DISCLOSURE / FILE
Roswell Report: Fact vs Fiction, 1994
The U.S. Air Force's 1994 report to Congress and the GAO concluding that the 1947 Roswell wreckage came from a Project MOGUL balloon train, not an extraterrestrial craft.
DISCLOSURE / FILE
The U.S. Air Force's 1994 report to Congress and the GAO concluding that the 1947 Roswell wreckage came from a Project MOGUL balloon train, not an extraterrestrial craft.
The Roswell Report: Fact versus Fiction in the New Mexico Desert, DTIC_ADA326148.pdf
The U.S. Air Force's 1994 report to Congress and the GAO concluding that the 1947 Roswell wreckage came from a Project MOGUL balloon train, not an extraterrestrial craft.
Prepared by Col. Richard L. Weaver, Director of Security and Special Program Oversight, in response to a GAO inquiry initiated at the request of Rep. Steven Schiff (R-NM) under GAO code 701034, the report documents a records search across Air Force, DoD, and National Archives holdings. Researchers obtained the blueprint for the ML-307C/AP radar target from the Army Signal Corps Museum at Fort Monmouth, secured sworn statements from Project MOGUL participants including Spilhaus, Moore, Trakowski, and Newton, and sent the 1947 Fort Worth Star-Telegram photos of Ramey and Marcel to a national-level organization for digitization. The Air Force concluded that the most likely source of the Brazel Ranch wreckage was a Project MOGUL balloon train and that no records, security activity, or paper trail supported the recovery of alien bodies. Weaver recommended the document serve as the final Air Force report on the Roswell matter.
The Air Force research did not locate or develop any information that the "Roswell Incident" was a UFO event. All available official materials, although they do not directly address Roswell per se, indicate that the most likely source of the wreckage recovered from the Brazel Ranch was from one of the Project MOGUL balloon trains.p.42
The postwar US military (or today's for that matter) did not have the capability to rapidly identify, recover, coordinate, cover up, and quickly minimize public scrutiny of such an event. The claim that they did so without leaving even a little bit of a suspicious paper trail for 47 years is incredible.p.42
The review of Air Force records did not locate even one piece of evidence to indicate that the Air Force has had any part in an "alien" body recovery operation or continuing cover-up.p.43
This organization reported on July 20, 1994, that even after digitizing, the photos were of insufficient quality to visualize either of the details sought for analysis.p.42
Additionally, it seems that there was overreaction by Colonel Blanchard and Major Marcel in originally reporting that a "flying disc" had been recovered when, at that time, nobody knew for sure what that term even meant, since it had only been in use for a couple of weeks.p.42
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NEW MEXICO
Santa Fe
Albuquerque
[Route 40]
Vaughn
Corona Foster
Ranch
✶
Hwy
285
[Route 25]
Rio Grande
Sacramento
Mountains
White
Sands
Proving
Ground
Alamogordo
Alamogordo Army
Air Field
Las Cruces
El Paso
[Route 10]
Clovis
Roswell
✈ Roswell
Army Air Field
Artesia
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It is recommended that this document serve as the final Air Force report related to the Roswell matter, for the GAO, or any other inquiries.p.43
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In order to provide a more detailed discussion of the specifics of Project MOGUL and how it appeared to be directly responsible for the "Roswell Incident," a SAF/AAZD researcher prepared a more detailed discussion on the balloon project which is appended to this report as Atch 32. Other Research In the attempt to develop additional information that could help explain this matter, a number of other steps were taken. First, assistance was requested from various museums and other archives (Atch 28) to obtain information and/or examples of the actual balloons and radar targets used in connection with Project MOGUL and to correlate them with the various descriptions of wreckage and materials recovered. The blueprints for the "Pilot Balloon Target ML307C/AP Assembly" (generically, the radar target assembly) were located at the Army Signal Corps Museum at Fort Monmouth and were obtained. A copy is appended as Atch 29. This blueprint provides the specification for the foil material, tape, wood, eyelets, and string used and the assembly instructions thereto. An actual device was also obtained for study with the assistance of Professor Moore. (The example actually procured was a 1953-manufactured model "C" as compared to the Model B which was in use in 1947. Professor Moore related the differences were minor.) An examination of this device revealed it to be simply made of aluminum-colored foil-like material over a stronger paper-like material, attached to balsa wood sticks, affixed with tape, glue, and twine. When opened, the device appears as depicted in Atch 31 (contemporary photo) and Atch 25 (1947 photo, in a "balloon train"). When folded, the device is in a series of triangles, the largest being 4 feet by 2 feet 10 inches. The smallest triangle section measures 2 feet by 2 feet 10 inches. (Compare with descriptions provided by Lt Col Cavitt and others, as well as photos of wreckage.) Additionally, the researchers obtained from the Archives of the University of Texas–Arlington (UTA), a set of original (i.e., first generation) prints of the photographs taken at the time by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, that depicted Ramey and Marcel with the wreckage. A close review of these photos (and a set of first-generation negatives also subsequently obtained from UTA) revealed several interesting observations. First, although in some of the literature cited above, Marcel allegedly stated that he had his photo taken with the "real" UFO wreckage and then it was subsequently removed and the weather balloon wreckage substituted for it, a comparison shows that the same wreckage appeared in the photos of Marcel and Ramey. The photos also depicted that this material was lying on what appeared to be some sort of wrapping paper (consistent with affidavit excerpt of crew chief Porter, above). It was also noted that in the two photos of Ramey he had a piece of paper in his hand. In one, it was folded over so nothing could be seen. In the second, however, there appears to be text printed on the paper. In an attempt to read this text to determine if it could shed any further light on locating documents relating to this matter, the photo was sent to a national-level organization for digitizing and subsequent photo interpretation and analysis. This organization was also asked to scrutinize the digitized photos for any indication of the flowered tape (or "hieroglyphics," depending on the 29
point of view) that were reputed to be visible to some of the persons who observed the wreckage prior to its getting to Fort Worth. This organization reported on July 20, 1994, that even after digitizing, the photos were of insuffi- cient quality to visualize either of the details sought for analysis. This organiza- tion was able to obtain measurements from the "sticks" visible in the debris after it was ascertained by an interview of the original photographer what kind of camera he used. The results of this process are provided in Atch 33, along with a reference diagram and the photo from which the measurements were made. All these measurements are compatible with the wooden materials used in the radar target previously described. CONCLUSION The Air Force research did not locate or develop any information that the "Roswell Incident" was a UFO event. All available official materials, although they do not directly address Roswell per se, indicate that the most likely source of the wreckage recovered from the Brazel Ranch was from one of the Project MOGUL balloon trains. Although that project was Top Secret at the time, there was also no specific indication found to indicate an official preplanned cover story was in place to explain an event such as that which ultimately happened. It appears that the identification of the wreckage as being part of a weather balloon device, as reported in the newspapers at the time, was based on the fact that there was no physical difference in the radar targets and the neoprene balloons (other than the numbers and configuration) between MOGUL balloons and normal weather balloons. Additionally, it seems that there was overreaction by Colonel Blanchard and Major Marcel in originally reporting that a "flying disc" had been recovered when, at that time, nobody knew for sure what that term even meant, since it had only been in use for a couple of weeks. Likewise, there was no indication in official records from the period that there was heightened military operational or security activity which should have been generated if this was, in fact, the first recovery of materials and/or persons from another world. The postwar US military (or today's for that matter) did not have the capability to rapidly identify, recover, coordinate, cover up, and quickly minimize public scrutiny of such an event. The claim that they did so without leaving even a little bit of a suspicious paper trail for 47 years is incredible. It should also be noted here that there was little mentioned in this report about the recovery of the so-called "alien bodies." This is for several reasons: First, the recovered wreckage was from a Project MOGUL balloon. There were no "alien" passengers therein. Secondly, the pro-UFO groups who espouse the alien bodies theories cannot even agree among themselves as to what, how many, and where such bodies were supposedly recovered. Additionally, some of these claims have been shown to be hoaxes, even by other UFO researchers. Thirdly, when such claims are made, they are often attributed to people using pseudonyms or who otherwise do not want to be publicly identified, presumably so that some sort of retribution cannot be taken against them (notwithstanding that nobody has been 30
shown to have died, disappeared, or otherwise suffered at the hands of the
government during the last 47 years). Fourth, many of the persons making the
biggest claims of "alien bodies" make their living from the "Roswell Incident."
While having a commercial interest in something does not automatically make it
suspect, it does raise interesting questions related to authenticity. Such persons
should be encouraged to present their evidence (not speculation) directly to the
government and provide all pertinent details and evidence to support their claims
if honest fact-finding is what is wanted. Lastly, persons who have come forward
and provided their names and made claims may have, in good faith but in the
"fog of time," misinterpreted past events. The review of Air Force records did not
locate even one piece of evidence to indicate that the Air Force has had any part
in an "alien" body recovery operation or continuing cover-up.
During the course of this effort, the Air Force has kept in close touch with the
GAO and responded to their various queries and requests for assistance. This
report was generated as an official response to the GAO, and to document the
considerable effort expended by the Air Force on their behalf. It is anticipated that
that the GAO will request a copy of this report to help formulate the formal
report of their efforts. It is recommended that this document serve as the final Air
Force report related to the Roswell matter, for the GAO, or any other inquiries.
Richard L. Weaver
RICHARD L. WEAVER, COL, USAF
DIRECTOR, SECURITY AND SPECIAL
PROGRAM OVERSIGHT
Attachments
1. Washington Post Article, "GAO Turns to Alien Turf in New Probe,"
January 14, 1994
2. GAO Memo, February 15, 1994
3. DoD/IG Memo, February 23, 1994
4. SAF/FM Memo, February 24, 1994, w/Indorsement
5. SAF/AA Memo, March 1, 1994, w/ March 16, 1994 Addendum
6. AF/IN Memo, March 14, 1994
7. AF/SE Memo, March 14, 1994
8. SAF/AQL Memo, March 22, 1994
9. AF/XOWP Memo, March 9, 1994
10. SAF/AAI Memo, March 10, 1994
11. AFHRA/CC Memo, March 8, 1994
12. AFOSI/HO Memo, May 11, 1994
3113. List of Locations and Records Searched 14. HQ AAF "Issuance of Orders," June 5, 1947 15. Copy of Vandenberg's Appointment Book and Diary, July 7-9, 1947 16. July 9, 1947 Photos of Balloon Wreckage, Ft Worth Star Telegram 17. Signed Sworn Statement of Cavitt, May 24, 1994 18. Transcript of Cavitt Interview, May 24, 1994 19. Letter, July 8, 1946, Project MOGUL 20. Signed Sworn Statement of Spilhaus, June 3, 1994 21. Signed Sworn Statement of Moore, June 8, 1994 22. Signed Sworn Statement of Trakowski, June 29, 1994 23. Transcript of Interview with Moore, June 8, 1994 24. Transcript of Interview with Trakowski, June 29, 1994 25. Illustration of Project MOGUL "Balloon Trains" 26. Two Photos of Project MOGUL "Balloon Trains" 27. Log Summary, NYU Constant Level Balloon Flights 28. List of Museums Contacted 29. Copy of Blueprint for "Pilot Balloon Target, ML-307C/AP Assembly" 30. Signed Sworn Statement of Newton, July 21, 1994 31. Photos of ML-307C/AP Device, With Vintage Neoprene Balloon and Debris 32. Synopsis of Balloon Research Findings by 1st Lt James McAndrew 33. "Mensuration Working Paper," With Drawing and Photo
1
Washington Post
"GAO Turns to Alien Turf in Probe"
January 14, 1994A22 FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1994 THE WASHINGTON POST
GAO Turns to Alien Turf in Probe
Bodies of Space Voyagers Said to Have Disappeared in 1947
By William Claiborne
Washington Post Staff Writer
Where television's "Unsolved Mysteries" has
tried and failed, the General Accounting Office
is unafraid to venture.
At the request of Rep. Steven Schiff (R-
N.M.), Congress's investigative branch has
launched a study to determine whether the
government covered up a story alleging that
the bodies of alien space voyagers were re-
covered from a crashed flying saucer found near
Roswell, N.M., in 1947.
After the purported crash of the spacecraft,
the bodies of the extraterrestrial visitors were
said by a local undertaker and other conspiracy
theorists to have been autopsied and secretly
flown to an Air Force base in Ohio.
Even though the "Roswell Incident" has been
repeatedly dismissed by the Defense Depart-
ment as nothing more than UFO fantasizing
triggered by the discovery of a downed weath-
er balloon, the GAO has begun searching for
documents to prove allegations that the Air
Force "suppressed" information sought by
Schiff.
Schiff is a member of the House Government
Operations Committee, which oversees the
GAO.
GAO spokeswoman Laura A. Kopelson said
the office's investigation, first reported in the
Albuquerque Journal yesterday, stemmed from
a meeting in October between Schiff and GAO
Controller General Charles A. Bowsher. Schiff
complained then that the Defense Department
had been "unresponsive" to his inquiries about
the 1947 incident.
Kopelson said "as far as I know only one in-
vestigator had been assigned" to the case, and
that not enough work had been done to report
any results to Schiff. At another point, Kopel-
son said "the people doing it are either on sick
leave or are unavailable."
She said there was no way of estimating how
much the investigation would cost, and that the
GAO does not release such information any-
way.
GAO conducted 1,380 inquiries into govern-
ment operations in 1992. Its budget has risen
from $46.9 million in 1965 to $490 million last
year. The agency has been criticized, especially
by Republicans, as the "lap dog of the request-
er," producing reports that tend to support
whatever conclusion the requesting member of
Congress suggests.
Kopelson said Schiff had asked the GAO "to
see if there is any evidence that information
regarding UFOs had been suppressed" follow-
ing the Roswell incident.
Schiff, however, said that at a routine Octo-
ber meeting he had merely complained about
the Defense Department's lack of responsive-
ness but a GAO official said, "We're willing to
take a stab at it."
Schiff, in a telephone interview from Albu-
querque, said that last March, after receiving
inquiries from "UFO believers" and some Ros-
well residents who were in the military in
1947, he wrote Defense Secretary Les Aspin
asking for more information about the reported
spacecraft crash and the alleged disappearance
of the aliens' bodies.
The crash of a mysterious object 75 miles
northwest of Roswell, which the Air Force lat-
er claimed was a weather balloon equipped with
a radar-reflecting device, was the subject of
several books and remains many UFO buffs'
greatest riddle.
A privately owned museum in Roswell con-
tains a number of documents and photographs
purporting to prove existence of the aliens. It
also displays a re-creation of the spacecraft
surrounded by figures portraying the dead ex-
traterrestrials.
UFO buffs contend the incident marked the
beginning of a government conspiracy to sup-
press evidence of alien life.
Much of the speculation stems from claims
by William Haut, a former Air Force public af-
fairs officer, who said that on July 2, 1947, he
was told to prepare a news release reporting
the Air Force had recovered parts of a flying
saucer and then was told to change the story to
report a weather balloon.
Also, a nurse reportedly told a local funeral
home director that she witnessed the autopsies
of the spacemen, whom she described as having
oversized heads and beetle-like features. The
nurse subsequently died in a plane crash.
After the autopsies, conspiracy theorists said
the bodies were flown to Fort Worth and then
to what is now Wright-Patterson Air Force
Base in Ohio.
In 1989, NBC's "Unsolved Mysteries" inves-
tigated the controversy, which the program's
host, Robert Stack, concluded remained un-
solved.
Schiff said after calling Aspin last March to
request a Defense Department briefing on the
Roswell incident, he received a call from an Air
Force lieutenant colonel, who brusquely told
him the documents had been turned over to the
National Archives.
However, Schiff said, Archives officials told
him they did not have the records on Roswell,
even though they did have records of "Project
Blue Book," a 1969 Air Force study of reported
[Photo caption:] An "alien" depicted on NBC's "Unsolved
Mysteries," which concluded case is unsolved.
UFO sightings. That study, Schiff said, did not
deal with the Roswell case.
"I was getting pretty upset at all the running
around," Schiff said, adding that at his meeting
with GAO officials, "they made an offer to
help."
"Generally, I'm a skeptic on UFOs and alien
beings, but there are indications from the run-
around that I got that whatever it was, it
wasn't a balloon. Apparently, it's another gov-
ernment coverup." Schiff said.
He called the Defense Department's lack of
response "astounding," and said government
accountability was an issue "even larger than
UFOs."
Asked if the GAO might not be extending
itself, Schiff acknowledged that the agency
"usually does fiscal investigations and at pres-
ent I can't find a fiscal impact" in the Roswell
incident.
Had the agency said, " 'This is beyond our
realm of expertise,' " Schiff said, "I wouldn't
insist on it." He added, "If the Defense Depart-
ment had been responsive, it wouldn't have
come to this."2
Letter, with GAO Code 701034
Richard Davis, GAO, to William J.
Perry, DOD
February 9, 1994GAO United States
General Accounting Office
Washington, D.C. 20548
RECD GAO/AFIJ
GAO SURVEYS/REVIEWS
National Security and
International Affairs Division
FEB 1 5 1994
FEB 9 1994
The Honorable William J. Perry
The Secretary of Defense
Attention: DOD Office of the Inspector General
Director for GAO Surveys and Reviews
Dear Mr. Secretary:
In response to a congressional request, the General
Accounting Office is initiating a review of DOD's policies
and procedures for acquiring, classifying, retaining, and
disposing of official government documents dealing with
weather balloon, aircraft, and similar crash incidents.
The review will involve testing whether DOD, the military
services, specialized defense agencies, and others such as
the National Archives, have systematically followed the
proper procedures to ensure government accountability over
such records.
The work will be performed under GAO code 701034 by staff
from our National Security Analysis group in
Washington, D.C. If you have any questions concerning
this assignment, please contact either Mr. Gary Weeter,
Assistant Director, at (202) 512-4603 or Mr. Jack Kriethe,
Evaluator-in-Charge at (202) 512-4567. This review has
been coordinated with Dan Chambers of the Inspector
General's Office.
Sincerely yours,
Richard Davis
Richard Davis
Director, National Security
Analysis
ENCL Th ATC. 1GAO ENTRANCE CONFERENCE FOR
ASSIGNMENT CODE 701034
ISSUE:
Has the Government met its responsibility in the handling,
retention, and subsequent disposition of official records
concerning the investigation and reporting of air vehicle and other
crash incidents similar to the reported crash of a weather balloon
near Roswell, New Mexico in July 1947.
SCOPE:
Initial work will be performed at the Department of Defense, the
Services, specialized defense agencies, and other executive branch
agencies as required.
APPROACH:
(1) Interview responsible officials and review pertinent directives
and regulations to determine the executive branch policies and
procedures governing the reporting of air vehicle and similar crash
incidents.
(2) Select a sample of crash incidents covering different time
periods (1947 to present) to determine whether proper procedures
were followed.
(3) For the incidents selected, determine whether proper records
management procedures were followed in the retention and subsequent
disposition of those records.
(4) Determine the "OFFICIAL" explanation of what has become known
as the "Roswell Incident".3
Memo
Marcia J. Van Note, DOD/IG, for
Distribution
Subj: General Accounting Office
(GAO) Letter Dated February 9,
1994 . . .
February 23, 1994[INSPECTOR GENERAL seal] INSPECTOR GENERAL
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
400 ARMY NAVY DRIVE
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA 22202-2884
[50th Anniversary seal]
Analysis FEB 2 3 1994
and Followup
MEMORANDUM FOR: SEE DISTRIBUTION
SUBJECT: General Accounting Office (GAO) Letter Dated
February 9, 1994, "Records Management Procedures
Dealing with Weather Balloon, Unknown Aircraft, and
Similar Crash Incidents" (GAO Code 701034)--
NOTIFICATION OF GAO REVIEW
The DoD Directive 7650.2 designates this office as the
central DoD liaison for tasking, controlling, and monitoring GAO
survey, review, and report activities. The enclosed Information
Sheet describes the specific DoD procedures for tasking GAO
surveys/reviews and the DoD primary action office (PAO)
responsibilities.
On February 15, 1994, we received the enclosed official GAO
notification letter on the subject effort. The GAO National
Security and International Affairs Division (National Security
Analysis) is doing the work. The review is at the request of
Representative Steven H. Schiff (R-NM).
Representative Schiff requested the GAO review two issues of
concern (1) the DoD records management procedures for crash
incidents involving weather balloons and unknown aircraft, such
as UFOs and foreign aircraft, and (2) the facts regarding the
reported crash of a UFO in 1949 at Roswell, New Mexico. Since
the UFO story appeared in an episode of the television program
"Unsolved Mysteries," Representative Schiff has received many
requests for an investigation into the alleged "DoD cover-up."
Apparently, reports on the incident were attributed to a weather
balloon crash.
The GAO is anxious to respond to Representative Schiff's
request and to dispel any concerns that the DoD is being
unresponsive. For that reason, it is important that we identify
the correct DoD representatives so that the GAO can begin its
work. Since the enclosed GAO notification letter did not mention
the Roswell incident or specifically site unknown aircraft as the
area of interest, we have been unable to determine the
appropriate DoD primary and collateral action offices.2
We have scheduled an entrance meeting with the GAO for
February 28, 1994, 10:00 a.m., 400 Army Navy Drive, Room 730,
Arlington, VA. The entrance meeting should clarify the issues to
the extent that a DoD primary action office can be identified.
.Please provide the name and telephone number of your
representative(s) for the entrance meeting as soon as possible to
my action officer, Pattie Cirino, (703) 693-0214. If she is not
available, I can be reached on the same number.
Marcia J. Van Note
Marcia J. Van Note
Director
GAO Surveys and Reviews
Enclosures:
As stated
DISTRIBUTION: SEC ARMY USD(P&R)
SEC NAVY ASD(C3I)
SEC AIR FORCE DIR, JS
CMDT, USMC DIR, A&M
USD(P) DIR, NSA
ATSD(LA) USCINCSPACE
ATSD(PA) USCINCTRANS
GC4
Memo, with Indorsement
Vaughn E. Schlunz, SAF/FMPF, for
Distribution
Subj: GAO Review Letter Dated
February 15 [sic], 1994, "Records
Management Procedures . . .
February 24, 1994[Department of the Air Force seal] DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON DC
[50th Anniversary seal]
* TE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY 2 4 FEB 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR
__SAF/FM X AF/INR X AFAA/DO __AETC/FMFM
__SAF/AOXA X AF/SPO __AFIA/CVS __AMC/FMAP
X SAF/LLR X AF/HO __AFOTEC/RMR __PACAF/IGIX
X SAF/PA X AF/JAG __AFSPACECOM/FMP __ACC/FMP
__SAF/IA __AF/SCXX __AFCC/FMFA __USAFE/FMEP
* X SAF/AAX (OPR) X AF/XOS __AFMC/IGQ __AFMPC/RMM
__SAF/FMBMD X AF/SE __ANGRC/FMP
FROM: SAF/FMPF
SUBJECT: GAO Review Letter Dated February 15, 1994, "Records
Management Procedures Dealing With Weather Balloon,
Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents", (GAO
Code 701034) -- ACTION MEMORANDUM
This memo is to advise you of the subject review and to
request each organization indicated as OPR or OCR above to
designate a Central Point of Contact (CPC). The CPC should return
the indorsement immediately. This package is provided to other
listed organizations as information. Air Force Regulation 11-8
applies.
The CPC should further assess the potential impact of the GAO
review on the Air Force. If the assessment indicates the need,
the CPC should brief the Deputy Chief of Staff and other
officials, as appropriate.
An entrance meeting is scheduled for February 28, 1994, at
1000, in Room 730 at 400 Army Navy Drive, Arlington VA. The
SAF/FMPF point of contact is Mrs. Ann Cook, Room 4C228, extension
76051.
VAUGHN E. SCHLUNZ
Director for Audit
Liaison and Followup
(Financial Management)
2 Atch
1. DoD(IG) Memo, February 23, 1994
2. Indorsement1 MAR 1994
1st Indorsement
TO: SAF/FMPF, Room 4C228, Pentagon
SUBJECT: Central Point of Contact, GAO Code 701034
1. CPC Richard L. Weaver , Col ,SAF/AAZ , 5D972 ,3-2013
NAME GRADE OFC SYMBOL ROOM EXT.
Alt Jeff Butler , Lt Col ,SAF/AAZ , 5D972 ,3-2013
NAME GRADE OFC SYMBOL ROOM EXT.
FAX Number 693-2059 .
2. You will be notified of any changes in the above designees.
SAF/AA focal point for all audits and inspections is Ms. Carolyn
Lunsford, SAF/AAX, 697-9057, FAX 693-9763.
PIERRE JOUBERT, Colonel, USAF cc: SAF/AAZ
Director, Plans, Programs, & Budget SAF/AAIQ
Office of the Administrative Ass't5
Memo, with Addendum
Robert J. McCormick, SAF/AA, for
Distribution
Subj: GAO Review on Records
Management Procedures Dealing
with Weather Balloons, Unknown
Aircraft, and Similar Crash
Incidents . . .
March 1, 1994[Department of the Air Force seal] DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON DC 20330-1000
[50th Anniversary seal]
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 1 March 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR DISTRIBUTION
SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with
Weather Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents (GAO
Code 701034) - ACTION MEMORANDUM
References: (a) 23 Feb 94 DoD/IG Memorandum, Subj, same as above
(b) 15 Feb 94 GAO Memorandum of Review Notification
The Department of Defense and other executive branch agencies are undergoing a
review by the GAO concerning whether the US government has "met its responsibility in
the handling, retention, and subsequent disposition of official records concerning the
investigation and reporting of air vehicle and other crash incidents similar to the reported
crash of a weather balloon near Roswell, New Mexico in July 1947". To fulfill the Air
Force portion of this review, addressees, as applicable, are requested to:
(a) identify pertinent directives concerning records retention and disposition;
(b) identify pertinent directives concerning reporting air vehicle crashes,
investigations, and wreckage/debris retention and disposition;
(c) identify any records (unclassified or classified) related to air vehicle (aircraft,
lighter-than-aircraft, rocket/missile, or other) impacts or crashes in New
Mexico from 20 June to 31 July 1947; identify record groups and/or other
indexes associated with these records for further review; and
(d) provide copies of pertinent directives (including any changes of policies on
retention and disposition) and records (i.e., item c above) to SAF/AAZ, 1720
Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1720.
Please provide your responses (interim or final) by 14 Mar 94. Contact Col
Weaver or Lt Col Butler at DSN 223-2013/7 or commercial (703) 693-2013/7 if there are
any questions.
ROBERT J. McCORMICK
Administrative Assistant
2 Attachments:
1. 23 Feb 94 DoD/IG Memo w/encl
2. GAO Issue/Scope/Approach
DISTRIBUTION:
SAF/AAI
SAF/AQL
AF/SE
AF/HO
AF/IN
AF/XOW[Department of the Air Force seal] DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON DC 20330-1000
[50th Anniversary seal]
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 16 March 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR AFOSI/HO
FROM: SAF/AAZ
1720 Air Force Pentagon
Washington DC 20330-1720
SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with
Weather Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents (GAO
Code 701034) - ACTION MEMORANDUM
Reference: SAF/AA 1 Mar 94 Memorandum w/atch, Subj, same as above
SAF/AAZ has taken the lead for the Air Force in providing the GAO with all
pertinent records and information related to the above subject. Part of this review will
involve retrieving records, histories, reports of investigations, etc. related to sightings of
unknown aerial objects/phenomena.
To insure that we have searched all applicable document holdings, request you
research AFOSI histories for any records that might be relevant to the GAO review. Such
records might have been created prior to the formal establishment of AFOSI, e.g.,
AAF/CIC or USA/CID records. Request you limit your search to holdings within your
purview for the period Jan 1947 through Dec 1953.
Please contact me or Lt Col Butler at (703) 693-2013 if there are any questions on
this subject.
RICHARD L. WEAVER, Col, USAF
Director for Security and Special
Program Oversight
SAF/AAZ
1 Attachment:
SAF/AA 1 Mar Memorandum
AFOS I
(ADDENDUM TO SAF/AA-
1 MAR 94 TASKER)6
Memo, with Attachments
AF/IN for SAF/AA
Subj: GAO Inquiry into Records
Management Procedures Dealing
with Weather Balloons, Unknown
Aircraft, and Similar Crash
Incidents
March 14, 1994[Department of the Air Force seal] DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
[50th Anniversary seal]
MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/AA
FROM: AF/IN
SUBJECT: GAO Inquiry into Records Management Procedures Dealing with Weather
Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents -
INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
References: (a) SAF/AA Memorandum, 1 Mar 94
(b) Telecon: Lt Col Butler/AAZ - Mr. Foley/INXA, 3 Mar 94
In response to references, the following information is provided--with answers keyed to ref a:
a. None.
b. None.
c. None, but see below for related material.
d. None.
Ref para c above. Although we possess no official records related to the subject matter, we
do possess documents received from FOIA requesters that discuss the Roswell Incident which we
think may be pertinent to the GAO inquiry:
a. One is a FOIA request from Dr. Neal in California. It is of particular interest in that he
claims to know of a physician in California who allegedly participated in the hands-on pathological
examination of four alien bodies. (Atch 1). Dr. Neal does not identify the individual.
b. There is a second document called "Synopsis of Roswell Incident." (Atch 2). In its
recapitulation of the events that allegedly transpired on that day in Roswell, the synopsis cites
several people who relate stories told to them by alleged eyewitnesses to the event.
We also attach a report from the National Air Intelligence Center (NAIC) at Wright-Patterson
AFB OH, which summarizes its research, and that of others at WPAFB, into UFOs and the Roswell
Incident (Atch 3). The NAIC report concludes that after exhaustive research there is no evidence
of the existence of any relevant documents, flying saucer debris, or space aliens on WPAFB.
AF/IN's POC is Mr. M. J. Foley, x31664.
U/C
[Signature]
[Illegible name/title]
Attachments:
1. Dr. Neal's FOIA Letter
2. Synopsis of Roswell Incident
3. Summary of NAIC ResearchRICHARD M. NEAL, JR., M.D., INC.
OBSTETRICS, GYNECOLOGY & INFERTILITY
[REDACTED]
February 5, 1993
Freedom of Information Act Request
(5 U.S.C. 552)
Department of the Air Force
HQ USAF/DADF
Washington, DC 20380
RE: ALIEN HUMANOIDS/UFO'S
Dear Sirs:
As a physician I have done personal/private research in the
field of Ufology for the past twenty years. Of great interest to
me is the July 2, 1947 crash of an extra-terrestrial object in New
Mexico.
Also of greater interest is the recovery of 4 alien bodies
from this crash - a separate portion of the compartment/control
room/crew cabin area was found several miles from the rest of the
UFO debris. There has been rumors of post-mortem examinations
being performed on these bodies.
The bodies were described as the body of a small humanoid, tan
(or sunburned) in color, approximately the size of a ten year old
boy, was examined at a laboratory of the Guggenheim Foundation then
on 23rd Street in New York City. The pathological examination
disclosed a human with a skeleton having two extra ribs on each
side, whose flesh had a somewhat higher mineral content than we
would consider normal and somewhat denser bones.
Reportedly, shortly after the discovery of this vehicle and
its occupants - it prompted then President Harry S. Truman to
appoint (on Sept. 18, 1947) a committee of twelve individuals -
called the "Majestic-12" or MJ-12 to secure and study the crashed
UFO debris and its occupants.
An important person - one of the MJ-12, was an individual
named Dr. Detlev W. Bronk, a neurophysiologist. In June 1947 he
was named a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the
Brookhaven National Laboratory; he subsequently became the sixth
President of John Hopkins University in 1949. It is believed that
Dr. Bronk was the medical director of a team that performed these
pathological examinations of the aliens; his medical team would be
restricted to a limited number of physicians - such as the
following:
93-6252Freedom of Information Act Request
February 5, 1993
Page 2 of 3
1). Pathologist
2). Radiologist
3). Neurophysiologist (Dr. Bronk)
4). Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgeon
Presently living in Southern California is one of the
physicians who participated in this project. I must respect his
confidentially and anonymity. He is in his mid to late 70's and is
probably the last link (firsthand) to have experienced this
research on the alien bodies in 1947.
In regards to any release of this subject matter, existence of
this material/past research would not be exempt from mandatory
disclosures under the FOIA because it would not/does not interfere
with our national security nor knowledge of the above would give
any other foreign country a military advantage.
Serious UFO researchers believe that the Air Force now wishes
the American public, to know the truth, of the extra-terrestrial
origin of the UFO phenomena, and thus are "leaking" some
information out to various researchers.
Nationwide polls revealed that over 70% of our population
believes in the extra-terrestrial theory; movies such as "E.T.",
"Close Encounter of the Third Kind", "Hanger 18" and "Cocoon" are
being released to cushion the public to the truth. Could the
government/private corporation use subliminal suggestions in the
above movies or possibly TV - To prepare this country eventually
to the truth that UFO's and aliens exist.
Being in this field of research - specifically physiological
and psychological effects suffered secondary to individuals who
were allegedly abducted by aliens has increased my knowledge that
we are definitely being visited by an alien race. I have enclosed
for your review a brief synopsis of what occurred in and around
Roswell, New Mexico in July 1947. Please review this information.
Why have I decided to write at this time This is the 45th
year anniversary of UFO's - many lectures and seminars will be
scheduled around the country to herald this event. Because of
this, it is hopeful that through the FOIA someone sympathetic to
our research efforts will release some "shocking" information for
us to relay to the general public. It seems coincidental/ironic
that the most prominent seminar was the MUFON 1992 International
UFO Symposium on July 11-12, 1992 at the Convention Center in
Albuquerque, New Mexico.Freedom of Information Act Request
February 5, 1993
Page 3 of 3
PROJECT SIGMA
The project was originally established in 1954. Its mission
was to establish communications with aliens. This project met with
positive success (SIC) when in 1959, the United States established
primitive communications with the aliens. On April 25, 1964, a
USAF intelligence officer met two aliens at a pre-arranged location
in the desert of New Mexico. The contact lasted for approximately
three hours. The Air Force officer managed to exchange basic
information with the two aliens. The project is believed to be
continuing at an Air Force base in New Mexico.
I am respectfully requesting the following information:
1). An authentic photocopy of the "Majestic-12" (MJ-12)
groups information - a 9 page document (1947).
2). Any photocopies of pathological reports (post-mortem)
performed on the aliens in 1947 (comparative anatomy).
3). Any authentic photocopies of aliens - full body
exposures; close-up photos, etc.
4). Project Whirlwind - a UFO study done at M.I.T. in 1949,
then referred back to the Dept. of Defense.
Although I realize that the government is reluctant in giving
out information, particularly to civilian researchers, my approach
will continue to be positive and will have a optimistic outlook.
While I might accurately anticipate some negative reactions to all
this information (continued debunking) in the letter, I would
nevertheless value your response.
Sincerely,
Richard M. Neal Jr)
Richard M. Neal, Jr., M.D.
/rmn
Enclosures13
SYNOPSIS OF ROSWELL INCIDENT
I am writing to request a clarifica-
tion of the U.S. Government's current position concerning
events which occurred in and around Roswell, New Mexico,
in July 1947.
According to newspaper accounts and eyewitness reports,
a local rancher, William W. Brazel, discovered pieces of
d bris from an object which crashed on the property he
managed outside Corona, on or about July 2, 1947. He
brought some of this material to the attention of Chaves
County Sheriff George Wilcox, who called the Roswell Ar-
my Air Field. The base Intelligence Officer, Jesse A. Marcel,
and a Counter Intelligence Corps Officer, Sheridan Cavitt,
went to the ranch to inspect the material.
They discovered a great deal of lightweight debris which
couldn't be cut, burned, or even dented with a sledgeham-
mer. On orders from the base commander, Col. William
Blanchard, the Public Information Officer, Walter G. Haut,
issued a news release that the Amry Air Force had recovered
"flying disc." Some of the debris was flown to Fort Worth,
as where the Commander of the Eighth Air Force, Gen.
Roger Ramey, identified the material for the press as the
remains of a weather balloon and its radar target.
However, subsequent investigation has raised considerable
doubt about the weather balloon explanation. For example:
■ According to his son and neighbors, Brazel was held
incommunicado by officials at the Roswell base for nearly
a week, questioned extensively and ordered not to say
anything about his experience; however, in a newspaper in-
terview, he said that the material he recovered "did not in
any way resemble a weather balloon," many of which he
had recovered on his property.
■ Sheriff Wilcox, to whom Brazel initially reported find-
ing the debris, also was ordered by the military not to say
anything, but members of his family say that not only did
he see debris at the crash site — he also saw four "space"
beings," one of whom was alive. Moreover, his grand-
daughter, Barbara Dugger, was told by her grandmother, Inez
Wilcox, that the entire family was threatened with death by
the military if they discussed the incident.
■ The former manager of KGFL Radio in Roswell, Jud
Roberts, says the station was threatened with loss of its
license by government officials in Washington, DC, if it
broadcast the story about the "flying saucer." In addition,
rding to Lydia Sleppy, a secretary at KOAT Radio in
Jquerque, a wire transmission of the news story on the
event was interrupted by a message something like: "CEASE
TRANSMISSION. NATIONAL SECURITY ITEM."
■ According to Brig. Gen...Thomas J. DuBose (USAF,
ret.), who was Gen. Ramey's Chief of Staff, Maj Gen.
Clements McMullen, the Deputy and Acting Commander,
Strategic Air Command, at Andrews Army Air Field,
ordered that some of the debris recovered on the ranch be
brought directly to him in Washington. Gen. DuBose says
officials at the Headquarters of the Eighth Air Force were
directed to tell the press that the material was from a weather
balloon radar target, and that the weather balloon explana-
tion was a "cover story" to divert the attention of the press.
■ The pilot who transported some of the wreckage, Oliver
W. Henderson, said he saw the bodies of alien beings at the
Roswell base, according to his widow, Sappho Henderson,
his daughter, Mary Kathryn Groode, and his friend, John
Kromschroeder.
■ A mortician who worked for the funeral home in
Roswell, Glenn Dennis, says an Army nurse friend told him
about participating in the autopsies of three alien bodies at
the base.
Therefore, I am formally requesting that you seek to deter-
mine whether the highly unusual material recovered near
Corona was from a "flying disc," a weather balloon, or
something else.
Please advise me, at your earliest opportunity, of the
United States Government's current position on the nature
of the material recovered outside Roswell, New Mexico, in
July 1947, and its current explanation for all official actions
taken with respect to this event.
Sincerely,
___________________________SUMMARY OF HQ NAIC RESEARCH INTO THE ROSWELL INCIDENT,
UNIDENTIFIED FLYING SAUCERS, AND PROJECT BLUE BOOK
PURPOSE. To summarize sources of information used in the HQ NAIC study of the 1947
Roswell incident. Allegations are that a flying saucer(s) and/or alien(s) were found at the crash
site and transported to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
BACKGROUND. In 1993, Congressman Steven Schiff from New Mexico began an investigation
of the Roswell incident. Pursuant to that, a General Accounting Office auditor visited the HQ
NAIC History Office to see what records were available within the center. Also, a local
television station picked up the story. In addition to HQ NAIC records, the Historian visited
other base archives to search for material.
FINDINGS.
1. A review of the HQ NAIC History Office and CIRC holdings, plus other base and
USAF Museum archives, encompassing several million pages of documents, did not turn up any
reference to the Roswell incident or the presence of flying saucer(s) and/or alien(s) at the base.
2. An electronic search of the Air Force Historical Research Agency archives, again,
several million pages of documents, did not turn up any reference to the Roswell incident or the
presence of flying saucer(s) and/or alien(s) at Wright-Patterson AFB.
3. A review of the Dayton Daily News for July 1947, all of the UFO-related material
available in the Dayton, Centerville, and Woodbourne Public Libraries, as well as information
in the Wright State University holdings and material in the AFIT, Base Technical Library, and
Base Library did not turn up any conclusive evidence that flying saucer(s) and/or alien(s) had
ever been at Wright-Patterson.
4. Conversations with a dozen people who had worked in the Project Blue Book office
or with Blue Book materials did not turn up any evidence that there had ever been a flying
saucer(s) and/or alien(s) at Wright-Patterson.
5. Over the years, there have been several congressional investigations of this
organizations study of UFO reports. None has ever turned up evidence of a flying saucer(s)
and/or alien(s) at Wright-Patterson.
6. All of this organization's UFO study files were transferred to the National Archives
and made available to the public.
Atch 1CONCLUSIONS.
1. Concerted research has failed to turn up any evidence relating to the Roswell incident
or of a flying saucer(s) and/or alien(s) at Wright-Patterson. Because this conclusion is based on
the absence of documentation, the issue can never be definitively resolved. There will always
be those who say "You didn't search hard enough" or "We know you really do have the
records/saucer(s)/alien(s), but you are just not revealing them to us." It would almost be a
physical impossibility to search every desk drawer in every building on Wright-Patterson looking
for the report, if it ever existed, on Roswell-related material. HQ NAIC is convinced that no
such record currently exists.
2. Because no document has ever been found, however, leads center researchers to the
conclusion that the Roswell material, if it came to Wright-Patterson for analysis, was nothing
remarkable, certainly nothing extraterrestrial. The standard procedure for any government record
is that it is kept for some period of time, then retired or destroyed according to a general
schedule established by regulation. One might assume that a document purporting to be the true
analysis of extraterrestrial material would always be needed and, thus, would have been
preserved.
3. Because the Roswell incident occurred so long ago, now nearly 50 years ago, there
may be no record trail to follow to absolutely determine if a study had ever been conducted.
4. Despite the best efforts of UFO researchers over the years, not one scrap of physical
evidence or one incontestable photograph of either a flying saucer or an alien has ever been
found relating to the Roswell incident. Some researchers have devoted years of their lives to this
effort. Again, using an argument based on the absence of evidence, the fact that several hundred
man-years of effort have followed all of the research trails imaginable leads HQ NAIC to believe
that nothing extraterrestrial was found at Roswell.
5. The earliest UFO literature, books by Ruppelt, Keyhoe, and Menzel do not mention
the Roswell incident. Also, the Blue Book records and the Condon report do not mention the
Roswell incident, though many sightings from 1947 were investigated by this organization's
predecessors.
6. HQ NAIC realizes that the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, but every
reasonable avenue of research has been exhausted without finding evidence that a flying saucer(s)
and/or alien(s) have ever been at Wright-Patterson AFB.
7. Because the GAO will have searched the records of many federal agencies, HQ NAIC
suggests that they be contacted, or Congressman Schiff be contacted, for a comprehensive report
of their findings relating to the Roswell incident.SUGGESTED READING.
Blue Book Special Report 14 and the Project Sign and Project Grudge reports. These
primary documents should have been part of this organization's UFO study files and currently
available through the National Archives.
The UFO Controversy in America, David Michael Jacobs. Contains a comprehensive
review of documents belonging to this organization's UFO study files.
The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects, Edward Ruppelt. Ruppelt was the UFO study
project officer from 1951-1953 and he investigated a series of reports from 1947. He found
nothing, apparently, about the Roswell incident.
The UFO Experience, J. Allen Hynek. Written by the chief scientific advisor to this
organization for UFO studies. Associated with Sign/Grudge/Blue Book from 1948-1969, he
found nothing, apparently, about the Roswell incident.
Flying Saucers: Top Secret, Donald Keyhoe. Keyhoe helped establish NICAP and was
one of the earliest to allege that the government was withholding UFO "secrets" from the public.
He found nothing, apparently, about the Roswell incident.
Flying Saucers and the U.S. Air Force, Lawrence Tacker. States the official Air Force
position as of 1960 and includes earlier Air Force statements about UFOs.
HQ NAIC, March 19947
Memo
Brig Gen James L. Cole, Jr., AF/SE,
for SAF/AAZ
Subj: GAO Review on Records
Management Procedures with
Weather Balloons, Unidentified
Aircraft, and Similar Crash
Incidents . . .
March 14, 1994[Department of Defense seal] DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON DC
1 4 MAR 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/AAZ
ATTENTION: LT COL BUTLER
FROM: AF/SE
SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with Weather Balloons,
Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents (GAO Code 701034) -
INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
In response to your memorandum dated 1 Mar 94, same subject, Air Force Safety has
identified 2 directives concerning the investigating and reporting of air vehicle crashes. One is
within our purview, while the other is managed by the Office of the Judge Advocate General.
AFR 127-4, Investigating and Reporting US Air Force Mishaps (attached), provides
guidance for Air Force safety investigations, to include "air vehicle mishaps." The mishap report
is used for mishap prevention purposes only and is not normally released outside Air Force
channels. It does not cover the investigation of air vehicle crashes belonging to other branches of
government or civilian crashes.
AFR 110-14, Investigations of Aircraft, Missile, and Nuclear and Space Accidents,
provides guidance for Accident Investigation Boards, which are convened primarily to obtain and
preserve available evidence for claims, litigation, disciplinary and administrative actions, and for
all other purposes. The accident report is normally releasable to the public.
Normally, the safety investigation is done first, after which the wreckage/debris retention
and disposition becomes the responsibility of the Accident Investigation Board. AFR 110-14,
paragraph 10, Disposition of Wreckage and Other Evidentiary Materials, states "HQ USAF/JACC
[now AFLSA/JACT] manages the retention of aircraft wreckage for anticipated litigation or in
cases where there is a high degree of publicity. The Air Force is not under any general
requirement to retain wreckage for long periods of time, but in some cases, it is advantageous to
do while in others the wreckage can be disposed of quickly."
The Air Force Safety Agency searched the microfilm records (classified and unclassified)
for air vehicle mishaps for the period 20 June through 31 July 1947. The only mishaps reported in
New Mexico during that periods are as follows:AIRCRAFT DATE TIME* LOCATION
A-26C 24 June 1947 0809 7 miles northwest of Hobbs NM
P-51N 10 July 1947 1252 7 miles northwest of Hobbs NM
C-82A 12 July 1947 1206 7 miles southeast of Albuquerque NM
P-80A 18 July 1947 1200 Carrizozo NM
PQ-14B 28 July 1947 0935 15 miles southwest of Alamogordo NM
* all times are Mountain Standard Time
We have no information regarding mishaps of air vehicles belonging to civilian or other
government agencies. Please note that mishaps involving unmanned air vehicles (which during the
1940s included remotely piloted aircraft, low-speed "cruise missiles" like the V-1, and most
balloons) are considered "ground mishaps." Reports on such occurrences are not retained for an
extended period; AFR 4-20, vol II, Table 127-2, rule 4 directs the Air Force Safety Agency to
destroy them after 5 years.
James L. Cole Jr.
JAMES L. COLE, JR., Brig Gen, USAF
Chief of Safety
Attachment:
AFR 127-4 w/o
cc:
AFLSA/JACT (atch w/d)8
Memo
Col Michael W. Schoenfeld,
SAF/AQL, for SAF/AA
Subj: GAO Review on Records
Management Procedures Dealing
with Weather Balloons, Unknown
Aircraft, and Similar Crash
Incidents . . .
March 22, 1994[Department of Defense seal] DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON DC
[50th Anniversary of World War II seal]
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY
22 MAR 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/AA
FROM: SAF/AQL
SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with
Weather Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents (GAO
Code 701034) (Your memorandum, 1 Mar 1994)
-- INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
SAF/AQL is not the OPR for: 1) directives concerning records retention and
disposition or for 2) directives concerning reporting air vehicle crashes, investigations, and
wreckage/debris retention and disposition. Additionally, we do not possess any records
related to air vehicle impacts or crashes in New Mexico.
[signature]
MICHAEL W. SCHOENFELD, Col, USAF
Director, Electronic & Special Programs
Assistant Secretary
of the Air Force (Acquisition)9
Memo
Col Steve O. Ouzts, AF/XOWP, for
SAF/AAZ
Subj: GAO Review on Records
Management Procedures Dealing
with Weather Balloons, Unknown
Aircraft, and Similar Crash
Incidents . . .
March 9, 1994[Department of Defense seal] DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
[50th Anniversary of World War II seal]
09 Mar 94
MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/AAZ
ATTENTION: Lt Col Bulter
FROM: HQ USAF/XOWP
1490 Air Force Pentagon
Washington DC 20330-1490
SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with Weather
Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents (GAO Code
701034)- INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
Reference: 1 Mar 94 SAF Memorandum, Subj, same as above
There is no requirement for weather personnel to record weather balloon landings.
Only meteorological data are retained.
We did not find any records in the Air Force weather archives of a weather balloon
crash near Roswell, New Mexico from 20 June to 31 July 1947. If you have any
questions, my point of contact is Lt Col Jim Near DSN224-5163.
[signature]
STEVE O. OUZTS, Col, USAF
Chief, Policy Division
Directorate of Weather
DCS, Plans and Operations10
Memo
Grace T. Rowe, SAF/AAIQ, for
SAF/AAI, SAF/AAZ
Subj: GAO Review of Records
Management Procedures Dealing
with Weather Balloons, Unknown
Aircraft, and Similar Crash
Incidents . . .
March 10, 1994[Department of Defense seal] DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON DC 20330-1000
[50th Anniversary of World War II seal]
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
SAF/AAIQ 10 March 1994
1610 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330-1610
MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/AAI[handwritten: admn 14 Mar 94]
SAF/AAZ[handwritten: admn 15 Mar 94]
IN TURN[handwritten: admn 15 Mar 94]
SUBJECT: GAO Review of Records Management Procedures Dealing with
Weather Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash
Incidents (GAO Code 701034) - INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
Reference your memorandum, 1 March 1994, request items:
(a) Identify pertinent directives concerning records retention
and disposition.
The Air Force current regulation is AFR 4-20, Volume 2, Disposi-
tion of Air Force Records, Records Disposition Schedule, dated 1
May 1992.
Earlier schedules were:
AFR 12-50 volume II, Disposition of Air Force Records, Records
Disposition Standards, 30 October 1987; 31 January 1986; 14 May
1984.
AFM 12-50 Volume II, Disposition of Air Force Documentation;
1 October 1969.
AFM 181-5, Records Management, Evaluation and Disposition of
Records, 1 December 1966; 1 July 1963; and 10 November 1958.
AFM 181-5, Records Management, Disposition of Records, 1 July
1956; and 1 August 1954.
AFM 181-5, Administration of Records, 1950.
(b) Identify pertinent directives concerning reporting Air
vehicle crashes, investigations, and wreckage/debris
retention and disposition.
