The Air Weather Service was a US Air Force weather unit, and early sighting reports were sent to it to check the balloon question. Over Fürstenfeldbruck in 1948, it ruled a balloon out. The witnesses were called completely reliable. The report closed by noting that nothing known could climb 23,000 feet in minutes and travel 900 miles per hour. The Gorman Dogfight went the other way. January 24, 1949. An Air Weather Service analysis reached ATIC. A lighted weather balloon had been released from Fargo at 8:50 pm, and the maneuvers were judged an illusion produced by Gorman's own flying.
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