les3 2ifficiit in the New Xe:dco ere&. 

This is difficult to met in She z&stmn hit& 

The pertinent abstrsct from rcinuteo of tha meting kith the Air 

Space SuMamittee of CU 0017 Such 19L7 &re included in the qpedix. 

- 18 - 
6. ;+thoas of attack 

(1) .qfter B survey of s.v;:ileble iiterature in Ferostztics €rid 

after conferences with V&.I~OUS bslloon r?anu?& cturcrs tIlci zuf,horities it 

is believed that Cis '&sic jroblen c? AyzintEiniIq the 15 lk. cf gaylo~d 

et constant sltituue czn best be 301~~4 by usiq E. non-extezsible blloon 

arrl a device o?era.tea by ?ressure which drops btillast xhenever the 

balloon descends below a preset eltitu6e. 

The specifications for the equipent Eire ;;LS follows: 

The balloon should be of large known volume, light in weight, 

non-extensible, either transparent or hisnly reflective to 

solar radiation. Rigging shoulci be used to uistribute the 

load evenly sbout the balloon. 

A safety valve should. be usea to holi the inflation zppenriix 

of the -klloon normally closed (as my hydrogen lost aecreses 

the time clossible at nominal const2rit altitude). The valve 

would act 8s a safety vent if the balloon shoulc! rise apprecihbly 

above the altitude where it is fully inflatec, 8s there is danger 

of rupturing the envelose unless the excess oressure is relieved. 

The safety valve shoulc! be set to release 3ressu-e before t'ne 

limit of the working stress of fhe blloon ftbric is reached. 

If the eract volume of the klloon is known and the sir density 

vs. altitucie rslg,tionship ie Zetamined on the ?r;t~ of Zlight, 

it is possible to compute the totel lift of the ges in the 

klloon zt cny altituae. 3y adjusting the sross load to be 

supported by the gas to equal the total lift zt the ciesired 

altitude of flight, the balloon will level off ct the deed 

- 19 - 
altitude as it has no further buoyancy. This altitude stability 

exists ody ES long as the balloon is in the fully inflated or 

"taut" stste. Once the klloon stcrt:: bscending (due to loss 

of hydrogen by ciiffusion or by other loss) iG beconies flsbby and 

is no longer stable. 

action is taken or until it reaches the earth. 

It will continue descerding until corrective 

The altitude control is to be used is the ballrrst valve. When 

correctly set it will determine the lower limit of .the balloon's oscillation 

as it would release a free flowing liquid ballast from a reservoir whenever 

the balloon descencis 2 snort Gistance below 6 preset altitude. 

To test this tentstive solution to the ksic problem, intermediate sizes of balloon ,lade of suitable fabric or films are needed in 

addition to the eltitude controls, 

Ealloo ns 

Balloon manufzcturers and fabricators of plestic films were 

contacted. to locate a suitable balloon material. 

were suggested: 

The following materiels 

Material 

Plastic Film 

Polyethylene 

Saran 

Advantsge s Disadvantspes Disuoaition 

Good law teaperatwe Low tensile strength, 10 ea. 15 ft. 

properties (Gen.iJlills Milky-translucent , balloons being 

desir5s to fabricate Medium pemeability. fabricated from 

Picard' s balloons it. 

from this), 

Transparent, low Tecrrs emily, fair 5 large b~lloons 

?ermeabilitly, high low tempereture po- being fabricated. 

tensile strength. perties (?), weak at 

seam if heat sealed. 
Nylon 

Vinylite 

Teflon 

Ethocel 

Pliof ilm 

Coated Fabrics 

Good low teqerature lot availz-ble, 10%- Awaiting sample. 

properties, easily tear resistance (?) 

fabricated, strong. 

Easily fhbricated. VeFJ FOOT low Discarcied. 

i-lmost trsnsparent . temperatwe ?roperties. 

Strong Can not be fhbriczted. Discaxded. 

Easily fabricated. Very high Discctrded. 

Good low temperature pemability. 

characteristics. 

Easily fabricated. Poor ultra violet Discarded . properties, poor low 

tempertitme properties. 

Nylon coated Strong, easily 

with fabricated . neoprene 

butyl rubber 

polyethylene 

saran 

Fortesin (regenerated celulose 

myon) 'coated 

moprens 

butyl rubber 

polyethylene 

saran 

Silk coated 

with 

neoprene 

butyl rubber 

Heavy, expensive Awaiting 

opaque, nylon Investigation. 

cloth has relative 

high elongtition. 

Awaiting 

Investigation. 

Awaiting 

Imre st igation. 

As a result of this preliminary study a sub-contrrict was 

given to h'. A. Smith, Coatings Inc. of N.%maroneck, Xew York, to fabrichte 

bslloons with the following specifications for test purFoses: 

- 21 - 
3 foot dipmeter balloons, no ettschments exceoting an inflation 

tube or appe~ix mde of the bclloon film rbout 10 inches long 

cnci l.4I1 &meter. 

2 eech mde fro@ lolyethylene PM-1 filu .0O4lt thick 

2 esch mae from Polyethylene PM-1 film .~308~l thick 

2 ectch made from Saran type M film .'30Z.251f thick 

15 foot Cimeter bsllooos with inflstion tube 4" in dismeter and 

12'' long, clso neens for ettacniw rigging lines supporting a 

i5-pod load to bottom of bidloon &nd merns for attaching auxiliary lifting balloons to top of bs-lloon. If possible, bdloon 

should be capable of withstmding internal pressure equivalent 

to 2H water. 

5 each aae from Polyethylene PM-1 film .0OL+lt thick 

5 each maae from Polyethylene PM-1 film .CO8lt thick 

5 each ruade from Saran Type i"ll fliEm -00225" thick 

(1) The balloon film should be treated before or after mandccture 

in such 3 way es to seal all ?inholeso 

(2) A patching kit should be furnished for use of the balloon 

flight personnel. 

(3) It is desired that either the volume of the 15 foot balloons 

be know,, to within 10 to LO cubic feet xhen fully infleted or that the volume, 

though unknown, be nearly the same for each of the balloons of this size 

(differences in volume should not e&eed 21% of the total volume of a mean 

balloon). 

Delivery was made 20 April1947 on the first 3 foot balloons, two 

15 foot balloons are expectea by the end of ihy. 

In an attempt to interest another manufa.cturer in the problem, 

the following companies were contzcted. 

Conmany Type of ComDam Interested? Disoosition 

Dobeclanan Go. 

500 Fifth kvenue, hi Plastics & Packaging NO None 

Kennedy Car Liner & Bag 

Cor, Shelbyville, Id. Pbstics & Packfiging No None 

- 22 - 
Plextron Inc. 

55 Tremnt Ave., BPT 57 

CuPage Plzstics Co. 

;.75 Fifth kve . , LWC 

Shellmar 2roducts Im. 

E&re Stete Eldg., 1JYC 

Millpint Inc. 

Elilwaukee 1, Visconsin 

CeLanese Plastics Corp. 

180 Madison Ave., NYC 

E. L. Cournand Co. 

2835 9th Ave., NPC 

Blend Charms Co. 

a Ashburton bve,Yonkers 

Western Products Inc. 

Newark, Ohio 

Rowe Packaging Coo 

26 Queens St. E. 

Toronto 1, Ontario 

Canada 

Goodyear Tire & Rubber 

Co., Akron 16, Ohio 

Molded Latex Products 

Inc., 27 Kentucky Ave. 

Paterson 3, N. J. 

Air Cruisers Inc. 

Clifton, N, J. 

General PUls Inc. 

1837 Pierce St. N.E. 

Minneapolis 13 , idinn. 

Seyfang Laboratories 

1300 Xediterranean kve . ktlentic City, N. J. 

Dewey & Blmy Company 

Cambridge 40, i-hss. 

Beach Balls 

Beach Balls 

PlE.stics B Pachging 

Plastics & Peckaging 

Plastics & Packeging 

Plastics 3c Packaging 

Toys, Beach Balls 

Plastics &Packaging 

Plastics &Packaging 

Blimps & Balloons 

No 

NO 

XO 

No 

No 

No 

NO 

No 

No 

Pes 

Balloons (Meteorological) Not 

very. 

Balloons (Meteorological) Yes 

Barrqe Ceptive & Y6S 

Other Balloons 

Meteorologicel aslloons No 

None 

Hone 

None 

None 

None 

None 

None 

Awaiting final 

decision. 

None 

Awaiting final 

decision, 

Awaiting visit. 

Awaiting final 

decision. 

None 

- 23 - 
On completion of the survey of balloon &eterials other orders 

trill be !A&cec for eqerimental intemciii! te 'm.iloons. 

As soon LS EL series of zuccessful flights are obteined, it is 

?lamed to pocure klloons of zbout 8 tines the displacement of the interue2iLte size for tests as the model to solve the problelo. These larger 

balloons woul6 be about 30 feet in dietmeter. 

dltituce Control 

Mr. Goudy of the Kollsman Instrument Division of Square D Corporation was contactedto determine the feasibility of: 

(1) 

(2) 

An ccc-arzte pressure-actueted liquid ballast drogping device, 

A motor-switched moduletor for the standsre Amy radiosonde 

AN/SEIT-l. The stendard pressure-switched modulator uoulc! be of little 

value indetermining the height of the constant level hlloon sfter it 

leveled off on a constant Gressure surface. 

On 8 subcontrcct Kollsman uxiertook to build a pessure actuated 

"dribbler" or ballast dropping device as follows: 

Mechanically Controlled Dribbler 

To consist of a diaphragm opemted needle valve which will allow 

no flow for a 2 mb. increase in pressure on the diaphragm over pressure 

of which diaphmgn is sealed but will allow s. flow of 40 grms/minute 

under 1 foot of lead for a 5 mb. increase in pressure. 

with a density of about .775 dcc is to be used. 

Petroleum ballast 

Diaphragm to be open to the atmosphere until it is sealed off 

by the radiosonde 2ressure switch at a preset sltitude, 

- 24 - 
An electrically operated needle qlve was incluaed in the order, 

hcuever it is to be caccelled as tine mecnanical valve ap?ears more feasible 

to the manufzcturer. 

AS the motor switched. rooauritor was hlready ir. exzerimntal 

state of aanufecmre for the Signal Corps and Evans SigEl LLborstories 

en order was placed for 3 of them with these characteristics: 

To have a motor-driven commutator to contain 4 contacts alternately 

switching two different temperatures, p-essure and a refereme. 

switching will complete one cycle per minute. 

between150 2nd 500 mb. with a 2ressure resistor to be of such a valve that 

with a large xdiosode frec-juemy variation for a snall change in pressure. 

Rate of 

To report gressure accurately 

To have En adjustable contact variable betk-een L50 mb and 400 mb 

with a factory adjustment of 300 mb. 

contact, a. squib will cut a thread that holds the talkst Siaphragm open. 

When %he pressure arm reached this 

The first mechanical dribbler vas received on 20 April 1947 ana is 

undergoing nodification and tests before being flown on Cluster Flight $2. 

If it is successful, an order for improved. models will be $aced. 

Another method maintaining a balloon zt colzstznt altitude 

is by replenishing the hydrogen in the non-extensible envelope as it is 

valved or 2s it diffuses. 

hydrogen but not by use of chemicals due to their great weight relative 

to the small volume of hydrogen generated. 

is being investigated with a long range view. 

feasible, however, due to the difficulties of keeping the rete of evaTorztion of the liquid hydrogen low at the high altitudes, without extensive and heavy guarci glasks of 1Quid air. 

This might be accom~lished by me of liquid 

The liquid hycirogen method 

It does not seem too 

- 25 - 
A third nethod of holding the equipment st a nominal constant 

altitude is to fly a cluster of stznciard meteorological balloons eauipped 

with ballast croging devices andt a aevice for releasing lifting balloons 

should the cluster depart from the altitude limits desired. 

is inherently unstable, as there are no proportiom1 restoring forces which 

will act on the flabby, freely extensible meteorological balloons. The 

success of this procedure depends on very careful balancing of the load 

against the variable lift of the balloons. 

This me+,hoci 

This cluster method is of use ad interest only as a stopgap 

method of lifting the Army equipment to altitude now, and has been the 

method used while awaiting delivery of the non-extensible plastic balloons. 

I11 d) e. 

cluster of 12 balloons meteorological carrying a raaiosode, a 15 lb. 

dv load and a series of ballast dropping devices was released from 

the foof;ball fie16 at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa. 

to be towed to 30,000 ft. by 2 lifting balloons which would then be 

cut loose. The weight of the equipment was adjusted to equal the lift 

of the balloons and presumably the train should have floated after the 

A flight was made on 3 April 1947 using this method. A 

The train was 

towing bcdloons were cut off. 

the aifficulty of handling long balloon trains, auxiliary rigging lines 

were needed to take up launching stresses. These lines fouled the main 

flying line and the ballast which was to be dropped on parechutes. 

result, the balloontreinwent to 50,COO ft. where the tow balloons worked 

themselves free. 

had climbed (1,000 ft. per minute), landing in the ocean near Sandy Hook, 

Actually, due to lack of experience in 

As a 

The remai~ng treinthereupon descended as fast as it 

- 26 - 
N. J, 

net for reception of the 74 megacyle raaiosoncie data, and in obtaining 

familiarity with the type of ogeration 7eculiar to sll large balloon flights. 

The actual layout of the train used is sketched in the alssendix. 

The flight was of value intreinixg persocnel, establishing a 

Using the lessons learned on the dummy flight, improved equipment 

was built for a flight with a payload. 

Due to the high wid at 0830 EST, the time of release, and due to malfunctioning of the Army receiver in the plane that was to follow the balloons, 

release was not mde, 

equipment was brought back to New Pork University. 

equipment will be flown about d Xay. 

equipment will be given in the resrt for May. 

of equipment built for the second cluster flight is given in the appePdix, 

As this is a stopgap method using modified stadard components, no 

detailed report is being prepared on the equipment. 

controls used in both flights consist of standard radiosonde modulators 

ML-310 which have had leads taken off of the desired contacts of the 

commutator. 

releases ballast or balloons. 

were used to close circuits to burn off cans filled with ballast, 

improved, second flight, a nest of plastic tubes were filled with dried 

sand, The bottom of the tube was covered with paper and a DuPont type S64 

Squib was placed on the paper der the sad. On firing the squib, a hole 

is torn in the paper, permitting the sand to trickle out. 

permits dropping of mre ballast ax3 yet, in smaller increments, 

Release was attempted on 18 April, 

The already-inflated balloons were cut free and the 

It is expected that this 

A description of the final flight 

A sketch of the layout 

Preliminary altitude 

The modulator thus acts as a pressure actuated control that 

In the first flight small radiosonde relays 

In the 

This method 

In the 

- 27 - 
s4cord cluster flight, povisionwas also made to release balloons if the 

train rose above 40,000 ft. 

approximately 500 ft. long. 

The flying line in the secod train was 

This cluster flight is tedious to prepare znd difficult to 

launch, and is a greater hazard to tiircraft than tie plastic balloons 

will be because of the great length of the cluster train. 

111 e) Apparatus and Ea,uipment. 

A detailed explanation is not given on the equipment of the 

Cluster Flight. 

An im2ortant piece of new apparatus for this project is the ballast 

valve or dribbler, a photograph and drawings of which appears in the 

appendix. 

valve. 

before the balloon reaches the desired altitude. This ailows the 

pressure inside the diaphragm to be the same as the outside pressure. 

However, a layout sketch is bnclosed in the appendix. 

It consists of a special diaphragm which osrates a needle 

Normally the valve is closed as the diaphragm is open to the air 

The diaphragm is sealed electrically by the baroswitch of the flight 

radiosoade when the balloon train passes a predetemined altitude. 

Vhenever the bdloon train cescends below this preset altitude, the 

increase of 2ressure on the sealed diaphragm causes the needle valve to 

be opened. 

ballast tnere is released through the vclve. 

force is qplied to the train. The ballast tkt is to be used is a 

petroleum cut biliw from 300" to ~OOOF wit a density of about -78 ad 

a minimum change of viscosity with temperature. 

fluids that may meet this specification are the Amy type compass fluid 

The greater the excess in pressure on the diaphragm the more 

Thus E~ proportional restoring 

Two different type 

- 28 - 
ard a Sinclair paint solvent. 

perform tne same fumtion as the Japanese nltit-&e control on tae ballosn 

bomb3 yet it is simpler ctnd ?emits use of a liqaid bcllest far better control. 

The ballast valve or dribbler essentially 

Another ?iece of tc?_;li_sment thrt is under construction by Kollsman 

Instrument CompzLny is a mtor-switched rsdiosoncie modulztor. 

pressure data to the radiosonde transmitter as a variable resistsnce. 

meteorological data is programmed by a samll Brailsford Electric motor. This 

modulator will ?rovicie tne contact that seals off the diaphragm in the 

ballast valve. 

upon its delivery. 

It presents 

The 

A complebdiscussion of this equipment will be furnished 

Sketches of balloon ad rigging of the balloon to be used on to 

the main problem are given in the appenciijc and are self-exglmatory. 

Commtations 

A chart showirg the relation between altitucie, gross lift, and 

balloon size has been fourxi Ecessary. 

Data for it was computed usiq mean aerological soundings as 

reported in the Monthly Weather review for 1943. 

A chemical term, molar volume (in cubic feet) ms used as a term 

relating the sourding date. with buoyancies of the balloons at various 

altit-,xies. 

Using the sirngle gas hws, the aolar voluzle of dry eir was 

compute5 thus: 

I. (1) 

(2) 

iqolar volume of any gas at stamarci conditions is 359 ft. 

From Monthly bieathr Xeview Jan. 1943, the nehn sounding 

datz at 15 km for Lakehurst, N. 3. is: Temperature -57.5OC 

Pressure 120 mb. 

- 29 - 
359 27302 - 59 Xm C 5370 ft.3 (the mean mlar volume 

L73.i 120 

at 15 -hn for Jan.1943 over Lakehurst,X.J.) 

This volume data was computed For all lovels given. Data was 

"borrowed" from otner stations in the saae latitude to piece out the 20 

km soundings as needed. 

I1 Lifts were computed for various molor volumes for balloons 

between 7.5 and 75 feet diameter in the following manner: 

Given 

purity of Hydrogen 99.7% 

impurity as oxygen 003% 

computed moleculer wt. 

Molecular weight of dry air 9s computed from dat. re.sorted at 

2.11 #1 no1 

10 km. in EiaIribook of Chemistry and Physics. 

28.764 #1 mol 

To find the lift of a 20fD balloon E?t an altitude where the 

molar volume is 1090 ft.3: 

Volme 20 ft.D Balloon = 4190 ftW3 

~ift/~l~oonBalloon Volme X(Difference in molecular wpts.of air#hPn 

Molar Volume at Q given altitude 

or 

Total Lift of gas in #/Balloon = ftW3/~lloon x ( #/moll 

ft .3,1~1 

for the 20 foot di-ter balloon: 

Lift = w90 (2.8*76 - '*") = 111.7# lift from a 20 foot diameter 

1.000 sphere of hydrogen at an altitude 

where the ml&r volume is 1000 ftO3. 

The lifts were plotted against noler volume for each size 

balloon. Thealtitudes corresponding to various molar volumes for 

Lekehurst and Blbuquerque in January and in August 1343 rzs computed 

above were plotted on tb left margin of tne chart. 

The family of curves was plotted on log 2aper an6 is incllrded 

in the appendix with t3e basic sounding dab. 

- 30 - 
I11 g) Conclusions md Recomendations. 

It is believed that a klloon can be kept at nonix1 constant 

zltitude between 10 a& 20 km, for six hours using a non-extensible 

envelope vith the zddition of a balla.st valve to kee,] the 'xllocn Eear 

its ressure altitude. 

main objective. 

is believed that plastic balloons can be flown in the early summer with a 

The flying of a Wloon thus ecl_ui;sed is our 

The work to date has been primarily ?reparstory but it 

payload. 

Additional work space is urgently needed at New Pork University 

if significant work is to come from tnis group. 

It is believed tit the ideal launching aree for bdloons of 

this type is Lehigh University, Bethlehem, la. as long as this is feasible, 

For large balloons it is believed that tbe Navy peo2le at Lakehurst can 

best facilitate the launching. Calm winds are essential for actual launching. 

Future Work 

General fills is making large balloons from lightweight films 

tbt would meet our specifications with the exception that they cannot 

take any internal pressure. 

investigated as General Xills appear to be the best source of sapply for 

large balloons. 

2 quotation. 

It is believed that their balloons snould be 

An order will be placed with them r?.s soon 2s they furnish 

As a stopgap device before these might arrive it is planned to 

fly two 35,000 cu.ft. rgcing ty-ge 6s well 2s the 2 Japanese belloons from 

nakehurst, 11. J. carrying pyloeas with heavy 2uty power sup?lies for the 

radio transmitters. 

In the mezntime, improved clusters of mteorologiczl balloons 

will be flown until larger balloons are available. 

- 31 - 
COPY 

k bs trect from: 

AIR COOFDIM$TING COMZITTEE 

NEW YORK SUBC0E;ZTTEE Gb AIFSPACE 

385 Madison Avenue 

Hew York, 17, 3. P. 

RILES OF TLYE AIR /.LEI BIF. TRAFFIC CONTROL 

2J.Y. Xeeting No. 12 20 ;\larch 1947 

1. "he Secretary of the Subcoxmittee presented a request from the 

War Department member in behalf of New York University for approval to 

release free balloons from Allentown, ?a. anit Lekehurst, I?. J. 

DISCUSSION 

2. The subject project is broken down into two 3hases as described 

below: 

A. PfinSE I. 

The type klloon to be used in this phase of the 

project will be 6 ft. in diameter, hycirogen filled, 

encompassed by a nylong shroud with black 2nd white 

p.nels 24" wide. 

mately 3 lbs. will be suspencied ap?roximately 50 ft. 

below the balloon ard equipped with parzciiuw device 

so that upon separation from the balloon, tie sttached 

equipment will float riown towads the earth rather 

than become a freely falling body. 

Radio instruments weighing approxiIt is anticipated that two flights will be required in 

this phase of operation, the release to be made during 

weather conditions in which the 3ky is free of clouds 

and the visibility at least three miles at all altituies 

up to 20,000 feet., within a four hour cruising radius 

from Allentown, ?a. 

The balloon, during these flights, shall be convoyed 

by suitable aircraft to mintain air-c;rour!i connnunicetions on the balloon trajectory and eq-ilipDed to effect 

destruction of the balloon at the terminazion of four 

hours flight or at such time that the balloon may 

become hazerdous either to aircraft flight ogerations 

or the -Dersons or oroperty or" others on the surface. 

3ew York Universitzr will file e Botice to hirmen at 

least twelve (1;) hours in eavEme 2f balloon release 

am e second notice will be filed zt the time of release 

with the Allentown, Pa. Airnays Comunications Station. 

- 32 - 
The type balloon to be used in this phese of %he project 

will be a 15 to 40 ft. aisneter :llftstic blloon, hydrogen 

fillai. liadio eqtlipnent weighing opproxhztely 25 lbs., 

will be sus?ended ap?roxim;Ltely 100 ft. below the 

balloon. The balloon will be towed to high zltituae 

levels (above ~0,300 feet) by three awi11i:ry lifting 

balloons fastenec together with c. 4 lb. weight. All 

equigment clttached to the ballocn will be esuip2ed with 

parachute device so that u~on separation frsa the balloon, 

the attached equipment will float down towards the earth 

ratncr tkn become a freely falling body. 

the desired altitude, the auxilliary lifting balloons 

wife be released *om the rnain balloon. 

&on attaining 

It is anticipated that a maximm of ten flights will be 

required in this Thase of operetion, 2 to 5 releases to 

be made from Allentown, Pa. and 2 to 5 releases to be 

made from Lakehurst, N. J. Release will be mde during 

weather conditions inwhich the sky is free of clouds 

ad the visibility at least three miles at till altitudes 

up to 2C1,000 feet. 

The range of flight during this phase of operation will 

bebetween 3O,OOO and 60,000 feet. 

will be the maximum duration of flight. 

A period of six hours 

New York University will provide an operator for tracking 

of the balloon during 7eriod of flight and will furnished 

information on its position to the 3. Y. Air TrLffic 

Control Center during period of flight. 

New Pork University will file a Notice to Airmen at least 

twelve (12) hours in advance of balloon release and a 

second notice will be filed at time of release with 

either the Allentown, Pa. or Laltehurst, N. 3. Communications Stations. 

Destruction of the balloon will be predetmnined to be 

effected over water where hazards are not pesent. Aerial 

convoy xi11 not be ei'fected durir4 this 2hzse of operation 

inasnuch as balloon flights will be conductec in excess 

of 20,000 feet. 

3. The War Department member requests that balloon operations along 

the lines of Phse I1 be presentea to the Vashington Subcommittee for 

clearance with a11 other Regional Airspace Subcommittees, in consideration 

of Var Department $ans to continue the Phase I1 type of oper- =tion from 

'Jhite Sank, ikw Xexico, u?on com9letion of the 12 2roposed releases 

described herein. 

Sads, N. Mex., will involve flight through other regions. 

The tne of balloon releases Troposed out of White 

- 33 - 
4. That the release of free balloons by Qew York 3niversity as 

described above in Parsrgrqh 24 (Phase I), Subparsgraghs (1) - (4) inclusive, be ewroved.. 

5. Tha the releese of free balloons by lTew York University es 

described above in Pars: graph 2-B (Phrse 11) , Zubparegra?ns (1) - (6) 

inclusive, be asproved. 

6. That the Washington Airspace Subcommittee present the Phase 

I1 operation to other Regional Airspace Subcommittees for clearance, in 

view of War Department plans to continue the Phase I1 type of operation 

from White Sands, Kew Mexico. 

- 34 - 
2 e a. / OOOgm. Ba//oonr on 

5iny/e 3 O'Ny/on L /n e . 50009ms. Lift each. 

Parachute * f 

Ascent Cutoff */ 

AC ts at 2 83mh 

/O epra//y spaced bo//oonr 

in break. 

Parachute *2 

Descent Cutoff * f 

Acts at 472mds. 

Parachute *.3 

AN individual balloons on 

siny/e /5'Ny/on lines and 

tied odo Main Line at 

2 0' /hte rva/s. 

F/y/ny /inc From Cutoff * I to 

Parachute *2 it braided for 

added strcnjth. 

There is a distance OF S'between 

each piece of epuipmcnt, except 

the 2O'betwccn bti//*ons on the 

Main F/yinf Line. 

The l2 ba//oons on the braided 

/in. are saeh 350 jm. ba//oonr 

with CL //ft of /s50yms. aech. 

Parachute *s 

Dummy Pay foa d 

/S/bs. 

Descent Cutoff '''2 

Acts at 3IOmbs. 

Parachute *6 

Q gescmt Cutoff c3 

Acts at 338 mbs. 

Parachute *I 

BALLOON TRAIN FOR 

CLUSTER FLIGHT No.1 

6ETHLE HEM, PENNA. 

3 APRIL 47. 
Spherical Ba//oon 

/I‘Diameter. 

Ealloon cuith riyginy 

~9 eyelets in refnforced 

to ba//oon at 30’ 

PLASTIC BALLOON 

FOR CONSTANT LLvL L BALLOON PROJECT AT NYU 

APRIL 27, 1947 

SCALL : I”= 3‘0” 
N0n-A rsnslbh 

SaFcty VaIHe 

Bridle consisting of 9 ny/Orr 

lines, each IJO~~.S~, 13 feet 

/my> sarvcd toyetbar at a 

t b im b /c. 

Radiosonde 

Bai/art Reservoir 

Pre s3 ure -Ope rn ted Do /!a 5 t Va Iv a 

PROFOSLG .A.~SEMBLY OF 

TRAIN FOR CONSTANT Lcvri BALLOON 
Alt.FtL 

65,617 

62,336 

59,055 

55,774 

52 , 493 

49 212 

45,931 

1 42,651 

39,370 

36,089 

32,808 

28 p 527 

w 

9 

I 

26,247 

22,966 

19,685 

16,409 

13,123 

9,843 

8,202 

6,561 

4,921 

3 , 281 

1,640 

0 

Temp. OC 

-58 

- 

-- 

- 

- 

213 s 7 

-59.5 

215.8 

-57.4 

216.3 

-56 9 

217.2 

-56.0 

-54.1 

-51 .O 

-45 . s 

-3s 08 

1 

-32. 1 

248.2 

-25.0 

254.3 

-18.9 

-13.0 

- 8.5 

- 6.4 

- 4.5 

- 3.2 

- 2.5 

- 1.7 

- 1.0 

AWU3T 43 .- JANUARY 43 

press mb Humidity$ Molar Vol. ft.3 Tern*.% Press mb Hddit

53 

-- 

-- 

-- 

- 

120 

UO 

164 

192 

224 

%62 

304 

352 

408 

469 

536 

611 

6% 

742 

791 

843 

1013 

s9i! 95 

5WO 

-- 

-- 

-- 

_- 

2370 

2050 

1.808 

1506 

1339 

1130 

995 

$86 

788 

705 

632 

566 

507 

178 

453 

427 

9% 

359 

- 64 

-- 

212 *o 

- 61.2 

337.2 

- 64.2 

33J.6 

- 65.6 

337 . b 

- 64.1 

333 7 

- 60.7 

3d9.1, 

- 56.9 

304 0 

- 51.2 

318.0 

- 45.3 

311.2 

- 33.;: 

303 C 

- 30.4 

296.0 

- 23.8 

290.0 

- 17.0 

293.1 

- 1-:.1 

276.9 

- 3.9 

1.5 

6.4 

9.0 

1 L.9 

15 .O 

13.6 

21.7 

il.5 

56 

-- 

79 

94 

110 

130 

153 

179 

209 

243 

2d2. 

325 

374 

428 

488 

555 

629 

n 1. 

dUi 

d5i 

903 

Y!bb 

1 uo:3 

756 
Alt.Ft. 

65,617 

62,336 

59,035 

55,774 

52,493 

49 , 212 

45,932 

I 47,651 

F0 

1 

39,370 

36,089 

32 808 

29 1 527 

26,247 

22,966 

19,685 

16,404 

13,123 

9,843 

8,202 

6 562 

0 

Tem:, . OC 

-63 

Y 

45.1 

-64.3 

-63 .O 

-61.6 

-60.2 

-54.1 

-57.2 

-54.7 

-49.7 

43 00 

-35.7 

-28.3 

-21.2 

-14 6 

- 8.3 

- 2.6 

.6 

3.4 

3.8 

Press mb 

54 

-_ 

75 

88 

104 

122 

143 

168 

197 

230 

269 

312 

362 

416 

477 

546 

622 

706 

752 

800 

838 

- JANUARY 43 ,a hUGUS'l' 43 - 

Humidity% Molar Vol. f t . Tcm;, . "C 

5410 

-- 

3701 

3170 

2700 

2320 

1990 

1690 

US0 

1250 

1110 

983 

872 

756 

704 

631 

567 

522 

486 

463 

-449 

-58.1 

-- 

- 

-70.0 

-69.8 

-66.4 

-61.5 

-54.7 

-47.0 

-39 . 4 

-31.6 

a+ . 2 

-17.1 

-11.0 

- 5.6 

1.1 

3.8 

16.6 

50,lC 

23.3 

k5.2 

Prcsv mb HuriiL
Fiscd kenort As of Aoril ?;>t’r, 19L7 

Total amount eqended 

bailcble Balance 

Total 


1 1946 

4pril 2 Yues D B I left Caracas Fan Am bus 9 pm. .hived 1:iami 10 pm on Pan .Am, 

tl-xoq-h customs and cawht 1 am I-ational Airlines plane for !Te:mrk 

.tpril ,Ted Arri:eci Kewark 730 am and took airline tus to IZC. 3 left for Providence 

9 am, 7alled up %ring but he was in Chicago - due back tomorrow. Left on 1040 sleeper 

for Tankon tonight. 

?Dril 7at it home. Over to Cqdensburg to cee Steve this pm 

bril 7 Zun. Left :anton on 805 sleeper. Jaw Tob Foster '31, also on xay to INC 

ADril e !'OF. Arrived NYC 730 am. Up to Columbia UPi-rersity to see EVinF: 130 pm. -'yckoff 

2nd Do..e on way to Los Angeles py plane this zm. Crane and !:orrison in also from iiatson 

Labs. !er?t back to Red Bank vith them in A'TS car to Cfficer'E Club near :/atson Lab. 

?race, : orricon and I l4er.t LD tonight to cee 2einnegle at office. Yet Cifford who has 

c?O' sea rescue boat this project ie planning to use. Stayed at Gfficer's Zlub tonight 

4pril 9 "ces. At "atson Labs all day. 'lent through all processes necessaxy for employment urder Sivil Ser-:ice. 'rasrant Gfficer Gifford transferred to IKiBL-4 today, EcCurdy 

already in and stated work. "alked with .Reinnagle and Gallo re Columbia contract. 

Cifford left pm for Washington, Fajor Crane for Camp 3ix and lorrison for NYC. Reinnagle 

and I went down to CO this pm to meet group from Cornell extension at Euffalo - Aeronautical research wantifig to Fet contracts. 3ayed at Kolly Pitcher Yotel in Red Fank tonight 

41x51 10 'led Thecked out of ."oily Fitcher !!otel and caught 730 am train out of Red Bank to 

KYC. Checked ir! at Hotel Yebster and then up to Enings at Columbia University. Mr Gallo 

of Vatson Labs in at 10 am and we went over contract questions regarding Watson Lab contract 

with Columbia until 1 PP?. Went over all pasts of work with Doc from 2 to 530 pm. John 

'?wing in from Missouri. 

aril 11 Thurs. Worked on roqh outline of 2lin Field and SOFAR project Am. Up to see 

7wing at Zolumbia PI". 90c and I went over contract with '!atson Lab & Columbia tonight. 

