received satisfactory results when the number of targets was increased to between 3 and 5.³⁰ Interestingly, during July of 1948, a similar test would be made at Alamogordo AAF by another organization.³¹ This test confirmed Moore’s theory that when targets were increased to at least three, satisfactory returns were received by the radar. This procedure, according to Moore, was employed on flight nos. 3 and 4, but it was only marginally successful. This prompted Moore and his associates to configure the two remaining flights of Alamogordo I, flights #5 and #6, with radiosonde transmitters.
For these two final flights, Moore devised a method of manually determining azimuth and elevation, in the absence of a radisonde recorder, by counting clicks as pressure-sensitive contacts closed. NYU Technical Report No. 1 shows two “interpretations” of the data which confirm that manual calculations were used. In regard to flight no. 5, it appears there was a typographical error in Technical Report No. 1, Table VII, for the time of launch which is erroneously listed as 1517 MST, contrary to figures 32 and 33 in Technical Report No.1 and Crary’s diary (Atch 6). The correct time of launch for flight no. 5 appears to be 0516 MST. With the launching of flight no. 6 at approximately 0530 on June 7, the NYU group departed Alamogordo via a B-17 for Newark AAF, NJ. NYU flight nos. 1–6 are summarized below:
SUMMARY OF FLIGHTS 1–6
Flight no.
Date
Launch Site
Configuration
Landing Site
1
4/3/47
Bethlehem, PA
See NYU Tech. Report No. 1, Table VII
Sandy Hook, NJ
2
4/18/47
Bethlehem, PA
See Appendix NYU Special Report No. 1
Unknown
3
5/29/47
Alamogordo, NM
Same as flight no. 2*
Unknown
4
6/4/47
Alamogordo, NM
Same as flight no. 2*
Unknown
5
6/5/47
Alamogordo, NM
See NYU Tech. Report No. 1, Table VII
East of Roswell, NM
6
6/7/47
Alamogordo, NM
See NYU Tech. Report No. 1, Table VII
South of Highrolls, NM
* Depictions of flight nos. 3 and 4 are not provided in the NYU reports. According to NYU Progress Report No. 6, Section II, p. 5, the equipment to be used for the Alamogordo field trip in June was consistent with the depiction of flight no. 2. This information also concurred with Crary’s partial description of flight no. 4 in his diary.
Note: An attempt to launch a balloon-train assembly which would have been NYU flight no. 3 was made on May 8, 1947, but due to strong winds, restraining lines failed before the acoustical payload was attached. Since the launch was unsuccessful, no flight number was assigned.
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30. Ibid.
31. Rprt, Holloman AFB, “Progress Summary Report on U.S.A.F. Guided Missile Test Activities,” Vol 1, Aug 1, 1948.