AFR 110-14, Investigations of Aircraft, Missile, and Nuclear and
Space Accidents (AF/JACC).AFP 127-1 Volume 1, US Air Force Guide to Mishap Investigation
(AFSA/SEP)
AFP 127, Volume 3, Safety Investigation Workbook (AFSA/SEP)
AFR 127-4, Investigating and Reporting US Air Force Mishaps
(AFSA/SEP)
AFR 127-11, Participation in a Military Civil Aircraft Accident
Safety Investigation (AFSA/SEP)
(c) Identify any records (unclassified or classified)
related to air vehicle(aircraft, lighter-than-aircraft,
rocket/missile, or other) impacts or crashes in New Mexico
from 20 June to 31 July 1947; identify record groups and/or
other indexes associated with these records for further
review.
We asked the National Personnel Records Center to see if they have
any files for Roswell Air Force Base for the 1947 time frame in
their holdings. They noted that the histories for the 509th Bomb
Group and Wing for Roswell Army Air Base for period of November-
December 1947 was transferred to Air University in 1953. The
regular 1947 records have been destroyed. They do have a packet
of Top Secret for 509th Bomb Wing, Walker Air Force Base,
Roswell, NM for 1949-1950. They said we would need to look
through this for any records.
(d) provide copies of pertinent directives (including any
changes of policies on retention and disposition) and
records (i.e.,item c above) to SAF/AAZ, 1720 Air Force
Pentagon, Washington, DC 20330-1720.
We are attaching appropriate extract from our disposition schedule
since 1950. This is our earliest schedule.
Grace T Rowe
GRACE T. ROWE
Chief, Records Management Branch
Directorate of Information Management
1 Atch
Extracts from AF w/o
Records Schedules11
Memo, with Attachment
Richard S. Rauschkolb, AFHRA/CC,
for AF/HO, SAF/AAZ
Subj: GAO Review on Records
Management Procedures Dealing
with Weather Balloons, Unknown
Aircraft, and Similar Crash
Incidents . . .
March 8, 1994[Department of Defense seal] DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
AIR FORCE HISTORICAL RESEARCH AGENCY
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, ALABAMA
[50th Anniversary of World War II seal]
8 Mar 94
MEMORANDUM FOR AF/HO[handwritten: ols]
SAF/AAZ[handwritten: admn Co...+]
IN TURN
FROM: AFHRA/CC
600 Chennault Circle
Maxwell AFB AL 36112-6424
SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures Dealing with
Weather Balloons, Unknown Aircraft, and Similar Crash Incidents
Reference: SAF/AAZ Ltr, 1 Mar 94
Attached are the results of the records search conducted at the Agency
pursuant to the instructions of referenced letter. Point of contact at this Agency is
Dr James Kitchens, DSN 493-5068 or commercial (205) 953-5068.
Richard S. Rauschkolb
RICHARD S. RAUSCHKOLB
Colonel, USAF
Commander
Attachment:
AFHRA's ReportREPORT
GAO INVESTIGATION OF "THE ROSWELL INCIDENT":
RELEVANT HOLDINGS AT THE AFHRA
8 March 1994
Preface
On 1 March 1994 a facsimile transmission from the Secretary of the Air Force, Office of
Administrative Assistant (SAF/AA) directed the Historical Research Agency to support
the General Accounting Office's investigation of "the Roswell incident." Specifically, the
Agency was directed to identify any records in its possession concerning the
investigation and reporting of air vehicle and other crash incidents similar to the
reported crash of a weather balloon near Roswell, New Mexico, in July 1947 ("the
Roswell incident"). This report presents the search procedure and results and indicates
some possible additional locations for Air Force files on the Roswell incident.
Definition of a Search Strategy
The AFHRA/RSQ (Inquiries Branch) was assigned the task of responding to the
SAF/AAZ directive. On 2 March 1994, Inquiries Branch staff developed a list of possible
file locations which might contain relevant documents. Primary items on this list were
Roswell AAFld installation histories, together with unit histories of the Air Force
organizations stationed at Roswell in June-July 1947. In addition, the following rubrics
were identified for insertion into the Agency's finding aids:
Roswell
Roswell Army Air Field
Unidentified Flying Objects
UFO(s)
Weather Balloon(s)
Results of the Search - Unit Histories
In June/July 1947, the principal Air Force unit stationed at Roswell was the 509th Bomb
Group (H). This group, its constituent squadrons, and support organizations were
therefore indicated as the most likely locations for any reporting about the Roswell
incident in Agency files. On 3 March 1994, the unit histories of Air Force organizations
stationed at Roswell AAFld were retrieved and examined page-by-page for any entriesrelated to unidentified flying objects and/or the crash of a weather balloon near the base
in the June/July 1947 time frame. The results of this search were as follows:
509th Bomb Group (H) - June/July 1947 - One brief passage mentioning the Office
of Public Affairs and "flying disc" activities
in GP-509-HI, July 1947, p. 39 (see
Appendix I).
393rd Bomb Sqdn - No AFHRA files for June/July 1947.
715th Bomb Sqdn - No AFHRA files for June/July 1947.
830th Bomb Sqdn - Nothing in unit history for 24 May 1946-23 June 1947 (SQ-
BOMB-830-HI, 24 May 1946-23 June 1947).
1027th Air Materiel - Nothing in unit history for 17 Dec 1944-Nov 1947
Sqdn (SQ-SV-1027-HI, 17 Dec 1944-Nov 1947).
427th AAF Base Unit - This unit's historical reports are included in Roswell AAFld
installation histories (AFHRA series 288.17-28, 1947). No
mention of Roswell incident found.
390th Air Service Sqdn - No AFHRA files for June/July 1947.
1395th Military Police - No AFHRA files for June/July 1947.
Company (Aviation)
603rd Air Engineering - Nothing in unit history for Feb-Nov 1947 (SQ-ENGR-603-
Sqdn HI, Feb-Nov 1947).
It should be noted that the period from approximately 1946 to 1950 is the least well
documented era in the Air Force's unit history program. During this time of drastically
reduced forces and peacetime concerns, major unit histories were frequently thin and
their content sketchy at best. Small units, especially support units, frequently did not
submit histories at all during the 1946-1947 period. Although we cannot be absolutely
sure that the histories marked "no holding" in the above list were never written, it
appears virtually certain that they were not, in fact, ever created. If written, there is
good evidence through accessioning and microfilming records that the Agency never
received those indicated as absent from the AFHRA collection.
Result of the Search - Base Histories
On 3 March 1994 the Agency's files of Roswell AAFld histories for June/July 1947 were
examined. These base or installation histories are designated AFHRA 288.17-28, Roswell
AAFld Histories, Jan 1946-Dec 1947 (3 vols). These histories amount to approximately
two linear inches and are largely concerned with administrative matters (number ofpersonnel, transfers, routine administrative actions, etc.). No mention of the Roswell
incident was found in them.
Result of the Search - Card Catalog and IRIS
On 3 March 1994 appropriate rubrics in the Agency's card catalog such as "Roswell,"
"Roswell AAFld," "UFO(s)," "Unidentified Flying Objects," "Weather Balloon(s)," were
examined. No entries were found which identified information remotely related to the
Roswell incident.
The Agency's IRIS electronic data base was also queried for potential entries. The
following key words or phases were entered:
ROSWELL
UFO
UFOS
UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT
UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS
WEATHER BALLOON
WEATHER BALLOONS
The IRIS search produced no documents concerned with a flying disc and/or weather
balloon crash at Roswell AAFld. The IRIS search, however, did reveal a sub-stantial file
in AFHRA microfilm roll 33,764, beginning frame 562, which is concerned with flying
disk reports in the western United States during the summer and fall of 1947. This file
was apparently maintained by the Air Force Missile Development Command. It reveals
contemporary investigative agencies, methods, and personalities both Air Force and
civilian, thus it provides archival clues for further investigation of the Roswell incident.
Extracts from microfilm roll 33,764 are attached as Appendix II.
Finally, a passage mentioning balloon operations from Holloman AFB during June-July
1947 was located in AFHRA K280.10-54G, 1947-1958, Contributions of Balloon Operations
to Research and Development at the Air Force Missile Development Center, Holloman Air Force
Base, N. Mex., 1947-1950 (Holloman AFB, NM: AFMDC, n.d.), pp. 1-2 (Appendix III).
This passage indicates that a cluster of "rubber-type weather balloons" was launched at
Holloman AFB on 5 June 1947, the equipment from which was recovered. A second
launch of polyethylene balloons was made on 3 July, the equipment for which was not
recovered.
Aircraft or "Vehicle" Crash Reports
The AFHRA does not hold aircraft accident reports. The office of record for such reports
is the Air Force Safety Agency/SERR, Kirtland AFB, NM.Summary and Conclusions The Historical Research Agency is primarily a repository for unit histories and supporting documents, and it has never routinely received the kind of records which might provide details of the Roswell incident. If such records survive today, they will undoubtedly be held by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), either at the Washington National Records Center (WNRC) or the Southwest Regional Depository (Fort Worth, Texas). Recommendations Because the records management policy of the federal government requires that obsolete office files be retired to the NARA, the WNRC and the NARA Southwest Regional Depository might be searched for files related to the Roswell incident. AFHRA microfilm roll 33,764 indicates that the Fourth Air Force and its A-2 intelligence section apparently carried out investigations of flying disks in the western US in 1947. Research in the NARA, therefore, might reasonably include a search for surviving HQ Fourth AF and Fourth AF A-2 Section files in the NARA. James D. Kitchens, III Richard S. Rauschkolb JAMES H. KITCHENS, III, PhD RICHARD S. RAUSCHKOLB Archivist Colonel, USAF Inquiries Branch Commander Appendix 1. 509 BG History, Jun/Jul 47 2. Extract from "Flying Disks 1947" w|o 3. Ballon Operations at AFMDC, 1947-1950, pp 1-2 w|o
COMBINED HISTORY 509TH BOMB GROUP AND ROSWELL ARMY AIR FIELD 1 JULY 1947 THROUGH 31 JULY 1947 00095394 [ILLEGIBLE] APR 29 1953
See Chap. #3 (Organization)
HEADQUARTERS
509TH BOMB GP (VH)
ROSWELL ARMY AIR FIELD
ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO
GENERAL ORDERS) 8 July 1947
NUMBER 9)
1. Pursuant to authority contained in Hqs. 8th Air Force TEX
number 41 1593 dated 6 July 1947, the undersigned hereby assumes
command of the Roswell Army Air Field, Roswell, New Mexico. Effective
this date.
PAYNE JENNINGS
Lt. Col. A. C.
Commanding
DISTRIBUTION:
"A" & Post (325)
Personnel (6)
Classification (5)
Hqs. 8th AF (5)
Hqs. SAC (2)
Col. Jennings (1)[REDACTED]
CHAPTER III
ORGANIZATION
Any significant changes in organization as activation or de-
activation of units, or change of command, will be dealt with in this
chapter.
Lt Colonel Payne Jennings, Deputy Commander, assumed command
of Roswell Army Air Field on 8 July 1947. Colonel W. H. Blanchard,
Commanding Officer went on leave. 1/
Lt Colonel Charles W. Horton, Jr., was assigned as Commanding
Officer of Squadron "A", vice Lt Colonel Richard P. Schumacher on
14 July 1947. The Squadron Adjutant, Captain Bowman, was transferred
overseas and was replaced by Captain Joseph A. Jones.
Command of the 3rd Photo Laboratory Unit (VH), was assumed by
1st Lt Harold W. Arner per Paragraph 3, Special Order, #139, Headquarters,
Roswell Army Air Field, dated 18 July 1947. He relieved 1st Lt Lewis
C. Bohanan who was transferred to the 701st AAF BU, Hamilton Field,
California.
The 390th Air Service Squadron received a new commanding officer
in the person of Lt Colonel Walter Y. Lucas, who assumed command on
1 July 1947. Colonel Lucas relieved Lt Colonel William C. Kingsbury
who then assumed command of the 715th Bomb Squadron (VH), formerly
commanded by Colonel Lucas.
1st Lt W. G. Hilburn, former Assistant Base Adjutant, transferred
from Squadron "A", 427th AAF BU to 603rd Air Engineering Squadron as
Squadron Adjutant. He replaces Captain Earl O. Casey, who is on orders
for an overseas assignment to Project PAC
1/ G.O. #9, paragraph 1 - RAAF, Roswell, New Mexico
17
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The other three briefings were those which were given to the VIP
and a simulated briefing to a large group of Air Scouts representing
all of the troops in New Mexico which was given on 15 July 1947.
Several small projects were completed during the month including
signs on all the office doors, a building directory, and a world situation
map which is maintained on a day-to-day basis.
The Historical Section of S-2 has been seriously handicapped by
the removal of the regular stenographer with the reduction in force.
Due to the fact that the quality of the department reports has
in general been so inadequate, lectures are being prepared to be given
early in August to properly train the liaison representatives of each
department.
The Office of Public Information was kept quite busy during the
month answering inquiries on the "flying disc", which was reported to
be in possession of the 509th Bomb Group. The object turned out to be
a radar tracking balloon.
The main project of the month was making all arrangements for a
successful Air Force Day. Lt. Colonel Oliver LaFarge, Air Reserve Corps,
at Santa Fe, made arrangements for Colonel Blanchard to visit the Governor
of New Mexico and ask him to declare Air Force Day in New Mexico on
1 August.
[REDACTED]
39[REDACTED]
The Public Information Office was host during the month to the
Senior Air Scouts of New Mexico, and to the several groups of visiting
VIP's. Several easy chairs and couches have been procurred to make the
Public Information Office a more comfortable place in which to entertain.
The Public Information Officer and the Commanding Officer were
guests of the Kiwanis Club of Roswell at a luncheon, for which Colonel
W. H. Blanchard was the guest speaker. Colonel Blanchard spoke on the
future of the Air Force, and the talk was very well received.
Arrangements have now been made to have the P.I.O. called on
all crash calls in accordance with AAF Regulation. In the past, the
P.I.O. has been called too late to get to the scene in time to do any
good.
The 3rd Photo Laboratory Unit (VH) is now commanded by 1st Lt
Harold W. Arner per paragraph 3, SO #139, Headquarters, this station,
dated 18 July 1947. 1st Lt. Lewis C. Bohanan, former commanding officer
of the 3rd Photo Lab Unit, was transferred to the 701st AAF BU, Hamilton
Field, California.
The principal difficulty reported is a critical lack of photostat
paper. This has caused a large back log of important work to pile up.
The following is a breakdown of work performed during the month
ending 31 July 1947:
Contact Prints..........3058 Projection Prints........403
Photostats............. . 0 Ground Negatives.........285
Copy Negatives.......... 158 Aerial Roll Film.........741 feet
35 mm Film...............454 feet
40
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CHAPTER XIII
VISITORS
1 July 1947 - Lt Colonel R. Hamilton Martin and Lt. Colonel Loberg,
Headquarters, Eighth Air Force, arrived this date to
coordinate with S-3 and check inventory of printing and
reproduction equipment.
2 July 1947 - Colonel Brown, Colonel Dubose, and others from Headquarters,
Eighth Air Force, arrived on official visit and inspection.
Others included Lt Colonel Raymond R. Spurgeon, to coordi-
nate with Adjutant's Section; Lt Colonel Ray C. Milton, to
coordinate with Engineering; and Lt Colonel Donald S. Dundas,
to coordinate with the Legal Section (Judge Advocate).
2 July 1947 - Major O'Neal J. T. Archer, Headquarters, Eighth Air Force,
arrived to coordinate with S-3 on flying safety.
2 July 1947 - Mr. M. E. Sudt, Engineering Depot, St. Louis, Missouri,
visited to coordinate with Theater Officer.
3 July 1947 - Mr. Giles, Fire Prevention Inspector from Strategic Air
Command, departed this station after completing his in-
spection of the Fire Departments.
8 July 1947 - Eighth Air Force Group Competition Inspection Team, under
the supervision of Lt Colonel Burns, arrived to make the
competition inspection. Major L. J. Seibert and Major
Rogers L. Pearson were among those present.
8 July 1947 - Mr. John H. Kawka, Eighth Air Force, arrived on an ammuni-
tion inspection.
9 July 1947 - S-4 was inspected by Major K. D. Thompson and Captain J.
W. Brady.
10 July 1947 - Mr. E. S. Rupp and Mr. C. D. Hall, SAGD, visited Base Supply
regarding Quartermaster Stock Control.
11 July 1947 - Captain Billy M. Seargeant, 70th AAF BU, 103rd Weather Group,
arrived on Weather Station Inspection.
11 July 1947 - Captain Edward G. Retartyk, Eighth Air Force, arrived to
coordinate with Budget and Fiscal Officer.
62
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11 July 1947 - Mr. R. W. Truitt, Cost Analyst, Eighth Air Force, co-
ordinated with Budget and Fiscal Officer on cost analysis.
14 July 1947 - Colonel Sager, Surgeon, Eighth Air Force, arrived to coordi-
nate with Station Hospital and Base Commanding Officer.
14 July 1947 - Captain R. R. Showalter, Jr., and Major L. A. Boatright,
Headquarters, Eighth Air Force, arrived to coordinate with
Statistical Control on cost analysis.
16 July 1947 - Brigadier General Roger M. Ramey arrived from Ft Worth on
an official visit.
16 July 1947 - Lt Colonel J. P. Hines, Major Louis R. Fimian, Major Howard
A. Beck, and Lt Colonel John H. Bell arrived from Headquar-
ters, Strategic Air Command, for inspection and coordination
of S-4 Section.
17 July 1947 - Brigadier General Roger M. Ramey departed this station en-
route to Tucson, Arizona.
21 July 1947 - Mr. W. L. Wilson, SAAMA, arrived to coordinate with the
Air Installation Officer and AACS, regarding Headquarters
AMC projects.
22 July 1947 - Dr. E. M. Townsend, PHS, Ft Stanton, New Mexico, arrived
for a visit with the Commanding Officer or Executive
Officer. He is Chief Surgeon, Public Health Service,
Ft Stanton.
23 July 1947 - 19 VIP consisting of several college presidents and deans,
also CAP and National Guard notables from the western states
arrived from Hamilton Field to spend the night. They were
enroute to Eglin Field, Florida, to witness demonstration
of latest army air force equipment.
24 July 1947 - The above mentioned VIP departed this base after a short
courtesy tour, including a sample briefing.
24 July 1947 - Major R. J. D. Johnson and Captain W. A. Hartzop, Jr.,
Army Air Forces, Washington, D. C., arrived for investi-
gation of the B-29 crash which occurred 20 May 1947.
25 July 1947 - Governor Thomas J. Mabry of New Mexico, and party, were the
guests of honor of Roswell Army Air Field. Brigadier General
Roger M. Ramey, Commanding General, Eighth Air Force, was one
of the visiting dignitaries to welcome the Governor.
63
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Historical Liaison Officer's Reports
2. Mission Reports, filed in Intelligence Office
3. Operations Reports, filed in S-3 Office
4. Commanding Officers Daily Diary, filed in Base
Adjutants Office
5. Transcript of Staff Meetings
66
[REDACTED]12 Memo, with Attachments Edward C. Mishler, HQ AFOSI/HO, for SAF/AAZ Subj: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures . . . May 11, 1994
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
AIR FORCE OFFICE OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS
11 May 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/AAZ
FROM: HQ AFOSI/HO
226 Duncan Ave Suite 2100
Bolling AFB, DC 20332-0001
SUBJECT: GAO Review on Records Management Procedures (Your memo 16 Mar 94)
1. This is to inform you that on 19 December 1975, the HQ AFOSI History office
transferred two cubic feet of documents consisting of directives and policy guidance
relating to the conduct of investigations of the type GAO is reviewing and all investigative
files covering the period of 1948 to 1968 to the National Archives. You will find attached
a copy of the Standard Form 135, Record Transmittal and Receipt, signed by the Assistant
Chief, Military Projects Branch, National Archives, on that date (atch 1). My predecessor,
who was instrumental in transferring these records informed me that these were the only
records that AFOSI held. Currently, anyone who requests information on the subject from
HQ AFOSI/Information Release is directed to the National Archives. Further, you will
find attached a copy of my input to a staff meeting of 8 February 1989 in which I noted
that 40 years earlier a meeting was held in the Southwest U.S. concerning subject (atch 2).
At that time, District 17, Kirtland AFB, NM, was designated to be responsible for
collection and reporting on aerial phenomena. That is about the only reference I've found
in AFOSI historical files relating to the subject for the period of 1948 to 1953. AFOSI did
not become operational until 1 August 1948, so we have no histories dealing with events
before that time.
2. If you have any further questions, please contact me at DSN 297-5725 or Commercial
(202)767-5725.
Edward C Mishler
EDWARD C. MISHLER
Historian
Attachments:
1. Copy of SF 135, 19 Dec 75
2. Copy of HO Input, 8 Feb 89 Staff Meeting
"HELPING TO PROTECT A GREAT WAY OF LIFE"STANDARD FORM 135 RECORDS TRANSMITTAL PAGE 1 of 1
JULY 1961 EDITION AND RECEIPT
GENERAL SERVICES ADMIN. ACCESSION NO. RECORD GROUP NO.
FPMR 41 CFR: 31-11.4 NN-375-209
INSTRUCTIONS
Send original and two copies to appropriate SIGNATURE DATE RECORDS RECEIVED
Federal Records Center. Francis J. Hepburn 12-19-75
EXCEPTION—Send original and three copies to the
Alexandria, Virginia, Center TITLE Assistant Chief,
Military Projects Branch, National Archives
FROM: (Name and address of Agency transferring records) TO: Federal Records Center, GSA
HQ AFOSI/HO The Archivist of the United Sta
Rm 1-H-053, Forrestal Bldg National Archives & Records Ser
1000 Independence Ave., SW General Services Administration
Wash., DC 20314 Wash., DC 20408
1 CITE SECURITY CLASSIFICATION AND/OR RESTRICTION ON USE OF RECORDS, IF ANY
UNCLASSIFIED
2 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE CLEARED 3. FILING EQUIPMENT EMPTIED 4 CUBIC FEET OF RECORDS
TRANSFERRED
A. OFFICE B. STORAGE A. FILE CABINETS (No.) B. TRANS. FILES (No.) C. SHELVING (Lin. Ft.) 2
5 NAME OF AGENCY CUSTODIAN OF RECORDS 6 BUILDING AND ROOM NO. 7. TELEPHONE NO.
Kurt K. Kunze, Capt, USAF, Historian Forrestal Bldg, Rm 1H-053 693-5997
8 MAY THE RECORDS BE DESTROYED AS SCHEDULED WITHOUT FURTHER AGENCY CONCURRENCE? YES [ ] NO [ ]
9 AGENCY OFFICIAL'S SIGNATURE 10 TITLE Chief, Documenta- 11. DATE
David H. Ferguson, Maj, USAF tion Div, Directorate of 19 Dec 75
Administration, HQ AFOSI
12 BOX NUMBERS 13 DESCRIPTION OF RECORDS WITH INCLUSIVE DATES 14 DISPOSAL AUTHORITY
FRC ONLY AGENCY (Show organizational component creating records) (Schedule and Item No.)
Source documents dating from 1948 to 1968
concerning the USAF investigation of Un-
identified Flying Objects (UFOs). These
records contain documents on investigative
policy and Air Force Office of Special
Investigation reports of investigations on
UFO sightings.
SOURCE DOCUMENTS
1 File folders 24-185-1 through 24-185-27 (Note:
There is no file for 24-185-3; there are two
files under the number 24-185-17; and there
is no file for 24-185-26) These files con-
tain policy guidance and AFOSI District
reports of investigation concerning UFOs
(filed primarily by district).
2 File folders 24-185-001 through 24-185-008
containing policy guidance and AFOSI District
reports of investigation concerning UFOs
(filed primarily in chronological order.).
STANDARD FORM 135 (Use Standard Form 135A for continuation sheets) 135-C
JULY 1961 EDITIONHO Input for 8 Feb 89 Staff Meeting The following are two old items from the AFOSI archives. Forty years ago, representatives of US investigative and intelligence agencies met in the southwestern United States. They decided District 17, Kirtland AFB, NM, would be responsible for the overall collection and reporting on aerial phenomena. These phenomena, later termed unidentified flying objects or UFOs, had been sighted with some frequency in the New Mexico area. This program was initially called Project Sign, then Project Grundge, and was renamed Project Blue Book in 1951. NOTE: AFOSI turned over all its investigative files pertaining to this project to the National Archives in 1976* Twenty years ago, in response to the increasing drug problem in the Air Force, OSI took steps to provide additional training. District 17 sponsored a narcotics seminar at Kirtland AFB, NM, which 225 people from state and local law enforcement agencies as well as OSI agents attended. OSI also developed an advanced Narcotics Investigations Course designed to teach the latest technics in combatting drug abuse. * actually, on 19 Dec 1975.
13 Records Searched
ARCHIVES/ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
NOTE: RECORD GROUP 319, RECORDS OF THE ARMY STAFF MESSAGE CENTER, WERE SEARCHED FOR 1947.
RECORD GROUP ENTRY BOX REEL # TITLE LOCATION
N/A N/A N/A LeMay Papers LIB OF CONGRESS
N/A N/A N/A SPAATZ PAPERS LIB OF CONGRESS
N/A N/A N/A TWINING PAPERS LIB OF CONGRESS
N/A N/A N/A VANDENBERG PAPERS LIB OF CONGRESS
18 1 556 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 557 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 558 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 559 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 560 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 561 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 562 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 563 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 564 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 565 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 566 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 567 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 568 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 569 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 570 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 571 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 572 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 573 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 574 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 575 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 576 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 578 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 577 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 578 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 580 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC18 1 581 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 582 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 583 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 584 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 585 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 586 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 587 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 588 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 589 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 590 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 591 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 592 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 593 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 594 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
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18 1 596 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 597 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 598 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 599 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 600 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 602 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
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18 1 604 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 605 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
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18 1 609 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 610 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
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18 1 612 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC18 1 613 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
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18 1 624 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 625 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 626 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 1 627 AIR ADJUTANT GENERAL NARA DC
18 4 178 RECORDS OF ARMY AIR SUITLAND
18 4 179 RECORDS OF ARMY AIR SUITLAND
18 4 392 RECORDS OF ARMY AIR SUITLAND
18 4 393 RECORDS OF ARMY AIR SUITLAND
18 4 394 RECORDS OF ARMY AIR SUITLAND
18 4 395 RECORDS OF ARMY AIR SUITLAND
18 4 396 RECORDS OF ARMY AIR SUITLAND
18 4 397 RECORDS OF ARMY AIR SUITLAND
159 IG REPORT- INDIVIDUALS NARA SUITLAND
159 IG CORRESPONDENCE NARA SUITLAND
319 G2 INTEL RECORDS OF NARA SUITLAND
319 2889 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 2930 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 2933 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 2934 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 2941 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 2947 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND319 2950 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3053 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3054 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3058 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3056 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3057 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3102 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3102 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3103 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3114 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3115 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3116 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3117 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3118 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3119 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3120 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3121 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3122 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3123 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3124 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3125 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3126 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3127 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3128 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3129 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3130 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3131 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3132 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3133 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3134 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3136 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND
319 3143 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND319 3145 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND 319 3146 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND 319 3957 RECORDS OF THE ARMY ARCHIVES-SUITLAND 341 CORRESPONDENCE NARA SUITLAND 341 1 HQ USAF MESSAGES NARA SUITLAND 341 23 1 TOP SECRET MSGS NARA SUITLAND 341 213 1 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 2 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 3 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 5 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 6 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 7 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 8 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 9 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 10 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 11 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 12 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 13 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 14 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 16 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 17 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 18 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 19 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 20 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 21 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 22 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 23 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 24 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 25 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 26 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 27 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 28 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND
341 213 29 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 30 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 31 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 32 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 33 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARS SUITLAND 341 213 33 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 34 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 35 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 37 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 38 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 39 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 40 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 41 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 42 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 43 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 44 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 45 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 46 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 47 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 48 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 49 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 50 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 51 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 52 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 53 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 54 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 55 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 56 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 57 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 213 58 OFFICE OF DIRECTOR NARA SUITLAND 341 337 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 1 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC
341 337 2 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 3 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 4 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 5 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 6 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 7 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 8 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 9 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 10 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 11 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 12 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 13 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 14 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 15 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 16 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 341 337 17 OF 18 HQ USAF RECORDS NARA DC 401 124 1 A.P CRARY PAPERS NARA DC
RECORDS CENTERS
ACCESSION # BOX # UNIT BASE
338-78-0260 1 WHITE SANDS - ARMY
338-78-0261 14 WHITE SANDS - ARMY
338-78-0262 14 WHITE SANDS - ARMY
338-78-0262 4 OF 4 WHITE SANDS - ARMY
338-78-0643 2 OF 2 AIR DEFENSE SCHOOL
FT BLISS
341-69A-1262 1 BOLLING AFB
341-69A-1262 15 BOLLING AFB
341-69A-1262 30 BOLLING AFB
341-71A-6170 27 PENTAGON
341-71A-6170 29 PENTAGON
341-71A-6170 30 PENTAGON
341-71A-6170 32 PENTAGON
341-71A-6170 36 PENTAGON
341-71A-6170 67 PENTAGON
342-48A-5049 1 WATSON LABS
342-49-A-5025 1 8TH AF
342-49A-5025 1 OF 20 8th AF
342-49A-5025 10 OF 20 8th AF
342-49A-5025 11 OF 20 8th AF
342-49A-5025 12 OF 20 8th AF
342-49A-5025 13 OF 20 8th AF
342-49A-5025 14 OF 20' 8th AF
342-49A-5025 2 OF 20 8th AF
342-49A-5025 3 OF 20 8th AF
342-49A-5025 4 OF 20 8th AF
342-49A-5025 5 OF 20 8th AF
342-49A-5025 6 OF 20 8th AF
342-49A-5025 7 OF 20 8th AF
342-49A-5025 8 OF 20 8th AF
342-49A-5025 9 OF 20 8th AF
342-49B-6004 1 12th AF
342-49C-5025 1 OF 2 8th AF
342-49C-5025 2 OF 2 8th AF
342-49D-5025 1 8th AF
342-49D-6015 1 OF 3 SAC342-49D-6015 2 OF 3 SAC
342-49D-6015 3 SAC
342-49E-5025 1 8th AF
342-49E-6015 1 SAC
342-49H-5025 1 8th AF
342-50-7029 1 10 th AF BROOKS AFB
342-51-7012 1 HQ BOLLING AFB
342-51-7110 1 428 AAFBU KIRTLAND
AFB
342-51-7111 1 KIRTLAND AFB
342-51-7112 1 KIRTLAND AFB
342-51A-5071 1 BOLLING FLD COMMAND
342-51B-0614 1 BOLLING FLD
342-51C-5071 1 BOLLING FLD
342-52-7089 1 OF 8 3151 ELEC GRP WATSON
LABS
342-52-7089 2 OF 8 3151 ELEC GRP WATSON
LABS
342-52-7089 3 OF 8 3151 ELEC GRP WATSON
LABS
342-52-7089 4 OF 8 3151 ELEC GRP WATSON
LABS
342-52-7089 5 OF 8 3151 ELEC GRP WATSON
LABS
342-52-7089 6 OF 8 3151 ELEC GRP WATSON
LABS
342-52-7089 7 OF 8 3151 ELEC GRP WATSON
LABS
342-52-7089 8 3151 ELEC GRP WATSON
LABS
342-52-7091 1 WRIGHT PAT
342-52-7096 1 JOINT LONG RANGE
PROV GRD
342-52-7103 1 AIR WEATHER SERV
ADW
342-52-B-6067 1 OF 2 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-52A-5033 23 10TH AF
342-52A-5099 1 10th AF
342-52A-6117 1 CAMBRIDGE LABS
342-52B-4003 1 OF 7 8th AF
342-52B-4003 2 OF 7 8th AF
342-52B-4003 3 OF 7 8th AF
342-52B-4003 4 OF 7 8th AF
342-52B-4003 5 OF 7 8th AF
342-52B-4003 6 OF 7 8th AF
342-52B-4003 7 8th AF
342-52B-6067 2 OF 2 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-52G-4002 1 8th AF
342-52Q-4002 1 8th AF
342-53-7026 1 OF 25 8th AF342-53-7026 11 OF 25 8th AF
342-53-7026 12 OF 25 8th AF
342-53-7026 13 OF 25 8th AF
342-53-7077 2 OF 6 3089 EXP TEST GP
HOLLOMAN AFB
342-53-7077 3 OF 6 3089 EXP TEST GP
HOLLOMAN AFB
342-53-7077 4 OF 6 3089 EXP TEST GP
HOLLOMAN AFB
342-53-7077 6 OF 6 3089 EXP GP HAFB
342-53-7078 1 3089 MSC EXP GP
HOLLOMAN AFB
342-53-7106 1 OF 2 CONAF MITCHEL FLD
342-53-7106 2 CONAF MITCHEL FLD
342-53A-6074 1 OF 2 WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6074 2 WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6078 1 OF 18 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6078 2 OF 18 HQ AMCWRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6078 3 OF 18 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6078 4 OF 18 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6079 1 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6079 1 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6079 10 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6079 11 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6079 12 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6079 3 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6079 4 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6079 5 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6079 6 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6079 7 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6079 8 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6079 9 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6081 1 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6081 2 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6081 2 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6081 3 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6081 3 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6081 4 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6087 1 AMC HQ WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6087 2 AMC HQ WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6087 3 AMC HQ WRIGHT PAT
342-53A-6087 4 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT
342-53B-6079 1 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT342-53C-6079 1 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 342-54-E-6128 1 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 342-54-F-6128 1 HQ AM WRIGHT-PAT 342-54-F-6128 1 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 342-54-F-6128 2 HQ AM WRIGHT-PAT 342-54-F-6128 3 HQ AM WRIGHT-PAT 342-54-F-6128 4 HQ AM WRIGHT-PAT 342-54B-6097 1 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 342-54B-6097 2 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 342-54B-6097 2 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 342-54B-6097 2 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 342-54F-4022 1 12th AF 342-54J-4045 9 OF 48 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 342-55A-6099 1 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 342-55A-6099 2 HQ QMC WRIGHT PAT 342-55A-6099 2 HQ AMC WRIGHT PAT 342-56A-6191 1 CAMBRIDGE LABS 342-A-6067 1 AMC HQ WRIGHT PAT 342-G-4002 1 OF 3 8 th AF 342-G-4002 2 OF 3 8th AF 509th BG ORDERS 509th BOMB GROUP MORNING REPORT JULY 1947 509th BOMB GROUP MORNING REPORTS JULY 1947 427 AAFBU
14 Letter Lt Col Thomas Badger, Jr., HQ/AAF, to Commanding General, AMC Subj: Issuance of Orders June 5, 1947
HEADQUARTERS, ARMY AIR FORCES
WASHINGTON
JUN 5 1947
SUBJECT: Issuance of Orders
[stamp: NND760168
N/A NARA Date 5/10/39]
TO: Commanding General
Air Materiel Command
Wright Field, Ohio.
1. Request confidential orders be issued placing the following
named officers on three (3) days temporary duty at Sandia Base, Albu-
querque, New Mexico, for purpose of pursuing Bomb Commanders Course,
reporting not later than date indicated:
8 July 1947 Class
Lt. General Nathan F. Twining, O-12356, AC
Major General Benjamin W. Chidlaw, O-14936, AC
Brigadier General Arthur Thomas, O-10276, AC
Brigadier General Samuel C. Brentnall, O-17132, AC
5 August 1947 Class
Brigadier General Donald L. Putt, O-17875, AC
Brigadier General John C. Gordon, O-18571, AC
Colonel Leighton I. Davis, O-19721, AC
2. Copies of orders should be forwarded to Commanding Officer,
Kirtland Field. Additional copies of orders should be furnished to
the Commanding Officer, The Armed Forces Special Weapons Project, Wash-
ington, 25, D. C.
BY COMMAND OF GENERAL SPAATZ:
[signature]
THOMAS BADGER, JR.
Lt. Colonel, Air Corps
Executive, Military Personnel Divisi
Office of AC/rs-1
[stamp at bottom: REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHI] U-2403[ILLEGIBLE]15 Appointment Book; Diary Lt Gen Hoyt S. Vandenberg July 7-9 [1947]; July 7-9, 1947
5520
MANUSCRIPT [seal] DIVISION
THE PAPERS OF
HOYT S. VANDENBERG
Diaries & Appointment Books
DECLASSIFIED Box 1
[ILLEGIBLE]Gen. Vandenberg's
APPOINTMENTS
YEAR 19 47
Secretary's desk calendar
[K. & T. logo]
No. 845/5
NATIONAL BLANK BOOK COMPANY
Holyoke, Massachusetts
MADE IN U. S. A.
[Tab labels along right edge: A B C D E F G H I J K L [ILLEGIBLE] S T U V W Y Z]
[Right margin text: REPRODUCED FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF THE MANUSCRIPT DIVISION, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS]189
Thursday JULY 7
8:00 2:00
8:30 2:30
9:00 3:00
9:30 3:30
10:00 4:00 Dental Appt.
10:30 4:30
11:00 Mr. [ILLEGIBLE] E.
[ILLEGIBLE] Lockheed 5:00
Co.
11:30 5:30
12:00 War Council 6:00
12:30 6:30
1:00 7:00
1:30 7:30
[Right margin text: REPRODUCED FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF THE MANUSCRIPT DIVISION, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS]190
JULY 8 Tuesday
8:00 2:00
8:30 2:30
9:00 3:00 AIR MARSH GODDARD
4 SUBJECTS
9:30 3:30
10:00 Recruiting Pres. to S/W+ 4:00 Cong. [ILLEGIBLE]
C/S 3E869. [ILLEGIBLE] on 2 [ILLEGIBLE]
2nd [ILLEGIBLE] Hq: [ILLEGIBLE]20[47] (fly Partic[ILLEGIBLE])
10:30 4:30
11:00 5:00
11:30 5:30
12:00 6:00
12:30 6:30 - 8°° [ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE] Halv[ILLEGIBLE]jan - 2520
34th Place
1:00 7:00
1:30 7:30
[Left margin text: REPRODUCED FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF THE MANUSCRIPT DIVISION, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS]191
Wednesday JULY 9
8:00 2:00
8:30 2:30
[ILLEGIBLE]
9:00 3:00 [ILLEGIBLE]
9:30 Ben Pearce 3:30
10:00 4:00 Ht. [ILLEGIBLE] Run 19[ILLEGIBLE]
Gravelty 6+ 82
10:30 4:30
11:00 C/S Meeting 5:00/6- Mr. Petrick & Mr.
Cancelled Lawrence - Reaction Mo[tion]
11:30 5:30
12:00 Attn [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] 6:00 Any Time - [ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE] 3 [ILLEGIBLE] Jim [ILLEGIBLE]
12:30 6:30
4:50
1:00 JCS Luncheon 7:00
1:30 7:30
[Right margin text: REPRODUCED FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF THE MANUSCRIPT DIVISION, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS][Dark cover page with label in center box:]
DECLASSIFIED
DOD [ILLEGIBLE]
8 Jan 6/30 June [ILLEGIBLE]
By: [ILLEGIBLE] Date [ILLEGIBLE]
OFFICE OF
DAILY DIARY REPT OF DEPUTY COMMANDER
[REDACTED]
[REDACTED]July 5, 1947
1:00 P.M. Returned from Wichita Falls, Texas.
July 7, 1947
9:15 A.M. Arrive Office.
9:15 A.M. Gen. Rawlings
9:40 A.M. Gen. Boatner with mail.
9:43 A.M. Colonel Garland on phone with reference to memorandum from General
Kenney on how to have more groups and fewer people. Was that approved
Approved to extent instructions given that SAC units be left alone
until September and at that time make a decision as to approval of
Kenney's organization and how extensively it will be used in the
Air Force. Find out if Kenney has been advised and let me know.
9:45 A.M. Colonel Galloway thanking General Vandenberg for what he put on for CIC
9:50 A.M. Colonel Garland advised that General Hood had handled the matter of
SAC units and would be right down to brief Gen. Vandenberg.
9:55 A.M. Gen Chauncey on phone from Pocatello, Idaho to state that Gen Cannon
doesn't want Moody or Turner in Georgia. Doesn't want Columbus at all-
wants to substitue San Marcos. Wants to concentrate all expansion in
a little bunch in Texas and take over fields that belong to/[ILLEGIBLE]
like Brooks and Bergstrom. General Chauncey says that it is possible
we will have to give up the two in Georgia. Gen Chauncey stated he
advised Gen Cannon to put his wants in writing and not to telephone as
Gen Chauncey feels Gen Cannon is not too sure of himself, as two months
ago he wanted to get out of San Marcos and now he wants it and also
Brooks & Bergstrom.
10:00 A.M. Gen Hood & Col Hobson —briefing on SAC units.
10:55A.M. Mr. Zuckert re civilian personnel and limitations and personnel
at inactive installations or installations which we are not planning
to retain in our permanent structure.
11:05 A.M. Mr. Robert Gross and Mr. Maher of Lockheed
11:55 A.M. Gen. Sam Anderson
12:00 To War Council in absence of Gen. Spaatz
12:20 P.M. Returned and then to lunchJuly 7, 1947 (Cont'd)
1:10 P.M. Mr. Hicks of the Toronto Star, Toronto, Canada on phone -
He spoke in regard to the "flying discs". They understand
these discs are a U.S. plane that is still on the secret
list. He asked Gen. Van what he thought they were and Gen.
Van was quite noncommittal. Gen. Van said that some
National Guard planes were on duty on their own volition
to search for the discs, but that no planes have been put
on duty from Hq, AAF.
1:20 P.M. General Tommy Power
1:40 P.M. Cong. Drewry of Va. on phone requesting a B-29 be sent to
Blackstone, Va. for a celebration by the CAF and volunteer
fire organizations in the vicinity. Date - July 27. May
be able to do some recruiting on that day. Gen. Van said he
would look into the matter and advise Mr. Drewry's office.
1:50 P.M. Mr. Leo on phone re article on "Saucers". Said one had been
found with instructions on it to get in touch with Colonel
Frank Hackett in Spokane. Mr. Leo reported the matter to
General Schulgen, G-2.
1:52 P.M. Mr. Zuckert on phone informing him with reference to National
Guard that all planes where we haven't squadron or group
headquarters should take their people away.
1:55 P.M. Mr. Leo and General LeMay with reference to discs.
2:00 P.M. Colonel Frank Hackett, Spokane, Washington on phone -
General Van informed Colonel Hackett that we had gotten a call
from the Houston Chronicle saying that a flying disc had landed
there with his (Colonel Hackett's) name on it. Gen. Van asked
if he knew anything about it. Colonel Hackett stated that he knew
nothing at all about it. Gen. Van told Col. H. that it was reported
here that Col. H. said that his people knew all about it and that
a statement was coming out from Washington. Col. H. said, "I
have said nothing". Col. H. had the Chronicle called and told
to get in touch with the F.B.I. - get photographic proof - and then
get in touch with Gen. Twining.
2:20 P.M. Colonel Bob Warren, Ellington Field, Tex on phone. -
Gen. Van informed Col. Warren that the Houston Chronicle had
found a disc about 20" in diameter and 5 or 6" thick. It is
supposed to have Col. Frank Hackett's name on it. We are most
anxious to explode this thing. I would appreciate it if you would
get in touch with the Chronicle, ask them where it is, go out
and see the thing and then call me back. The line of approach is
that we have nothing like that, we don't understand what it is,
but we are leaving no stone unturned to be sure. Colonel Warren
said it would be a couple of hours before he could call back.July 7, 1947 (Cont'd)
2:30 P.M. To airport to meet Mr. Symington and then to Mr. Symington's office.
4:10 P.M. Returned.
4:15 P.M. General O'Donnell
4:20 P.M. General LeMay
4:20 P.M. Col. Warren called back re Gen. Vandenberg's directive that
he run down the story about the flying discs. Col. W. finally
located the reporter who picked up the story from another man.
This man lives in Goose Creek. He now says that it was entirely
a figment of his imagination and that he just made it up. Col.
W. talked to a Mr. Evans who is handling this thing at the
Chronicle — and they took it up with somebody up at the Air
Depot at Spokane. - - - - He said to them that he just made the
thing up. Col. Warren said that the Chronicle seemed to be
satisfied that the thing was just a cock and bull story.
Col. W. is going to check with the local F.B.I. and possibly
drive over to see the man at Goose Creek. If anything further
develops he will call Gen. Vandenberg.
4:30 P.M. Mr. Leo on phone - Gen. Van told him the above story. A civilian,
Joe Shipman, who works with Col. Hackett is reported to have told
the Chronicle to contact Gen. Twining.
5:00 P.M. To see Mr. Symington
5:15 P.M. Departed for office of Congressman Hoffman.July 8, 1947
9:20 A.M. Arrive office.
9:25 A.M. General Gardner and General Power - approved restrictions on
flying due to gasoline shortage so that the Air Force would be in a
tenable position if it became necessary to curtail civ. gas consumption
9:30 A.M. Gen. LeMay & Dr. Bowles - briefing for JRDB meeting.
9:50 A.M. JRDB Meeting with General LeMay.
12:15 P.M. Returned - then to Mr. Symington with reference to personnel
for the President's Air Board.
12:45 P.M. Lunch.
1:30 P.M. Returned.
1:50 P.M. Colonel Moore on phone who stated Senator Guerney stopped him in
the hall and said they were starting hearings on the three million
six hundred thousand dollar cut in flying pay.
2:10 P.M. Gen. Rawlings advised Colonel Moore that the cut was okay as we had
reduced the number of people on flying status. Also advised Colonel
Moore that Sen. Guerney had been sent the letter of June 20 that
went to the rest of the members of the committee with reference to
flying pay.
2:30 P.M. Mr. Chalmers Hall on phone with reference to a study he is going
to present to Senator Vandenberg with reference to the security
of this country. Read his plans in detail to Gen. Vandenberg
and the General advised him that all the things contained in his
study were in the new bill on unification - that it had all the
elements he was plugging for.
3:00 P.M. General Lyon on phone with reference to the cases of Major John M.
White and Gerald R. Johnson for transfer to the Air Forces. All
transfers by War Department direction have been cancelled as of
31 March. In the case of Major White there will be no trouble in
event of the merger goes through and recommend this case be held until
then. Johnson was recommended against by General Fairchild.
3:10 P.M. Air Marshal Goddard
3:25 P.M. Senator Cabot Lodge on the phone with reference to increased
appropriation to call for 70 Groups. (1) Was the 70 Group Program
cleared by the Budget or not? Gen Van said no—were cut down to
55 Groups. (2) Can you have someone in your office write an
argument as to why it should be 70 Groups? Gen Van advised him3:25 p.m. (Cont'd) Wants a statement prepared xxxxx he can use as coming
from him — not an Air Force or General Vandenberg
statement,— for the 70 Group Program instead of 55.
He wants this in a day or two.
3:35 p.m. Briefing by Gen Kauch, Mr. Zuckert, A-3, A-5 on Alaskan Air Base
3:45 p.m. To Office of Congressman Wolverton with Mr. Zuckert on the
subject of Alaskan Air Bases. Took up matter of starting hearir
at this session of this committee. Will give us an answer tomor
5:07 p.m. Any hearings to be held will be started next week.
Returned from Congressman Wolverton's office.
5:08 p.m. To Mr. Symington with reference to personnel for the President'
Air Board.
5:12 p.m. Gen. Rawlings on the box reference request of Senator Cabot Lodg
mentioned above (3:25 p.m.)
5:14 p.m. To Mr. Symington - re personnel for the President's Air Board.
6:15 p.m. Gen. Kissner on phone re request of Senator Lodge for
statement in connection with appropriations. General Aissner
will have this ready by Noon tomorrow.
6:20 p.m. To Mr. Leo's office and then home.July 9, 1947
8:30 A.M. Arrive Office.
8:50 A.M. General Chauncey
9:13 A.M. General Stearley re letter in connection with motion picture
personnel. Gen. Van advised it would not get by Secretary Patterso
Have to take a reading on exactly how we can get by with 8 reserve
officers and 2 regulars and still spend that money on them.
($500,000 each) Gen. Van advised him to look into the matter of
reserve officers and that his office should write the letter.
9:17 A.M. General Gardner, General Power, Col. Peterson
9:33 A.M. Cong. Harness of Ind. re Capt. Roger Smith O-744641 who has had
5 years overseas with B-29's and is now on terminal leave. He
wants reassignment - regular or otherwise, and is willing to be
placed on foreign service. Gen. Van asked that he come over to
see Major White and we would get him the information.
Cong. Harness advised he thought we were getting the Merger Bill
worked out pretty fine.
9:35 A.M. General Doolittle on phone. To come in at 10:30.
9:38 A.M. Mr. Ben Pearse with reference to two stories he is writing -
one about the Anglo-American Oil Agreement and the other about
CIG.
9:25 A.M. Harry Bruno of New York - Gen. Van advised he would let him know
as soon as he could with reference to an engagement for week-end
either 18 July, 25 July, 1 August or 8 August.
10:30 A.M. To Mr. Symington
10:50 A.M. To Gen. Eisenhower's office with General Norstad
11:45 A.M. Mrs. Bowers of the White House called Major White to advise that
Gen. Vandenberg should be in the President's office at 12:15
tomorrow for signing of Air Force proclamation.
12:15 P M. Returned from Chief of Staff's office.
12:50 P.M. To Mr. SymingtonJuly 9, 1947 (Cont'd)
2:15 p.m. Returned from JCS
2:30 p.m. To Mr. Symington
3:10 p.m. Returned
3:30 p.m. Mr. Leo on phone re "This recruiting matter". Gen. Streett's
office recommends against it on the ground that that is a
small enterprize down there and they don't want to set a
precedent. Mr. Leo will check further and call back.
Also, General Streett has been concerned in the event of unification
about recruitment funds and wanted Mr. Leo to express to Gen.
Vandenberg his opinion that it ought to be a gradual shift
if there was not going to be a central recruitment.
3:40 P.M. General Anderson - General Van informed Gen. Anderson that he
was definitely against his leaving Washington at the present
time and plans to recommend to Gen. Spaatz that it not be done.
5:05 p.m. Mr. Pethick and Mr. Lawrence. Mr. Pethick (Navy), Mr. Lawrence
(President of the Reaction Motors) and General LeMay . Presented
to General LeMay and General Vandenberg problem of their monitary
position which was bad and they were afraid of being refused
contracts which would set back the jet rocket motor development
several years. General LeMay stated that they were to take it
up with Wright Field and present their case out there where the
contracts are let.
5:35 P.M. Home.16 Fort Worth Star-Telegram Photographs of Balloon Debris [July 9, 1947]
[PHOTOGRAPH: Black and white image showing a military officer crouching over and examining debris spread out on a floor. The debris appears to consist of foil-like material and sticks/rods. Two chairs are visible in the background.]
