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Project Twinkle Final Report (scan)

NICAP · 29 pages · text by OCR

This declassified U.S. Air Force file contains the final report of Project Twinkle, dated 27 November 1951 and written by Louis Elterman of the Geophysics Research Division, together with related correspondence. The project was set up to investigate the green fireballs and other light phenomena around Holloman AFB and Vaughn, New Mexico, and it was run with Askania cameras. The report calls its findings essentially negative and recommends no further funding. In March 1952 the Directorate of Intelligence declined to declassify it.

  • p. 2 …the fact that nothing of a security nature has been discovered. FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL: ## 1…
  • p. 3 …Others can be attributed to natural phenomena such as flying birds, small clouds, and meteorites. There…
  • p. 8 …Post Contractual Inquiry In view of the unproductive nature of the contract with Land-Air, it…
  • p. 11 …La Paz, them to be classed as natural phenomena. The most recent that has come to…
  • p. 12 …Many of the sightings are attributable to natural phenomena such as flight of birds, planets, meteors…
  • p. 18 …number) appeared to be of a swirling nature, not unlike a flock of towering geese or…
  • p. 20 …Kaplan has concluded that the "green fireballs" are natural phenomena. 3. Correspondence relative to Dr. Kaplan…
  • p. 21 …Inasmuch as the phenomena appears to be atmospheric in nature it is recommended that the investigation…
  • p. 23 …Inasmuch as the phenomena appears to be atmospheric in nature, such an assignment is considered appropriate…
  • p. 24 …Inasmuch as the phenomena appears to be atmospheric in nature, it is recommended that the investigation…
  • p. 27 …the project personnel that this is a natural phenomenon. As long as a reasonable doubt exists…
  • p. 29 …have been reached concerning the origin or nature of the phenomenon which have been investigated. It…
Director of Research and Development Headquarters USAF Washington 25, D.C.

1. Reference is made to:

a. Headquarters USAF (AFJRS-4) letter, dated 14 September 1949, subject: "Light Phenomena." (See Inclosure No. 1).

b. Cambridge Research Laboratories lettors, dated 7 November 1949, subject: "Report of Conference on 'Green Fireballs" (Project Grudge)." (See Inclosure No. 2).

2. A report of the conference held at Los Almos on the subject of phenomena observed in the New Mexico area is forwarded as inclusion No. 2. Inasmuch as the phenomena appears to be atmospheric in nature it is recommended that the investigation continue under the Air Force Geophysical Research Program. In order to establish such a project it is requested that Research and Development Board approval be accomplished and that necessary funds be provided.

FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:

1 - See par 1 a abv

2 - See par 1b abv

DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVAI

DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.

DOQ DIR 6200.10

Copy of basic Letter

C. SECRET

About this file

Report, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. The text was read from the page images by an OCR model; expect the odd misread word. 29 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.