':aught 1205 sleeper to Boston. 

April 12 Fri. Arrived Woods Hole about 11. Joe 'dorzel went over all sound transmission 

work at IHOI this pm. 

April 13 Sat. Talked with Columbus Iselin this Am regarding :fatson Lab work and needs. 

Crane and Cifford up pn: and Joe and I went up to lab with them. 

April 14 Sun. Down to lab this am with Joe looking for G9A files. Jim Peoples over about 

noon for awhile. Joe and I went golfing pm. Took 600 pm train to Boston and 1230 sleeper 

to NYC. Up to Boston with Lt Frank Ryder with Navy and !$HOI 

April 15 Kon. Contacted Doc Ewing in XYC and rode down to Red Bank with him. Talked over 

instrumentation of upper atmosphere investigations. Gut to Oakhurst this pm. Conference 

with Col. Cole 

back to Folly Pitcher Hotel in Red Bank tonight. 

April 16 Tues. Rode out to Watson Labs with Ewing. Went over to Evans Labs with Haxry Davis 

'latson Lab navigation man, and saw newly developed ranging apparatus and talked to Lt 

Rydetor? re Spherics, location of lightning and thunderstorm data collected during past 

few years. Saw Tol, Duffy of Yeteorological Division AAF and back to :p!atson Labs, Doc went 

on through to FNC. Vent over program with Dove and Crane this pm. Back to lab tonight with 

Crane and Gifford, discussing Project 185-7-1. Back to Kyrtle Hotel at 1045 pm. 

ADril 17 'ded. Rode out to Watson Labs with McCurdy. Vorked with Fajor Crane on report 

regardhg underwater work, Eglin Field and deep water. Took this in to Zolonal Cole this 

pm. Acceptance probable. Got room in prixrate house in Red Bank. ;oved out of "olly Fitcher 

Hotel. 

April 18 Thd. 2axht bus out to !*/atson Lab. Col Cole up this am and advised witing new 

2ost Expenditure for 

Phila and -Joods Hole. Pade arrangements to meet him in hYC ;!onday. -?'rote out new R & R 

and Zost Sxpenditure ready to take to Col Cole. 

ADril 19, Fri. Talked over work with Dove and we wrote up 2nd EO covering all ocean work. 

Talked to Ewing on phone this am. Dove and I went down to see Col Cole and then wrote up 

rew SC for deep water work. Saw Hincke? regaxding this ED and A for F processed this pm 

and ready to co out to '!right Field. 

ADril 20 Caf, . 7awht 710 train to NYC, cashed check at Chase Natl Bank, talked to Swing on 

phone. Eack to Red Bank about 4 pm. 

ADril 22 Yon. At 'rJatson Labs this am. Got final physical exams. Down to Supply to see Pajor 

!;orris srith Reinnagle re getting equipment out that came from WCI without paper coverage. 

Got traiel order back and authority to use it, Caught 342 pm out of 9ed Sank and arrived 

and Col. Grough re Project 188-5 and regarding microseisms. Doc and I went 

and revising the R. & R. Eajor Crane left about noon for trip 
1946 2 

in Xewark about 430. 3eser.iations to Dayton on Spirit of St. Louis had been cancelled. 

7alled 'ratson Labs. Go* roomette on Spirit about 530. Called Prs %wing in NYC. Left 

'-ewarlc or 2pirit of ?t Louis at 620 pm. 

&xi1 27 TueS. Arrived I)ayton, Ohio about 8y am. Tried to get return ticket for tonight 

but coach car only open. Took bus out to 'iright Field, 3ldg 28. Saw Plr Drexler and turned 

over 2 of the A for P to hix. Tolone1 Yaier on leave. !#lent down to 'lolonel Winter's office 

ar.2 fourd !Jajor Crane there, 'Te talked to Colonel :/inters regarding the need for planes 

and about new EO on extended long ranges of the 189-7-1 program which he approved and 

marked u:, to I-? c1. zent OR for hieher a3proYral. Vent over with Crape 8: saw Colonel Lind 

gard in the plane assignment divisior. and talked about planes. Had lunch with him and then 

xect back to talk to 7olocel ?aton regaxcling planes to 189-9-1. Vent over to look at C-97, 

converted E-29 for traxsport. 2ack to Bldg 28 & talked with General Rives. Request for 

Dlanes qrred upon and 3-29 vill be available near the 1st of June. leg-7-1 required by 

X-res. A for Ps in kexler's office not yet signed. - will be sent on to IJatson Labs later. 

Crane had reservations for me on the Spirit of St Louis and we left Dayton at 8 pm. 

ADril 24 'ired. Discussed with Bane possibilities of getting sound through the ground part 

of the ocean sound channel and about the possibilities of a balloon such as Piccards. 

Arrived in EVC about 1030. Zalled !?atson Labs and then we took a taxi up to Ewing's office 

at Zolumbia. After Ewing 1-2 class we discussed plans for 188-5 and 189-7-1, both Eglin 

Field and long range channel program. Left Swings office about 6. Crane registered at Hotel 

Lexington and I caught 740 out of Penn Station and axrived at Red Bank at 845 pm 

April 25 Thurs. Up to Watson Labs, Worked over notes of conference with Ewing yesterday. 

Yrote up both traveR blanks and sent them down to Travel Order Section. Talked with-PdLmer 

about :IQ travel form. 'frote up letter to Wright Field requesting use of second crash boat. 

-,*rote F@R for Fark 2 hydrophone. Talked to Lt. Hungerford regarding request of this. 

Stepanoff, new physicist for 'dIERL in this pm. Crane left for 'dright Field tonight. 

April 26 7ri. Up to -Tatson Labs. '!ent over purchases already applied for with Reinnagle. 

Yyckoff in this am. Kccurdy in pm for radio parts. Went back to Oakhurst with McCurdy 

this PY 

April 27 Sat. Left Red Bank about 730 AF with HcCurdy in his car. Drove through NJ at 

TRenton & down to Philadelphia. Yac left me off at Olney at subway station. Contacted 

Yarion at Bankers Security and went by train with her to Newton, Pa at 100 PM . Stayed 

Xith Plaggs. 

Apr 28 Sun. Vayne & Kaxion drove me over to Trenton, NJ & I caught 1030 am train into NYC. 

Yent up to Ewings about 1215. Joe Woreel there & Hilly Barbour. They left for Woods Hole 

about 2 PK. I caught 5% train out of Penn Station to Red Bank, NJ 

Auril 29 Non. Up to Watson Labs. Checked over at library to have some periodicals obtained. 

Went over water work with Kccurdy regarding what is needed in way of purchases,lWent over 

to Oahhurst with Roke, new engineer, former Lt. Commander in Navy. Talked to Charlie 

Ireland regarding Eglin Field work. 

ADril 30, Tu~. Upto Oakhurst. Went over equipment that would be left there and what we 

might do when rest of people gone to Whitesands with Wyckoff. Wyckoff and I took car to 

Matsom Labs to conference srith Col Duffy of Weather Bureau, Capt Kellogg and Col Gault. 

Discussed weather problems - on eqpt? and S658s & aerography neede in coming work. Discussed 

equipment with NcCurdy pm and tried to find where demolition cable could be located, 

Yay 1 -led. Up to Yatson Labs. Talked with Stepanoff and 'riyckoff regarding work to be done 

while crew was recording 'hite Sands in New Fexbco. Commander Navy arrived about 1130 am 

and we held a conference - Gault, Compton?, Dove Crane, Yyckoff, Hungerfield, Yaux and 

nyself regarding Navy participation with us in Crossroads. Captain Kellogg of Sleather 

Ser-rice over pm and talked with Crane and I regarding 6$s, airgraphs, etc. Got travel 

orders etc to Columbia tonorrow. 'Jyckoff and about 11 others leaving for White Sands by 

plane tombrrow morning. Up to lab tonight with Crane. 

Yay 2 Thursday. Left Red Bank on 8 am train, off at Elizabeth and took ferry to NYC. 

Up to GCC and then up to Docs. Too late for talk with Rellogg but in time for conference 

with Zwing, Lane of Columbia, Gallo, Bradford, Dove and Crane of !-[atson Labs. Conference 

went over contracts with Columbia and VL. Crane and I talked to Dove for short time after 

dinner. Caught 1130 sleeper to Boston tonight. 

Yay 7 ?ri. Arrived !Joods Hole 1045 am . Vent over to Falmouth with Dorothy. Up to lab pm 

xith Joe :i, Talked to Jim Peoples re his amplifier and level recorder. 3ump and Kit over 

-Saw Columbus FY. 
1946 3 

Kay 4 Sat. Up at YXGI this am. Out with John Esring taking bottom shots in water. Vorked 

with Joe on his boat this pm. Cver to Jim and Rowes tonight and to Euzzards Pay bowling, 

I'ay 5 Sun. L'p to :ilIOI about 11. ',!er.t over deep water equipment with Joe :*lorzel and Jim 

Peoples. 

Yay 6 Yon. Caught 625 train out of Penn Station to Red Bank. Arrived Red Bank 730 and caught 

bus out to ';ratson Labs. Checkec! at library for caps?militar$nfo. Called up ?:orris of Supply 

and wrote supply request. Stepanoff in fm Oakhurst. ;?rote up weekly report to Xatson Labs 

for 189-7-1. Arranged truck to take fathometer to I"!yack, Y.Y. for 104' boat and bring back 

microbaregraph from Zolumkia. -tent out to Oakhurst and saw riooke who is working on.-fluxmeter, and got fathometer WB-1 ready to send to l!yack. Yent over list of parts needed 

189-7-1 with Peoples. Feoyles signed in at 'Tatson Labs today. Capt Kellogg in from Evans 

Labs re how they can help- rough draft of letter of request to be written by Col Craul. 

Got travel orders to NYC tomorrow and to Nyack. 

Yay 7 Tues. Jim Peoples and I caught 608 train out of Red Bank and arri-red Swing's office 

about 850 am. Zonference at Ewing's office Gallo, Bradley, Crane, Peoples and I from Wabson 

Labs, Lane and Ewing of Columbia and Iselin and KcCrory? of WHO1 regarding 189-7-1 contract 

of 'a01 with Columbia. Conference later Iselin, Crane, ,!Wing, Peoples and myself regarding 

technical procedure and plan for Atlantis, Anton Dohrn and two boats of !.!atson Lab for 

summer and next winter. Crane, Peoples and I left about 240 pm for Nyack, NY in Army car. 

Arrived in Nyack at Peterson's Shipbuilding Co, new 104' boat P778 docked about the same 

tima. Vent over all changes and additions to the boat with Gifford and made plans for conversion to our needs. Left Nyack about 6. Jim Peoples and I caught 740 train out of Penn 

Station and arrived iq Red Bank 9 pm. 

Yay 9 Xed. Jim Peoples and I went up to Watson Labs this am 

Jim and I caught 600 pm train to Eoston tonight, got 1130 pm Owl to YYC 
196 1 

?ec 2 Yon. Cakhurst. :old .rave hit about midnight - temperature down to 15' - strong 

wind. Started preparations for Alamogordo trip; getting itubicon drums and ealvanometers 

ready. 

3ec rues. Cakhurst. 'alorlred on ?ubicor, 6rw.s and palianoneters for Alanogordo trip - 

Stepanoff on Awust 9 data - ':i:.ian working up Bruise tabulations. Cliva setting up new 

7R3 for Alamogordo. Got oscillograph operating with 3 T-21 microphones, 

3ec 4 ?ed. Oakhurst. 

to safety neeting, 'T. Zhantz set up liubicon in dark box and took several records with 

1 sec galv. flade up list for Alamogordo. 

ilec C Thurs Cakhurst. .iorked on relays for setup at Alamogordo. YcCurdy A his group on 

"-21 operations, Yoodruff and Chantz Fettir?g motors ,etc ready for trip. '!ent ouer 

xork at Cakhurst with i-rian. 

3ec 6 Fri. Oakhurst. 'iorked on equipment for Alanopordo. Left at EOOE, caught 135 to 

Yew York City. Contacted Carl Gerdes and Zd Schempf at United Geophysical office. Curtin 

also in NY office, Went out to eat with Carl and Ed and discussed 

job open for me in Alaska and also later possibilities in Turkey. Yd caught plane out 

about 745. Left on 1215 tonight for Asbury Park. 

Dec 7 Sat. T*!ent to Oakhurst 10 - 3. Yoody and Fhil there getting ready for Alamogordo. 

Peoples up for awhile pm. 

Dec 8 Sun. Slorked about 7 - 8 hours at Oakhurst. Chantz and Peoples thme - getting realys, 

etc ready for Alamogordo. Went over all theoretical work on flights, etc with Peoples. 

Dec 9 Mon. Oakhurst. Finished getting all equipment ready for Alamogordo. Chantz, Woody and I 

went to Watson Labs. Got checks and travel orders, All equipment loaded on trucks and taken 

to Idatson late pn. Talked to Colonel Duffy a while about future plans. 

3ecl0 Tues. Woody, Chantz and I left Cakhurst in staff car about 9 am. Arrived at Fewark 

airport 10. C-54 in from Yiddletown about 11, bringing Eall and Oakes from Wright Field. 

Loaded up all equipmert on C-54 and left Newark about 145 pm. Lewis, piloti Clowry, copilot, Arrived Oklahoma City about 945 pm EST. Got rooms at Air Base Hotel. Went into Oklahoma City for dinner tonight. 

Dec 11 Yed. Oklahoma City. Vaited for weather to lift. Unable to leave in time to reach 

Alamogordo before dark. At Air Base hotel tonight. Equipment from Johns Hopkins Unicersity 

transferred to MCGUL plane, including warhead of 'r-2. 4 scientists & crew, including Delgano? . Called Jimmie at Fairview, Okla. 

Dec 12 Thurs. Left Oklahoma City in C-9 at 0800 CST. Arrived at Alamogordo about 11 RXT. 

Vet Kajor Pritchard at air base. S-54 unloaded warhead material first then all HOCUL eqpt 

which went to North Hanger. Vent over to Prichard's office, met Kajor !!quire? and talked 

over prospects of sercps. Woody and Phil worked on equipment pm. Went up in 63 with Sgt 

Kack looking over country of proposed sites. WAC corporal launched at 4 pm. Worked on 

equipment tonight. Staying at BOQ. 

3ec 13 Fri.Woody and I left Alamogordo Air Base in weapon carrier and scouted out area south 

of White Sands and Turoro Lake. Got lost on ordnance map we had. Located Tower and K station 

;Jent to Proving Ground. Saw Karsh and Kajor Grant and got good locations and one of good 

maps. Left Proving Grounds about 2 and went up west side of sand 

Arrived there at 4 but over very rough roads. Back to Alamogordo Air Base at 620. Chantz in 

Alamogordo working on T-21s, BST and Brush equipment. 

3ec 14 Sat. '*rent out IIwy 70 this am toward Froving Grounds. Turned off at lhite Sands Rat'l 

Konument and drove to end of 9 mile road in park, about half in white sand area. Found location for #2 site which is about 30 miles north and a little east of launching site. Back to 

Air Base at noon. Went out north looking for Site 3. Tried to get through Ordnance Gate but 

needed key. '\rent back and around by Alamogordo and Tulaxosa but couldn't get in there. Back 

to base, got key from Provost Farshal and went out to Ordnance Gate. Found it did not lead 

in right Cane back to Yorth Hanger and took road out from there, finally landing at 

bombing area about 35 mi from base. Left all Rubicon equipmept there. Pack at Ease 645 

Dec 15 Sun. Got all GR3 recording units and went up to site 3. Set up both Rubicon in tent 

and GR3 in small building. Got recordings on both. Back through Tularosa and Alamogordo. 

Dec 16 Yon. Signal Corps people, Ilr Kane and Dr Crenshaw in this am. They are planning to 

measure tine interval betueen bursts of meteorites at 60, 70, SO seconds after launching. 

'Jent over our plan$ with them. Packed eqpt for Site Z2 in Vhite Sands. 'Ihantz and I stayed 

setting up apparatus and '0:oody went back for equipment for Site #1. Left Site 2 about 3 pm 

and went to site 1. Set up equipment there. Finished about 7. To Alamogordo for dinner, 

Set up 20 sec Pal-ros w.5 operated for several hours. In with PcCurdy 

future work. They have 

area to site 143. 
1946 2 

3ec 17 Tues. Cot Chantz a. Jeep to use on Station 3. ?!ent out to $3 rade final checks - 

Ihar.tz stayed there. '.?oodruff and I went to Station 1 and made findl checks there. '.ioodruff 

?row me to 3tation 2 and then xent kack to 1. -!-2 rocket xent up at about lOl5.'Got 3rush 

recording - 1 trace & Eubicon at 2. -;ooaruff got EST 6: Rubicor: at 1 -though had interference with other group. Chantz pot GR 3 & Rubicon record at $3. Back to L1OQ about 12. Rubicor. ?i ?ST recordings not yet developed. 

~ZC 14 ',!ad,Chantz and I went out to Sta 3 and got all equipment together and back to camp 

about 1 - went in borrowed weapon carrier, ;.;oodj and Jeff Towler took other xeapon carrier 

ard collected all equipmert from Sites 1 and 2. Packed all equipnent at Forth hanger and 

loaded. it into truck, xhich was ther put on plane. Got data fron J-2 firings from Fritchard'r 

office. Left 4lamogordo about 730 pm in C-9 and. xent to El Faso Figgs Field. 

& 19 Thuz. Went down to 91 Faso this morning and then across to Juarez. Sack to 3iggs 

3eld about 230 pm. 2-9 left 51 Paso 400 prr, , landed in Fatterson Field, Dayton, Chio 110~~~ 

Dec 70 99. Left Dayton about 9 am & arrived ir Clmsted Field near IIarrisburg, Pa about 

noon. It Carroll and Clomy drove us down to Pa RR station. Got 150 out of Harrisburg and 

arrived in Newark 6 pm. Taught train to -4sbury Park. 

Dec 21 Sat. Chante went down to 0akhurst.and developed 3 Rubicon recordings from 'Vhite Sands 

m-ci ?ST recording at Site ? 1. Site :'tl recordirg poor, possibly KC. Looked over recordings 

obtained at CIakhurst on bonbing run of 19 Dec. 

Dec 22 Sun. Cut to Peoples this evening in Karlsboro. 

3ec 23 Fon. Oakhurst. !forked on Alamogordo and Flight 13. Had flight # 14 this pm. - 24 

bombs starting 

with van and Rubicon but results NG. No shots appaxent on recordings. 

Dec 24 Tues. Oakhurst. Closed down about 113. Vorked on Flight# 14 and work from NYU. 

3tarted Stepanoff on extension of Aug 8 flight, Into ITYC PF: and caught 10145 sleeper to N?X 

i3ec 28 Sat. Cold NE winds and storms all day. Unable to get roads cleared out. Cancelled 

reservations for this evening to NYC. 

Dec 29 Sun. Caught 805 sleeper to NYC this evening. 

3ec 30 Yon.Arrived NYC about 915 am - caught 1040 out of Penn Sta, arrived Asbury Park 

about 1 pm. Tiorked on Alamogordo results. Went over work with YcCurdy who proposed new 

type instrument and wants authority to go ahead with it. 

Dec 31 Tues. Oakhurst. Flight 9 15 this morning at 1040 - 1105. '!Joody went out to Faxmingdal 

and recorded on Rubicon drum. Recorded also on Rubicon drum "-9- Srush and GR3-T-8. Set up 

sonobuoy 1000 ft f nest of T-8-0. Times Square tonight. 

Jan 1 Wed Asbury Park. Snowstorm pm 

Jan 2 Thurs. Oakhurst. Worked with V'on filights 12,. 13 and,part of 14. Got Alamogordo 

results together, Conference this pm with Colonel Duffy and showed him my results with 

SBAe~~,f~dO~~h,~~~~~~~wwith ? on Flights 14 and 15 and started NYU data of Sept 12. 

Stepanoff on extension of August 9 results. Conference pm: Dr. Ewing, Spilhaus, Dr Ference 

of Evans, 3uffy. Discussed !bans progr&n and'air'ylizht and Alaomgordo results. Made arrangements for cooperation with Evans in coming tests. 

Jan 4 Sat. At Oakhurst about 3 hours. Finished getting velocities for Sept 17 flight and 

started work on data of Oct 4 cruise. 

Jan 6 Yon. Oakhurst. Yinished :.docity data for Oct 4 and. Oct 16 from NYU meteorological 

studies. Stepanoff finished Xug 9 data and started on i? 1 of Sept 12. Yoved into new building next to T-8-0 today. 

Jan 7 Tues. Oakhurst. 'rivian worked up ray paths, time and distance for Vel #2 of Sept 12. 

Started on .4ug 8 da%a to get Stepanoff's figures together for study above 15 kms. Vent 

scouting for location of sono buoy west of Oakhurst Arm about 3000 ft. Chante and Woodruff 

on calibration of Alamogordo instruments and fixing up of equipment for field uses. 

Jan 8 'iied. Oakhurst. ?forked on Aug 8 cruise, making final calculations for sky wave. .' on 

're1 $13, Sept 12 cruise. :ioody and I went over to high ridge 2900 ft west of Cakhurst with 

sonobuoy which worked into GR3. 

JJ. Oakhurst. Yorked on sky ware data. Vivian and Stepanoff on Sept 12 ray paths. 

Flight I 16 at 1200 to 1220 pm. No noticeable results. Used sonobuoy at 160' hill back of 

labs. 

Jan 10 Fri, 0akhurst.Into Iatson Labs at 9 to take supervisor's test. Trakoiqski, Peoples am 

I went to :amp Evans and discussed results of ''2 rocket recordings informally. Flight 217 

this FF? 1600 to 1620. '.?orked on sky waveita 

?n 

at 2 pm. Ran GR-3, 3rush and Rubicon at lab. Woodruff went out to Faxmingdall 

194.7 
194-7 3 

Jar 11 Eat. Oakhurst. Vorked OT! sky wave data of Auf Crew up cur-,-es for lower and upper 

ztratosphere. Regung? brought in calculator from :iright ?ield. 

T~. 12 3ur. CaXiurst. .'orked on sky :raws .lug Fth and Fth. Got out letter to Gutenberg 

DertsininF to those two days. 

.Tar. 13 !:on. Oakhurst. 'dorkik on sky '*rave curies. Xade p1m.s for Xlamogordo this Thursday 

Jar. 14 Tues. Cakhurst. Calibrated instruments 12-21 to take to Alarrogorso. Raining 

Tar 1'; :led. Oakhurst. Started writep of "-2 rocket vork. 3r O'Day in from 'datson and lie 

-ert o;er '-2 rocket propam with him. "inished calibration of "21s on GR P. "ivian fini:hed sky wave curves. Jorked on Dec 31 L'oods Hole recordings. 

?an 16 Thurs. Oakhurst. All equipmer.t for Alamogordo packed and loa6ed on truck pn. 'viorked 

.ith 'i-Jiar; on sky wares of .4~ 9th ard 9th. 

:a? 17 35. Cakhurst. Zonfsrence with 7apts Lewis, 30wry and Duff of Clmstead Yield and 

: CrCT at 1230 regarding bombs, futme flights, etc. Yathenateciar; fror?. Kernan's group 

-tar+ed work this noon - for tsro weeks. - working with 'rivian. Yoodruff and Chantz went 

up to Newark uith equipment and loaded on P-47. Vent up at 2 pm by staff car. P-47 

:'exark 733 pm, landed at Patterson for fuel, landed at Tinker Field, Okla City 120 am. 

Stayed there overnight, Officers Manjak and Layden. 

Jan 19 Eat. Left Oklahoma City about noon and went as far as Amarillo. Stay& 'at Amarillo - 

at Slinton !!otel 

Jan 19 Sun Left Amarillo about 1130 CST - arriy-ed Alamogordo 1230 pm RMST. Unloaded equippent off plane and put in north hanger. Unpacked GR-~s, T-21 galvanometers. 3 T-21s and 2 

galvanometers broken. Repairing tonight 

Jan 20 !'on .L\~amogordo. Tested out T-21s at north hanger with GR-8s. Loaded up all equipment 

-3 

southeast of the tower. Ran out 3 1000' lines for the 

tent and 

.llamo;rordo Air Base. 

Jan 21 Tues Alamogordo. Tried out more T-21s uith GR-8. All OK but one. Set out Site 2 near 

Huy 70, p&3 marker 'Dona'. Laid out lOOO'cables, set up Rubicon. Went out to end of Doppler 

line to station G but could not find CGS marker 'Town'. Went back along line toward blockhouse & set up site X1, cables and Rubicon drum at intersection of G line and 0 line. 

Sites now set up 6, 13, 19 mi from blockhouse, all about 2 mi east of N line from boundary? 

site 

Jan 22 :fed Alamogordo. Made rounds of all 3 sites. Set up L&N at Site #3, & surveyed to 

tower. Took T-21s and GR-8s to Sites 1 and 2 

Rubicon recordings at Site 1 and 3 to check galvanometers. 

Jan 23 Thus. Alamogordo. Left air base about 900~rLBombing postponed from 11 am to 3 pm. 

?ent out to Site 3, surveyed to tower. Got GR-3 recordings. Left Chantz at Site 3 and went 

to Site 2. Uoody left Site 2 and went to site 1. Bombing delayed by 15-30 minute intervals 

from 3 pm to 519 pm. Got good recordings at Site 2 . Both other stations lost to triangulation acc't radio communication though Woody had GR-8 operating but without directional 

instrumnets. 

Jan 24 Fri. Alamogordo. Checked with Major Pritchard at base. Left about 830 and picked up 

all equipment frorr. 3 sites. Surveyed Site #2 and made rough survey of Site #l 

Jan 25 Sat. Alamogordo. Sorted out all equipment at north hanger. Left GR3, Rubicons and 

Sprcngnethers. Packed up CR8's and other equip3ent and loaded in C-47. %-roll and Short 

in C-47 from 1"iddletowr.. ready to 1ea:e tomorrow. Worked on Site 2 recordings pm. got 

azimnths and angles of ascent for 2 main explosions. Have high angle of ascent. 

Jan 26 Sun. Left Alamogordo about e3O an in C-47, Lt Sherry of Alamogordo pilot. Landed 

at Scott Field, 3t Louis for gas eZ eats, and then to ratterson Field, Eayton, Chio where 

;re stayed o-Jernight acct bad weather east of Pittsburg. 

Jan 27 !:on. Left Patterson Field about 930 am, arrived in Mewaxk near noon. Chantz and 

Joodruff left by train. I went to Cakhurst with truck and equipment.Arrived about 330 pm. 

Feoples going to. .Vashington tomorrow to V-2 panel meeting with Trakonski. 

Jan 28 Tues. Oakhurst. Norked up diagrams for azinuth and offset distances, also angle of 

descent from Site 2, Alamogordo. Went over recording, got about 20 recordings on first 

part but only 2 on down part. 

Jan 29 Wed. Oakhurst. Worked on latter part of 'J-2 recording of Alamogordo. Got 2 recording: 

besides 2 large ones, but very poor. Worked up possible trajectory of 1'-2 rocket. 'dorked 

up fuiure program for Alamogordo - Chantz & Oliva leaving about 10 February for semi- me-- arent work there. Ye are passing up Feb 6 rocket but staxting on definite program foffowing that. 

left 

and Flubicon drum and went out t.0 A1 tower. Set up house along road' about 3/4 mi 

2 galv IN broken suspensions. Worked on timing circuits, T-21s and galv at 

at 120° radii. Set up dark room 

and set them up ready to operate. Took 
1947 4 

Jan 30 Thurr. Flotted up angle of azimuth against angle of descent for '-2 recordings. 

Set aside this w6rk for bombing runs. Vorked on Flight 18 with 'ivian. Started Eileen 

on calculations with Aug F! and 3 data, reworking calculations doe before. Zhecked picks 

on Flight 19 - they appear to be sky waves though angle of descent is not regular. 

Jan 31 Fri Oakhurst. Vorked with Eileen on Aug 8 calculations. Finished up for both direct 

and reflectec! possibilities. Vent over plight 19 records. Found that all of these are sky 

wa--es. 

Eeb 1 Sat. Left A.F. for Philly on 940 bus, arrived at !:=ions apt about 1. -t:ayne back fron: 

work about 5. After dinner we went out to Newtown and stayed overnight. 

Feb 2 Sun. Drove up to Sparta IIJ with 1:arion and ilayne. Saw Dorothy, Joe and family. Nelson 

Eteenland 82 family living there with them. Saw ',!orzels pm. Ed Douglas in tonight for fex 

ir.inutes. Joe took me Over to Dover A? caught train, then 1120 out of Fenn Station, 

t'ewark. Arrived AP about 1230 

?eb 3 Eon Oakhurst. Peoples in Vashington regarding balloon ascention in June. Fade plans 

for flight 20 which was made this pm 2300 to 2320 in conjunction with instruments in blimp. 

Route just south of east, no results. Vorked on sky waves from Flights 18-19. 

Feb 4-56, Tues, Wed, Thurs. Oakhurst. Checked over all sky wave picks on Flights 19 - 19. 

Vent over Loran data and plotted up to get accurate plane speed. Plotted T - X curve using 

these figures. Worked up Oakhurst corrcetions for elevations and replotted all values for 

velocity - Flights 18 - 19. Received Gutenberg letter in which he had worked out Aug 8,9 

data. Went over this method and worked over thae data agah. Unique solution not obtainable, 

Went over possible experiments in 'Helios' balloon June with Peoples. 

Feb 7 Fri Oakhurst. Worked on 23, 24 Jan T-X curves. V files 23,24 Jan forms, started on 

NYU data. Eileen worked on least squares-\'a , then on Gutenberg's method applied to Aug 9 

data. 

Feb 8 Sat Oakhurst. Worked on '1-2 rocket information 23 Jan. Used 

for 2 explosions. Tried to get 0 at height of ekplosions but seems too low. 

Feb 9 Sun Asbury Park - worked on calculations of flights, setup? and calculations for 

rockets. 

Feb 10 Yon Oakhurst. Worked over Alamogordo Radar Hueco stations for 23 Jan 1947 records 

and made plot of V-2 rocket D - II using all radar data. :?ent over all equipment to go to 

Alamogordo. Fade plans for departure Thurs. Set up 8 sec galv In T-9. 'Jivian checked 

velocity from caps with temperatures and continued on Oct 22-23, Flights 12-13, Cruises, 

LWU data. Eileen in pm - worked on formulas of-seismih refraction using straight line for 

line - Aug 8 - 9. Finished this and went back to least square solutions of Jan 23 -24 data. 

Feb li Tues Cakhurst. Flight 21 scheduled for 8 tonight postponed until tomorrow. Worked on 

Oct 22 data with sky naves to Highland Lights. Went over all records. Have 2? consecutive 

Feb 12 Wed Oakhurst. Vivian & Eileen worked on temperatures and winds Oct 22 & 23 and worked 

up ray paths f_or sky waves to Highland Lights. All equipment for Alamogordo assembled and 

loaded on trucks for Watson Labs this pm. Flight 21 at midnight tonight. McCurdy, Chantz, 

Woodruff, Ball, Horn?, Rigny present. Dropped 20 bombs 1200 to 1237. No signals received, 

either sky or direct waves. 

Feb 13 Thurs. Got special instruments for 1 cycle from McCurdy this 0. Drove up to Newark 

in staff car- Chantz & myself. Loaded B-25 this pm but could not get all equiprent on -left 

5 reels and box of equipment ? . Left Newark about 330, stopped in Mddletown, Pa - 

Clmsted Field for 1 1/2 hrs to eat and gas plane, then left and landed at Godman Field out- L 

side Fort Knox, Louisville, Ky. Stayed at Officers Club tonight. 

Teb 14 Pri Left Louisvilleabout 930 am. Stopped at Tinker Field, Ok City for eats and refuel 

then to Alamogordo. Arrived Alamogordo 430 pm - contacted Watson Lab and got truck. Unloaded 

all equipent from E-25 & took part of it to F!orth hanger. 2-25 crew:Lt T'osher, Lt Alberts, 

Sgt ? Oliva arrived dlamo. by train this arp 

Feb 15 Sat. roved eqpt from north hanger across runway to stowage building. Checked T-21s on 

GR 5, Checked galvanometers, etc 

Feb 16 Sun Alamogordo.Out to Tower and Dona sites & surveyed in instrument locations - 5 to 

be station(ed) in 

Feb 17 Eon Alamogordo. Vent out to Tower site and set up Springnether and GR3 equipment. 

Rubicon 500 ft from GR3. Took trial recordings on both equipments 

meteorological informatior 

shots to H.L. Ollva left by train tonight for Alamogordo. '* L :I 

shape. Ran out field wire at Dona station. 
I 

I 

1N4-7 5 

not come so got rideinto Army base. Phil in later. 'rery windy for recordine. 

Feb 19 'red. Alamorgordo. Got radios from 'datrus of Signal Zorps and got trip tickets fm 

tomorrow. Rap test rwords on Qubicon at both zites and checked e.1erythit-f readj for 

tomorrow 

Peb 20 Thurs. Alamogordo. Cut early to station at Tower. Left Phil off there and went over 

to 9ona Site. Rocket delayed from 10 to 1119. Poth stations got good recordings except 

1 97-1;s on both !K. ':'orked on GR8 records tonight. 

veb 21 Fri. Alamogordo. 'lent to Yhite Sands Proving Grounds with Fritchard, Yagnir?, Sol 

ti Phil this mom.inc for '1-2 critiques, 0930 to 1100. Canister from rocket unpacked? about 

40 miles up and firally found this pm between %1 Faso and Alanogordo. ?!o transportatior 

back to NJ yet. !s?orked OP CR-3 records today 

?eb 22 Xlamocordo. 'iorked on data all day today. Correlated between the Tower and Dona 

sites for se-reral sources. 'forked total travel times for ascerts both 3ora and Tower and 

got average ,relocities up to about 65 kms, -relocity increases from about 40 kms up to 

60. Average velocity at 65 kms is about 320 meters per sec. 

Feb 23 Sun. Worked on detailing record from GR3. Added more 

75 kms, giving velocity of about 420 m/sec at top.Phi1 and Sal went out and picked up equipment - T-791s and GR8 and checked all pickups. 