[PHOTOGRAPH: Black and white image showing a military officer holding up a large piece of debris material with both hands. Additional debris consisting of foil-like material and sticks/rods is spread on the floor in front of him. Two chairs are visible in the background.]
[PHOTOGRAPH: Black and white image showing a military officer in a peaked cap sitting or crouching in the background while debris consisting of foil-like material propped up in a tent-like shape and sticks/rods is spread across the floor in the foreground. Two chairs are visible in the background.]
[PHOTOGRAPH: Black and white image showing two individuals seated in chairs in the background while debris consisting of foil-like material arranged in a pyramidal tent-like shape and other material is spread across a table or surface in the foreground.]
17 Satement Lt. Col. Sheridan Cavitt, USAF (Ret) May 24, 1994
STATEMENT OF WITNESS Date: 24 May 94 Place: Washington I Sheridan W.Cavitt, hereby state that Richard L. Weaver was identified to me as a Colonel, USAF. I do hereby voluntarily and of my own free will make the following statement without having been subjected to any coercion, unlawful influence or unlawful inducement. I was a Counterintelligence Corps (CIC) Special Agent for the US Army Air Force who was initially assigned to Roswell AAF following my graduation from CIC school at Ft. Holabird, MD, in late June or Early July, 1947. Shortly after arriving at Roswell , New Mexico in that time frame I had occasion to accompany one of my subordinates, MSGT Bill Rickett, CIC, and Major Jesse Marcel, Intelligence Officer the 509th Bomb Group, to a ranchland area outside of Roswell to help recover some material. I think that this request may have come directly from Major Marcel. I do not know who may have made the report to him. To the best of my knowledge, the three of us traveled to the aforementioned ranch land area by ourselves (that is, no other persons, civilian or military, were with us). I believe we had a military jeep that Marcel checked out to make this trip. When we got to this location we subsequently located some debris which appeared to me to resemble bamboo type square sticks one quarter to one half inch square, that were very light, as well as some sort of metallic reflecting material that was also very light. I also vaguely recall some sort of black box (like a weather instrument). The area of this debris was very small, about 20 feet square, and the material was spread on the ground, but there was no gouge or crater or other obvious sign of impact. I remember recognizing this material as being consistent with a weather balloon. We gathered up some of this material, which would easily fit into one vehicle. there certainly wasn't a lot of this material, or enough to make up crates of it for multiple airplane flights. What Marcel did with this material at the time was unknown to me, although I know now from reading about this incident in numerous books that it was taken to Eighth Air Force Headquarters in Fort Worth where it was subsequently identified as a weather balloon, which I thought it was all along. I have reviewed the pictures in the 1991 Book by Randle and Schmitt on the UFO Crash at Roswell wherein Marcel and Ramey are holding up this material and it appears to be the same type of material that we picked up from the ranch land. I did not make a report of this incident to my headquarters since I felt that the recovery of a weather balloon was not a big deal that did not merit a written report. In the same referenced book by Randle and Schmitt I was reputed to have told Rickett ( on Page 63) that we were never there and this incident never happened. The book seems to imply this was in some sort of conspiratorial tone; however it is more likely I told him not to mention it to our headquarters because we had wasted our time recovering a balloon. I only went to this area once and recovered debris once and to the best of my knowledge there were no other efforts to go back there. If there were, they did not involve me. There was no secretive effort or heightened security regarding this incident or any unusual expenditure of manpower at the base to deal with it. In fact, I do not recall the incident being mentioned again as being any big deal and I never even thought about it again until well after I retired from the military when I began to be contacted by UFO researchers. Many of the things I have mentioned to these people have either been taken out of context, misrepresented, or just plain made up. I did know both Jesse Marcel and Bill Rickett very well (both are now deceased). I considered them to be good men, however both did tend to exaggerate things on occasion. With regards to claims that we tested this material by hitting it with sledgehammers without damaging it, I do not recall any of us doing so. I also did not test this material for radioactivity with a Geiger counter (or anything else). I do not recall attempting to burn any of this debris but my wife tells me she recalled that Jesse Marcel, his wife and son did have a small piece that they held over the fire when we had a cookout . In short, I did help recover some debris near Roswell, New Mexico in the summer of 1947. I thought at the time and think so now, that this debris was from a crashed balloon. I am not part of any conspiracy to withhold information from anyone, either the US Government or the American public. I have never been sworn to any form of secrecy by anyone concerning this matter and I have received authorization from the Secretary of the Air Force to discuss with Colonel Weaver any information of a classified nature that I may have concerning it. There is no classified information that I am withholding. I have never been threatened by the US Government or any of its subdivisions, or by any persons, not to talk about this incident with anyone, and in fact I have talked to a number of private researchers. My bottom line is that this whole incident was no big deal and it certainly did not involve anything extraterrestrial. Sheridan W. Cavitt page 1 of 2 5oc
CONTINUATION SHEET FOR AF FORM 1168 AND 1169
THIS PAGE
USED
FOR
SIGNATURES
ONLY
I further state that I have read this entire statement, initialed all pages and corrections, and signed this statement, and that it is correct and true as
written.
WITNESSES: [Signature of Sheridan W. Cavitt]
Mary D. Cavitt
(Signature) [REDACTED]
(Address)
[REDACTED]
(Address)
Subscribed and sworn to before me, a person authorized by law to adminis-
ter oaths, this
(Signature)
24 day of MAY 19 94
(Address) at [REDACTED]
Michael L. Veams
(Signature of Person Administering Oath)
RICHARD L. WEAVER, Col, USAF
(Type Name, Grade & Title of Person Administering Oath)
AF FORM 1170 GPO: 1986 0 - 168-568 PAGE 2 OF 2 PAGES18
Interview
Col Richard L. Weaver with Lt Col
Sheridan D. Cavitt, USAF (Ret)
May 24, 1994TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW OF SHERIDAN CAVITT
(Note: RW = Col Richard L. Weaver; SC = Sheridan Cavitt; MC = Mary Cavitt)
RW: Today is the 24th of May 1994. I am in I am Colonel Richard L.
Weaver and I am talking to Lt Col Sheridan Cavitt, US Air Force, Retired. Also present in the
room is his wife, Mary. Colonel, you don't mind that I tape record this do you?
SC: Go right ahead.
RW: O.K. thank you. What I would like to ask you is to confirm you were with the Counter
Intelligence Corps (CIC) (at that time of the US Army) in 1947?
SC: Yes...the Army Air Corps...right.
RW: When did you get transferred to Roswell, Sir?
SC: I went to Roswell after going to the CIC School in Baltimore, Maryland, at Camp
Holabird...in 1946. I do not remember the month. My wife might. It was in the Fall was it not?
MC: June of 47.
SC: June?
RW: I think on your records you graduated in June of 47.
SC: From Holabird?
RW: Yeah, Holabird.
SC: O.K...I told you my dates are slipping my mind.
RW: That's O.K...I have the same problem.
SC: It's hard to remember July 47. I hadn't been there very long.
RW: Did you know a Major Jesse Marcel who was the Intelligence Officer during Roswell at that
time?
SC: Oh yes. I knew Jesse, his wife, and his son. We were very close friends. We were in the
same building in the CIC office, which was next to the intelligence office. We associated socially
as well as business.
RW: Sir, you were the senior officer and the commander at the detachment there at Roswell?SC: Yes, I guess you could say that. I was the only commissioned officer. I had two enlisted agents "working for me" quote end quote. RW: Who were the enlisted agents that worked for you? SC: The senior was a Master Sergeant by the name of Rickett and the young agent, Jack Williams. I later had some other people working for me after CIC deceased and OSI took over for the Air Force...the investigative agency. RW: That actually came, I think, in September when the Air Force first stated. You were one of the charter members of OSI, as I understand? SC: Yeah, over from CIC and OSI; and then I went to OSI school later. RW: You reported through your chain of command? You didn't report to General Blanchard, the Base Commander? You reported like we did in OSI through the separate chain of command, as I understand it; is that right? SC: Yeah, our parent organization was 700 CIC and I believe that there...they had sort of a branch up in Colorado at that time, but I think most of our work was sent directly back to Bolling at that time. I am a little fuzzy on that because I wasn't in the organization very long, you know. RW: OK. General Blanchard was the Base Commander and everyone else in the 509th basically reported to him then? SC: Oh yeah. Colonel Blanchard. RW: Oh yeah. Excuse me, Colonel Blanchard. SC: He was the Wing Commander of the 509th, right. I didn't report to anybody on the base. RW: Just like in OSI? SC: Yeah, I associated and coordinated stuff with Marcel and I had no responsibility to Blanchard or Marcel. RW: Do you recall an incident that happened during the early part of July when you were asked to accompany Major Marcel to go recover some wreckage of anything? SC: Well, there again I couldn't swear to the dates, but in that time, which must have been July, we heard that someone had found some debris out not too far from Roswell and it looked suspicious; it was unidentified. So, I went out and I do not recall whether Marcel went with Rickett and me; I had Rickett with me. We went out to this site. There were no, as I understand, check points or anything like that (going through guards and that sort of garbage) we went out there and we found it. It was a small amount of, as I recall, bamboo sticks, reflective sort of
material that would, well at first glance, you would probably think it was aluminum foil, something of that type. And we gathered up some of it. I don't know whether we even tried to get all of it. It wasn't scattered; well, what I call, you know, extensively. Like, it didn't go along the ground and splatter off some here and some there. We gathered up some of it and took it back to the base and I remember I had turned it over to Marcel. As I say, I do not remember whether Marcel was there or not on the site. He could have been. We took it back to the intelligence room...in the CIC office. RW: What did you think it was when you recovered it? SC: I thought a weather balloon. RW: O.K. Were you familiar with weather balloons at the time? SC: I had seen them. I had seen them. As I recall, I am really reaching back, I think they were equipped with a radio sonde or something like that, that transmitted data from, when it got up to altitude (what altitude I have no idea) and somebody on the ground received it and that way they got some information on what was happening up there. RW: O.K. SC: This is all over my head. When I saw it it was to flimsy to be anything to carry people or anything of that sort. It never crossed my mind that it could be anything but a radio sonde. RW: How did you get the report that the material was out there? SC: That I don't recall. Looking back on it, I imagine somebody called the 509th. The 509th called Marcel and said there is something over here, wherever. and then...more and more thinking back on it now he must have been...I must have been with him...."lets go out look and see what the hell..." RW: Did you just make one trip out to the area? SC: I can't recall ever making more than just that one trip. RW: And you think it was you, Marcel, and Rickett? SC: Well, I not sure it was Marcel but I know Rickett was... RW: Rickett was there? When you got back with this stuff you turned it over to the Intelligence Office. What happened then? SC: Nothing, as far as I'm concerned. I don't think I even made a report. Our CIC had gone by... 700 CIC was the CIC Headquarters.
RW: 700 CIC was the Headquarters? SC: Yes, I don't think I even made a report to them, which I normally would if there was anything at all unusual. RW: Do you remember the newspaper? It actually was, I think, July 7, 1947, where this now famous newspaper says they found a "flying disc" in Roswell? That was actually the Roswell paper, that was the first one. How about you, Mary, do you remember that at all? SC: I don't remember it. We took the local paper to get some weather reports. MC: We were so new there. In fact, I think I had just been there just maybe just a few days because I had been up to my sister's wedding and I don't think at that time we might not even been taking the paper. We heard no... SC: I don't remember anything in the paper. MC: We heard nothing. Of course, we didn't associate with people on the base, either. RW: Yeah, I understand. MC: We were brand new. Jesse and Salazar were best friends. At that...starting about the first of July on. RW: After you found this, Sir, do you remember any sort unusual activity occurring? Like a big military alert, or people going out to the base and large numbers of high security? SC: No. The reason I wouldn't have been involved in anything like that, if there was any activity like that, I was Counter Intelligence Corps, this didn't have anything to do with counter- intelligence. It looked to me, somebody lost a weather balloon. I couldn't care less...tough luck. RW: But when you went out and saw this material, there was no doubt in your mind that it was some sort of man made material? And, you though at the time was a weather balloon, some sort of balloon? SC: When I first saw it. RW: When you said the wreckage wasn't very much, could you, was it as long as your house here, or just a small little clump? SC: Maybe as long as this room is wide. RW: So, twenty feet maybe?
SC: Some here, some here, some here. No concentration of it. No marks in the ground, dug up, anything hidden, or anything like that, just out on the territory around the bottom of New Mexico, just good for growing sheep - they don't eat too well. RW: Yeah, I don't imagine. They probably have to eat on the run out there. Do you remember at the time the article or the photo of General Ramey and Marcel holding up a piece of material? Have you seen that since that time? SC: Oh yeah, I have seen it, yeah, but at the time I don't recall seeing anything like that. RW: In that photo, actually there are four separate photos there, Marcel, I think in two of them, is holding up material. Does that look like the material that you picked up out in the desert? Actually it's in this book if you don't mind... MC: I was going to say that I think it's in there. SC: I don't remember...Yeah, Yeah, that's... RW: The first picture is actually with Jesse Marcel and that's General Blanchard and... SC: I think this was taken at the Headquarters at Carswell. RW: Yeah, that's right. That's correct. SC: And I obviously...Marcel took it to Fort Worth. Yeah that's the... RW: Yeah. That doesn't look like they substituted anything from what you found? SC: No, No. RW: Is this about the extent of the material? I realize you can't see all of it in any of the pictures. Or was there large...could you fill up an airplane with it? SC: Oh, good God! You couldn't fill up (unintelligible) with it. Yeah, I can't tell what those sticks look like. But, as I recall, to me they look like bamboo or some sort of very small lav type material ripped out. RW: Could you break them or bend them, or... SC: I didn't try. RW: O.K. SC: It was someone else's balloon as far as I was concerned. I didn't want to fool around with it.
RW: After you picked that up and you turned it over to Marcel, did you ever hear anything more about this? Did people from Washington come and talk to you about it? Did you have to swear any security oaths or debriefing statements? SC: I don't remember anybody from Washington coming there. It's possible that somebody came over to talk to Marcel that I didn't even know about. To my knowledge, no. Certainly nobody from Washington. I would have, I think, remembered that. Someone from the headshed coming down and talking to me. Certainly, I would have. And I was not sworn into any secrecy ever about any of this stuff. RW: So, as far as you are concerned, none of this was ever classified? There was no attempt to, I use the word, "cover up" this information or to classify it? SC: Well let's put it this way: as far as I knew, I never heard anyone say, "Don't talk about this and its hot stuff." I think Marcel, would...I'm sure he would have told me something. RW: Would he have? Did he ever say anything to you after this incident occurred until the time he left? Or, anywhere up until the time he died? SW: Oh, Rich, dealing with him there in the office or the next office to him so he probably said something about it. That he had taken it down to Ramey or something. But, nothing that would, you know, stick in my mind of importance. Do you understand what I mean? If he had said something like, "I took it to 8th Air Force Headquarters, General Ramey was excited; they were going to take it to Wright-Pat" (or wherever they allegedly took it). Oh, I'm sure I would have remembered that. RW: It had been alleged in a number of books, including the one by Randle and Schmitt, that there were a number of airplane flights back and forth of C54's and B29's going into Wright-Pat and Kirtland, or to Fort Worth. Back and forth, loaded up, with very tight security, hauling this wreckage. Do you recall any of that going on? SC: None...Nothing. RW: And then its indicated (and not directly quoting ) Some counterintelligence people from Washington or Andrews (as they said in the book) had come out there and apparently done photographs or crime scene searches or whatever. There was nobody else out there from CIC or Counter Intelligence Corps that you knew of? Other than Rickett? SC: Not to my knowledge. Not to my knowledge. I made a booboo. I said it was 700 C at Bolling. I believe now that you mentioned Andrews, it could have been Andrews. But no nobody came out. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't talk to me. CIC did some crazy things in those days, shuttling some people around. RW: But it would have been likely, had you been involved in recovering something kind of special that they would have talked to you?
SC: Yeah, I think they would have asked me, "Cav, what did you see"...right. RW: Did Rickett ever talk to you about this again? SC: No...I don't think so. I don't think so. Right about that time just before OSI was formed and we all were absorbed into OSI. I think he went on a special undercover job up to...maybe somewhere to an Air Force Base up here in Washington. MC: Fort Lewis, I think he... SC: Was it Lewis or McChord? I don't remember. Anyway, he went on to an undercover assignment, and that's what I said about CIC doing some crazy things. They didn't even tell me. I was his boss locally and they didn't even tell me that he had gone up. He use to be a mechanic at one time, Rick did, in the Air Force; the Air Corps. I think they wanted to...they were having some trouble with their planes being what they thought were sabotaged and they asked him to go up there and try out the machine...like an airplane mechanic, which he could do pretty good. Outside of that, I don't know of anything that Rick did. RW: One of the things that was mentioned in this book...and I don't know how much you read it, is that Rickett some time later that Fall apparently went with a scientist by the name of Doctor LaPaz, and he accompanied him and they went around to various places. Dr. LaPaz was a well known person... SC: I knew of him. I never met LaPaz personally, but I knew what he was. RW: Did Rickett go with him that you recall; accompany him around? SC: He could have, but it certainly didn't stick to my mind. It wouldn't be for any extended time I don't think, because we needed him around the office. MC: The Ricketts were friends of ours too; and his wife and I. I don't remember Mack ever saying anything. SC: Mack was his wife. MC: ...that he was gone for a long time. SC: He could have, but Rickett would go off the deep end every once in a while. He was a fantastic story teller. He worked for an insane asylum up in the Washington DC area. I think his wife worked there, also. He would sit around and tell some of the most hilarious, ridiculous stories about things that happened in this nut house, so to speak. RW: Was that St. Elizabeth's? That's the big government mental institution.
SC: I don't know. It's in the Washington DC area. I forget since I was there in the Washington area for awhile but I never did get acquainted with the insane asylum. RW: It's always best to keep it that way. SC: No, well I put it again, he might have gone off with LaPaz for a few days, but I can't imagine what excuse I would have been given as to why he'd be out goofing around with an astronomer. LaPaz was a well thought of individual in New Mexico and, I imagine, all over the United States. He had quite a reputation. RW: He did quite a bit of work for the Air Force, as I found through research. SC: Contract work or something...Yeah. RW: But there was nothing that you knew of that he did as a direct result of this incident on the stuff that you recovered out there? SC: No. Of course, I could have been held in the dark about it; but as far as I know, no. RW: O.K. I went through and pulled out wherever, in this book UFO Crash at Roswell by Randle and Schmitt, this is a 1991...I pulled out wherever you were identified. They never identified you by name except in the credits when they interviewed you, but they always referred to you as the "Senior CIC man" and "Senior CIC agent". They identified Rickett and Marcel, of course, by name. There are many things that are in the book that people said that you said or implied that you said, without directly saying that "Colonel Cavitt told me such and such." SC: Yeah. RW: I pulled a couple of these out and just ask you if you can comment on it to see how they ring with your memory of the incident. "The second fellow we interviewed" (this right from the front on page six) "was an agent in the counterintelligence corps. He accompanied another intelligence officer on the initial trip to the crash site and we believe wrote a report of the incident for his superiors in Washington"...implying that was you, since you were the senior guy. SC: I'm just reading this end quote "book." No, No. I assume...I assume when I read this thing for the first time that they sent me a big deal, you know... RW: An autographed copy? SC: An autographed copy and all that. No, I didn't say all like that. RW: On the next page, on seven, again referring to you: "At first this intelligence agent refused to admit that the event had occurred at all. There had been no newspaper story, no fuss, not even the recovery of a weather balloon. After much prodding, that he was going to admit that something came down and was recovered, and but that was as far as he would go. He admits no
personal involvement even though other reliable sources gave him a central role. That kind of sums up everything in... SC: No. No. From the very start, when these clowns started hounding me, Randle and Schmitt, I told they accused me of covering up and having signed a security... RW: Berlitz and Moore? MC: Now, you see, he was here at the house. I've heard numerous deals on the radio when I'm listening at night and all this, all of this, has been... SC: I told these guys when they first talked to me, I said: "I have taken no security oath. I'm under no obligation to not tell you anything, because, as far as I was concerned, it wasn't anything other than a weather balloon." And, I said: "I want you to quit inferring that I am staying silent under an oath of security." And, finally, I think about two years, later Randle told me: "Hey, we believe you." It was getting ridiculous. I was getting so sick and tired of this garbage. RW: Yeah. I sensed a little of reluctance when I first called up and..."like, Oh no, here we go again" type of thing. SC: I did, really. MC: He gets so many phone calls. I usually answer the phone and say: "Who's calling please?" And then, I don't know whether...come and write a book... SC: You've hear of Pflock? RW: I know who he is, yeah. SC: He's our chief debunker. I lean toward him. MC: Rich, have you got, read, Randle and Schmitt's latest book? RW: I've not. I've tried to find it and I haven't been able to find it. MC: It just came out in April. SC: They haven't sent me a copy yet. I think they are mad at me. MC: Didn't they tell us that they found some new information and it wasn't at the spot that... SC: Right. Right. RW: Yeah. As I understand it, the new information (and this may not be quite right, since I haven't read it, this is hearsay) is that there was this crash...what they call the crash site,
apparently, where you were at and picked up this material, and then there is another one 120 miles or so away. SC: A richochet. RW: Yeah. Which at one time was on the Plains of San Augustin and now it has apparently in this new book been changed to a location closer to Roswell. And, that's where these bodies were supposedly recovered. I think their new research has to do with that aspect of it. MC: Well we haven't seen it, but I know it came out in April. RW: O.K. Lets see; also on the same page it said: "The CIC responded to the phone call. Jesse Marcel was one. "The intelligence and the CIC responded to the phone call. Jesse Marcel was one of them. Colonel William Blanchard and the other officer suggested that Marcel and CIC agent accompanied Brazel to the ranch to see what was there." Brazel, of course, was the farmer who apparently came in and made the original report. SC: Yeah. To the best of my recollection, I never met the rancher, Brazel. RW: O.K., because as I go through here you'll see that you're accused, I say "accused"; claimed, to have been with him on a number of occasions and basically, it was alleged that the Army Air Corps had imprisoned him, if you will, for about a week and kept him away from everybody. Not that you personally did, but the Army Air Corps in general: "The trip to the ranch took the rest of the afternoon...they were forced to stay in a small cabin with no electricity no running water...the next morning they headed out into a field were Brazel had found the debris." So, this would have been you and whoever else accompanied you. SC: Totally, made up, or fabricated, or whatever. I didn't have any experiences like that of spending the night out on the ranch. MC: Eating a can of beans... RW: Eating beans...yeah, that is, in fact, mentioned in one of the... SC: Yeah. RW: O.K. Now this: "Marcel would later say that the material was like nothing he had ever seen and the metal was as thin as newsprint and as light as a feather. It was flexible but very strong. He tried to dent it with a sledge hammer but Marcel and the CIC agent tried to burn it but it would not burn. It was lighter, stronger and more fire resistant than any of them had ever seen. Marcel, along with the counterintelligence agent picked up as much as they could and begun loading it up in Marcel's convertible and the counterintelligence agent's Jeep Carryall vehicle with a rear box." So, apparently, according to Marcel's version of the story (and I don't know when this was given, sometime after 1978) you hammered on it and tried to rip it and did other stuff with it and it was like nothing you had ever seen.
SC: No. MC: I remember we were at the Marcel's house and I can remember Jesse had something had something on the pad...and then went out to...and took it out onto the back porch. And, I remember that (unintelligible) RW: Was it some sort of material, metal material or... MC: And it's in one of these books and then they...and as little Jesse said, they cemented over that... RW: Oh yeah...O.K. I remember that. MC: I can still visualize the stove of where they were and we were out there. SC: No, he could have had some there at the house. MC: I honestly do remember that. RW: O.K. Was it like tinfoil type stuff or do you recall... MC: I don't remember. SC: I remember. He could have had some there at the house and it was, and it looked like a foil of some sort, and he could have tried to burn that and it didn't burn very well, I don't know. I don't remember that. I can't why imagine he'd be beating on it with a hammer for, but it doesn't make sense. RW: One of the other things that I'll just jump to real quick was that you had tested the material with a Geiger counter. Did you ever have a Geiger counter? SC: No. RW: Now that's not standard OSI/CIC issue that I was aware of. SC: Honest to God, no! RW: I've never seen a Geiger counter myself, but I didn't know if you knew what one was. SC: I had never seen one...what CIC would...No, absolutely. RW: That comes a little further...did you have a Jeep Carryall, was that...? SC: No.
RW: When you went out to the site, do you remember how you got out there? SC: I don't. It was a possibility we could have taken a Jeep. Marcel had gotten a Jeep...Marcel had gotten a Jeep. RW: Just a regular Jeep? SC: Yeah. out of the motor pool, but certainly no Carryall. RW: O.K. Then it said: "After Marcel had gone to Fort Worth and came back Marcel challenged the CIC man who had remained at the base asking to see (your) report. Marcel was told that the report was now classified and he wasn't authorized to see it and it was on its way to the Pentagon if he had a problem with that he could take it up with the Pentagon." SC: Negative. RW: O.K. "Blanchard, who was still at the base...ordered Marcel to accompany the rancher back to Corona," You said you never saw...and then you said you were going to...you never saw the rancher from what you told me previously? SC: No. RW: Or dealt with him personally? SC: I certainly don't remember ever meeting Mr. Brazel or Brazzel, whatever his name was. RW: O.K. Here is where they talk about the Geiger counter. You have already said that you didn't test anything for radioactivity because you didn't have anything to test it with. SC: No. RW: Oh. Then Marcel said there was a wire-like material that looked like monofilament fishing line. Do you recall any of that? SC: Oh, no. It sort of tickles a little bit of remembrance of, you know, of all this junk foil, I would call it, and the sticks and so forth. There probably was some line of some sort there to hold it together, I guess. RW: What they... SC: What was supposed to have been with that I... RW: Well where they go with that, later on, is that this is where we developed fiber optics from. That this is, was, in fact, fiber optic cable which was, of course, unheard of in 1947.
SC: Yeah. RW: Yeah. We were still dealing with copper wire. You can bend light with fiber optics, and that's where we got...we (the world) got fiber optics from that material which we reverse engineered. That's the implication. SC: O.K...I didn't see any of that, but there could have been some wire or nylon or something. RW.O.K. "Together Marcel and the Counterintelligence agent walked around the entire perimeter looking at clues. It took them most of the morning to do it because of the size of the field they started collecting material at the outer edge of the field and moved in toward the center." So, this implies that this was a pretty major undertaking that you and Marcel - in order to examine all of this stuff took a long time because of the volume of the material. This is what I imply from that. SC: If it were true, you know, the size of the rancher's field they are sometimes a section that are miles square, maybe larger. No. RW: But there wasn't material all over? SC: No. RW: You are right. You could walk into New Mexico forever with... SC: Oh Lord! Ranches are big out and down in New Mexico. No,...I didn't spend any extended time down there at the site. RW: O.K. Then, on page 55, it talks about there was discussion that this may have been a foil parachute from a V-2. Were you aware that they were testing, we were testing, V-2's at that time out of White Sands? SC: Oh yeah. I went down to a couple of launches. One abort and one launch. RW: O.K. But there was no doubt in your mind that this was not part of V-2 or any other type of rocket when you saw the debris in the field? SC: No. No. I never had any idea that it was anything with the V-2. They told us down at the V-2 site that they weren't shooting them toward Roswell, anyway. Of course the sent up a few of them and they had an awful lot of aborts. They had to detonate them or pull the trigger...shortly after they got off the launch pad because they went awry, shall we say. RW: Yeah. Apparently one went awry and went into Mexico, too. They already found that later.
SC: No, I had no idea, no suspicion, that it came from Holloman. Holloman is that... RW: It was White Sands. SC: It was White Sands. Holloman base. Alamagordo. RW: O.K."Marcel would take some of the sample to Fort Worth to show Ramey. In the mean time, the CIC man would head back to the crash sit with some MP's showing them exactly where this field was and to round up the rancher. There were now additional questions for him." This implies that after you came back you took some MP's and went back up there. SC: I went back down there? No. No. RW: So you were just there the one original time and you didn't go back with any MP's, the rancher or anybody else? SC: No. RW: O.K. "Marcel would go to Fort Worth and the CIC man would stay behind to lead the clean up detail at the site another reason they send Marcel was the CIC had there own chain of command that reported to Kirtland in Albuquerque rather than Fort Worth and although Blanchard outranked the CIC agent (meaning yourself) a phone call to Kirtland could have gotten his orders overturned." So, this implied that you reported to Kirtland, which I know, of course, we did later when District 17 was formed. SC: Yeah, OSI. RW: Yeah, but at that time you didn't necessarily - the CIC did not report to Kirtland? SC: No. No. Kirtland was just another Air Base as far as we were concerned down at Roswell. They weren't part of SAC. They weren't anything to do with us CIC - wise or nothing. RW: O.K...Here is where Rickett comes into the picture, and Rickett makes a number of claims that basically...I don't know if Rickett is still alive or not. SC: No, Rick is dead now. RW: O.K. Because I...(Unintelligible) SC: No, he is dead and I think now maybe his wife might be now. We use to exchange Christmas cards up until a couple of years ago when he died. Two or three years ago. RW: So, he died two or three years ago? OK. He makes a number of claims that, at least Randle and Schmitt; and when I say "Randle and Schmitt I'm not trying to pick on them or to imply that
they're doing anything different than any of these other people...they just happen to have the most current stuff on the street. SC: Trying to write a book. RW: "Rickett, the Provost Marshal"...excuse me...page 61. "According to Lewis Rickett, one of the CIC Agents, he, with the commander of the CIC shop, drove a staff car from the motor pool and returned to the crash site. They were followed by a second car carrying several MP's. An MP did ask for identification because neither of the counterintelligence men were in uniform." So this would have been the second trip, which you said you did not take. But, he did apparently go with you on the first trip? SC: Rickett? RW: Rickett...Yeah. SC: Yeah. RW: And I assume at that time, just like in OSI, you did not wear uniforms for the most part? SC: I didn't even have any uniforms. RW: Yeah. I know the feeling. For the first eight years in OSI, I think, the only uniform I had was my mess dress. "But Rickett, the Provost Marshal and the senior intelligence officer walked into the debris field, examined the wreckage. Rickett said it looked like metal and asked if it was radioactive"...and you said it wasn't. That was page 62. This is on the, you would have been on this now second trip again, O.K.? On page 63: as they prepared to leave the crash site the CIC agent told Rickett: "You and I were never out here. You and I never saw this. You don't see any military people or military vehicles out here. Rickett agreed saying yeah, we never even left the office." Now that's the little quote they have out also in the.. SC: Now what page is that on? RW: That's on page 63. SC: 63? No. Now I could have said something facetious like that after we got back to the office, after I was convinced that it was a weather balloon, or some such contraption. I didn't know, naturally. I could have said after we got back to the office: "Rickett, this has been a big boondoggle. I don't even want 700 CIC Headquarters to know we wasted our time on it. Forget we ever did it." I mean I could have... RW: O.K.
SC: said in a facetious way: "Lets make out like it never existed, because we're wasting our time." But I didn't say it in such a way that it would be this is so highly classified we won't have anything to do with it. RW: O.K. On page 86, it said: "The counterintelligence people came into Roswell on a special flight from Andrews Army Air Field on July 8.". So that, to me, implies that this would have been your CIC Headquarters also sent some other people out there. SC: Yeah. Right. That's what it sounds like. RW: Yeah, but you said you would have known if anybody from Washington had come into your area, sort to speak. More than likely. SC: Well I certainly hope so. We were secretive and so forth, but I think they would have touched base with me, since obviously if they talked to Marcel he would have probably said something to begin with, but they would have wanted to know what I knew. No, I... MC: Of course Jack Williams was there. Jack could have been on some of these... SC: No Jack was young and sort of scatterbrained, as you well know. And I never relied much on him for anything. He's the type that would read a book while he was on a road trip driving his car. He'd finish a book while driving... RW: While he was actually driving? SC: Oh sure. RW: Sounds like the people driving on 95 in Washington there in the traffic jam. MC: There weren't many people on the road. SC: Jack rabbits. No. No disrespect to Jack, but he just wasn't a solid citizen as far as I'm concerned. And if anybody from headquarters CIC came in I'm positive they would have checked in with me. RW: O.K. The page that's kind of devoted to you, if you will, is on 171 and it said that "Schmitt suggested the possibility that the crash had been a V-2 or A-9, (which is one of derivatives of the V-2, that we were playing with at that time). Schmitt asked if there had ever...if they had ever retrieved anything like that anywhere in New Mexico. Never, he said any rocket going off course would be destroyed by the range officer and they wouldn't have wanted to risk injury to civilians on the ground. Randle asked if he remembered any talk at all about a flying saucer. He (meaning you) insisted that nothing at all happened. The former CIC man hadn't heard any rumors about a crash. All this, including the story shown on "Unsolved Mysteries", was a bunch of garbage. Schmitt and Randall spent two hours with the man, he told them that any reports he wrote in the
normal course of his duty was sent to Washington not 8th Air Force in Fort Worth. He was attached to the 509th, but his chain of command was different than the 8th Air Force, that's..." SC: That's one of the few true stories they had in this book. RW: "In fact he talked about many things willingly. He said the ranks of CIC agents were all classified at the time" (I know that's the way it was in OSI for years) "It didn't look right to have a Master Sergeant investigating a Colonel so no one on the base, except for a few clear to know, had any idea of what he or any of the others were. (Of course, that's the way we did business.) SC: True. RW: "He provided names of others who might be able to help and he described his normal unclassified duties at Roswell, but according to him the crash and recovery had never happened. There was no investigation on the Foster ranch, no mystery flight, and no discovery of alien bodies, nothing." Now we are getting to the part were they make you sound like somewhat of a conspirator. It said, "Randall said he and Schmitt had literally two dozen witness' to the special flights out of Roswell and the special clean up operation on the ranch. Something must have happened, the CIC man finally conceded, but I don't know what it was. As they left, the CIC man asked them, if you boys found something that affected national security would you keep it to your self? The former CIC man grins, and said 'very good'." So, somehow, by that remark, I imply that this was kind of of, "I know something that you guys don't and if affects national security so we're not going to tell you." That's the way that I interpret what they wrote. Because, the rest of if just kind of recounts the way we did business, even when I came into OSI twenty years after that. SC: You think they're talking about me there, "the former CIC man?" RW: Yeah. SC: If I said that, I probably said it really meaning that if these guys trying to make a buck writing their sensational book run into to something that really affected national security, I meant don't put it in a book. RW: Yeah. OK. SC: Turn it over to somebody. RW: But you weren't implying that this incident affected national security and you weren't going talk about it? SC: Oh, no! No way. RW: OK. I see you have some materials you brought out here. That looks like one of you basic agent classes. Is that one of your basic agent classes there?
SC: No, that was the old District Office 17, OSI. RW: Oh. OK. SC: So this is after. Dr. Pflock sent me that. I got it out when Pflock sent it to me. This is Rickett. RW: OK. SC: And that is Jack Williams and that's old Cavitt. Down on the lower left. RW: Oh. OK. SC: That's me, and these are the two boys that were with me there at Roswell. I have them all identified and who's no longer with us. This thing that Pflock sent me, this picture. It says that Jack Williams is deceased. No wonder why somebody didn't contact him. I didn't even know he was dead. We were not friends. He was a Staff Sergeant, and a good honest kid, I think. MC: A smart guy. SC: What? MC: Really, he was quite intelligent. SC: Oh, yeah. He read. Read books while he was on road trips. RW: Well the names I recognize from here that were still: are Doyle Rees and John Stahl. SC: Doyle is still alive. I have a letter from him. RW: I think he's in the Association of Former OSI Agents. SC: Yeah. Right. RW: And I am also a member of that so I see a lot of that. So, I see a lot of their letters and stuff, pictures that they send. MC: We get correspondence from Doyle. Chris' son called him not long ago. He had a hole in one on his eightieth birthday. RW: Oh, is that right. Was it his first one? SC: I'm sure it was.
MC: Nice, nice man. SC: He is a nice man. And a nice family. I don't know what the date on that is. Letter from Doyle, it says: "When you call the press conference to tell the world, let me know, because I want to be there." So, I just got reams of this stuff from books. RW: Do you mind if I look through that real quick? SC: Oh, heavens no. I got it (Unintelligible) RW: Stanton T. Freidman? SC: Freidman or whatever. RW: Yeah, he doesn't like me a lot. He writes me nasty letters. SC: He called me a couple of times. I could hear him a little bit, but it wasn't good enough for me to try to strain my brain. He apologized a little later. He wrote me back and said sorry we had a bad telephone connection. On your end! RW: O.K. Here is the stuff about Schiff that I referenced earlier. Asking the GAO to look at this. Karl Pflock... SC: You know, you can look at any of that. You can have copies. As a matter of fact I don't know what I'm going to do with it. MC: Oh, your sons want it. SC: Oh, I don't know. MC: Oh, yes they do. Joey said last night maybe Dad could make a fortune out of being a hero. SC: Well, if I wanted to make a little money I could have imagined a lot of things and cooperated more. MC: Well, that's what Doyle said. SC: With these authors and so forth I could be given royalties for a long time. RW: Oh, this was out of the Global Reliance. I don't remember seeing this in there. Oh, Karl Pflock wrote this for the Global Reliance. SC: Have you ever seen that clipping? RW: This one on Rickett here?
SC: Yeah. RW: No, I never saw this. SC: I don't know what that is from. RW: "But at least one surviving member of the recovery team actually handled the material, (Unintelligible). Eighty two year old Lewis Rickett. 'Cavitt had been there the day before, but he wouldn't tell me what was going on until we got there.' With armed troops standing guard Rickett wandered through the security phalanx and saw metallic debris scattered in an outer circle with a diameter of 25, 30, or 40 feet." SC: It must have been Rickett sort a flipped of little bit. See this was something that he...an interview he had shortly before he died, I think. MC: Well, when they interview Rick he was older and trying to make people remember things that happened umpteen years ago is pretty hard. SC: I have probably received an awfully lot more than that, Rich, and threw it away. Sorry. RW: So these people have been pretty much tracking you down on a regular basis then? SC: Oh, yes! Mary can verify that. She said she had been home when she got telephone calls. MC: I have talked to some of these fellows myself. SC: Yeah, if I'm not here she talks to them. Blabber away, and she gives it right down the line. "Have they ever tried to influence you to say that I am lying or holding anything out?" MC: No. I just tell them that you are telling the truth. SC: They don't believe you when you tell the truth. RW: I guess they don't. That's the problem we have with this whole line of inquiry and attempt to look this. It is very hard to prove the negative. It is hard to prove that something didn't happen, because you don't document stuff that doesn't happen. SC: No, it is pretty hard to, difficult, but a good imagination can. These boys have it. MC: The picture that was in the Roswell paper, as I said, we had just gotten there so we probably had to start subscribing to it. But nobody passed it around. RW: Well let me tell you what's in the official records that we found so far. So you will have feel.
SC: Please, do. RW: We did this, as investigators would, logically. We figured, "where would this stuff be"? So we went to all the different records. Working for me I have a group of reservists who are declassification experts. They are excellent researchers. They spend their whole time dealing with records, so these people know where all this stuff is buried. So, we have been to all the major record centers. The Archives and nuclear records (ranging from unclassified to TS nuclear stuff because the 509th was the only nuclear unit in the world at that time. So, some of there records were TS and still are.) That is because they have never been declassified. Anyway, we found that there was no airplane crash that could account for this. Just to show you how unsafe it was to fly at that time, there were six airplane crashes in less than a month in New Mexico alone in 1947, and that doesn't include the rest of the United States. We were lucky to have six. SC: Remind me to double back on that. Go ahead with your story and I'll tell you another little story. RW: We found no indication of a V-2 launch that is not accounted for. There was one scheduled on the 3rd of July and that was scrubbed. There was no indication that there was some sort of nuclear accident at that time where we either dropped a weapon or did something stupid, which we had to consider during that period of time, but there is no indication of any of that happening. Weather balloon themselves are; (although they have a "return to" type of thing on them) supposed to crash. I mean, they go up and then sooner or later they're going to come down. Right? Now what we did find, however (and I not implying what you saw up there), but its a possibility. There was a project run by New York University, out of Holloman at that time. It was a balloon experiment that lasted for years. But at the time a portion of it was Top Secret. It has since then be declassified. It was called Project Mogul. SC: Never heard of it. RW: Mogul was designed to run balloons at very high altitudes with extremely sensitive acoustic sensors (what we were looking for were nuclear test on the part of the Russians, because we thought the Russians had gotten the bomb) so you needed high enough and far enough so, and at a constant altitude, we could see...because there were no satellite (Unintelligible) they had a couple Mogul balloons and several of those are unaccounted for during that period of time. They are very large in the sense that some of them were up to 600 feet long, not one gigantic balloon, but a series of balloons, because as they went up to altitude some of them broke off, and some of them dropped ballast and they were very sophisticated. They had a lot of tin foil on them and a lot of different things. Mogul is a possibility. We found a couple of researchers from New Mexico that we are in contact with now because they kept private records in some regards. But, of course that was a Top Secret project at the time and we don't know if Blanchard knew about that or not: (we don't have any indication that he did). And they used the weather balloon in an attempt to cover the other balloon which was a classified project.
SC: Yeah, that is possible. I didn't know about that particular thing. I just knew weather balloons went up and measured. This was my first impression. I didn't know anything else, so O.K., that's it, forget it. The thing that disturbed me is why they cannot shoot down this story about the little bodies and so forth that were allegedly taken to Wright-Pat or some place. RW: Wright-Pat, right. SC: And put in a sealed (unintelligible) or so forth. And the only thing, Rick might have gotten confused about something. You mentioned crashes. We had one there at Roswell. They practiced this air to air refueling, which was just, I think, getting into real high-tech stuff as far as I knew. RW: B-29's? SC: Yeah. And they were refueling them. We had one rather, rather hell! Where the plane that was being refueled for some reason or other pitched up when they were either getting to attach the cord, or the other one came down, which doesn't sound logical, I think it's more apt to have went up. One or both of those planes crashed. I forget what direction it was up from Roswell, but I went out to that crash at the request of Marcel; maybe Blanchard, and I probably took Rickett with me. We had bodies all over the place, and it was a sad thing. We recovered some fingers, of course, there was one hell of a big fire after it happened. I collected a bunch of hands, fingers and so forth, trying to identify them. At the time I thought this was sort of stupid. They had a list back at the Operation Office. Other than identifying body parts so that some guy's wife would know that she had part of her, used to be, former husband. And I don't remember where we sent those things for identification. I remember going into the office after that trying to get prints off of these old shriveled up fingers and so forth. What good it would do, I don't know. I didn't know then, but I was wonder if maybe Rick got confused that maybe this was some of the bodies. I doubt it, but it is just a possibility. But I don't know why they can't trace down those bodies. RW: Well, that is the ultimate part of the quote "cover up" that we're involved in. You and I would probably think as OSI agents if you recovered a body that is unusual, that would generate a whole bunch of paperwork. We are a paperwork society. I mean, it may be classified with a bazillion stamps on it, but it would generate a lot of study and things. And we have not been able to locate one piece of anything to indicate that is so. SC: It boggles my mind that we would not be able to find anything. The Air Force having the...I mean we were close knit and it seemed that there had to be a trail and pick up and eventually end there in that grip, or whatever they put these bodies in. RW: But did you ever hear of any talk of that type of stuff when you were at Roswell? SC: Down there. No.
RW: When did all of this first surface, in your life? After you picked up the original stuff and you went on to your career. When did the UFO part first surface in your life? SC: You mean this sort of stuff? RW: Yes. Was it with Berlitz and Moore? SC: Our son sent this book to us. RW: This is 1980, I think. Yeah 1980. MC: A lot of that has been debunked by the other two guys. SC: Well, I don't remember where Joey got this book. MC: They bought it, they bought it. And he came by to see us and we had just back from fishing and you had one of your cluster headaches. And I did most of the talking here, because Cav was having his cluster headaches. SC: I had another cycle of cluster headaches. Similar to migraine. RW: I understand those are really painful. SC: I am about to come out of it, although I had one last night, and I was awake all night long. MC: Don't you think that is it. I never even gave it a thought. RW: Until Mr. Moore and company showed up, around 1980 time frame? SC: Yeah. MC: 16 September 82 that he was here. RW: O.K. Now from my research (not of AF records, but of popular literature records) Friedman is the guy who ran into Marcel down in Louisiana in 1978, because Friedman had been a UFO researcher for years. He ran into Marcel and from his interview of Marcel it got Berlitz and Moore interested, and that's when Marcel then started talking to all of these different people. And then it has kind of grown since then. MC: And then of course, it's too bad apparently, you see little Jesse was about 11. Cav never told me anything. He said I'll never tell you anything then you won't spread anything. We always wondered how little Jesse knew so much. To us it should have been business. Neol (Marcel's wife) apparently was not able to give any information after Jesse died.
RW: Yeah. The son is mentioned in a number of publication, because he claimed his dad brought this stuff to his house and they hammered on it and... MC: Which I remember seeing. SC: He was a smart little devil, his son. RW: He is a doctor, I think. SC: Is he is a PHD type of doctor or a Medical doctor? RW: Yeah, I though he was a medical doctor. MC: He is an MD, but his brother was medical type technician. SC: They were a smart family. I always thought Marcel was just a little on the outer scale. RW: Since you were friends with both Marcel and Rickett, is there any explanation that they would (in your mind, since you knew them) tell these stories and get this interest generated? SC: No. MC: I wouldn't think purposely, would you darling? SC: Not purposely, no. I gave you a little insight on Rick, he could sit and tell stories that last hours. MC: They were visited by a lot of people, more than we were. Handier to some people, being in Florida where they were. She would write on cards, so and so has been here, but I don't think purposely they would try to make up tales for being heroes or glorifying anything. RW: Let me ask you officially for the record. Did you take any kind of security oath, promise, sign anything, or verbally agree to anything not to talk about any of this, that occurred in New Mexico? SC: No. I told you that awhile ago. I'll take an oath on that. I swear. RW: O.K. Has anybody in the US Government, the Air Force, or anyone connected with the Government, ever threatened you if you said anything about any of these incidents that something would happen to you, your family or anybody else? SC: No. No way. RW: O.K.
SC: I am telling the truth, and I have told all of these other people the truth. That, I don't know anymore than what I told them, and I don't know anything about any "little men", or anything. I am a pretty stupid person, when I say "I don't know anything." RW: Well, I appreciate having to ask you some of these questions, even after you told me that... SC: I know you have to. RW: But, we want to do this officially, because as near as we can tell nobody ever has before. SC: I certainly wish you good luck. I hope you can convince these people. RW: Well, it is going to be difficult, because like I say we have nothing other than this one formerly classified project that was occurring out there at the same time that was even a little bit "funny", if you will... SC: Yeah. Had I known about that, Rich, at that time I would have probably hooked it up with that instead of a weather balloon. RW: But, a balloon is basically a balloon. Some of them are bigger and some of them are smaller. SC: Some do some things, some of them do others. RW: One of the things that they mentioned, going back to the balloons for a minute, was what Marcel called "hieroglyphics". It was something that was written or printed on some of the debris. Do you recall any of that? SC: No. But in reading over some of my other garbage here, I have seen some hieroglyphics. I don't think there were any claims that these were the Roswell deal. Were there? RW: Marcel claims. SC: Marcel says so? RW: However, the day after the original flying saucer article in the Roswell paper, there was a follow up article where they interview Brazel (the rancher), and he described this stuff almost similar to what you did, almost like basal wood type of sticks and tin foil type of things. Then he said some had what appeared to be Scotch tape with little purple flowers stamped on it. Apparently at that time, as near as we can tell, one of the balloon manufactures did use some type of tape that had some sort of flowers on it. It is possible, I guess, that somebody could mistake... SC: I don't remember anything like that. MC: I think there is a picture in one of these...
SC: Well, some of these authors, Mary, you got to remember, they will skip from the Roswell incident to something that happened someplace else in the United States and they get a little confusing. You just read through it. I remember something about some hieroglyphics, not on that one. I didn't see anything. I do not remember any writing at all on the thing. But if Marcel saw something, maybe he did. RW: Did you know Haut, Lt. Haut? The public affairs guy at the time? SC: Just vaguely. What was he, base information, or something of that sort? RW: Yes. SC: Not close at all. As a matter of fact I couldn't even describe him. I got a picture with a tall fellow and I didn't know much about him, at all. RW: Is there anything else that you can recall or like to add? SC: I have been thinking about it ever since you called, and said you were coming out. MC: It is a shame that Don Yeager was in the office with Jess. SC: Yeah. Is he dead now? MC: I don't know. SC: But he won't know a thing, Mary. He wouldn't know a thing. MC: He wouldn't have known anything with Jesse? SC: No. No. Jesse didn't trust Don very much. I wouldn't want (unintelligible). He was trying to keep up, but couldn't. He just wasn't a reliable sort of individual. MC: So Jess probably wouldn't have... SC: No. No. I don't even think he even talked to Don about it. There was another Captain in the Intelligence office at the time who I always thought was a very sharp individual, his name I don't remember his first name...Carl was his first name, Macamer. He ended up as a full Colonel. MC: Now we gave Randall their names. We gave them everything we could think of. SC: Yeah. Carl might be dead now. I always thought he was a pretty smart individual. MC: Carl was the last we knew.
SC: Somewhere up in the North, wasn't he? MC: He is our generation. He would have retired. RW: Did he switch over to the Air Force too, when he... MC: Who Macamer? RW: Yeah. MC: Oh, yeah. He was in the 8th Air Force. RW: So when you all just went over to the USAF when it formed in September? SC: He went right along with the 8th Air Force, becoming USAF. We being OSI, well... MC: He was always Air Force. He was always Army CIC, or was he? SC: Who, me? MC: No. No. Carl. SC: Carl wasn't even in the CIC. He was in intelligence. He was just in the intelligence office there at...He was under Marcel. He was under Blanchard. He was under Ramey. Wasn't that the General's name over at the 8th Air Force, Roger Ramey? RW: Yeah, that's right. In fact, they named a SAC base in Puerto Rico after him. SC: The things that Ramey and Blanchard used to! Blanchard came over to the Philippines. I think he was IG in 1963 or 4 and I was District Commander of the OSI District 42 in the Philippines. We had a few chuckles together and... MC: Do you recall once when we were some place and Roger, and Ramey and I were dinner partners. I think it was Greece. You were on one of your many trips. RW: Blanchard was the IG, you're right. SC: He and Ramey, I don't know what he was after the commander of the Eight Air Force, but he and Blanchard use to have some...(unintelligible). Oh Lord! I knew these guys pretty well. No. I don't know anything about any crashed space ships. I don't know anything about any little men. MC: I am quite sure that we never gave it a thought until that book.
