Documents / FOIA release
This Central Intelligence Agency memorandum for information, dated 3 September 1955 and signed by the Chief of the Applied Science Division, SI, assesses a reported sighting of two unconventional aircraft. It compares the objects to Project "Y", a 30 ft circular wing that Avro Aircraft Ltd. in Canada is developing under US Air Force contract, directed by John Frost. The memo suggests the Soviets may have such craft in service, but says more details of the sighting are needed before it can be evaluated properly.
Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.
MEMORANDUM FOR INFORMATION. SUBJECT: Reported Sighting of Unconventional Aircraft 1. The objects reportedly sighted are described to be similar to Project "Y" which is in the research stage at ivro Aircraft Ltd., Canada, under contract to the US Air Force. 2. Several design studies have been made on Project "Y". The present study calls for a circular wing 30 ft. in diameter and about 1.1 ft. thick. Its performance is to be as follows: Speed H 3 Rate of climb 120,000 ft. min. Ceiling 102,000 ft. Range 700 n.m. 3. The present effort consists of wind tunnel testing sponsored to the extent of $800,000 by the US Air Force. 4. Project "Y" is being directed by John Frost. Mr. Frost is reported to have obtained his original idea for the flying machine from a group of Germans just after World War II. The Soviets may also have obtained information from this German group. 5. Since two objects were reportedly seen in operation at one time in an area where it is most unlikely that experimental flying would be conducted, it is likely that these objects were in service. This would indicate very rapid progress in this development for the Soviets. It does, however, seem inconsistent that the Soviets; if they have such an object in service, would continue their large development and production programs on conventional type aircraft. 6. Since our first information on Project "Y" in early 1953, ASD has been on the alert for information which right indicate that the Soviets were working on such a project. Prior to the sighting by such information has been available.
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FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. The text was read from the page images by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word. 3 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.