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.
“Hill”15 pages
280 Secret NOF8RN Chapter 6 OXCART pilot suit (B-120) characterized by great strength. relatively light weight. and good resistance to high temperatures. bur high in cost As strong as stainless steel, titanium weighed slightly more than half as much. Obtaining sufficient quantities of titanium of a quality suitable for fabricating aircraft components proved very difficult because me1thods for maintain ing good quali ty control during the milling of titanium were not fully developed. Up to 80 percent of the early deliveries from Titanium Metals Corporation had to be rejected. It was not until 1961 . when company officials were informed of the objectives and high priority of the OXCA RT program, that problems with the tita nium supply ended. Even after sufficient high-qual ity titanium was received, Lockheed·s difficu lties with the metal were not over. Titanium was so hard that tools normally used in aircraft fabrication broke; new ones therefore had to be devised. Assembly line produc tion was not possible, and the cost of the program mounted well above original estimates.!~ The high temperatures that the OXCART would encounter also necessitated planning for the pilot's safety and comfort becaus,e the inside of the aircraft would be like a moderately hot oven. To save "Minnich. ··OXCART Story:· p. 5 (S): OSA Hiswn-. chap. :!O. p. 3J (TS Co<l.:wu,rd).
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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.