RW: I'll tell you what, if you can indulge me for a few minutes and let me set up my computer. Do you mind signing a statement. I'll make it very short. (unintelligible). SC: Sure. You bet. Yeah. RW: And we'll just make a kind of quick summary statement if you can bare with my computer skills here. SC: I'll prick my finger and sign it in blood. RW: I don't think we'll require that. MC: Rich, it always seems funny to us with all these, if these things happened. How can 30 or even 3 people keep something a secret? RW: Well, I would kind of like to know how they did it, because in my real job we handle all the Special Programs that do keep all the secrets. And we would like to figure out how they do it so we can duplicate it. Because it is very hard to keep secrets, as you well know. MC: But you see, I am talking about civilians and other people who were in on these bodies going to the morgue and all that. (unintelligible) some grave digger from the funeral home or whatever... RW: Well, of course, Randle and Schmitt do claim that those people are out there and that they have interviewed them. They list a whole bunch of them. Now, we're not trying to go after them and undo every interview they had done. That is not our point. In fact, you are the only person we have gone out and interviewed, because you're always reputed to be the guy...one of the two or three people that was there picking up the stuff... MC: And he is the only one that is still living. RW: That is right. MC: That is what Doyle Rees said on his post card. He said you better keep this going. If anybody likes publicity as he...(unintelligible) SC: But what he was saying, all of these guards... RW: He claims that he had interviewed a number of these people and said that they did guard something and there were a number flights. Now, we have never found the flight records to substantiate that, so I don't know where they have. If they have. SC: The crew chiefs on the airplane that are making these flights. They went with them. Flight Engineers?
MC: It will be interesting for you to get Randle and Schmitts last book. SC: Their latest book? They promised they're going to take it easy on me. RW: Well, I have tried to find a copy, because, among other things, that have happened, is that people keep changing the dates of when things happened. MC: And sites! RW: Yeah. And that makes it very difficult when you are try to track down records. If you are looking between this period of time and all of a sudden they change the period of time. MC: Well, when they came here about 14 months ago they sat right there and we became good friends down in Sierra Vista and we would tell them everything we know, honestly. We gave them gobs of names. They sat down and said we have something new, something different. Something happened at this site and it was not on the same date. So, you could have one of your researchers get that book, and research that. SC: You are very well aware of the good guy bad guy approach of when they interrogation. RW: Oh, yes. SC: Well, I got a perfect example of this with Randle and Schmitt. Randle is the outgoing, buddy-buddy type and this Schmitt he'd sit over their and he'd look over at me like this (while Randall is asking me a question), "you lying Cur." Particularly down in Sierra Vista. They just grated on me. RW: You probably had done that a time or two yourself. You would know what he was doing. SC: Not really. Let him type up this deal that I... RW: Yeah, I don't want to take up all of your time. MC: We have all day. I'll go down and get a hamburger or... RW: If you don't mind, if you got a plug in over by the table. I need two plug ins to make this thing work. SC: You need two? RW: One for the computer and one for the power supply. SC: O.K.
RW: If that is possible. Although the cords are a lot longer than this one, hopefully.
SC: Where would be the best place?
RW: In fact, I can probably...
MC: (unintelligible)
SC: Your cord is not all that long.
RW: (unintelligible)
SC: Is that tape recorder still running?
RW: Yeah, let me shut the tape recorder off. Its about 12:30 here on the 24th.
SC: Well, you're not interrupting anything here.
RW: O.K. We'll just do this. I'll make it a short one which just kind of summarizes what we
have already talked about.
SC: Good.
END RECORDING19
Letters
Brig Gen E. O'Donnell to
Commanding General AAF; Lt Col
W.H. Congdon and Col D.P. Graul
to Commanding General AMC;
Brig Gen Tom C. Rives to
Commanding General AAF
July 8, 1946; September 9, 1947;
September 10, 1947Ltr Watson Labs. 14 Jun 46, subj: "Change in Class. of 'Mogul,' Item 188-5."
1st Ind. TSELT-2/WHD/mch
Hq., Air Materiel Command, Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio. 8 July 1946.
TO: Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington 25, D.C.
THRU: (AC/AS-4)
1. To amplify the information given in the basic letter it is
desired by Electronic Subdivision that the following information and
scientific data pertaining to project "Mogul" be classified "TOP SECRET:"
a. Precise data as to the exact placement of measuring
instruments.
b. Scientific observations and measurements that have
military application.
c. Detailed methods of measuring results.
2. Engineering preparations for the final test that are not in
conflict with the above will be classified "Confidential."
3. Contractual documents will be classified the same as the
security classification of the equipments involved. Equipments used in
project "Mogul" are common to other systems or sets that are now class-
ified "Confidential," "Restricted," or "Unclassified;" contractual
documents should be classified accordingly.
4. Authorization is requested to observe the security class-
ifications proposed herein.
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:
E. O'DONNELL
Brig.Gen.,U.S.A.
Deputy Chief
Engineering DivisionAIR MATERIEL COMMAND
WATSON LABORATORIES
188-5 Red Bank, New Jersey ACT/rm
WLEAT
SUBJECT: Research Operations in Alaska
TO: Commanding General
Air Materiel Command
Wright Field
Dayton 2, Ohio
ATTN: TSELT
1. Plans for research on Project "Mogul," E. C. 188-11, priority
1A, include determination of compressional wave velocity in the upper
atmosphere in regions of high latitude. This information is vital to
the completion of the project and as far as is known, no previous work
has been done in this field. These Laboratories are now planning to
begin the first phase of this research in Alaska between 15 October
and 15 December 1947. Completion of this first phase will require
about six weeks at the test site.
2. The method of determining acoustic velocity fields in the
upper atmosphere will be similar to that which has been done off the
New Jersey coast and in New Mexico throughout this year. Explosives
are set off at or near the earth's surface and the resulting compres-
sional waves refracted through the upper atmosphere are recorded at
sites up to 300 miles distant. One method consists of dropping air-
burst bombs from airplanes flying a course in various directions from
the recording sites, 50 to 300 miles away. Another method involves
firing charges of explosives on the ground at fixed distances from
the recording sites. Whichever method is used will depend upon
available conditions and the granting of clearances to do the work.
Both methods have been successfully used for over a year. Techniques
are well established and the engineering personnel are well experienced
on all phases of the operations.
3. A previous survey of facilities in Alaska by personnel of
these Laboratories indicates that all requirements may be fulfilled at
Ladd Field, Fairbanks. The following requirements are necessary to
conduct either or both types of tests:
a. Facilities for landing and servicing a C-54 airplane and
either a B-17 or a B-29 airplane.
b. Housing and messing facilities for three civilian
technicians from the Watson Laboratories and the military aircraft
crews for a period of six weeks.
D-37827[REDACTED]
Ltr, WANL, to CG, AMC, Subj: Research Operations in Alaska 9 Sep 1947
c. Heated and lighted storage and workshop space for scientific
equipment (approximately 400 sq. ft.).
d. Upper air meteorological data from the surface to maximum
obtainable altitudes for establishing test conditions and evaluating
test data.
e. Ground vehicles for transporting test crew and up to one
ton of test equipment to recording stations, up to 50 miles from the base.
f. Storage of explosives, bombs and/or TNT demolition charges,
is required conveniently available to the base and aircraft.
g. Six thousand (6000) pounds of tetratol (2-1/2 lb. demolition
charges) or one hundred (100) each 100-lb. to 500-lb. bombs are required
to carry out the experimental work.
4. It is requested that the Watson Laboratories be granted per-
mission to conduct the above outlined tests within the Territory of
Alaska, preferably in the vicinity of Fairbanks, beginning between the
dates of 15 October and 15 December 1947 for a period of six weeks. In
addition, it is requested that the following clearances and authorities
be established in connection with the carrying out of this work.
a. Permission to install and operate recording stations at
convenient points between Fairbanks and Point Barrow.
b. Permission to drop airburst bombs over at least a 150 mile
straight-line course from Fairbanks.
c. If airburst bombing is not possible or proves unsatisfactory,
it will be necessary to obtain permission to detonate up to 500 lbs. of
TNT on the ground within 50 miles of the operating base. A vehicle will
be required for carrying up to 1000 lbs. of explosives, and the assist-
ance of two Corps of Engineers or Ordnance Department enlisted personnel
will be required in firing the charges.
d. Authority is required for these Laboratories to draw upon
any available supply of explosives in Alaska, requirements as indicated
in paragraph 3 (g). If explosives are unavailable in Alaska, these
Laboratories will make arrangements for obtaining explosives within the
United States and transporting them to the point of the test.
5. If overall approval is granted to conduct this work as outlined,
it is requested that these Laboratories be notified immediately, even
though detailed arrangements are incomplete, so that aircraft clearances
and personnel orders may be initiated.
/s/ W. H. Congdon, Lt. Col., AC
D.P. GRAUL
Colonel, Air Corps
Commanding
C
O
PY[REDACTED]
Basic ltr WLAMC, 9 Sep 47, to CG AMC, subj: "Research Oprs in Alaska."
1st Ind TSELT(TSELO)/JGR/ia
Hq AMC, Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio. 10 Sept 47
To: Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington 25, D. C.
ATTN: AC/AS-4
1. The proposed operation outlined in the basic correspondence is
concurred in by this command.
2. In view of the high priority carried by this project, request
that necessary action be taken to have the Alaskan Department provide
the necessary facilities.
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:
/s/ Tom C. Rives
TOM C. RIVES, Brig Gen, USA
Chief, Electronic Subdivision
Engineering Division
C
O
P
Y
3
[REDACTED]20 Statement Athelstan F. Spilhaus June 3, 1994
STATEMENT OF WITNESS
Date: 3 Jun 94 Place: VA
I Athelstan F Spilhaus, hereby state that Jeffrey Butler, was identified as a Colonel, USAF and Jim
McAndrew, was identified as a Lieutenant, USAF on this date at my home and do hereby,
voluntarily and of my own free will, make the following statement. This is done without having
been subjected to any coercion, unlawful influence or unlawful inducement.
I was the Director of the NYU Balloon Project and also involved with many other sensitive
activities. Until these discussions, I had no indication of what the "Roswell incident" was. I was
involved in numerous unusual activities such as reconstruction of captured German rockets,
development of drone planes and the like--such as long range balloons. The Army Air Force had
seen what the Japanese had done with long range balloons; although not effective as weapons, they
did initiate the long-range balloon research which led to use of balloons for the detection and
collection of debris from atomic explosion. Although I was involved in sensitive classified
programs, I completed secrecy agreements for various projects, and I understand that this activity
(Mogul, etc. is now declassified) and I did enforce "need to know". In part, I left NYU because
the administration wanted to know too much about the various projects I was involved in (the
Bikini test). At one time I was sent by the US government to assist the South Africa meterological
efforts and I worked numerous other special missions. Even though the war was over the Cold
War had just started and certain things were sensitive. I recall that it was Col Duffy who brought
me from the Reserves to active duty. It was during this period that I did become involved in a
"UFO case". Some bush pilot had found some pock marks in dry snow in Alaska in 1950. So we
flew up and saw peculiar round holes in the snow. We landed and took dog sleds to the site and
found craters with a hole in the center. We cored one out of the snow and found a center of
frozen conical ice. I began to think of something I had seen in the desert where glass had been
formed similarly after a lightening strike (the "fumoroles"). I took one back to the university in dry
ice and wrote a classified report. We even simulated a small lightning strike over dry snow (just
from the snow blowing over the surface) and came up with conical ice formations. This was the
Stony River Incident and it wasn't a UFO. On the December 1947 balloon project reports the
"service flights" probably refer to the then Top Security project AFOAT 1 (related to MOGUL)
which was to produce a report to the President when the Russians exploded an atomic device and
were ready to produce a droppable atomic bomb. We coordinated all the listening posts to
determine what stage the Russians were at. Concerning the Watson Laboratory gear, I don't
remember the specifics of what that gear was. I recommend you check with Charlie Moore for
those details. Many of the projects I just new about in general--these were sensitive times--it was
sometimes better not to know too much--I knew about the collection of debris with special planes
daily from Eilson AFB to the North Pole and back, PTARMIGAN flights, that lasted through the
50's. Concerning the Japanese balloons, I don't recall any specifics. Nor do I recall whether we
had REWARD tags on all the balloons. I went many times to Alomogordo AAF and White
Sands--not necessarily for balloon flights. I worked on naval activity such as the thermal affects on
SONAR. Concerning actual balloon construction, Winzen of St Paul Minnesota, in association
with General Mills, did most of the balloons. General Mills also did some balloon projects.
Winzen made the first polyethelenе (non-stretchable balloons). Flight #5, I really did not get into
the details of the individual flights or experiments. The polyethelene material was very durable--it
was designed not to burst--you could push a sharp thing through it but it would be difficult to tear
Page 1 of 2it with your hands. There was also debris collection on sticky paper. Most of the balloon projects
were not concerned with weather--that's why there weren't radiosondes on all the balloons. The
"cosmic ray train" was probably just a cosmic ray experiment on one of our balloons. The balloons
were made of sections and had tape reinforcements but I recall any specifics on the tape material.
Mylar was not called that originally--it may have originated as polyethelene. All the polyethelene
we use was of a translucent material. Neoprene was used during the war; generally for
meterological and artillery firing balloons. The artillery radar tracked the balloons with corner
reflectors--this gave the winds aloft to assist the gunners. The radar reflectors were sheets of
reflective material and they changed over time but I don't recall the details of the changes. On
reviewing Charlie Moore's letter, the acoustic detection relates with the atomic debris collection.
The reflectors were for tracking and was made up of a metalized paper or fabric. Charlie explains
the flowers--I'd heard about the flowers before, don't remember where--we used whatever we had
in the experimental realm. The targets were throw-aways--we didn't put a tag on them, maybe a
radiosonde, but not a target. Such a train would make gouges (shallow) as it was dragging the
ground. We used meterology as a cover story--it was a natural. It had a purpose beyond the
project--we could use the constant level analysis of the constant pressure (isobaric) vs constant
altitude to study atmospherics mathematically--therefore using it was natural. Ramey's press
conference--the Air Force position makes sense for the mistake that the PIO made in his
statements. (All the NYU personnel had left Alomogordo when the "material" was brought in--
someone stated that it may have been Col Duffy's and therefore sent it to him at Wright Patterson-
-not because it was extraterrestrial) It is a logical reason to send it (the debris from the desert)
there--not because it was special--Col Duffy was a fine officer and I'm sure he'd recognize it. I
was not aware of any association between our balloon projects and the alleged "Roswell incident"
until this interview. I am not part of any conspiracy to withhold information from either the US
government or American public. There is no classified information that I am withholding related
to this inquiry and I have never been threatened by US Government persons concerning not talking
about this situation .
SIGNED: Subscribed and sworn to before me, a
person authorized to administer oaths
this
3rd day of June 1994
VA
[signature] JEFFREY C BUTLER, COL, USAF
WITNESS(s): JAMES MCANDREW, ILT, USAF
[signature]
Page 2 of 221
Statement, with Hieroglyphic and
Balloon Train Drawings
Charles B. Moore
June 8, 1994STATEMENT OF WITNESS
Date: 8 Jun 94 Place: NM
I, Charles B Moore, hereby state that Jeffrey Butler, was identified as a Colonel, USAF and Jim
McAndrew, was identified as a Lieutenant, USAF on this date at my home and do hereby,
voluntarily and of my own free will, make the following statement. This is done without having
been subjected to any coercion, unlawful influence or unlawful inducement.
I was the Project Engineer for the NYU balloon project during the 1947 time frame. I was not
aware that the project had the name MOGUL until 1992 when I was contacted by an individual
who was working on some research related to the "Roswell Incident" and the relationship to the
NYU balloon project. Our only purpose for the NYU group was to develop constant level
balloons. In the early flights at Alomogardo, starting in June, 1947, we used radar targets to track
the balloons (not all the balloons had targets). Some of the targets were apparently manufactured
by a toy or novelty company. Ed Istvan was the procurement officer and he had contacted some
company that extruded toothpaste tubes as well as radar chaff. The early balloons were made of
neoprene and manufactured primarily by the Dewey Almy company in Cambridge and the
Kaysam company. Dewey balloons were dip type and the Kaysam ones were cast in a mold. The
neoprene balloons were susceptible to degradation in sunlight turning from a translucent milky
white to a dark brown . Some of the material would almost look like dark gray or black flakes or
ashes after exposure to the sun for only a few days. The balloon material and radar target material
would be scattered after returning to the earth depending on the surface winds. The balloon
material also had a peculiar acrid odor due to plasticizers and anti-oxidants. There is a recollection
from another procurement person (Peterson) that he had obtained radar reflectors from a toy
manufacturer. I have a specific recollection of reinforcing tape applied to the seams of the
reflectors that had some symbols such as arcs, flowers, circles and diamonds. These were pinkish
in color. To my knowledge, there were no radar reflectors in New Mexico in 1947 like the ones
we used until the NYU group arrived. The Columbia group was primarily involved in developing
low frequency microphones for long range detection of explosions. There was intense pressure for
these developments, the constant altitude balloons and the microphone group. I was involved in
1945 in China-Burma-India for the installation and maintaining of weather equipment in the war
against Japan. Our subsequent work with the balloons and microphones was highly classified and
we didn't know that there was a project name until 1992. Concerning the make up of the balloon
trains, we used braided or twisted nylon lines--there were no monofilament lines during the 1947
time frame. Some of the balloons in early June carried radar targets for tracking purposes since
we did not have radiosonde receivers with us.Some also carried sonobouys for detecting the
pressure waves where we didn't have the Watson Lab microphone gear. All the radiosondes were
coverend in white painted cardboard; I don't recall the color of the sonobouys but I believe they
were covered in metal. On review of the photos in the Randle/Schmitt book, the material looks
like one of our balloon and target assemblies. The wooden beams were made of a balsa wood that
had been coated in an Elmers-like glue. The targets had eyelets where the various strings were
attached. The 307(B) model was more of an aluminum foil material than the 307(C) model,
which was more of an aluminized paper. The targets we used appeared more fragile than the later
Page 1 of 3model. I think that Flight #4 was the flight that was launched out of Alamogordo on June 4, 1947.
This is based on Dr. Crary's actual diary of the launch and other events. This is also one of those
events where we went to multiple radar targets because we were not having good success with
single targets. This flight was with multiple balloons and targets and may have had a sonobouy
(black box?). The Watson Lab gear was the microphone equipment specifically for MOGUL.
The idea was proposed in a 1945 letter from Dr Ewing (Woods Hole and Columbia) to Gen
Spaatz that we might be able to detect nuclear blasts via pressure waves and low frequency
microphones. This was developed from a study of the 1883 Krakatoa explosion where the
pressure waves circled the earth seven times. Dr Crary was sent to Ascension island (the
antipodol) to attempt to detect the Crossroads shot for Operation Crossroads on Kilohuea or
Bikini. He didn't get anything. In December, 1946, Dr Crary was sent to Alomogordo to run the
field stations for MOGUL. There were several ground microphone sites for detecting blasts
(bombs) detonated off the New Jersey coast. He also initiated activities off Bermuda and Panama.
Dr Crary and Dr Peoples were the advance people and scientific monitors for our project. Dr
Peoples told us to use the cover story of meteorology and to enforce the need-to-know--in fact I
had been reluctant to discuss any of this until only a few years ago. Your letter (SAF/AA) is the
first official document I've seen that says this is declassified. Concerning the Japanese balloons,
we did not use any of them for MOGUL. We didn't pattern our work after the Japanese balloons.
Our new hires were not even aware of the purpose. They thought they were just handling
meteorological equipment. Any of the flights that had "tags" would have stated, "Research
Balloon Flight, Request Return to NYU". The "service flights" for Dr Peoples were specific ones
carrying the microphone gear. The radar test flights were not recorded. There was a lot of
pressure to develop the constant level balloons. The tracking was to be done by the Watson Labs
radar for the V-2 launches, etc. Starting in early June, 1947 the 307(B) targets came from NYU.
We also launched TNT on some of the balloons to simulate airbursts for detection. All of these
balloons were accounted for. These and the radar test flights had no tags--we did not want these
to be associated with our project and the explosive ones would all be destroyed with pressure
switches. To my knowledge, the NYU group were the only ones using balloons in New Mexico
during this time but others were involved in other activities so debris from rockets, aircraft
dropsondes, etc. may have been found throughout this area. Initially we did not coordinate any of
our balloon launches with the Civil Aeronautics Administration. We had no contact with any of
the Roswell personnel-- although Crary or Peoples may have. There were two July 8th press
releases: in the earlier release, Col J D Ryan stated that radar reflectors were being used to track
balloons for wind information. July 8th is the same day the NYU group returned to NYU, so we
had no contact with the Roswell personnel when the announcement was made concerning having
found the "discs". When we heard the news back in New York, we joked that they probably
found one of our balloons. From that time up until about 1980, no one, officially or otherwise
made any contact with me concerning the possible association between MOGUL and the "Roswell
incident"( it was in about 1980 that William Moore contacted me and asked questions about
balloons making "gouges" in the earth). The July 10th Alomogodo News article shows a
demonstration of some of our multiple balloons and target trains. We had no one there so it was
surprising to see this. It almost appears that there was some type of "umbrella cover story" to
protect our work with MOGUL.
Page 2 of 3I can think of no other explanation for Roswell than one of our early June service flight balloons.
If one of our balloons went down there was no shroud of secrecy about it. We would attempt to
recover the flight gear when possible, but the reflectors, balloons, and microphone equipment was
expendable. We went to no great effort to recover the equipment and we certainly would not
cordon off an area where one of our balloons went down. We would sometimes send out 3-4 men
to recover the equipment if we knew where it went down. The July 10th Alomorgordo News
report was a good cover--it does not appear to be a coincidence--I don't know who may have
initiated it. Trakowski does not recall being involved in a cover story in one of my conversations
with him. In New Mexico during 1947, all of our balloon operations were launched from
Alamogordo AAF.
I am not part of any conspiracy to withhold information from either the US government or
American public. There is no classified information that I am withholding related to this inquiry
and I have never been threatened by US Government persons concerning refraining from talking
about this situation .
SIGNED: Subscribed and sworn to before me, a
person authorized to administer oaths
this
8th day of June 1994 , NM
Charles B. Moore JEFFREY C BUTLER, COL, USAF
WITNESS(s): JAMES MCANDREW, 1LT, USAF
Page 3 of 3Tape reinforcement of panel attachment to the balsa wood
|
| White paper side of reflective panel
|
| Reflective panel made
| of aluminum-coated paper
Balsa wood,
approximately
8 mm square
Cemented Aluminum side
joint
MY RECOLLECTION OF THE REFLECTOR MATERIAL ATTACHMENT TO THE BALSA WOOD PIECES
ON THE ML-307/AP PILOT BALLOON RADAR TARGETS IN 1947.
[symbols: flower, upward arrow with circle, three-pronged shape, diamond, Y-shape, curved line, circle, flower, three-pronged shape]
AN APPROXIMATE REPRODUCTION OF THE FIGURES PRINTED ON THE TARGET-REINFORCING TAPE
(This is not authoritative since I last saw one of these targets more than
20 years ago.)
C. B. Moore
C.B. Moore
August 28, 1992Three to five sounding balloons,
350 gram size, each inflated
to about 4 feet in diameter
Wind
-->
Three ML-307 radar targets
(corner reflectors)
Restraining line
(cut and let go free
at launch.)
Ground level
TYPICAL RADAR TARGET FLIGHT TRAIN USED BY THE NYU BALLOON GROUP IN 194722 Statement Albert C. Trakowski June 29, 1994
STATEMENT OF WITNESS Date: 29 Jun 94 Place: VA I, Albert C. Trakowski, hereby state that Jeffrey Butler, was identified as a Colonel, USAF and Jim McAndrew, was identified as a Lieutenant, USAF on this date at my home and do hereby, voluntarily and of my own free will, make the following statement. This is done without having been subjected to any coercion, unlawful influence or unlawful inducement. I was provided a background on the Air Force efforts related to the GAO audit and it's association with the "Roswell Incident" and project Mogul. I personally know all the persons that Col Butler identified to me as having been contacted in this effort (Spilhaus, Moore, Istvan, Fletcher, Ms Duffy). I have also been contacted by several researchers and writers and discussed project Mogul and provided some documents to some of them. Robert Todd, I'm not sure whether he was a believer or not. Charles Ziegler was working on the history of nuclear weapons detection capability. He had some letters/papers that I did not have such as the letters the Gen Spaatz directed the establishment of project Mogul. Carl Pflock apparently wanted to establish the "incident" of Roswell as a UFO incident. Charlie Moore was primarily responsible for development of the constant level balloons for lifting the instrument packages. Concerning a cover story for the project Mogul, there was no planned cover story. I do not recall any documentation nor any efforts to develop a cover story even though the security for Mogul was of great concern. Charlie Moore and Athel Spilhaus used meteorological research as a cover but this was a spur of the moment effort--it was an obvious answer to a query--there was no documentation for using meteorology. We never considered a planned cover story; we were concerned with security. I was the project officer succeeding Col Duffy in approximately November 1946. My primary purpose was nuclear weapons and guided missiles detection programs. Previously, I was appointed as the laboratory chief in the Signal Corps as an Air Force officer in charge of the Spherics program and later for the development of weather radar. Since my background was in physics, I took over project Mogul. It was the only Top Secret project at Watson Labs and I was the Top Secret Control Officer, so I knew the impacts with security associated with the project. We moved from Watson Labs to Cambridge Me which combined became the Air Force Cambridge Research Center, and I became the Director of the Air Force Geophysics Lab (and remained so until 1949). Through 1949, I was the director of both MX968 and Mogul. As the Mogul director, I went to Alamorgordo Army Air Field in early July 1947, to observe the New York University balloon group. The "Roswell Incident" occurred after we had returned to Red Bank (Watson lab) NJ. I became aware of this only after Col Duffy called me from Wright Field from his home. This was just an informational call, he just wanted to let me know that someone had come to him with some debris from New Mexico and he said, "this sure looked like some of the stuff that you launched from Alamorgordo." Duffy was very familiar with the various
apparatus and materials for the project, so if he said that it was debris from the project, I'm sure
that's what it was. He was not concerned with a breach of security for the project.
Concerning the name Maj Pritchard, he may have worked for me but I don't recall him. I have no
knowledge of any counterintelligence, or intelligence persons on the project or associated with my
directorate at Watson or Cambridge Labs. When we took over the project, we were aware of the
sensitivity of the project--we were aware that we were working in the open--it was a weakness of
security because the activity could be observed. I never observed any of the balloon "trains" but I
did see some of the early reflectors. Some of the reflectors were procured from sources out of
normal channels. Some of the contractors lined up were not quite in concert with typical Signal
Corps practices and procedures. Jack Peterson was very energetic and could make procurement
actions take place. Ed Itsvan, who I believe actually arranged for production for some of the
reflectors, actually went to a toy manufacturer in New York city to get some. It was kind of a
standing joke. I remember that some of the prototype and preproduction targets had this pink or
purplish tape holding the material to the balsa beam. This tape had flowers and other designs on it.
The reflectors were probably made starting in late 1944 but I do not recall how long the
production run was. I do not recall any other specific attributes but they were geometrically and
structurally simple.
I am not part of any conspiracy to withhold information from either the US government or
American public. There is no classified information that I am withholding related to this inquiry
and I have never been threatened by US Government persons concerning refraining from talking
about this situation .
SIGNED: Subscribed and sworn to before me, a
person authorized to administer oaths
this
29th day of June 1994 at , VA
[signature] JEFFREY C BUTLER, COL, USAF
WITNESS(s): JAMES MCANDREW, 1LT, USAF
[blank line]23
Interview
Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James
McAndrew with Professor Charles
B. Moore
June 8, 1994Transcript from 8 June 94, Interview with
Professor Charles Moore
(A) Professor Charles Moore
Project Engineer - Project Mogul
(Q) Colonel Jeff Butler
(Q) Lieutenant Jim McAndrew
8 June 1994
A: ...Dr. Spilhaus, who you may have met, was really the
Director of the project.
Q: We talked with him last week. He sends you his
regards. He's a very interesting man to chat with.
A: But I was essentially the project engineer and a
graduate student, whereas he was Director of Research at New York
University at that time.
Q: We have gone through many of the various technical
documents related to Project Mogul and some of the other work
that you and Dr. Spilhaus and others have done with the Constant
Altitude balloon projects. According to Dr. Spilhaus, he said
you would be the technical expert as it related to those types of
projects in terms of the materials involved, the instrumentation,
that sort of thing. Is that a pretty accurate statement?
A: I think that's correct.
Q: What we're really here for is to discuss this that came
out in the newspaper and the General Accounting Office's
investigation of how we deal with records, the acquisition, and
ultimately disposition. There is an allegation that the
Government is involved in a conspiracy and coverup of something
that occurred in 1947, which is the allegation of their being
some sort of flying disk, flying saucer, UFO, what have you.
A: That's correct.
Q: Of course the people who put out things such as this
journal, MUFON, Mutual UFO Network, the books that have been
written by William Moore, and Randall Schmidt, and others, a lot
of the popular television shows, they've just exacerbated the
situation where a lot of things, quotations, some of your
quotations taken out of context. One of the individuals,
Sheridan Cavitt, who at that time was a Counter-Intelligence
Corps officer at [Roswell] Army Airfield who actually went out
with Jesse Marcel to recover some material that has b'en alleged
to be the results of a UFO which Colonel Cavitt specifically
states looked like a weather balloon to him.
A: I'm aware that he had been there, but I'd understood
that other quotations had been attributed to him.
Q: Yes, sir. As we go through this, I believe I've got a
copy of essentially a statement he made to Colonel Weaver, whomPROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 2
you've talked with also. Colonel Weaver talked with Sheridan
Cavitt two weeks ago. So a lot of the statements that have been
attributed to Sheridan Cavitt, he says they're taken out of
context. He refutes a lot of the information that appears in
these various books.
What I'd like to do, even though this is out of a popular
UFO type of magazine, is there are some statements attributed to
individuals concerning the material that was found, supposedly by
Mac Brazel, somewhere northwest of Roswell, New Mexico. They
talk in terms of materials that look like metallic foil, and
specifically that "could not be bent or broken."
As we've gone through the various research, what we believe
to be Project Mogul was probably involved in this incident. The
materials that were being used in Mogul included, of course, not
only the polyethylene balloons, but included the neoprene
balloons at some point, the various types of radar reflectors,
the instrumentation that was being used. Is there any type of
material from that project that you can think of that would be
pliable, would be bendable, but could not be torn? Could any of
the polyethylene or the foil-like radar reflectors, could that be
the case?
A: Let me get a picture for you. This is a radar
reflector manufactured in 1953. It's the ML-307C.
Q: Which is a little different from the B model that was
used in 1947?
A: Where this looks like a pine stick, the material on the
ones we had, this was all balsa and somewhat smaller in diameter,
but the configuration, with one exception... This configuration
of corners, these corners were the same thing. Here's a picture
of this sort of target being used in 1948, and you can see we are
launching multiple targets beneath this balloon.
Q: Is this the same type of target as this, or is this the
B model?
A: This is the B model we flew in 1947 and 1948. Those
are pictures of the B model. If you look, faintly along here you
can see a sort of a discoloration, and that's where my memory of
the reinforcing tape was that they talked about. The B models,
as I remember, did not have these three vanes up here. You don't
see particularly any suggestion in other photographs I have, I
don't remember these which would make the thing rotate in flight.
But this, in the B models was more like an aluminum foil
with a heavy laminated paper. So the material they talk about, I
think, was derived from some version of this.
Q: They talk in terms of the material, being able to
crumple it and releasing it, and it would unfold by itself andPROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 3
not leave any creases. This material looks like it would almost
be like aluminum foil, would crease and remain creased.
A: It does have this paper laminate, and the paper, I
think, was maybe a bit tougher on the earlier thing. But I have
no explanation for the fact that it couldn't be bent with a
sledge hammer, as one of the people said, and couldn't be...
Q: Burned?
A: I think some of the balsa wood was dipped in something
like Elmer's glue, and as a result had some sort of a glue
coating on it which would make it somewhat resistant to burning.
Q: I know in Colonel Weaver's discussions with Sheridan
Cavitt, they talked about the aspect of burning. He did not
recall burning anything, but then his wife indicated that there
had been one night they'd been out and had a barbecue and had a
few beers and that Jesse Marcel just took a piece and stuck it in
the barbecue and then pulled it back out. So if that's what
they're using to say it wouldn't burn, that's what we consider
typically testing a material for burning or not.
A: I need to say here, you need to qualify everything I
say with the memory of almost 50 years ago. I will say things
that are to the best of my memory, but on the other hand, should
other evidence indicate my memory is faulty, I readily accept
that. So I'll state things to the best of my memory, but...
I have a memory that there was something like Elmer's
glue... There was a problem in attaching this to the paper
behind.
Q: Going back to the reinforcing tape and things, there
were discussions concerning unusual symbols and almost like
hieroglyphics -- purple, pinkish in nature, that sort of thing.
A: I don't know if I sent Colonel Weaver a copy of the
sketch.
Q: No, we did not see that.
A: Robert Todd, who has been a person very interested in
trying to get to the truth of this, asked me to make a sketch of
what I remember. A couple of years ago, or a year or so ago, I
made this sketch, and this is my memory of what was there.
I do remember every time I prepared one of these targets for
flight, I always wondered why these figures were on the tape.
There was always a question of why they were there. When this
purplish-pink marking on the debris came up, I immediately
remembered this sort of marking. Other people, I have a letter
here from one of my technicians, who says oddly he remembers the
same marking. You, perhaps, have talked to Albert Trakowski...PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 4
Q: We have tried to reach Colonel Trakowski, and he has
not returned our calls. We've left messages on his answering
machine, and there's been no response.
A: He may be out of town. I did visit him last October,
and he made the point that... He was our project officer. He
and I served together under Colonel Duffy in the Air Force
Liaison Office in 1943 to... Well, I went overseas in '44 but
Trakowski stayed and took a commission in the Air Force when it
was offered and was the project officer on Mogul. I have some
paperwork here from General LeMay's files in which after the war
a number of people were to be sent overseas because they had not
had overseas duty. There is a history of Colonel Trakowski.
Perhaps you have it from the Pentagon files already, from the AG
files.
Q: We have some records, yes.
A: Anyway, Albert Trakowski was the Watson Laboratory
project officer on this. When I raised this question to him he
said he had talked to John Peterson, one of Colonel Duffy's
procurement men, and they were joking about these markings on the
tape. I have a letter that I can give you a copy of in which I
quote Trakowski in saying, "What do you expect when you have your
targets made by a toy factory in Manhattan?"
Q: So essentially, the original targets were made by a toy
company?
A: Well, it's either a toy company or a garment
manufacturer in the garment district in Manhattan, or it was by a
novelty company. I talked to Ed Istvan who was another one of
the Air Force liaison office people who stayed in. Istvan lives
in your area. I can give you documentation on these things.
Istvan says that it was some outfit that extruded toothpaste
tubes and he got involved with them because they made radar
chaff. In the early days of this effort, there were a number of
different targets made. I don't have them here, I have them
downstairs, there were a number of different forms the targets
were made. One idea was just the inside of a meteorological
balloon, to put radar chaff and adhere it with glycerine. Just
wet the inside of the balloon with glycerine and then shake in
dipoles cut to the proper half wave length. When the balloons
were inflated, these would be all on the inside, coating the
inside of the balloon. This didn't give nearly the sort of
target that the corner reflector gave.
But anyway, Istvan initially went to New York hunting for a
source of supply and came across a company.
(Pause)PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 5
A: ...much of which we can copy and make it easier for
you. These are balloon fragments, things that held balloons [up]
after they'd been exposed to the sun.
Q: Is this the neoprene type or the...
A: That's the neoprene type. I have the polyethylene
type...
Q: Is this from the '47 era?
A: That's a balloon probably from the '50s. That's a K-
San balloon. The kind of balloons we used then were the
(inaudible) derricks balloons, and that's the way they look after
they've been out in the sun. That's about three weeks' exposure
to sunlight here in New Mexico.
Q: So the polyethylene really is degraded by sunlight.
A: That's neoprene. All that's neoprene.
Q: This almost looks like ashes of paper.
A: That's right. And there's a big point in some of the
recovery that the material was black...
Here is the list of the people who were assigned under
Colonel Duffy in the Air Force liaison office. Istvan's name
you'll find in there. He ended up being in the Titan program
and, I think, retired as a lieutenant colonel maybe back in the
'70s.
Schneider was the administrative director of our project.
He and I worked together. He was in Maine, and was not really
technically involved. I have letters from him if you're
interested in seeing them. He says he has no memory of this.
A person who was heavily involved in developing this whole
radar thing was Colonel Joe Fletcher. I wrote him a letter
asking for his help and he essentially says he doesn't remember
much.
Q: He's also been hounded by some of these UFO...
A: And by Todd and by me.
Q: So it appears as though you, yourself, have done some
extensive research into this particular incident.
A: Until two years ago, I was quite convinced one of our
polyethylene balloons we didn't recover caused it. Then I got
this newspaper, Todd sent me this, and I immediately saw there's
no way that could be a polyethylene balloon.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 6
Q: W.W. Brazel mentions eyelets which appear in the
reflectors. There's also, on the polyethylene balloons, the
shroud however you had it hooked on there. There's eyelets
around the base. There was a ring at the neck of the balloon and
then there were attach points to that ring, were there not?
A: But there were no eyelets.
Q: I believe there were. I've reviewed the New York
University documents and there's a very clear depiction in one of
them of eyelets.
A: Okay, I was thinking of the later... Here are the NYU
reports, the originals of them.
Q: In one of the configurations they clearly show eyelets
in the drawing.
Q: Going back to Brazel, you state that you think it could
not be one of the polyethylene balloons. He indicates in this
newspaper article that he actually found the debris in mid-June,
however it didn't subsequently come out until July.
A: You're right. That is in one of the polyethylene
balloons, you're correct. I fall back on my plea that my memory
isn't...
Q: It comes into depending on what Brazel was speaking
about.
A: There are clearly eyelets here. In fact there's a
little swivel.
He talks about the smoky gray rubber...
Q: Which these samples here, as you say, if they'd only
been out for a short time, a matter of days, smoky gray, that's a
very good description of what they looked like.
A: And when you first retrieve it has a bad odor. And
people talked about there being a burned odor.
We need to talk about these neoprene balloons because they
came in different... There were two manufacturers -- one, Dewey
& Olney in Cambridge manufactured with a dip process and they had
very much the appearance, if you will, of a condom. They were an
ivory colored jell. The Kaysam company in Patterson made a cast
neoprene emulsion into a mold, and then they inflated the mold.
They had to put a lot of plasticizers so they could take this wet
jell and inflate it and make it into a meteorologic balloon.
This is a Kaysam balloon here, which I think is not a good
candidate.
Q: Kaysam?PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 7
A: A guy named Sam Kay formed a company and it was called
Kaysam. In fact I have, and you're welcome to them...
(Pause)
A: Kaysam balloons because of the way they were made, and
this jell that had to be inflated had this ring, cardboard ring
put in them. That's the neck of a Kaysam balloon, and here are
more modern Kaysam balloons, the sort that are still being flown.
Q: These are just used for the typical meteorological type
balloons.
A: Carry radio (inaudible), that's correct.
Dewey & Olney have gone out of the business and Kaysam
bought them out. Here's a Kaysam balloon that is made by a dip
mold. This is somewhat indicative, I think, of the way one of
those balloons of the type we're using. As you can see on
exposure just to ordinary light, they discolor. But these are
balloons that were made probably in the '70s. As they change
with plasticizer and anti-oxidants for ozone, they certainly
change in appearance. The balloons we...
I have pictures here, pictures in the hangar. There, as you
can see, these are the ivory colored balloons of the sort we were
flying. This is the balloon you just found the eyelets on in the
hangar. These are pictures from the 1947 era where we're getting
ready to fly the 15 foot H.A. Smith balloon.
Q: The reinforcing tape on these balloons, these
polyethylene balloons, we were told is a type of acetate. It had
none of this symbology, is that correct?
A: None at all.
Q: So the symbology on the tape was only related to the
radar reflectors.
A: That's correct. Here is a later model polyethylene
balloon, and it's a little thinner than the ones we were flying,
but there's a polyethylene balloon.
Q: It looks like polyethylene sheeting that I would use to
cover up...
Q: I've also heard the early balloons described as carrot
bag quality. Material they would use in a carrot bag. Dry
cleaner bags.
Q: Dry cleaner bags. We think of them as being very
fragile, but materials from this time frame have been described
as durable -- something you couldn't tear with your hands.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 8
A: That's about two mil polyethylene here.
Q: Obviously, you could tear this.
A: This was four mil. These balloons that we had...
That's Flight 8. These are the little balloons here that are
seen from the air.
Q: From a B-17?
A: I think this was a C-45. We did, indeed, have B-17's
attached to us, and C-54's. But I think this was trying to chase
Flight 8 down. This was one of the candidate flights that I
thought might have been, until two years ago, I thought might
have been an explanation for what occurred.
Q: Why did you change your mind at that point?
A: Because of that newspaper report right there.
Q: Because of him saying that he actually found the
material in mid-June?
A: No, because he said it was balsa sticks and smoky
rubber and had those curious markings on that. That's a very
vivid memory I have of these markings on the radar targets we
flew.
Q: You said you often wondered why those markings were on
there. Had you ever resolved that for yourself?
A: Only what Albert Trakowski told me, that our friend
John Peterson, the procurement man, was just joking, "What else
do you expect when you have your targets made by a toy factory?"
Let me go back, if I may. Colonel Duffy was assigned to
extract meteorological equipment out of the Signal Corps in 1943.
There was a great argument that went on between the Army Air
Force and the Signal Corps. The Signal Corps didn't want to let
any meteorological equipment out until he thought it was perfect.
At the same time, General Arnold was expanding for a global war,
and was trying to get meteorological equipment all around the
earth. So Colonel Duffy got assigned to expedite the equipment.
As various of us graduated from the meteorological cadet schools,
he took those of us with engineering backgrounds and assigned us
to bird dog various things within the Signal Corps engineering
laboratories. I got assigned to... I ended up with some
appendicitis and got pulled off of an overseas shipment, and
while I was recovering I got assigned to prepare this manual that
Colonel Duffy, he was unhappy with the rate at which Signal
manuals were coming out so he wanted a loose leaf arrangement to
send things out. So I got assigned to prepare this manual.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 9
At the same time, then Captain Fletcher was assigned...
Duffy had heard that weather was giving trouble to radar, so
Colonel Duffy just turned around and said, "Gee, you mean radar
can pick up weather?" And ended up with Captain Fletcher being
assigned to both convert this for looking at storm clouds and
also to make wind measurements. There was a big problem, the
Weather Bureau prior to World War II determined upper winds
merely by releasing a pilot balloon, following with the
(inaudible), and estimating the rate of rise, and then from the
elevation and azimuth angles and the assumed height after a
certain time, to calculate what the winds were.
Q: Is that the Boford Scale?
A: Well, Boford was Navy, that was the Navy...
Q: Like taking a Pi Ball reading now.
A: Exactly. It was called a Pi Ball then and it is now.
Colonel Duffy pushed very heavily to get electronic means for
measuring winds aloft. There were two approaches. One, use a
radar target, and the SCR-584 with which you may be familiar --
the early gun-laying radar. Colonel Duffy talked to the field
artillery that was procuring through the Signal Corps, gun-laying
radar, the SCR-584, which is, that's this radar right here.
Q: We've seen that photo before.
A: This is Spilhaus's book. So Fletcher ended up with a
whole bunch of his own 2nd lieutenants around. There was a Jud
Tibbett from whom I have a photograph showing an earlier model
target, the A Model target. Istvan was one. There are a bunch
of them listed. This listing is for you if you'd like to have
it.
Tibbetts ended up being the big installer of radar and, in
fact, was assigned down to the Tulerosa Range Camp to make wind
measurements for the Trinity shot, the test in 1945. As far as I
know, that was the first time these targets had been used in New
Mexico. Tibbetts, who until recently lived in Albuquerque, he's
now moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. Tibbetts says that he did not
ever fly this kind of target in New Mexico, which will be of
interest with you when they talk about, that people should have
known what a target looked like.
Q: Right. There were discussions concerning having radar
targets, but supposedly the B Model and subsequent models were
brand new, had never flown anything like that in this area.
A: According to Tibbetts, the A Model had bit aerodynamic
drag. It was a flat plane of aluminum foil and had two triangles
coming down that made a corner reflector. The A Model looked
like... Then across here was that. This is one surface, this is
another surface, and this is yet another, and they were held byPROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 10
strings from these four corners. Obviously, trying to take
something that's almost a meter in cross section, a meter on a
side, take it sideways up through, gave a lot of drag, and it
took a lot of lift to make the balloons rise very rapidly.
So instead, somebody came up with this smart idea of this
other arrangement of a corner reflector that had much less drag.
These, according to Tibbetts, weren't distributed until something
like November of 1945. As far as I know, as you will see in the
various correspondence, there were no SCR-584s which were
required to track them, issued to the weather services here in
New Mexico. Obviously, after the Trinity shot, there was no bit
military operation that required wind determination in New
Mexico.
Q: So essentially you'd say there were no radar reflectors
in New Mexico until 1947 until this appeared?
A: That's my opinion.
Q: Was Major Pritchard doing any kind of balloon project?
A: No. He and Dyvad and others were at Watson
Laboratories. I understand from Trakowski that Alamagordo Army
Air Field was about to be closed down as surplus. The people at
Watson Laboratories seized on it and were able to keep it on
active status for two projects -- one, the radar project from
Watson Laboratories that was set to track the V-2 being flown
from the proving ground across the Tulerosa Valley; and Project
Mogul.
I joined the NYU group in January of '47, and while I was
finishing up at Georgia Tech I had talked to my chemical
engineering professors, I'd already been recruited by Duffy and
Spilhaus, and I asked if you wanted to make a balloon of non-
extensible material, what plastic would you use. My professor
named Grubb told me you ought to consider polyethylene. It's a
new plastic just now becoming available. You can heat seal it.
It has a lot of desirable properties.
So as soon as I got to NYU, I began talking to everybody I
could find in Manhattan -- DuPont, all the sales offices...
Q: We saw your listing.
A: I was concerned with where we could get the plastic and
who we could get to manufacture the balloons. I was in my 20's,
just a recent graduate. I knew nothing about manufacturing. But
we did try to get a manufacturing company that would fabricate
balloons for us.
During that period we heard of the Navy project that was
going on at General Mills where Jean Get was planning to make a
flight to 100,000 feet. General Mills at that time was makingPROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 11
balloons out of a Goodyear film called pliofilm. It was a vinyl
chloride that just went to hell when exposed to sunlight. It
really came apart. So I'm very proud that we began pushing them
for polyethylene balloons. With some difficulty we got Otto
Winzen who was the entrepreneur and promoter, working with Get,
and we got him to make these balloons you see here in the design
that was being planned for Project Helios, with the pliofilm
balloons. At the same time we got an entrepreneur who was even
faster acting, and that was this fellow A.J. Smith. A one-man
shop. He would do anything for money. He, indeed, did. With no
great technical background, he made a number of these balloons
for us.
Q: Kind of a garage type of affair where he would sit down
and make them one by one and...
A: I don't know. He got some girls and got some assembly
workers, for a contract from us. Anyway, we got these balloons
going, made visits to Minneapolis to push General Mills. The
pressure from the Air Force was enormous. There was a similar
problem, of course, in developing microphones that would pick up
low frequency sound waves with Columbia. There was much
enthusiasm, in testing these microphones.
Q: How did you come to join the Army Air Force?
A: When World War II broke out I applied for pilot
training, and so did everybody else. Because I was a senior at
Georgia Tech in a chemical engineering course with a fair amount
of thermodynamics and other things, I got diverted into the
meteorological cadet program. I still wanted to be a pilot but I
got diverted into the meteorological cadet program, and the next
class that I could join didn't start until December of '42. I
joined up sometime in '42. So I went through the meteorological
cadet program and found I was a lousy forecaster, but I did end
up, when Spilhaus came recruiting for people with engineering
background, I got recruited into Colonel Duffy's liaison office.
Q: Was that directly for General Arnold's staff?
A: I was assigned, believe it or not, to Headquarters, Air
Force... I still have the Headquarters Air Force [rondelles]. I
ended up being assigned to Headquarters, Army Air Force. I was a
second lieutenant.
Q: So you got recruited by, at that time, Captain
Spilhaus.
A: Right, and I got sent to the Weather Equipment
Technician School in Spring Lake, New Jersey, essentially Fort
Monmouth. When I finished the training course for radiosonde and
for maintenance of equipment, I was headed for North Africa, and
I had a medical problem. When I got out of the hospital, I was
assigned back to Colonel Duffy. I remained there. I finishedPROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 12
this manual in '44. I was commissioned in September of '43,
finally, and then finished the school in November, was assigned
to write this manual which was finished in the summer of '44, and
then I got an assignment to China.
Q: With Dr. Spilhaus?
A: No. I ended up being the weather equipment officer for
CBI and the Spilhaus came over later. At that time the war was
going very much better. Spilhaus and Duffy had a long range
storm detection system, the spheric system, the predecessor of
what's used now for lightning detection, the storm scopes, and
the LLP. If you're familiar with LLP, the lightning location
system...
Q: Used by the Weather Service.
A: We have one of the stations here on campus. And we
actually have, if you're interested later on we'll go over and
show you, we have a map of the lightning strokes over the entire
U.S. as they occur. We have a read-out right here in our
laboratory.
Q: So you're doing that work from China?
A: Spilhaus came over with the spherics net, it was
called, and got a station installed in Chianting, China to work,
of course, for the bombing of Japan. So Spilhaus came over I
think the summer of '45 is when he came over. We had the radio
wind, the ra-win, the SCR-658s, we had a number of them that were
being installed. We had one up in Yunan in the communist area;
we had several of them in China for getting good wind
measurements. Spilhaus had been involved in that. I think by
'45 it was clear that things would be over relatively soon. We
thought we'd be back in '48. In any event, he got an assignment
over to 10th Weather in the summer of '45 and came over.
