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.
“RAF”18 pages
24 Sec, et NOFOAP~ Chapter 1 Allen F. Donovan Baker also chaired the next meeting of the Air Force's Intelligence Systems Panel in late April 1954 but could not tell its members about the British overflight of Kap~stin Yar because they were not cleared for this information . The panel did. however. discuss the modi fications for high-alti tude flight being made to the US Canberra, the B-57." The Intelligence Systems Panel and the CL-282 The next Intell igence Systems Panel meeting took place on 24 and 25 May at Boston University and the Polaroid Corporation. Panel mem ber Allen F. Donovan from the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory eval uated the changes bei ng made to the B-57 by the Martin Aircraft Company. Even wichout Martin 's specifications or drawings, Donovan had been able to estimate what cou ld be done to the 8-57 by lengthening the wings and l ightening the fuselage. He had determined that alterations to the B-57 airframe would not sol ve the reconnais sance needs ex.pressed in the BEACON HILL Report. Theoretically, he explained to the panel. any multiengine aircraft built accordiing to military specifications. including the B-57. would be too heavy to fly above 65,000 feet and hence would be vulnerable to Soviet intercep tion. To be safe, Donovan explained, penetrating aircraft would need 10 fly above 70,000 feet for the entire mission.': Developme nt of such an aircraft was already under way. Donovan continued. for Philip Strong of the CIA had told him that the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation had designed a lightweight, high-fly ing aircraft. ISP chairman Baker then urged Donovan to travel t9 southern California to evaluate the Lockheed design and gather ideas on high-altitude aircraft from other aircraft manufacturers. When he was finally able to make this tri p in late summer, Donovan found the plane that he and the other ISP members had. been seeking. On the afternoon of 2 August 1954. Donovan met wiith L. Eugene Root. an old Air Force acquai ntance who was n,ow a Lockheed vice-president. and learned about the Air Force's competi tion for a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft. Kelly Johnson then showed Donovan the plans for Lockheed's unsuccessful entry. A life long sailplane enthusiast. Donovan im mediately recognized that the .,: Donovan interview (S); Baker interview (S). Geeret
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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.