Teb 24 Yon. Alamogordo. Vaited for air transportation today but none available and may not 

be any until Thurs at latest. Worked on V-2 recordings, frequency and characteristic analysis - T-3. Sal and Phil out to Site at Dona and recorded WAC Corporal at 1400. Got some 

Feb 25 Tues, Alamogordo. Uent out to Tower Site, surveyed iik, took down shelter. TO Dona 

Site, set up GR3 in shelter, surveyed in #6, went to launching site, about 2 -3 miles NW 

launching area. Phil went in to 'JSPS and got permission, Sal and I sur-reyed 1 site for use 

with WAC Corporal. 

Feb 26 Ved. Alamogordo. Yorked on GR8 records of 20 Feb 5'-2 rocket. This am Phil and Sal set 

up Sounding? site for tomorrow's W.A.C. I left 7 pq - C-47 Hoffman,,Kissinger: Pilot, copilot. arrived in Newark 9am. 

Feb 27 Thurs. Arrived,Newark 9 am. Lewis, Duff,Kosher a request? in from Kiddletown - on 

way to 'a to conference and I rode in with them. Zonference re future missions. Conference 

PM Trakowski, Peoples, Rying & myself regarding future operations 

Feb 28 Fri. Oakhurst. Ewing in from NYC. Jent over Alamogordo results with Ewing, Peoples 

and Trakowski. Out to Peoples topight 

Parch 1 Saturdq. Asbury Park 

March 2 Sw Oakhurst. worked on calculations for wind translations. 

Mach 3 Monday. Oakhurst . Postponed Alamogordp,,tzJpl q$il, tomorrow., ge?&IPg.$~q#)er equipment for Alamogordo. Thompson going also to get information on bombing runs? -re, Worked 

Kaxch 4 Tuesday. Thompson and I left' staff car adout 930, axrived at Newark 1040. Loaded up 

B-25 with equipment and left about 1230. Sgopped at Middletown and,picked up~aqio. Stopped 

at Scott Field &: Tinker Field for gas. Arrived at Alamogordo 2 am. Crew 9-25:Hoffman, 

DeTurk, Hancock 

out to Tower Site and brought in batteries. Sal and I checked low frequency equipment and 

went out to Tularosa site with it this pm. Ready to use on 1 sec galv on Rubicon drum 

eyed out X setup and ran out wires. 

on radio and T21s until tonight 

Each 7 ,Friday. Alamogordo. At 8 am Fritchard got word rocket would go off between 

and 1200. Phil and SaJ went out to Dona and Launching Sites with weapon carrier. Hoffman, 

DeTurk and Thompson out with them in staff car. I took Jeep and went out to Tularosa site. 

Rocket off at,ll23. Got recording on GR8 but not time for Rubicon record. Phil and 3al got 

OK secords from their sites. Thompson reported on bombing sites for runs and met and talked 

with Ordnance Officer. Left Alamogordo 545 pm , B-25 with Hoffman, DeTurck. rotor trouble 

on way and reached? Tinker Field 1200 with cylinder broken. 

Yach 8 Sat. Hoffman wired Alamogordo and caught PIanjak & Schneider (Pb)? before leaving 

for Florida. They changed their route and landed at Tinker Field, O.C. 535. Trouble with 

their oil gauge and the trouble not repaired until 10 am. Left Tinker "ield 10 and landed 

at Patterson. Off from patterson to Clmsted, Clmsted at 9pm. I stayed there overnight. 

and made T-D move up to 

waves&, about 7 ,minutes after it had left groynd. , . , , I ,?a - ' 

on calculations .from y-2 .. I_ il I 8 a? k* 

rYarch 6 .Thursday. Alamogordo. Snowing - rocket flight called off until tomorrow. Chantz 

3'arch 5 ldednesw Alamogordo. Shantz, Thompson and myself out to Tulerosa site and survBack about 2. Oliva working on check of T21s. ',iorked 

10% 
1947 6 

”a& 9 “un. Left Olmsted 0934 am - (24’7, Manjak and Schneider and landed at Newark 1120 

Thompson and I took train to Asbury Park from Pa station. In Asbury Park 3 pm 

Farch 10 Mon Oakhurst. Vivian and I worked on Flight 25, Parts 1 and 2. Started Eileen 

on V-2 rocket aecordings. 

March 11 Tues Oakhurst. Vivian and I worked on Flights 25, 24. Flight 26 off today, Part 

1 at 9, part 2 at 2 pm. Good results! Eileen on V2 rocket March 7, Dona Site. 

March 12 Wed Oakhurst. Vivian and I worked on records - Flight 26, and started Flight 23. 

Eileen worked on Dona site , V-2. Thompson and I went over Alamogordo plans. 

March 13 i7hurs Oakhurst. Worked with Vivian some on Flight 23 and 22. Worked on Tularosa 

site of V2 - 7 March. Eileen worked on Launching Site, V-2. Flight 27 today - at 12 noon 

and at 4 pm. Probably last of flights. 

March 14 F’ri Oakhurst. Vivian worked on identification of returns, lasL435 cruises. gave 

good sky waves. Trakowski, Peoples and myselfmote up report for General Reves on overall 

program to be hand carried by Thompson to Washington. Eileen worked on V-2 records, #21 

March 15 Sat Oakhurst. Worked up survey of Launching Area and Tuleroso sites & plotted all 

sites on air map. Worked on V2 rocket March 7 records. 

March 16 Sun Oakhuret, Worked- on formula for shd correction until 2 pa - went over to 

McCurdys tonight. 

March 17 Mon 0akhurst.Vivian plotted up all last sky waves. Worked on eqpt list for Alamogordo. Worked on formulas for wind correction. 

YgFch 18 TwOakhurst. Worked with V. Checked through all March 13 records.:.Worked on 

Woods Hole recordings pap. Elleen working on V-2 rockets. 

March 19 Wed Oakhmt. Reviewed FUght &A trying to get some azimuths from Oakhurst but 

records very poor. Reviewed records of,Jam 23-d and started on stratosphere calculations. 

Eileen working on corrections Jan 20 V2 rocket from meteorological data. Baten? in from 

Florida Field Station, ready to go to Alamogordo next Tuesday. 

March20 Thursday, Oakhurst , Went over final calculations for stratosphere data using 

seiaib methods, of Jan 23 data with Vivian. Got V=325 at 3 kms. Studied azimuths on that 

data and got w = 10 m/sec coming from south on June 23rd. Worked with Eileen on rocket 

Jan 2Othcorrecting for met data and plotting final H against X in kms from surface for 

up data. 

March 21 Friday Oakhurst. Worked on Alamogordo plans - Lewis & Clowry over this pm and we 

went over all future plans including bombing for Alamogordo. Worked on rocket data with 

Eileen and on flight data with YI &$?panoff on ray paths of Dec 13 

Laphs & studied WAC Corporal of 3 March. Caught 534 train from Asbury Park - lob5 

sleeper out of NYC 

ylarch 23 Sunday. At home. Arrived Canton about,, 9. &eft, en sleepey tonight about 8 pm 

March 24 Monday. Arrived NYC about 7. At 0930 went up-to Math Dqpartment at NYU - Washington 

Square. Met Mr Bennett of UL. Found that Dr. Courant would not be in until late and decided 

not to wait but caught 1040 train to Asbury Park. Went over shipment ready for Alamogordo 

and over work for Vivian and Eileen. Packing tonight. 

March 25 Tuesday Truck at Oakhurst at 9 with scales - all equipment weighed - about 39W 

total including TORRID. Edmonton, Reynolds, Thompson, Porter, Godbie? and I left about 10 

and went through to Mitchell Field in staff car. B-17, Carroll, pilot -- co-pilot. Left 

Mitnhel Field about 3 pm. High level winds - went southern route - stayed at Maxwell Field 

Alabama tonight. Thompson stayed behind waiting for B-45 

March 26 Wednesday. Left Maxwell Field, AlLabout 9 and landed in Alamorgoro 3 pa 

March 27 Thursday Alamogordo. Phil, Reynilds and I went out to Tower site, took in all wires, 

Pulled down tent and Rubicon equipment and took it over to new site west of Lake Lucero. 

Strung out wire, surveyed in site dc set up Rubicon tent. Sal, Edmonson, Godbie?, Porter 

weighing in equipment in Alamogordo air base, 

Filch 28 Fridav. Alamogordo. Went out with Godlers, Porter to White Sands west of air base. 

Located site and surveyed it, put up shelter and set up GR3. Phil and Reynolds went up tp 

Tularosa site, Sal and Edmondson worked on GR8 and low frequency equipment. Thompson in 

with B-45 from Newaxk. 

March 29 Sat Alamogordo 

Jllarch 30 Sun Alamogordo. Phil and I went out to Dona site and picked up some equipment and 

then out to Lucero site. Set up Rubicon and took a record. Tried to get through to Tularosa 

site west of White Sands but couldnt find road. 

arch 22 Saturday Oalchurst. Went over all V2 rocket data. Studied azimuth - elevation 
1947 7 

#arch 31 Monday. Alamogordo. Chantz, Bill Godbee and Ace went out to E. White Sands and 

Tularosa sites to make final setups. Sal, Edmondson, Peoples and I went out to Dona site 

this pm and moved tent and Rubicon to #3 position and set up low frequency apparatus 

April 1 Tues -12 Rocket #22 went off at 1310 this pm. Chantz and Don at Tularosa, Godbee 

and Peoplesat East White Sands, Sal and Edmondson at Dona, Porter and I at Lucero. All 

4 stations got good recordings though low frequency instrument at Dona did not work out. 

April 2 Wed. Peoples, Fajor Magnur?, Thompson and myself went over to Lt Co1,McKenson’s 

office this am regarding bombing pnss There are many difficulties with the bombing here, 

mostly that so many new groups have moved in and are setting up on the northern? range. 

Thompson and I went overto see Fajor Mitchell this pm regarding same matter. Vrote memo 

regarding proposed work to take to CO tomoxrow. Peoples left on B-17 today. Don and Bill G 

went to Dona and Launching Area sites am and got all loose wires. Don and Bill E went to 

East White Sands and Tularosa pm and got inventory and brought back Rubicon and tent from 

Tularosa. Worked on East Vhite Sands record. V2 made 85 peaks - down course. Porter worked 

on calculations pm. SaJ and Edmondson took complete inventory and this pm worked on low 

frequency equipment. 

April 3 Thurs. Oliva and Edmondkon on low frequency equipment. All T-21s changed over to 

Stds. Edmonton and Bill G went out to Lucero and Dona, got inventory and brought back 

tent from Lucero. 

April 4 F’ri, Reynolds and I went out to Osurso? Range and located PB1 bombing range. Set 

up wires and did surveying. Chantz and Porter on computations April 1 

April 5 Sat Alamogordo. 

April 6 Sun. Checked clocks. Cleaned out hanger and emptied trash out at East White Sands 

April 7 Mon Talked to Pritchard re 3rd cq for tomorrow. Gave him memo of progress report 

for MOGUL project to date, talked to Lt Dyer of Signal Corps regarding 

firing. Chante and Bill went out to Tularosa and got that site ready. All equipment checked 

for tomorrow. Edmondston and Reynolds ran drum recording of McCurdy low frequency equipment at base. Porter and I worked on amplitudes and frequencys of all recordings April 1 

firing and started calculations. Olive worked on calibration of GR8 recorder attenuation, 

Got 3rd vehicle and all trip tickets for tomorrow. 

April 8 Tues. Ace and I went out 7 am to Osaxco site. Arrived 9 and set up radio and T-21s. 

Rocket due at 11, delayed until 1710. Very windy then, all settings at 8. Ran 3 rolls but 

nothing came in. Chantz at Tulerosa alone - Godbee and Reynolds at East !Jhite Sands - Oliva 

and Edmonston at Dona - all sites windy but 3 closest ones got some signals. 

April 9 Wed. Worked on yesterday’s records. Made picks on Dona, East White Sands and Tularos, 

Found nothing on Oscuro site recordings. Don and BillG went out to East White Sands site 

and took recordings with pistonphone to get GR3 attenuation calikation. Sal Olive left this 

pm for San Diego. IJrote letters to Vivian and Jim p tonight. 

April 10 Thurs. Ace and Phil worked on rocket recordings. - azimuths vs elevation angles. 

Don..and I went out to Tulaaxosa Range and checked bombing sites - bombing range just north 

of Bange Camp and another site between that and our Tularosa site. Triangulated in with 

Tularoas Peak, etc. Thompson left in 45 for East. Godbee and Edmondson went with him. 

April 11 Fri. Don and I went out past Tularosa Site looking for bombing sites. Went back 

to Air to Ground Range and to air strip. Chantz and Porter working on calculations V2 23 

and T-21 calibrations. 

April 12 Sat.. Alamogordo Air Base 

April 13 Sun. Yorked on formula for triangulation without using compass - Alamogordo Air Bas 

April 14 P?n%I Porter, Chantz and I worked on GR3 and GR8 calibration curves for frequency 

and attenuation settings. Don worked around equipment - Don, Ace and Bill got apartments 

at air base, Wote letters to Vivian and Eileen tonight. 

April 15 TuzAlamogordo. B-29 arrived today - Lt Ball, McCurdy, Woodruff and MOGUL personnel - 41493: Lewis, Wolk, Burnhoff, Adams, Duff . Worked some on instrument calibrations, 

Lewis, Ball and I checked with Major Pritchard, then to Major Mitchell’s office regarding 

bombing sites. Mitchell said CO had turned down bombing from air, but we could have surface 

charges along Tularosa road. Vent up in AT-6, light plane with Capt Runcraft and looked over 

area west of Tularosa as far as the mountains, where bombing sites are to be located. 

16 Wed. Alamogordo. Chantz and Reynolds out to East White Sands and Tularosa sites 

to check GR3 equipment for tomorrow. Porter and McCurdy working on low frequency equipment 

for ‘!2 tomorrow. !Joodruff, Ball, Work and I went out to Dona site then to Launching Area 

site. Strung out wires and left equipment for tomorrow’s firing. McCurdy working tonight 

on low freq. Oliva in from San Diego this pm 

for tomorrow 
197 8 

April 17 Thurs. ‘I2 firing it24 scheduled for 11 am. Chantz - Porter at Tulerosa Range; 

Reynolds - Woodruff at East White Sands, Woodruff with low frequency equipment for 1 

trace GR3;01i*.ra - Kabassa?, radio operator on P-29 at Dona Site, Bill 2dmonston arrived 

by car from Florida about 11 and went out to Dona -- Captain Lewis and myself at Launching 

Area site, 9-2 postponed from 11 to 1610. 9 explesives supposed to go off, SCEL, only 1 

worked. Tularosa site - had bad instruments - had 3 working but in line; East White Sands 

- one short roll, then paper jammed; Dona Site OK; Launching Area site - OK for first 2 

rolls, paper jammed on third roll. KcCurdy set up low frequency in hanger, north side, and 

on Rubicon drum but recordings questionable - as SCEL radio transmitter interfered. 

April 18 Fri. B-29 took off for Middletown and Newark about 730 from Alamogordo with all 

personnel that came down with it. Wrote Peoples a letter regarding split-up of equipment 

so that bombing runs could be continued on East Coast. Plans are to have Edmonston, Reynolds here with 2 sets and take Oliva, Chantz w 2 sites for the East. Set up equipments - 

Sprengnether & L&N galvanometers for Helgoland experiment & run equipment 1030 to 3 pm. 

Checked over all recordings. Oliva and Reynolds out to Dona and brought in all equipment 

except wire. 

April 19 Sat, Into El Paso with Bill E this am. Got reservations to Houston next weekend. 

April 20 Sun. Worked on plans for bombing runs and V2 monitoring. 

April 21 Yon. Alamogordo Air Base. Bill Edmonston and I went out to Tularosa Range and 

checked 2 bombing targets, and located third bombing site 7-8 miles west of Al, neax alkali 

flats. Chantz and Porter worked on calculations ‘I2 -#24. Sal worked on equipment. Don 

off today. 

April 22 Tues. Alamogordo. Reynolds - Oliva out to East White Sands. Brought GR3 there in 

for overhaul. Worked up calibration of GR 8. Got curves for settings of 8 and for changes 

in attenuation. Talked to St. James, Ordnance Supply, re 5OO# bombs. Wire from Peoples - 

Godbee ready to come back - plane ready to come down this week. Sent return wire to hold 

plane off until after 1 Yay. 

April 23 Wed, Alamogordo. Bill E. and I left Air Base at 0930 and drove to Roswell. Scouted 

out area between Roswell and Donali? but all irrigated farm lands. Finally back with finding suitable site, 129 miles from Air Ease to Roswell. Chantz went Tularosa range GR3 back, 

Oliva and Reynolds checking GR3 in base, Datn?on calculations April 1 rocket 

April 24 Thurs. Phil and Ace working on V-2 recordings April 1 and 8 getting 

amplitudes. Sal and Don on GR3, Bill E. on clock checks. Saw Pritchard about Roswell trips, 

bombing. Saw Post Engineers and Major Mitchell. 

April 25 F‘ri. Sal and I went to Motor Pool and got our driving licenses. Worked up sunshots 

for Tower and Dona sites, OK within 10 minutes. Bill E and Phil got timbers from scrap pile 

and went out on Tularosa Bombing Range to build shelters. Sal and Don working on GR3. Left 

Air Base 130 and left Alamogordo 3 pm. Got room in El Paso at Hotel McCoy. 

ADril 26 Sat. Left El Paso on Continental Air Lines about 09-33, iient by way of Hobbs, Midland, Odessa, San Angelo to San Antonio. Waited there about 2 hrs and caught Eastern Air 

Lines out to Houston. Got in about 0630, tnok bus to Houston and taxi to see Donnie. 

April 27 Sun. Houston with Donnie and family 

April 28 Mon. Down to Sohio Geophysical office with Donnie and Roy Bennett. Went up to 

Abbott and Stansell about a cax. Caught bus out to airfield 1020 and caught Eastern Air 

Lines to San Antonio, and Continental Air Lines to El Paso. Arrived El Paso 730 and caught 

train to Alamogordo, then bus to Air Base. Chantz, Oliva and Bill E. checked over UNs, 

got driving licenses and worked on calibrztion curves. 

April 29 Tues. Alamogordo Air Base. Delayed trip to Silver City to talk over Signal Corps 

Communication with Peoples, Ball this PM. Went out with Don to East White Sands to set up 

GR3 and get it working. Lt Thompson in pm. Lt Stevens in on vacation trip. Sal and Bill E 

got low frequency equipment together and ran test with it at hanger. Possibility rocket 

will not be fired until Monday acct weather 

April 3 Wed. Alamogordo. Phil and Don out to East White Sands and Tulaxose sites to get 

equipment ready for test tomorrow. Set up Rubicon at Tularosa. Sal and Bill E. went to Dona 

and Launching Area sites to set up equipment. All mikes got out ready for firing. 

May 1 Thurs. Out at 2 am. Put up equipment for low frequency run at the north hanger, Out 

to stations in field - Thompson with Phil at Tularosa - Don and Ace to East White Sands, 

Sal and Bill E. to Dona and I went to Launching Area site. Rocket misfired at 09009 and 

all equipment of Signal Corps ‘explosions’ lost. Picked up equipment from Dona, Launching 

Area and East White Sands this pm. C-47 in this pm: Dubell, Mosher and Duff. Duff brought 

in 2 100# bombs with some TNT charges. Bill Godbee in from R.B. 

and 
1947 9 

Fay 2 Friday. Alamogordo. Assembled apparatus to go back to Watson Labs. Phil and Bill 

Godbee out to Tularosa and picked up all GR3 equipment. Duff, Mosher, Dubell and I went 

out to Tularosa Bombing Site f2 and shot off 2 loo# bombs, using the TNT blocks alongside. 

All went off OK. Duff got box caps for use. Mill cancel %O# bomb order and use just TNT 

blocks if possible. All equipment loaded on plane this pm. 

Yay 3-4 Sat, Sun. Left Alamogordo about 9 am, Chantz, Porter and myself, 2 Signal Corps 

men along. Stopped at El Paso and went over to Juarez for pm. Left El Paso about 8 pm. 

Landed in Scott Field about 4 and found weather bad in East. Stayed at BCQ until 10. Left 

about 11 and axrived in Middletown, Olmsted Field, about 6. Weather bad in Newark. Stayed 

in Olmsted Field BOQ 

Yay 5 Ifon. Left Olmsted Field at 7 am. In Newark about 8. Trucks in about 11. Loaded equipment and sent to Oakhurst. Arrived Qakhurst about 230. Chantz left for F‘renchtown fm Newark 

Yay 6 Tues. Oakhurst. Worked with Vivian and Elleen on their calculations. Eileen working 

on several? Feb 20 rocket and Vivian on last flights from Oakhurst. 

Fay 7 Wed Oakhurst. Conference am - Dr Delassos? and Leonard from UCLA. Went over T-21 

calibration they had - also the results from Alamogordo. Conference pm with Mr--- from 

AMC Wright Field. Flight scheduled for tomorrow, balloons with instruments going up at 

Sethlehem - B-17 following balloons with recording equipment and B-29 dropping bombs eastward from Atlantic City. 

PBV 8 Thurs. Oakhurst. Scheduled balloon flight this morning at 730. Mears and men from 

NYU at Bethlehem with balloons. Trouble with winds and instruments did not go up. Peoples, 

Moulton over to Middletom with recording equipment on B-17 following balloons, Had no 

trouble following them. B-29 started dropping bombs near Atlantic City about 8. Trouble 

with oil leak in a motor and B-29 had to jettison the bombs and return. Recorded at Oakhurst with Brush and CR3. Working today with Eileen on Feb 20 rocket - final ave velocity 

data 

Flay 9 Fri Oakhurst. Yorked on calculations - bombing runs and ’42 tests Feb 20. Took sleeper 

out of NYC for Canton tonight. 

Nay 10 Sat, Canton. Steve and Esther up from Syracuse for weekend. 

May 11 Sun. At home. Took sleeper out of Canton for NYC 

May 12 Fon. Arrived NYC and caught 094.0 out to Asbury Park - then to Oakhuxst. Saw Mr Wons 

of NYU this pm regarding future flights both here and in Alamogordo. 

May 13 Tues. Chantz and I went down to Cape May today with staff car and driver. Located 

suitable site for bomb recordings on road between Cape May Court House and Goshen. Surveyed 

out 5 pickup locations and took solar observations. Back in AP about 0800 pm 

Pay 14 Wed - Finished checking up with Chantz and Oliva in regard to bombing runs on east 

coast. Run scheduled for 9 and 12 on Friday. Packed up all equipment from computing office 

to go to Alamogordo. Checked transit and rod to go to Alamogordo. Jappett?, new computer, 

in today. Started him out on work Stepanoff was doing. 

May 15 Thurs Oakes, Stevens?, Oliva and myself to Fort Dix this am early. Loaded up C-fjl) 

when it arrived, with 229 boxes of TNT, about 12,000#. Caxroll - pilot and Hoffman- copilot. 

Mears, Vivian and Eileen arrived laterand we took off Fort Dix about 1130, EDST. Arrived in 

Fort Worth about 9 EDST. Off again to Big Springs, Texas, here forced to stop account of 

weather conditions. Stayed overnight at Hotel Supples, 

May 16 Fri C-9 arrived at Alamogordo from Big Spring about 930 WST. All TNT unloaded and 

put in dump. Vivian and Eileen got rooms at girls dorm, Mears and I at BOQ 25. Went over 

future program with Edmondson, Reynolds and Godbee. Vivian and Eileen in office this pm. 

Have office in Watson Lab Bldg. Checked out ready to go to Silver City Monday. Got car ready 

and gas for car. Checked transit and made from field wire chain for 125 meters. Mears and 

Thompson down to critique at White Sands and to see Capt Smith of Weather Service, 

Fay 17 Sta. Alamogordo. ‘Jivian, Eileen and I worked on Kay l5 rocket data. Plotted up azimuth angle against elevation angle for Dona and White Sands stations. Plotted azimuth against 

time for Dona site. 

May 18 Sun. Alaomgordo. Worked on Dona record, May 15 rocket. Checked through picks - plotte 

elevation angle against time, calculated elevation and distance from bombing site using 

straight line plane between launching site and point of impacj,. 

May 19 Mon Reynolds and I left about 0745 in weapon carrier for Silver City. Arrived at 

Giles National Forest Station about 1230. Got permission for site there and went dong 

valley 16 miles, then back 5 and located site. Surveyed location, dug holes and strung wire. 

Back to ranger station and located ourselves on range map. Left Bayard about 630 pm. Back 

at Alamogordo about 1045 pm. Edmondson and Godbee out to record WAC Corporal at Dona site 
197 10 

but It was postponed until Thursday. 

Kay 20 Tues. Edmondson and I left about 0845 in weapon carrier for Roswell. Arrived at 

Hagerman about 12. Yent across Pecos R and found site. Surveyed in locations, dug holes 

and strung wires. ;.lent over to Roswell Army Air Field, filled up with gas. Checked for room 

for Bill for Wed and Thurs. Back to Alamogordo about 730 pm. Godbee and Reynolds loaded up 

one weapon carrier, ready to leave tomorrow. -1ivian working on weather data to send back 

to Watson. Eileen working on March 7 azimuth - elevation plots and checking picks. 

Pay 21 Wed. Reynolds and Godbee left about 800 In loaded weapon caxrier. Stopped at gate 

by SC Lt and had to unload on motor pool weapon carrier acc't bad tires and heavy load on 

other one. Left about noon for Silver City. Bill Edmondson picked up GR8 and left for Rosxell in weapon carrier SC about noon. Got dL1 equipment together for shooting tomorrow. 

Jorked with V and E this pm. Eileen finished checking original data 7 March and started 

checking April 1 azimuths and elevation angles. 7 finished azimuths direct waves and started 

extension of weather data to 288, 18 kms fm sky wave data. 

Way 22 Thurs. Thompson and I out at 0730 to Ordnance dump. Sgt Rand met us there and let us 

in area. Picked up 17 boxes of TNT. Shot 1000 at Site 1, 1100 at Site 3, 1200 at Site 3 and 

1300 at Site 1 again. Thompson left for El Paso to meet his family, in from Corpus Christi. 

Worked a little in office PM. Called up Silver City and Roswell tonight, changed schedule 

of tomorrow from 1100 last one to 1115. Checked AAF clocks over telephone. 

P!ay 23 Fri. Went out at 0530 and got sgt Rand. We went out to ammunition dump, picked up 

16 boxes of TNT. Sgt Rand to field with me. Shot 0800 Site 1, 0900 Site 2, 1000 Site 3 

and 1115 Site 1. Worked on theoretical calculations pm. Bill E in from Roswell about 5 and 

and Reynolds & Godbee in about 800 

Kay 24 Sat. Went over with Codbee and unloaded his truck, hung his recordings to dry. Went 

over GR8 records too but didn't see any signals there. GR3 from Silver City has some good 

sky waves. 

Fay 25 Sun. Tried to get into El Paso to catch train to Houston but Alamogordo train too 

late to make connections. Back to Alamogordo Air Base. 

May 26 Mon. Worked on Tests 1 and 2 records today, No signals from Roswell - some thunder 

on 2 shots. 5 sky waves from Silver City. Vivian worked onrecords. Eileen on thunder 

recordings. Godbee worked am, Bill and Don off today. 

Kay 27 Tues. Worked with V on tests 1 and 2, E back on rocket of April 1. Bill Codbee and 

Don out to Dona and set up GR3 for Thursday firing. 

Yay 28 Wed. B-17 in from Watson with Mears, Hackman, NYU and Alden. They plan to fly test 

balloon tomorrow. Other gang with recording equipment, due to leave Watson Sat. Got everything ready for HERMES rocket tnmorrow, Dona & White Sands. Finished theoretical calculations of T-X solution of sky waves. 

May 29 Thurs. Mears and Hackman got balloon ascension off about 1 PM today with B-17 plane 

to follow it. Don and Godbee out to Dona, Bill and I to East White Sands to record HERMES. 

Setjfor 11OO,am, postponed repeatedly, finally fired at 0730 PM. Rocket off course, landed 

near Juarez, Mexfco. 

May 30 F'ri. Memorial Day. Got 330 bus out of Alamogordo, 10% train out of El Paso to Housto 

May 31 Sat. Arrived Houston 715, went up to bank 900, then to Abbott - Stansell and picked 

up car - '42 Chrysler. Went up to Sohio and talked to Donnie and Roy Bennett for an hour. 

Left Houston about 1145, stayed overnight past Post, Texas. 

June 1 Sun. Left 0400, arrived in Alamogordo about 0930 - 800 miles to base from Houston. 

C-47 with Moore, Schneider and others from NYU. Also Ireland, Minton, Olsen. NYU men 

worked on balloons today in north hanger. 

June 2 Mon. Changed shooting plans to coordinate with balloon flights. Balloon all ready 

to go. Receiver in plane and receiver on ground. Edmondson with GR8 to Roswell pm, Godbee 

and Reynolds with GR3 to Silver City. Vivian working on amplitudes of flights - Eileen on 

April 7 rocket. 

Jw 3 Tues. Up at 0230 am ready to fly balloon but abandoned due to cloudy skies. I went 

out to Tularosa Range and fired charges from 6 

ordnance man. 

JQ~ 4 Wed. Out to Tularosa Range and fired charges between 00 and 06 this am. No balloon 

flights again on account of clouds. Flew regular sono buoy up in cluster of balloons and 

had good luck on receiver on ground but poor on plane. Out with Thompson pm. Shot charges 

from 1800 to 2400. 

June 3 Thurs, Up at 4 to shoot 2 charges for balloon flight. Whole assembly of constantaltitude balloons set up at 0500. Fired charges at 0537 and 0552, then soon buzzed by plane 

on to 12, missed 530 shot - trouble getting 
1947 11 

to return. Receiver at plane did not work at all. Ground receiver worked for a short 

time but did not receive explosions. B-17 and most of personnel out to Roswell - recovered 

equipment some 25 mi east of Roswell. Out at 10 this morning, got ThT and went out to 

range. Fired shots 12 to 18 every hour. Last of bombing tests this week. 

June 6 Fri. NYU personnel getting ready for flight tomorrow. Conference about noon, Hackman 

with radiosonde, Olsen and Godbee with receiver to Roswell - also Smith on theodolite. 

Regular equipment in plane.Edmundson and Reynolds to operate equipment at labs - receiver 

with GR8. Worked on adopting GR8 this pm and this evening. Fired some shots pm at site 

but no transmitter for sonobuoy. This pm put EcCurdy low frequency amplifier in circuit 

before GR8 and have plenty of signal. 

Jmne 7 Sat. Balloon flight off about 530. Dribbler? broken on takeoff. Balloon was to 

60,000'*, broke left balloons then train came down somewhere in mountains. Zecordings at 

north hanger, and at Roswell but plane did not receive. Shot at 6, 630, 7, 739, 8 and 830 

at site #4. Plane out to find balloons but no luck. All NYU personnel and John Adden off 

on B-17 - Lewis, Gallagher. Went over to Alamogordo with Ireland, Minton, Olsen and Mears 

but no train today - making reservations for tomorrow. 

June 8. Sun. Rancher, Sid West, found balloon train 25 mi south of High Rolls in mountains. 

Contacted him and made arragements to recover equipment Monday. 

balloon flights. Took Treland, Mears, Winton, Olsen to Alamogordo to catch train this pm 

June 9 Mon. Bill Godbee and Don Reynolds went out to Sid West's ranch south of High Rolls 

and broughtback recovered balloons- clock, 2 radiosondes, sonobuoy and microphone and lower 

part of dribbler. Bill Edmondson cleaning up hanger and sorting out equipment of NYU. Worked 

today on balloon records (GR8) from north hanger, No definite signals obtained. Took inventory MRs. 

June 10 Tues. Bill G , Bill E and Don worked on equipment, repairing GR8, T21 mikes, etc. 

Getting ready for rocket Thursday. Worked on GR8 recordings from Hagerman, Tests 3,4,5,6. 

No signals obtained. Worked on balloon tests from Roswell - no signals. V on Gila R tests 

3,4,5,6, Eileen on V2 amplitudes. 

June 11 Wed. Bill Godbee and I went out to Tuleresa Range and located Site Q5 for bombing, 

24 mi N of Site #3 - roads bad. Laid out wire for shooting, Don and Bill E getting ready 

for rocket. Checked Rubicon records, all 3 sites. 

June 12 Thurs. All rockets postponed btil July 3 rocket of S.C.E.L. Bill E, Don, Bill G 

went down to El Paso and then SE along Rio Grande. Located-listenine site south of Clint, 

Texas and layed out wires and dug holes. Worked on bombing flights from Oakhurst. 

June 13 Fri. Men off today. '*' worked on tests 3,4,5,6 Tularosa bombing. E 0rr.V-2 rocket 

amplitudes. I plotted T-X all sky waves and started reviewing March 11 and 17 records. 

June 14 Sat. Bill E and family, Don R and family, V, E and I to Carlsbad. 

June 15 Sun. Through Carlsbad Caverns and back to Alamogordo. 

June 16 Mon. Ken off today. Worked on eastern shore cruises, plotting T-X corrected to 68 

kms & worked on apparent velocities and differences in azimuth. 

June 17 Tues. Men left for Silver City and Febrero? near El Paso for bombing tests. Worked 

on Cruises. 

June 18 Wed. Test 7 of Tularosa Bombing Program, Shots at 7, 930 and 1230. Men called in 

from field to eheck clocks. Weather poor - raining at all sites. E on V2 rockets, V Cruises. 