Q: At what point did you ever hear the term long range
detection?
A: That's a good question. I didn't know the name Mogul
until Robert Todd told me two years ago. I'd never heard the
name Mogul -- the classification was that high. I knew what we
were doing. When "Helgoland" was exploded in April of '47, we
had balloons in the air. We launched balloons out of the Watson
Laboratory, actually Eatontown, what had been the Eatontown
Signal Laboratory, but I think it was now Watson Laboratory. In
any event, we launched a string of balloons, even though we
didn't have [constant-level] balloons, we still carried
microphones aloft and a C-54 orbited overhead and followed the
balloons out to sea. I have no idea about the results that they
got.
Q: Did you number that balloon flight?PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 13
A: No, we didn't.
Q: Not a letter or a number?
A: Wait a minute. The answer is, I don't know.
Q: If you did give it a letter or a number would it be
on... There are some of these flights that appeared to have no
sequence number and they were talking in terms of being service
flights and the impression that we got was that the service
flights were either test flights just to check the balloons out
or they were the highly classified flights where the information
was not being logged into essentially an unclassified document.
A: You notice that Flight 1 was made from Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania.
Q: The football field there?
A: LeHigh, exactly. That's where we did it, from the
football field. And we did this because a professor at NYU had
just gone to head up the physics department at LeHigh and he
invited us over. His name was Frank, Butler keeps coming to
mind, but I'm not sure that's the right name. Anyway, we went
there and that was for an early, early attempt for Helgoland. I
think the Helgoland explosion got scrubbed, but we had balloons
in the air from this and we were woefully not ready. We had all
sorts of problems. We adopted the balloon technique that a
cosmic ray investigator at NYU, a fellow named Sergei Korf, we
adopted his technique and we had a lot to learn. We got our
hands torn up with nylon line being pulled through it as we
couldn't hold the balloons down in the wind...
Q: Speaking of nylon line, were these braided type lines
or were they monofilament type lines?
A: Neither. I think initially we used either parachute
cord, which was braided. I don't remember the details of what we
used, but we rapidly used that the radiosonde cord we used was
not strong enough at all to hold the forces that came, so we went
to what was called lobster twine. We used a lot of lobster twine
that was twisted, a laid line that was used in lobster nets.
Q: Do you recall there ever having been some sort of
monofilament similar to the monofilament fishing line in any of
the projects?
A: I think there was none available at that time. My
memory, the answer is yes, we've used an awful lot of
monofilament and we use it now all the time.
Q: But at that time you don't think it was available?
A: I think it was not available.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 14
Q: The early nylon line, would it have degraded, such as
the balloon material degraded, and maybe fused in the hot sun?
A: I doubt it. If we had any it would have been white,
which would have been a high (inaudible), would not have absorbed
a lot of sunlight.
Q: There were discussions about what appeared to be
unbraided or unstranded fiber type lines. It's been alluded to
that was the precursors to what we use for fiber optics today.
The materials that were found. That's why I asked about the
monofilament line.
A: A lot of what we used early was a linen cord, not
twisted, and it was indeed, a brown, a dull brown color. But
because it was designed just for radiosonde balloons, and we
rapidly exceeded its strength. So very quickly, and I don't know
when, but we very quickly went over to this twisted lobster
twine.
To answer your question, there are three flights that are
missing here -- two, three, and four. I've identified Flight 4.
Flight 4 was a flight we made, and you don't have it there, but
Flight 4 we made in Alamagordo something like June 2nd or 3rd of
1947. The reason I have it identified is I have Albert Crary's
diary. The scientific end of the group was heavily based from
Columbia University. It was Dr. James Peoples who was an
employee of Watson Laboratory, and there was an Albert Crary who
had been a graduate student under Dr. Ewing.
Q: Who later also was an employee of...
A: Who was then an employee of Watson Laboratory. I have
Crary's diary. Here is a translation...
(END OF SIDE)
A: ...Here is the diary starting May 24, '47, and on May
28 he has "B-17 from Watson with Mirs, Hackman, NYU and Alden,
they plan to test fly balloons tomorrow. Other gang with
recording equipment due to leave Watson Laboratories Saturday.
Got everything ready for Hermes Rocket today."
May 29th. "Mirs and Hackman got balloon ascension off at
1:00 p.m. today without plane to follow it. Don and Godby out to
Donyo. Bill and I out to E. White Sands to record Hermes."
I've marked the key things here with red, and then I've
given you a page without my red if you have any need for that.
June 1st, "C-47 with Moore, Schneider and others from NYU,
also Irewin, Minton, Olson, NYU men worked on balloons, north
hangar."PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 15
June 4th, "Out to Tulerosa Range and fired charges between
0-0 and 0-6" something. "No balloon flight again on account of
clouds. Flew regular sonobuoy mike with cluster balloons and had
good luck with receiver on ground but poor on plane." I think
that's Flight 4 right there.
Q: So that's June 4th.
A: As to that flight made by Mirs and Hackman earlier, we
have no record of it here in the NYU summary.
Q: If he flew that on June 4th and it carried the
microphones, the radar reflectors, that would have been with a
neoprene type balloon.
A: There were no plastic balloons delivered until the 28th
or 29th of June that year. So everything as evidenced on the
Helgeland flight that we made and the other flight, they were all
meteorological balloons prior to late June.
Q: That would have also had the B Model reflector, this
type of reflector, but the B Model?
A: My memory is that Jim Peoples, because we were being
sent down by B-17 and by air, didn't let us take the radiosonde
receiving equipment which at that time was very heavy. It was
like a 500 pound rack with a receiver, frequency meter, recorder,
etc., and we weren't allowed to use that. Instead, the idea was
that Peoples would provide tracking on the balloons with radar
targets and so on. So this is where I think the radar targets
come in. If you look in these reports you'll find here
statements, radiosonde reception, and you'll see 60 percent with
recorder, 50 percent without recorder, 100 percent without
recorder for June 5th. A hundred percent without recorder.
So I think we tried the radar targets, as I remember, our
contact who was a Captain Larry Dyvad found that they weren't
able to track our flights at all. They had a radar that was
entirely aimed at looking at the missiles. To look at slow
moving balloons with poor signal return was difficult for them.
So we started off with making single target flights. I think we
went to multiple target flights, and still didn't have any
success, so I began putting radiosondes and then just audibly, as
the tones would change, I would log it on a piece of paper. I'd
count the pressure... Are you familiar with radiosondes?
Q: Somewhat.
A: The commutator with the pressure contacts, etc. I
would count contacts and record it and you'll see in some of
these flight reports, there's two different interpretations
possible, depending on what the contact sequence was. An
ordinary radiosonde is very good for something that's going one
way. But for something that's going to go up and float, you canPROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 16
have ambiguities. You don't know if it went up or down when you
get the next pressure contact switch. You'll find that sort of
uncertainty in describing the report.
So I'm quite sure that as a result of the failure of the
radar tracking, I went back and started using radiosondes even
though I didn't have the right equipment.
Q: You mentioned a few moments ago the Watson Laboratory
gear, the microphones, and it was also Columbia that was
developing the low frequency microphones. You had all of that
gear on these balloons, is that correct?
A: No, not on all of them. That mention of a sonobuoy
microphone, in the early... While the improved low frequency
microphones were being designed and built, we flew on balloons,
believe it or not, sonobuoy used to detect submarines. We were
flying sonobuoy microphones on the balloons.
Q: But the material that's been identified as Watson Lab
gear shows up as very generic in all of these reports and things.
That was all part of Mogul also, is that correct?
A: That's correct. I think what happened is because the
Watson Laboratory radar wasn't very successful, I think we made a
number of flights like this. I think I sent a sketch like that
to you. We made a number of flights like that which was an
unorthodox use of radar targets, and it's my opinion that the
thing that caused the debris that was picked up was probably from
a cluster of meteorological balloons carrying a cluster of
targets.
When something like the idea of a cluster balloon was not
only to carry the weight, but was also to keep the target in the
air for a long time. If one balloon burst, we still would have
enough buoyancy for awhile to keep the thing airborne. When it
would come to the ground this would drag along the ground and get
shredded, but this would still be carried downwind until another
balloon would burst, whereupon this one would start getting
shredded. So I think the explanation of why things were over
such a large area was, indeed, because it was a cluster, it was
multiple targets and cluster balloons.
Q: Of course the issue of the large area has been
different in different reports. Different people have stated the
200 yards, Cavitt in his description, described it in terms of
his living room which was not that large.
A: Even a single target, if it came down, wouldn't have
filled a single living room, but a multiple target, begins
dragged sideways and then blown transversally by any later winds,
could have filled a reasonable area.
Q: And left pieces of debris everywhere. Depending on...PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 17
A: What the wind did.
The description that Brazel gives here that everything would
weigh about five pounds when it was all together, is more than
you would have gotten from a single balloon.
Q: Those were measured in terms of 300 to 500 grams or
something like that?
A: Three hundred and fifty only. At that time we didn't
have any bigger balloons than 350 grams, so the balloons would
have been 350 grams.
Q: About one pound.
A: Correct. And the targets are nominally maybe a quarter
of a pound.
Q: Those targets are only four to five ounces?
A: Here was the specification spelled out for it.
Approximate weight, 100 grams. These, as I say, are somewhat
heavier than the ones we had.
Q: You indicated that the balsa wood was coated with some
sort of glue such as Elmer's glue.
A: That's my memory. It wasn't completely coated. Some
of it was and some of it wasn't.
Q: Some of the balsa wood is fairly dense, as far as being
durable, and one of the descriptions concerning this "wood-like"
material was that you couldn't dent it with your fingernail. So
if you have a fairly dense balsa wood coated with a glue, it may
be quite possible that a person would not be able to put their
fingernail in it.
A: That's correct. It's my memory that the reflective
material was more aluminum foil than here. These are second or
third iteration targets, as evidenced by this picture, wherever
that picture is down in here of the 1948 flight. It certainly
looks more aluminum-foil like.
Q: What year were you discharged from active duty?
A: '46.
Q: Before you left active duty, while you were still
working with Duffy and Spilhaus, did they invite you to join the
staff at New York University, or to continue your studies there?
A: I came back from overseas and was assigned to Colonel
Duffy's, he had a little flight detachment assigned to him with a
B-29 and a B-25 and some other aircraft. I ended up being thePROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 18
executive officer of a flight detachment at Newark Airport. I
got back from overseas in February of '46, I think. After
getting out of the replacement depot, I got assigned back to
Colonel Duffy and was assigned at Newark. I went on terminal
leave something like July of '46 and went back to Georgia Tech
and finished two quarters. I had two quarters to finish at
Georgia Tech. While I was at Georgia Tech I began working with
a microwave, an anonymous propagation research group that turned
out, oddly enough, was under Colonel Duffy's direction. I didn't
know it. It had nothing to do with my getting deployed there,
but I had a student assistanceship working on that.
I made some report, and my name came back in front of
Colonel Duffy in September, I think, of '46, and I got asked to
come up to his office. I think he was still at Bradley Beach,
Sharp River Hills Hotel there near Belmar, New Jersey. When I
was there, who should come in but Spilhaus. They told me they
had a problem involving balloons and asked if I would be
interested in working with them, and they offered me a graduate
assistanceship at NYU, and I wanted to go to graduate school in
physics, so I was delighted to have that opportunity. That was
either September or October of '46.
Q: So Spilhaus, since he was on the staff there, he
invited you to come to New York University.
A: Yes, he did.
Q: So you went to New York University when?
A: Right after Christmas. January 1, 1947. The program
had already started. I presume you have all the details. I have
a copy of (inaudible) letter to General Spaatz. I presume you
have all of that.
Q: I believe we do, but I'd still like to review it and
make sure it's the same letter.
A: In any event, there was a big push. I guess after
Operation Crossroads the first nuclear test in the Pacific was in
July of '46, and Crary, because of the long range detection
concept, Crary was sent to Ascension Island which is the antipode
for, as close as they could get to the antipode for Bikini, and
failed to detect any signal from Operation Crossroads, from the
nuclear explosion.
Q: You mentioned detection. What drove the aspect of
detection? Was it because of our test?
A: Yes, our test was being used as a signal source. The
question was in order to detect any Soviet test, could we detect
our own tests. So Crary was essentially sent to Ascension to see
if he could detect the nuclear explosion.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 19
Q: He was unsuccessful?
A: He was unsuccessful.
Q: What method did he employ?
A: Low frequency microphones on the ground. Are you
familiar with the Krakatou measurements?
Q: No.
A: In 1883, Krakatou, near Java, made an enormous
explosion and the pressure wave from that went around the world
seven times, and was picked up and... There was a report, a big
analysis by Lord Railey and others...
Q: A volcanic eruption?
A: Volcanic eruption. Here are the isocomes of the
pressure waves from Krakatou as it went out. From the time it
took the signal to go out and come back, he went to the antipode
which is around Colombia or Venezuela, and came back as a big
spherical wave. It went back and forth around the earth. The
British investigators were able to show that there was a duct up
around the tropopause, and the speed of sound, as I remember, was
something like 310 meters per second instead of the regular 334
that we had at sea level. From that they could deduce the
temperature of the medium in which the sound was propagating and
it was something like minus 25.
Q: How was this detected as a pressure wave in that time
frame?
A: Barograph.
Q: What year?
A: 1883. This is what prompted Ewing.
Q: I'm familiar with barometer-type measurements being
used to measure that pressure wave and the fact that it traversed
the earth, you said seven times.
A: Maurice Ewing had been an oceanographer at Woods Hole
and had found a similar acoustic duct in the ocean. You may be
familiar with what's called Sofar. In 1945 he wrote a letter to
Spaatz suggesting this might be useful in detection of Soviet
activity.
Q: The 1945 letter was kind of the initiative as a means
of detection.
A: That's correct. That caused the Army Air Force to
begin this research.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 20
Q: How did you come in possession of it?
A: Todd. Todd does everything.
Q: Did he say where he got these documents?
A: Freedom of Information, I think.
Q: It looks like National Archives. I believe I have this
letter.
So Ewing was at Woods Hole...
A: And was going to head up the geophysics department at
Columbia. These are subsequent documents of people in the Air
Force considering the desirability of it.
After Crossroads there seemed to be an enormous push to try
to put microphones into the sound channel. During WWII, the
Signal Corps had laid on them the requirement to develop a
constant level balloon. It had not been very successful. I knew
a bunch of people in the balloon branch.
The reason I got into balloons is that while I was working
on this manual there was a great problem in the winter of '43
with the supply of gum rubber cut off, meteorological sounding
balloons weren't flying very well. In the summer time, the
balloons would go through the depth of the troposphere, but in
the winter time, the balloons began bursting down at levels of
15,000 feet or so because the neoprene wouldn't stretch at low
temperatures. Somewhere Spilhaus came up with the idea, talked
to somebody in the Weather Bureau, that maybe you ought to heat
the balloons. He told a couple of us second lieutenants, that I
wonder if that would work. We got a blow torch and a mop bucket
and we had a radiosonde, and he was in charge of the Air Force
push on radiosonde technology. I was his leg man on that. We
put a blow torch on a mop bucket and heated the water to boiling
and flew the balloon. Much to our surprise, the balloon went to
about 60,000 feet.
Q: So it stretched without rupturing.
A: It turns out that neoprene crystallizes and you can
make it back into an amorphus state with high elasticity.
Elasticity changes as a function of the degree of crystallinity.
By heating, we removed that.
In any event, there was a group in Spilhaus's detachment
known as the balloon [boilers]. The Signal Corps, it turned out,
was very unhappy with this idea. They wanted no interest in it
at all, and their manual doesn't use it. But that was my
introduction, that's how I got attached to ballooning, as a
result of doing this simple thing for Spilhaus.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 21
It's of interest, in the Holloman report there's a big talk
about boiling balloons. That's certainly a heritage of the
association from our early balloon boiling days. When you look
at the instructions on the modern balloon, you see that it is
really a physical effect that can be controlled.
Q: You went on board at New York University, and you
immediately set out, as documented in the reports, acquiring the
various materials, [putting out bids], things of this nature. At
that point you were working at New York University under the
direction...
A: Spilhaus was the nominal principal investigator and
director of the project, but he just turned us loose.
Q: So you were the project engineer?
A: I was the project engineer, and Schneider was the
project administrator. We employed a lot of students, a lot of
people that we could, and were a mixture of trying to develop a
constant level balloon and providing service flights for Peoples.
Peoples was entirely our contact.
Q: He would come to New York University?
A: He would go down to Red Bank. He'd call and say he
wanted certain things, can you do it, so we made this flight out
at Lehigh and then we made the Helgoland flight down at Red Bank,
and he wasn't really happy. There were all sorts of constraints
flying balloons in the New York City area even then.
Q: All the problems with air traffic and getting FAA, or
their equivalent at that time, approval, etc.
A: So up in the stratosphere above my level, a decision
was made that we go to Alamagordo, and there would be a big
flight. We had balloons promised, but even ahead of that time
people wanted to test microphones. He had Crary already, about
from December of '46, I think Crary went to Alamagordo and ran a
field station and...
Q: That field station was for ballooning in general?
A: For Mogul. It was more than that. Crary was operating
sound-ranging microphones on the ground there. He was having
bombs dropped off the New Jersey coast and trying to pick up the
acoustic signals in New Mexico.
Q: He was having the bombs dropped in New Jersey, off the
coast, and trying to detect them in New Mexico?
A: That's correct.
Q: What technique? Balloon borne?PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 22
A: No. We were the balloonists. This was all ground-
based stuff. There was also an operation in Bermuda. Then later
you'll find...
Q: Crary also initiated that?
A: He was in charge of it. He was running it. They went
and got a whole bunch of 500 pound bombs out of the Earl
Ammunition Depot in New Jersey. Later you'll find that they did
a bunch down in the Canal zone. Then eventually they went to
Alaska.
Q: This was prior to '47?
A: The New Jersey, and I think the Bermuda operation,
you'll find a hint in this diary I gave you, you'll find a hint
about Bermuda and so on in there. He was talking about trying to
measure the sky waves coming in.
If you're interested, we can go extract, there's a paper in
the Journal of Meteorology in something like '47.
Q: I believe I have that. Is that the same one?
A: No, this is by Crary.
Q: Crary did quite a few publications for Red Bank and
then for Cambridge Labs.
A: Correct. But you'll find one, I think it's either '74
or '49. If you want we can go over to our library and make you a
xerox of it.
Q: .I'm familiar with that one.
A: It's very circumspect as far as classified matter.
Q: So Peoples and Crary had Columbia University
affiliation?
A: Well, Watson. They were derived from Columbia. Both
of them were derived... I think Peoples got his PhD under Ewing
at Columbia, and Crary didn't get his doctorate until later.
Q: You said Crary's ground station was Alamagordo, but he
was actually doing explosions in Alaska, off Bermuda, Panama, the
Jersey coast.
A: In the late '46, early '47 era, he was in Alamagordo,
in and around Alamagordo. He was very concerned about explosions
off the Jersey coast and I think off Bermuda. The Panama Canal
operation I think was not associated with Alamagordo at that
time.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 23
Here's a nice paper that came through courtesy of Todd. In
'48 there was a big operation in the Pacific for Operation
Sandstone, and we were heavily involved in that. Here's the
Fitzwilliam... Schneider and J.R. Smith... My chief associate
technically was a fellow named Dick Smith, James Richard Smith,
who unfortunately, died two years ago. Smith and Schneider and
some other of my associates went out on Sandstone to Kwajelin,
Guam, and then Oahu.
Q: I've seen that in publication. I have to acquire it.
A: You can xerox it.
Q: Moving chronologically, Professor Ewing had affiliation
with Woods Hole, and he was a meteorologist by trade?
A: No, oceanographer. He was a physicist, a geo-
physicist.
Q: What was he doing at Columbia?
A: I think he ended up head of the Department of Geo-
Physics. I don't know the details.
Q: For the AMC contract he was developing...
A: He, as we, were contractors.
Q: He was developing the acoustical...
A: That's correct.
Q: That acoustical gear, this is a later flight but it's a
fairly good depiction. It shows payload here, and payload is
mentioned in a lot of the reports without any further
elaboration, what the payload was. That was primarily the low
frequency microphones...
A: That was their euphemism for...
Q: So as not to be able to talk about what was then a
classified payload.
A: Here are the sort of instruments. A chamber with a
leak in it, and then a method of sensing the pressure inside the
chamber. That affected the frequency of an oscillator that came
to ground. That's the sort of thing that was developed at
Columbia.
Q: Dr. Spilhaus also mentioned about trying to detect
particulate matter.
A: That was another operation. A Tracer lab, have you
come across Charlie Ziegler at Brandeis?PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 24
Q: No.
A: He worked for a Tracer lab and is just bringing out a
book on the early detection system.
Q: That was Project Center. MX-968.
A: There was another one that followed on this to measure
krypton. It was called Grab Bag in our lexicon.
Q: Did you ever hear of the project Bequeath?
A: No. Being a civilian and outside, I was more
knowledgeable, essentially, of the intent and what was required
rather than the project names.
Q: What type of clearance did you hold?
A: At various times I had Top Secret and Q and I don't
remember exactly when I got various clearances. I also had a
clearance with the CIA.
Q: So at this time in New York University you were cleared
but you had no need to know.
A: I knew exactly what we were doing. I knew about
Helgoland. I knew, just being an atmospheric physicist, I knew
about the sound duct channel and I knew what we were doing, but I
just didn't know any of the operational details and I wasn't
concerned with them.
Q: From a security standpoint, did anyone ever discuss
with you, other than the letter that I showed you stating that
this is now unclassified, did anyone ever tell you never to
discuss any of this with anyone?
A: I can't say they did.
Q: It was just a matter of enforcing the need to know what
classified project...
A: I guess I was aware this was highly classified, and
having been in the military was aware this wasn't something to be
discussed lightly. But no, I can't say that...
Q: The reason I ask the question is there are some
statements made in the various publications and books -- the
popular press, about people being threatened not to talk about
things they had seen or that sort of thing. I just wanted to see
if there had been anything stated to you never to discuss any of
the activities either related to this project or any other
project.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 25
A: There's a gray area here. I was certainly aware that
what we were doing in Alamagordo was highly classified and was
well aware, and I guess had been perhaps encouraged to have a
suitable cover story to explain what we were doing.
Q: So you were encouraged by whom to have a cover story?
A: Probably by James Peoples, who was our scientific
monitoring... As you may be aware, there is a former colonel,
later General DuBose, who makes a statement that something was a
cover story. When I read this, I was not at all surprised. I
interpreted that as saying someone was covering up on Mogul.
That was my interpretation when I read what was attributable to
General DuBose. So from his point of view, there were certainly
no threats, but we were aware we weren't supposed to be talking.
Q: So was it Dr. Peoples then who actually actively said
use meteorology as a cover story, or...
A: I don't remember the details, to be truthful...
Q: But it was kind of a natural thing to think of in terms
of meteorology?
A: We were careful around NYU with the various technicians
we hired. We kept our knowledge of what we were doing to
ourselves. It's certainly my memory that we were aware that this
was classified, but we weren't threatened. We were just
instructed that this sort of information was not to be passed
out, even though the technical aspects we understood. So the
answer is yes, we very well understood this was classified; and
second, there was no physical threat or anything like that. We
were instructed not to talk about it, and until Todd told me that
Mogul had been declassified I was very reluctant to say anything
about it.
Q: Anywhere in the early days were you ever aware of
involvement by General LeMay?
A: Not at all.
Q: Not at your level. How about the [AFOAT-1] study
group?
A: I became involved with them later on Project Grab Bag
and others, and I knew a bunch of people in [AFOAT-1] -- Doyle
Northrop... I knew that, but later ballooning got even more
heavily involved in various classified things.
Q: Where were your duty locations involved with [AFOAT-1]?
A: Probably at General Mills.
Q: Not ever in Washington?PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 26
A: Oh, yeah. I visited people in Washington.
Q: Just for the record, Major Marcel later worked at
[AFOAT-1]. Do you recognize him at all?
A: Not at all. The people I was involved with were
civilian scientists. If we looked at a list of people at
Northrop, Doyle Northrop sort of sticks in my mind, and there are
other names I've seen related to that. Yeah, I knew that guy,
but I never knew Marcel.
Q: So you went, moving into Mogul, you did go on the June
and July field trips.
A: I ran them.
Q: How many did you go on? All of them?
A: I didn't go to the one in the Pacific. If you look at
the planning on the Project Fitzwilliam, my name was listed as
the person as being there. Then suddenly, I'm not. What
happened, my people got taken away from me and I had to recruit
brand new people to help me fly balloons into Alamagordo during
the April and May 1948 operations. So I had new personnel, and
we went up and down the Rio Grande Valley trying to launch
balloons so they would pass over the ground stations at
Alamagordo.
Q: During that early period, before you had your full
complement of various types of balloons, did you ever use any of
the Japanese balloons? We were given the impression there were
at least a few of the Japanese balloons made available.
A: I got very interested in the Japanese balloons and
communicate, and I have pieces of the Japanese balloon downstairs
if you're interested in seeing a piece of it. And I've got
translations. I met the chief of the Central Meteorological
Office, a Dr. Wadati, and he put me in contact, so I have
extensive files on the Japanese balloons.
Q: But were any of those used as precursors to Mogul or...
A: None whatsoever. That was part of a promotion that...
When I went to General Mills, Winzen who had been the great
entrepreneur, had gotten fired. He'd gotten caught in a
prevarication about whether or not the Navy was going to provide
money. He was replaced by a fellow named Frank Jewitt. Jewitt
recruited me out of graduate school. We really promoted
balloons. That's part of the balloon promotion.
Q: None of the Japanese balloons were actually used as far
as a precursor to Mogul or anything like that.
A: That is absolutely correct.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 27
Q: But you had them available for study, but you didn't
launch them.
A: No, they didn't have any.
Q: In the New York University report it says that you were
provided two Japanese balloons.
A: That's interesting, because I have no memory of them
whatsoever. Spilhaus may have. But I have no memory that I ever
saw them. In the spirit of being given proper scientific credit,
in the paper that you have, the Journal of Meteorology Paper,
we, heavily written by Spilhaus, credited the Japanese with
doing, with their trans-Pacific flights. So what we were doing
certainly was based, came after what they had done, and we didn't
want to take credit away from them. But I'm told that on my own,
completely free from this, I talked with Wadati and others on a
Japanese balloon. I've never seen a Japanese balloon that I know
of, I've never seen the payload, but I do have fragments of the
Mulberry Favor.
Frankly, we did not depend on the Japanese balloons. The
Japanese just preceded us. But we didn't pattern what we were
trying to do on what the Japanese did. After all, they had
opaque balloons, and my belief from the beginning is balloons
ought to be transparent so they don't absorb sunlight so at
sunset you don't have the cooling and the ballasting. So we owe
nothing to the Japanese other than the fact they were ahead of
us.
Q: You went on these field trips. When you left, getting
back to the cover story, you were the project engineer. Did
people come to you and say you need to put something together in
case one of these things falls in somebody's hands?
You didn't.
Did you brief your people, your personnel, when they were
there, that they if should go into town for food or something if
someone says "Why are you there?"...
A: We were certainly secretive and not talkative, but at
the same time...
Q: In other words, was there a developed cover story where
everyone got together, discussed what you were going to say or
not say concerning the various activities that were going on at
Alamagordo and other locations?
A: That's a good question. I have no memory of such a
thing. I'm just aware that we were under very strong stricture
not to encourage speculation on what we were doing.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 28
Q: So is that pretty much maybe a condition of hiring? I
notice you used a lot of former military people. Did you just
tell them at the outset, "This is a classified project for AMC?"
Or were they not read on to the project at all?
A: By and large, people thought we were flying balloons
for the Air Force.
Q: As far as they were concerned they were just launching
meteorological balloons?
A: That's correct.
Q: They didn't particularly quiz you about the microphone
you hung in there or...
A: No.
Q: The balloons that you did launch for Project Mogul and
some of the other test balloons, without the actual instrument
packages, did they have reward tags, "Return to New York
University," or "Return to Roswell Army Air Field," or to
Alamagordo Army Air Field or anything like that?
A: The ones that we wanted to get back, which were the
test constant level balloons and the ones that had microphones on
them, by and large, they did have NYU reward tags on them.
Q: Dr. Peoples, whoever was directing you, was there ever
any concern voiced that this is a top secret object we're sending
into the atmosphere and we're not sure where it's going to come
to earth. Did they ever express any problem with that, that
wherever it came down, it came down?
A: I think the argument was that when it came down, it
would be mixed in with our other gear, and it was just part of a
flight that was to be recovered by NYU. He thought nobody would
interpret what those sorts of instruments would be.
Q: So the tags were kind of generic, like a meteorological
tag, say. "This consists of meteorological instruments..."
A: "This is a research balloon flown by New York
University..."
Q: Were you doing other research? When you went to New
Mexico was there another agenda other than the top secret
project?
A: None whatsoever. Our whole life revolved around the
NYU constant level balloon project. We were developing constant
level balloons, and the service flights for Peoples just sort of
got hidden in that.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 29
Q: The service flights were which ones?
A: The ones carrying the microphones.
Q: So specifically that term was used for the microphone
flights from...
A: That's right. You'll notice when you look at this,
that the flights out in the Pacific don't even get mentioned.
There's just no report on the flights in the Pacific, and the
flights in '48 that we made for Sandstone, there are some flight
numbers recorded, but there are no details at all provided.
Q: That was Grab Bag?
A: No, Grab Bag was to grab stratospheric air to measure
the krypton 85...
Q: Essentially particulate detection and gaseous...
A: That was gaseous. The particulate was, I think we were
less involved in grabbing particulates. There have been
thousands of flights made, and certain people did carry cascade
impactors and other things, but that was a minor part of what we
did, whereas Grab Bag was a very measure effort.
Q: That was in '48?
A: That was more '50 odd.
Q: Was that Fitzwilliam?
A: No, Fitzwilliam was entirely acoustic detection. Again,
very long range detection. Fitzwilliam was spring of '48. There
were various code names, and thanks to our friend Todd, I've
learned about the code name got termed Black Heart and a whole
bunch of odd names...
Q: Black Heart, Rock Fish. He may be wrong on that part.
He may be right, but...
A: I heard Mogul got converted into Rock Fish. But I
heard the detection part of Fitzwilliam ended up being called
Black Heart.
Q: He may be in error on that.
A: As I say, I'd been much more concerned with the
technical aspects than the military operations.
Q: This is one of the technical reports and it's talking
about the various flights, and this is the report that lists all
of the numbered flights and it talks about, it says, "Excluded
are the flights made to test," it's technical report number one,PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 30
"Excluded are those two tests' special gear in launches which
were not successful."
A: Right.
Q: So the special gear that's referred to here is the
microphone gear?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: There's another passage that talks about the
intelligence gear. Was that considered also...
A: Did we make such a faux pas as that?
Q: It's in there.
Q: I have the classification letter from July of '46. You
might want to review this. Maybe your friend has shown that to
you.
A: No, I've never seen this.
Trakowski argued that even the name Mogul was classified,
and he said it had the same classification as the Manhattan
Project had, which surprises me, because in various reports that
Todd has sent me, such as the monthly progress reports from the
people at later Holloman Air Force Base, Mogul appears in things
that are no higher classification than confidential, but
Trakowski insists that Mogul was super classified.
(END OF SIDE)
Q: This is a copy of the letter you wrote to Colonel
Weaver. One of the things that you talk about in this letter was
that the radar test flights were not reported, which is exactly
what we were discussing a moment ago in your kitchen. Would you
go over again what you just described as far as this particular
test flight that occurred? What we just went through in there.
A: As I said initially, the essence in trying to develop
constant level balloons, we needed to know what the altitude was.
At the same time, we were under a lot of pressure to carry the
test microphones for the Watson Laboratory and Columbia people.
We got into an operation at Alamagordo in early June of 1947, in
which we were required to make flights in which the tracking of
the flights would be provided by the Watson Laboratory Radar that
was already in place at Alamagordo for tracking the V-2s and
other rockets the Ordnance Corps people were flying over at White
Sands. So we came down to fly balloons in early June, in which
the tracking of the flights was to be done by radar, tracking
corner reflector targets, which I think we brought with us. I
don't have any evidence of this.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 31
Q: So you made your plan in New York to fly... Your
primary research was the acoustical detect...
A: That's correct.
Q: Secondary was refining the technique of constant level
balloons.
A: And that was on hold until we got the delivery of the
polyethylene balloon that was scheduled for the end of June. So
the first of June we came, really, just for the test flight of
microphones, doing service flights for Watson Laboratories.
Q: To fly the balloons in association with...
A: To fly meteorological balloons, tracked by a Watson Lab
radar on the ML-307B targets that I think we brought with us.
Q: And you launched these balloons in conjunction with V-2
firings?
A: Those went independently. Albert Crary was monitoring
the V-2 firings.
Q: That was with the ground microphones?
A: You're right, I beg your pardon. As you'll find in the
diary, that we launched Flight 8, these cluster balloons, we
launched those at 3:00 o'clock in the morning for a V-2 firing.
You're quite right. I'd forgotten that. We launched those in
the morning, then the rocket got scrubbed while Flight 8 was in
the air, and we were out of plastic balloons that day in early
July -- this is jumping ahead to early July -- and we inflated
meteorological balloons for the delayed firing of the V-2 rocket
on the afternoon of July 3rd, you'll see. Then there was an
accident over at White Sands and the V-2 got scrubbed a second
time. What was Flight 9, we launched Flight 9, as you will see
in here, as a dummy flight, and it probably had radar targets on
it.
Let me just read this. This is Crary's summary for the week
of 30 June-5 July 1947. "Balloon tests 7, 8, 9, and 10 off this
week. Test 7 slated for July 1 postponed to July 2nd because
equipment not ready. A hundred tanks with helium obtained from
Amarillo Monday evening. Trakowski went over in a C-54 and
picked them up. Also radiosonde receivers set up by NYU but
sonobuoy not operable. Test 7 at dawn, July 2nd, with Pi Ball.
One hour, first falling with the autolights. Winds were very
light, and balloons up between base and mountains most of the
time. Included a cluster of met balloons, followed by C-54
several hours, and finally landed in mountains near road, south
cloudcroft. Before gear could be recovered, most of it had been
stolen. Station operating in north hangar, Cloudcroft and
Roswell. Shots made repeatedly at Site 4 and picked up goodsPROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 32
from north hangar and from Cloudcroft for awhile. Nothing from
Roswell.
"On Thursday morning, July 3rd, a cluster of GM plastic
balloons sent up for V-2 recording, but V-2 not fired. No shots
fired. Balloons up for some time."
Q: What is a shot?
A: Explosive on the ground.
Q: You were doing explosives on the ground in New Mexico
too?
A: Crary.
Q: So Crary would give you the signal, he'd say at 0400
I'm going to launch a balloon, and at 0500 I'm going to...
A: No, he wouldn't launch a balloon. I'd launch a
balloon. What Peoples would do is say I want a flight up
tomorrow morning. So the NYU group would get ready to make a
flight, and then Crary would go out with his crew and fire
explosives up and down the Tulerosa Basin while our balloons were
in the air.
Q: So you had multiple explosions on the ground, the V-
2...
A: And explosions on the East Coast.
Q: On the East Coast, Caribbean, and you had those timed
so you knew when those were going to take place and you were
simply waiting for...
A: They had them timed and we balloon types just fit into
the schedule. But the master, the timing, bringing all this
together, we knew nothing about. We were just scheduled to fly
balloons.
Q: But you did want to launch early morning for the light
winds.
A: We did want to launch early in the morning for light
wind. We had freedom to tell them what we could do and what we
couldn't do. We actually on this, in addition to everything
else, we actually flew blocks of TNT on free balloons and fired
them while we had other balloons in the air.
Q: Did those have radar targets on them also?
A: Probably.
Q: Were those detonated by...PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 33
A: By a pressure switch.
Q: Were those tracked? Was there some sort of log that
would tell you where those particular balloons were? You
wouldn't want to just release TNT to float anywhere, would you?
A: They wouldn't float. The balloons would just go up
until they burst. And we were on the edge of the restricted
area. So the answer is yes, we did.
I'll have to get back to this. The radar tracking turned
out to be abysmally poor. I don't know why, but they were
abysmally poor. That's why I got off onto this part of it. And
when you asked me the V-2 question...
Let me finish this, and then we'll get back to what you
asked.
"Thursday morning, cluster of GM balloons sent out, V-2 not
fired, no shots fired. Balloons up for some time, no recording.
Pi Ball showed no West winds. Balloons picked up by radar, WS."
I presume that means White Sands. You'll find this hard... and
hunted by somebody's name I couldn't get. It looks like
Maryalls' "C-54, located on Tulerosa Range by air. Out PM with
several NYU men by weapons carrier, but we never located it.
Rocket postponed until 7:30 p.m. Thursday night," which was the
third. "But on last minute before balloon went up, V-2 was
called off on of accident at White Sands. Sent up cluster
balloons with dummy load. Balloon Flight 10 on dawn, July 5th,
had gone out with C-54, again with Moses and Dufeld to hunt for
Flight 8 but not sure was found then."
Then I added a note here, "Flight 8 was never recovered."
"C-54 went to El Paso July 4th and picked up single smith
plastic balloon and GM cluster plastic balloons."
So the answer is yes. We did try to coordinate the balloon
launchings for the V-2 firings, and Crary would also take that as
a time of opportunity to go out on the desert and fire TNT. He
had vast stocks of explosives available to him.
Q: Was that primarily on the White Sands range, or did he
go out into other areas, say Northwest of Roswell? Did he
contract with any of the ranchers to use these locales, other
than the actual missile range itself?
A: I think all the explosions he made were coordinated
with the White Sands Proving Ground people. Alamagordo Airfield,
later Holloman, was just on the fringe of the proving ground at
that time. Crary sent his men to all sorts of places -- over to
Roswell, to Artesia, to Hagerman, up and down the Pecos River
area. He had a place you'll read about, Fabians, Texas, which
turns out to be just down the Rio Grande from El Paso, maybe 50PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 34
miles. Then he had Don Edmondson went to Silver City frequently.
Then he had some place he called Donna, Las Cruces is in Donna
Anna County, but I don't know where his Donna site was. But I
think he had microphones scattered all around in central New
Mexico and West Texas. But the explosions were all created
either on the White Sands Proving Ground, or there were V-2
rockets, or they were things coming from...
I won't take the time now, but he talks about cruises, which
apparently are, maybe they were cruisers firing off the Jersey
coast.
We got off into this, we were talking about tracking, and we
went down to, in early June, to make service flights which were
to be tracked by radar, and the radar was unsuccessful. It's my
memory that we made a number of flights just to test out the
radar. These would not have had a reward tag on them. These
were throw away flights. Once a target like this comes down from
high altitude or drag, you don't want it back. It's my memory we
didn't want to have anything traced back to us, if we weren't
going to go out and pick it up.
Q: So you just kind of let the material lie wherever it
fell?
A: We shot a balloon into the air and didn't want to do
any more. There are some pictures of our going out to recover
things. On one of the early flights we went out east of Roswell,
and I remember beyond the Bottomless Lakes, going out in oil well
country, picking up one of our flights that had come down. We
aggressively tried to recover our own flights.
Q: So were you directed to that location by aircraft?
A: By the aircraft.
Q: Did they give you a lat and long, landmark?
A: We talked to them by radio. The transmitters on these
microphones were so low powered that, believe it or not, they had
B-17s just orbiting under our balloons with receivers aboard the
aircraft, and we, of course, would talk to the aircraft, and
they'd tell us when things would come down. So it was a
coordinated operation.
Q: So you had explosions or V-2 going through. So the
aircraft had recording devices. You had the acoustical pickup on
the balloon and the aircraft had the recording device that would
record the sounds.
A: That's correct. Would record the signal from the
balloon.
Q: In what media was it recorded on?PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 35
A: Brush recorders. [Strip charge] recorders feeding out
at high speed. You'll see in here, you'll see the sort of
records.
Q: The graphic representation.
A: The recorders looked like that.
Q: So that was recorded on the aircraft and then...
A: That's correct. As you'll see, they said they had
receivers at Roswell, at Alamagordo, and they had them on the
airplane.
Q: But most of the detection was via the aircraft because
of the low power receivers.
A: Most of the reception, the detection, was really...
The balloon received the acoustics, and sent it down by radio to
the aircraft. It often didn't work. That was the reason why for
Operation Sandstone in April and May of '48, we went up and down
the Rio Grande Valley... Here are some of the pictures. There's
a ground cloth for the balloon to be laid out. There's a balloon
being inflated, just getting ready. So we tried to get up wind.
That's a device from White Sands that was picked up around
Carazoso and was reported in to us, and we thought it was one of
ours. So I took a weapons carrier and drove up there. We were
aggressively trying to recover our equipment and that just
happened to be something that was on the ground. The technician
that had been in that group, remember the [Marginal] tape,
Herbert Crow. That's a picture he took when we were aggressively
trying to recover a load. That turned out not to be ours.
Q: What is it, and who did it belong to?
A: It probably was flown on a rocket or by Marcus O'Day
who was the chief scientist at Watson Laboratory. Dr. O'Day.
You'll see, when you read the Duffy thing, where Duffy thinks
maybe there were things that were flown by Dr. O'Day. Anyway,
that just happens to be a picture in the collection of NYU
photographs.
Q: So there were a lot of other people flying balloons or
launching...
A: Not balloons. We were the only balloon flyers. That
came down by parachute. But there were a lot of rockets being
flown in the early days there, and a lot of high altitude
aircraft. Duffy says there were dropsondes.
Q: So it could be that some of the material found may not
have been associated with a balloon. It is possible it could
have been some other type of material. But the description thatPROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 36
Brazel gives the impression that it is the smoky rubber of a
balloon that's been in the sunlight.
A: That's circumstantial. That fits exactly with what
would have been done, and orthodox use of radar targets would not
have produced what he found. But you're quite right, there's
debris that was reported to us that...
Q: ...some sort of cylindrical instrument, though, that's
obviously an instrument package of some sort.
A: It had a plexiglass, it looked like maybe it had a UV
sensor. There was some optical equipment under the plexiglass
dome that was shattered...
Q: You're familiar with the popular literature about the
various crash sites. There's one crash site, two crash sites,
three crash sites and all that craziness?
A: Yes.
Q: What I'm thinking is we may have two incidents here,
where they collected your debris from your radar targets, and
then there may have been another something else not related to a
balloon.
A: There could have been other things from White Sands.
This was on the edge of the proving ground. There's a story
behind this, and that is that a rancher, whose land had been
taken from him to form the proving ground, had cattle that were
still on what had been his land. He had found this while he was
looking for his cattle, I can show you on the map if you're
interested. Anyway, he called in to Alamagordo about this. So I
went up to see if it was one of our missing balloons. While we
were there, a range security guard came on the rancher and really
castigated him for breaking the law, coming back onto the range.
So this was really on the range. It would be hard for me to
understand how the sort of operations, which I knew, could have
fallen as far away as these other sites you talk about. This was
really on the northeast corner of the range, just west of the
town of Carazoso.
Q: So that's not too far from here.
A: Here's the northeast corner. [Looking on map] Right
on this road, right about there is where that load there was
found. Here is where the Brazel finding was, just north of this
bend of the road here, and there's Roswell.
Q: You're talking in terms of sites around Corona and in
that vicinity. So it's quite possible that there had been other
types of debris from the proving ground or...PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 37
A: As I say, I find it hard to think that something...
While we may have been flying TNT on balloons and being very
carefree about it, I really doubt that a thing of any military
significance would have fallen this far away from the proving
ground. It could have, but...
Q: Other than your balloons.
A: Oh yeah, those first flights we didn't even coordinate
with CAA. Peoples was so eager to go get those measurements,
that these were going to be flown from a restricted area and he
didn't worry about it. We later, before the Civil Air Board in
El Paso, but that was two or three months later.
Q: When you went on the field trips, what was the chain of
command at that point when you arrived? Who did you report to?
A: We were somewhat self contained, but we got housing
provided by, I guess Crary was our contact, if you will. Some
way or another, barracks were made available for us to live in at
Alamagordo.
Q: Would anyone at Roswell Army Air Field have known about
your activities, what your purpose was?
A: Not at all. In fact, we went over and tried to get
into the weather station at Roswell and because of the atomic
bomb security of the 509th, as I remember, we couldn't even get
on the base. We drove up in a weapons carrier to the Roswell
Army Air Field, and tried to get on the base because we wanted to
go to the weather station, wanted to see if we could put a
radiosonde receiver there. As I remember we got turned away.
Q: But you ultimately did put a radioson receiver there.
A: In a motel. We just worked out of motels in Roswell.
Q: I thought I saw you had a radioson receiver on Roswell
Army Air Field.
A: Again, forgive my memory, but I do remember being
turned away. But if you can find it, I'd be glad to have my
memory refreshed.
Q: I saw that you had a copy of the 509th Bomb Group
history. In the 509 the Bomb Group history from September I saw
a meeting where Dr. Peoples met with LTC Joe Briley, 830th the
Bomb Squadron Commander, 509th, Air Group Roswell. Do you know
why Dr. Peoples would meet with the squadron commander of a B-29
outfit?
A: Only if he wanted to get in to put a receiver on the
base there. That would be my guess. We had a big operation. We
went back to Alamagordo in September. We had our first 20 footPROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 38
diameter General Mills balloons. We had a very successful set of
balloon launches in Alamagordo in September of '47. My only
guess is trying to have a down-wind receiving station.
Q: There are some other names mentioned that I can't
recall.
Q: What about then Colonel Blanchard and General Ramey?
Do you think they may have had any knowledge of what your
ultimate purpose was?
A: I think not. I want to say something about Colonel
J.D. Ryan. He was Chief of Staff of the Air Force later, but
"Dr. Peoples, Murray Hackman, and First Lieutenant Thompson from
Air Material Command, were out at the field to inspect Air
Material Command installations and to confer with LTC Briley."
Well, well. Hackman was one of our radiosonde operators.
There's Colonel John D. Ryan right there. That's interesting.
On the morning of this famous press release, July 8th, in
The Roswell Daily Dispatch, there is a statement about a flying
disc being identified, and Colonel J.D. Ryan who is on the staff
of 8th Air Force said that the Air Force was now using radar
targets to measure winds aloft in some stations.
I find that of interest because apparently in reading some
of the various things that happened in General Ramey's office,
apparently someone that afternoon did think this was a radar
target that had been brought in. But the Roswell morning paper
clearly showed that there was a knowledgeable person in Fort
Worth.
Q: Is that in the article, the 8 July article, that Ryan
made the statement?
A: Yes. Maybe not the article you're talking about.
Q: Is this the one that William Haut...
A: No, this is that morning, not that afternoon. (Pause
to look for clipping) There's Newt Goldenberg, you mentioned him
earlier in one of our conversations. That's one of our altitude
controls.
Here's the morning paper, "Report flying disc found." Down
here is about Colonel J.D. Ryan, and he mentioned the existence
of radar wind measuring equipment in the Air Force. If you want
a copy of that...
Q: Then there's, subsequently, no mention of the radar
targets until General Ramey discusses it on the 9th, talking
about the material being a balloon.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 39
A: On the afternoon of the 8th. It may have been
published on the 9th, but...
Q: You're right. Evening of the 8th. Examination by the
Army revealed last night, a high altitude weather balloon.
General Ramey, Commander, 8th Air Forces, cleared up the mystery.
A: In these pictures here, don't show these flaps. This,
I think, is my step ladder that I used to reach high targets,
when we have these big balloon trains going way up in the air.
Here again, is an unorthodox use of radar targets. We did that,
and as far as I know, other people didn't.
Q: Did you ever use radar targets with the polyethylene
balloons?
A: Yes, sir. In fact somewhere I have a picture where we
flew a missile, we launched a missile for O&R Special Devices
Center in 1949. I have a picture showing the targets up and down
the balloon train there.
Q: Do you remember trying to pin down some of these
flights that could possibly cause this misunderstanding? You
talk about putting a target with the neoprene balloons, but at
that time you also launched them with the polyethylene?
A: This picture I showed you right here. This is a
polyethylene balloon.
Q: So you used a visual by the aircraft to watch the
balloon? It would circle underneath.
A: The aircraft circling underneath were really to pick up
the microphone signals. That was part of the Watson Lab
operation. Our operation, we depended on radiosons and where we
could get radar tracking for tracking air balloons. But the
aircraft operation here was entirely to support Project Mogul.
We didn't consider ourselves Mogul because I didn't even know the
name.
Q: The summary of flights...
A: That's one of the flights with the mixed
interpretations because of the radiosondes.
Q: In one column it says "tracking percent." Then
sometimes it will say by aircraft.
A: That's true.
Q: So "aircraft observation", was that a visual
observation or an electronic?PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 40
A: That's really saying did we have aircraft on it or not,
and what percentage. Here the B-17 was on it for 40 percent of
the time. Indeed, that was the aircraft tracking for the Mogul
operation.
Q: That was for the electronic data gathering.
A: That's correct.
Q: Not observing the balloon to tell you where it went
down.
A: That's right. Well, we did have the aircraft stay as
long as we could. As long as we could end up with that very
expensive aircraft chasing an air balloon, we were happy. On the
flight that came down east of Roswell on one of these, Flight 5
or so on came down east of Roswell, the aircraft spotted it on
the ground for us and told us where to go to look for it.
Q: About 17 miles east of Roswell.
A: Then we had another one, Flight 11...
Q: That's the one that appears to come down northwest of
Roswell.
A: Correct.
Q: It appears to have almost come down exactly where
they're talking about.
A: That's right.
Q: That's the one where you provided a depiction to
Colonel Weaver.
Q: No, that's another one.
Q: That's an earlier one, that's right.
A: Where is that old NYU report? (Pause)
Here it is right here. More or less due west of
Walker, Roswell Army Air Field.
Q: Then this graphic conflicts with this graphic, which
shows Number 11 coming down... Is that circle the Roswell
reporting station?
A: That's about right.
Q: Is this circle a weather reporting station which would
be Roswell?PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 41
A: You're right.
Q: This has it coming down northwest.
A: What's the origin of this?
Q: It's in the back of one of the reports.
A: It looks to me like it may have been out of this
report.
Q: Not every report had this graphic depiction like this
which was number eight.
(Pause to look through documents)
A: With those numbers it wouldn't have been in that first
report because these flights were much later.
Q: Technical Report No. 1.
A: Right. And Flight 58 and 55 aren't going to be in that
early report. They occurred after that report was written.
(Pause)
A: I would say what was in that first report is more
accurate than this. This, I think, occurred after I left NYU.
