Documents / Official release
This is a Secret History Staff monograph by Gregory W. Pedlow and Donald E. Welzenbach of the Central Intelligence Agency, published in 1992. It gives a history of the CIA's manned overhead reconnaissance program from 1954 to 1974, covering the development and operation of the U-2 and the A-12 OXCART aircraft. It covers overflights of the Soviet Union, the 1960 downing of Francis Gary Powers, and later operations. One section is titled "U-2s, UFOs, and Operation BLUE BOOK."
From the source:Release of 2026-06-12 This CIA History Staff document chronicles the complete history of the U-2 and OXCART (A-12) high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft programs from 1954 to 1974, detailing their development, operations over the Soviet Union and other targets worldwide, the famous downing of Francis Gary Powers in 1960, organizational reforms following that incident, and the eventual transfer of operations from CIA to Air Force control. A more redacted version of this document has been available on CIA's public website.
“United Press”17 pages
132 Saaret NOF6ftl'II Chapter 3 Wreckage of Article 34 1, 2 April 1957 . 12 April 1957 article in the Chicago Daily Tribune was headliined, "Secrecy Veils High-Altitude Research Jet; Lockheed U-2 Ca.lied Super Snooper." 76 • Because of its large wingspan. an out-of-control U-2 tended to enter a classical flat spin before ground contact. This slowed descent and actually lessened the impact. If there was no fire after impact, the remai ns of crashed U-2s were often salvageable, as was the case with the wreckage of article 34 1. Kelly Johnson 's crew at the Skunk Works used the wreckage, along with spares and salvaged parts of other crashed U-2s, co produce another flyable airframe for about $185,000.77 The U-2's abi lity to survive a crash in fairly good co1ndi tion should have been noted by the Development Projects Staff for consideration in its contingency plans for a loss over hostile terriItory because the equipment on board the aircraft could easily compromise the weather research cover story. The loss of one of Lockheed's best test pilots. as well as the pro totype " dirty bird" U-2, led Kelly Johnson to suggest that Lockheed install a large boom at the Indian Springs radar test facility. Using the ,. Accident folder. cr-ish of 2 April 1957, OSA records (S). " Lockheed contracts. OSA Records (S).
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Official release, from the pursue collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 406 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.