roswell

Permission to use the MPS-6 in tracking further V-2 missiles having
been received, plans were formulated for operation in conjunction
?lith the missile scheduled to be fired Thursday, 22 July and post-
poned until Monday, 26 July at 1100. Plans contemplated that the
crew on the M-2 Optical Tracker would track visually at all times
during the flight with their elevation and azimuth readings repeated
on the antenna. The MPS-6 antenna was initially positioned in azi-
muth 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 MPH 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 MPH as set on the motors, at which
time the video motor would be activated and range tracking thrown
to aAided." It was planned to throw antenna control to the M-2
Tracker only if target failed to show or if extended "loss" subse-
quently occurred.
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 aircraft was observed on the scopes at a
range beyond the launcher directly in line with it and flying in
towards 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 cal-
culated range to the launcher (62,800 yards). This pip went almost
instantly to far beyond saturation, and all grass disappeared from
the scopes. The Azimuth and Elevation, and Range controls were cen-
tered 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 sec-
onds after automatic control was thrown in, at which time grass ap-
peared on the scopes and the signal fell rapidly to zero and the an-
tenna 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 ~he range gate, and believing this to be
the rocket, this pip was trued up and antenna locked in "Automatic"
and this target was tracked for a period of about 10 seconds or
until it v1as noted that range was decreasing and elevation was sta-
tionary at the horizon while the M-2 Elevation repeater showed the
optical tracker to be looking at approximately 50 degrees. Realiz-
ing 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 M-2 crew lost the missile. During
this time, no target was visible at any time and no further radar
contact was made with the missile. However, slightly before the
missile impact wao beard, a cluster ot small echoes were found at a