It's a general summary. Flight 11 was a very important flight.
They got very important data on it -- Crary and Peoples.
Q: Spilhaus based his article from Journal of Meteorology
on it.
A: Right, and he wrote a paper in the bulletin. The fact
that the balloon trajectory has this hook in it when it went over
the mountain ridge...
Q: That's obviously the [ano-cyclonic] winds aloft.
A: Exactly. So he and Bernard Harwitz were very excited
about the fact that the balloon at nominal constant level, had a
change in direction when the air was forced over the mountain
barrier, and they published a special paper on that. So
everybody was happy with this flight.
As soon as that flight was made, that was the 7th, and we
went home on the 8th.
Q: That would be the reason why there would be no one
there in the area who could explain this debris that was brought
in. There were no experts there who dealt with this particular
type of material or radar reflectors.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 42
A: There was really no contact, at that time, as far as I
know, between Peoples and Roswell, and there's no way Roswell,
other than my memory of getting turned away by the MPs at the
gate, there's no way that the people at Roswell would have known
what was going on over at Alamagordo. When we sent people to
Roswell, Hackman worked out of a motel to receive.
So the more puzzling thing in line with what you say comes
from Crary's diary. Here's what Crary's diary says:
"Alamagordo. Balloon Flight 11A, off at 5:07. Big plastic
balloon with small auxiliary plastics," etc. "Watson Lab and
gear." "Followed" (inaudible) "receiver until about 11. Picked
up on radiosonde receiver at Roswell then followed. Then came
down. At 10,000 feet, cap should have punctured plastic. Then
it came down near Highway 70, between Roswell and Tulerosa.
"Second balloon, met balloons with radiosonde up about 6:30.
Third balloon with two and a half pound stick of TNT and cap set
by pressure element set to fire at 35,000 feet, up at 6:20."
Q: What day is that again?
A: July 7th.
"Surface bombing at Site 4 from 5:45 to 8:45 at 15 minute
intervals. (Inaudible) followed main receiver only three-
quarters of an hour, but followed radiosonde about three hours.
Thirty-five thousand food implosion? off about 6:55. Vivian got
instructions for completing work on Flights 1 to 30 and packed
all records and photo. Sent off TWX regarding Bermuda flight
and wrote up memo on it. Worked with Eileen on April 1st rocket
plotting HD5 HT SST, whatever [that is]."
July 8th. "C-54 off about 10:30 with 23 people, all NYU,
Watson Lab including Vivian, Eileen," and somebody else. I can't
tell. "Lieutenant Thompson, Edmondson, Reynolds and myself left.
Wrote a report on East Coast flights for Peoples."
Here's 9 July, the time this occurred at Alamagordo.
"Worked today on balloon flight. Studied Watson Lab records of
them briefly and wrote memorandum to Peoples about results. Left
in car this PM later. Flat tire between Roswell and Tulerosa,
and stayed there."
July 10th. "Changed tire and went into Roswell. Bought new
tire. Off to El Rino, Oklahoma today. Stopped in cafe in
Hereford, Texas and met Danny Hard from UGC. Went up to office
and saw Bob Cowden, somebody in charge, and supervisor."
That's the end of it. So there's no hint that Crary was
involved in any coverup such as this clearly is. This is a
coverup right here because they talk about our operations, they
talk about our balloons we thought went to Colorado,and they all
claim it to be part of Pritchard's radar operation.PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 43
Q: But he wasn't launching balloons.
A: He wasn't launching balloons.
Q: So where did they get the equipment to take this
picture? Did you leave equipment behind?
A: This is right outside of the hangar.
Q: Those are your people?
A: It's our equipment and my stepladder.
Q: Did you leave equipment there?
A: Yes. Everything
Q: Because you expected to return.
A: We were just going back...
Q: It looked pretty tricky. How did they know how to do
that?
A: I just don't know anything about the hierarchy above
us. I do know that I worked carefully with a guy named Larry
Dyvad, a pilot, who later became a private pilot, running a fixed
base operation in Alamagordo, and got killed 20 years ago. But I
know I worked with Larry Dyvad whose name you'll see here. I
don't remember Pritchard at all, but Dyvad was my contact with
the radar. I know they didn't have balloons or anything else,
yet they talk about boiling balloons there.
Q: So when you returned in September, did you see that
somebody had tampered with your equipment and used up some of
your balloons?
A: If it did, it didn't ring a bell.
Q: And no one mentioned it to you. No one said hey, look,
we had to do something while you were gone.
A: I think we were just some ignorant, little innocent
graduate student contractors on a military base, and things were
going on that we didn't know anything about.
Q: So no one approached you to say they had used some of
your equipment?
A: Not at all.
Q: This photo that's depicted here n the July 10th
Alamagordo News, this could have been taken during one of your
actual launches versus...PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 44
A: I think not, because they say, the whole article is
this was a demonstration. I would have thought, since Crary was
a senior person and he and Peoples, Peoples was our contact with
the base. But other than Dyvad, we had no real contact with
anyone I remember. I do remember being very disappointed with
the radar.
Q: If this were a demonstration sometime on the 9th or
10th of July, prior to this being published, they talk in terms
here of these radar reflectors. These particular radar
reflectors, as having labels on them. The radar reflectors you
were using, did they have any type of labels talking about being
property of U.S. Army, or Watson Laboratories?
A: None that I know of. We were strongly encouraged not
to mix in the Air Force with what we did. Everything we did had
an NYU label. I may be able to dig back in my file somewhere...
Q: So they may have had an NYU label on it. Even the
service ones.
A: On service, but on radar test flights, there's no way
we would have put a label on.
Q: Those were just shakedown flights. You were just
saying hey, what's going to work best to get the data, so let's
use some of the equipment we have and see what works, so you'd
have someone on the radar and say yeah, this configuration works,
this one doesn't. That's what you were doing. Then later on you
refined your technique...
A: What we would do is we would put up things and they'd
come back and say it didn't work. So we'd scratch our heads and
do something else. But we were running that end of the balloon
end of the operation. Nobody else was flying balloons around us.
There may have been a radiosonde operation out over White Sands,
but there was not one, as far as I know, at either Roswell or
Alamagordo. If there had, I would have used them because we were
using standard AMQ-1...
Q: But you did coordinate with Big Spring, Texas.
A: Did we?
Q: It's in the report, saying you guys, when you came back
to New Jersey, you were sending thank you letters to various
organizations that helped you while you were in the field. Big
Springs, Texas; some other places that you had coordinated with.
A: Thank you...PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 45
Q: The New York University reports are very voluminous.
There are three big bound volumes. I have the originals with
your signature.
A: You're making my point, that there probably wasn't any
other nearby radiosonde station for us to receive things. I'd
forgotten all about Big Springs, but I'm sure we made every
effort we could to get radiosonde reception.
Q: Can you think of, just in general, any other
explanation for what became the so-called Roswell incident, other
than what we've discussed here as far as potentially your balloon
project, which at that time was a very secretive project. Is
there any other explanation you can think of?
A: No, and the particulars of this case are sufficiently
nearly unique, that I think no one else had anything that could
have fit into providing these results. No, we were doing
something that was unorthodox, using targets that, as far as I
know, had not been flown before in New Mexico. There's no way
that the rancher could have ever seen one. And there's no way
that either Major Marcel nor General Ramey or General Ramey's
people could have come up with providing a radar to substitute
for the real debris. I think there's a very high likelihood that
the unusual things we were doing provided this debris.
However, all the other stuff that's in, and a lot of the
material, I can't explain bodies or material that can't be
[folded] by a sledge hammer.
Q: Let's dwell on the bodies just for a second here. It
turns out that during this time frame, 1947, 1948, 1949, there
were numerous aircraft accidents, a lot of fatal aircraft
accidents, in this general vicinity. Did you all ever come
across any of those?
A: No, sir.
(END OF SIDE)
Q: There was an accident that took place right out of
Roswell, a B-29, two B-29 accidents that resulted in fatal
crashes. We were wondering if maybe over time people were
beginning to think in terms of those fatal accidents, which
essentially scattered body parts, small parts, over areas, where
people were getting confused with what occurred in those aircraft
accidents with the sensationalism of this UFO story.
A: As I said in my letter, all of us went back to NYU on
the 8th of July and we heard about that afternoon, and we just
thought it was one of our balloons. All of us that were in that
group have held onto that view for a long time. I do have Crow's
letter here. He apparently joined us for that Operation
Sandstone pickup crew in '48, but he knew that we knew that wePROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 46
thought the Roswell incident, so-called, was caused by one of our
balloons.
Q: Did anyone ever mention it to you once you returned?
Did any of the Red Bank folks mention it to you, or even in
passing, or told you that maybe you'd better tighten up your
procedures or anything of that nature, or a memo?
A: I have no memory. I do think that Peoples had the idea
that it was one of our balloons, and it wasn't a matter of
tightening up our procedures, it was just one of our balloons we
couldn't recover. As you'll see looking at Crary's diary, there
was no frantic effort to recover the earlier flights, even though
they had microphones on them. I read to you one about some
equipment had been stolen by the time we got there. As you can
see in the diary, there's no record that there was any major
problem.
Q: So even though the equipment was taken, there was no
shroud of secrecy, the MPs didn't come out and close down the
area or anything of this sort.
A: No, not at all.
Q: It was just expected in the normal course of research .
Expendable equipment.
A: Expendable equipment.
Q: And you had no fear that it was going to be taken by
enemy agents or...
A: No, the biggest fear was the thought of loose talking,
and we just didn't talk about the purpose of this. We certainly
did talk a lot about our balloons, and there was just no security
or no concern. We were flying constant level balloons.
Q: For pressure and temperature...
A: For meteorological trajectories. A lot of interest in
trajectories.
One thing I should mention is that after I had visited from
William Moore around '80 or '81, I wrote Ro Peoples and at that
time Jim Peoples was in the Geology Department at the University
of Kansas. I wrote him and got a letter back from Ro Peoples
saying that he had died. So I wrote her back and said there was
considerable interest still in this Roswell incident, and did he
ever get called out... I do know that on occasion he got
involved in classified things and left us. I asked her did he
ever talk to her about anything regarding this debris that had
been recovered. Her letter, which I perhaps can find somewhere,
was the fact that no, he thought that flying saucers were a bunch
of hooey, and he had a very low opinion of people who believed inPROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 47
flying saucers. I did get a letter back from Ro to the response
that he had not been, as far as she knew, he had not been
involved in any classified identification of something. That had
occurred to me that things could have gone on that I had no need
to know. I tried to extract that.
Q: So you had no recollection or strong recollection of
him, when you got back to New Jersey, discussing it. It caused a
lot of fuss.
A: I'm really surprised at this newspaper story because
implicit in this is the idea that someone provided a good cover
for us, and yet Crary's diary doesn't show that he was involved
in it, and I wasn't aware that my contact, Dyvad, was privy
enough to our operations to have carried this out. So this is a
bit of a mystery to me.
Q: What would you speculate, how would someone, just
circumstances, coincidences, or intentional?
A: It's very clear that it was intentional, and there was
a better security operation going on than I appreciated at the
time. That would be my assessment.
Q: So you believe that someone was privy to your
activities...
A: Trakowski was there. I had forgotten, but he reminded
me that he had gone on the C-54 to pick up the helium at
Amarillo. I asked Trakowski had he been involved in
manufacturing a cover story. He kept saying how important Mogul
was, how highly classified it was, and how he was really wheeling
and dealing. He apparently went down to Fort Bliss, to the
commanding general there -- I guess he was a captain at the time
-- and had no trouble talking the general into releasing
something like maybe several hundred 500 pound bombs for this.
At the same time, Trakowski has no memory of a coverup.
Q: He didn't have participation.
A: Whether he was on that C-54 that had 23 people on it or
not, I don't know. Crary's list of the people left, there was
only one military type, a Lieutenant Thompson, in what you have
here.
Q: Who did you report to?
A: Peoples.
Q: Then getting back to talking about quarters and things
like that, did you have to go introduce yourself to the
commanding officer at the base, or...PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 48
A: That's the surprising thing. As far as I know we just
never interfaced with the military.
Q: Where were you actually operating from?
A: We operated out of the north area of Alamagordo Army
Air Field. This hangar right here, which was a big wooden
hangar, on the south side of the ramp in the north area.
Q: That was arranged by Peoples?
A: Crary was already resident there when we had arrived.
Q: That's right. He arrived first to establish the ground
stations first.
A: Correct. As you'll see in this, he was already firing
explosive for the GR-6, the various sound-ranging microphones.
Q: Did he have a cover story for those ground explosions
and the microphones?
A: I don't know. There were very few enlisted men on the
airfield. As Trakowski said, it was about to be closed. There
was a motor pool, because in the stuff Todd has dug up, there
were a bunch of weapons carriers being requisitioned. We
certainly had some brand new, good ground transportation that was
just turned over to us. We civilians were driving weapons
carriers to carry helium around, and to go into town to get
meals, etc.
Q: So you operated from Alamagordo Army Air Field. You
did not operate out of White Sands.
A: That is correct.
Q: There is a difference.
A: A very strong schism between the ordnance people across
the valley 50-odd miles at the proving ground, and the skeleton
group at Alamagordo Army Air Field.
Q: So there weren't many people at Alamagordo.
A: Correct. The main people I have a memory of were the
people operating what sticks in my mind as either C-5 or an M-5
radar. I knew the Signal Corps designation, the SCR-584s and
270-s, etc., but this was some new radar that had a bigger dish
on it and was on the north side of the ramp. It would have
been... This is looking toward the south. You can see here,
those are some old abandoned, those were barracks used to handle
air crew during training of World War II. They were all closed
and dusty and we didn't use them. We were in barracks down
somewhere on the main base. But we were just in an enlistedPROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 49
men's barracks down on the main base and there was a mess hall
that we ate lunch in, ate our meals. We were up at odd hours, as
you can see, these 3:00 o'clock launchings.
Q: Who did Alamagordo report to? You indicated it was
Fort Bliss?
A: No. There was a commanding officer, and I'm not sure
which command he was in, but the people in the north area were
all, if you will, tenants. We didn't use that word, but we were
all associated, one way or another with Watson Labs.
Q: So Trakowski then, his reporting chain was...
A: His reporting chain was Watson Lab to Colonel Duffy.
Q: There was no real interface, Trakowski had no real
interface with the Alamagordo people or anyone else around 8th
Air Force.
A: There were some fancy orders that gave him a position
to talk to the commanding officer and get what he wanted, to
arrange what he wanted on the basis of orders out of Headquarters
Army Air Force.
Q: While you were operating, doing your procedure, did it
take a security monitor type person or security officer to come
by and just say I wanted to see how you were...
A: No interface at all.
Q: You don't remember any strangers poking around or....
A: No, just absolutely nothing. We were just a little
bunch of civilians there on an almost deserted base, doing what
we wanted.
Q: Going back to the orders that you mentioned, were these
some sort of special orders different from what we would
typically see as military orders?
A: You'll have to talk to Trakowski on it, but my opinion
is that he had orders that came from a fairly high level that
introduced him and let him do what he wanted to. As the research
changed, he didn't have to go back and get new orders. He was in
the position of doing what Crary and Peoples wanted.
Q: Like Jim and I have blanket orders that say we're
authorized to go anywhere, essentially, in the world; but was
there anything specific in those orders that said provide all
assistance requested...
A: I suspect so. I too, have had such general orders --
do as someone may deem necessary. In fact I have a copy of myPROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 50
1944 orders that say such things here. But you'll have to talk
to Trakowski. My feeling is that he and Peoples provided the
interface to the base and we just weren't bothered. We never saw
anybody in security. There was certainly nobody keeping us
secure. If anything, we were keeping ourselves secure.
Q: These are the pictures taken in General Ramey's office,
8th Air Force Headquarters by a news photographer of the Fort
Worth Star Telegram. It's four pictures that show various people
with some equipment, and I'd just like to know what you believe
that equipment to be.
A: Joe Fletcher has written your friend Todd, and said
there's no question that's a target. The only question is that
there are people who allege this is a target that's been
substituted for the real debris, and there are also stories where
Marchelle said the picture in which he appears are the real
stuff, etc. That looks very much like our radar targets. And
you'll notice that this does look more aluminum foilish than what
I have here. It's my memory that there was good, bright,
aluminum metal foil, not painted stuff on the targets we were
using. That looks like more than one target to me in the various
pictures. That looks like the stuff we were flying.
Q: I think they talked in terms of being a rawin target in
this book.
A: It's just radio wind. There are two kinds of radio
winds -- the 400 megacycle transmitters tracked by the SCR-658,
the old bed springs; and then the radar wind. Ray Win is the
right way to say it.
Q: So the rawin would be a radar target that most of the
officers and the weather people there would have been associated
with, they would have some knowledge of?
A: Not really. As I say, these came out right at the end
of the war. The warrant officer, I have a letter that he wrote
Todd, I don't know if you've seen it...
(Pause)
Q: We've got this thing narrowed down to just a few
flights. There couldn't have been... Due to your time frame,
when you were there, the rancher went on the record of saying he
picked it up the 14th or the 15th.
A: The 14th.
Q: So it would have to be in the June field trip, early in
June. You had several service flights but you also had, you
called them experimental flights. The experimental flights with
the testing...PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 51
A: The ones in early June were all service flights. In
other words, all flights we were making for Peoples, and we had
some radar test flights.
Q: So to go with the June 14th date, what type of flight
do you think we have...
A: All the balloons launched in that period would have
been meteorological balloons, 350 gram meteorological balloons,
some of them with radar targets just to test the radar out and
some of them, I'd forgotten all about it, but Crary's diary says
we had sonobuoy microphones on some of them. So that black box
that Cavitt had really began to get my attention.
Q: That would not be a radiosonde.
A: That would not be a radiosonde.
Q: What would a radiosonde look like?
A: It would be a white, usually a cardboard or a plastic
box, and the fact that we were involved in radar is because we
weren't allowed to have our radiosonde equipment. We weren't all
set up for that.
Q: You said you didn't bring it with you.
A: We didn't bring the receiver. I have to correct
myself, we did attach radiosondes to them, to the flights
carrying microphones because there's a statement in this summary
here of radiosonde reception. Radiosonde recording. So I take
that back. Yes, we had radiosonde. But we did fly this one
mentioned here, on June 4th, out to Tulerosa range, no balloon
flight, again, on account of clouds. By that he means none of
their flights. Then "Flew regular sonobuoy mike on a cluster of
balloons and had good (inaudible) receiver on ground but poor on
plane."
Q: I notice early on you were going ahead with the Navy
stocked sonobuoy while Professor Ewing was trying to perfect his
technique of the low range frequency microphone.
A: Oh, the low frequency microphone, right. That's
correct.
Q: He was experimenting with both AM and FM, is that your
recollection?
A: In the laboratory, devices for measuring low frequency
acoustic waves were well known, but what he was attempting to do
was to modify these and devise something to be a throw-away
microphone and radio transmitter, so this was to build an
instrument for a certain purpose. He actually had a fellow namedPROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 52
Joe Johnston, the electrical engineer at Columbia, whose name
will come up as the person who did these.
Q: But you think in these early service flights you did
have sonobouys?
A: Initially we had sonobouy, according to Crary. We
initially were flying radar targets on the balloons only. Then
by about Flight 5, we'd had sufficient lack of results that we
began putting radiosondes on.
(Pause)
Q: The end report we're going to write is going to be
based on official records, and essentially, transcripts such as
this. So there will be a lot of things, Cavitt's tape, the
transcript will not be part of that. This statement will be.
A: If you remember, there's a note in there from Dave
Atlas to Colonel Duffy, a copy of a letter. Dave mentioned
somewhere or another that Colonel Duffy took him down in the
basement and Colonel Duffy had trunkfulls of documents that were
unclassified. I wonder if it would be possible for you to
contact Mrs. Duffy...
Q: I was wondering about what she might have.
A: She may have a great deal. Maybe in the Duffy file I
have the address and phone number. I think it's Barrington,
Rhode Island.
(Looking for name and phone number)
A: Here's a letter Todd got having to do with chasing down
modern targets, the people who now make targets, who know nothing
about this earlier affair.
Q: We talked with the Signal Corps up at Fort Monmouth and
that's where we got the copy of the engineering drawing, which is
a copy for you. They said these targets are no longer made.
They have a national stock number and they can be made, but they
would have to go out and write a new contract for them.
A: This is the C Model. It doesn't show the
reinforcements.
Q: The young lady I talked with at Fort Monmouth indicated
this drawing pre-dated that time frame. June of '44.
A: I'll be darned.
Q: I found that unusual when she said that was June of
'44, and I didn't pick up on the designation being printed on thePROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 53
side. I thought the B Model was a 1947 vintage and assumed,
wrongly so, that the C Model would have come later.
A: This, then, is really... So they didn't change the
numbers. It does show the little swivel there, in '44. Well, as
always, my memory can be improved.
Tibbetts, the radar lieutenant working for Fletcher, said
that when they got these in '44 there was a lot of trouble with
breakage in the air and they had to go back for reinforcement.
Q: That's where maybe the tape came in?
A: He said that's where the tape came in. Because it
certainly doesn't show this. There's just no question in my
memory, bad as it may be, that there was a tape there. That
impelled me to drag out Herbert Crow's letter. While I'm finding
that, here is a communication between Todd and a Warrant Officer
Newton, who identified things in General Ramey's office.
(Pause)
Q: It says a material like mylar. Do you have any
knowledge of when that term came into use? mylar is a
polyethylene, it's a metalized polyethylene.
A: It's not really a polyethylene, it's a polyturpoline...
Q: I'm not a chemist.
A: It's really quite a different thing. We certainly got
involved with mylar balloons in General Mills around 1950 or
1951.
Q: Nothing that early, though.
A: I think not. It was really quite a new plastic. This
is mylar. As you can see from the appearance, it's really quite
different than polyethylene. It's non-extensible, where this
really stretches. This scatters light and this doesn't. We have
flown mylar balloons and mylar balloons vacuum coated with
aluminum, but I think we didn't fly any in this era. It would be
my guess that someone is sort of confusing this with later
things. There were a lot of mylar balloons carried on rockets,
and it was called Jim's sphere. Someone named Jim came up with
the idea of increasing the turbulence around a following sphere
by putting a little protuberance, little combs out on it. That
was Jim's sphere. A lot of them were flown to measure winds in
the low ionosphere, flown on rockets, from White Sands. They
could well have fallen, but to my memory, it would have been
anachronistic, out of times.
Here's a letter to me from Herbert Crow who was one of my
technicians in the 1948 operation. These pictures you saw,PROFESSOR MOORE - 6/8/94 54
including that debris, are pictures that he sent to me with that
letter and a subsequent letter. These are pictures taken by
Crow.
Q: When did Alamagordo become Holloman?
A: Probably about September of '47.
Q: It says HAFB on the back of the truck.
A: Those pictures were taken during the Sandstone
operation in April of '48.
Q: I take it the side arm was for protection against
rattle snakes?
A: Good question.
Q: Some of the popular writers have alleged that certain
persons were turned away by armed guards, etc.
A: Not in our area.
Q: I mean as far as the so-called...
A: Oh, out at the ranch.
(END)24
Interview
[Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James
McAndrew with] Col Albert C.
Trakowski, USAF (Ret)
June 29, 1994Colonel Albert Trakowski
29 June 1994
Q: We have [concluded] independently from several other researchers the fact that MOGUL
is probably responsible for the so-called Roswell incident... The Air Force position on that is that it was
a misidentified balloon. The balloon was not a weather balloon, but was then a classified project, Project
MOGUL, which has since been declassified.
What we have not found is any documented evidence that there was a planned cover story related
to Project MOGUL. Jim has culled through literally millions of pages in various archives and repositories
trying to find some sort of documented evidence where somebody at some level has stated that a cover
story of weather research or weather-related activities would be used for Project MOGUL, the real purpose
of which was nuclear detection...
(Pause)
A: ...All of that is to say that I know these people, and I know of what their involvement was,
so I can at least give credibility and corroboration to what it was they did and where they fit in the
picture.
There have been several writers who have been interested in this story, and they have been in
touch with me. I have given them a lot of words, and in some cases documents that I had in my personal
files. They were at first a Charles [Robert] Todd, from Ardmore, Pennsylvania, who was writing a story,
and I never quite could determine whether he was on the side of the believers in UFOs or was writing to
refute the believers. That I really was unsure of. One thing, he did appear to be sincere in getting the facts
that surrounded the matter.
Another was a Charles Ziegler, a professor of physics at Brandeis University who was writing a
monograph or perhaps a book on the history of nuclear weapons detection. It figured, of course, that
Project MOGUL would come into view. So he had done a great deal of documentary searching and had
found some documents that I did not have. For example, the original letter from Maurice Ewing to Carl
Spaatz, then Chief of Staff of the Air Force. And some of the original letters of General Spaatz directing
the establishment of Project MOGUL. All of this Charles Ziegler apparently found, and I did not have them
at all.
Another fellow recently came into view, a Carl Pflock from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He
appeared to want to substantiate the existence of the UFO incident as a UFO. I have a tape here, a one-
sided tape, my half of the conversation only, with him. You're welcome to listen to that.
Charlie Moore has been in it since the beginning. Charlie was not a general project scientist or
engineer on Project MOGUL. His efforts were confined to the development of the constant level balloons
which were the instrument carriers for the devices that we hoped would pick up the sound waves operating
in the sound channel in the stratosphere. The constant level balloon was the lifting mechanism, and Charlie
was the principal in the development of that.
All of these things I have recorded on this tape to Mr. Pflock and also on the tapes that I made
for Ruth Liebowitz, the historian at the Air Force Cambridge Research Center.COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 2
Maybe the best thing to do before plowing over all this old ground would be to consider some
specific questions you may have. In the course of that, the history may come out.
Q: Were there any documents, or were there any directions either from yourself or from
someone else up the chain to develop a cover story for MOGUL?
A: Not to my knowledge, no. I have never seen such a document nor have I ever heard of
any effort to develop a cover story for MOGUL. The security of MOGUL was a great concern of mine from
the very beginning, because it was like trying to hide an elephant in an open farmyard—almost ludicrous.
Q: Both Dr. Spilhaus and Professor Moore have indicated that they did use weather research
as essentially a cover story when asked questions about what they were doing.
A: Correct. That we did. I'm aware of that. But it was not a policy. It was, if anything, a
lash-up idea on the spur of the moment. And indeed, it was obvious. I may have been involved in using
such a story myself, but to the best of my recollection there was no official stimulation [sic] or
documentation of doing that. If you find such a document I, indeed, would be surprised.
Q: In the course of the research projects you worked on, in that time frame—the postwar
period—would they give you a cover story on any particular project, other than this one? Would they
say, this is what you do, say this? Or would they kind of leave it to you, that it was a classified project
and you just didn't discuss it and you just avoided questions?
A: The latter. I have no recollection of a cover story being used on any project that I was
involved in, nor that a prefabricated cover story existed. No. I never encountered any such thing. We
simply treated the security classification straight and did all we could to adhere to it.
Q: So you, as the project officer, you knew that MOGUL was a Top Secret...
A: Did I know that? There was no way to avoid it. I was the project officer, succeeding
Colonel Duffy, and all that history is in the tapes that I made for Ruth Liebowitz. I came into being as
the project officer on Project MOGUL about November of 1946. I had considerable background in nuclear
weapons detection, using devices that I had developed in the Signal Corps. I was an Air Force officer
assigned to the Signal Corps as part of Colonel Duffy's office. Much to the chagrin of the Signal Corps
hierarchy, I was appointed a laboratory chief in the Signal Corps for purposes of developing instrumenta-
tion that the Air Force required, and I did that. In connection with that instrumentation, I conceived of an
application of that instrumentation for use in detection of nuclear weapons. We conducted field
experiments which at best were controversial, and at worst showed no positive result.
So my studies took me into the nuclear weapons problem. I had a background in physics—in
nuclear physics and high-energy physics and modern physics—so I had some understanding of what was
going on. I then took over the development of the original weather radar prototypes that the Air Force
required in 1946. I did that in 1946. From that position, I was transferred to Colonel Duffy's new position
as project officer for Project MOGUL in the Air Force, Watson Laboratories. I took up that task, I believe,
around November. Those dates I think are specific in the tapes I made for Ruth Liebowitz— November
of 1946. Colonel Duffy was reassigned to Wright Field, and I was the project officer. I was Top Secret
control officer in addition to other duties, it being the only Top Secret project at Watson Laboratories atCOL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 3
the time, and probably ever. I remained project officer of Project MOGUL through our move of the
laboratory from Watson Laboratories at Eatontown, New Jersey, to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and
combined my laboratory, which was then known as the Geophysical Research Directorate, with that of
John Marchetti's Electronics Research Directorate, and these two components made up the Air Force
Cambridge Research Center.
I continued in my position of the Director of the geophysics component until May of 1949, when
I was relieved of the duty at my own request and returned to school at MIT.
Q: Until '49, were you still on Project MOGUL?
A: Yes, indeed. And Project MX-968.
Q: You were on-site in New Mexico when Charlie Moore was doing most of his work, some
of the early launches out of Alamagordo.
A: Yes. Jim Peoples and I went down to Alamagordo in early July 1947 to assist and observe
the prototype launches being done by Charlie Moore and his crew from New York University.
Q: You said you went in July of '47, so you were there only in July. Was that early in July?
A: Yes, it was early in July. Again, I think those dates are in this tape of my conversation
with Mr. Pflock. It was early in July. The Roswell incident occurred after I returned to Watson
Laboratories. I wasn't involved in it at all. Really, the only thing that I knew about it, after it happened,
was that Colonel Duffy called me on the telephone from Wright Field and gave me a story about a fellow
that had come in from New Mexico, woke him up in the middle of the night, or some such thing, with
a handful of debris, and wanted him, Colonel Duffy, to identify it.
Q: Did he identify who the person was?
A: No, I don't remember the person at all. I don't remember who came from New Mexico,
no.
Q: Someone came from New Mexico with this debris?
A: Yes, I believe that's correct.
Q: They came to his quarters?
A: Yes, at Wright Field, yes. He had quarters on the base at Wright Field.
Q: Was his family there?
A: Yes.
Q: Did he identify the type of debris?COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 4
A: He just said it sure looks like some of the stuff you've been launching at Alamagordo,
and he described it, and I said yes, I think it is. Certainly Colonel Duffy knew enough about radar targets,
radiosondes, and balloon-borne weather devices. He was intimately familiar with all that apparatus.
Q: What was his position at Wright Field?
A: He was on the staff of General Tom Rives who was Director of the Electronic Subdivision
of the Air Materiel Command, and under whose purview the Watson Laboratories was run.
Q: Why did they bring this debris to Colonel Duffy? Why didn't they bring it to someone
else?
A: Probably because of questions about who knows about this project put to people at
Alamagordo. I'm not sure. I can't answer that with any firm knowledge at all.
Q: So you had no idea there was an "incident" until Colonel Duffy called you, and you were
back in Massachusetts at this time?
A: At that time we were at Eatontown, New Jersey. But what you said is correct. I had no
knowledge of the so-called "incident" until Colonel Duffy called me.
Q: Do you recall what day you actually departed Alamagordo?
A: No. No, I don't. I have a full file of my TDY orders upstairs. Right offhand I can't tell
you, but I was back in Watson Laboratories for several days before Colonel Duffy called me.
Q: Do you recall there being a Major Pritchard on-site?
A: I remember the name, yes.
Q: Did he work for you at Watson Laboratories?
A: No. He didn't work for me. I don't recall him working for me. I only had one major
working for me, and I was a captain. He was a dull fellow... Right offhand I can't remember.
Q: You were the Chief of the Applied Propagation Subdivision.
A: Yes.
Q: I've seen the organizational chart, the way those things go...
A: I was.
Q: You were at the top, and then down below, as a technical adviser, below your name on
the chart, is Major Pritchard.COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 5
A: Is that so? I don't remember. I simply don't remember. But if the chart says that, I'll go
along with the chart.
Q: Major W. D. Pritchard. On July 10th in the Alamagordo newspaper, there's an article
where it shows, it doesn't say when this was taken, but it says a Major Pritchard and his balloon group
are demonstrating to reporters what these balloons and the various radar reflectors look like. Now, Charlie
Moore took a look at that and said, "I don't recall there being any other balloon group in New Mexico
or in that area at the same time we were there."
A: I think Charlie's right. I don't recall any either.
Q: So we were trying to figure out whether Major Pritchard was maybe a counterintelligence-
type person or whether he was there reviewing the security procedures, or maybe he was there for
promulgating the cover story of weather balloon and weather research so that MOGUL would not come out
in the open. The article in the paper talks about the use of reflectors for tracking purposes—the radar
reflectors for tracking purposes—but it never comes out talking about MOGUL and the instrumentation that
you all were using for nuclear detection or the tests that were being conducted.
A: Could Major Pritchard have been attached to or some way connected with the base
weather station at Alamagordo?
Q: Well, sir, we don't know, but he is identified in that newspaper article as being a public
information officer. When we traced that name back to your organization, we thought he may have been
essentially undercover himself. We don't know if that's the same person, even though it's the same name.
A: I'm afraid I can't offer any positive knowledge here.
Q: Were you associated with any counterintelligence people in Watson Labs or...
A: Not to my knowledge. If some were around, they were spoofing me because I didn't know
it.
Q: Were there any other types of intelligence persons on your staff or the staff of Watson
Laboratories?
A: Not to my knowledge.
Q: So the only people you had were actually civilian researchers...
A: And a few military officers, yes.
Q: Signal Corps and Army Air Force?
A: All the officers that I had on my staff were Air Force. I had no Signal Corps people at
all.COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 6
Q: A few more names came off that news article where they're displaying the balloon
launch—Maj. W. D. Pritchard, Maj. C. W. Mangum, Lieutenant Siegal, and a Capt. L. H. Dyvad.
A: None of those names are in my memory, firm in my memory, at all.
Q: You were aware of the previous Colonel Duffy's predecessor, Major Crane...
A: I never met Richard [Robert] Crane. I knew him only by the path of debris he left behind.
I never met him.
Q: When you took over, was there any worry about security on the project, that security was
possibly a problem, or that there was a problem or that there could be a potential problem that might
warrant scrutiny by Air Force intelligence or security people?
A: We were aware of the delicacy of security on the project, and the reason was obvious. You
could not conduct field operations of the size that we had to without somebody asking questions. Anybody
with a pair of 8x50 binoculars on the side of the mountain could look down and see what was going on,
and that, of course, would prompt questions. We were aware of all that, and we didn't really know what
to do about it except to go on doing our job and taking care of things as they occurred. But we were
aware of the sensitivity and of the weakness of security in Project MOGUL. Not from the people in the
project, not disclosure by them, but simply the obvious activity that could be observed.
You can't fill a balloon that's give-or-take 60 feet high without somebody seeing it.
Q: When you were at Alamagordo and some of the various balloons were being launched,
what was the largest array that you saw out there?
A: You mean payload?
Q: No, the entire assembly. The balloons, payloads, reflectors...
A: I didn't observe any of the reflectors, and if I did, they were so commonplace that it
wouldn't have stuck in my memory. The neoprene balloons bearing reflectors were just common
occurrences. I wouldn't have lodged any of those observations in memory because they were just too
common.
Q: Charlie Moore has indicated that some of the balloons they tried during the early
experiments were the relatively new types of reflectors that probably had never been used in New Mexico
before, the M307B model, and that Ed Istvan had gone to several essentially toy manufacturers, to try to
get some of these reflectors made.
A: That's correct. I don't know [about] that Ed Istvan... Ed Istvan got out of line. Charlie may
have told you this, and I don't mean to tell tales about Ed, but Ed was a very...indeed, every man on
Colonel Duffy's staff was very energetic. It was the Signal Corps' responsibility to procure those targets;
it was not the responsibility of our and Colonel Duffy's office. However, to accelerate the activity of the
Signal Corps and spur them to action, our Air Force officers in Colonel Duffy's office were literally on
the backs of the Signal Corps people who did the job, and oftentimes did things they shouldn't have andCOL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 7
were out of channel, so to speak. It was on such an occasion that Ed Istvan acted to line up contractors
for these targets. He got into a considerable amount of, shall we say, controversy with the Signal Corps
because he was out of line.
Q: Do you recall any of the contractors he may have worked with?
A: No, I don't remember them by name. They were not within my purview at the time. As
I have told others, including Mr. Pflock, we had an outstanding expeditor on our staff, on Colonel Duffy's
staff, by the name of John E. Peterson. Jack Peterson was a major at the time. He was a prewar graduate
of Harvard Business School, and he knew business operations inside and out. Again, he was an extremely
energetic fellow. He was very, very valuable and successful at breaking loose stuck contracts and stuck
production and things that weren't moving as fast as they should. During the war that was very important.
Jack monitored the procurement of these radar targets, and I believe Ed Istvan either worked for
or alongside Jack Peterson, and I remember when they finally... Now this was all not under my purview,
but I worked in the same building with them, and I knew Jack very well, he was a very good friend and
we talked and joked with each other a lot. I remember so clearly when the contractor for these targets was
selected, and Jack thought it was the biggest joke in the world that they had to go to a toy manufacturer
to make these radar targets. Then it was even a bigger joke when it turned out that because of wartime
scarcities of materials, the tape that they used to assemble these targets, the reflecting material on the balsa
frames, was some kind of a pinkish purple tape with a heart and flower design on it. This was, again, a
big flap.
Q: Did you ever see any of those?
A: Yeah, I saw some of them. Not in connection with my work, but they were around the
office. The prototypes were around the office, and the first production runs were there.
Q: So you would say it's a limited number of a few runs maybe.
A: I have no idea how many hundreds were made, or even thousands. But like everything
else that goes into production, the contractors have a limited production to begin with until they work out
the bugs, and then they go full blower in the high production.
Q: Do you remember a rough span of times when you saw these: when you saw the first one,
and when you saw the last?
A: It was probably 1944 or 1945. It was probably late in 1944 when the first ones were
produced.
Q: Where did you see those? What part of the country?
A: Right there at Signal Corps. We were all working at that time, and John Peterson had his
offices at the Toms River Signal Laboratory, which was actually located on the jurisdictional lines between
Sea Girt and Springlake, New Jersey. It was an old night club that the Signal Corps had rented for the
purposes of doing remote experimentation.COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 8
Q: The Sea Girt Inn?
A: Exactly. That's where John had his office, and I was there for a time doing work on
developing the operational procedures of the SCR–658, the radio direction of wind— meteorological data.
Rawinsonde—I did most all the work on developing how to use that instrument, and it was done there
at the Sea Girt Inn.
Q: Do you recall any other physical attributes about the radar reflectors, the balsa wood?
Charlie Moore indicated that the material had been coated in something like Elmer's glue which made it
much more durable. Do you recall anything like that?
A: No, I don't. I didn't concern myself with that except as an observation to the side. The
radar targets were geometrically elementary. There were three intersecting planes: X, Y, and Z. Their
geometry was such, as you well know, that any incident wave would be reflected exactly, precisely, in
the direction from which it came. So they were simple. I don't recall any of the details of how they were
made, what what the materials were, what coatings were used, or anything. At the time it wasn't within
the range of my job.
Q: Did Colonel Duffy inform you officially? When he said he called you, was this like an
official...
A: No. It was just an informative call. There wasn't any official transmission of knowledge
nor expected action to result from it.
Q: Did Colonel Duffy consider this to be some sort of security violation?
A: No. Not to my knowledge, no. It was part of doing business.
Q: So he wasn't particularly upset, and he didn't require a formal explanation.
A: No.
Q: So that's the first you were aware, when he called you. None of your technicians had
mentioned it to you?
A: No. Not to my knowledge.
Q: Did you have any interaction with the people at Eighth Air Force such as General Ramey
or anyone else who may have been at Roswell Army Air Field?
A: No. I don't recall any interaction with them, no.
Q: What about Dr. Crary or Dr. Peoples? Do you know if they had interaction with the
[Eighth Air Force] folks?
A: I don't recall any, no.COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 9
Q: At some point in Project MOGUL did you utilize equipment based at Roswell Army Air
Field?
A: No, we had our own aircraft based at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
Q: Did you ever have a rawinsonde receiver at Roswell?
A: Not to my memory. No. We may have, but the specifics on that, I don't recall.
Q: Can you think of any reason why Dr. Peoples would meet with one of the bomb squadron
commanders at Roswell in September of 1947?
A: Probably to arrange air drops of bombs as signal sources for testing the MOGUL sound
receivers. We had a fellow who was assigned to the electronics test squadron at Fort Dix by the name of
Duff, Eugene Duff, an ordnance expert, and he may have been involved in arranging for bombs to be
exploded in the air as sound signal sources for testing the MOGUL receivers.
Q: Did you also procure aircraft from Middletown, Pennsylvania?
A: Yes. I believe our electronic squadron was moved from Fort Dix to Middletown—to
Olmstead Air Force Base. When that was, I can't exactly pinpoint, but it was probably some time in 1947.
Gene Duff, our ordnance man, was a part of that group. I don't know whether Gene Duff still lives or not,
but he is a name that you might look into. Eugene Duff.
Q: Has anyone asked you to explain what happened at Roswell? In your opinion, what
happened?
A: Until these recent inquiries, I don't recall anyone asking me to explain. I don't recall it
ever coming up for me to answer in connection with the MOGUL tests. I don't recall that. You know,
things happen every day, and you treat crises from moment to moment as though they were so much
cordwood. They aren't all worthy of memory. But I don't recall it.
Q: Other than our conversation here today, has anyone ever discussed with you not talking
about MOGUL? It's essentially declassified—it is no longer a classified project—but has anyone in the
government—the Air Force, the Army, the Department of Energy, or anyone else—ever said don't discuss
this?
A: Absolutely not. No such thing.
Q: What we're trying to do is make sure we are open to the General Accounting Office and
to the American public as a whole when we publish our reports. So to all the people we've discussed this
with, we want to make absolutely certain that someone has not come to them and said, you're going to
get in the cover story. We want this to be as open as possible and get this thing resolved once and for all.
There are going to be those individuals—as you have stated, the true believers—who may not accept what
we have to say, but we just want to try to get everything out in the open.COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 10
A: It's about 45 years since all of this happened. Even at the time, as I mentioned a moment
ago, one gets very busy in a project of this sort, and you treat rather large events as they come; you give
them action, and then you go on to the next. All of these events don't stay in memory.
Q: We understand that you've been contacted by various people such as Mr. Pflock and Mr.
Todd, and we do appreciate your spending some time with us in this endeavor. We think it's very valuable
for people who were actually on the scene to provide their accounts of what occurred. It is valuable to
us, and we do appreciate that.
A: I wish I could be of more help on this thing. Apparently, things like this die very hard.
(Laughter)
Q: Did you ever hear of any intelligence people getting involved in this thing? Colonel Duffy
mentioned that some of the people at AMC maybe wanted...
A: No, I don't. Certainly no intelligence people... Certainly I was not involved with any
intelligence people in this matter. If I was, I don't recall it. Colonel Duffy and the group at Wright Field
protected me greatly, I know that. They never said it, but I know they did because they left me free to
do the project. And if anything would interfere with getting the project done as quickly as possible, they
would try to steer that away from me. I know they did. Again, they never said it, but their actions were
obvious.
(Pause)
A: ...I was assigned for about two months to AFOAT–1. Then Colonel Benjamin Holtzman,
later General Holtzman, pulled me out of AFOAT–1 and sent me to Baltimore because the Air Research
and Development Command had just been organized, and I arrived on the scene while they were still
trying to find chairs and desks. We worked in the old Sun newspaper building in downtown Baltimore.
Q: They had intelligence personnel there, didn't they?
A: They may have. I'm not aware of that. Then after I left the headquarters of ARDC in
Baltimore, I spent four years at the Air Force Research and Development Command Office in Brussels,
Belgium. Following that, I spent more than three years on the Air Staff in the Pentagon.
Q: What year did you retire?
A: On my birthday in 1963. I then went into industry, and I worked for EG&G, a high-
technology company based near Boston, and I became a Vice President of one of their subsidiaries. I
became the project manager and developer of the National Space Science Data Center at Goddard, in
Greenbelt, Maryland. I built that and set it up.
Then when the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency, was formed in December of 1970,
I was invited to join the newly formed EPA, and I did. I accepted the position. I went into the EPA as
a Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Office of Research and Development. Then in 1973 and 1974 I
served as Assistant Administrator for Research and Development in the EPA, the position from which I
retired in 1982.COL TRAKOWSKI - 6/29/94 11
Q: Did you have interaction with Spilhaus in your civil service career?
A: No. Oh, I met with him. Spilly was a consultant, and even in his advancing age he was
still an enormous source of ideas. If you brought him into a meeting as a consultant, surely somewhere
along the line he would offer an idea that was useful. So he found a lot of contact throughout many
organizations, particularly in those related to geophysics...meteorology, geology. I know he worked with
the U.S. Geological Survey, a very, very fine organization, and with NOAA. Those are two that I know
he continued relationships with. But I had very little contact with him.
Spilly was a very intimidating character. I lived with him for awhile.
Q: Were you involved in his exploits in North Africa, out there in the desert with him?
A: No. Nor in China.
Q: He had quite some stories about some of his past exploits.
A: No matter where he went, he gathered stories.
(END)25 Drawing Cluster Flight No. 2
TRAIN FOR CLUSTER FLIGHT NO.2
TO BE FLOWN AT BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA
SCALE1: BALLOONS AND ALL LINES — 1"=15'0"
ALL EQUIPMENT — 1"= 2'0"
[LEFT TRAIN — top to bottom]
Radar Reflector #2
with reinforced
central line.
Radar Reflector #3
with reinforced
central line.
3" Dia. Ring for use
in launching Train.
Parachute #2
(Reinforced)
Parachute #3
(Reinforced)
Parachute #4
(Reinforced)
Radiosonde, 14.5 mc.
with heavy-duty batteries
25 aniline Humidity
Resistor.
Payload 17.5 lbs.
3" Dia. Ring for use
in launching Train.
① Filled balloon with Cutoff
Squib acting at 45,000'
② Cutoff Squib acting
at 42,500'.
③ Cutoff Squib acting
at 45,000'
(Ascent) Cutoff #2
for release of balloons A,B,C.
(Descent) Cutoff #3
for release of ballasts.
Sand ballast in 8
plastic tubes.
Radar Reflector #1
with reinforced
central line.
[CENTER TRAIN — labels]
3" Dia. Ring for use in
launching Train.
① Filled balloon with Cutoff
Squib acting at 45,000'
② Cutoff Squib acting
at 42,500'.
③ Cutoff Squib acting
at 45,000'
(Ascent) Cutoff #2
for release of balloons A,B,C.
Braided Line
Single nylon line
Radar Reflector #1
with reinforced
central line.
[RIGHT TRAIN — top to bottom]
TOP
2ea. 1000 gm. Balloon.
Free lift 6000gm.each.
3" Dia. Ring for use in
launching Chute.
Parachute #1
(Reinforced)
(Ascent) Cutoff #1
Acts at 35,000'.
Small Ring for
Assembly of Train.
21 Balloons on braided
nylon line, spaced 20'
apart, and with a snap at
end of each balloon's
individual 14" line.
20ea. 350 gm. balloons.
Free lift 500gm.each.
1 balloon 350 gm size.
Free lift 600gm. max.
Single Nylon
Line.
Braided Nylon
Line.
mas d. Series26 Photographs Project MOGUL Balloon Trains
[PHOTOGRAPH — black and white image showing personnel preparing a balloon near a hangar building with a military truck in background; corner reflector assemblies visible in foreground; no caption text]
[PHOTOGRAPH — black and white image, rotated 90 degrees, showing balloon launch preparation with equipment and personnel visible; no caption text]
27 Summary Table NYU Constant-Level Balloon Flights November 20, 1946–July 5, 1947
TABLE III SUMMARY OF NYU CONSTANT-LEVEL BALLOON FLIGHTS [Column headers, left to right:] FLIGHT NUMBER | DATE AND LAUNCH TIME | LAUNCH LOCATION | DESCRIPTION OF BALLOON TYPE | PAYLOAD WEIGHT | TOTAL WEIGHT OF BALLOON INCLUDING PAYLOAD | DESCRIPTION OF AUTOMATIC BALLOON CONTROL | BALLAST ADDED | BALLOON NUMBER AND SIZE | RADIOSONDE RECEIVER | TRACKING RADAR | FLIGHT DURATION | DISTANCE COVERED | MAXIMUM ALTITUDE AND LEVEL ALT | PAYLOAD ALTITUDE | CAUTIONS [Row data:] 4 | 20 Nov. 1946, 1215 EST | NYU, N.Y. | 2, 350 gram meteorological | 0.7 kg | 1.8 kg | None | 0 | Not known, Not known | nd | Theodolite 110x 50& | 1 hr. 01 min. | nd | Max. 10000, Goal 10000' | nd | Balloon balancing hard. Free life too low. Too many good balloons. Excessive and leakage. Balloons did not level off. 5 | 16 Mar. 1947, 1247 EST | NYU, N.Y. | 14, 350 gram meteorological | 0.7 kg | 1.8 kg | None | 0 | Not known | nd | Theodolite 110x | 31 min. | nd | Max. 16000, Goal 15000' | nd | Balloon balancing hard. Free lift too low. Excessive and leakage. Balloons did not level off rapidly. 7 | 3 April 1947, 1413 EST | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | 70, 350 gram meteorological, 80, 350 gram cosmic ray train | 6.4 kg | 12.5 kg | 3 types of auto-balloon control to be tested | 6.8 kg | 42.3 [ILLEGIBLE] | nd with [ILLEGIBLE] order | Theodolite 110x | 131 min., 234 [ILLEGIBLE] | nd | Max. 46000, Goal [ILLEGIBLE] | 10¢ [ILLEGIBLE] | Failure due to poor flights, poor [ILLEGIBLE]. 9 | 5 June 1947, 0900 MST | Alamogordo New Mexico | 70, 350 gram meteorological, 80, 350 gram cosmic ray Train | 10.5 kg | 26.4 kg | Balloons to 100' at 10,000, 5 kg used to 2.1 [ILLEGIBLE], 15 kg used yet 45, fall under 35000 | 10 kg | 44.3 kg | 100% with recorder | nd with recorder | 116 min., 154 [ILLEGIBLE] | 1st stop 140 min. [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 46489, Goal 14900, Count [ILLEGIBLE] | 1st [ILLEGIBLE] | First successful flight operating a [ILLEGIBLE] balloons, 14 main balloons. [Flight number illegible] | 7 June 1947, 0900 MST | Alamogordo New Mexico | 70, 350 gram meteorological, 80, 350 gram cosmic ray Train | 7.0 kg | 26.7 kg | 4 year limited to 100' per [ILLEGIBLE], 3 kg used as [ILLEGIBLE] 35000, fall under [ILLEGIBLE] | 10 kg | 44.3 kg | nd with recorder | nd with recorder | 216 min. | 1st stop 140 min. | Max. 43489, Goal 1500, Count 3500' | 14 bal- loon(s) | First flight though passing with difficulty passing 14 main balloons. 8 | 3 July 1947, 0801 MST | Alamogordo New Mexico | [ILLEGIBLE] mo Balloon assembly | 6.4 kg | 14.9 kg | Portable com- pass field 100 g/hr | 0 kg | 20.8 kg | 316 ade with recorder | Theodolite 110 - 14 m. | 195 min. | 48 min. at 1500' | Max. 13500, Goal 13500' | nd | First oversize balloon flight. [ILLEGIBLE] a bit of information is [ILLEGIBLE]. 10 | 5 July 1947, 0501 MST | Alamogordo New Mexico | [ILLEGIBLE] mo Balloon assembly | 14.5 kg | 14.9 kg | Balloon field 100 g/hr | 3 kg | 21.9 kg | 316 ade recorder | Theodolite 110 - 14 m. | Over 335 min. | 130 min. at 2000', Many [ILLEGIBLE] at 7000' | Max. 13500, Goal 13500, Coast 3000' | nd | Successful flight with altitude con- trol working. Balloon reported [ILLEGIBLE] after 38 hours. Parachute [ILLEGIBLE]. Fail to circulate or only over desert. [ILLEGIBLE] report.