June 19 Thurs. Test 8 of Tularosa bombing program, shots at 1600, 1830, 2100 , 2400. 

Weather poor - rainy at Alamogordo. 

June 20 Fri Finish of Test 8. Shots at 0000 and 0230, Sites 1,3,5. Men back today. Godbee, 

Reynolds at Silver City got all shots, Edmondson at El Paso got 1 possibly 2. Looked over 

all Fabens records today. E on weather data, rocket firings,V on Tests 3,4,7 and Flights. 

June 21 Sat Worked on GR8 records from Fabens - calculated azimuth and elevation angles - 

Fabens recordings and some of Silver City. 

June 22 Sun. On trip with V & E - San Cruzes, Hot Springs, Carizzo 

Week of Jan 23-28 Alamogordo Air Base. Men worked on-equipment for sound ranging Monday 

and made arrangements for off base transportation, had to get some from Base Motor Pool; 

Rill G, Don R left am for Gila Valley and Bill E went to Fabens. Tests 9, 10 Wednesday 25 

and Thurs, hi 26-27. Test 9: 7-10-13-16-18 Sites 1-3-5-3-1. Wen$ out with Sgt Rand. 

Contacted by telephone Wed night and Thursday. Shot 10 Thurs, Fri at 18-21-00-03-05. Out 

with Sgt Rand again. Men in hi pm. Good results from west, but poor or nothing from Fabers. 

Looked over some of Fabens records Sat. V worked on Tests 7-8 getting all data, including 

amplitudes, then worked on Flights 1-27, Got met data for all flights up to 18 kms except 

Oct ones. Found one whole minute error in timing on 24A flight which now checks with others 

Got all recordings of 
1W7 12 

in #arch. Y on new weather calculations 20 Feb. Found adding wind directly to velocity 

from temp Fi-Tes accurate enough results. <hanged 20 Feb rocket and plotted up altitudes 

against signal Strength - shows nothing significant & started on 1 April rocket. Have all 

4 station azimuths about finished. Phil Chantz and Wiggett in by train Friday night. They 

brought in records of Flights 28, 29 and 30 on east coast - 1 of Yay and 2 in June. 'dent 

over records Saturday and identified signals of 28 -29. Balloon expedition personnel arrived Saturday evening - Peoples, Trakowski, Keaxs, Ireland, Olsen, Youlton, Alden from MIS 

and F'oore, Schneider, Hackman, Smith, Hazzard, 2 others and a Lt Smith from Navy NYU. 

29 June (Sun) NYU personnel and some of Watson Lab men working today with equipment in 

north hanger, Went to Ruidoso with Wears, Trakowski, Godbee, V & E 

Week of 30 June - 5 Julv '47 Alamogordo. 'Jivian worked on Tests 9 and 10, finishing all 

upward data on GR3 recordings. Eileen worked on 1 April rocket, getting signal strengths 

vs altitude (corrected for weather data) and started o ihe calculations to get time of 

station factors rather than anything about rocket. 

2 July as equipment was not ready. 100 tanks Helium obtained from Amarillo Monday evening. 

Also radiosonde receivers set up by NYU personnel Konday but were not operable. Test 7 

at dawn on July 2 with pibal 1 hr first following with thgQd1it.e. Whds were very light 

and balloons up between A air base and mountains most of time. Included cluster of met 

balloons. Follnwed by C-*? for several hours & finally lande n mountains near road to 

at north hanger, Cloudcroft and ROswell. Shots made unfortunately at Site iff4 and picked up 

good from north hanger and from Cloudcroft for awhile. Nothing from Roswell. On Thursday 

morning 3 July, a cluster of GM plastic balloons sent up for V2 recording but '12 was not 

fired. No shots fired. Balloons up for some time. No recordings from Roswell as pibal showed 

no W winds. Balloons picked up by radar WL and hunted by Nanjak C-45. Located on Tularosa 

Range by air. Out pm with several Nyu by weapon carrier but we never located it. Rocket 

postponed until 730 Thursday night but at last minute before balloon went up,,Y2 was called 

off on account of accident at White Sands.Ssnt up cluster balloons with dummy load. Balloon 

flight #10 at dawn on July 5th. Had gone out in C-45 again with Moser and Dubell to hunt 

for balloon from Flight 8 but not since? we found them. C-9 went to El Paso bd picked up 

single Smith plastic balloon and GM cluster plastic balloons. Flight 10 with single 

plastic followed from Alamogordo and Cloudcroft. Shot 8 shots from Site 4. Picked up most 

and lost signal at 845. Balloons ? more than 6 hrs although time clock had been put in 

to bring them down after 5 hrs. ? were picked up by ? C&5 as first flight out was 

delayed. Had special balloon at 7 with explosice charge which went off at 35,000 ft and at 

745 but by that time the receiver had lost the signal. Followed by radiosonde series until 

after 1300. Cloudcroft off at 8 and doubtful about signals received. 

Peoples and Trakowski up 4 July with Dr. O'Day of CFS to Alamo Tower ---- ? Solar Observatory the SCEL station, Schneider up with O'Day to check use 8s NYU station. 

Alamoggrdo crew helped-get helium, and did ground shooting of 2 July. Out July 3 at Dona 

and Launching sites at 2 pm and later at night. 

Finished identification on Flights 28, 29 and 30 on east coast and made plans for Bermuda 

flights. 

Unable to leave for home on 3 July as was planned and wired Donnie first part of week 

if he could change his schedule and go home folloeing week. Got wire back that he had 

decided not to make the trip. 

JmWorked at office on flights and rocket data. Started on plans for speech 17 July 

meeting NYU - Getting ready for Flight 11. Plans are to put up Smith balloon with GM 

plastics + 

July 7 (Mon) Alamogordo. Balloon Flight 11 A off at 093. Big plastic with small auxiliary 

plastics. WL gear - radiosonde and dribbler. Followed with theodolite and receiver until 

about 11. Picked up on radiosonde receiver at Roswell and followed thkn.Finally came down 

(at 10,000 ' cap should have punctured plastic) near Hwy 70 between Roswell and Tularosa. 

Second balloon - met balloons with radio sonde up about 630. Third balloon with 2 rk2 # 

stick TNTand caps set by pressure element to fire at 35,000' up at 0630. Surface bombing 

at Site 4 from 95 to 845 at 15 min intervals, Ireland followed main receiveq6nly about 

3/4 hr but followed radio sonde about 3 hrs. 35,000' explosion off about 655. 

Vivian got all instructions for completing work on Flights 1-30 and picked all records 

and filed. Sent off TWX re Bermuda Flight and wrote up memo on it. Worked with Eileen on 

signal for correlation purposes. Appears likely that s ? rength of signal is dependent on 

Cloudcroft. Before gear could be recovered, most of it had be f qktolen. Stations operating 

Balloon tests? 7, 8, 9, and 10 off this week. Test 7, slated for 1 July postponed until 

? 

simple met balloon sonobuoy + balloon bomb. 
1947 13 

April 1 rocket plotting H-SS, H-T, SS-T. 

July 8(Tues) Alamogordo. C-5L) off about 1030 with 23 people - all NU, WL including I, E, 

Godbee. Lt Thompson, Edmondson, Reynolds and myself left. Vote up report on East Coast 

Flights for Peoples. 

July 9(Wed) Alamogordo. Worked today on balloon flights. Studied !*L records of them briefly 

and wrote a memorandum to Peoples about results. Left in car this PP? late. Flat tire between 

Roswell and Tularosa and stayed there. 

July 10 Thurs. Changed tire and went into Roswell. Bowht new tire. On to El Reno, Okla 

today. Stopped in cafe in Hereford, Texas and met Dannie Harns from UGC. Went up to office 

and saw Bob Cowder?, PC and Gene Conant, supervisor. 

July 11 Fri. -om El Rosa to Cherokee, Got note at Cherokee that Jimmie was at Tonkawa and 

went over there, Stayed.tonight with J & family. 

July 12 Sat. Jim, Pat , Vanessa along with me on gay home. Got to Doolittle, Ark tonight. 

Jul & 1 Sun to cabins in Ohio just out of Springfield. 

To cabins near Geneva, N.Y. 

Jul 

J* 17 18 At home. Drew in 4 or 5 loads of hay but land very wet and rains intermittently. 

July 19 Sat. Marion and I left in Chrysler for Woods Hole to see Dorothy & family. Through 

Albany, Springfield, Providence. 463 miles 12 hours. Doc Ewing on Atlantic cruise. Worzel 

working on gravity at sea. Saw Geo Woollard and the Ryders. Woollard after Guggenheim 

fellowship for next year - positions at WHOI and Princeton are ? very satisfactory. 

July 20 Sun. Saw men working with Woreel at WHOI, Pollak, went over to Vine's new house, saw 

Kit and Bump at their house, then out to Ewings, saw Midge & children, Anne,.and Mikey. 

July 21 Kon. Went down to !4H0l9 €k~rs~Pollak, Bumpus, Worthington. Up 3rd floor and saw Emmons 

of NYU, who is finishing up some research work there under Ray Montgomery. Talked with Columbus Iselin for short time. Saw Gil Oakley. Marion & I left about 11 am. Went through 

Providence, Hartford. Crossed river at Hudson. Met rain last part of trip, not home until 

130. Jim & family spent weekend with Steve and Esther in Syracuse. 

July 22,23,24 At home, Drew in a little more hay from lot in front of barn but still raining quite often. Jimmie & family took Thursday PM train to Syracuse to catch tomorrow's 

plane to Wichita, Kansas. 

July 25, 26,27 At hzme. Steve and Esther came up Sat night. Marion and I went to Watertown 

to pick them up at bus station at midnight. They left again Sun pm on bus from Canton, Chas 

Crary up from Canton Sunday PM 

July 28,29,30,31,Aug 1. At home. Chrysle to Canton, change plugs, reline wheels - Rained 

hard first part of week then clear. Got in lots in back of barn, north of road and front of 

house. 

AUR 2 Sat. Marion - Bunny and I left 1230 PM, arrived Marcellus about 5 PM. Ate dinner with 

Steve and Esther, left Marcellus 730 PM. Through Binghamton, Scranton, Stroudsburg, Easton. 

Arrived in Mewtown about 245 am. 

Aug 3 Sun. In Newton with Flaggs for dinner. Left Newtown about 5 PM. Arrived Jersey Coast. 

Got room on Hwy 35 near White Bite Shop. 

Aug 4 Mon. Up to Oakhurst. Ment over developments to date with Jim Peoples. Out to lunch with 

Lt Ball. This PM Chantz and I surveyed to Sonobuoy site. 

Aug 5 Tues. Oakhurst. Worked on Aberdeen results - 2 failures - 1 direct wave. - Worked on 

Bermuda run # 2 - Oakhurst and started Bermuda #2 C.M.C.H., Peoples on vacation starting 

today. 

Aun 6, 7, 8 W#ed, Thurs, Fri. Oakhurst. Worked on Cruises 1 -28 with Vivian and Epstein. 

Checked over all recordings of Bermuda #2,.Eii&ht 32. Got sonobuoy survey calculated and 

worked up results of Flight 25 B which depended on sonobuoy signal. Started Epstein on weather data which Wiggett is working on. Wrote letter to Emmons with remaining work to be 

done there. Conference Wed pm with Clowry, Carroll, Dubell, Bernhoff of Olmsted regarding 

Bermuda and Alamogordo plans. Mr Nears put up balloons with equipment on here at Oakhurst. 

Reynolds and Edmondson in and working around lab. Worked some with Eileen on rockets. 

15 Tues. Stopped at Syracuse. Got home about @3O. Marion & her baby there. 

Aug 9,lO Asbury Park 

Aug 11, 12,13,14,15,16 Oakhurst. Wrote memo regarding Alaskan work and had copies typed up. 

Worked most of week on rockets. Plotted altitude against time of origin for April 1, 8 

rockets but did not get identical graphs. Tried to vary distance to obtain similiar curves 

but this was not possible. Made plots of time vs SS and altitude vs SS in effort to cornelate signals between stations. Correlated fairly good on 1 April but poor on 8 April. 


Covering 2erlsd from June 1, 1947 to 

June 31, 1947 

Section Ix 

Reserirch hvision, ?roj ect 140. 93 

Prepared in Accordanae dth Provisions of Contrcct 

Watson ktmratorier, Red Aaw Jarsay 

New Ycrk Unirersitr 

W&O99 ac-241, betmeand 
The foUoring men rere hired8 

hrion, Navigator, Cr(ift- 4, -. . 

Cull i fi cation 

dorms B-17 hdu 

Navigator. hdgraduate Yeohmid 

hglneerilq Stdalt. 
Dato of 

Corm+ 

pndeaat 

6/16/47 

6 '19. '47 

6/l.9/47 

S,.'ZS/47 

6/25/47 

6/24/47 

6/26./4t 

Addreas 

Hr. I. Yo Coojxtr 

959 Rhittier AVO* 

Akron 2, Ohio 

Sgecification of 

.largo balloon sat 

and a;:,ointaent 

requerted to diecuss manufaaturo 

Roquert for add%- 

tlonal Army 

r-thrr equipent 

0rd.r to .odlrp 

dribblo mounting 

and tat. of flow. 

Raq\r08t 7 foot 

balloonr h6ro 

mean8 of attaching 8hroud line8 

to 8arq load. 

Odor to rbip rerrinin( ?-toot 

Woono to I5 

None required. 

co.pued mith. 
E 

4 
C. 1. GENERU, WRK ACCOHPLJSHED 

Field test8 vere canducted at Alumgordo A- fir Base durhg 

the mat of Jurrs 1, wing cluster8 of nmteorological balloorm. 

The primary object of those testa waa to perfeot h~lrdlFng and 

launching technique6 far lug. flight8 uxi to check the opention of tho various altltuie controlling devices developed for 

this projeot. At the same tire, the teatr afforded the opportunity to any aloft paylordr of Yatson Laboratories equipmnt. 

rense of carrying Vatson Laboratory gear aloft for an extended 

period of tiaw, difficultlor .ad nrteriel failurea encountered 

nerved t0 erphralre the u~atiefaotory chancterirtic8 of 

.eteorologicrJ. balloon clauters. A technical report under 

preparation will contain discusrion of the flightr. 

lfter the retun fmn Urogordo, th remainder of the month 

na occupied with prepamtiom for a second field trlp to 

Alslvogardo Amy Alr Base for torts to be coaducted in July. 

In general, while the flight8 were ~cessful in the 

TwenQ-fivm reven-foot Uaeter 1 mil. thick plyethylear, 

Uooam were received iron General Willr. Om each fifteenfoot dlaseter 8 ril. thick polyethylene balloons war received 

fmEH* A* SIlith, I=. 
In 8erer.l cam8 rqPib8 used for altituie control failed to 

fire at extremely hlgh dtituder. 

ing a Wl load OB batterier may help keep cello warm enough 

to prodaae the a6cessary volkge d high altitude on futuro 

It is beUeved that plbcflightre 

d. METHODS OF ATTACK 

Field tests kt Almmgordo indicated that a Helioa-type cluster 

fr much superior to a long cosmic-ray type flyiq line in case 

of fabrication, hlldliag and launching when it ia necessary to 

use clusters. 

are dl at the amme level, will be used on all future multiple 

moon nightre 

Therefore, thb type of cluster where the balloons 

Large plastic brllooas have ben obtainsd ad will be flown 

at Alnmogordo de the tertr to be conducted in Jae 

The &n sand ballarbdroppbg darico v.6 Improved a6 a result 

oi experlmntr at Alwgordo constructing the brllart tuber 

of aluinum rather tbn plastic, and by wing stmnger paper 

dirphraw am tb fnngiblo rupport far the ballast, 

f, COEWSIOISS lllD BHXWEBDATIOBS 

Opinion has bob. rtrengthexmd tb.t cluatera of meteorological 

balloons vlll mver be 0 mtlsf~otory mothod of achieving con0- .Ititado far long period flights. Variour factor8 whiah 

vnigh against tb amcerr of such fllghtr area 

Tmticril Instability of extenriblo hllooruj the rapid deterc 

iontion of nsoprem der the .rap of the sun (avenge 6 hour 

l.We)j the complex rot of hlllrt ad lifting equipwnt requlredj a0 daUo .Ild irdeterml~to effect8 of superheatj 

.nd the difficult)r of. hunohinq a long train asrembly, 0v.p 

m3er tb beat cditiom. 

tb inherent 
XY. 

tracking of hlloonr in fllght. 

balloons &mat4 asrirte interpretation of performance data. 

Better radio trrnsnission of data la meded from the balloon. 

Aerial observation of tho 

Plastic balloons ham been obtained from both General Hills and 

8. A* Salth, Inc. and vill bs flown on the mxt field trip to 

Alwgordo In July. ~mngerents ham been completed to obtain 

a, large a supply ar ir 116ce11m.r~ of these balloons ad testa 

vill be conducted frequently to perfect a technique of maintainiag a balloon at nolLnrl constant altitude. 

19 

New York University 

Progress Report No. 4 

Radio Transmitting Receiving and 

Recording System for Constant 

Level Balloon 

[Section I] 

April 2, 1947 

REPORT BY THE 

ENGINEERING RESEARCH DIVISION 

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING 

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY 
Itorearoh Divirion, ?roj.ct la. OS 

.. 

.. ~. . . . 

.. - . . . . ., ... . .% .I. 

. , Ti. , 
loao 

1. 
.A- ?? 

.3,: 
20 

Interview 

Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James 

McAndrew with Professor Charles 

B. Moore 

June 8, 1994 

Same as 

Weaver Attachment 23 

21 

Report [Selected Pages] 

Holloman AFB 

“Progress Summary Report on 

U.S.A.F. Guided Missile Test 

Activities” 

August 1, 1948 

VOL.l 1AUG.’48 NO10 

copy’) :,r! 
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE 

Alamogordo, New Mexico 

PROGRESS SUMMARY REPORT 

on 

U. S. A. F 

GUIDED 

Compiled by: 

8%%i--; Major., USAF, 

Pi rectaor of Technical 

In f o rm a t i on D i v i s i on 

Vnl I 

MISSILE TEST ACTIVITIES 

Reviewed by: 

Lt. Colonel. U S A F 

Deputy for Operat ions 

and Projects 

Approved by; 

FAUL F. HELMICK, 

Colonel, U S A 

Commanding 

:;.-..-+&+.?' - ,. -- 

S-E-C-WE-T 

'.. ... 1 August 1948 ..- No. 1.rl 

copy * 55 m 

.q ' - wy---" 5 

'. 

This document contains information affecting the Nations1 Defense of the United State8 

within the meaning of the Ea ionage Act, 60, U. 9. C. 1 and =.Its trusmisaion or the 

revelation of its contents fn sny manner to sn unsuthorfaed person is prohibited by law. 
radar station was not troybled by this phenomenon due to its antenna directivity and elevation orientation of 60 degrees. It is 

believed that the Intermediate loss of signal by the radar station 

lo normal because of elevation pattern lobing produced by groundreflection interference which is initiated by secondary antenna 

lobe transmission, 

ting pattern, it affects both the radar station and Its remote receiving station, Current effort is concentrated on improvement 

of photography and antenna orientation in preparation for additional tests. 

Since this condition exists in the transmitb. Wcki nn Pro-iecb: 

(1) Radar Tracking Set ANmS-6 - A letter was received from Watson 

Laboratories authorizing changes and modifications of the range 

circuits necessary for conditions as encountered at this location, 

The fore part of July was spent in achieving these betterments, 

and in the installation and orientation of an Y-2 optical tracker 

to be used In conjunction with the MPS-6 and as a tracking aid. 

Experimental tracking of three balloons furnished and flown by the 

Atmospheric Group was performed for the dual purpose of checking 

.the signal return of the radar with various reflecting targets, 

and for precise position data of the balloon equipment for use by 

the Atmosphe*c Group. 

radar reflector wa8 tracked, 

about 38 yards with signal return being above saturation on the 

acopes of the US-6, 

vation and aided In range, 

tion until a range of 71( yarde was read, at which point grass appeared on the scopes and signal to noise (iperaged about 4 to 1 

out to a range of 23K yards where too frequent radar losses necessitated that automatio tracking be abandoned, 

tracked manually to a maximum range of 2% yarde. 

On 19 July, a 130 foot balloon carrying no 

Radar contact was made at a range of 

TracMng was aUtOMtiC in Azimuth and EleSignal return remained above saturaThis balloon was then 

On 20 July 1948, a weather balloon carrying one kite type reflector 

was flown and tracked. 

and signal return was above saturation at all times until a range 

of 1OK was exceeded and grass showed only oocaslonally out to 

34,360 yarde. 33K yards, but tracking was continuous In automatic Azimuth and 

Elevation throughout its $light, and the mfutlmum range read was 

On 21 July, a 130 foot balloon, identical with the one flown on 

19 July except for three kite reflectors being carried, '1988 flown 

and tracked, Radar contact was made at a range of 1,510 yards. 

Grass first appeared on scopes at a range of 24,5K yards, and signal was above saturation to 30K yards, Tracking was continuous 

and automatic throughout the flight, and a maximum range of 12l.K 

yards was reached. 

Contact was made at a range of 3K yards, 

This balloon was obscured by clouds at a range of 

31$ yardso 

26 
Permission to use the MPS-6 in tracking further V-2 missiles having 

been received, plans were formulated for operation in conjunction 

with the missile scheduled to be fired Thursday, 22 July and postponed until Honday, 26 July at 1100. Plans contemplated that the 

crew on the Y-2 Optical Tracker would track visually at all times 

during the flight with their elevation and azimuth readings repeated 

on the antenna. The UrpS-6 antenna was initially positioned in azimuth on the calculated bearing to the launcher and raised slightly 

above the horizon in elevation, with the correct range gated on the 

scopes and with a velocity of about 300 HPH set in the aided range 

motor and the motor initially stopped. It was further planned that 

when target echo would bloom on the scopes, the echo should be 

trued up in Azimuth, Elevation, and Range; and antenna control would 

be thrown to automatic with range followed manually until speed of 

the missile approximated the 300 WH at3 set on the motors, at which 

time the video motor would be activated and range tracking thrown 

to "Aided." 

Tracker only if target failed to show or if extended nlossn subsequently occurred . 

It was planned to throw antenna control to the 16-2 

During the half-hour period prior to the take-off, several random 

aircraft were noted in the vicinity of the launcher; and at X-5 

minutes, one low flying ahcraft was observed on the scopes at a 

range beyond the launcher directly in line with it and flying in 

toward8 the launcher. 

Timing signals and the zero signal were received, and at about 

X plus 2 seconds the target "bloomed" on the J Scopes at the calculated range to the launcher (62,800 yards). 

instantly to far beyond saturation, and all grass disappeared from 

the scopes. The Azimuth and Elevation, and Range controls were ccntcred on the target, and antenna control was thrown to automatic. 

Range started to slowly increase as did elevation with azimuth being 

stationary. The echo remained beyond saturation for about two seconds after automatic control was thrown in, at which time grass appeared on the scope8 and the signal fell rapidly to zero and the antenna whirled off target at about X plus 6 seconds. Upon returning 

antenna to position manually, a strong target appeared at a range 

of about 2K yards outside ;the range gate, and believing this to be 

the rocket, this pip was trued up and antenna locked in llAutomaticll 

and this target was tracked for a period of about10 seconds or 

until it was noted that range wa9 decreasing and elevation was stationary at the horizon while the M-2 Elevation repeater showed the 

optical tracker to be looking at approximately 9 degrees. Realizin& that the target being followed was the aircraft noticed before 

take-off, antenna control was transferred to the optical tracker 

and left in its control until the Y-2 crew lost the missile. 

this time, no target was visible at any time and no further radar 

contact was made with the missile. However, slightly before the 

missile Inpact was heard, a cluster of small echoes were found at a 

This pip went almost 

During 

27 
22 

Interview 

[Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James 

McAndrew with] Col Albert 

Trakowski, USAF (Ret) 

June 29, 1994 

Same as 

Weaver Attachment 24 




T. 

Project xientiscs: 3r. l, A. i'eopie:3, ;r., i)r. i4omm 

Hsskell 

Su;rrmkIy cf In-Labzrztory i,ork: 

When isrge explosions iiav: uxurreit, it la8 been observed that tke soma was 

heard locally, say up to 25 miles, ml alsa at distances of locl to 200 miles, but 

that nothing was t eard r,t intermediate distances. This phenomenmcan only be 

explained by assurcZnq that the sound is refracted into the atmosphere over the intepdizte observers and then is bent back down to the ,=re diatant areas. 

to occur tho velocity of propagation must first decrease with altitude and then 

increase again to a value at least as larys aa grourid velocity. 

decrease of temrerature up to the tropopause followed by an incrsase in temperature 

above that level. 

from asgametrical propaqation. 

For this 

This is due to a 

Kinds also heve an appreciable affect which can be determined 

Up to about 1946 most data on this phenomenon had been obtained by taking 

polls after accidental explosions had occurred. 

and ?enerd conclusions then drawn. Very little systematic work was done in which 

accurate travel tf.es and other factors uere obtaiced. Beginning in 1316 at these 

laboratories, a systematic study of these propazatron an<malies were started. Soundransing detectors ware set up in arrays, so thit the Jirection and t,h of errival 

of compressional waves could be determined. Bxplosionr were set off bn Or near the 8 

:round at ranges varying fro.., 25 to 200 miles. Data has been taken which tiha resulted 

in the indirect determi.n&A.a of the teupernture (sod vdiocity) bbPuPkllre 0s the 

abosphere up to the strakosFb&rie lefr81; +st?y+\ prp*sa\i*-w+ f'+F$t,. s\rldi$d &r$dy, Coqsk!, Xh&ae&sba &i&: €&eke: is little,or nol regbr- diuplall . qr(Pfat+bn, 'ahd t&F' sdd CtKnudl 'JtichLfon' in'the tem&aVuh' stheture dsts.. 'High 

Level kinds ar; shown to be generdly easterl?. 

New !,fexico to deterdm the diurnal and anoual variations of the teqmature structure 

at tt&t latitude. Some accurate observations'of uind velocity are indicated by - 

cibbervations taken dong h north-south line as well is an east-west line, dinter 

&Fations hite been t&eh h the vicinity of Fairbanks, Alaska for hfor.&t on bt 

dery Jdgh latitpdCy . Obse;vaft@m haye been taken near the Prnana Carial. Zcne fdr 

didionel information in trdficsi 

Zones of audibility were mapped out 

fff. t$9 

Additional tesCs have been made in 

The sounds produced By rockets iaunched at ALai,iogoxJdo have been recorded dth 

asousti:: detector arrays located 3n the groind ne&r the rocket trajectoryb Frcu data 

gathared in this niaer, SOI:LO indic:tixis of apper air tupriture and .uirlds Lsve been 

obtained and much :no:e accurate ddterminLtions could bs ;trade if ths rocket trajectories 

Were mor" accurately knoivn, 

i 
Additional detaih of the v ' ,. mosp,eric teaperature end wind structure can 

be obtained by placing aicrophones near the tropopause where the velocity of somc 

is at a minhum. To our .howledge, no one has ever tried such sn experhent, tfid 

in ordsr to do this new equipment had to ~t: developed, since wind produces sbrong 

noisz M any mfcrophone it wcs obvious tizt the detectors could not be used on an 

aircraft, 

a constant level balloon ivouid be far Sdow tnst generally observea on ,ro.ma 

equipent , Dott, t satisfactory coristant leva1 balloon. : nd a light aaigiit .dcrophone 

and telsmter'hg systeu I;; s been deveioFed in thls laboratory. 

It HCS further believed that the noise levei of ;n instrument laced un 

Bcsic acoustic propaption infomct5.on is new 'oeinq accunuktec fron 

equfpents lsunched at ;p,iin Fieid FloriCa. 

ootcinzd fron high a1t:tude (TC,LbI, to Zj,ciiZ feet;: 'Coffic bursts. 

have Rot y t ixen obtained to iastify ccqiete andpis, but it, can be state2 thht 

observed results qenerally agree nttt. predictims 5asaG upon theory. 

'The sound for these exF!erLnznts is 

.5ufficient dak 

Obser*Jations of the travei ti&s 01 'miles frai &fi exFlGSive source has 

yisided s considerable moimt. of iata 3n tne tmrereture and x.lnd strucclrre of the 

st.r.c?sr;? re UF to altitude ef' abox 5:: :a !IbO,Ci=C ?oetj . data ?:as so f3r been oesei an ,pozietricai xc4.e theory, ad leads to a erariation of 

proFay6tion volocfty iritt altitade nt,ich Ls tr~ reasonable 6.7reenen.t with other 

lines of evidence. Thsre are, howecer, seve.-d observed facts which c&ot be explained on the basis of the e1e;dentary P,ec.?letrieal rag theory, and require a more 

complete ulaiysis in ter:r.s of ;Ji.e tiieorg. 

tht t folhw iccordhz Lo $OLietYi?&i ray theory f'roin tflz initial dewease of velocity 

with altitude, which do not havt sharply defined boundaries; (2) the same ag.Fhrent 

mgla of a.-rival is cftsr. observed aver a considerable range of distance from the 

source, Nkiweas on t.ha ray tireoq b ziveri a;ls of arrivai was associated with one 

particuii r distance onijr; (3) a5 1Lqe disthnces, the tot61 duration of the siguls rec

is very iitucii Greater tk,? can be ex!lained by ray theory, ad the character of tad 

signai.received is tnet cf E Lon- train of waves af varyin< &nplitude.;na frequency rh

a limited number of well defined transient ~,ulses.. 

The intsrpretati~n of the 

Tney are: --(l) ttia "zones of silence", 

Irelidnary studies indicLte that bll of these facts may be explained 

qualatatively by more coqilete weve theoretical analysis of tkie diffraction of nave 

ener'j into the regions ttict are zones of silence in thd alementiry ray tt&ory, ad I'u

work, aimed at quantztivs treahent is in irosress. 

been carried through, ona cm not feel too roucrr cmfidence in attarnpts ULt hkve been 

made to iise 1- distance sonic and microbaremetric wave propagation dkta to Jeauuce 

atnos- eric temizraturzs at levels above the second inversion. 

Until bn analysis of ti& ichd ha

In addition to the theoretical ap roach to this probleiu, cansider;t 3n is 

beins qiven to the use of sdrface weves on sh:~lo,v weter as a .uodsl 01' wavd propaqation in the atm0sF.h rd. 

then the depth ot' the water is a function of the depth, so that the variation 01 vdoci

with cltitude in the ztmos-h<re ciin be shulated an a thin sheet of watar by suitable 

contourin* of the bottom. Surface tension and visosity sat at a lower lii~t of eoout 

4 cm. to the wave lensths thht can bs used in such a model. Mth s water table adout 

four feat wide siml; tins the at!bosFhsre up to 50 km. a four cmthater wave length 

aotlld reyresent a wave lenqth in the ataospti re of about 1 mile, or i: period of ebout f

seconds. 

Tka velocity of surface waves whose mve lenjth is gre;lter 
- Complenent: 1-y Contrslc ts : - .- 

a. Colunbis University 

No. L28-099-ac-32 

b. Universitjy of California it Los kn5eles 

No, X2R-0j.i-ac-228 

I .. . i; i~o~ei~ t.i.tl<.i ikireidpenS of donstcil~ Ldvei. jei.idohs 

E'&j&.t &&.tisi:. Dr; j&;ies a; ieories, ifr: .. .. . .. . 

&-&-a, ry- :. . & ~-~~&~~&+~ .q.Grki. 

.:a . , . , - ., ,-.. ; h 1' ; - -. . 1 . .,._ ;I '. . _I : 

. .-Re. $e,+Scpeqt Q< .9 C:o++ant;' .J~+$F .1++&4 j+S &. firbt 

<he needs+', Fou.stia w$ea 5ie. ,$ound;tnl*: pjyra& .. .&? - this .bellson is, ao,w & fi&ki$aA; .ib&.$h$s posh: ,.CooJ a'.,i 

Im oeder "tcb de.velQp-th.is. b&oon ,.several. spec@,- de-&e?. hav.: 

h OLLsnd 'c.cIe pr'essurs' indic&btor, ficcuzake 4,a :bettep ctl~gn .$ 

l?a$ : +&n- 'deWl$ped.. i A kietkz ha$ kied I comstrycted-uiikh :wU 

do* bpqn$ i€q 'ffL$$hI. qZtk=r $F tMn& >of by 'pks&re act;ivated juedhankans. 

k: I&%+d 'l2.0~ 'clq"trp3, kv~4ye .>as:'Feg' !:%$ !f)icktd :gi<es. +, dch,+@t. Ploy ?OX * ' 

tmllqst, -saterial proportional to: Dresswe :cljcnge; *>other' 4+.qssl)rii?g .-. 

a Zelemeterfng 'device to indicate ' the rate or" ballast flowi-mlnimb Bailast;..;; 

flow, dn!rncz pi-essurs switchss, harcgrzphs, and balloon tracking radio tr&ris=" la-.: r 

mitters which CE~ 5e Ficked up by an aircraft radio co.npass at a range of 100 

miles or more. 

ed which will aid in 

h sensstive inteiygrating vertical anernoueter is now be.hs developthe intarpretation of atrnosydieric oscillbtions. 

A thorough investigetion of bPlloon materials. and fabricetion methods has 

been conducted, 2nd balloons have.been desisnad suitable for use with the 

halisting inechanislns develored. 

developed which permit the launching of balloons in ninds up to 20 pr hour. 

