Project Sign ordered; the first Air Force study of the reports begins in January 1948
The US Air Force's Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base sent the Director of Intelligence an initial report on Project "SIGN" in 1948. It was prepared under a Headquarters USAF letter dated 30 December 1947 and signed by General L. C. Craigie. The report said Project HT-304 was activated on 26 January 1948 and that Technical Instruction 2185 followed on 11 February 1948. It tabulated reports received up to 1 February 1948 and noted recurring features such as hovering, high climb rates and disc shapes. It recorded that Dr Irving Langmuir of General Electric judged the data insufficient for a positive identification. The command added its own view that a low aspect ratio aircraft could reproduce many of the reported characteristics.
2 documents·5 points
- The study was directed by a Headquarters USAF letter dated 30 December 1947, signed by General L. C. Craigie; quarterly reports were to begin on 1 July 1948.
- Project HT-304 was activated on 26 January 1948, and Technical Instruction 2185 was dated 11 February 1948.
- Objects were described as oval, disc or saucer shaped; reported sizes ranged from a 25-cent piece to 250 feet in diameter.
- Schedules of lighted night-flying advertising blimps were cross-checked as a possible source of reports.
- Dr Irving Langmuir was "reluctant to consider the so-called 'flying discs' as a reality"; the Headquarters held that boundary layer control could make a similar low aspect ratio aircraft possible.
Documents
- Case file Project Sign Progress Report, 1948 U.S. Department of War· 1948· 45 pp.
- Document Project Sign file, combined PDF NICAP / USAF· 38 pp.
- Official archives.gov the source's own page