28 Museums Contacted
27 MAY 94
MFR
SUBJECT; OTHER CONTACTS ON BALLOON ACTIVITY OR AVIATION
MISHAPS THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE "ROSWELL INCIDENT"
The following organizations and individuals have been contacted during the period 23-
27 May, concerning information on balloon activity and types of balloons being used
for various purposes in New Mexico during 1947.
a) US Army Signal Corps Museum, Ft Gordon GA
Mr Ted Wise, Director, DSN 780-2818
"no actual balloons but will take a look for photographs, or descriptions, etc.
ref Mogul"
Ms Carol Stokes, Historian
b) US Army Communications and Electronics Command Museum, Ft Monmouth NJ
Ms Mindy Rosewitz, Curator, DSN 992-2440
"no examples or photos of balloons but did find a mechanical drawing (9 Jun
44) for an Air Pilot Balloon radar reflector" for which a copy was provided
Mr Richard Bingham, Command Historian, DSN 992-1675
Ms Ruth Fiornartto DSN 992-5781
c) Westinghouse Electronics History Museum, Baltimore MD
Mr Robert Dwitzbe, President
"no balloon activity or balloon-borne electronics packages in the 1940's;
Westinghouse became involved in balloon "TCOM" and dirigibles in the 50's and
60's; we have no reference to Project MOGUL"
Ms Betsy xxxxxxxxxx
d) Sperry Hagley Museum
Ms Gail Dietrzyk, Curator, (304) 658-2400 ext 330
no contact as of 31 May--no information as to the manufacturer of the instrument
packages associated with MOGUL
e) AF/SE
Lt Col Lineberger, 3-7280
AAZ requested information related to B-29 and/or B-50 accidents in New
Mexico in 1947 and 1948--response: B-29 crashed on T/O from Albuquerque in Jan
1947 and a B-29 crashed on T/O from Walker AAF (Roswell) in Aug 1948; both had
multiple fatalities; no refueling mishaps between B-29 and B-50 in 1947/48
On 26 May AAZ requested information on all B-29 mishaps in the "New
Mexico" area (ie, NM and surrounding states) for the period 1947-50; information to
include specific date, crash location and number of fatalities: Lt Col Lineberger said
they were on microfilm, that all mishaps were filed chronologically and that there
were 7,000 mishap files; a manual review will take at least 60 days; I requested an
update in two weeks and a followup after the first year's entries had been reviewed
f) Smithsonian Air and Space Museum 20 May 94
Mr Tom Crouch, Aeronautics Curator, (202) 357-2515/3133
"no examples of 1947 vintage balloons; have photographs but are taken at
such a distance that no details of the balloon construction are evident; recommendcontacting Mr James Rand (Jim) of Winzen Balloons, Sioux Falls, SD; Jim Rand is
the President and his office is at 12061 Network Blvd, Suite 200, San Antonio TX
78249 (512) 690-3400
Requested Lt Col Hachida at AIA to attempt to contact Mr Rand and
determine if he had any information relative to the construction of these early
balloons
g) Center for Military History, 14th St NW Washington DC
Dr Bennett, Curator
Dr Drea
Ms Hannah Zeidlik, Archivist (202) 504-5416
"no records of Project Mogul; recommend checking with DOE historian or the
US Army Military Institute"
h) Dr Benjamin Cooling, DOE Historian (301) 903-5431
Dr Marie Hallion (202) 586-5238 @ Forrestal Bldg
"the AEC collection from the 1947-late 50's era has been transferred to
NARA; might check the 'Military Liaison Committee' (MLC), the military
organization associated with AEC during that time; recommend discussing this with
the AEC POC at NARA, Mr Jimmy Rush (301) 713-7250; check to see if there are
any references to AEC people/correspondence with the MLC
i) US Army Military History Institute, Carlisle Barracks PA
Mr John Slonaker, Librarian DSN 242-3611
Jeffrey Butler, Col, USAF29
Blueprint
Corner Reflector of the ML–307C/AP
Assembly[TECHNICAL BLUEPRINT DRAWING] Title block (upper right): PILOT BALLOON TARGET ML-307C/AP ASSEMBLY [Drawing number:] SCD 1440-[ILLEGIBLE] Center drawing label: ML-307-C/AP View labels: SECTION A-A ENLARGED VIEW J SEE SHEET 2B SEE SHEET [ILLEGIBLE] Notes block (upper left — partially illegible): [ILLEGIBLE multi-line specifications text] ① [ILLEGIBLE] ② [ILLEGIBLE] ③ [ILLEGIBLE] ④ CORNER OR DIAGONAL ASSEMBLY WITH [ILLEGIBLE] SHALL BE CHALKED- PARTS OF THE ASSEMBLY WILL FIT AND CHANGE IN A PROPER MANNER. [Additional specification notes ILLEGIBLE] Outer assembly annotation: OUTER ASSEMBLY WITH [ILLEGIBLE] POSITIONS Additional labels throughout drawing: [Multiple numbered callout circles 1–30+ with associated dimension lines and part references, largely ILLEGIBLE at this resolution] FOR CYLINDERS NEW REFER TO SCD-1939 [Bottom left attribution block — ILLEGIBLE]
30 Statement Irving Newton July 21, 1994
STATEMENT OF SUSPECT/WITNESS/COMPLAINANT
(THIS FORM IS SUBJECT TO THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 - SEE REVERSE)
SUSPECT
XX WITNESS/COMPLAINANT
SECTION I. STATEMENT INFORMATION
DATE TIME LOCATION (Bldg/Room No.) AND UNIT TAKING STATEMENT REPEAT (If Known)
INSTALLATION
21 Jul 94 1630 AFOSI Detachment 401 AFOSI Detachment 409 OFFENSE
Randolph AFB TX COMPLAINT
SECTION II. PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION (Print or Type)
NAME (Last, First, Middle Initial) SSN STATUS/GRADE
NEWTON, IRVING USAF(RET) 0-4
LOCAL ADDRESS (Include Zip Code) DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH (If Required) TELEPHONE
HOME
DUTY:
PERMANENT ADDRESS OR HOME OF RECORD (Include Zip Code) MILITARY ORGANIZATION/EMPLOYER DEROS
Same as Above USAF Retired N/A
SPONSOR INFORMATION (Name, Grade, SSN, Organization, Duty Phone)
N/A
SECTION III. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OFFENSES AND 5TH AMENDMENT/ARTICLE 31 RIGHTS ADVISEMENT (Suspect Only)
1. I have been advised that I am suspected of the following offenses: ___________________________________________
by _____________________________ (Rank and Full Name) who identified himself/herself as a _____________________
(SP, special agent, etc.) and advised me that I have the following rights according to the 5th Amendment of the US Constitution/Article 31 of the
Uniform Code of Military Justice (suspect initials on line next to each statement).
_____ a. I have the right to remain silent - that is to say nothing at all.
_____ b. Any statement I make, oral or written, may be used as evidence against me in a trial or in other judicial, non-judicial, or administrative
proceedings.
_____ c. I have the right to consult with a lawyer.
_____ d. I have the right to have a lawyer present during this interview.
_____ e. I may obtain a civilian lawyer of my own choice at no expense to the government.
_____ f. I may request a lawyer any time during this interview.
_____ g. If I decide to answer questions with or without a lawyer present, I may stop the questioning at any time.
_____ h. MILITARY ONLY: If I want a military lawyer, one will be appointed for me free of charge.
_____ i. CIVILIANS ONLY: If I cannot afford a lawyer and want one, a lawyer will be appointed for me by civilian authorities.
2. I have read my rights as listed above and I fully understand my rights. No promises, threats, or inducements of any kind have been made to me.
No pressure or coercion has been used against me, I make the following choice (suspect initials on line next to appropriate statement):
_____ a. I do not want a lawyer. I am willing to answer questions or make a statement or both, about the offense(s) under investigation.
_____ b. I do not want a lawyer and I do not wish to make a statement or answer any questions.
_____ c. I want a lawyer. I will not make any statement or answer any questions until I talk to a lawyer.
3. I fully understand my rights and that my signature alone does not constitute an admission of guilt.
________________________ ________________________
(Signature of Suspect) (Signature of Witness/Interviewer)
AF Form 1168, JUN 91 PREVIOUS EDITIONS ARE OBSOLETE Page 1 of 3 PagesPRIVACY ACT STATEMENT AUTHORITY: 10 U.S.C 8013, 44 U.S.C 3101, and EO 9397 PRINCIPAL PURPOSES: Used to record information and details of criminal activity which may require investigative action by commanders, supervisor, security police, AFOSI special agents, etc. Used to provide information to the appropriate individuals within DOD organizations who ensure that proper legal and administrative action is taken ROUTINE USES: Information may be disclosed to local, county, state and federal law enforcement or investigatory authorities for investigation and possible criminal prosecution or civil court action. Information extracted from this form may be used in other related criminal and/or civil proceedings DISCLOSURE IS VOLUNTARY: SSN is used to positively identify the individual making the statement and as a conduit to check past criminal activity records SECTION IV STATEMENT THIS PAGE USED FOR SIGNATURE ONLY. TEXT OF STATEMENT BEGINS ON PAGE 3 [diagonal line across page with signature in center] SECTION V SIGNATURE/OATH "I hereby voluntarily and of my own free will make this statement without having been subjected to any coercion, unlawful influence, or unlawful inducement. I swear (or affirm) I have read this statement, initialed all pages and corrections, and it is true and correct to the best of my knowledge." [Signature of Person Making Statement] [Signature of Witness/Interviewer] Subscribed and sworn to before me, a person authorized by law to administer oaths, this 21st day of July 19 94 [Signature of Person Administering Oath] SECTION VI. INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONTINUATION PAGE(S) Use plain bond paper (both sides optional). At the top right of each page, print or type: "(Last Name of Individual making the Statement) on (Date)." At the bottom of each page, print or type: "Page___ of ___ Pages". The individual must initial the top and bottom entries and sign his/her name at the bottom of each page. AF Form 1168, JUN 91 (REVERSE) *U.S. Government Printing Office: 1991 — 281-451/40139 Page 2 of 3 Pages
[initials]
I was asked to provide this statement, by Lt. Col. Joseph V. Rogan who advised
me, he was assisting in an investigation at the behest of the Secretary of the
Air Force, for the GAO, to look into facts concerning what has become to be known
as "The Roswell Incident". [initials]
[initials] As I recall it was July 1947, I was then a Warrant Officer with seven years
service. I was the only weather forecaster on duty in the Fort Worth base weather
and flight service center. The base weather covered only the base the flight
service center covered most of the southwest states. I received a call from some
one in General Ramey's office who asked that I go to the General's office. I
informed him that I was the only forecaster on duty and could not leave. Several
minutes later General Ramey Himself called and said "get your ass over here If
you don't have a car take the first one with a key". [initials]
[initials] I was met at the General's office by a Lt Col or Col who told me that some one
had found a flying saucer in New Mexico and they had it in the General's Office.
And that a flight had been set up to send it to Wright Patterson AFB OH., but
the General suspicioned that it might be meteorological equipment or something
of that nature and wanted it examined by qualified meteorological personnel.
The Col and I walked into the General's office where this supposed flying
saucer was lying all over the floor. As soon as I saw it, I giggled and asked
if that was the flying saucer. I was told it was. [initials]
[initials] Several people were in the room when I went in, among them, General Ramey,
a couple of press people, a Major, I learned to be Major Marcel and some other
folks. Someone introduced Major Marcel as the person who found this material.
I told them that this was a balloon and a RAWIN target. I believed this because
I had seen many of these before. They were normally launched by a special crew
and followed by a ground radar unit. They provided a higher altitude winds
aloft. We did not use them at Fort Worth. However, I was familiar with them
because we used them and their products on various projects in which I was
involved. These were used mostly on special projects and overseas. The balloon
was made out of a rubber type expandable material and when launched was about
six to eight feet across. When the balloons got to altitude they expanded to
twenty feet or more. The target was used for radar reflections and I believe each
leg of the target was approximately 48 inches. It resembled a child's Jack (like
a child's ball and jacks set) with a metallic material between the legs. The legs
were made of material appearing to be like balsa wood kite sticks but much
tougher. [initials]
[initials] While I was examining the debris, Major Marcel was picking up pieces of the
target sticks and trying to convince me that some notations on the sticks were
alien writings. There were figures on the sticks lavender or pink in color,
appeared to be weather faded markings, with no rhyme or reason. He did not
convince me these were alien writings. [initials]
[initials] I was convinced at the time that this was a balloon with a RAWIN target and
remain convinced. [initials]
[initials] I remember hearing the General tell someone to cancel the flight the flight
to Wright Patterson. [initials]
[initials] While in the office several pictures were taken of Major Marcel, General Ramey,
myself and others. [initials]
[initials] I was dismissed and went to my office to resume my normal duties. [initials]
[initials] During the ensuing years I have been interviewed by many authors, I have been
quoted and misquoted. The facts remain as indicated above. I was not influenced
during the original interview, nor today, to provide anything but what I know
to be true, that is, the material I saw in General Ramey's office was the
remains of a balloon and a RAWIN target. [initials]
Page three of three
[initials][blank page]
31
Photographs
ML–307C/AP Device with Vintage
Neoprene Balloons and Debris[Two black-and-white photographs of ML-307C/AP radar target device: Top photograph: Shows an assembled ML-307C/AP corner reflector target device, displaying its angular, multifaceted reflective surfaces in a diamond/kite-like configuration. Bottom photograph: Shows a closer view of the ML-307C/AP device, displaying the balsa wood frame structure and attached reflective material, with portions of the target visible in detail.]
[Two black-and-white photographs: Top photograph: Shows degraded neoprene balloon material spread out on a table in what appears to be an office or conference room setting, with chairs visible in the background. Small debris pieces are visible at right end of the material. Bottom photograph: Shows a close-up of small, dark debris fragments placed on a white sheet of paper, being held by a hand, against a dark background.]
[blank page]
32
Synopsis of Balloon Research
Findings
1st Lt James McAndrew[Seal: Department of the Air Force] DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON DC 20330-1000
[Seal: 50th Anniversary World War II Commemoration]
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
JUL 2 7 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR SAF/AAZ
ATTENTION: Colonel Richard L. Weaver
FROM: SAF/AAZD
1720 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330-1720
SUBJECT: Report of Findings on Balloon Research
The following report is submitted in support of findings developed as a result of research
efforts conducted at your request in support of the General Accounting Office (GAO) audit that
focused on obtaining information relative to the so-called "Roswell Incident."
Previously you were separately provided a list of the locations and records searched in
regard to that endeavor. This is in addition to other materials and briefings previously provided.
The focus of this paper is to concentrate on those findings developed regarding balloon operations
that were taking place in New Mexico during the time frame in question.
The following was compiled from records reviews and in some case, interviews with
participants. Where appropriate, copies of the source documents used are provided as
attachments. In the case of interviews or other references that are attached to the main report,
these will be reflected in the footnotes, but not attached here.
[Signature]
JAMES MCANDREW, 1LT, USAFR
Declassification and Review Officer
SAF/AAZDTHE ROSWELL INCIDENT On July 7, 1947, W.W. (Mac) Brazel, a rancher from approximately 75 miles northwest of Roswell, NM, contacted the local sheriff and reported that some metallic debris had come to rest on the ranch on which he worked near the town of Corona, NM. This was during the "UFO Wave of 1947," and he told the sheriff that he thought this debris may be part of a "flying disc."1 The sheriff contacted Roswell (Army Air Field) AAF, which in turn sent intelligence officer, Maj Jesse Marcel, and two Counterintelligence Corps Agents, Capt Sheridan Cavitt and MSgt Lewis Rickett, to evaluate the debris. The officers collected a portion of the material and brought it back to Roswell AAF on the evening of July 7.2 The following day, the Public Information Office released a statement saying that the Army Air Forces had recovered a flying disc. This press release was provided to local newspapers who sent it out to wire services. Meanwhile, Brig Gen Roger Ramey, Eighth Air Force Commander, ordered that the debris be flown to Eighth Air Force Headquarters at Fort Worth AAF, TX, for his personal inspection. Upon viewing the debris, he and his staff recognized parts which looked similar to a weather balloon. He then summoned the base weather officer, who identified the debris as the remnants of a weather balloon and its attached metallic radar target.3 General Ramey then invited the local press to view and take photographs of the materials and he declared the episode to be a misunderstanding (Atch 1). The above summarizes the previously reported information of what happened on July 7 and 8, 1947. Before now, however, a larger portion of the story was never told. Recent research indicates that the debris recovered from the ranch on July 7, 1947, was a weather balloon—but it was not being used strictly for weather purposes; its real purpose was to carry classified payloads for a Top Secret US Army Air Forces project. The project's classified code name was MOGUL. The current investigation discovered that an experimental balloon project was being conducted at nearby Alamogordo Army Airfield (now Holloman AFB, NM) during the summer of 1947.4 An examination of unclassified technical and progress reports prepared by the balloon project revealed that a highly classified program, Project MOGUL was the ultimate reason for the balloon experiments. Project MOGUL was classified Top Secret and carried a priority level of 1A.5 It is Project MOGUL that provides the ultimate explanation for the "Roswell Incident." 1. Roswell Daily Record, Jul 9, 1947, p. 1. 2. Intvw, Col Richard L. Weaver with Lt Col Sheridan Cavitt, USAF (Ret), May 24, 1994. 3. Intvw, Lt Col Joseph V. Rogan with Irving Newton, Jul 21, 1994. 4. Ltr, Lt Col Edward A. Doty to Mr David Bushnell, Mar 3, 1959. 5. Ltr, Brig Gen E. O'Donnell, Deputy Chief, Engineering Division, HQ AMC, to Commanding General, USAAF, subj: Change in Classification of MOGUL, Item 188–5, Jul 8, 1946.
PROJECT MOGUL Project MOGUL was first conceived by Dr. Maurice Ewing of Columbia University, NY, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MA. Dr. Ewing had conducted considerable research for the Navy during World War II, studying, among other things, the "sound channel" in the ocean. He proved that explosions could be heard thousands of miles away with underwater microphones placed at a predetermined depth within the sound channel. He theorized that since sound waves generated by explosions could be carried by currents deep within the ocean, they might be similarly transmitted within a sound channel in the upper atmosphere. The military application of this theory was the long-range detection of sound waves generated by Soviet nuclear detonations and the acoustical signatures of ballistic missiles as they traversed the upper atmosphere. He presented his theory to General Carl Spaatz, Chief of Staff of the Army Air Forces, in the fall of 1945.6 The project was approved, and research was begun by the scientific research agency of the US Army Air Forces (USAAF), the Air Materiel Command (AMC), early in 1946. The project was assigned to HQ AMC, Engineering Division, Electronics Subdivision, which in turn assigned the project to AMC's Watson Laboratories, Engineering Division, Applied Propagation Subdivision, located in Red Bank, NJ. SCOPE Project MOGUL initially focused on three areas of technology: (1) an expendable microphone, capable of detecting, at long range, low-frequency sound transmis- sions generated by explosions and missiles; (2) a means of telemetering these sounds to a ground or airborne receiver; and (3) a system from which to suspend the microphone and telemetering device in the upper atmosphere for an extended period of time. To meet these criteria, contracts were awarded by AMC to Columbia University (AMC contract no. W28–099–ac–82) for the acoustical equipment, and to New York University (NYU) for the development of constant- level balloons (AMC contract no. W28–099–ac– 241). After the initial contracts were awarded, Project MOGUL branched out into many areas related to the geophysical properties of the upper atmosphere, including radiowave propaga- tion, radar propagation, ionospheric physics, solar physics, terrestrial magnetism, meteorological physics, and weather forecasting. Considerable resources were devoted to Project MOGUL which included numerous bomber and transport aircraft and two oceangoing vessels. At one point the staff, exclusive of contrac- tors, numbered over 100 persons. To accommodate this sensitive, high-priority project, facilities of the secluded Oakhurst Field Station of Watson Laboratories were used. Balloon operations associated with Project Mogul were conducted at various locations throughout the United States and the Pacific, the latter in reference to acoustical detection research associated with the Sandstone atomic tests at Entiwetok Atoll in April and May 1948.7 6. Rprt, Maurice Ewing for General Carl Spaatz, "Long Range Sound Transmission in the Atmosphere," n.d. 7. Rprt, HQ Fitzwilliam Fwd, "Sonic Balloon Test Kwajalein," May 17, 1948 (hereafter "Sonic
By December 1948, serious concerns had arisen regarding the feasibility of the project as first conceived. Even though the principle on which the project was based was determined to be sound, questions concerning cost, security, and practicality were discussed that ultimately led to the disbandment of the project, and Project MOGUL as first conceived was never put into operational use. However, MOGUL did serve as the foundation for a comprehensive program in geophysical research from which the USAF and the scientific community have benefited to the present time. These benefits included constant-level balloon technology, first developed by NYU for Project MOGUL. WATSON LABORATORIES The organizational structure of Watson Laboratories Applied Propagation Subdivision, which was established primarily for MOGUL, as it appeared in January 1947, is shown in Attachment 2. Over the course of the project, MOGUL had three military project officers, or "chiefs": Maj Robert T. Crane, spring 1946–July 1946; Col Marcellus Duffy, August 1946–January, 1947; and Capt Albert C. Trakowski, January 1947–May 1949. Major Crane had been personally recommended by Dr. Ewing, originator of the project, but by June of 1947, MOGUL had not met the expectations of HQ USAAF, and Colonel Duffy replaced Major Crane.8 Colonel Duffy was a respected, highly capable career Army Air Forces officer. During World War II, Colonel Duffy had reported directly to General Hap Arnold, Chief of Staff USAAF, as the Army Air Forces Liaison Officer to the US Army Signal Corps, with primary duties for securing meteorological equipment from the Army for use by the USAAF. Colonel Duffy had a reputation for accomplishing difficult assignments by getting the most out of his person- nel—exactly what was desired by HQ USAAF to solve the numerous administra- tive and personnel problems that had arisen in Project MOGUL under Major Crane. In a short period, Colonel Duffy was able to make the necessary correc- tions and was reassigned to become the Assistant Chief, Electronics Plans Section, Electronics Subdivision, HQ AMC, at Wright Field, OH. Colonel Duffy also continued to monitor "the upper air research program" (i.e., Project MOGUL) in addition to his duties as the Assistant Chief of the Electronics Plans Section.9 The primary scientist for MOGUL was Dr. James Peoples, assisted by Albert P. Crary, the Field Operations Director. Both scientists had previous associations with Dr. Ewing: Dr. Peoples at Columbia, and A.P. Crary at Woods Hole. Both scientists were assigned to MOGUL for the entire length of the project. NEW YORK UNIVERSITY "BALLOON GROUP" From September 30, 1946, until December 31, 1950, the Research Division of the College of Engineering of NYU conducted research under contract for the Army Balloon Test Kwajalein"). 8. Memo, Brig Gen Tom C. Rives, Chief, Electronic Subdivision, Engineering Division, AMC, to Maj Gen Curtis LeMay, subj: Relief of Major Crane as Project Officer MOGUL and TORRID, Jun 18, 1946. 9. Memo, Maj Gen Curtis E. LeMay, Deputy Chief of Air Staff for Research and Development, to Maj Gen L.C. Craigie, Chief Engineering Division, AMC, Apr 16, 1947.
Air Forces, in conjunction with Project MOGUL.10 The NYU "balloon group" was to develop and fly constant-level balloons while simultaneously developing telemetering equipment to transmit data obtained in the upper atmosphere.11 Group members launched, tracked, and recorded data only in regard to constant- level balloon flight and telemetering of information. They did not have access to observations and measurements that had military applications. MOGUL, in other words, was conducted as a compartmented, classified project in which partici- pants knew only what they needed to know, and no more. Due to the compart- mentation, balloon flights made by NYU were divided into two categories, "research" and "service."12 Research flights tested balloon controls and telemet- ering systems and were fully reported in the unclassified NYU reports.13 A total of 110 research flights were flown during the contract. Service flights were flown at the direction of Watson Laboratory personnel, but the military purpose was Top Secret. These flights carried classified equipment, which could not be fully reported in the unclassified NYU documents. Further evidence of the exclusion of classified information from the reports is the lack of data for balloons flown in association with the Sandstone nuclear tests held in April and May of 1948.14 In recent interviews with former NYU personnel, Dr. Athelstan F. Spilhaus, NYU Director of Research, and Professor Charles B. Moore, NYU Constant-Level Balloon Project Engineer, stated that they were never informed of the classified name, MOGUL, nor did they ever have access to the scientific data that was obtained by the USAAF as a result of their efforts. In response to inquiries, professional or casual, project personnel simply said that they were engaged in balloon research.15 The first balloon launches associated with Project MOGUL were carried out at several locations on the east coast of the United States.16 However, unfavorable winds, conflicts with commercial air traffic, and the need to gather data on the V- 2 flights currently being conducted at White Sands Proving Ground, NM, led the NYU group to conduct further tests from Alamogordo AAF.17 The NYU group would make three "field trips" during the summer of 1947 for test and evaluation, labeling them Alamogordo I, II, and III. The majority of the balloon flights over the next four years originated from Alamogordo AAF. 10. Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Technical Report No. 93.03, Constant Level Balloons, Final Report, Mar 1, 1951 (hereafter NYU, Final Report), p. 3. 11. Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Technical Report 93–02, Constant Level Balloons, Sect 1, General, Nov 15, 1949, p. 5. 12. NYU, Final Report, p. 13. 13. Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Technical Report No. 1, Constant Level Balloon, Apr 1, 1948, Table VII, "Summary of NYU Constant-Level Balloon Flights" (hereafter NYU, Technical Report No. 1, Table VII); ibid., Technical Report No. 93.02, Constant Level Balloons, Sect 3, Summary of Flights. 14. "Sonic Balloon Test Kwajalein." 15. Athelstan F. Spilhaus, C.S. Schneider, C.B. Moore, "Controlled-Altitude Free Balloons," Journal of Meteorology, 5 (Aug 1948): 130–137. 16. NYU, Technical Report No. 1, Table VII. 17. Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Progress Report No. 6, Constant Level Balloon, Sect II, June 1947 (hereafter Progress Report No. 6, Sect II), p. 4.
New York University, in accordance with contractual requirements, produced monthly progress reports, technical reports, and final reports detailing the various aspects of the balloon and telemetering research. In addition, Crary maintained a detailed journal of his work throughout his professional career to include the summer of 1947. The following discussion is based on these two documents and interviews with Moore, who was present on all three of the Alamogordo field trips, and, with Trakowski, who was present at the Alamogordo II and III field trips. NOTE: Technical Report No. 1, Table VII, "Summary of NYU Constant-Level Balloon Flights," and Technical Report No. 93.02, Constant Level Balloons, Section 3, "Summary of Flights," do not fully account for all balloons flown during the initial stages of the contract to include the Alamogordo I field trip. Absent from the reports are service flight nos. 2, 3, and 4. Flight no. 2 was flown on April 18, 1947, at Bethlehem, PA, in an attempt to obtain acoustical data from the explosion of 5,000 tons of TNT by the British on the German island of Helgoland.18 NYU flight no. 3 was flown on May 29, followed by NYU flight no. 4 on June 4. Both launched from Alamogordo AAF. ALAMOGORDO I (May 28, 1947–June 7, 1947) The first NYU "field trip" departed Olmstead Field, Middletown, PA, by C–47 for Alamogordo AAF on May 31, 1947, arriving on June 1, 1947.19 Present on this flight was C.B. Moore, NYU Project Engineer, Charles S. Schneider, NYU Project Director, and other supporting staff members from both NYU and Watson Laboratories. A.P. Crary, along with other personnel from Watson Laboratory, were already present in Alamogordo, but they did not conduct any balloon operations. During this time, Crary and several technicians detonated ground explosives, or "shots," for sound-wave generation purposes, on the nearby White Sands Proving Ground. These detonations were monitored by ground-based GR3 and GR8 sound ranging equipment at locations in New Mexico and West Texas.20 On May 28, the advance party of the balloon group arrived by B–17.21 On May 29, the advance team made the first launch for Project MOGUL from Alamogordo (NYU flight no. 3). The equipment carried on this flight was identified as essentially the same as that carried on NYU flight no. 2 (Atch 3 ).22 NYU flight no. 4 was launched on June 4, with a configuration the same as on flight nos. 2 and 3. Crary's diary indicated that flight no. 4 consisted of a "cluster of (meteorologi- cal) balloons" and a "regular sonobuoy."23 Presumably, flight no. 3 was config- ured the same. 18. Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Special Report No. 1, Constant Level Balloon, May 1947 (hereafter NYU, Special Report No. 1), p. 27. 19. Personal journal of Albert P. Crary, p. 13. 20. Ibid., pp. 4–16. 21. Ibid., p. 13. 22. NYU, Progress Report No. 6, Sect II, p. 5. 23. Crary personal journal, p. 12.
The objective of this trip, so far as NYU was concerned, was to perfect the handling of large flight trains of meteorological balloons and to evaluate the operations of altitude controlling and telemetering devices.24 Already established before the trips to Alamogordo was that the use of the standard, 350-gram meteorological balloons, constructed of neoprene, was, at best, a "stop gap" method of achieving constant-level flight.25 Balloons most suitable for this type of work were made of polyethylene, a very thin, translucent plastic. These balloons, however, had just been developed, and, although the NYU group had contracted for some of them, the balloons had not been received until after the group departed for Alamogordo.26 For Watson Laboratory scientists Peoples and Crary, the purpose of this trip was to experiment with different types of equipment to collect and transmit sound waves in the upper atmosphere. Therefore, just as the "balloon group" was using meteorological balloons as a stopgap method in attaining constant-level flight, the Watson Laboratory scientists utilized an AN/CRT–1A Sonabuoy while awaiting the delivery of acoustical equipment specifically designed for Project MOGUL.27 The NYU personnel developing the telemetering equipment experimented with components of the sonabuoy, which was cylindrical, nearly 3 feet long and 4 3/4 inches wide, and weighing 13 pounds (Atch 4). The sonabuoy contained both the acoustical pickups, known as hydrophones, and the means of telemetering the sounds by use of a FM transmit- ter, the T–1B/CRT–1. Soon after arriving at Alamogordo AAF, a problem developed. Dr Peoples, Project Scientist, decided not to bring the radiosonde recorder (an AN/FMQ1 weighing approximately 500 pounds), due to the weight and space limitations of the B–17 aircraft originally scheduled to transport the equipment from Olmstead Field. Radiosondes were a widely used and accurate method of tracking weather balloons consisting of a transmitter, which was carried aloft by the balloon, and a ground-based receiver/ recorder. Radiosondes, along with aircraft, were to be the primary method to track the Project MOGUL balloons.28 Dr. Peoples, however, believed that the radar currently in place at Alamogordo for tracking V–2 firings would be sufficient for tracking the balloons trains. However, this radar did not work well and often lost contact with the balloon while it was still within visual range. Accordingly, Moore, the project engineer, experimented with an "unortho- dox" method, in the absence of a radiosonde recorder. He tried to track the balloons using multiple radar targets.29 A radar target was a multisided object, which, in appearance, resembles a box kite constructed of balsa wood and metallicized paper (Atch 5). Moore and his technicians conducted test flights, attempting to obtain a better radar return by attaching additional targets. They 24. Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Progress Report No. 7, Constant Level Balloon, Sect II, Jul 1947 (hereafter NYU, Progress Report No. 7, Sect II), p. 5. 25. NYU, Special Report No. 1, p. 26. 26. NYU, Progress Report No. 7, Sect II, p. 6. 27. Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Progress Report No. 4, Radio Transmitting, Receiving and Recording System for Constant Level Balloon, Sect I, Apr 2, 1947, p. 1. 28. Intvw, Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James McAndrew with Professor Charles B. Moore, Jun 8, 1994. 29. Moore intvw, Jun 8, 1994.
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 Sandy Hook, NJ
No. 1, Table VII
2 4/18/47 Bethlehem, PA See Appendix NYU Unknown
Special Report No. 1
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 East of Roswell, NM
No. 1, Table VII
6 6/7/47 Alamogordo, NM See NYU Tech. Report South of Highrolls, NM
No. 1, Table VII
* 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.
30. Ibid.
31. Rprt, Holloman AFB, "Progress Summary Report on U.S.A.F. Guided Missile Test
Activities," Vol 1, Aug 1, 1948.ALAMOGORDO II (June 27, 1947–July 8, 1947) On the morning of June 28, 1947, personnel from NYU and Watson Laboratories arrived at Alamogordo AAF to resume balloon flights. Present during this field trip were Dr. Peoples, A.P. Crary, Captain Trakowski, C.B. Moore, and Charles Schneider. The objective during this trip was to experiment with the newly developed polyethylene balloons which replaced the neoprene meteorological balloons used on the previous field trip. Also tested was an improved aluminum ballast reservoir that had been developed to replace the plastic tubes used during the June field trip.32 Another improvement that resulted from the experiences in June was the presence of a radiosonde receiver/recorder for improved balloon tracking and plotting. This eliminated the need for radar "corner reflectors" on the balloon train since radar was not to be used as a primary method of tracking the flights. This is confirmed by Technical Report No. 1, Table VII, "Radiosonde Reception %," which indicates the use of the radiosonde recorder on all flights except for no. 7. Flight no. 7 was not recorded by radiosonde because the equipment was not operable.33 Also Figures 36, 39, 42, and 44 in Technical Report No. 1, corresponding to the July flights, do not depict corner reflectors. All numbered flights (except for no. 9) flown during the July field trip were summa- rized in NYU Technical Report No 1, Table VII. Flight no. 9 appeared to have been launched on July 3.34 On July 8, their work completed, 23 members of the combined NYU and Watson Laboratory group boarded a C–54 aircraft at 1030 AM and returned to the east coast.35 Based on the above, it appeared likely that the debris found by the rancher and was subsequently identified as a "flying disc" by personnel from Roswell AAF was, with a great degree of certainty, MOGUL flight no. 4, launched on June 4, 1947. This conclusion was based on the following: 1. Descriptions of the debris provided by Brazel, Cavitt, Crary's diary, and the photos of the material displayed in General Ramey's office. These materials were consistent with the components of a MOGUL service flight, with neoprene balloons, parchment parachutes, plastic ballast tubes, corner reflectors, a sona- buoy, and a black electronics box that housed the pressure cutoff switch (Atch 3). 2. According to Brazel's July 8 statement, the debris was recovered on June 14, obviously eliminating any balloons launched in July. 3. Only two flights launched in June were unaccounted for, i.e., flight nos. 3 and 4. Flight no. 3, most likely would not have had the "unorthodox" configuration of corner reflectors devised by Moore, who did not arrive until June 1, three days after flight no. 3 was launched. 32. NYU, Progress Report No. 7, Sect II, p. 5. 33. Crary personal journal, p. 15. 34. Ibid. 35. Ibid., p. 16.
On July 7, as the NYU group members were winding down their work and preparing to return to New York City, a train of events began to unfold at Roswell AAF, 60 miles away. Roswell AAF was home of the 509th Bomb Group of the Strategic Air Command's Eighth Air Force, the only unit in the world capable of delivering nuclear weapons. It now appears that the debris from MOGUL flight no. 4 had come to earth on the plains east of the Sacramento Mountains, about 70 miles from the launch point at Alamogordo AAF (Atch 7). The fact it descended there was not unusual. Over the course of Project MOGUL, several balloons had landed and been recovered from that area. In fact, in August 1947, the NYU group had to receive special permission from the Civil Aeronautics Administration to continue to launch balloons from Alamogordo AAF since "balloons have been descending outside of the area [White Sands Proving Ground] in the vicinity of Roswell, New Mexico."36 According to the sole living participant in the recovery, Sheridan Cavitt, he, Major Marcel, and MSgt William Rickett gathered some of the material, which appeared to resemble "bamboo type square sticks, one quarter to one half inch square," that was "very light"—reflect- ing material—and a "black box, like a weather instrument." Cavitt believed this material to be consistent with what he knew to be a weather balloon. This debris, would soon become, for a short time, the focus of national and even worldwide attention when it was thought to be a "flying disc." On July 8, the same day that the NYU/Watson Laboratory group departed Alamogordo, the Public Information Office of Roswell AAF announced the recovery of a "flying disc" and that it would be flown to Fort Worth AAF for further examination. How could experienced military personnel have confused a weather balloon for a "flying disc"? The answer was this was not an ordinary "weather balloon." Typical weather balloons employed a single, 350-gram neoprene balloon and a radiosonde for measuring temperature, atmospheric pressure, and humidity, housed in a cardboard box. If it was to be tracked by radar for wind-speed measurement, a single corner reflector was added (Atch 8). The balloon that was found on the Foster Ranch consisted of as many as 23 350- gram balloons spaced at 20 foot intervals, several radar targets (3 to 5), plastic ballast tubes, parchment parachutes, a black "cutoff" box containing portions of a weather instrument, and a sonabuoy (Atch 3). After striking the ground, the radar reflectors, constructed of very light materials for minimum weight, would tear and break apart, spreading out over a large area when pulled across the ground by balloons that still possessed some buoyancy. It should also be understood that the term "flying disc" was not at this time synonymous with "space ship." It denoted a disc-shaped flying object of unknown (or suspected Soviet) origin. Before the announcement was made, the "disc" was flown to Fort Worth AAF, at the direction of Brig Gen Roger Ramey, Commander, Eighth Air Force. General Ramey personally inspected the "disc," became skeptical, and summoned the base 36. NYU, Technical Report No. 1, Table VII, p. 43.
weather officer, Warrant Officer Irving Newton, to make an identification. Newton positively identified the debris as the remnants of a balloon and RAWIN target.37 With this identification, the incident officially closed. THE "COVER STORY" From research, it appears that the wreckage displayed on July 8 consisted of unclassified components of a MOGUL balloon assembly. Possibly withheld, if it was indeed recovered, was the AN/CRT–1 Sonabuoy, which could have compro- mised Project MOGUL. Although the Sonabuoy was not itself classified, its association with a balloon would have exposed a specific military purpose, an obvious violation of project classification guidelines (Atch 9). A device described in "crashed disc" publications as "a giant thermos jug" was allegedly transported from Fort Worth AAF to Wright Field.38 This description is consistent with the appearance of an AN/CRT–1 Sonabuoy such as was used on flight no. 4 (Atch 4). At some point General Ramey decided to forward the material to Wright Field, home of AMC, the appropriate agency to identify one of its own research devices or a device of unknown origin. If the debris was determined to be from an unknown source, the AMC, T-2, Intelligence or Analysis Division, would conduct scientific and/or intelligence analysis in an attempt to discover its origin. But since the balloons, reflectors, and Sonabuoy were from an AMC research project, the debris was forwarded to the appropriate division or subdivision, in this case the Electronics Subdivision of the Engineering Division. There, it was identified by Colonel Duffy, under whose purview Project MOGUL operated. Colonel Duffy, a former project officer of MOGUL with specific directions to "continue to monitor upper air programs," was the appropriate headquarters officer to make an identification, which he apparently did. According to Captain (now Colonel) Trakowski, the officer who succeeded Colonel Duffy as project officer on MOGUL, after returning from the Alamogordo II field trip, Colonel Duffy contacted him by phone at Watson Laboratories and informed him that the "stuff you've been launching at Alamogordo," had been sent to him for identification. He described the debris to Captain Trakowski, and Trakowski agreed that it was part of his project (MOGUL).39 Another occurrence sometimes said to "prove" that General Ramey was part of a cover story is that portions of the debris were flown to Andrews AAF, MD. Andrews would have been a probable location to send the debris since it had components of weather observation equipment. Andrews AAF was headquarters of the Army Air Forces Weather Service. It is also interesting to note that the commanding general of the Weather Service, Brig Gen Donald N. Yates, was quoted in wire service newspaper articles on July 9, providing his opinion of the 37. Rawin is short for radar wind, a technique in which a single corner reflector is towed aloft by a single neoprene balloon to measure wind speed by radar. 38. Kevin Randall and Donald Schmitt, UFO Crash at Roswell (New York, 1991), p. 103. 39. Intvw, Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James McAndrew with Col Albert C. Trakowski, USAF (Ret), Jun 29, 1994, p. 4.
incident. Additionally, in 1949, General Yates received a full briefing of the projects, including constant-level balloons, that made up Project MOGUL.40 While crashed disc proponents claim that General Ramey ordered a "colonel courier" to transport portions of the debris in a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist for the inspection of his superior, Maj Gen Clement McMullen, Deputy Commander of Strategic Air Command, it is more likely that any forwarding of such debris was another attempt to identify the research agency to which it belonged. If it did go to General McMullen, it would not have been difficult for him to have obtained the opinion of the Weather Service, since SAC and the Weather Service were located in the same building (no. 1535) at Andrews AAF. "HIEROGLYPHICS" One of the most puzzling aspects of the reports that a "UFO" crashed near Corona in 1947 were the later descriptions of "hieroglyphic-like" characters by seemingly reliable, firsthand witnesses. Research has revealed that the debris found on the ranch and displayed in General Ramey's office probably did have strange characters. These, however, were not hieroglyphics, but figures printed on the pinkish-purple tape used to construct the radar targets used by the NYU group. The witnesses have recalled small pink/purple "flowers" that appeared to be some sort of writing that couldn't be deciphered. These figures were printed on tape that sealed the seams of the of the radar target. The radar targets, sometimes called corner reflectors, had been manufactured during or shortly after World War II, and due to shortages, the manufacturer, a toy company, used whatever resources were available. This toy company used plastic tape with pink/purple flowers and geometric designs in the construction of its toys and, in a time of shortage, used it on the government contract for the corner reflectors. A depiction of these figures, as described by C.B. Moore, is shown in Attachment 10. Allegations have also been made that the debris displayed to the press on July 8 and subsequently photographed was not the original wreckage; i.e., a switch had occurred sometime after the debris left Roswell AAF. However, statements made by Moore and Trakowski attested that the corner reflectors they launched during that period had the same flowers and figures that were later reported by Marcel, Cavitt, and Brazel as being on the debris found on the Foster ranch in Corona. In fact, Trakowski distinctly remembered the figures on the tape because, when the targets first were produced, much fanfare was made over the use of a toy manufacturer for production. He related that a fellow USAAF officer, John E. Peterson, monitored the procurement of the targets and "thought it was the biggest joke in the world that they had to go to a toy manufacturer" to make the radar targets and an "even a bigger joke when . . . the reflecting material on the balsa frames was some kind of a pinkish purple tape with hearts and flowers 40. Rprt, Cambridge Field Sta, AMC, "Review of Air Materiel Command Geophysical Activities by Brigadier General D.N. Yates, and Staff, of the Air Weather Service," Feb 10, 1949.
designs on it."41 Furthermore, the Fort Worth Army Airfield Weather Officer, Irving Newton, who was called in to identify the wreckage, also remembers the purple/pink marks. Newton stated that when he was called to General Ramey's office he remembers meeting Marcel, who attempted to convince him that the wreckage on the floor of the office was a crashed "flying disc." Newton, having seen many weather balloons and targets, positively identified the debris as a weather device.42 In short, descriptions of the wreckage found on the ranch near Corona and of the wreckage displayed in General Ramey's office are entirely consistent with each other. THE REAL COVER STORY On July 10, 1947, a newspaper article appeared in the Alamogordo Daily News displaying for the press the devices, neoprene balloons, and corner reflectors which had been misidentified as the "flying disc" two days earlier at Roswell AAF (Atch 11). The photographs and accompanying article quoted Maj Wilbur D. Pritchard, a Watson Laboratory Project Officer (not assigned to MOGUL) stationed at Alamogordo AAF. This article appeared to have been an attempt to deflect attention from the Top Secret MOGUL project by publicly displaying a portion of the equipment and offering misleading information. If there was a "cover story" involved in this incident, it is this article, not the actions or statements of Ramey. The article in the Alamogordo Daily News stated that the balloons and radar targets had been used for the last fifteen months for the training of long-range radar personnel and the gathering of meteorological data. The article lists four offi- cers—Maj W.D. Pritchard, Lieut S.W. Seigel, Capt L.H. Dyvad, and Maj C.W. Mangum—as being involved with the balloon project, which was false. Moore and Trakowski could not recall any of the officers in the photograph, with the exception of Dyvad, whom Moore identified as a pilot who coordinated radar activities.43 Additionally, some of the details discussed (balloon sighting in Colorado, tracking by B–17s, recovery of equipment, launching balloons at 5–6 AM, and balloon altitudes of 30,000–40,000 feet) relate directly to the NYU balloon project, indicating that the four officers had detailed knowledge of MOGUL.44 Moore's unorthodox technique of employing several balloons and several radar targets was shown in one of the photographs. Other techniques unique to Moore, 41. Trakowski intvw, Jun 29, 1994. 42. Newton intvw, Jul 21, 1994. 43. Moore intvw, Jun 8, 1994. 44. NYU, Technical Report No. 1, Table VII.
including the boiling of balloons before launch (which he personally developed during World War II) and a stepladder used to launch balloons, could not all have coincidentally been used by other organizations.45 The details may have been provided to the radar officers by Crary, Project MOGUL Field Operations Director, who did not depart by C–54 with the rest of the NYU/Watson Laboratory group on July 8, but who later left by car on July 9, the day the staged launch took place. Additionally, three of Crary's staff, Don Reynolds, Sol Oliva, and Bill Edmonston, resided permanently in Alamogordo. It was apparent from Crary's diary that he had worked very closely with Major Pritchard and reported to him on occasion (twelve documented meetings from December 1946–April 1947). One instance, on April 7, 1947, Crary gave Pritchard a "progress report for MOGUL project to date," indicating that Major Pritchard had access to MOGUL information.46 Another statement which appeared to confirm a cover story appeared in the caption below the balloon picture and described a typewritten tag stapled to the target identifying it as having come from Alamo- gordo AAF. Moore believed this not to be true because any equipment found was not to be associated with the USAAF, only with NYU; therefore flights carried "return to" tags identifying NYU as the responsible agency.47 CONCLUSION Many of the claims surrounding the events of July 1947 could be neither proved nor disproved. Attempts were not made to investigate every allegation, but rather to start with what was known and work toward the unknown. To complicate the situation, events described here took place nearly 50 years ago and were highly classified. This Top Secret project appeared to have utilized the concept of compartmentalization very well. Interviews with individuals and review of documents of organizations revealed that the ultimate objective of the work, or even the name of the project, in many instances was not known. It was unlikely, therefore, that personnel from Roswell AAF, even though they possessed the appropriate clearances, would have known about project MOGUL. In fact, when the NYU/AMC group returned to Alamogordo in September, their first trip since the "incident" occurred, one of the first activities of the project scientists, Peoples and Crary, who were accompanied by Major Pritchard and Captain Dyvad, was to brief the commanding officer of Alamogordo AAF and the 509th Bomb Group Operations Officer, Lt Col Joseph Briley, on MOGUL.48 45. Moore intvw, Jun 8, 1994. 46. Crary personal journal, p. 10. 47. Moore intvw, Jun 8, 1994; Research Division, College of Engineering, NYU, Technical Report No. 93.02, Constant Level Balloons, Sect 2, Operations, Jan 31, 1949, pp. 36–38. 48. Combined Hist, 509th Bomb Grp and Roswell AAF, Sep 1–30, 1947, p. 79; Untranscribed journal of Albert P. Crary, p. 64.
When the civilians and personnel from Roswell AAF (Marcel, Cavitt, and Rickett)
"stumbled" upon the highly classified project and collected the debris, no one at
Roswell had a "need to know" about information concerning MOGUL. This fact,
along with the initial misidentification and subsequent rumors that the "capture"
of a "flying disc" occurred, ultimately left many people with unanswered
questions that have endured to this day.