Good mntrol of ascent rate and ceilin2 altitude has been obtained. 

fliqhts of several hours duration are now routina and flizhts lasting up to 5 

hours irith pressure variations not .,rester then me or tro iuilabars havd been 

obtainsd. 

are not zdquate when sur.set occxs dur.in.r: e. f1ir;h.t. A systsin for saint:ining 

cor,stant level thru sunset h:s dai devissd zfid tested a bell jar, but in zctual 

fli3ht tests have not yet keen ii!zdt?. Teilipr; tar-. .;Lez.sure.it<nts Lave bezn rnade 

both insidz and cutside of balloons to show ths ar'fccts of suFer-hzat. 

Ts;!:yerc.t,ure ;r.ersure..izt;t,r Live tilv ktm ..mi2 in instru.::mt and battzry cases 

dui-in :; i'li ;ht. :.lei zura:aznts tc sk0r.i the ac",ilal charactaristLcs cf ccntrol devices 

hve becn .1;ad r,ti bzlloons ir, flight &mi sLulsted b. the 1abor;tory. 

Launching and opzrationsl techniques have been 

Constant level 

Simplified control which orerate sa tisfacto-ilg during the day or night 

This 

3 
includes rate of ballast expenditure, diffusion, leakaqe, end stability of control. 

by-product infor,mtion of bportance to xieteorolosy or balloon flying 

techniques includes the following : 

analysis of hi:h altitude at:nosghiric oscillatioris has been accosplished. 

These oscillations are several Alibars in aqlitude (as indichted on balloon 

baragraph traces) and the Ferioci or" ascillstion viries between 4 aa 10 minutes. 

Air c~ass trz.jectori~s il;ive been XaL-ured over r\sr,qes up tc, about 4OG miles E2d 

Lave beer: iz.2i::ated by the re'3ow~:~ q:' ?Oar up to 2,o(xj miles from the launching 

point. 

Observation, measureaent ma theoreticay 

r.Suiti.Jn.1 field twr: '3:i .zi: ,!:ELSF trzjsctories are now being mad. 



Technical Report No. 93.02 

CONSTART LEVEL BALLOONS 

Section 2 

OPERATIUNS 

Constant Level Balloon Project 

New York University 

Prepared in Accordance with provisions of Contract 

W28-099-ac-241, betmen 

Watson Laboratories, Red Bank, New Jersey 

and 

New York University 

The research reported in this document has been made possible 

through support and sponsorship extended by the Geophysical 

Research Directorate of the Cambridge Field Station, AN, 

U. S. Air Force, under Contract No. W28-099 ac-241. 

published for technical information only and does not represent recommendations or conclusions of the sponsoring agency. 

It is 

Prepared by: Charles B. Moore, Project Engineer 

and 

James R. Smith, Project Meteorologist 

Professor E. 8. 

Acting Director 

J 

Kemler 

of the Research Division 

College of Engineering 

New York University 

31 January 1949 

New York 53, ETew York 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Page Number 

I. Introduction ....................... 7 

Purpose of Manual .................. 7 

Principles of Altitude Control ........... 7 

I1 . General Mills 20-Foot Balloons ............. 7 

Description ..................... 7 

Load Limits ..................... 8 

Appendices ..................... 8 

111. Equipment . Train ................... 14 

Lines and Rigging ................. 14 

Altitude Control Equipment rn 16 

Flight Termination Gear . 20 

Accessory Flight Equipment 27 

Tracking and Recording Instruments 27 

Flight Tools and Equipment 29 

IV . Pre-Flight Coaputations ............... 29 

Length of Balloon Bubble ............. 33 

Expected Altitude ................. 33 

Ballast Requirements ............... 36 

Altitude Sensitivity ............... 36 

Forms and Records ................ 36 

Lifting Gas and Rate of Rise . . 29 

V . Balloon Inflation .................. 36 

Preparation of Balloon .............. 36 

Use of Shot Bags and Releasing Device ....... 39 

Inflation Techniques ............... 39 

V’I . Balloon Launching .................. 47 

VII . Tracking and Altitude Determination ......... 51 

Positioning Equipment ............... 52 

SCR-658 ................... -62 

Theodolite ................... 52 

Aircraft Radio Compass ............. 53 

Radar ..................... 53 

Altitude Determination .............. 53 

Olland Cycle Pressure Measuring hstrvment 54 

Codesonde .................... 64 

Barograph .................... 64 

-3 . 
Page Number 

VIII . Analysis ........................ 71 

IX . General Mills 7..30.. and 70-Foot Balloons . . . 71 

Glossary ........................ 79 

Appendix I . Equipment List and Flight Forms ...... 81 

Appendix I1 . Tables and Charts for 20-Foot Balloon 

Flights ................. 91 

-4- 
LIST OF ILLUS TRATIOKS 

Figure Number Page h’mber 

1 . 

2 . 

3 . 

4 . 

5 . 

6 0 

7 . 

8 0 

9 . 10 . 

11 0 

12 . 13 0 

14 e 

15 e 

16 s 

17 s 

18 . 

19 . 20 . 

21 0 

22 . 

23 m 

24 0 

25 0 

26 0 

27 0 

28 . 29 0 

30 a 

31 a 

32 s 

33 . 34 . 35 

36 s 

37 

38 s 

39 a 

40 

41 

42 

43 0 

General Mills 20-foot balloon .............. 09 

Balloon appendix stiffened with cardboard battens .... 11 

Detail drawing for balloon battens ............ 12 

Balloon appendix with spring bow stiffener ........ 13 

Carrick bend knot .................... 15 

Detail drawing of fixed rate ballast assembly ...... 17 

Detail drawing of orifice assembly ........... 18 

Detail drawing of filter ................. 19 

Ballast control circuit ................. 21 

Ballast reservoir assembly ............... 22 

Detail drawing of flight ternination rip rigging .... 23 

Detail drawing of flicht ternination switch ....... 24 

Detail drawing of line cutter cannon .......... 25 

Schematic drawing of line cutter cannon ......... 26 

Detail drawing of banner ................ 28 

Typical service flight train (complete) ......... 30 

Typical service flight train (simple) .......... 31 

Typical research flight train .............. 32 

Sample calibration curve for helium gage ........ 34 

Sample warning and reward tags ............. 37 

Sample reward notice and questionnaire .......... 38 

Detail drawing of elliptical shot bag .......... 40 

Detail drawing of sand and shot bag ........... 41 

Launching platform with erms open ............ 42 

Launching platform with balloon fixed in place ...... 43 

Five tank helium manifold ................ 45 

Detail drawing of diffuser ................ 46 

Detail drawing of Y-shaped wind screen .......... 48 

Plan view of balloon launching layout .......... 49 

Balloon shapes during launching ............. 50 

Olland cycle pressure modulator ............. 55 

Sample record of Olland cycle pressure modulator signal . 58 

Olland cycle test oscillator circuit ........... 59 

Calibration curve for Olland cycle pressure modulator . . 60 

Lange barograph-thernograph ............... 65 

Sample barograph record ................. 67 

Correction curve for Lange barograph ........... 70 

Sample height-time curve ................. 72 

Sample trajectory .................... 73 

General Xills 7-foot balloon .............. 74 

General Yills 7O-fOOt balloon being inflated ....... 76 

General Mills 70-foot balloon being launched ....... 77 

Detail drawing of helium heater ............. 78 

-5- 
OPERATIONS MANUAL 

I . IIV TRODUC TION 

A. Purpose of mnual 

This manual is designed to serve as a guide in the preparation, launching, and tracking operations of constantlevel balloons. In the body of this manual, most of the 

discussion applies speoif'ically to the 20-foot diameter 

balloon developed by General Mills, Inc. In Seotion IX, 

a brief description is given of the other sizes of balloons 

used for constant-level flight. 

the experiences and investigations of the Constant Level 

Balloon Project, Research Division of the College of Engineering, New Park University. 

developed to use for this work are included in Appendix I1 

of the manual. 

The manual is based upon 

The charts and tables which were 

B. Principles of Altitude Control 

For constant-level work, non-extensible balloons are used 

for three reasons: 

(1) With a given weight of equipment, it is possible to 

determine before the release of the balloon, the 

maximum altitude which will be attained. 

(2) Without speoial control equipment, it is possible 

to maintain a nearly constant altitude for periods 

from one to six houre, depending upon atmospheric 

conditions and floating level. Generally, it is 

not possible to extend such flights through a sunset. 

(3) By adding altitude control equipment, it is possible 

to maintain the balloon at various nearly constant, 

predetermined levels for periods of much more than 

six hours regardless of the time of day. 

11. GENERAL MILLS 20-FOOT BALLOONS 

A. Description 

General Mills, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has developed a series of non-extensible, plastic balloons. 

These balloons are tear-drop in shape, made from extruded 

polyethylene sheet, 0.001" thick. 

produced.with a diameter of 7, 20, 30 and 70 feet. The 

Cells are currently 
B. 

volume of the 20-foot cell is about 4300 cubic feet and 

its uninflated length is 38 feet. It is made up of 20 

goras, heat sealed together in a butt weld. Along the 

seams thus formed, a special acetate-fiber scotch type 

tape (Minnesota Mining and Mfg. CO.,) is laid to reinforce 

the weld and to carry and distribute the load. 

tapes converge to an appendix ring at the balloon bottom, 

to which the load harness is attached. 

stressed tape design, much larger loads may be carried than 

the thin polyethylene alone eould hold. To exclude 

air entering through the bottom, which is left open, an 

external skirt or appendix is added. 

These 

By using this 

Figure 1 8hms a 20-foot balloon ready to be released, 

with an external appendix in position. As the ballom 

rises, the lifting gas inside will expand until the balloon 

is full, whereupon the excess gas which was needed to 

make the balloon rise will be valved out. The full balloon will then float at a level where the buoyancy just 

balances the load. It will remain there until buoyancy 

is lost by diffusion of the lifting gas, or by cooling, 

as at sunset. 

Neglecting minor effects, the amount of gas which is needed 

to just balance the load at the maximum or floating elevation would also just balance the load at any lower level, 

including the surface, albugh the balloon would be less 

than completely full at such a lower level. 

Load Limits 

For a given lifting gas, the altitude to which a balloon 

will rise is determined principally by the load it bears. 

Yjith a 20-foot General Mills balloon, using helium, a 

payload of 40 pounds will reach approximately 46,000 

feet and an 18-pound load will go to about 58,000 feet. 

Although the manufacturers recommend keeping the payload 

between 18 and 40 pounds, no trouble has been foulid in 

launching loads of as much as 70 pounds (37,000.feet) or 

as small as 4 pounds (67,000 feet). 

C. Appendices 

For highest altitudes and smallest sunset effects on a belloon, it is necessary to keep air from diluting the helium. 

To accomplish this, a check valve is required in order 

that helium may be valved when the balloon is full, yet 

air not be permitted to enter at any time. 

consisting of a tube of balloon material, whose length is 

about 2 to 2& times its diameter is used for this purpose, 

and is supplied as part of the General Mills balloon. 

An appendix, 
Figure 1 

General Mills 20 foot balloon in flight with 2 

foot appendix, stiffened with cardboard battens. 

-9- 
Stiffeners are added so that the appendix will not foul 

in the rigging. 

be valved, and the balloon after beooming full at its 

oeiling will burst. These stiffeners aretaped to the 

outside of the appendix just before inflation. 

With a fouledqpendix the helium oannot 

The various appendix types which have been used &re given 

in the following tablet 

Appendix Data 

Appendix 

Type 

None 

Standard 

Standard 

Flattened 

Tube 

Stiffeners 

None 

3 oorrugated 

aardboard 

battens, 2&" 

by 15" 

4 aluminum 

battens 15 x & x .030" 

24 ST 

Metal spring 

bow to hold 

Effect on Effect on 

A1 ti tude Desoent 

Attained 

Ceiling is Balloon remains 

10,000 to 20,000 full at all times 

feet lower than 

computed. 

Computed 

oe ilings 

attained. 

Computed miling, attained if 

balloon does 

not burst due 

to restriction 

on appendix. 

Not yet flight 

tested. Similiappendix flat, tude tests inlike pressed dioate computed 

trousers ce il ing would 

be reached with 

no bursts due 

to appendix at 

1000- 3 t/min rate 

of rise. 

after ceiling is 

reaohed by taking 

on air, Greatly 

oomplicatss omtrol . Balloon remains 

full at all times 

after oeiling is 

reached by taking 

on air. Greetly 

oomplioates cmtrol. 

Air exohded 

during any 

descent fairly 

well. 

Not yet flight 

tested. Similitude tests indioate almost 

complete ex0 luafon of air. 

Figures 2, 3, and 4 show the various appendices described 

in the above table. 

-10- 
Figure 2 

Wo foot appendix, stiffened with cerdboard battens, shown on a General Nills 

balloon. The swollen inflation tube 

indicates that the balloon is being filled. 

-11- 
+ 

APPRO%. \3 IN. 

. 

ENT IN FIELO To FORM LIGHT 

LOSURE: OF APPENDIX 

TAPED €DGESJ 

(MYST~K TAPE) 

6
Figure 4 

Two foot appendix, shaving 

metal spring bow in position. 

-13- 
Since the back pressure forcing the helium out of a 

full balloon hen it is rising is 4 times as great at 

1000 feet per minute as at SO0 feet per minute, the rate 

of rise is oritical when an appendix is used. It has 

been found necessary to limit the rate of rise to 700 

feet per minute to prevent bursting at ceiling when using 

General Mills 20-foot balloons with standard appendix. 

It is believed, from laboratory tests, that use of the 

spring bow stiffeners on the new appendix will permit rates 

of rise up to 1000 feet per minute. Flutter in the balloon fabrio while rising is apt to cause failure due to 

ripping at speeds of more than 1000 feet per minute. A 

20-foot General Mills balloon will burst with an internal 

pressure of 0.014 psi., which is about 1 mb., equivalent 

to a 200-foot rise at ceiling with a closed appendix. 

111. EQUIPMEIBT TRAIM 

A. Lines and Rigging 

Following rigging failures 

careful study was given to the lines and rigging methods 

used to attach flight instrument6 to the balloon. 

safety in launching, a factor of 10 to 1 is used on all 

loads. Thus, if a 40-pound load is to be lifted, it is 

not safe to use less than a 400-pound tested line. The 

line strength should be determined independently if 

possible, since the actual breaking point of lines runs 

between 50 and 70% of the manufacturer's rated strength. 

early in the testing program, 

For 

Braided or woven nylon is recommended for all rigging. 

A stranded or laid line is subject to untwisting in flight, 

twirling the suspended instruments and reducing line 

strength. The nylon material is weather resistant to a 

high degree and tends to stretch under shock rather than to 

snap. For some purposes it may be desirable to use a line 

of constant length, in which case the nylon may be prestretched. Only a few of the common knots are useful 

in wing nylon. Bowlines and square knots have been found 

to slip and are hard to untie. The carrick bend, sham 

in Figure 4 is recommended. In addition to this, a safety 

knot is made in the loose end, and the entire tie secured 

by a final taping. For convenience in assembly, the individual pieces of line and equipment are rigged with harness 

snaps at each end. This permits unit replacements or removal at the last minute with (L minimum of delay. 

extremely light-weight rigging, wooden toggles and loops 

in the nylon may be used instead of the heavier metal 

snaps. 

For 

-14- 
1 

.1 

Figure 5 

Carrick Bend 

-15- 
B. Altitude Control Equipment 

Flights of 20-foot General Mills balloons, using no control equipment, have been sent to altitudes of about 

50,000 feet. 

all exhibit a tendency to float then descend at an increasing rate for periods of from 2 to 6 hours. 

layers of air such as the stratosphere the descent of a 

ballaoll is retarded by the helium, on compression, getting 

warmer than the surrounding air. 

duration flights rsquifing no external control though, 

strictly speaking, the altitude is not constant. This 

concept is in good general agreement with the observed 

data; balloons have remained in a semi-floating state 

much longer bp to 30 hours) when in the stratospheric 

inversion than when in less stable lower atmospheric 

layers . 

After reaching maximum altitude, the balloons 

In stable 

This results in much longer 

When it is desired to maintain a balloon at constant 

level for a guaranteed period of time in excess of two 

hours, a ballast system of altitude control should be 

added to the flight gem. The level at which the balloon is to float must be the maximum eltitude to which 

it can carry the payload. 

ancy occasioned by loss of lifting gas through diffusion 

and leakage, a continual lightening of the load is required. To effectthis in a simple fashion, liquid ballast 

is permittted to flow through an orifice at a predetemined 

rate which exceeds the expected loss of lift. (See Section 

IV, D) The reservoir and ballast assembly which has 

been developed for this use is shown in Figure 6. 

tail sketch of the orifice in its mounting is shown as 

Figure 7, and Figure 8 shows a suitable filter which 

must be used to protect the orifice from clogging. The 

liquid ballast must (1) not freeze, but flow well at 

cold temperature (-80°C); (2) not absorb water, which 

would freeze; and (3) be relatively inexpensive. 

cornended liquid is Aeromobil Compass Fluid, made by 

Socony-Vacuum Co. (Air Force Spec . m-C -116) . 

To compensate for loss in buoyA deA reThere are three possible objections to the use of this 

simple control system. First, a continued lessening of 

the total weight on the balloon--with no change in volume-- 

must result in a constantly rising ceiling. 

foot balloon Bt 45,000 feet, this change is app-oximately 

1000 feet with each kilogram of ballast dropped ( see Section N, E). 

permitted, and excessive loss of lift, es might come when 

the gas is colled at sunset (when the balloon loses superheat;', 

For a 20- 

Second, only a prefixed ballast flow is 

-16- 
:L 

'6 ,032 WALL. 

TWO BRACES- 6" 

DIA, BRASS RING 

SILVER SOLDERED 8 

' WEIGHT APPRO%. 5756H. COMPLETE RATE BALLAST RESERVOIR 

NOTEALL JOINTS SILVER 

i LESS BALLAST. iowNBY: LHM E048-79AI 

SOLDERED. 

FILTER WITH 325. 

325 WIRE CLOTH 

ORIFICE ATTACHED 

WITH i' 1.D. TYGON 

USE 3" CONE TYPE 

SEE ED48-?S 

ORIflCE 4 FILTER NOT 

ASSEMBLED ON 

RESERVO~R UNTIL 

REAQY Foa FLIGHT 

-1 7- 
MONEL OR NICKEL 

SPINNERETTE ORIFICE + 

SOFT SOLDERED / 

v," BRASS Tue~ 

D 

I J

/ TYGON ~UBING 

\ 

ATTACHED WITH WIRE -'L 

NOTE 

SPIUNERETTE ORIFICE 

Co,, MALVERN, PA. 

NYU 

O

MFD. BV J. BiSHOP 

IH IuA" 8
SECTION A-A 

SOFT SOLDERED 

y/ - 

CUT lg AND 

FLARE ONE END 

SCALE I:I 

NOTE 

WIRE MESH FROM NEWARK WIRE CLOTH 

CO., TvVlLLEb WEAVE CODE PYA, 

EQUIVALENT, 

JN - --- 
C. 

will cause the balloon to descend. Third, as a consequence 

of the previous limitation, the maximum floating period 

of. a balloon with thia control system is 24 hours, achieved 

when launching is at sunset. 

Pihen any or all of the above objections prohibit the 

use of this simple control system, more complex ballast 

dropping devices may be used. 

form the servo or demand type control which has been used 

to maintain balloons at a constant pressure level, with 

high ballast efficiency and without harmful sunset effects. 

Figure 10 is the ballast reservoir assembly which is used 

with this type control. 

this servo-control is given in Techncial Report #umber 2 

of the Balloon Project, New York University. 

Figure 9 shows in schematic 

A more detailed discussion of 

Flight. Termination Gear 

When a balloon loses buoyancy by the loss of lifting gas, 

it sinks slowly to earth. 

remaining in airplane traffic lanes for a long period 

of time, a flight termination device is added to the 

equipment train. This device, shown in Figure 11, consists of a pressure-aotuated switch and rigging to tear 

a large hole in the balloon when it descends to some 

predetermined height. A pressure pen is held above 

its commutator by a short shelf (see Figure 12). 

passing an altitude oorresponding to the end of the shelf, 

the pen falls onto the commutator. Upor, subsequent 

descent to 20,000 feet, it closes an electrical cirouit. 

When this circuit is closed, a squib is detonated in an 

aluminum "cannon" (see Figures 13 and 14) driving a pellet 

through the main load line. As the line is severed, 

the weight of the load is suddenly taken by a rip line 

which extends nearly taut (about 2 feet slack) up the 

side of the balloon to a point about 10 feet below the 

balloon crown. At this point, two small holes about 

18" apart have been made, and the rip line is passed from 

the outside into the balloon through the top hole, then 

down the inside and out the bottom hole. Both holes are 

securely taped with pcetate fiber tape. About 6 inches 

of slack line is left inside the balloon. Pihen the main 

line is cut, a large hole is made in the fabric by this 

rip line as it pulls out of the balloon. After the instruments have fallen about 10 feet and the rip is made, 

they are caught up by a snub line and the load is again 

taken to the load ring. The ruptured balloon then acts 

as a parachute for the load, descencling at about 1000 

to 1500 feet per rinute. 

To prevent the balloon from 

After 

-20- 
4 

' COMMU f AT OR. .ANEROID BELLO

SOLENOID 

6\/ 

NOTES: 

~ATT PACK IN TsANsMITTLR Box 

SIGMA SENSITIVE TYPE 5F RELAY- COIL 

DISPLACEMENT SWITCH- E048-(07 

RATE SWITCH- El) 48-115 

SOLENOIO VALVE- €048-110 

USE BPH-6 \J 

FOR DETAILS OF DISPLACEMENT - Sw. _. __. SEE . - ED48- - - - - 126 * - - -- 

RE51STANCf-t6000 OHMS 

LITHIUM CHLORIDE BATTERIES (BURGESS) 

_____ - _- . - - - 

.- _-._ -

f :.: : '. 

.

. ,! 

.. 

..an. .............. 

BA

$ 

*.. ..5 .. 

l,.* ........

i:. ': ': 

i 

d--L. 
Figure 10 

Ballast reservoir assembly 

showing component parts 

-22- 

PEN ARM IS ON SHELF UNTIL BALLOON RISES ABOVE ----------------------- 

r 

NY U 

25,000 FT. WHERE IT FALLS ON TO THE COMMUTATOR. 

DOWN ON COMMUTATOR UNDER THE SHELF, CLOSING THE 

WHEN THE BALLOON DESCENDS THE h ARM RIDES 

CIRCUIT AT 20,000 FT

I!- / 

LOCK WASHER 

BOTTOM NUTS 

I' WIRE LEADSTRANDID WIRE 

I* NOTE: M.FD BY KOLLSMAN 

+ 

CIRCU

20000' 

LIN

FL

L-rE 
I 

h) 

cn 

I 

NOTES: 

FOR USE WITH:- 

I. Du PoNT 5-64 SQUIB 

2,500* TEST PARACHUT 

D
To BAROSWITCH C~RCUIT 

NOTES 

FOR CANNON DGTAILS SEE E048-IIIA 

USE KNOTS ABOVE AND 

BELOW CANNON 

SQUIB- DUPONT S-64 

-26- 
D. Accessory Flight Equipment 

On most flights, three pieces of equipment are added 

to the train for special purposes. These are: (1) a 

banner, (2) a drag parachute, and (3) safety weights. 

The banner is a red or yellow cheesecloth rectangle, 

3 x 6 or 6 x 12 feet, with aluminum spreaders at top 

and bottom. Shown in Figure 15, the banner is tied 

taut to the load line, and serves to reduce sidewise 

swaying as the balloon riees. 

it is useful in locating the balloon after being grounded 

and acts as a warning to air craft during descent and 

ascent. If thodolite stadia determinations are being 

made, the banner can be used a8 one of the checkpoints 

on the train. 

Due to the bright color, 

The drag parachute is inserted into the train above the 

banner in inverted position and serves to retard the 

ascending balloon somewhat, thus reducing the probability 

of bursting due to excessive rates of rise. 

To correct a too slaw rate of rise, (which may result 

from under inflation due to gage errors, freezing of 

valves, or excessive adiabatic cooling of the gas during 

inflation) tuo small bags of sand or shot are added to 

the bottom of the restraining line. If it appears that 

the balloon is not rising with the desired velocity as 

it picks up the equipment, one or both of these safety 

weights are cut free. The weight of each bag is equal 

to the desired free lift, so that if the computed free 

lift is not available, this lift may be supplied. 

to the adoption of this practice, it was necessary to sacrifice equipment or the balloon in such cases. 

Prior 

E. Tracking and Reoording Instruments 

Depending upon the nature of the flight, the weather conditions, and the equipment available. gear my be added to 

the flight train to aid in horizontal position determination 

and altitude measurement. The discussion of suitable 

equipment for such work is given in Section VII. 

the equipment added may be either mdio transmitters or 

gear of other assorted types. Each unit is rigged separately, with hooks at each end of the line segment. 

Prior to the inflation of the balloon a thorough oheck 

of all such equipment, especially radio gear, is made. 

It is necessary to have spare equipment tested, calibrated, 

and assembled for last minute replacement if failure is 

detected at this time. 

In general, 

-27- 
LIGHTWEIGHT HOOK 

A/ 

c) 

3' 

6' 

6' 

3' 

RIGGING 1 

3' 

6' 

12' 

6' 

AL. TUB\NG I 

TAPED AT BOTH 

\ 

SIZES: 

AIB 

I" M NIMUM HEM 

NOTE: 

DRILL No HOLES IN 

THE E6lNG 

YELLOW 

RED FIG. I5 

NYU BALLOON PROJECT 

- - IDate: I 

5-1 9-48 I I ED 48 -5 6 

-28- 
Position of recording and radio instruments in the flight 

train is in some cases dictated by the size and shape of 

antennae or other special part. In general this type of 

gear is not placed below the altitude control equipment 

because of possible damage which might result from 

ballast being dropped upon them. Typical trains are shown 

in Figures 16, 17, and 18. 

F. Flight Tools and Equipment 

A list of tools end equipment and facilities which should 

be provided for any launching site is given in Appendix 11. 

No PRE-FLIGHT COfJlWTATIOhTS 

A. Lifting Gas and Rate of Rise 

When the equipment for a flight is in readiness and the 

inflation procedure is to be begun, the total weight to 

be lifted must be determined. A weight sheet (shown in 

Appendix I) is filled in, with the final weight of each 

piece of gear with its rigging. 

of the equipment are measured in grams and kilograms for 

ease of computation. The gross load reported should be 

accurate to the nearest 200 grams. The amount of lifting 

gas to be used must be oarefully figured to prevent incorrect inflation which might result either in the balloon failing to rise, or perhaps rising too fast and rupturing at its ceiling. After the total weight to be 

lifted is found, a percentage of this total is added to 

provide for lifting the load at some specified rate. 

With a given excess of buoyarcy, a balloon will lift its 

load at an almost constant predictable speed. (The rate 

of rise will increase by about 25% at higher altitudes, 

due to the changes in balloon ahape and decrease of air 

density.) 

between the free lift and the rate of rise, with free 

lift expressed as a percentage of the total or gross load 

(which includes the weight of the balloon itself). 

exanple, if a gross load of 10.0 kilograms is to be lifted 

at a desired ascent rate of 600 feet per minute, 9.2% 

of the gross load should be added, giving a gross lift 

of 10.0 t .920 (I 10.920 kilograms. (The rate of rise 

should not exceed 700 feet per minute if a standard appendix is used.) 

In this work the weights 

Graph 1 of Appendix I1 shows the relationship 

For 

It should be noted that this graph, derived from equations 

for spherical balloons, applies also to the tear-drop cells 

of General hills, ICC., without regard for the balloon 

diamter . 

-29- 
i 

I 

j 

! 

i 

i 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

i 

! 

I 

, 

I 

I 

i 

: 

I 

I 

i 

1 

! 

I 

! 

I 

i 

i 

j 

of? 1 

A 

30' 

FILE 

Ass 

i+L I - LAUNCHING - 

REMNANT 

FIG. 16 
G,M. 20' BALLOON 

G.M. 202 

W 

PA RACHVT E 

ML- I3 2 

t-l PAYLOAD I 

NOTE: 

Use - -- low rate3 04 vrse (5004t 

per min) to prevent balloon 

f ailore during ascent. 

All vigcjing 500 lb.te9t Nylon. 

500 gm DRA6 CHUTES 

300 '1 BANNER 

2000 '1 PAYLOAD 

4500 )) BALLOON 

7300 CROSS LOAD 

i 

1 

I 

1NYUBAU00N PROJECT1 

FIG. 17 i 

PROPOSED PLIGHT TRAINS FO R i 

SERVICE FLIGHTS(QIflPLf GCAR) i 

-31- 
I 

I 

I 

RIP RIGGING 

BAROGRAPH 4 FLIGHT 

TERMINATION SWI 

DRAG CHUTE 

APPROX, WEIGHT ~:(GMs) 

BALLOON 4 200 

B AR~GRLIPH I500 

FLIGHT TERM. Swr: 

WITH BATT. I000 

ALL LINE 400 

ANTENMA 860 BALLAST Assv 

+ RAUSMITTER 17000 

BALLAST 5000 

BANNER Aua 

DRAS CHUTE 450 

TOTAL SAFETY WTS.- 30410 Evuil4 - To 

FREE LIFT 

HOLD DOWN LINE 

WITH LOOP RESERVolR 

5oLENolcl VRLVE SAFETY wE16HTS 

SERVO CONTROLS 

A M- I T ri A N-SM \ T T E 

WITH PRESSURE --ci 

MOOULATOR,~EMR 4 

FI G. I8 PROBRAM SWITCHES INSIDE 

ANTENNA - / ...... ,.- i ~.... .... .-...I I. ... i PROPOSEO FLIGNT TRAINS 

1 FO.R RESEARCH .."-. ., 

...... FLIGHTS ., .- .. I, . 1 _, ,. ..... ......... .>.c .. ... LHM 

-32- 

I 
When the total quantity of gas needed has been computed, 

the lift requirement may be expressed in terms of the 

pressure of a number of cylinder8 of gas. 

possible to assume that each tank of gas will give the 

ram amount of lift, nor is it possible to use a gage 

which has not been experimentally calibrated to relate 

lift to pressure. 

dent tlb valve gas from an observed equilibrium temperature and pressure in a cylinder into a rubber balloon 

azd then measure the total lifting capacity of the gas 

from the tank. 

under varying amounts of pres8ure. 

sample gage olrlibration worked up for varying temperatures 

assuming the simple gas law 

It is not 

For calibration of a gage it is suffiCheck point8 rhould be made with tanks 

Figure 19 shows a 

This law applies to within 91%. Note: 

without checking calibration of gage to be used. Ordinarily a whole number of full tanks of gas will not 

exaotly supply the desired lift,which should be figured 

with not more than one-tenth full tank tolerance in exoess (permit no under inflation). It is thus necessary 

to prepare parti-full tanks and by combining full and 

partially full cylinders get the required total. It is 

necessary to allow the cylinders to attain equilibrium 

temperature after valving them before taking final pressure 

readings . 

Do not use Graph 6 

B. Length of Balloon Bubble 

The volume of gas required for a given balloon may be expressed as the length of an uninflated bubble at the crown 

of the balloon. 

8hip between bubble length and resultant inflated volume, 

using gross lift as an expression of volume. It will be 

noted that when the elevation of the launching site is 

markedly different from sea level, a shift in this curve 

is needed to accomodate varying densities of the atmosphere. 

The inflation of this bubble, which is pinched off by 

launching equipment or ahot bags, will sew8 as a good 

aheck of the final amount of gas in the balloon, thus 

warning if the balloon is underinflated. 

Graph 2 of Appendix I1 gives the relationC. Expected Altitude 

To predict the altitude to which a balloon will rise it 

is necessary to know the volume of the balloon, the total 

-33- 

weight of equipent and balloon, the distribution of 

density in the atmosphere and the buoyancy of the lifting 

gas. 

in Appendix I1 summarizes the relationship between gross 

load and floating level for balloons of several diameters. 

To use this graph to find the floating level of a balloon 

of given site and load, enter with the required buoyancy 

(equal to the gross load). Go vertically to the diagonal 

line corresponding to the balloon size and then horizontally 

to the extreme left-hand edge and read the altitude. The 

volume of the balloon is related to density by the use 

of the molar volume in this chart. Assuming observed 

pressure and temperature distributions over selected 

stations and the N. A. C. A. standard atmosphere, the 

molar volume is given as well as the altitudes. 

of Appendix11 gives the N. A. C. A. Standard Atmosphere 

relating pressure with altitude, and Table 2 gives the 

variation of temperature with altitude. For local conditions more exact measurements may be made using the 

temperature and pressure distribution indicated by a 

sounding rather than the standard. To do this, it is 

necessary to compute the molar volume from this relationship 

molar volumez= 359 ftO3 x T x 1013.3 mb 

Assuming that the lifting gas is helium, GraFh 3 

Table 1 

t 

2 73 OC *z 

Example: 

the reported temperature is -30°C, and the reported 

pressure is 300 mb. 

Find the molar volume at 30,000 feet MSL where 

molar VO~U~~~~,~~~ = 359 ftO3 x(273-30fl x 1013 mb. 1080 fi 3 . 273% 300 mb. 

This is the volume of a pound mol of any gas at those conditions. 

By plotting several points of this curve of' molar volume 

versus altitude, it is possible to locate very exactly the 

altitude which corresponds to the molar volume to which 

the balloon will go (found from Graph 3 or as follows), 

This density or molar volume to which a balloon will rise 

is given by the following formula: 

Molar volume =Balloon volme Gas Lift/mol 

Gross load 

Gas lift/mol = 11.1 kg/mol (using Helium) 

-35- 
D. Ballast Requiremsnts 

For a 20-foot General Mills balloon, a flow of ballast 

of at least 200 grams per hour is needed to keep the balloon aloft. 

(through a sharp-edged orifice) with the head, or vertical 

distance between the free surface of the liquid and the 

orifice. 

so long as the reservoir is properly vented. 

Flow also varies with the site and shape of the orifice. 

