Documents / Report
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.
“Nature”12 pages
# UNCLASSIFIED Ltr ERH to CG, AMC, Subj: Report of Conference on "Green Fireballs" (Project Grudge) 5. It was the conclusion of the group present at-the meeting that the present information on the phenomena was not sufficiently quantitative and objective to allow any profitable scientific consideration. Instrumental observations (especially photogaps, triangulation, and spectroscopic) were considered as essential. 6. Dr. Joseph Kaplan, who was officially representing the Scientific Advisory Board, USAF at the meeting, plans to report the problem to the next meeting of the Board (2 and 3 November)1949) with the recommendation that the USAF provide a suitable investigation of the phenomena using the Geophysical Research Directorate, Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories, AMC as the agency for the project. 7. It is the opinion of this office that the Geophysical Research Directorate, AFCRL, is capable of performing the required investigation (by photographic and spectroscopic means) provided that necessary funds, personnel authorizations and equipment are provided. Inasmuch as the phenomena appears to be atmospheric in nature, such an assignment is considered appropriate. FOR THE COMMANDING OFFICER: ## 3 Incls: 1. Summary #1 7S7 Frederic C. E. ODOR Major USAF 2. Summary #2 (in dup) Major USAF 3. Personnel at mtg Acting Director Base Directorate for Geophysical Research cc: Major D. Crowson, Hq USAF enclosure 2 DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALS: DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS. DOD DID 5200.10
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.