Documents / Report
This Black Vault copy of Air Force records centers on the Project Twinkle Final Report, which Louis Elterman of the Geophysics Research Division wrote on 27 November 1951. Project Twinkle investigated green fireballs and other light phenomena in New Mexico using Askania cameras run by Land-Air at Vaughn and Holloman AFB. Elterman found the results essentially negative, with most sightings put down to aircraft, balloons, birds, clouds and meteors. He recommended no further spending. The file also includes the 1949 and 1950 correspondence that set up the project and 1952 memos about declassifying it.
• • • • •• • UNCLASSlF\ED Bas Ltr fr Hqs, Al·1C, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton Ohio dtd 9 December 1949, Sub: Light Phenomena 2nd Ind. Hq AMC, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio 17 May 1950 TO: Director of Research and Development ,Hq, USAF, Washington 25, D. c. ATTN: AFMRS-4 1. Since the date of basic correspondence this Conm~nd has been able to initiate subject project on a limited basjs utilizing personnel and eqttipment which have become available at Holloman Air Force Base. For your information the investigation involves the following observa- tional techniques: a .. Optical tracking with Aska..'l'lia photo theodolites in order to provide trajectory datn and photo records. b. Optical spectra-photography using standard cameras ~nth suitable diffraction gratings. c . Radio spectrum analysis through the range from 500 kc to 4000 me. This portion of the program will be shortly started with the Signal Corps providing equipment and personnel. 2. The request of this Comnand as contained in Paragraph 2 of basi c correspondence is withdrawn. In view of this, prior RDB approval for the project is not bt!!lieved necessary. This COimnand will take action to co- ordinate the project through normal channels. 3 .. In order to better evaluate the results of the investigation outlined in Paragraph 1 above, it would be very desirable to have the activities of the 17th District OSI at Kirtland Air Force Base re-ini~iate in making field investigations of light phenomena report s. Such report s would be important in the verification of any results of the project work at Holloman. It is therefore requested that action be truten for re-ini- tiation of the 17th District OSI investigations for the period of this project . FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL: e, S, R, BRENTNALL Major General, USAF Director, Research and Development .UO\VNGRADED AT 3 YEAR lJ. ,TERVA!JS; DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS. DOD DIR 5200.10 • -
Report, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 34 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.