Using round spinneretta orifices, the flow of various heads 

has been computed and is shom in Table 3, Appendix 11. 

From a knowledge of the minimum head to be expected (depending on the construction of the ballast reservoir and 

its connection to the orifice), the desired rate of flow 

can be obtained by proper seleotion of orifice size. While 

200 grams per hour has been used successfully for the 

usual floating altitudes of the General Mills 20-foot cello, 

this figure should be considered as an abrolute minimum. 

.4 short period check of the flow rate through each ballast 

assembly prior to flight is recommended. 

Flaw of the compass fluid used wries 

It is not affected by the temperature or pressure, 

E. Altitude Sensitivity 

The altitude gained by a balloon when its load is reduced by one kilogram is called its altitude sensitivitJr. 

This amount is affected by the density of the atmosphere 

at the floating level3 for 20-foot balloons between 

40,000 and 53,000 feet, it is roughly 1000 feet per kilogram of weight lost. 

ballast dropping, 

drop control the rate of rise of themiling. Graph 4, 

Appendix I1 gives more exact values for this figuro at 

various altitudes. 

This weight is normally lost by 

The altitude sensitivity and the ballast 

F. Forms and Records 

For the purpose of making standard pre-flight computations, 

a series of computation sheets have been drawn up. These 

are shown in Appendix.1. 

of the flight train have encouraged the finders to protect 

the equipment and report its location for recovery. 

tags, questionnaires, and the warning notices which are 

used on appropriate gear where squibs or acid are used are 

shown in Figures 20 and 21. 

Reward tags attached to components 

The 

V. BAUL’CBJ INFLATION 

A. Preparation of Balloon 

From the moment the protective packing of the balloon is 

removed, great care must be exercised to prevent tears 

-36- 
DANGER! 

ACID! 

EMPTY THIS ON GROUND 

BEFORE HANDLING , 

DANGER! 

FIRE! 

CUT THESE WIRES 

BEFORE HANDLING 

REWARD NOnCE 

Thir ir rpecial weather equipment oent aloft on research by New York University. 

It ir important that the equipment be recovered. The finder u requated to protect 

the equipment from damage or theft. and to telegraph collect to: Mr. C. S. Schneider. 

New York University. 181rt St. h University Heights, Box 12. New York City, 

L.S.A. Phone: LUdlow 3-6310. REFER TO FLIGHT #- 

-dollar ($ ) reward and reasonable reimburrcm mt for rocovery upenacr will be paid if the above instructions are followed before September 1949. 

KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE. THERE IS KEROSENE IN THE TANK. 

Figure 20 

Sample warning and reward tags 

-37- 
QUESTIONWIRE 

Please answer this and send to us so that we may pay you the 

reward. 

1. On what date and at what hour was the balloon diacoveredt 

2. Where was it discovered? (Approximate distance and directim 

from nearest town on map?) 

3. Was it observed descending? If so, at what time? 

4, Did it float down slowly or fall rapidly? 

5, How much kerosene was there in the tank? 

Remuneraoion 

La materia ha volado con este globo desde la Nueva York 

University para hacer investigaciones meteorologicas. 

Se desea qua esta material se vuelva para estudiarle 

nuevament . Con este motivo, se dara una remuneracion de 

dolares norteamerioanos y una sum proportional para 

devolver todoa 10s apartos en buen eatado. Pare reoibir 

instruociones de embarque, comuniquense con la persona ' 

siguiente por telegrafo, gasOor pagados par el recipiente, 

refirriendo a1 numero del globo 

CIJIMDO! 

PELIGRO LIE FLAMA, HAY UROSEF EN EL WNQUE. 

0 

C. S. Sohneider 

Research Division 

New York University 

University Heights 

Bronx 53, New York 

Figure 21 

Sample Spanish reward notice and English questionnaire. 

'36 
and pin holes from being made in the fabric. 

the film is so easily injured that it is not safe to lay 

a folded-up balloon on a bare table-top or other hard 

surface on which sandor splinters might be found. 

this reason a clean ground cloth of canvas should always 

be used for the lay-out of the balloon. 

has been laid out on the ground cloth, it is made ready 

for inflation and the rip line of the flight-termination 

gear is inserbdinto the cell (see SectionQ C). 

For example, 

For 

Once the balloon 

B. Uge of Shot Bags and Releasing Device 

While the balloon is being inflawd it is necessary to 

hold it in position. Under conditions of calm wind, th% 

may be accomplished by simple fastening heavy weights to 

the loading ring and allowing the entire balloon envelope 

to rise freely above its anchor. 

Since only lo to 2% of the balloon is full at the surface 

when the inflation is complete, it is possible to restrict 

the volume filled and so cut down the area exposed to 

the wind on days which are not calm. Ihe volume required 

can be expressed as the length of the bubble collected 

at the head or top of the balloon. Having determined the 

desired length (see Section IV, B), the remainder of the 

balloon may be held down on the grcund cloth by weighted 

bags wrapped in protective sheets of polyethylene (see 

Figures 22 and 23). 

pouuds,are used to hold the base of the bubble to be inflated. 

appendix closed to prevent filling of the balloon with air 

and to restrict the uninflated folds of the balloon. A 

more elaborate system of holding the gas in the upper section 

of the bubble makes use of the General Mills relemsing device shown in Figures 24 and 25. Mounted on wheels, this 

mechanism is rolled into position with the head of the 

balloon lyYng across the platform. The protective roller 

arms lock into position holding the bubble until launching. 

This devic6 is used with large loads when shot bags might 

roll or slide off the balloon. As the arms open outward 

as well as upward when the locking pins ere removed, it is 

necessary to position the platform with the arms opening 

away from the bubble. 

Elliptical shot bags, weighing 100 

Twenty-pound sand bags are used to keep the 

C. Inflation Techniques 

When the balloon is manufactured, a polyethylene inflation 

tube about 4" in diameter is inserted. !his tube extends 

from a few feet outside the appendix to near the top of 

-39- 
LIFTING HANDLES OFHEAVY 

kRAC HUTE WEBBING, STICHED 

I 

HEAVY DUTY PARTITION OR 

TES SPACED ALONG LENGTH 

OF MINOR Axis TO HOLD SHAPE 

N Y U 

EuPn

-- 

Figure 24 

General Mills launching platform for large balloons. 
I 

sCA 

I 

Figure 25 

Launching platform with balloon fixed in place 

for inflation. 
the balloon and permits gas to be introduced into the 

top of the cell first. As the balloon is laid out and 

shotbags are positioned, this tube must be kept clear. 

At the point where the bubble is pinched off the folds 

of the balloon are carefully divided; the inflation tube 

is made as free as possible with only one layer of polyethylene above and one below it. 

up above and between the arms of the releasing device or 

the heavy shot bags, and the remainder of the fabric is 

pinned down so that no shifting will permit premature release. 

The tube is then pulled 

Depending upon the load to be lifted and the rate of rise 

desired, a pre-computed amount of helium is fed into the 

balloon (see Section IV, A). 

by noting the equilibrium pressure and temperature of 

the gas in each cylinder. 

gas from the tanks to the inflation tube in the balloon. 

Shown in Figures 26 and 27 this manifold system consists 

of an adjustable number of flexible pigtails leading into 

a main line of heavy copper tubing. 

the fittings are capable of dhstanding the full tank 

pressure of about 2500 feet psi. Two pressure gages are 

included in the main line and it is thus possible to make 

last-minute checks of the amount of gas (pressure) in 

each tank. (Due to variable gage-oalibrations, it has 

been found necessary to establiah the lift-pressure. ratio 

of each gage before using it.) 

manifold, two valves control the gas flow. The inflation 

tube is often initially twisted when the balloon is first 

laid out, A small amount of gas at very low pressure 

should be valved into the tube to strengthen it. In addition to the fine valve control required for this preliminary gas feed, it is also nedessary for a manifold 

valve to permit high gas flow from the tanks even when 

the pressure is greatly reduced. For this, the coarse 

globe valve is used. 

This amount is determined 

A manifold is used to feed the 

This main line and 

In the main line of the 

Once the tube has been chedmd, inflation should proceed 

as rapidly as possible. The balloon is outdoors and so 

subject to buffeting by the wind. The limiting factor 

of sped of inflation is the vibration of the fabric 

near the open end of the icflation tube. 

As a result of the extreme cooling of the rapidly expanding 

gas, the manifold and the tank valve generally become 

coated with frost. 

the valve to freeze shut. 

Too rapid cooling may actually cause 

-44- 
c-- 

Figure 26 

Fivs Tarik Helium anifold 
1'' 

F

AT

BRASS Tv

I 

~ALLOON \HPLATION TUBE 

TAPED AROUND DIFFUSER 

SCALE 1:2 I NYU 

I T

loATE 
VI . 

The effect of this cooling is evidenced in the lifting 

power of the gas. 

immediately after inflation, it has less lift than desired and may even be "heavy" rather than buoyant. 

cooling will make balloon 1% heavier. This may be 25% 

of free lift. In the inflation of the 70-foot balloons 

where more gas is used, and the cooling effe& is more 

often harmful, a heating unit is added to the inflation 

equipment. The gas passes from the manifold through a 

coil which is centrally warmed by a blow torch and on into 

the inflatiof: tube. 

more than 20 C cooler than *he air. 

Ifhen a rapidly filled balloon is launched 

20°C 

The gas should arrive in balloon no 

BALLOON LAUNCHING 

When the balloon inflation is complete, the inflation tube 

is removed from the balloon as gently as possible. 

is apt to be constriotion at the point where the bubble is 

formed by the launching arms or the shot bags. 

does stick at this point great oar8 must be given to freeing 

without ripping the balloon. 

There 

If the tube 

Should the balloon be torn in this or any other manner, it 

may be possible to patch the fabric and salvage the flight. 

The acetate-fiber scotch tap, used to attach the batten is 

used for patching. Transverse tapes are Paid across the tear 

and the entire region is covered with a matting of tape. 

When the inflation tube is freed and the restrained bubble 

is ready for launching, the lower portion of it is laid out 

down wind, as is all of the gear on the load line. The inflation is generally done in the lee of the hangar or "Y"= 

shaped wind screen (see Figures 28 and 29) with the bubble 

as close to the wall as possible. 

wind direction be noted pljDr to launching and that the equipment be directly downwind from the head of the bubble. It is 

strongly recommended that a standard meteorological rubber 

balloon be inflated and tethered on a 150-foot line near the 

point of release to serve as a wind indicator. This balloon 

is much more effective than a standard wind vane. 

It is imperative that the 

All pieces of equipment and all on-lookers must be removed 

from the immediate vicinity to prevent accidental entanglement 

of the load line when the balloon begins to rise. 

of delicate gear to be carried aloft should be cradled by 

one man. As a signal given by the flignt director (after 

checking to see everyone is ready and that the balloon will 

go in the desired direction), the bubble is released (see 

Figure 30). 

Each piece 

If "launching arms" are used, this is not 
PREVAILING Witco - 

DIRECT ION U~E PUL

CANVA

ANEMOMETER AND 

WIND VANE 

b 
m. 

N 

-4 9- 
A- 

-50- 
difficult, but if the two elliptical shot bags are employed, they must be lifted simultaneously upward and 

outward away from the balloon. As the cell rises, each 

piece of gear must be cradled by its bearer alluwing it 

to be lifted vertically when the balloon passes overhead. 

In many instances where the wind direction is pot constant 

at the surface or changes as the balloon goes upward, and 

exact downwind positioning of launching personnel will be 

difficult. It is often necessary for these men to run to 

one side or forward or backward to get directly beneath 

the balloon. In cases of extreme wind speed, it has been 

found neoessary to load the lower pieces of equipent on to 

a truck bed before release of balloon and launch it by 

driving underneath the balloon. 

It is possible to ostirnata the space required to launch a 

train of given length if the wind speed is known. 

the computed figure for rate of rise, the length of time required to lift the entire train is found. 

the bubble will travel during this time is proportionate to 

the wind speed. 

launched with the rate of rise at 500 feet per minute, a 

bubble will move downwind at 660 feet if the wind is 15 

miles per hour (22 feet per second), and the man at the end 

of the equipment train must cover 410 feet in 30 seconds 

carrying the gear with him. 

By using 

The distance 

For example, if a train 250 feet long is 

The use of a restraining line attached to the load line above 

any heavy gear or delicate gear is recommended. 

this restraining line is attached to a winch mounted on a 

track a few hundred feet downwind of the lowest pieoe of 

gear, or is held by a well-gloved man. The safety weights 

are attached near the end of this line. The balloon tends 

to pull tihe gear in beneath itself in calm or light winds, 

and may pull sidewise if the train alignment is not perfectly 

downwind; the restraining line withstands this pull. Thus 

tethered, the b*lloon is forced to come overhead of the equipment bearers, and they are able to launch with less difficulty and danger of equipment damage. 

rate is too slow, the restraining line is cut between the 

.safety weights and the other pieces of equipect. 

of rise appears to be high enough, the restraining line is 

severed below the safety weights and they rise, completing 

the launching. 

A loop in 

If the apparent ascent 

If' the rate 

VII. TRACKING AND ALTITUDE DETERMINATION 

Following release, it is often necessary to know the position 

of the balloon and its height as long as possible. 

methods of position and height determination have been found 

useful. 

Several 

Advantages and limitations of each system are given. 

-51- 
A. Positioning Equipant 

(1) SCR-658 

The radio direation finding set SCR-658 has been 

found to be the most useful unit to track a balloonborne transmitter, within its limited range. If 

the set is in good condition and the transmitter 

signal is good, it is possible to receive from a 

transmitter whiqh is 150 miles array at an altitude 

of 50,000 feet. At this distanoe, the elevation 

angle is usually not high enough to be reliable, 

sinoe below angles of 130, ground reflection of signals makes them nearly meaningless. The azimuth 

angle and the elevation angle, when above 157 are 

aocurate to about 0.5O. It is thus necessary to 

use two such sets on about a 100-mile base line 

to give a position fix. If the elevation of the 

balloon is determined independently, and the elevation angle is above 13O, it is possible to locate 

the balloon-borne transmitter with one SCR-658. 

The installation and maintenance of SCR-658 requires 

the servioes of a speoially trained man, while the 

operation prooedure may be made by relatively unskilled personnel, with limited training. 

detail8 of the use of the SCR-658, see War Department 

publioation TMl1-1158A. 

For 

(2) Theodolite 

The meteorological theodplite is useful on daytime 

flights when skies are clear for ranges up to 100 

miles. If radio datawe available to give height, 

the additional information obtained from this instrument--elevation and azimuth angle-*ill completely 

fix the balloon's position in three dimensions. 

When pressure data are harm, two theodolites 

with a base line several milss in length will also 

uniquely looate the balloon. A third method, less 

accurate but still useful, is the method of stadia 

measurements. By carefully measuring, prior to 

release, the distance between two distinctive portions 

of the train and then noting the arfgular distance 

subtended duririg flight by these instruments, the &titude and hence all coordinates of the balloon may be 

determined. 

Regular and frequent checks must be made of the saale 

adjustments of the instruments and of the base plate 

-52- 
levels when the instrument is located out of doors. 

For details of the use and care of theodolites, 

see either the War Drrpartment publication TM-11- 

423 or the U. S. Weather Bureau Circular "0". 

(3) Aircraft Radio Compass 

It has been found feasible to determine the position of the balloon by following the signal from a 

balloon-borne transmitter, using an aircraft radio 

compass as receiving unit. 

to fly along a path coward the balloon,.usually at 

a much lower altitude, and, by noting the plane's 

position where the compass reading is reversed, the 

position of the transmitter is found. 

advantage of using this system is that aircraft is 

needed, but there is no other method which will so 

readily position the balloon over great distances 

and periods of time. Wth this system, the limit 

of transmission time is a function of the weight of 

transmitter batteries which can be carried rather 

than distance. 

mitter to supply 2 watts, for about 15 hours, using 

15 pounds (7 kilograms) of batteries. Longer periods 

of transmission may be achieved by intermittent operation of the transmitters or use of heavier batteries. 

In this way it is possible 

The main disIt is possible to power a trans- 

(4) Radar 

If ground radar is available, accurate positioning 

over a limited range can be made. It is helpful 

but not strictly required to add radar targets 

(corner reflectors) to the flight train for such 

tracking. Using radar, the elevation angle, azimuth 

angle and slant distance out are obtained, giving 

a complete fix on the balloon with one set. The 

maximum distance to which appropriate sets can reach 

is about 65 miles; such sets are the SCR-584, the 

SPM-1 and the WS-6. 

such sets have an accuracy of 1.00 and about 500 feet 

of slant range. 

sets are not generally useful. Attempts to use 

radar mounted atop aircraft for aerial observation 

have been abandoned in favor of the radio oompass. 

With good. orientation and leveling 

Because of the limited range, radar 

B. Altitude Determination 

In early attempts to utilize standard radiosonde 

pressure modulators they were found to be unsatisfactory. 

The Diamond-Einman system of counting signal changes 

-53- 
is not useful when the changes occur at a nearly constant altitude due to the width of the steps and the ambiguity of direction of vertical motion. Two pressure 

measuring systems have been found satisfactory for use 

in constant-level work and are discussed below. For a 

discussion of the radio transmitters which have been 

used (the standard T-69 and .the Mnr AM-l), see Technical Report No. 2, Balloon Project, New York University 

Re search Division. 

(1) Olland Cycle Pressure Measuring Instrument 

This instrument, shuwn in Figure 31, is used in 

balloon flights as the primary pressure measuring 

unit, as it will continuously measure pressure 

without ambiguity. 

radio signal at intervals whose timing is determined 

by the pressure of the air at the balloon's position. 

It modulates the transmitted 

As presently designed, the modulator contains a 

standard Signal Corps ML-SlOE radiosonde aneroid 

unit, a rotating cyclinder of insulating material 

with a metal helix wound around the cylinder, and a 

6-volt electric motor which rotates the cylinder. 

There are two contacting pens which ride on the cylinder and conduct electrical current when they 

touch the helix. One pen is fixed 3.n position and 

makes a contact at the same time in each revolution 

of the helix. This contact is used as a reference 

point for measuring the speed of rotation of the 

cylinder. 

linked directly to the aneroid cell, makes contact 

with the spiral, is dependent on the oylinder speeed 

and on the pen position which is determined by the 

pressure. By an evaluation chart, the atmospheric 

pressure can be determined as a function of the 

relative position of the pressure contact as compared 

to the reference thus eliminating all rotatim effects 

but short term motor speed fluctuations. 

The time that the second one, which is 

Preparation of the modulator for flight coneists of 

the following steps: 

(a) Test the motor operation. When a 6-volt battery 

is inserted in the motor circuit with the proper 

polarity, the motor should run smoothly at ane 

revolution per 60 to 80 seconds. Noisy operation is probably a sign of dirty or corroded 

-54- 
I 

Figure 31 

Olland Cya le Pressure Modulator 

-55- 
gears or pour alignment of the rotating cylinder. 

carbon tetrachloride and a small clean brush. 

If the trouble is due to misalignment, the instrument should not be used since this will 

affect the rotation at a non-uniform rate and 

thus destroy the entire accuracy of the record. 

The motor gears may be cleaned with 

Calibrate the instrument. 

ment is required for the calibration: ' 

The following equipvaouum pump 

Bell jar 

Base plate with at lest 4 electrical leads 

Manometer 

Tape recorder 

The vaouum pump should be capable of evacuating 

the bell jar to a pressure lower than that to 

be reached by the balloon in flight. 

of ten millibars, corresponding to about 

100,000 feet elevation is usually a good minimum. 

A pressure 

Four wires are necessary to conduct the six 

volts to the motor and to transmit the reference 

and pressure signals. The wires must pass out 

of the bell jar through an air-tight seal in 

the base plate. The base plate also needs a 

tube leading to the manometer and a tube to the 

vacuum pump. It is advisable to use two separate tubes rather than placing the manometer 

lead in the same line as the pump lead in order 

to obtain the pressure in the bell jar rather 

than that in the pumping line. 

In operation the negative line of the battery 

leads is used as the ground connection of the 

output signal. 

A tape recorder such as the Brush Development 

Co. model BL-902 oscillograph and amplifier 

BL-905, is needed to record the signal both 

during calibration and during the balloon Plight. 

The Brush recorder is used a.t present and the 

discussion of the operation will be made in terms 

of the characteristics of this instrument. When 

using the slow speed of the recorder, which 

feeds the paper at the rate of 30 centimeters 

per minute, the distance between successive reference marks will be 30 to 40 centimeters de- 

-56- 
pending upon the speed of rotation of the rnodulator motor. !he pressure signal appears 

at any point along the record between or overlapping the references depending upon the pressure, 

A sample record of this sort is shown in Figure 32. 

The Olland cycle acts as a switching unit for the 

test oscillator (see Figure 33) whose dpel is fed 

into the Brush amplifier and finally to the recorder, 

By adjusting the resistors in the test circuit, 

the frequency of oscillation may be adjusted. Since 

within the usual range, the frequency of oscillation 

is approximately additive when the two signals werlap, the suggested frequencies are about 4 cycles per 

second for pressure and 8 cycles per second for refer. 

ence. 

the frequency will be about 12 cycles per second 

which is easily recognizable on the record. 

When overlapping signals are being recorded 

"he odibration of the modulator unit should be 

in steps of 25 to 30 millibars in order to have 

at least three points within each turn of the 

helix, 

Evaluation of the record is accomplished with 

the aid of a nomogram divided into 100 equal 

parts. The record is laid on the nomogram with 

the leading edge of the first reference on the 

zero line and the leading edge of the second 

reference on the 100th line. 

the leading edge of the pressure signal is then 

read to the nearest third of a division on the 

nomogram. If one complete turn of the spiral 

represents 75 millibars, it is thus possible 

to read the pressure to an accuracy of onethree-hundreth of 75 or about one-quarter millibar . 

The position of 

In evaluating the record the tape should be kept 

parallel to the horizontal lines on the nomogram 

or perpendicular to the zero line in order to 

avoid errors in irterpre tation . "he total motion of the pen arm of the modulator 

is normally 12 to 14 turns of the spiral. ?herefore, 

there will be the same number of points at which 

the pressure and reference signels overlap. The 

calibration curve (Figure 34) is drawn to show 

pressure from zero to surface pressure (about 

-57- 
-5%- 
I, 

1020 millibars) against. percentage of the turns 

as read on the nomogram. 

reading is numbered as read and succeeding 

pressurea are plotted in a continuous ascending 

series. When the pressure reading reached the 

first overlap on the reference, it is called 

100 percent; the second overlap is 200 percent 

and so on until the last overlap which may be 

1200 or 1300 percent. 

The lowest pressure 

(0) Pack the modulator and insert it inside the 

transmitter box. The modulator should be protected from extreme cold sinee the motor operation becomes erratic when the temperature reached 

300 to 40% below dero. A box or paper cover 

over the modulator will keep particles of insulation and dirt from the moving parts. 

(d) When the entire assembly has been made and inflation of the balloon is about to begin, the 

transmitter and motor should be turned on and 

reception of the signal tested. If any serious 

trouble appears, the modulator should be replaced by another calibrated modulator since 

any work on the instrument will probably change 

the calibration. 

During the flight,radio static and noise will 

appear on the Brush record as pips which may resemble the transmitted signals and with increasing 

distance or weakening transmitter the noise will 

finally completely obscure the pressure record. 

Careful tuning of the receiver will prolong 

the record as long as possible. When tuning 

the reoeiver, the sensitivity control of the 

Brush amplifier should be turned to the least sensitive position since any sudden change in the 

t*ming may throw the pen off its supports and 

damage its glass tip. 

When the flight reception is completed the record is evaluated exactly as in the evaluatian 

of the calibration record-using the same nomogram. However, since the instrument is subjected 

to different atmospheric conditions, the motor 

speed may vary suddenly, giving false values for 

the pressure. These values may be detected by 

carefully observing the rate of rotation of the 

motor, which is measurable by the distance between the reference marks. If there is a sudden 

-61- 
change in motor speed of five percent or more 

from the preceding rotation, the pressure value 

should be rejected. A slaw, continuous ahange 

in sped from minute to minute may be negleoted 

since it is probably a uniform change throughout the rotation period. The motor speed will 

decrease during the flight, as a result. of the 

low temperatures and the drop in battery voltage. 

This of itself does not decrease the value of 

the record, as long as the speed does not nhange 

suddenly. 

Olland-Cycle Pressure Element Specificstions 

(1) Pressure range : 1050 to 5 mb. 

(2) Desired accuracy: Surface to 300 mb f5 mb. 

300 mb to 50 mb 22 mb. 

50 mb to 5 mb less than f2 mb, *1 mb if 

possible 

Highest accuracy and readability desired 

on low pressure end. Temperature compensation, as required to meet pressure accuracy 

requirements for temperature, range t3Oo 

to -70% or equivalent for medium and high 

altitude flights. Mean operating temperature required more than OOC, 

(3) Helix: 

C linder-made of insulating material with P-- ow temperature coefficient. 

Diameter 3/4 inch to 1 inoh, length 23 

inch . S iral--made of nickel or other mstal which 

inch or less in diameter, 

Eight turns per inch on cylinder. 

ag- oes not corrode in the atmosphere, .010 

Check-pointe--Six points located betmeen 

turns of spiral, starting with 9th turn, - 

60 degrees apart. 

Made of the same material as the spiral. 

In the eleotrical circuit of the pressure 

signal . Suggested shape 1/16 inch diameter, round 

pin, flush with surface of helix. 

-6 2- 
General-Helix mounted in a rigid frame to 

prevent lengthwise movement or springing 

out through bending of a frame. 

Joined to motor drive by a pin through both 

drive shaft and helix shaft. 

When rotating at about 1 rpm duration of 

signals not over 3 to 4 seconds. 

Surfaoe of helix to be polished withrouge 

or orocus cloth. 

Loading edge of the metal spiral will be 

true and smooth to within .0005 inoh. 

(4) Motor: 

6 to 7.5 volts 

1 rpm gear train 

20 to 40 milliemperes drain 

Constant speed-change of speed during any 

single revolution not more than 0.3% 

Speed change at low temperature not more 

than &so$ 

(5) Mounting of Unit: 

Mounting in such manner that temperature 

ohangee and stresses will not change the 

relative positions of the aneroid and the 

helix. This may be done by mounting all 

elements on a metal plate or by mounting 

all parts in a frame supported ona single 

pedestal. 

Mount unit in an easily opened, stiff single 

thickness oardboard or plastic box to proteat it from other units in flight trains. 

External terminal strip with four terminals 

connected to ground, motor, reference, and 

pressure. 

Total weight not over SO0 grams. 

Overall dimension not over 5 x 5 x 4 inohes. 

To be mounted in transmitter, where insulation will prevent oooling below O°C within 

6 hours at air temperature of -40° to -5OOC. 

-63- 
(2) Codesonde 

The modified radiosonde built by Brailsford and Co., 

Rye, New York,called the codesonde,has been found 

valuable when knowledge of small variations in the 

height of the balloon is not required. Using this 

system, a radio transmitter is modulated by a Morse 

oode signal which is a Motion of pressure (and 

temperature if desired). This system is useful for 

Cracking a balloon with aircraft since no recording 

equipment is neoesrary for data interperlation. 

Eaoh combination of dots or dashes may be identified 

by ear, and with a oalibration ohart, the pressure 

which corresponds to the balloon's height may be 

thus determined by anyone who oan read Morse code 

with a suitable radio receiver. 

using this system for a balloon whioh is to be followed 

by aircraft include the fact that it is neaessary to 

receive only one complete code group tooompletely 

identify the pressure level of the balloon. It is 

thus possible to interrupt the period of reception 

without permanently losing the altitude record. It 

is expected that a balloon transmitter which can be 

followed with an aircraft radio oompass will be used 

iF. conjunction with this pre8sure modulator, giving 

three-dimensional position data. 

The advantages of 

(3) Barograph 

Many balloon flights pass out of the range of even 

a network of receiving stations. When it is not 

possible, because of weather or other considerations , to follow the balloon with aircraft, a clock-driven 

meteorograph may be added to the flight train to record data, such a8 pressure and temperature. It is 

necessary to recover the balloon equipment to evaluate 

this sort of record. With inland release points, 

it has been possible to reower about 75% of all 

f 1 ight 8. 

The model U-48 Lange barograph, shown in Figure 95, 

is designed to give ti record of atmospheric pressure 

and the temperature of the barograph 08se. In order 

to obtain a maximum spread of the pressure record 

in the range at which the data is most useful, the 

linkages are arranged so thet recording begins at 

about 500 millibars or around 19,000 feet, and may 

be continued as high as the balloon rises. The 

-64- 
1 

-65- 
tampemture recording is oonfined to the lower 

2 inchos of the drum so as to interfere as little as 

porsible with the pressure record when the balloon 

float8 abovo 30,000 feet. 

Rocording is accomplished by three pens which scratch 

c8rbon from a smoked aluminum foil. This method 

eliminates the need for liquid ink and applies a 

minimum of pressure to the recording drum. 

The recording drum rotates once in twelve hours. 

Therefore, if a flight lasts over twelve hours, the 

traoe will overlap. Such a record is shown in 

Figure 36. 

one winding. 

The cloak rune for 36 to 40 hours on 

Preparation of the barograph for use on a balloon 

recension requires the following: 

(a) Plaoe an aluminum foil about 10 inches long by 

3 3/4", .002" thick on the drum. Care should 

be taken to have the overlapping edge of the 

foil face in the direction of rotation of the 

drum so that the stylusslides off the edge instead of catching and tearing the foil. A few 

drops of rubber cement along each edge of the 

foil are sufficient to fasten the foil to the drum 

and will not interfere with removal of the foil 

after rebevery of the barograph. 

(b) Wind the clock. "he clock should not be wound 

tightly since at the low temperatures encountered 

in the upper atmosphere the olock spring may 

snap. However, if the clock is wound an hour 

or so before release, it will be sufficiently 

relaxed by the time the low temperatures are 

reached. 

) Check pressure of the marking pens. Too much 

pressure of the pens on the drum will introduce 

an error due to the frictional lag. When the 

drum is removed from the clock mechanism, and the 

pen lifter released, the stylus points shouzd 

touch the clook housing lightly. 

(d) Smoke the drum. A wry thin, fine-grained oarbon 

film should be deposited on the aluminum foil. 

The best result will be obtained by use of a 

bright yellow gas flame, although a kerosene flame 

gives a satisfactory coating. Solid or liquid 

-66- 
-67- 
fuels usually give a coating wbich is too coarse 

grained and heavy. 

rod is used as a rotating axis. The drum is rotated rapidly in the flame 80 as to prevent 

overheating and oxidizing of the foil. The carbon should not be so thick as to obscure the 

metallic appearance of the aluminum foil. 

In smoking the drum a long 

(6) Calibrate the barograph for pressure. The inThe pressure is kept constant at a 

strument is placed in a bell jar and the air 

evaauated. 

number of pressures so that as the drm turns a 

step, record is made on the-ked foil. Pressure 

recording starts at about 500 millibars so the 

first level in the calibration should be at that 

value. At each level the pressure should be kept 

constant for three to five minutes in order to 

obtain a measurable line. Great care and considerable practise are required to control the valves 

of the vaouum system so that the pressure does 

not ohange noticeably during each step. 

The pressure step6 at which the barograph is calibrated may be either at regular pressure intervals 

or at the pressure values corresponding to regular 

height intervals according to the standard atmosphere figures. 

listed below. 

go to the higher altitudes, the calibration may 

be stopped at correspondingly higher pressures. 

153 

The recommended steps are 

If the balloon is not expected to 

Pressures 

500 mb 

400 mb 

300 mb 

200 mb 

150 mb 

100 mb 

50 mb 

10 mb 

Standard Atanosphere Heights 

466 mb corresponding to 20,OOOft. 

300 mb 

188.5 mb 

117 mb 

72.8 mb 

45.3 mb 

28.2 mb 

17.5 mb 

10.9 mb 

I' 30;000ft. 

" 40,000 ft. 

" 50,000ft. " 60,000ft. 

'I 70,000 ft. 

80,000ft. 

It 90,000ft. 

I' 100,000 ft. 

The temperature calibration may be made by recording 

two widely spaced temperatures, such as room temperature and the temperature of dry ice (-78OC). 

This celibration will be approximately a straight 

line and, therefore, two points are sufficient 

to plot the ourve. 

-68- 
Immediately before the balloon release, when 

the clock is wound and the pens lowered against 

the drum, the pressure and temperature pens 

should be tapped lightly so as to make short 

marks and the time noted. 

men the barograph is recovered the smoked foil 

should be treated to preserve the record. 

solution of clear shellae diluted with about ten 

times its volume of alcohol may be used. 

drum is immersed in the shellao and allowed to 

dry thoroughly before further handling. 

A 

"he 

(f) Evaluation of the reoord. In evaluating, the record heights of significant points are measured 

vertically from the reference line. 

sure calibration steps are measured first and plotbd 

on graph paper, vertical distance versus pressure 

or altitude. 

flight trace is then measured and the corresponding 

altitude determined from the calibration wrve . 

The presEach significant point on the 

The same procedure it3 followed in evaluating the 

temperature record, measuring from the reference 

line. 

The curvature of the record due to the motion 

of the pens must be corrected for. Since the temperature record covers a short vertical range, the 

time correo tion may be neglected . for curvature of the pressure record my be read 

directly from Figure 37, which gives the correction 

in inches as a function of the distanoe of the 

point in question from the center of the record. 

Corrections 

The final time oorrection is made to correlate 

the temperature and pressure records. 

be done by measuring the horizontal distance between the temperature and pressure marks as made 

before release and correcting this amount for 

vertical position. The rotation of the drum 

is once in 12 hours and, %herefore, the time-distance 

relation may be computed by noting the total 

length of reoord obtained in one revolution. 

