The Roswell Report: Fact vs. Fiction in the New Mexico Desert

## Introduction

In November, 1946 the Research Division of the College of Engineering of New York University contracted with Watson Laboratories, AMC, to develop and fly constant-level instrument-carrying balloons. This is the third part of the final report on the work accomplished and describes the experimental balloon flights which were made.

In reviewing the flights a number of analytical comments may be made. In most flights one objective was the maintenance of the balloon at a constant pressure level for as long as possible. On many flights balloon behavior was affected by instrumental controls of one kind or another while on some flights no controls at all were used.

Balloons of varying sizes and of different principles of construction have been launched singly, in tandem and in clusters. On some, temperatures were measured and on others the flight path was an object of special study. To explain certain observed flight data a careful analysis of atmospheric stability has been made, while other flights have special significance because they demonstrate the effect of superheat on the lifting gas or some other feature of analytical importance.

Since over 100 flights have been made, it is difficult to tabulate the important results obtained on each specific flight. To present the data which has been collected each significant flight is presented chronologically, with drawings and details where necessary, and a summary of the flight results is given.

To render this information useful, an index has been prepared with reference made to flights which show typical or important results in each category.