28940713.pdf

PROJECT 10973 RECORD CARD

|  1. DATE | LOCATION | 2. CONCLUSIONS  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  21 Jan 52 | MITCHEL AFB, NEW YORK | ☐ Gas Balloon ☐ Probably Balloon ☑ Possible Balloon  |
|  3. DATE-TIME GROUP | 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION | ☐ Gas Air ☐ Probably Aircraft ☐ Possibly Air  |
|  Local 21/0950 EST OUT 21/1450 Z | ☐ Ground-Vessel ☐ Ground Radar ☑ Air-Vessel ☐ Accommodation Radar |   |
|  5. PHOTOS | 6. SOURCE | ☐ Gas Accommodated ☐ Probably Accommodated ☐ Possible Accommodation  |
|  ☐ Yes ☑ No | Navy Pilot |   |
|  7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION | 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE  |
|  2½ min. | 1…

UNCLASSIFIED
SECRET STATUS REPORT 4

APPENDIX II

Mitchel AFB, New York - 21 January 1952

I. DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT

At approximately 0950 EST on 21 January 1952, a U.S. Navy pilot flying a TBM aircraft sighted an unidentified object southeast of Mitchel AFB. The TBM was on a heading at approximately 45°. When first noticed, the object was low at an angle of about 45° from the aircraft. The location of the aircraft was about three runways lengths from the end of, and lined up with, Runway #30 (300°). The object appeared to be halfway between the aircraft and the end of the runway. The pilot'…

UNCLASSIFIED

While the object was in level flight it appeared to oscillate with a slow period.

The total time elapsed was estimated to be about two and one half minutes.

## II. STATUS OF INVESTIGATION

A field trip was made to Mitchel AFB to reinterrogate the pilot and other personnel having knowledge of facts pertaining to the sighting. The pilot's description of the incident was the same as was stated in his original report. His added details have been incorporated into Section I of this Appendix.

At 0950 EST on 21 January 1952, the weather section of Michel AFB launched a Rawinsonde bal…

CONFIDENTIAL

same angle of vision as a house. This would make the slant range to the ground 8,500 ft. It can be shown that an object thought to be 30 ft. in diameter (assuming an average home is 30 ft. long) at 8,500 ft. range could also have been a six ft. diameter balloon only 1,700 ft. from the observer or at about 4,800 ft. altitude. Allowing for errors in estimation of the angle, this coincides very closely to the altitude of the balloon at 0954. The position of the balloon in respect to the ground was approximately off the end of Runway #30.

The pilot stated that the object appeared to…

UNCLASSIFIED

The time to turn, with a 1,500 ft. radius, is 35 seconds. Assuming the turn was not a perfect circle but more of an ellipse, the time would increase to possibly 45 seconds. This is also a discrepancy since the pilot judged the elapsed time to be two and one half minutes. This is not a serious discrepancy, however, as it is known that short intervals are difficult to judge and the pilot did not actually time his maneuvers.

The description of the object could very well be that of a balloon. Observations have shown that a balloon appears to be more oval or down-shaped than spherica…

DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALS:
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.
DOD DIR 5200.10

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EXTRACT STATUS REPORT #3
CONFIDENTIAL
UNCLASSIFIED
APPENDIX II
Mitchell Air Force Base - 22 January 1952

I. DISCUSSION OF INCIDENT

At approximately 0950 EST on 22 January 1952, a U. S. Navy pilot flying a TBM type aircraft sighted a disc-shaped object near Mitchell Air Force Base, New York. The object appeared to be light, "like a nylon parachute canopy", with a dark under surface. It was estimated to be 20 feet to 30 feet in diameter with a 3:1 diameter to thickness ratio.

The object appeared to be circling Mitchell Air Force Base and the observer was able to get near the object by cutting…

TRIP REPORT

I. General

The first contact at Mitchel AFB was with Lt Col Clark, Director of
Intelligence for ConAC and his assistant, Major Wulff. They reviewed what
they knew about the sighting, giving no new into, and called Major Dubisher,
Operations Officer from Mitchel AFB who had written up the initial Form 112.
Major Dubisher then reviewed the incident. Everyone at both ConAC Hq and Mitchel
were extremely cooperative.

II. Mitchel Weather Station

These people could give no further info other than the winds aloft in more
detail. The balloon had been tracked by radar. It was hoped that …