This may 

-69- 
CENTER ----o 

LINE 

Mean Tune Sc

Correction Cur

C 48- 26A 

FOR LANGE U-48 

FI

BAR
VI I I. lwALYS IS 

During and following the flight it is customary to analyze the 

behavior of the balloon. 

data is available for their preparation. 

is a time-height curve nhioh gives the altitude of the balloon 

at all times with respect to sea level. 

it is customary to plot we temperature data and ballast flow 

data when such has been recorded. In some cases it has been 

found useful to plot a profile of the terrain over which the 

balloon is passing. The second diagram usually prepared is 

the trajectory of the balloon, and again it may be prepared 

with respect to the terrain over which the balloon was passing. 

That is to say, it is plotted on an aircraft map of the area, 

with positions and heights plotted every ten minutes. Figures 38 and 39 show sample pIQ*s. 

Two curves are usually drawn when 

%e first of these 

On this curve also 

IX. GENERAL MILLS 70, 300, AND 70-FOOT BALLOmS 

The altitudes reached and loads which may be carried by the 

General Mills balloons other than the 20-foot cell are shown 

in Table 4, Appendix 11. 

for interpolation of the tabulated values to give the relationship between floating altitude and gross load, and Graph 4 

shms the altitude sensitivity at various heights. It has 

been assumed that helium is the lifting gas. Graph 1, Ap 

pendix I1 is useable for all of these balloons to determine 

the amount of free lift which is needed to give a desired rate 

of rise. 

Graph 3, Appendix I1 may be used 

To launch a 7-foot balloon, it is not necessary to utilize 

the elaborate technique of the larger balloons. 

is made to weigh the same amount as the required gross lift 

(equipment weight plus free lift), and attached to the load 

ring. 

building with relatively large doors and when the balloon just 

lifts the inflation weights it may be attached to the equip 

ment line, carried outdoors and released. In light winds the 

equipment may be released with a hand-over-hand paying out of 

the line. If there is too much wind for this method, the 

equipment is laid out downwind and the balloon released so as 

to pass over the pieces of gear and pick them up while rising. 

A can of sand 

Inflation from a single tank may be made ins% any 

A 7-foot balloon being inflated is seen in Figure 40. The 

appendix which is shown is made of a flattened 2-foot length 

of inflation tube, from a 20-foot balloon, without stiffeners. 

Suoh a balloon has been sustained with a fixed ballast leak 

-71- 
\’ 

Figure 38 
-73- 
Figure 40 

General Mills 7 foot 

balloon being inflated. 

- 74- 
of 170 grams per hour. 

tude control stayed aloft for inore than two hour8 and afkr 

reaching ceiling, the altitude did not vary by more thur 

1500 feet while the balloon was within range of tho obroning 

station 

A balloon of this type with no altiThe preparation and launching teohniques dimuramd for tho 

20-foot balloon apply also to the 30-foot cell. 

discussion is required far the 30-foot balloon. 

No firthor 

The 70-fOOt balloon seen in Figures 41 and 42 is launched in 

the same manner as the 20-foot cell. A much larger amount 

of gas is required and since it is valved rapidly into the 

balloon, it has been found necessary to pass the gas through 

a heating coil to prevent it from reaching the balloon so 

adiabatically cooled as to be incapable of lifting the 

load. Due to the large 

lift and area exposed to the wind at launching, the largo 

cell may be dangerous if personnel attempt to hold tho gear 

or act as anchors. 

downwind to be picked up from the ground by the balloon. 

anchor should be a winch mounted on a truck which can move 

around the balloon so as to be downwind at launching. 

This heater is shm in Figure 43. 

If possible, al,l gear should be laid out 

The 

Since the altitudes where the 70-foot balloons normally float 

are high in the stratosphere, the natural stability of the balloon in the temperature inversion keeps these cells up for 

a long period of time without ballast or other controls. 

such flight fell slowly during a period of 75 hour8 and was 

still above 65,000 feetwhen the barograph record 8nd.d. 

One 

-7 5- 
Figure 41 

Inflation of 70 foot diameter 

General Mills balloon. 
Figure 42 

General Mills 70 foot balloon 

being launched in a 5 kr.ot wind. 

-77- 

GLOSSARY 

Altitude Sensitivity: The altitude gained by a balloon when its 

load is reduced by one kilogram. 

Balloon Inflation : Gas inflation to be given the balloon in 

terms of initial lift of the balloon 

(equals weight of equipment load plus free 

lift plus allowance for gas losses before 

launching). 

Ceiling: 

Equipment Load : 

Floor : 

Free Lift: 

Gross Lift: 

Gross Load: 

The locus of pressure altitudes at which a 

non-extensible balloon will float when gas 

losses are slightly over-compensated for 

by ballast losses. 

Weight of all equipment, rigging, and' ballast 

hung from the balloon shrouds not including 

balloon or its integral parts. 

The locus of altitudes at which a balloon will 

float when lift losses are exactly compensated 

for on a demand basis by ballast dropping. 

In practice, this is determined by the operation of the automatic ballast release and 

is some altitude below the ceiling. 

Net lift of the balloon with the equipment 

load attached. 

Lift of all of the gas in the balloon at release (equals weight of the balloon, equipment load plus the free lift). 

Load on the gas at release (balloon plus 

equipment load weight). 

Pressure Altitude: The altitude at which a non-extensible balloon becomes fully inflated. 

Pressure Height: The height above mean sea level as determined 

from pressure measurements used in this work 

with the N. A. C. A. Standard Atmosphere. 

-79- 
Appendix I 

Table Number Page hTumber 

Table 1: 

Table 2: 

Equipment List ............... 83 

Flight Forms ................ 86 

-81- 
Table 1 

B4SIC EQUIPMENT FOR FIELD TRIPS 

UUNCHING OF 20' BALLOONS 

WITH SIMPLE CONTROL GEAR 

NYU Balloon Project Drawing No. or 

tions Manual 

GROUND EQUImT: Figure No. in Opera1 ea. Set instructions (Operations Manual) 

2 ea. Elliptical shot bags (each filled with 

100 # of shot) 

2 ea. 40 # Sand bags 

4 ea. 40 # Sand bags 

1 88. 40' x 6' Ground Cloth 

4 ea. Sheets polyethylene, .001" to 

..004", 4' x 4' 

1 ea. 5 Tank manifold with pressure gages 

and valve 

lea. Rubber hose, 1" I.D., 10' long 

1 ea. Gas diffuser 

2 ea. Rubber tubing &" bore, 1/8" wall, 

8' long 

2 ea. Hose clamps, aeroseal, l$" I.D. 

3 ea. Hose ends for helium tanks 

1 ea. Box white chalk 

1 ea. Solution balance Fisher #2-100 

1 ea. Inflation nozzle, ML-196 

3 ea. Weems plotters 

1 ea. Set aircraft maps of area 

ED-48-62 

ED-48-1 2 2A 

Figure 26 

ED-48-76A 

ED-4 8-8 0 

1 eac Tool kit complete with 2 sheath hives, 

50' cloth measuring tape, 'orass wire, 1" Mystic 

tape, volt ohmmeter, pliers, 8CreWdriVbr6, inflation tools, flashlights, crescent wrenches, 

-83- 
RYU Balloon Projeot Drawing No. or 

Figure No. in Operations Manual 

(Tool kit oont'd.) soldering iron, 

compass, 2 open-end wrenches 1-1/8" 

x 1-1/4" openings, 14" pipe wrench, 

spanner for helium tank valves 

2 ea. Theodolite ML-247 with tripod ML-78 

2 88. Recorder, Brush oscillograph or 

other 

2 ea. Standby power units 

2 88. SCR-658 Radio direotion finder 

or 

2 ea. Hanmterlund Super-Pro receiver 

2 ea. Kytoon with spare bladders 

for antenna support 

2 ea. Capthe balloon, Dewey 6t 41my 84 

4 ea. Chronometers 

4 ea. Clip boards 

2 ea. Complete set of oommunication equipment 

Telephone account 

Wind screen, 30' x 20', Y-shaped, 

equipped with flood lights and 

anemometer 

FLIGHT 'GEAR : 

ED-49-3 

2 to 5 Tanks helium 

1 88. General Mills 20' balloon (or other 

balloon to be used) plus spare 

24 0%. Rolls acetate fiber sootch tape 

3 8%. Appendix stiffeners (if appendix is 

to be used) ED-4 8 -95A 

lea. 200' 500 # Wst nylon line 

1 ea. 100' 75 # ~st linen tnine 

2 ea. 350 Gram balloon ML-13lA (for wind 

sock) 

5 to 10 bggler or hooks 

-84- 
Mm Balloon Project Dmwing No. or 

Figure No. in Operations Manual 

2 ea. Parachutes ML-132 

1 ea. Banner, 3' x 6' ED-48-56 

4 ea. Data sheets 

4 ea. Weight sheets 

4 ea. Reward tagsbglish, Spanish or other 

language ) Figure 21 

2 ea. "Danger Fire" tags Figure 20 

2 ea. Other Danger tags as required 

If Flight Termination gear is to be used: 

1 ea. Flight termination witch 

1 ea. Set rip rigging 

2 sa. Cannons 

ED48-7QA 

ED-48-68A 

ED-49-5 

2 ea. Squibs Du Pont S-64 (treated for 

high altitude) 

If fixed rate ballast release is €0 be used: 

1 ea. Orifice s innerette, to give ballast 

flow of 250 &r (.008" D.) ED-48-75A 

1 Gallon ballast, compass fluid AX-C-116 

1 ea. Ballast reservoir (1 gallon aapaoity) 

1 88. Filter 3" diameter, 325 x 325, phosphor 

bronze mesh ED-48-54A 

ED-48-79A 

4 feet Tubing ("ygon) 4" bore 

6 inches Tubing (Tygon) 3/16" bore 

Metal beakers or rimleps 1 qt. tin oans 

Metal funnel 
Table 2 

VJEIGET SHEET 

Date Flight No. 

Timb_ll_ 

Manufacturer Weight 

Number 

Balloon 

Appendix or valve 

Shrouds . . . . . Total Balloon Weight . . . . . . . . . 

Launching Remnant . . .... Line Length . . . . . . . 0. 

1st Enit. Serial No. 

de sari@ ion 

Line length 

2nd Unit. Serial No. 

description 

Line length 

3d Unit. Serial KO. 

description . c 

Line length 

4th Unit. Serial Po. 7 

description 

Drag chute 

Banner description 

Ballast assembly - description 

- 

Ballast. . . . . . . . Total Equipnent 'uieight . . . + . . a a 

GrossLoad.. . , 0 0 * 6 *b.e..b. 

-06- 
RATE OF RISE Ah'D :.AXIB,2l!I ALTITUDE COI..')"UTATIOKS 

F1 ight Xo . Date 

T ime 

MUOON IHFLAT ION 

Desired Rctc of Rise . . . . ft ./mino 

Gross Load . 0. gram 

Free Lift - from Rise chert grams 

Free Lift 202/3 grams 412 

Equipment Weight grams 

Desired Balloon Inflction = Free Lift Equipment Total grams 

Allowance for Leakage hrs . .itin& grams 

Actual I1 balloon lift . 0. 0 a a .... lt AActual gross lift (Balloon lift & balloon wt,) . . . . . Number Helium tanks required at kg lift/full tank . 0. tonks 

Length ,balloon above shot bag . . . . . . . . feet 

Balloon Volume . ....... CU. ft. 

Relium 11.1 kg/mol 

Gas Lift/mol . . . . . . . . Hydrogen 12.0 kg/mol 

I>?oIRr ~olumo - Balloon volume x gas lift/mol 

gross load 

cu ft. 

Maximum Altitude . . . . . . ft. m.s.1. 

Altitude Sensitivity . . . . . . f t 

-87- 
BALJAST COEFUTATIOSFLIGHT # 

Balloon Surface Diffusion lmeas~red e st hated 1 gm/hr. b/o Inflation 40 

Full balloon surface diffusion - balloon surface diffusion 

(o/o Inflation) 2/3 &. 

Estimated full Balloon ceilin diffusion - F. B. Surface Diffusion 

Ceiling Pr. 

Surfhco ~r. , grh * X 

Description of Ballast Unit: (components, serial nos. Uimonsions) 

Amount of Ballast &ma 

Initial flaw, maximum head 

F!ximum flow, mximum head 

gm,/min 

gm ./mino 

Amount of bal la et 

~ZX -baTloon' odllhgxff usion hrs. Estimatad Ballast duration 

Size Orifice used in. Waiting tirne beforc release , , min. 

Size Limiting Orifice used in, 

Size filter used in. 

Initial Head to valve or orifico in. 

int Final n tt I? tt 
Few York University 

Re search Division 

Balloon E'roject 

Supplementarj Information for Flight No. 

time Release : Site date . 7 

Enooded Sounding Data: 

*- .- . ---. -. - 

Encoded Upper Winds 

.. - - . . ... 

Re lease Weather 

- --*- 

In-Flight Hourly Weather 

Train Sketch b- Folder Films Sent O3t 

List Flight Iieoords in Folder: 

Checked by 

-89- 
Transmitter ierformance for Flight No, 

Release : Dete Time Site I. 

Transmitter Type and Serial No. 

Batteries: Type and Number 

Open Circuit VV 

Voltages Under Load: 

Description of Fressurs Gnit 

De s cr i pt ion of S pe c ie. 1 Equipment 

Reception at Station #2 

Reception at Station #3 

Critique 

-90- 
Appendix I1 

Table Number Face ITumber 

Table 1: N . A . C . A . Pressure.Altitude ....... 96 

Table 2: N..A . C . A . Temperature-Altitude ..... 103 

Table 3: Ballast Flow .... .......... 104 

Table 4; Balloon Data ............... 105 

Graph Number 

Graph 1: Free Lift vs . Rate of Rise ........ 106 

Graph 2: Gross Lift vs . Bubble Length ....... 107 

Graph 3: Buoyanoy VLI . Altitude .......... 108 

Graph 4: Gross Load vs . Altitude Sensitivity .... 109 

-91- 
PRESSURE AND TEMPFAA!Wm 

'ME X .A .C J. STANDARD A'JMOSPHEEIE 

Deoember 1948 

Prepred by 

Irwin Brill 

Researoh Assistant 

Balloon Project 

Researoh Division 

Kew York University 

Under Contraot W28-099-ao-241 with 

Watson Laboratories, A.M.C., U.S. Air Foroes 

-93- 
Souroe pressure from suriaae (0 feet) to rifi,OOO feet: 

taken from National Advisory Committee for 

Aeronautics Report #538, and corrected as 

noted below. 

Pressure from 65,000 feet to 169,538 feet: 

taken from National Advisory Committee for 

Aeronautics Report #1200, 

Temperatures at 1000-foot intervals, taken 

rrom National Advisa- Committee for 

Aeronautics Reports #S38 and 1200. 

Geopotential 

Assumptions for pressure corrections: 

0 feet to 30,000 feet based upon assumed 

constant aeo~otential. 

90,000 feet to 65,000 feet corrected for 

geopotential, by approximate correction 

factors. (Taken from extrapolated aume 

of difference in feet, from 65,000 to 

100,000 feet between N.A.C.A. table #538 

uncorrectedf and N.A.C.A. Technical Note 

1200 (correqted) . ‘~35,000 feet to 163,588 feet, corrected for 

geopotent ial by Bat ionax Advisory Committee 

for Aeronautics, Note #1200, 

Aocuracs Surfsce to 30,000 feet = 15 feet, assuming: 

constant geopotent iel, 

30,000 reet to 65,000 feet 

65,000 feet to 100,000 feet 

~OO,OOO feet to 120,900 reet 

120,000 feet to 195,000 feet 

135,000 feet to 163,538 reet 

30 feet * 50 reet 

f 100 feet 

f 150 feet 

f 250 rest 

-95- 
Table 1 

PRESSURE; (MB ) VERSUS HEIGHT ( FEMl) - 

-015 -47 

,014 -20 

L013.25 0 

LO13 

LO12 Loll 

t 010 

LO09 

1008 

LO07 

1006 

LOO5 

LO04 Loo3 

1002 

LOO1 

LO00 

9 99 

998 

997 

996 

995 

994 

993 

992 

991 

990 

989 

988 

987 

986 

985 

984 

983 

982 

981 

980 

979 

978 

977 

9 76 

975 

994 

973 

972 

7 

34 

61 

88 

115 

142 

169 

1 98 

223 

2 50 

2 77 

3 04 

3 32 

360 

388 

4 16 

444 

4 72 

5 00 

528 

5 56 

5 84 

6 12 

640 

6 68 

6 96 

7 24 

7 52 

780 

8 08 

836 

8 64 

8 92 

920 

948 

976 

1OOA 

1032 

1060 

1088 

1116 

1144 

971 1172 

970 1200 

27 

27 

27 

27 

27 

27 

27 

27 

27 

27 

27 

27 

27 

27 

27 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

20 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

20 

28 

28 

2.8 

28 

28 

28 

28 

MB ALTO DIFo 

969 1228 

968 1256 

967 1284 

966 1312 

965 1340 

964 1368 

963 1396 

962 1424 

961 1452 

960 1481 

959 1510 

958 1539 

957 1568 

956 lS97 

955 1626 

954 1655 

953 1684 

952 1713 

951 1742 

950 1761 

949 1790 

948 1029 

947 1858 

946 1807 

945 1916 

944 1945 

943 1974 

942 2003 

941 2032 

940 2061 

939 2090 

938 2129 

937 2158 

936 2187 

935 2216 

934 2245 

933 2274 

932 2303 

931 3332 

930 2361 

929 2390 

928 2419 

921 2448 

926 2477 

925 2506 

924 2535 

923 2564 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

28 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

20 

29 

29 

29 

29 

922 2593 

921 2622 

920 2651 

919 2680 

918 2709 

917 2738 

915 2796 

914 2825 

913 2854 

912 2883 

911 2912 

910 2942 

909 2972 

908 3002 

907 3032 

906 3052 

905 3092 

904 3122 

903 3152 

902 3182 

901 3212 

900 3242 

899 3272 

898 3302 

897 3332 

895 3962 

895 3392 

894 3482 

893 3452 

892 3482 

891 3512 

890 3542 

ee9 3572 

880 3602 

087 3632 

8e6 3662 

885 3692 

884 3723 

883 3'754 

882 3785 

881 3816 

880 3847 

879 3878 

078 3909 

877 3940 

876 3971 

916 2767 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

29 

39 

29 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

90 

30 

?O 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

80 

30 

30 

30 

w 

30 

33 

30 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

878 

8 74 

073 

8 72 

871 

8 70 

8 68 

867 

806 

865 

8 A4 

863 

052 

861 

8n0 

8 59 

858 

8 57 

856 

8 55 

8 54 

8 53 

852 

8 51 

8 FO 

8A9 

048 

847 

84 6 

845 

8A4 

843 

842 

8 41 

840 

839 

838 

837 

886 

835 

834 

833 

832 

831 

830 

829 

069 

4002 

4033 

4064 

4095 

4126 

4 157 

4 188 

4219 

4250 

4281 

4 312 

4343 

4374 

4405 

4486 

A46 7 

4498 

4560 

4 591 

4622 

4653 

4 684 

4715 

4746 

4777 

4808 

A 840 

A872 

4 904 

4936 

4 968 

5000 

5032 

5064 

5096 

5 128 

5160 

P 192 

5224 

5256 

5288 

5220 

5352 

5384 

5416 

54.4 8 

4529 

31 

51 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

-96- 
MB ALTO DIF. 

828 

827 

826 

82 5 

824 

823 

822 

821 

820 

819 

818 

817 

816 

815 

814 

813 

812 

811 

810 

809 

808 

807 

806 

805 

804 

803 

802 

801 

800 

799 

798 

797 

796 

795 

794 

793 

792 

791 

790 

789 

788 

787 

786 

785 

784 

703 

7132 

5 480 

5 512 

5544 

5 576 

5608 

5640 

5672 

5704 

5 768 

5800 

5833 

586 6 

5909 

5932 

5965 

5998 

6031 

6064 

6130 

5163 

6196 

6229 

A262 

6295 

6328 

$361 

6394 

6427 

6460 

6526 

6559 

6592 

6625 

6R58 

6691 

6757 

6790 

6823 

6856 

6890 

d 924 

6 992 

5736 

a097 

a493 

a 724 

6958 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

33 

34 

34 

34 

MB 

781 

780 

779 

778 

777 

775 

774 

773 

7 72 

771 

770 

769 

768 

767 

766 

765 

764 

763 

762 

761 

760 

759 

758 

757 

756 

755 

754 

753 

752 

7 51 

750 

749 

748 

747 

746 

745 

744 

743 

742 

741 

740 

739 

738 

737 

736 

735 

- 

776 

ALTO - 

7026 

7060 

7094 

7162 

7196 

7230 

7264 

72 98 

7332 

7366 

7400 

7434 

7468 

7502 

7536 

7570 

7604 

7638 

7672 

7706 

7740 

7774 

7808 

7843 

7878 

7913 

7948 

7983 

8018 

8053 

8 088 

8123 

8158 

8193 

8228 

8263 

8298 

8333 

8368 

8438 

8473 

8508 

8 543 

8578 

8613 

7128 

8403 

DIF. 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

34 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

- MB ALTO DIFo 

734 8648 

733 8683 

732 8718 

731 8754 

730 8790 

729 8826 

728 8062 

727 8898 

726 8934 

725 8970 

724 9006 

723 9042 

722 9078 

721 9114 

720 9150 

719 9186 

718 9222 

717 9258 

716 9294 

715 9330 

714 9366 

713 9402 

712 9438 

711 9474 

710 9510 

709 9546 

708 9502 

707 9618 

705 9592 

704 9729 

702 9803 

701 9840 

700 9877 

699 9914 

A98 9951 

A96 10025 

695 10062 

694 10099 

693 10136 

692 10173 

691 10210 

690 10247 

689 10284 

688 10321 

706 9655 

703 97176 

697 9988 

35 

35 

35 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

36 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

37 

36 

hdB 

687 

586 

6 85 

684 

683 

6 82 

681 

680 

679 

678 

677 

674 

675 

674 

673 

672 

6 71 

670 

668 

667 

- 

569 

twa 

66s 

604 

663 

662 

661 

660 

659 

A 58 

657 

6F6 

656 

554 

= 53 

652 

651 

6 50 

649 

648 

A47 

646 

645 

A44 

643 

642 

641 

ALTO DIF, 

10358 37 

10395 37 

10433 38 

10471 38 

10509 38 

10547 38 

10585 38 

10623 38 

10661 38 

10699 38 

10737 38 

10775 38 

10813 38 

10851 38 

10889 38 

10927 38 

1096s 38 

11003 38 

11041 38 

11079 38 

11117 38 

11155 38 

11193 38 

11231 38 

11270 39 

11309 39 

11348 39 

11387 39 

11426 39 

11465 39 

11504 39 

11543 39 

11582 39 

11621 39 

11660 39 

11699 39 

11738 39 

11777 39 

11816 39 

11855 39 

11894 39 

11933 39 

11972 39 

12011 39 

12051 40 

12091 40 

12131 40 

-97- 
*- 

6 40 

639 

6 38 

637 

636 

635 

634 

633 

631 

630 

629 

628 

627 

626 

625 

624 

623 

622 

621 

620 

6 19 

6 18 

617 

616 

615 

614 

6 13 

612 

611 

609 

608 

607 

6 06 

605 

6 04 

603 

602 

6 01 

So0 

599 

598 

597 

596 

595 

5 94 

593 

632 

610 

ALTO DIF. 

12171 40 5 92 

12211 40 591 

12251 40 590 

12291 40 589 

12331 40 588 

12371 40 507 

12411 40 5 86 

12451 40 585 

12491 40 584 

12531 40 583 

12571 40 5 82 

12611 40 581 

12651 40 589 

12691 40 579 

12731 40 578 

12771 40 577 

12811 40 576 

12851 40 575 

12891 40 574 

12931 40 573 

12971 40 5 72 

13012 40 571 

13053 41 5 70 

13094 41 569 

13135 41 568 

13176' 41 567 

13217 41 566 

13258 41 565 

13299 41 564 

18340 41 5K3 

13381 41 562 

13422 41 561 

13463 41 560 

13504 41 z 59 

13545 41 558 

13586 41 557 

13627 41 556 

13668 41. 555 

13710 42 554 

13752 42 553 

13794 41t 5 52 

i383a 42 551 

13878 42 550 

13920 4E 54 9 

13962 42 548 

14004 42 547 

14046 42 546 

14088 42 54 5 

544 

ALT 

14130 

14172 

14214 

142536 

14298 

14341 

14384 

14427 

144 70 

14513 

14556 

14599 

14642 

14685 

14728 

14771 

14814 

14857 

14900 

14943 

14986 

1502 9 

15072 

1511 5 

15158 

15202 

15246 

15290 

15334 

15378 

15422 

15466 

15510 

15554 

15598 

15642 

15686 

15730 

15775 

15820 

15865 

15910 

1595s 

16000 

16045 

16090 

16135 

16180 

16225 

A DIF 

42 

42 

42 

42 

42 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

43 

44 

44 

44 

44 

44 

44 

44 

44 

44 

44 

44 

44 

45 

45 

45 

45 

45 

45 

45 

45 

45 

45 

45 

45 

543 

542 

54 1 

SAO 

539 

538 

537 

535 

534 

533 

532 

531 

530 

52 9 

528 

F(27 

926 

52 5 

524 

523 

522 

521 

520 

519 

53a 

ti18 

517 

5iF; 

515 

514 

513 

FU? 

511 

510 

609 

508 

501 

506 

505 

504 

5 03 

502 

501 

500 

499 

498 

497 

496 

495 

ALT 0 

16270 

19315 

19360 

lR405 

16451 

16497 

16543 

1AF89 

16635 

16681 

15727 

16773 

16819 

16865 

16911 

16957 

17003 

17049 

17095 

17141 

17188 

17235 

F7282 

17329 

1737fi 

17423 

17470 

17517 

17564 

17611 

17R58 

17705 

17752 

17800 

17848 

17896 

17944 

17992 

18OAO 

18088 

lf3136 

18184 

18232 

18280 

18329 

18378 

18427 

18476 

18525 

- DIF 

45 

45 

45 

45 

46 

46 

.*d 

46 

46 

46 

46 

46 

46 

46 

4R 

46 

46 

46 

47 

47 

47 

47 

47 

47 

47 

47 

47 

47 

47 

47 

47 

48 

48 

48 

48 

48 

A13 

40 

At3 

48 

48 

40 

49 

49 

49 

49 

4.2 

I 

49 

MB ALTO DD, 

494 18574 49 

493 18623 49 

492 18672 49 

491 18721 49 

490 18770 49 

489 18819 49 

488 18868 49 

487 18917 49 

486 18966 49 

A85 19015 49 

484 19065 50 

483 19115 50 

A82 19105 50 

481 19215 50 

480 19265 50 

479 19315 50 

478 19365 50 

477 19415 50 

476 19465 50 

475 19515 50 

474 19565 50 

473 19616 51 

472 19667 51 

471 19118 51 

470 19769 51 

469 19820 51 

4fi8 19871 51 

467 19922 51 

466 19973 51 

445 20024 51 

464 20075 51 

463 20127 52 

462 20179 52 

461 20231 52 

460 20283 52 

459 20335 52 

458 20387 52 

457 20439 52 

456 20491 52 

455 20543 52 

454 20595 52 

453 206347 52 

452 20699 52 

451 20751 52 

450 20803 52 

449 20856 53 

448 20909 53 

447 20962 53 

446 21015 53 
445 20543 

444 21122 

443 21176 

442 21230 

441 21284 

440 21338 

439 21392 

438 21446 

437 21500 

436 21554 

435 21608 

434 21662 

433 21716 

432 21770 

431 21824 

430 21878 

429 21932 

428 21986 

427 22040 

426 22095 

425 22151 

424 22207 

423 22263 

422 22319 

421 22375 

420 22431 

419 22487 

418 22543 

417 22599 

416 22655 

415 22711 

414 22767 

413 22823 

412 22879 

411 22935 

410 22991 

409 23047 

408 23103 

407 23161 

406 23219 

405 23277 

404 23335 

403 23393 

402 23451 

401 23509 

400 23567 

399 23625 

398 23683 

DIF. 

53 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

54 

55 

56 

56 

56 

56 

56 

56 

515 

56 

56 

56 

56 

56 

56 

56 

56 

56 

56 

5s 

58 

58 

58 

58 

58 

58 

58 

58 

50 

58 

- MB 

3 97 

396 

395 

394 

393 

392 

391 

390 

389 

388 

387 

386 

385 

384 

383 

382 

381 

380 

379 

378 

377 

376 

375 

374 

373 

372 

371 

970 

369 

368 

367 

366 

365 

364 

363 

362 

361 

2160 

359 

358 

357 

356 

355 

354 

353 

352 

351 

350 

- ALT 

23741 

23799 

23857 

23915 

23973 

24031 

24090 

24150 

24210 

24270 

24330 

24390 

244-50 

24510 

24570 

24690 

24750 

24810 

24870 

24930 

24990 

25050 

25113, 

2 51 74 

25235 

25298 

25360 

25422 

25484 

25546 

25608 

25670 

25732 

25794 

25856 

25918 

25980 

26044 

26108 

26172 

26236 

26900 

26364 

26428 

26492 

26556 

26E20 

24030 

DIF. 

58 

58 

58 

58 

58 

58 

60 

60 

60 

60 

60 

60 

60 

60 

A0 

. 60 

60 

60 

SO 

60 

60 

60 

60 

62 

52 

62 

A2 

62 

62 

62 

62 

62 

62 

62 

62 

62 

62 

62 

64 

A4 

64 

64 

A4 

A4 

A4 

A4 

64 

- 

a4 

349 

348 

347 

34 6 

345 

344 

343 

342 

341 

34 0 

33s 

338 

337 

336 

335 

334 

333 

332 

331 

330 

32 9 

328 

327 

326 

32 5 

324 

323 

322 

321 

320 

319 

318 

317 

316 

31 5 

314 

313 

312 

311 

3x0 

309 

308 

307 

306 

305 

304 

303 

302 

26684 64 

26748 64 

26812 A4 

26878 66 

26944 66 

27010 66 

27076 66 

27142 66 

27274 A6 

27340 66 

27406 66 

27472 66 

27538 66 

27604 66 

27670 66 

27738 68 

27806 68 

27874 68 

27942 68 

28010 68 

28078 G8 

28146 68 

28214 68 

28282 68 

28350 68 

28418 68 

28487 69 

28557 70 

28627 70 

28697 70 

28767 70 

28837 70 

28909 72 

28981 72 

29093 72 

29125 72 

29197 79 

29269 73 

29341 72 

29A13 72 

29485 72 

29557 74 

291529 74 

29701 74 

29773 74 

29045 74 

29917 74 

27208 66 

MB ALTO DIF. 

301 29989 74 

300 30061 74 

299 30139 76 

288 30217 76 

297 30295 76 

296 30373 76 

295 30451 76 

294 30529 78 

293 30607 78 

292 30685 78 

291 30763 78 

290 30841 78 

289 30919 78 

288 30977 78 

287 81075 78 

286 31153 78 

285 31231 78 

284 31809 78 

283 31387 78 

282 31465 78 

281 31544 80 

280 31624 80 

279 31704 80 

278 31784 80 

277 31864 80 

276 3L944 80 

275 32024 80 

274 32104 80 

273 32184 80 

272 32264 80 

271 32344 80 

270 32424 80 

269 32504 80 

2G0 32584 80 

267 32264 80 

266 32744 80 

26F; 32824 80 

264 32904 80 

263 72984 80 

262 32064 80 

261 83144 80 

260 33226 82 

259 33308 82 

258 33390 82 

257 33472 82 

2% 33554 82 

255 33638 84 

254 33722 84 

-99- 
MB 

2 53 

2 52 

251 

250 

249 

248 

247 

246 

245 

244 

243 

242 

241 

240 

239 

238 

237 

236 

235 

234 

233 

232 

231 

230 

229 

228 

227 

226 

225 

224 

223 

222 

221 

220 

a19 

218 

217 

216 

215 

214 

213 

212 

211 

210 

209 

208 

207 

206 

205 

- ALTO DIF. 

33806 84 

33890 84 

33974 04 

34060 86 

34146 86 

34232 86 

34318 86 

34404 86 

34490 86 

34576 86 

34662 86 

34749 00 

34837 00 

34925 88 

35013 88 

35101 88 

35189 88 

35277 88 

35367 90 

35457 90 

35547 90 

35637 90 

35727 90 

35819 90 

35911 92 

36003 92 

34095 92 

36187 92 

36281 94 

39375 94 

36469 94 

36563 94 

35658 98 

36754 96 

36850 96 

36948 96 

37042 96 

37130 98 

37236 98 

37334 98 

37432 98 

37530 98 

37530 100 

37730 100 

37830 100 

37930 100 

38032 100 

38134 102 

38236 102 

204 38338 

203 38440 

202 38544 

200 38762 

199 38858 

198 38964 

197 39070 

196 39178 

199 39286 

194 39394 

193 39502 

192 39612 

191 39721 

190 39832 

189 39944 

188 40056 

187 40168 

186 40280 

185 40392 

184 40506 

183 40622 

182 40738 

181 40854 

180 40970 

179 41086 

178 41202 

177 41821 

176 41441 

175 41551 

174 41681 

173 41801 

172 41921 

171 42044 

170 42168 

169 42292 

168 42416 

I!%? 42541 

166 42669 

165 42797 

163 43053 

162 43181 

201 38648 

1a4 a2925 

161 43311 

160 43443 

159 43575 

158 43707 

157 43839 

156 43974 

102 

102 

104 

104 

104 

106 

106 

106 

108 

108 

108 

108 

110 

110 

112 

112 

112 

112 

112 

112 

116 

116 

116 

116 

116 

118 

120 

120 

120 

120 

120 

120 

124 

le4 

124 

124 

128 

128 

128 

128 

128 

128 

132 

132 

132 

132 

132 

134 

iia 

MB 

155 

154 

153 

152 

151 

150 

149 

148 

147 

146 

145 

144 

143 

142 

141 

140 

139 

138 

la7 

136 

135 

134 

133 

132 

131 

130 

129 

128 

127 

12 6 

125 

124 

123 

122 

121 

120 

119 

118 

117 

11 6 

115 

114 

113 

112 

111 

110 

109 

108 

107 

- ALT . 44110 

44245 

44382 

44520 

44fi60 

A4800 

44940 

45081 

45225 

45513 

45657 

45804 

45952 

46100 

46240 

463400 

46552 

46704 

468FA 

47012 

47168 

4 7324 

47484 

41944 

4 '1804 

47968 

48132 

48295 

484A4 

A0632 

48800 

489639 

49141 

49313 

49488 

49664 

49840 

5 0018 

50198 

SO381 

50565 

50752 

50940 

51129 

51321 

51513 

51707 

51903 

45369 

DfF. 

