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

Permission to use the MPS-6 in tracking further V-2 missiles having been received, plans were formulated for operation in conjunction with the missile scheduled to be fired Thursday, 22 July and postponed until Monday, 26 July at 1100. Plans contemplated that the crew on the M-2 Optical Tracker would track visually at all times during the flight with their elevation and azimuth readings repeated on the antenna. The MPS-6 antenna was initially positioned in azimuth on the calculated bearing to the launcher and raised slightly above the horizon in elevation, with the correct range gated on the scopes and with a velocity of about 300 MPH set in the aided range motor and the motor initially stopped. It was further planned that when target echo would bloom on the scopes, the echo should be trued up in Azimuth, Elevation, and Range; and antenna control would be thrown to automatic with range followed manually until speed of the missile approximated the 300 MPH as set on the motors, at which time the video motor would be activated and range tracking thrown to "Aided." It was planned to throw antenna control to the M-2 Tracker only if target failed to show or if extended "loss" subsequently occurred.

During the half-hour period prior to the take-off, several random aircraft were noted in the vicinity of the launcher; and at X-5 minutes, one low flying aircraft was observed on the scopes at a range beyond the launcher directly in line with it and flying in towards the launcher.

Timing signals and the zero signal were received, and at about X plus 2 seconds the target "bloomed" on the J Scopes at the calculated range to the launcher (62,800 yards). This pip went almost instantly to far beyond saturation, and all grass disappeared from the scopes. The Azimuth and Elevation, and Range controls were centered on the target, and antenna control was thrown to automatic. Range started to slowly increase as did elevation with azimuth being stationary. The echo remained beyond saturation for about two seconds after automatic control was thrown in, at which time grass appeared on the scopes and the signal fell rapidly to zero and the antenna whirled off target at about X plus 6 seconds. Upon returning antenna to position manually, a strong target appeared at a range of about 2K yards outside the range gate, and believing this to be the rocket, this pip was trued up and antenna locked in "Automatic" and this target was tracked for a period of about 10 seconds or until it was noted that range was decreasing and elevation was stationary at the horizon while the M-2 Elevation repeater showed the optical tracker to be looking at approximately 50 degrees. Realizing that the target being followed was the aircraft noticed before take-off, antenna control was transferred to the optical tracker and left in its control until the M-2 crew lost the missile. During this time, no target was visible at any time and no further radar contact was made with the missile. However, slightly before the missile impact was heard, a cluster of small echoes were found at a