136 

136 

138 

140 

140 

140 

142 

144 

144 

144 

144 

146 

148 

148 

148 

150 

152 

152 

152 

156 

I56 

156 

160 

160 

164 

164 

168 

168 

168 

172 

172 

172 

176 

176 

180 

180 

184 

184 

188 

188 

190 

192 

192 

196 

198 

- 

136 

iao 

la4 

176 

106 52099 196 

105 52299 200 

104 52499 200 

103 52701 204 

102 52905 204 

100 53316 208 

99.50 53421 105 

98.50 53631 105 

98.00 53741 110 

97.90 53851 110 

97.00 53961 110 

96.50 54071 110 

96.00 54181 110 

95.50 54291 110 

95.00 54401 110 

94.50 54511 110 

94.00 54621 110 

93.50 54733 115 

93.00 54848 3.15 

92.F.O 54963 115 

92.00 55078 115 

91.50 55433 115 

90.00 55548 115 

89.50 55653 115 

89.00 55770 120 

88.50 55890 120 

8R.00 56010 120 

87.50 56130 120 

87.00 56250 120 

86.50 56370 120 

85.00 56491 120 

85.00 56741 125 

84.50 56866 125 

84.00 56991 125 

83.50 57116 125 

83.00 57241 125 

82.50 57366 125 

82.00 57495 130 

81.50 57625 130 

e1.00 57755 130 

80.50 57885 130 

80.00 58015 130 

79.50 58145 130 

79.00 58279 135 

78.50 58414 135 

78.00 58549 135 

A MB= 30 

99.00 5352n 105 

85.50 5~m 125 

-100- 
MB ALT. 

77.50 58684 

77.00 58819 

74.50 58959 

76.00 59099 

75.50 59239 

75.00 59379 

74.50 59519 

'74.00 59659 

73.50 59799 

73.00 59943 

72.50 60068 

72.00 60233 

71.50 60378 

71.00 60527 

70.50 60677 

70.00 60827 

69.50 60977 

69.00 61131 

68.50 61286 

68.00 61441 

6'1.50 61596 

67.00 61751 

66.50 61908 

66.00 62068 

65.50 62228 

65.00 62388 

64.50 62551 

64.00 62716 

63.50 (52881 

63.00 63047 

62.50 63217 

62.00 63387 

61.50 63557 

61.00 63727 

60.50 63899 

60.00 64074 

59.50 64249 

59.00 54429 

58.50 64509 

58.00 64789 

57,50 64970 

57.00 65155 

56,50 65340 

56.00 65525 

55.50 65715 

55.00 65905 

54,50 66095 

54.00 66290 

53.50 66485 

53.00 66684 

DIF. 

153 

135 

140 

140 

140 

140 

140 

140 

140 

14 5 

145 

14 5 

14 5 

150 

150 

150 

150 

155 

155 

155 

155 

155 

160 

160 

160 

160 

16 5 

16 5 

16 5 

170 

170 

170 

170 

170 

175 

175 

175 

180 

180 

180 

185 

185 

185 

190 

190 

190 

195 

195 

200 

200 

- 

52.50 66884 

52.00 67086 

51.50 57291 

51.00 $7499 

50.50 67709 

49.50 '68137 

49.00 68352 

48,50 68567 

48.00 68782 

47.00 69207 

46.50 69432 

46.00 69669 

45.50 69899 

45.00 70132 

44.50 70367 

44.00 70607 

43.50 70048 

43.00 71093 

42.50 71338 

42.00 71585 

41.50 7l835 

41.00 72087 

40.50 72346 

40.00 72508 

39.50 72873 

39.00 73141 

38.50 73411 

38.00 73585 

37.50 73966 

37.00 74243 

36.50 74531 

36.00 74823 

35.50 75120 

35.00 75420 

34.50 75725 

34.00 76032 

33.50 76344 

33.00 76660 

32.50 76980 

32.00 77304 

31.50 77634 

31.00 77972 

30.50 78314 

30.00 78664 

29.50 79022 

29.00 79382 

28.50 79748 

28.00 80122 

50.00 67922 

47.50 68997 

2 00 

205 

205 

210 

210 

215 

215 

215 

215 

215 

220 

220 

225 

230 

230 

235 

240 

240 

245 

245 

250 

250 

255 

255 

260 

265 

270 

270 

275 

275 

280 

285 

290 

295 

300 

305 

310 

310 

315 

320 

325 

330 

335 

340 

350 

360 

360 

365 

370 

380 

27.50 80502 880 

27.00 80892 390 

26.50 81284 400 

26.00 81684 410 

25.50 82090 420 

AP= .l& 

25.00 8253.0 

24.90 82596 

24.80 82682 

24.70 82768 

24.60 82854 

24.50 82940 

24.30 83112 

24,20 83200 

24.10 83288 

24.00 83376 

23.90 83464 

23.80 83552 

23.70 83640 

23.60 83730 

23.50 83820 

23.40 83910 

23.30 84000 

23.20 84092 

23.10 84184 

23.00 84276 

22.90 843R8 

22.80 84462 

22.70 84556 

22.50 84650 

22,50 84744 

22,40 84838 

22.30 84932 

22.20 84028 

22.10 84124 

22.00 85220 

21.90 85316 

21.80 85412 

21.70 85508 

21.60 85606 

21.50 85704 

21.40 85802 

21.30 85900 

21.20 86000 

21.10 85100 

21.00 86200 

20,90 86300 

20.80 86402 

24,40 83026 

84 

86 

86 

86 

86 

86 

86 

86 

88 

88 

88 

88 

88 

90 

90 

90 

90 

92 

92 

92 

92 

94 

94 

94 

94 

94 

9A 

96 

96 

96 

96 

96 

96 

98 

98 

98 

98 

100 

100 

100 

100 

102 

88 

20.70 86504 no2 

ME ALT. 

20.60 86606 

20.50 86708 

20.40 86812 

20.30 86916 

20.20 87020 

20.10 87124 

20.00 87228 

19.90 87334 

19.80 87440 

19,70 87546 

19.60 87654 

19.50 87762 

19.40 87870 

19.30 87978 

19.20 28088 

19.10 88198 

19.00 88308 

18.90 88418 

18.80 88532 

18.70 88646 

18.60 88760 

163.50 88874 

18.40 88988 

18.30 89102 

18.80 89216 

18.10 89330 

18.00 89448 

17.90 89566 

17.80 89684 

17,70 89802 

17.(rO 89920 

l'l.!!o 90039 

17.40 90160 

17.30 90282 

17.20 90404 

17.10 90526 

17.00 90648 

16.90 90774 

1p.eo 90900 

16.70 91026 

1P.60 91152 

16.50 91278 

16.40 91408 

lC.30 91538 

16.20 91668 

16.10 91798 

16.00 91928 

155.90 92064 

15.70 92336 

15,eO 92200 

DIF 

102 

102 

104 

104 

104 

104 

104 

106 

106 

106 

108 

108 

108 

108 

110 

110 

110 

110 

114 

114 

114 

114 

114 

114 

114 

114 

118 

118 

118 

118 

118 

118 

122 

122 

122 

122 

122 

126 

126 

126 

126 

126 

130 

130 

130 

130 

136 

156 

136 

- 

130 

-101- 
MB ALT. DIF. AdB ALTO DIF.. MB ALT. DIF. 

15.60 92472 

15.80 92608 

15.40 92744 

15.30 92886 

15.20 93028 

15.10 93170 

15.00 93312 

14.90 93454 

14.80 93596 

14.70 93738 

14.60 93880 

14.50 94022 

14.40 94164 

14.30 94306 

14.20 94454 

14.10 94602 

14.00 94750 

13.90 94898 

13.80 95046 

13.70 95200 

13.60 98360 

13.50 95520 

13.40 95680 

13.30 95840 

13.20 96000 

13.10 96160 

13.00 96320 

12.90 96480 

12.80 96648 

12.70 96816 

12.50 97152 

12.40 97320 

12.30 97498 

12.20 97676 

12.10 97854 

12.00 98032 

11.90 98210 

11.80 98388 

11.70 98566 

12.60 96984 

136 

136 

136 

142 

142 

142 

142 

142 

142 

142 

142 

142 

142 

142 

148 

140 

148 

148 

148 

154 

160 

160 

160 

160 

160 

160 

160 

160 

188 

168 

168 

168 

168 

178 

178 

178 

$78 

170 

178 

178 

11.60 98744 178 

11.50 98922 178 

11.40 99100 178 

11.30 99288 188 

11.20 99476 188 

11.10 99664 188 

11.00 99852 188 

10.90 100040 188 

10.80 lOOe38 198 

10.70 ,100436 198 

10.60 100534 198 

10.50 100832 198 

10.40 101030 198 

10.30 101240 210 

10.20 101450 210 

10.10 101660 210 

10.00 101870 210 

9.90 102080 210 

9.80 102304 224 

9.70 102528 224 

9.80 102752 224 

9.50 102976 224 

9.40 103200 224 

9.30 103424 224 

9.20 103648 224 

9.10 103872 224 

9.00 104096 224 

8.90 104342 246 

8.80 104588 246 

8.70 104834 246 

8.60 105080 245 

8.50 105326 246 

8.40 105572 246 

8.30 105818 246 

8.20 106064 246 

8.10 106339 275 

8.00 106614 275 

7.90 106889 275 

7.80 107164 275 

7.70 107439 275 

7.60 107714 275 

7.50 107989 275 

7.40 108296: 307 

7.30 108603 307 

7.20 108910 307 

7.10 109217 307 

7.00 109524 307 

6.90 109831 307 

6.80 110138 307 

6.70 110482 344 

6.60 110828 346 

6.50 111174 346 

6.40 111520 346 

6.30 111866 346 

6.20 112246 380 

6.10 112626 380 

6.00 113006 380 

5.90 113386 380 

5.80 113766 380 

5.70 114146 380 

5.60 114578 452 

5.50 115010 432 

5.40 115442 432 

5.30 115874 432 

5.20 116338 464 

5.10 lle802 464 

5.00 117266 464 

4.90 117730 464 

4.80 118194 464 

4.70 118724 530 

4.60 119254 530 

4.60 119784 530 

4.40 120352 568 

4.30 120920 568 

4.20 121488 568 

4.10 1220565 568 

4.00 122695 640 

3.90 13,3336 640 

3.80 123979 640 

3.70 124672 696 

3.60 126368 696 

3.50 $26064 696 

3.40 126858 794 

3.30 127652 794 

3.20 128464 812 

3.10 129276 812 

3.00 180088 812 

2.90 131032 944 

2.80 131976 944 

2.70 132984 1008 

2.60 133992 1008 

2.50 135074 1082 

2.40 136156 1082 

2.30 137438 1282 

2.20 138720 1282 

2.10 140002 1282 

2.00 141462 1460 

1.90 142922 1460 

1.80 144382 1460 

1.70 146182 1800 

1.60 148062 1880 

1.50 150040 1978 

1.40 152176 2136 

1.30 154984 2208 

1.20 156792 2408 

1.10 160040 3248 

l.0C 153538 9498 

-10 2- 
Table 2 

TEMPERATURE IN N.A.C.A. STANDARD ATHOSpB19RE 

0 

1,000 

2,000 

3,000 

4,000 

5,000 

7,000 

9,000 

10,000 

11,000 

12,000 

6,000 

8,000 

13,000 

14,000 

15,000 

16,000 

17,000 

18,000 

i9,oeo 

20,000 

21,000 

22,000 

23,000 

24,000 

25,000 

27,000 

29,000 

30,000 

31,000 

32,000 

33,000 

34,000 

35,000 

35,332 

37,000 

38,000 

89,000 

40,000 

41,000 

42,000 

44,000 

45,000 

26,000 

28,000 

36,000 

43,000 

46,000 

47,000 

15 

13 

11 

9.1 

5.1 

3m1 

1.1 

- 0.8 

- 4.8 

- 6.8 

- 0.8 

-10.8 

-12.7 

-14 7 

-16 , 7 

018.7 

-20 , 7 

-22.6 

024 6 

-26.6 

-28.6 

-30.6 

-32.5 

-34.5 

-36.5 

-38.5 

-40.5 

-42.5 

-44,4 

-46.4 

-48 , 4 

-50.4 

-52.4 

-54 . 3 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

7.1 

- 2.8 

48,000 

51,000 

52,000 

53,000 

54,000 

56,000 

58,000 

61,000 

62,000 

63,000 

64,000 

65,000 

66,000 

49,000 

50,000 

55,000 

57,000 

59,000 

60,000 

67,000 

@43,000 

69,000 

73,000 

70,000 

71,000 

72,000 

74,000 

75,000 

76,000 

77,000 

78,000 

79,000 

82,000 

83,000 

85,000 

86,000 

87,000 

88,000 

89,000 

92,000 

93,000 

80,000 

81,000 

84,000 

90,000 

91,000 

94,000 

95,000 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-ss 

-55 

-55 

- 55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-35 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-5F 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

96,000 

97,000 

90,000 

99,000 

100,000 

102,000 

108,000 

110,000 

112,000 

11 6,000 

120,000 

122,000 

126,000 

la8 ,000 

104,000 

104,987 

106,000 

114,000 

118,000 

124,000 

130,000 

132,000 

134,000 

136,000 

140,000 

142,000 

144,000 

146,000 

148,000 

152,000 

154,000 

158,000 

150,000 

15~,000 

lr;S,OOO 

1ri0,000 

162,000 

164,000 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-55 

-52.9 

-48.5 

-43 , 9 

-39 . 5 

-35.0 

-30.6 

-26.1 

-21.6 

-17m1 

-12.7 

- 8.2 

- 3,7 + ,72 + 5m2 + 9.7 

+14.2 

i18 , 6 

+23 . 1 

+27.6 

+32.1 

+so. 5 

+41.0 

445.5 

+50.0 

+54.4 

+58.9 

+63.4 

t67.8 

+V2,3 

4.76.8 
Table 3 

Table of flows in &r0 from "Spinnerette Orificer" 

dia . (in ioohes) 

003 

0004 

.005 

*006 

.007 

e008 

.009 

0010 

.011 

.012 

at 24 Hd. 

35 

62.8 

97.5 

141 

192 

251 

317 

3 92 

4v4 

564 

Q (apal) 

at 22 Hd. 

33 05 

60 

93.5 

194 

184 

241 

So3 

375 

453 

540 

in &. 

at 20" Hd. I at 18" €Id. 

32 

57 

8808 

128 

175 

229 

28 9 

358 

433 

515 

30.5 

54.5 

8405 

122 

166 

217 

274 

540 

410 

488 

i) 

Q1 

3,= (G) 

-104- 
Table 4 

General Mills Actual Balloon Estimated Groa 

Yominal Diameter Volume Weight Load Limit 

ft. 0U.f t. kg kg 

7 200 0.6 1.5 to 5 

20 4300 3.8 to . 7 to 36 

5 00 

30 12,700 8.9 12 to 60 

70 m,ooo 41 to 54 50 to 175 

- 

Altitude 

Range 

ft. 

38,000 to 

0 

68,000 to 

37,000 

82,000 to 

50,000 

110,000 tl 

84 , 000 

-105- 
-106- 
’. . , .- 

-107 - 
-108- 
Greph 4 

-10 9- 

3 
Note: On flights made in February, 1949, spring 

bcnr appendix closers were used successfully with 

rates of rise exceeding 1000 feet per minute. Of 

those described on page 10, this type of appendix 

stiffener is now recommended. 
25 

Combined History [Selected Pages] 

509th Bomb Group and Roswell 

September 1947 

Amy Airfield 

... 

I 

i 

1 

! 

! 

i 

! 

I 

! 

i 

! 

i 

! 

I 

-. . 

,- ... ~ . ... ....................... 1 *.,. .. :q:,L ;'., ~ , ,.., . '..< :..^.'''-' ..-' 2 . , ..... 

- 

.. 

.... 

...... ..

- ............................. . 

1 SLPTLMBLR 1947 THROUGH 30 SLPTEMBliR 1947 

__ ........ I. -_- -- :-. Crx Ll .i'&, ;;.: , -1 .. * .~,~ +&a%------- - . _.._ *.- .. ... .. ,, h ......... '. . 
n 3 Septesber 1947 - Coloml Pelha' Jl. 'dasford, Eighth Air E'orcc Air 

Inspectorts 9€fice and Lt. Colonel Zohn A. Roberts, 

BssisAah C"hj.ef of Stsf, arrived for general 

fwil&zation xiti? various zctivities OT, the field 

as pzrkins to their respective Sobs. 

3 S;epts&er !.9b7 - 201. John 2. Xyzn, A-3; Lt. Colonel Cdvin t'l. Fib, 

Jr., Lt. Coionel &rl V. Ekstrad, LLColonel 3ay C. 

i$1ton, Lhjor Leroy S. English, Captain Floyd R. 

Creasman, CaTtLn Jams X. Erzicy, all frcn &crdquarters. 

Eic'nth Air Force, arrived here for a confereoce and 

iwpccting and coordiration ;vith various sections on 

the base. Lt. COlOr?elS Haman and Ord arrived from 

Albnrquerque for the conference. 

& Sc74rxker 14h7 - The above-rimed group departed foz Forth ;7orth and 

JSepte~ber 1$&7 - LU.. Lsmence A. Cezson, Sr., Eason represenktive 

Tucson. 

from ~zn Antonio, called on Colonel alznchzrd. 

.-v- 10 September 19117 - Lr. r'eoples, iIir.!kcban and First Lieutenant llompson from Air iGte;.ial Coma& arrived on the field to 

inspect Air ieterial Conmnnd instzllaticrs znd to 

confer with Lt. Colonel Ertley. 

il SeFtenker 15h7 - saptaia J. P. brgan, from Headquarters Eighth hir 

Force, ;72s here to confer with the &@.neering Gfficer, 

C2ptain ?etei-son, in rqard to tho 2e-icer boot on 

C-Slr aircrdt. 

12 Ser:ten%er 19117 - Inspection terrr;s from this Base impacted vzrious 

1s SeTtenbcr 19k7 - Troops from Roswell Amy kL+ieJ.d tiarched in a 

n 

ase activities, orgcmizations, a& icstdlations. 

parade in the city of Hoswell at 1030 for the benefit 

of tfidCh-lvez County ikrnorial Youth Center. 

.4ir Insyector, !idjutaEt and Cor.mz3hding Qfficers of 

the 393rd, 830th~ and. 715th 30mb sqcadrcns was held 

in tifie Control Zoom to &scus..j the rocrganization. 

15 Se?ter&er. 1$k7 - A neetin& of S-1, 5-2, S-3, S-h, DCC, Executive, 

79 
33 

‘‘Mensuration Working Paper,” with 

Febmary 15, 1994 

Photo and Drawing 

Mensuration Working Paper 

TARGET NAVE ROSWELI, N.MX. 

IMACF. ID. 

IMAGERY A\AL\ST LT, MCA,~REW 

IHACEHY SCILSTIST 

FWST(UTA) NEGENV. #2026. NEG #1 

DIVISIOPi DOD 

- DATE R&TL'RITI, 26JI.X-91 

PI'o'E 703-693-2013 

PIIO\E 

'COWPAIUTOR N/A HWLREHEhTS 

I MEKSURATION RESULTS: I 

STEREO IIOLKS 

PHOTOGRAPH AND CAMERA MFORMATION: 

GROUND PHOTOGRAPHS- FWST(UTA) NEG. ENV. #2026, NEG #1- #4. TAKEN JULY 8,1947. 

CAMERA TYPE- SPEED GRAPHIC ( 4" X 5" FORMAT) 

NOMJNAL FOCAL LENGTHS- 127mm, 135mm and 1 SOmm(M0ST COMMON). 

THE FOCAL LENGTH CALCULATED FOR THE CAMERA USED TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPH NEG #I rs EQUAL TO 

121mm. 

ASSUMPTIONS: 

BROWN WRAPPING PAPER ON FLOOR UNDER OBJECT OF MTEREST IS ASSUMED To HAVE A WIDTH OF 35.5 f 3". 

RADIATOR ON LEFT SIDE OF THE PHOTOGRAPH IS ASSUMED TO HAVE A TOTAL HEIGHT OF 28 f 2". 

MEASUREMENTS: 

STICK MEASUREMENTS: 

LENGTH 

ID. 0 (N 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

C 

H 

BASE BOARD 

0.7 27.6" 

0.6 23.6" 

0.9 35.4" 

0.5 19.7" 

0.5 19.7" 

0.4 15.7" 

0.4 15.7" 

0.6 23.6 

0.1 3.9" 

WIDTH 

0 (N 

0.01 0.4" 

0.01 0.4" 

0.02 0.8" 

0.02 0.8" 

0.01 0.4" 

0.01 0.4" 

- - 

- I 

- - 

NOTE: THE ACCURACYSTATEMENT IS 10% OF THE REPORTED LENGTHS AND WIDTHS. 

PACENO. 1 of 1 

I9 

;a 

I 

I 

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PHOTOGRAPH SECTION 
General Carl A. Spaatz, Commanding General, U.S. Army Air Forces, 

1947. Gen Spaatz was the Chief of Staff, United States Air Force, 

1947-1948. A review of his personal and official documents, including 

highly classified daily briefings for the summer of 1947, do not in any way 

suggest that U.S. Army Air Forces recovered a flying saucer or its alien 

occupants. US. Air Force Photo. 
Lt. Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Deputy Commander, U.S. Army Air Forces, 1947. 

General Vandenberg served as Chief of Staff, United States Air Force 1947-1953. He 

is alleged to have directed the recovery of a flying saucer at Roswell Army Air Field 

on July 8, 1947. A review of his official daily activities calendar revealed his 

knowledge of a reported flying saucer recovery on July 7 in Texas, an incident that he 

later determined to be a hoax. Records do not support the claim that he had any similar 

involvement on July 8, as charged by crashed saucer conspiracy theorists (see Atch 15). 

US. Air Force Photo. 
General Nathan F. Twining, Commanding General, Air Mat6riel 

Command, 1947. General Twining was Chief of Staff, United States Air 

Force, 1953-1957. UFO theorists allege that General Twining altered his 

plans unexpectedly in July 1947 to go to New Mexico to oversee the 

recovery of a flying saucer. However, records indicate that Twining went 

to New Mexico in July 1947, along with several other general officers, to 

attend the Nuclear Bomb Commanders Course. He received orders to 

attend this course more than a month before the alleged “incident” 

occurred (see Atch 14). U.S. Air Force Photo. 
Maj. Gen. Curtis E. LeMay (Zefi) and Brig. Gen. Roger M. Ramey are 

shown here while serving in Kharagpur, India, during World War II. u.S. 

Air Force Photo. 

General Curtis E. LeMay was Deputy Chief of Air Staff for Research 

and Development, U.S. Army Air Forces, in 1947, and later Chief of Staff, 

United States Air Force, 1961-1965. As Deputy Chief of Air Staff for 

Research and Development, LeMay had a strong influence on the highpriority Project MOGUL (see Apps 8 and 9). He also maintained close 

associations throughout his career with former subordinates from World 

War 11 bombing campaigns, including Brig. Gen. Roger M. Ramey and 

Col. William H. Blanchard. 

Brig. Gen, Roger M. Ramey was the Commanding General, Eighth Air 

Force, in 1947. He is alleged to have participated in the cover-up of the 

recovery of an extraterrestrial vehicle by substituting debris from an 

ordinary weather balloon for that of an alien spacecraft. In fact, General 

Ramey displayed the original debris recovered from the ranch, which came 

from a MOGUL balloon train. Ramey withheld only the components that 

would have compromised the highly sensitive project (see Atch 16). 
Col. William H. Blanchard, Commander 509th Bomb Group, 1947, and 

later, Vice Chief of Staff, United States Air Force, 1965-1966. As 

commander of Roswell Army Airfield and the 509th Bomb Group, 

Blanchard is alleged to have secretly directed the recovery of a flying 

saucer while pretending to be on leave. Records indicate that Blanchard 

was on leave, departing Roswell on July 8 and returning on July 23, 1947 

(see Atch 11). US. Air Force Photo. 
Maj. Gen. Clements McMullen, Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategic Air 

Command, 1947. General McMullen is alleged to have directed General 

Ramey to cover up the recovery of an extraterrestrial craft and crew. After 

an extensive search, the “Command Correspondence” file for the period 

was located. This file contained privileged and classified information of the 

highest order between McMullen and Ramey-it contained no information 

to support the outrageous claim. 
Brig. Gen. Donald N. Yates, Chief, Air Weather Service, 1947, and later, 

Deputy Director of Defense for Research and Engineering. Crashed saucer 

theorists contend Yates participated in a conspiracy by confirming the 

weather balloon explanation for the mysterious debris. They also contend 

that the debris recovered by the rancher was transported to Andrews AAF, 

MD (near Washington, DC), to be examined by high government officials 

including the President. In reality, Andrews AAF was the home of the 

Army Air Forces Air Weather Service and would be a probable location 

for debris, which contained components of weather equipment, to be identified. US. Air Force Photo. 
Project MOGUL Field 

Operations Director Albert P. Crary maintained a journal of his 

professional activities 

including Project MOGUL research in the 

summer of 1947. Portions of his journal provided details necessary 

to reconstruct events not 

available from published 

MOGUL reports (see App 

17). In addition to his 

work for the Air Force, 

this world-enowned scientist is credited with 

significant contributions 

to the study of Polar 

regions; a research tenter at McMurdo Station, 

Antarctica was recently 

named in his honor. 

Albert P. Crary (left) and technician 

Phil Chantz taking a break during 

Project MOGUL operations at White 

Sands Proving Ground, NM, July 

1947. 
Dr. W. Maurice Ewing, preeminent geophysicist and oceanographer. It was Ewing who 

first conceptualized the 

military significance of 

the atmospheric sound 

channel. His proposal, 

made directly to the 

Commanding General 

U.S. Army Air Forces, 

General Carl Spaatz, 

was well received and 

resulted in the initiation 

of Project MOGUL (see 

App 6). Photo Courtesy of 

Woods Hole Oceanographic 

Institution. 

The distinguished scientists Albert P. 

Crary (left) and Dr. W. Maurice 

Ewing collaborated at various scientific research institutions throughout 

their careers, in addition to performing their work for the U.S. Air Force. 

In the course of their collaborations, 

these men had affiliations with 

Lehigh University, Columbia University, and Woods Hole Oceanographic 

Institution. 
Dr. Athelstan F. Spilhaus (left) and Col. Marcellus 

Duffy appear here serving as members of HQ USAAF 

Liaison Group to the U.S. Army Signal Corps, Saipan, in 

1944. Photo Courtesy of Mrs. Emily Dufi. 

Dr. Athelstan F. Spilhaus, Director of Research at New 

York University, oversaw but had no direct involvement 

in the activities of the NYU Balloon Group or the alleged 

incident. He did, however, serve on various high-level 

panels which set military and national policy, including 

the USAF Scientific Advisory Board (1953-1957). When 

asked, for the purpose of this report-and released from 

any security oaths he may have taken-if he ever had 

knowledge of a recovery of an extraterrestrial vehicle or 

its occupants by the U.S. Government, his unqualified 

response was “no.” 

Col. Marcellus Duffy, a highly capable scientific 

research officer, was a MOGUL project officer. Maj. Gen. 

Curtis LeMay, Deputy Chief of Air Staff for Research 

and Development, turned to Colonel Duffy to make 

adjustments to MOGUL after the project’s progress was 

determined to be inadequate (see App 8). 
Capt. Albert C. Trakowski 

who succeeded Colonel Duffy as 

MOGUL Project Officer, confirmed in a recent interview that 

the debris mistaken for part of a 

flying saucer was flown to 

Wright Field (now Wright-Patterson AFB) OH, not for scientific analysis as alleged by UFO 

theorists, but for Colonel Duffy’s personal identification. Photo 

Courtesy of Col. Albert Trakowski. 

MOGUL Project Scientist Dr. 

James Peoples. Peoples’s decision not to bring the radiosonde 

tracking equipment for the 

NYU field trip in June 1947 

prompted Project Engineer C.B. 

Moore to attach additional radar targets to the MOGUL balloon trains. The targets, seldom 

used in the continental United 

States, were recovered by the 

rancher and mistaken to be part 

of a flying saucer. 
Charles B. Moore, NYU Constant-Level Balloon Project Engineer. Moore pioneered the use of polyethylene balloons for upper atmospheric research. He 

launched NYU flight No. 4 on June 4, 1947, which was the balloon train most 

likely to have caused what is known today as the “Roswell Incident.” Moore is 

presently Professor Emeritus of Atmospheric Physics at New Mexico Institute of 

Mining and Technology, Soccoro, NM. Photo Courtesy of C.B. Moore. 
Sitting in the back of the truck (left) is a U.S. Army GR-3 Sound Ranging Set, 

normally used by field artillery observation units but adapted for use in Project 

MOGUL. The set was employed for the MOGUL operations at White Sands Proving 

Ground in July 1947. The detonation, or “shot” (right), of 500 pounds of TNT 

was monitored at White Sands Proving Ground, NM, in July 1947, by Project 

MOGUL balloon and ground-based sensors. Photo Collection of Alberr P. Crary. 

This modified PT boat that was assigned to Project MOGUL is 

shown here off Block Island, RI. Col. Marcellus Duffy eliminated 

it and several others from the project when Headquarters U.S. 

Army Air Forces expressed concerns over the progress of MOGUL 

under the previous project officer. Photo collection of Albert P. Crary. 
Launch of Project MOGUL neoprene balloons, Alamogordo AAF, 

NM, June 1947. While awaiting the experimental polyethylene 

balloons, NYU engineers utilized long trains of the smaller neoprene 

balloons as a stopgap method of placing their acoustic sensors in the 

upper atmosphere. These balloon trains consisted of a variety of 

equipment and measured more than 600 feet long (see Atch 25). Photo 

Collection of Albert P. Crary. 

Standard 350-gram meteorological weather balloons in the North 

Hangar at Alamogordo AAF for use by Project MOGUL in June 

1947. Although the balloons themselves were common, the remainder 

of the equipment on the MOGUL trains was experimental or had been 

recently placed in service (see Atch 25). It would not be unusual for 

individuals uninvolved in the development of these devices not to 

recognize them. Photo Courtesy of C.B. Moore. 
A New York University launch crew prepares a MOGUL balloon train for flight 

(Holloman AFB, NM, 1948). The three ML-307C/AP corner reflectors (left) are 

of the type that W.W. “Mac” Braze1 recovered on a ranch near Corona, NM, in 

June 1947. 

C.B. Moore, New York University Constant Level Balloon Project Engineer 

(left and standing), adjusts an ANFMQ-1 radiosonde receivedrecorder. The 

absence of this equipment on the first NYU field trip in June 1947 (it was left 

behind in New York due to space limitations of the B-17 aircraft) prompted 

Moore to attach additional ML-307CIAP corner reflectors to MOGUL flights. The 

addition of the oddly constructed reflectors, intended to enhance radar returns, 

contributed to the confusion when Mogul Flight No. 4 returned to earth and was 

mistaken for a part of a flying saucer. Moore (right and reaching down) prepares 

experimental Project MOGUL microphones for launch (Holloman AFE3 , Alamogordo, NM, July 1948). 
This 15-foot polyethylene balloon (left) 

and 70-foot polyethylene balloon (above) 

are. representative of the type used extensively by Project MOGUL. It is this variety 

of balloon that caused many UFO sightings 

due to their flat, spherical appearance 

when viewed from the ground. 
A blimp hangar at Lakehurst Naval Air Station, NJ (left), contains a Project MOGUL balloon 

during its preparation for flight. Lying on the desert floor near Roswell, NM, in July 1948 

(right) is a Project MOGUL balloon. Due to the prevailing westerlies, MOGUL balloons often 

descended in the vicinity of Roswell after launch from Alamogordo. The unpredictability and 

hazards to aircraft presented by the balloons prompted the Civil Aviation Administration (now 

the Federal Aviation Administration) to conduct a hearing addressing safety concerns of balloons 

landing in the Roswell area (see App 13, pp. 43-44). 
Also used during Project MOGUL were balloons developed by Seyfang Laboratories, the 

inventors of the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons. These balloons were easily 

mistaken for flying saucers due to their shape and metallic exterior coating. 
Project MOGUL balloon train components (above) can be compared with the debris recovered 

from the Foster ranch and shown at Forth Worth Army Airfield with Maj. Jesse Marcel. Crashed 

saucer theorists allege that the debris depicted with Major Marcel is not the original debris 

collected from the Foster ranch. A switch is alleged to have taken place after the material arrived 

from Roswell AAF. However, detailed analysis and interviews with individuals who viewed and 

handled the debris verify it to be completely consistent with the materials launched by Project 

MOGUL and subsequently recovered at the Foster ranch. 

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