JAMES McANDREW, 1st Lt, USAFR
Declassification and Review Officer
SAF/AAZD
Attachments:
1. 4 Photographs of Balloon Debris
2. Organizational Chart—Watson Laboratories
3. Drawing—New York University Flight No. 2
4. 2 Depictions of AN/CRT–1 Sonabuoy
5. Drawing of Corner Reflector
6. New York University Technical Report No. 1, Table VII
7. Map of New Mexico
8. Typical Employment of Weather Balloon and Corner Reflector
9. Project MOGUL Classification Letter
10. Drawing of "Hieroglyphics" by Prof. C.B. Moore
11. Alamogordo Daily News Article1 Fort Worth Star–Telegram Photographs of Balloon Debris [July 9, 1947]
Same as Weaver Attachment 16
2 Organizational Chart Watson Laboratories January 20, 1947
APPLIED PROPAGATION SUBDIVISION
AIR MATERIEL COMMAND
WATSON LABORATORIES
20 JANUARY 1947
BLOCK CHART NO 6
[Organizational chart with the following boxes:]
CHIEF
CAPT A.C. THOMPSON JR
MR DOUGLAS RIGNEY (ASSST)
[ILLEGIBLE phone/extension numbers]
RLCO
[Left branch:]
COMPRESSIONAL WAVE LABORATORY
DR JAMES PEOPLES
[ILLEGIBLE classification indicator]
RLCO
ATMOSPHERIC BRANCH
DR ALBERT CRARY
[ILLEGIBLE]
RLCO
OCEANOGRAPHIC BRANCH
MR CHARLES IRELAND
[ILLEGIBLE]
RLCO
TERRESTRIAL BRANCH
DR ALBERT CRARY
[ILLEGIBLE]
RLCO
[Middle branch:]
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE LABORATORY
DR PHILIP NEWMAN
[ILLEGIBLE classification indicator]
RLCO
MICROWAVE AND VHF BRANCH
MR SAM PURE
[ILLEGIBLE]
RLCO
IONOSPHERIC BRANCH
MR SAM PURE
[ILLEGIBLE]
RLCO
[Right branch:]
TECHNICAL SERVICES SECTION
LT H.F. BALL (ASSST)
LT H.F. STEVENS (ASSST)
[ILLEGIBLE]
REQUIREMENTS AND
STANDARDS
LT H.F. STEVENS
[ILLEGIBLE]
FACILITIES BRANCH
LT VAN D THOMPSON JR
[ILLEGIBLE]
FIELD TEST BRANCH
LT VAN D THOMPSON JR
[ILLEGIBLE]3 Drawing Cluster Flight No. 2
Same as Weaver Attachment 25
4 Illustrations AN/CRT–1 Sonabuoy
[PHOTOGRAPH: AN/CRT-1 Sonabuoy — cylindrical instrument device, no text caption visible]
[Diagram of AN/CRT-1 Sonabuoy system with labeled components and measurements:]
3'3"
Receiver
[small rectangular device illustrated]
AN/ARR 3
2'-11"
Transmitter
AN/CRT-1
24'-0"
Hydrophone Support
Flexible Cable
Non-directional
5"x 3" Hydrophone
E.R.S.B.5
Blueprint
Corner Reflector, ML–307C/AP
AssemblySame as Weaver Attachment 29
6
Summary Table
NYU Constant-Level Balloon Flights
November 20, 1946–September 9,
1947See also Weaver Attachment 27
TABLE VII A SUMMARY OF NYU CONSTANT-LEVEL BALLOON FLIGHTS [Table with columns: FLIGHT NUMBER | LAUNCH DATE/TIME | LAUNCH LOCATION | DESCRIPTION OF PAYLOAD/BALLOON | TOTAL PAYLOAD WEIGHT | [ILLEGIBLE] | BALLOON WEIGHT | FILM | BALLOONS LIST | ADDITIONAL REMARKS | TRACKING | AIRCRAFT SUPPORT | FLIGHT DURATION | OPTION/[ILLEGIBLE] | MAXIMUM CONSTANT-LEVEL ALTITUDE | BALLAST LEVEL | ALTITUDE/NOTES] Row 11: 7 July 1947 0630 MST Alamogordo New Mexico [ILLEGIBLE payload description] 17.3 kg [ILLEGIBLE] 3 kg 11.3 kg 21.0 kg [ILLEGIBLE] Theodolite 1016 [ILLEGIBLE] 150 min. [ILLEGIBLE] 475 mil- efeet Max. [ILLEGIBLE] Coast [ILLEGIBLE] 0.5 [ILLEGIBLE notes column — balloons used in cluster to obtain higher altitude...] Row 12: 5 Aug 1947 0630 MST Lakehurst New Jersey [ILLEGIBLE] 4.3 kg [ILLEGIBLE] 5 kg 3.9 kg 21.0 kg [ILLEGIBLE] Theodolite 1016 [ILLEGIBLE] 697 min. 60 min. [ILLEGIBLE] Max. 141100' Coast [ILLEGIBLE] 325 Buoys NJ etc. [ILLEGIBLE notes — First flight with large thin balloons; some difficulties; constant-level altitude control tested] Row 13: 5 Sept. 1947 0417 MST Alamogordo New Mexico [ILLEGIBLE] 6.4 kg [ILLEGIBLE] 5 kg 2 kg 24.0 kg [ILLEGIBLE] Theodolite 1016 [ILLEGIBLE] 150 min. None (buoys) [ILLEGIBLE] Max. 476,0[ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Coast [ILLEGIBLE] 95 [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE notes — Attempted around closed above ground lines, but balloons varied around altitude...] Row 14: 6 Sept. 0613 Alamogordo New Mexico [ILLEGIBLE] 4.0 kg [ILLEGIBLE] 5 kg 2.3 kg 17.7 kg [ILLEGIBLE] Theodolite 1016 [ILLEGIBLE] 15 min. 71 min. 1 sep. [ILLEGIBLE] Max. [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Coast [ILLEGIBLE] 95 [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE notes — Attempts again around above ground lines...] Row 15: 6 Sept. 1131 MST Alamogordo New Mexico [ILLEGIBLE] 4.0 kg [ILLEGIBLE] 5 kg 2.3 kg 14.5 kg [ILLEGIBLE] Theodolite 1016 [ILLEGIBLE] More than [ILLEGIBLE] None (buoys) [ILLEGIBLE] Max. [ILLEGIBLE] Coast [ILLEGIBLE] 95 [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE notes — Flight with large 6 ft. balloons; Ballons attempted to fly...] Row 16: 8 Sept. 0030 MST Alamogordo New Mexico [ILLEGIBLE] 4.4 kg [ILLEGIBLE] 5 kg 2.3 kg 14.5 kg [ILLEGIBLE] Theodolite 1016 [ILLEGIBLE] 350 50 min. [ILLEGIBLE] Max. 35700' [ILLEGIBLE] Coast, [ILLEGIBLE] 95 [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE notes — Nearly landed balloon with the last flight; high altitude observed after balloon; balsa sticks broken...] Row 17: 9 Sept. 1947 [ILLEGIBLE time] Alamogordo New Mexico [ILLEGIBLE] 4.4 kg [ILLEGIBLE] 5 kg 2 kg 13 kg [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Notes 50 hrs [ILLEGIBLE] Max. 39700' [ILLEGIBLE] Coast, 355 miles [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE notes — Successful altitude flight; flight lasted through a several-range; landing of NM Russia's reception range...]
7 Map of New Mexico
See
Map of New Mexico
in
Photograph Section8 Illustration Weather Balloon and Corner Reflector
ML–307(*)/AP
[PHOTOGRAPH: Figure 50. Pilot Balloon Target ML–307A/AP or
ML–307A/AP ready for flight.]
Status: Standard. Stock No.: 7A1237. Reference: TM 1-235.
Pilot Balloon Target ML–307(*)/AP represents
Pilot Balloon Targets ML–307/AP, ML–307A/AP,
and ML–307B/AP. Pilot Balloon Target ML–307
(*)/AP is a reflector which is attached to a 100- or
350-gram pilot balloon to assist in tracking it by
radar. It is composed of a combination of tri-
angular-shaped surfaces constructed of light,
paper-backed aluminum foil supported by balsa
sticks; it weighs approximately 100 grams. The
target folds into a flat triangle for shipment.
Pilot Balloon Target ML–307(*)/AP is designed
to function best with Radio Sets SCR–584 (any
model), SCR–545 (tracking components), and
SCR–614 (any model). The targets are packed
24 to a shipping container.9
Letter
Brig Gen E. O'Donnell to
Commanding General AAF
July 8, 1946Included in Weaver Attachment 19
10 Hieroglyphs Charles B. Moore August 28, 1992
Included in Weaver Attachment 21
11 Alamogordo News "Fantasy of 'Flying Disc' Is Explained Here: News Men Watch Army Radar Crew Launch 'Disc'" July 10, 1947
[ILLEGIBLE small notice block, top left] Alamogordo News ABSORBED OTERO COUNTY ADVERTISER JAN. 1, 1913...ABSORBED ALAMOGORDO CLOUDCROFT AUG. 17, 1923 VOLUME 28, NUMBER 38 ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO, THURSDAY, JULY 10, 1947 SUBSCRIPTION: $3.00 Per Year FANTASY OF "FLYING DISC" IS EXPLAINED HERE [Left photo caption:] Above is a small section of the radar experimental equipment and personnel of the Watson Laboratories, AMC, which is conducting a flying disc experiment at Alamogordo. From left, testing a 'flying disc' or corner reflector as the army knows it, are: Lt. Hector Quintero, commanding officer of the flights, showing it to the camera. [ILLEGIBLE] Program. Arrow at the right shows the movie camera recording of the flight as described by radar apparatus and scenes as seen in a position seven mph which news persons near the picture of the flight is shown. (Army Air Force photo) [Right photo caption:] Above (reading left to right): Major C. W. [ILLEGIBLE], Lt. W. W. Selgert Major W. D. Prichard, Capt. I. R. Pryor, of the Watson Laboratories Army Material Command long range radar direction group at the Army Air Base nine miles west of Alamogordo. These are the officers in charge of the station and Major Prichard the one who devised [ILLEGIBLE] of the Watson Laboratories News staff in view of a corner reflector Wednesday at 1 p.m. (Army Air Force photo) Young Democratic Club Started In G[ILLEGIBLE] County Members of the executive committee and the central committee of the [ILLEGIBLE] County Democratic Party met last night in Carrizozo to organize a Young Democratic organization for Chavez County. The nucleus of the organization was composed by the partic[ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Alias O. Walker, [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE], second vice president; [ILLEGIBLE] Tolinson, second vice president; [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Bones, secretary; [ILLEGIBLE] K.[ILLEGIBLE] Dahl, Alamogordo for Ch[ILLEGIBLE] B. Dahl, sergeant-at-arms. A membership drive, contest, co- [ILLEGIBLE] mittee selections and other functions are planned for the new organization, Mr. [ILLEGIBLE] said. The state conference of Young Democrats will be held in Albuquerque Aug[ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE]. M. P. Killed By Accidental Shot Sgt. Louis Skipper, 31, military police sergeant at the Alamogordo Army Air Base, was accidentally killed about six minutes after last [ILLEGIBLE], just before midnight, by another military policeman. [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] It is believed [ILLEGIBLE] at the base medical department. Details of [ILLEGIBLE] Sgt. [ILLEGIBLE], Lt. Schieck said, pending two separate investigations, which are now under way. One of Sgt. Skipper and [ILLEGIBLE], a military policeman whose [ILLEGIBLE], it is alleged, a guard [ILLEGIBLE] was found wound in the leg [ILLEGIBLE] the same [ILLEGIBLE] details [ILLEGIBLE] were in [ILLEGIBLE] details of [ILLEGIBLE] West Roswell in El Paso. Preliminary details of the accident will be released following the investigations, it was [ILLEGIBLE]. DEAN SHERRY, FORMER RESIDENT, VISITS [ILLEGIBLE] FRIENDS HERE Dean Sherry [ILLEGIBLE] [of] his friends here; [ILLEGIBLE] in his home section of San [ILLEGIBLE] Cloudcroft Host To Golf Tourney Local talent at Cloudcroft will be [ILLEGIBLE] defending [ILLEGIBLE] in the annual tournament [ILLEGIBLE] opens July 11. Tournament play on [ILLEGIBLE] of the [ILLEGIBLE] Links course on Friday, [ILLEGIBLE]. Two week[ILLEGIBLE] tournament will conclude on [ILLEGIBLE] day July 11, and tournament play [ILLEGIBLE]. Many [ILLEGIBLE] golfers are drifting into town for the [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] are [ILLEGIBLE] Tucson, Arizona with some old favorites [ILLEGIBLE] Alamogordo Ground Control [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] there, about the same [ILLEGIBLE] Tournament. [ILLEGIBLE] It has about the same [ILLEGIBLE] tournament, it was stated. The general [ILLEGIBLE] fairways over [ILLEGIBLE] announced is good order for the tournament [ILLEGIBLE] play. AAF Weather Experts Forecast For V-2 Firings A small but efficient weather unit has been installed at the White Sands Guided Missile Proving Service of the Army Air Forces and other stations in that the tech[nicians] at White Sands are primarily interested in meteorological conditions at the surface rather than weather data to forecast change. For this reason the weather forecasting [ILLEGIBLE] requires about 1,000 gram bal-[loons] [ILLEGIBLE] should be about 100,000 feet altitude; reports on finding conditions at various heights, and [ILLEGIBLE] radar [ILLEGIBLE] conditions at extreme heights. On [ILLEGIBLE] of the press group to the White Sands [ILLEGIBLE] [some?] of Ger-[man?] V-2 firings [ILLEGIBLE] reports [ILLEGIBLE] including [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] The 72-hour forecast is for [ILLEGIBLE] necessary planning and set-up of [ILLEGIBLE] News Men Watch Army Radar Crew Launch "Disc" Launching of the corner reflector radar experiment device is about to take place in the above picture. This is undoubtedly the device reported for flying saucer. The launching of the reflector is being snapped by a member of the Alamogordo News staff, shown in a few-shows carries a pair of construction boards each of which is covered with tinfoil and held tightly by small wooden strips. Each of these corner reflectors is held to the corners of supporting bars boards by twine. On the edges of the board frames of each 'flying disc' is stapled a slip of [ILLEGIBLE] paper. The words on the [ILLEGIBLE] paper mean Material Command Watson Laboratories Army Air Field, Alamogordo New Mexico records this device. Local 'flying discs', and possible those throughout the nation, have moved down in helium-piloted [ILLEGIBLE] Alamogordo and the [ILLEGIBLE] of Alamogordo and the camouflage and those, have been as the 'flying disc' as the Watson Laboratories AMC, which [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Captain [ILLEGIBLE] Lt. [ILLEGIBLE], Army [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] were found over Otero [ILLEGIBLE] coming from [ILLEGIBLE] highways [ILLEGIBLE] throughout the Alamogordo area. From [ILLEGIBLE] group of Otero county residents saw the balloon 'flying discs' in flight, with typical [ILLEGIBLE] height at observation, [ILLEGIBLE] height of observation, would be [ILLEGIBLE] at these [ILLEGIBLE] and all of these [ILLEGIBLE] the actual [ILLEGIBLE] area where the groups [ILLEGIBLE] new newspaper [ILLEGIBLE] in the Alamogordo News [ILLEGIBLE] he further explained the general plan of the radar equipment then how was tracking of rocket fired from the Alamogordo area at [ILLEGIBLE] of the Watson Laboratories staff took pictures of the balloons with their regular cameras by the 'flying disc' display. In the mid-day but air currents are at times misleading and the[y] proved to the eye-sight as of various shapes and of the reflectors [ILLEGIBLE] being their identity as they [ILLEGIBLE]. The items balanced, however, is [ILLEGIBLE] identified throughout by being identified throughout by memo-operated reflectors [ILLEGIBLE] sighting, sight tracking and radar contact with the reflectors. Major Prichard, who issued the invitation to the press group to [ILLEGIBLE] [White Sands] radar [ILLEGIBLE] and reports of the radar courses [ILLEGIBLE] told reported several of the courses told reported several of the corners [ILLEGIBLE] of objects above than all[oy?]ones they try and better than alloys [ILLEGIBLE]. The corner reflectors being provided under contract for that purpose, he explained, and had been for the [ILLEGIBLE] at the headquarters of the AAC radar headquarters at Wright Field, [ILLEGIBLE] Eng-[ineering] Capt. G. G. Davison, Lt. R. B. [ILLEGIBLE] and M. W. Bacon, New Jersey. At there a balloon boards meant [ILLEGIBLE] [illegible] [ILLEGIBLE] the above, [ILLEGIBLE] used [ILLEGIBLE] in the by the driver, the group and trained [ILLEGIBLE] of Alamogordo and threw along [ILLEGIBLE] their last instruments holds [ILLEGIBLE]. Otherrs here, the group and earned [ILLEGIBLE] of the amount under the [ILLEGIBLE] radar [ILLEGIBLE] Seventy Youngsters Out For Classes Seventy participants at Alamogordo public schools are on the roll for the first of two community school courses to begin this week, for the school-community center activities. The softball league [ILLEGIBLE] [game?] continuing [ILLEGIBLE] trimming the Rotary juniors 13 to 12 and the [ILLEGIBLE] drove, dropping their game with the junior [ILLEGIBLE] team [ILLEGIBLE] game [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] in the T. J. T these 4 teams play every M[ILLEGIBLE] night. The second section of activities will be held at the Alamogordo Community Center program for this week [ILLEGIBLE] Saturday night, with Manny Dur[ILLEGIBLE] furnishing the music[ILLEGIBLE] Quimby Looks Over Workshop Systems To Get Start Here Dr. Quimby is making his [ILLEGIBLE] with the [ILLEGIBLE] of [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] the New Mexico School for the Blind this week is observing [ILLEGIBLE] operations for the [ILLEGIBLE] community [ILLEGIBLE] the R. M. School [ILLEGIBLE] which his [ILLEGIBLE] will require [ILLEGIBLE] G and Paiton Robinson for [ILLEGIBLE] of [ILLEGIBLE] The reports of the R. M. School [ILLEGIBLE] has requested with the G and Paiton Robinson for [ILLEGIBLE] and this is also [ILLEGIBLE] in his [ILLEGIBLE] Blind persons to be trained in [ILLEGIBLE] are expected to arrive either this fall and will be entitled there until [ILLEGIBLE] or completion through training [ILLEGIBLE] in the workshop. In addition to these Dr. Quimby has [ILLEGIBLE] from information believed by the School [ILLEGIBLE] and history of the war are [ILLEGIBLE] [two?] sets of [ILLEGIBLE] that is shown to be training is sponsored by the Vocational Administration [ILLEGIBLE]. At the present time over 500 [ILLEGIBLE] training through the vocational training assistance from the State [ILLEGIBLE] of [ILLEGIBLE] as a result of need. These persons will be started in workshop here [ILLEGIBLE] to make themselves self-sustaining it will be going to be [ILLEGIBLE] in the workshop. Race Fans May See Top Quarter Nags In Matches Sunday For a stake of times, race priced by the two owners, [ILLEGIBLE] Clark and [ILLEGIBLE] G. C. Matches at Silver City will [ILLEGIBLE] both in on the 220 yards [ILLEGIBLE] between [ILLEGIBLE] Clark's sprinter, in the [ILLEGIBLE] matched and is reportedly not in top condition [ILLEGIBLE] the ten days of [ILLEGIBLE] [training?] at [ILLEGIBLE] particularly ordinary [ILLEGIBLE] Ordernarily the favors in wagers would go to [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE]. Maybe [ILLEGIBLE] be [ILLEGIBLE] fair. The track at the local stables, ready to open at a word [ILLEGIBLE] looking [ILLEGIBLE] Harrel, [ILLEGIBLE] the Big Family, W. J. Colleet's [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] W[ILLEGIBLE] probably have a [ILLEGIBLE] start [ILLEGIBLE] until they [ILLEGIBLE] are the final expenses of running the [ILLEGIBLE] "Sid Searcy Night" At Softball Classic All-Star Alamogordo softballers will play [ILLEGIBLE] at [ILLEGIBLE] July 10 [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] both [ILLEGIBLE] drawn from the former league all-star [ILLEGIBLE] from the local [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Lead [ILLEGIBLE] and [ILLEGIBLE] official [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] from [ILLEGIBLE] other league [ILLEGIBLE] local [ILLEGIBLE] of the [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] The El Paso [ILLEGIBLE] will be [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] while the local [ILLEGIBLE] will be [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] C of C Report The C of C is asking the cooperat[ion] [ILLEGIBLE] in its [ILLEGIBLE] to bring [ILLEGIBLE] to [ILLEGIBLE] letters if the [ILLEGIBLE] The C of C has written a very strong letter [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] in which it is [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] training [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] will complete the [ILLEGIBLE]
1 Roswell Daily Record "Harassed Rancher Who Located 'Saucer' Sorry He Told About It" [July 9, 1947]
Harassed Rancher who Located 'Saucer' Sorry He Told About It W. W. Brazel, 48, Lincoln county rancher living 30 miles south east of Corona, today told his story of finding what the army at first described as a flying disk, but find caused him to add that if he did not pay much attention to the publicity which attended his find caused him to add that if he ever found anything else short of a bomb he sure wasn't going to say anything about it. Brazel was brought here late yesterday by W. E. Whitmore, of radio station KGFL, Albuquerque, and his picture taken and gave the information of [ILLEGIBLE] to the Record, and also the Associated Press sent here from the Record [ILLEGIBLE] of the story. The picture he [ILLEGIBLE] for the sole purpose [ILLEGIBLE] was set up in the Record [ILLEGIBLE] R. D. Adair, AP wire bending machine [ILLEGIBLE] there for the sole purpose [ILLEGIBLE] and members of the press photographed his picture and that the [ILLEGIBLE] George Wilcox, to whom Brazel originally gave the information of his find. Brazel related that on June 14 he and an 8-year old son, Vernon were about 7 or 8 miles from the ranch house of the J. B. Foster ranch, which he operates, when they came upon a large area of bright wreckage made up on rubber strips, tinfoil, a rather tough paper and sticks. At the time Brazel was in a hurry to get his round made and he did not pay much attention to it. But he did remark about what he had seen and on July 4 he, his wife, Vernon and a daughter Bet-, age 14, went back to the spot and gathered up quite a bit of the debris. The next day he first heard about the flying disks, and wondered if he had found one of these, the remnants of one of these. Monday he came to town to sell some wool and while here he went to see sheriff George Wilcox and whispered kind a confidential like that he might have found a flying disk. Wilcox got in touch with the Roswell Army Air Field and Major Jesse A. Marcel and a man in plain clothes accompanied him home, where they picked up the rest of the pieces of the 'disk' and went to his home to try to reconstruct it. According to Brazel they simply could not reconstruct it at all. They tried to make a kite out of it, but could not find any way to put it back together so that it would fit. Then Major Marcel brought it to Roswell and that was the last Brazel heard of it until the story broke that he had found a flying disk. Brazel said that he did not see it fall from the sky and did not see it before it was torn up, so he did not know the size or shape it might have been, but he thought it might have been, but he thought about the size of a table top. The balloons which he had seen before were 20 feet long, he felt, measuring the distance by the size of the room in which he sat. The rubber was smoky gray in color and scattered over an area about 200 yards in diameter. Brazel said that he had previously found two weather observation balloons on the ranch, but that what he found this time did not in any way resemble either of these. have weighed maybe five pounds. There was no sign of any metal in the area which might have been used for an engine and no sign of any propeller of any kind, although at least one paper fin had been glued onto some of the tinfoil. There were no words to be found anywhere on the instrument, although there were letters on some of the parts. Considerable scotch tape and some tape with flowers printed upon it had been used in the construction. No strings or wire were to be found but there were some eyelets in the paper to indicate that some sort of attachment may have been used. Brazel said that he had previously found two weather observation balloons on the ranch, but that what he found this time did not in any way resemble either of these. 'I am sure what I found was not any weather observation balloon,' he said. 'But if I can find anything else besides a bomb they are going to have a hard time getting me to say anything about it.' When the debris was gathered up the [ILLEGIBLE] tinfoil, sticks made a bundle about 18 or 20 inches long and about 8 inches thick. In all, he estimated, the entire lot would
2 Interview Col Richard L. Weaver with Lt Col Sheridan Cavitt, USAF (Ret) May 24, 1994
Same as Weaver Attachment 18
3 Interview Lt Col Joseph V. Rogan with Irving Newton July 21, 1994
Same as Weaver Attachment 30
4 Letter Lt Col Edward A. Doty to Mr David Bushnell March 3, 1959
3 March 1959
Mr. David Bushnell
MDNH
Air Force Missile Development Center
Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico
Dear Mr. Bushnell:
It has taken me much too long in answering your inquiries of 9 October 1958 but I hope this information will be of some value to you in preparing a history of balloon operations at Holloman. Thanks also for the three reports which you sent me.
Answering your specific questions, my EDCMR to Holloman was 20 January 1948. I reported in about 1 February 1948. I immediately joined the Electronic and Atmospheric Projects Section and remained in this same basic organization through its various name changes for my entire tour at Holloman.
I attended the January 1950 Class at the Air Tactical School, Tryndall Air Force Base, Florida for sixteen (16) weeks and returned to Holloman by 15 May.
On 31 July 1950 I was assigned Chief, Geophysical Research Unit, (Balloon) Electronics and Atmospheric Branch, Technical Operations Section, O&P on Special Orders No. 152, par 24. This, I believe, was the first balloon organization. On 29 May 1951, S.O. No. 111, par 8 redesignated me without change of assignment as Chief, Balloon Atmospheric Unit, Electronics and Atmospheric Branch; Development and Test Section Base Directorate, Technical Operations. Then in S.O. No. 98, 13 November 1951, par 11, I was Chief, Balloon Sonde Sub-Unit, Electronics and Atmospheric Unit, Development and Test Section, Operations.
I was never the Holloman Base Weather Officer. Lt Colonel Maas was assigned as Base Weather Officer and as head of the E&A organization as a dual assignment for a while.
There was a continuity of organization from the earliest balloon activities up to the present. The name changed but the group continued . The radar research activities, the Aerobee rocket atmospheric investigations and the balloon activities were sponsored originallyby the Air Force Cambridge Research Center and were administered in a single organization up through the time I left Holloman.
When I first arrived at Holloman, a New York University group under Mr. C. B. Moore with a AFCRC contract had been launching 20 foot plastic balloons since June 1947 from the North area. I began as their project officer.
I hope this has been of some use to you.
Sincerely,
EDWARD A. DOTY
Lt Colonel, USAF
[handwritten:] (4)cs' AFDRd-LX5 Letter Brig Gen E. O'Donnell to Commanding General, USAAF Subj: Change in Classification of MOGUL, Item 188-5 July 8, 1946
Included in Weaver Attachment 19
6 Report Maurice Ewing for General Carl Spaatz "Long Range Sound Transmission in the Atmosphere" n.d.
[REDACTED] 1.
LONG RANGE SOUND TRANSMISSION IN THE ATMOSPHERE
A Report for General Carl Spaatz
prepared by Maurice Ewing
I THE SOUND CHANNEL IN THE OCEAN
Under a contract with the Bureau of Ships, we have proved that there is a sound channel in the ocean with its axis at a depth of about 4000 feet. Confirming a prediction made by the writer, a four sound bomb fired at this depth has been heard at a distance of 2300 miles, using a hydrophone at the same depth as a receiver. This range enormously exceeds anything before achieved, and is possible primarily because the source and the receiver are placed at the most advantageous depth. The signal strength indicates that far greater ranges can be obtained without change of equipment.
At a typical place in the ocean, the speed of sound at the surface is 5001 ft/sec. It decreases to 4888 ft/sec at a depth of 4000 feet, and then increases to 5065 ft/sec at a depth of 16,200 feet. This situation is described as a sound channel with its axis at 4000 feet, because all sound rays are deflected downward at points above the axis and upward at points below it. Detailed calculation of the bending of the ray paths due to pressure and temperature shows that all rays leaving a sound source on the axis in directions within 12° of the horizontal are refracted back and forth across the axis and can travel unlimited distances without contact with surface or bottom, hence the long ranges. A similar calculation for a sound source near the surface shows that all rays must be reflected at surface and bottom many times in the course of a few hundred miles, hence the limited range of detection of ordinary shallow explosions, and the occurence of skip distances.
The sound from an explosion at the axis of the sound channel has a duration of about 12 seconds per thousand miles of travel, and an unmistakable pattern of a gradual building up to maximum intensity with a very sharp out-off. This last feature is of great importance because it permits accurate triangulation with a network of three listening stations, the rate of transmission being about one mile per second.
(Reference 1)
[REDACTED][REDACTED] 2.
II EXISTENCE OF A SOUND CHANNEL IN THE ATMOSPHERE
In September, 1944, it occurred to me that there is a similar sound channel in the atmosphere with the axis at a height of about 45,000 feet, and that, with source and receiver placed at this height, we might exceed the accepted ranges as enormously as we had in the ocean. In other words, it might be possible to detect sound half way around the world.
The fundamental data on this subject as revealed during a hurried search of the literature (mostly prior to 1930), show that, for a typical large explosion, there is audibility from 0 to 25 miles and from 90 to 125 miles, with a zone of silence from 25 to 90 miles. The accepted explanation of the total collection of these data is that the speed of sound decreases from about 1090 ft/sec at the surface to about 970 ft/sec at about 45,000 feet, and then increases to about 1155 ft/sec at about 130,000 feet. (Reference 2)
Thus there is a sound channel in the atmosphere with its axis at a height of about 45,000 feet, and if both sound source and receiver are located at this height, we may expect extraordinary ranges and all the other useful phenomena which have been found in the sound channel in the ocean. This means that the signals will have highly characteristic identifying features and that they will permit accurate triangulation.
III PROBABLE MAXIMUM RANGE
The maximum range for sonic signalling in the atmospheric sound channel will depend primarily on the absorption coefficient, which is the rate at which the acoustical energy is converted into heat by frictional losses. Following Rayleigh (Reference 3, p. 316), it may be calculated that the distance at which sound of frequency 50 cycles per second would be reduced in intensity by the factor 7.5 by the effect of friction alone is about 24,000 miles at sea level, and about 4500 miles at 45,000 feet. As these distances are inversely proportional to the square of the frequency, they would be one hundred times greater for sounds of frequency 5 cycles per second, which have often been observed when large explosions were studied.
[REDACTED][ILLEGIBLE] 3.
It is impossible to make really detailed calculations of the maximum range without better information about temperature and sound velocity in locations from 45,000 to 90,000 feet, for it is there that the greatest frictional losses will occur. However, it is safe to predict that a bomb containing a few pounds of TNT can be heard from 4000 to 5000 miles. The chance that it could be heard to the farthest point on earth is worth consideration.
IV PROPOSED MILITARY USE OF ATMOSPHERIC SOUND CHANNEL
It is my belief that a large rocket or jet propulsion motor passing the axis of the sound channel would also be detectable by listening at several thousand miles, and subject to location by triangulation if heard by three suitably chosen stations. In time of war this triangulation could locate the launching sites of the enemy, and in peace time it is conceivable that suitably chosen listening stations could monitor the entire world to detect and locate any unusual rocket or jet propulsion experiments, thus minimizing the danger of surprise attacks with secret weapons.
V TYPES OF LISTENING STATION
The most promising types of listening station according to my present knowledge would make use either of the higher mountains of the world or of free balloons to gain adequate height. It is unknown at present by how far the receiver may be removed from the preferred height without prohibitive sacrifice of sound channel properties. However, in the submarine sound channel we have had fairly good reception with the hydrophone at 2000 feet when the axis of the channel was at 4000 feet. Hence, it is not beyond reason that the taller mountains might provide sufficient altitude of themselves.
Small stratosphere balloons provided with radio means for transmission of sound impulses to a receiving station either fixed or mobile, probably provide the most readily available listening arrangement.
[REDACTED]22 [SECRET]
VI PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS RECOMMENDED
a) Canvas published literature for such further
information as can be gleaned from sound transmission between
source and receiver at the earth's surface about variation
of sound velocity and sound absorption with altitude.
Also canvas meteorological literature for better information
about the stratosphere.
b) Assign an officer to search confidential
publications on sound ranging and other related subjects
for relevant information. This officer should also collect
data on sound ranging equipment and personnel in the army
which could be assembled for a preliminary test.
c) Make a preliminary measurement using about
three sound ranging units on ground as receivers, and bombs
dropped or rockets fired upward from a high flying plane,
or anti-aircraft shells sent as high as possible as sources.
This will not be true sound channel transmission, but rather
a refinement of the data collected from audibility of large
explosions. By proper interpretation of records from bombs
exploded at intervals of a few miles out to 400 or 500 miles,
all of the basic information will be made available. By use
of techniques which I have used for years on sound transmission
through ground and through water, it is possible to calculate
the path followed by each sound ray, to find its highest
ascent into the stratosphere, and to determine the coefficient
of sound absorption.
d) A study of existing publications should be made
to determine the sound production of typical rocket and
jet propulsion units in order to have data about the intensity
and the frequency distribution of these sources for ultimate
estimates of sound channel range.
If these data do not exist, experiments should
be made to produce them, for they would certainly be of
use in other connections.
e) An estimate of the background noise to be
expected at the axis of the sound channel should be made.
In my opinion, the principal contributors will be meteors,
possibly high-flying normal air traffic, lightning, and
anti-aircraft type artillery fire. A considerable body
of information could be collected on this subject without
experimentation.
[SECRET][SECRET]
E7 5.
My opinion is that the background noise will not
be seriously high unless normal traffic begins to reach such
heights that it will create the same type of disturbance as
the projectiles which we are considering.
f) Measurements of actual sound channel transmission
using a small stratosphere balloon carrying sound receivers
and a radio for transmission of sound signals to a recording
station should be the next step in this investigation.
VII CONCLUSIONS
It is my opinion that the stratosphere sound channel
should be investigated, for it has the potentiality of military
importance. I believe that its military importance depends
greatly upon secrecy and that the investigation should be
started in a quiet way, restricting knowledge of the purpose
of the work to the smallest possible group.
VIII REFERENCES
1. Interim Report No. 1 Long Range Sound Transmission,
by Maurice Ewing and J. L. Worzel, Contract NObs-2063,
Bureau of Ships, Navy Department, 1943.
2. Handbuch der Experimentalphysik, by C. Meisser, pp 211-251,
XXV, 3 Teil Luftseismik, Wien & Harms, Leipzig, 1930.
3. Theory of Sound, by Lord Rayleigh, vol. II, pp. 316-17,
Macmillan & Co., London, 1926.
[SECRET]7 Report HQ Fitzwilliam Fwd "Sonic Balloon Test, Kwajalein" May 17, 1948
HEADQUARTERS FITZWILLIAM FORWARD
c/o Commander, Task Group 7.2
APO 187, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, Calif.
17 May 1948
SONIC BALLOON TEST, KWAJALEIN
Inclosure G to FITZWILLIAM FORWARD Report
The Watson Laboratories of Air Materiel Command arranged for one (1)
of its sonic balloon teams to participate in the FITZWILLIAM project as a
mobile team to operate in the Central Pacific, at KWAJALEIN, GUAM and HICKAM
FIELD, HAWAII, in that order, changing location for each of the three (3)
explosions.
The purpose of this exploratory test was as follows: first, to deter-
mine if an atomic explosion's compressional waves are generated in the sound
channel existing between 50,000 and 70,000 feet (such waves would conceivably
travel unimpeded for long distances in this channel without touching the
earth's surface); second, to determine whether a sound pick-up unit suspended
from a floating balloon could detect compressional waves (possibly undetected
by similar sound units at the earth's surface) by virtue of the decreased
background noise in the high-level sound channel.
Balloons were made of high grade plastic, were of tear-drop shape, and
were twenty-five (25) feet at their largest sea-level diameter. The sonic
unit was a combination microphone-transmitter which was suspended from the
balloon and picked up sound waves, transmitting them to a ground directional
antenna connected to a radiosonde receiver (standard SCR 658 air weather
radio receiver). The transmitted sound impulses were recorded on two (2)
Esterline-Angus recorders.
A dribble constructed of a five (5) gallon tin incorporating a metered
jet to allow a predetermined spillage rate of high grade kerosene-ethylene-
glycol mixture was attached to the balloon. This was designed to counteract
the helium gas seepage thru the surface pores of the plastic balloon. This
metered loss of ballast and controlled the rising rate of the balloon at 500
to 600 feet a minute.
Ground sonic equipment consisted of World War II sound ranging devices
utilized to pick up sound waves from an explosion traveling along the earth's
surface.
A radio receiver was used to obtain explosion time notification code
signals from the ENIWETOK radio station.
The balloon launching site had to have a down-wind clearance of about
1000 feet to lay out the 100 feet risers and cables to which were attached
the microphone-transmitter and dribbler units. Also the site had to be
sheltered from the wind to prevent damage to the balloon while it was being
-1-inflated. At KWAJALEIN a wind-break was constructed through the courtesy of
the island commander, Captain Vest, USN. At a predetermined time, the balloon
was inflated with a fixed amount of helium gas to raise it to an altitude of
from 50,000 to 60,000 feet where it floated at a constant level. The balloon
was cautiously launched and guided until it cleared all ground obstacles.
Electrical power for the microphone-transmitter was provided through wet-cell
batteries, especially constructed to prevent freezing. The balloon was tracked
visually by use of theodolites. Prior to the actual test on KWAJALEIN on X-day
(15 April 1948) two (2) practice runs were made to minimize chance of failure
and to improve operating techniques.
The transportation requirement was for air lift to transport the team of
six (6) scientists and twelve (12) thousand pounds of equipment from BELMAR,
NEW JERSEY to KWAJALEIN, GUAM, HAWAII and then back to BELMAR, NEW JERSEY. The
Air Materiel Command provided three (3) aircraft, a C-54, a B-29, and a B-17,
and crews, under the direction of Captain Stanley C. Lewis, from the 4149th
AFBU, MIDDLETOWN, PENNSYLVANIA. The C-54 was also utilized in carrying
Tracerlab personnel and equipment to KWAJALEIN and GUAM. Maintenance assist-
ance was afforded by the local base and tactical organizations.
The mobile team personnel was assembled and partially trained at Watson
Laboratories. The team arrived at KWAJALEIN 31 March 1948; departed for
NORTH FIELD, GUAM, on 16 April 1948; for HICKAM FIELD on 3 May 1948; and was
scheduled to depart from HAWAII for its home station on Z plus one (1) day.
The balloon team and aircraft crew personnel were as follows:
BALLOON TEAM:
Dr. Albert P. Crary "Q" clearance Physicist
Mr. Charles S. Schneider "Q" clearance Meteorological Engineer
Mr. John W. Alden "P" clearance Radio Engineer
Mr. John A. Moulden "P" clearance Radio Repairman
Mr. Murry Hackman "P" clearance Meteorological Engineer
Mr. James Smith "P" clearance Meteorological Engineer
B-29 CREW
Captain Stanley C. Lewis Pilot (Flight Commander)
1st Lieutenant Randall S. Kane Co-Pilot
1st Lieutenant Wm. L. Adams Navigator
M/Sergeant W. L. Halliday Engineer
M/Sergeant R. A. Kabaste Radio Operator
T/Sergeant R. A. Cox Ass't Radio Operator
T/Sergeant L. D. Moon Ass't Engineer
C-54 CREW
Captain John P. Clowry Pilot
1st Lieutenant Richard Mesher Co-Pilot
1st Lieutenant Chas. A. Lamana Navigator
S/Sergeant James Brau Engineer
S/Sergeant L. H. Campbell Radio Operator
Sergeant George L. Fratwell Ass't Engineer
-2-B-17 CREW
1st Lieutenant Owen B. Dubell Pilot
1st Lieutenant Thomas F. Carroll Co-Pilot
1st Lieutenant John Martzen Navigator
Sergeant W. R. Rice Engineer
Time notification signals were required and provided in order to afford
sufficient time to make necessary launching preparations, and to position the
balloons just a few minutes prior to the predetermined arrival of the explo-
sion sound wave. Headquarters FITZWILLIAM FORWARD furnished ARPACAS 3-1 and
3-2 by officer courier. The team experienced no difficulty in obtaining the
time signals.
Reports required of the team were a brief statement as to positive or
negative results of the tests, and notification of team movement to it's
several locations. Reports of results were made to Headquarters FITZWILLIAM
FORWARD and to AFMSW-1.
Results of the KWAJALEIN test were as follows: balloon-borne equipment
results were positive and ground equipment results were questionable. An
accurate final analysis and evaluation report will be submitted upon Dr.
Crary's return to Watson Laboratories, including an accurate determination of
results.
Due to time limitation and pending a thorough evaluation of results, the
following recommendations, of necessity, should be considered tentative:
1. Before departing for field locations, a survey should be made to
determine the best balloon launching sites, giving due consideration to
shelter from high velocity and gusty winds, and sufficient clear space to
lay-out shroud lines and control cables thus affording clear passage of the
instruments which are suspended about one hundred (100) feet below the balloon.
2. That an SCR 658, radiosonde receiver be included in the team equip-
ment list. For these tests, a receiver had to be borrowed from the air
weather station at each location. This presented a problem because each sta-
tion had only one (1) receiver and it was needed by the station personnel for
upper air sounding operations. This necessitated selecting the best possible
launching site adjacent to the weather station. Also, this precluded selection
of a site without a weather station.
-3-8
Memo
Brig Gen Tom C. Rives to Maj Gen
Curtis LeMay
Subj: Relief of Major R.T. Crane as
Project Officer for MOGUL and
TORRID
June 18, 1946[REDACTED]
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
MATERIEL TSELT/TCR/gem
TSELT 18 June 1946
MEMORANDUM FOR: Major General Curtis LeMay
SUBJECT: Relief of Major R. T. Crane as Project Officer for
MOGUL and TORRID
1. In compliance with General Spaatz' directive, I contacted
Dr. M. Ewing at Columbia University on 15 June 1946 and discussed
the proposed relief of Major R. T. Crane as project officer on
projects MOGUL and TORRID.
2. Dr. Ewing was exceedingly pleasant and agreed to the relief
of Major Crane, asking only that it be done in such a way as to
cause as little embarrassment to any of the parties concerned as
possible. I advised him that the matter would be handled diplomatically.
3. I then discussed with Dr. Ewing the subject of a successor
to Major Crane and suggested to him that Colonel Marcellus Duffy, a
Regular Army officer and well-qualified on meteorological research
and development work, might be made available for this duty. Dr. Ewing
advised that he believed that he could work well with Colonel Duffy
if he is assigned to this work. It was further agreed that as soon as
a project officer is finally selected, a conference would be held with
Dr. Ewing and the new project officer and Colonel Maier and Colonel
Graul in order that there will be a clear understanding as to the
objectives to be accomplished.
TOM C. RIVES
Brig. General, USA
Chief, Electronic Subdivision
Engineering Division
Noted by General Spaatz.
[signature]9
Memo
Maj Gen Curtis E. LeMay to Maj Gen
L.C. Craigie
April 16, 194716 April 1947
Major General L. C. Craigie
Chief, Engineering Division
Air Materiel Command
Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio
Dear Bill,
Attached is the action on your letter
requesting deferment of foreign service for some
of your people. I hope this solves your personnel
problem for the time being. I am still waiting for
the study on Wright Field people ordered to school
this fall.
Sincerely,
CURTIS E. LeMAY
Major General, U. S. Army
Deputy Chief of Air Staff for
Research and Development
Incl.
Memo fr. A-1, 14 Apr 47Colonel Oscar C. Maier, O-16096
Retention: Indefinite. No known replacement in the AAF.
Duties: Chief, Electronic Plans Section, Electronic Subdivision.
This officer should be retained in his present assignment due to the
background of knowledge and experience which he has with reference to
electronic research and development as well as meteorological research
and development and the physics of the upper air. Colonel Maier has
completed all requirements for a Ph. D. degree from the California
Institute of Technology except for six months residency. During the
period 1 February 1945 to 1 January 1946, Colonel Maier had been
Commanding Officer of Watson Laboratories in charge of research and
development of ground radar, radio and electronics equipment peculiar
to the Army Air Forces, previous to which he was in command of
various Signal Corps laboratories. Furthermore, he has complete
technical knowledge and understanding of the projects being carried
on by Watson Laboratories and Cambridge Field Station, which can only
be achieved by years of active participation in the actual research
and development of that particular type of electronic ground equipment.
Colonel Marcellus G. Duffy, O-18373
Retention: Indefinite. No known replacement in the AAF.
Duties: Assitant Chief, Electronic Plans Section, Electronic
Subdivision. This officer has an extensive background and knowledge
in meteorological and electronic research and development. He is a
graduate of M.I.T. in meteorology. Colonel Duffy was liaison officer
from the Commanding General, AAF, to the Chief Signal Officer for duty
in connection with meteorological equipment for the period 1942-1946.
During this period he set up AAF requirements, standards and training
programs for weather equipment and personally followed this equipment
from the laboratories to its introduction in all combat theaters.
From September 1945 to January 1947, Colonel Duffy was in charge of
applied propagation of compressional and magnetic waves at Watson
Laboratories. At the present time, Colonel Duffy is monitoring the
upper air research program for the AAF in addition to his duties as
Assistant Chief of the Electronic Plans Section. With the Air Force
competing against other services in the upper air research program,
guided missiles and meteorological research, a competent, practical
and theoretical officer is considered essential in the Plans Section,
Electronic Subdivision.
Colonel Ralph L. Wassell, O-22329
Retention: Indefinite. No known replacement in the AAF.
Duties: Chief of Operations for Power Plant Laboratory. In this
capacity he is responsible directly to the Laboratory Chief for the
planning and execution of the entire engine development program.
Specifically, he is responsible for supervision of the Rotating Engine
Branch and the Non-Rotating Engine Branch. In order to successfully
execute his responsibilities, Colonel Wassell must coordinate and
approve the initiation of all research and development projects for
- 2 -10 New York University Constant Level Balloons Final Report March 1, 1951
Technical Report No. 93.03
CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOONS
FINAL REPORT
Constant Level Balloon Project
New York University
Prepared in Accordance with provisions of Contract
W28-099-ac-241, between
Watson Laboratories, Red Bank, New Jersey
and
New York University
The research reported in this document has been made possible
through support and sponsorship extended by the Geophysical
Research Directorate of the Cambridge Research Laboratories,
AMC, U. S. Air Force, under Contract No. W28-099-ac-241.
It is published for technical information only and does not
represent recommendations or conclusions of the sponsoring
agency.
Prepared by: William D. Murray, Project Director
[signature]
Approved by: Harold K. Work,
Director of the Research Division
[signature]
College of Engineering
New York University
1 March 1951
New York 53, New YorkTABLE OF CONTENTS
Page Number
A. Introduction and Statement of Problem.............. 1
B. Constant Altitude Balloon Systems................... 3
C. Telemetering from Balloon Systems................... 7
D. Launching Services.................................. 13
E. Meteorological Analysis............................. 19
F. Flights Utilizing the Constant Level Balloon
System.............................................. 21
High Altitude Balloon Trajectory Study
(Contract AF 19(122)-45)...................... 21
High Neutron Intensity Study
(Contract AF 28(099)-10)...................... 22
List of Flights..................................... 24
References.......................................... 27LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Number Page Number 1. Pressure Displacement Switch for Ballast Control 4 2. Ballast Control Circuit 5 3. Constant Level Balloon Flight Using Ballast Control 6 4. FM-1 Transmitter 8 5. FM-2 Transmitter 8 6. AM-1 Transmitter 10 7. AM-2 Transmitter 12 8. Balloon Flight Using Fixed Ballast Flow 13 9. Balloon Flight Without Ballast 14 10. Flight Train, Service Flight 14 11. Inflation of a 20 ft. Plastic Balloon 15 12. Flight Termination Switch 17 13. Balloon Rip Assembly 18 14. Rip Assembly Cannon 19 15. "Two Level" Stepped Flight 23
1.
ABSTRACT
Systems of constant altitude balloons have been designed, developed,
tested and used in various types of atmospheric research. After
investigation and testing of several methods, a system comprising
of a plastic fixed-volume balloon, electrically operated control
instrumentation, and liquid ballast was developed.
This system has been used on several series of flights for carry-
ing instruments at constant altitudes, studying winds over long
periods at the 200 mb level, and investigation of neutron maxima.
Balloon launchings were carried out at various sites in the United
States by members of the project in coordination with representatives
of the sponsoring agency. Meteorological analysis of conditions
over selected stations in the Western Hemisphere as requested by
the sponsor was carried out by members of the Department of
Meteorology of New York University.
A. Introduction and Statement of Problem
Contract W-28-099-ac-241 between Watson Laboratories AMC was
entered into on 1 November 1946 to be carried out from 30
September 1946 to 1 October 1948.
Services to be furnished were as follows:
Research, investigation and engineering services in
connection with obtaining and furnishing experimental
data on pressure and temperature in the upper atomosphere,
to involve the following:
a. The securing of constant level balloons under the
following conditions:
(1) Initially a six to eight hour minimum time
for the balloon in air; eventually a forty-
eight hour time for balloon in air.
(2) The altitude to be attained by the balloon
will be 10 to 20 km, adjustable at 2 km
intervals.
(3) Maintain elevation within 500 meters and the
frequency of oscillation to be such that it
will not interfere with operation of balloon
borne radio equipment.2.
b. The construction by the contractor of an experimental air
borne radio and associated air borne or ground receiving
equipment which will transmit and receive information from
a mechanical movement introduced into the radio circuit.
The weight of the pick up device and any required power
supply to be carried in the balloon will not be over 2 lbs.
c. The contractor will fly the balloons, track them, and collect
the data on pressure and temperature to be transmitted as
the balloon goes up and at periodic intervals at flight
altitude. These intervals to be determined by consulta-
tion. The accuracy is to be comparable to that of the
standard Army Radiosonde.
d. Interpretation of Meteorological data in connection with
project.
Five copies of reports of design and development phases were to
be delivered at monthly intervals. Results of meteorological
studies were to be transmitted as completed to the sponsoring
agency for use of Air Force scientific personnel.
On 27 February 1948, Modification #1 revised the number of copies
of reports to be furnished to 25. Modification #2, of 2 April
1948, added the requirement of "Research Investigation, and
Engineering services leading to the determination of the dependance
of the propagation of sound on atmospheric conditions", to the
contract. Contract funds were increased to cover this additional
requirement.
Under Modification #3 of 23 April 1948, it was agreed that a
separate final report on telemetering from Balloon Systems would
be completed and transmitted to the sponsor. The time of performance
was extended to 1 February 1949 and contract funds increased to
cover the increased period of performance by Modification #4 to
the contract on 29 September 1948.
On 28 October, 1948, the number of reports required was increased
to fifty (50) and the place for final inspection and acceptance
charged to Cambridge Field Station, AMC by Modification #5. Modifica-
tion #6 changed the allotment for funds to be used on the project.
The period of performance of the project was extended to 50 March
1949, by Modification #7 of 26 January 1949.
Modification #8 of 8 April 1949, modified the requirement to that
of maintenance of one trained person in the field to carry out
balloon launching and tracking services in conjunction with Air
Force scientific personnel. Funds were increased to extend the3.
period of performance to 15 March 1950. A final report on
development and testing of constant altitude balloon systems
was to be submitted to the Air Force. Modification #9 revised
the delivery address for reports.
Modification #10 of 1 May 1950, increased contract funds to
continue field service and meteorological analysis work to 15
June 1950.
Modification #11 subsequently extended the period of performance
to the termination date of 31 December 1950 and increased funds
accordingly.
B. Constant Altitude Balloon Systems
Development of a system to maintain balloons at constant al-
titudes for long periods of time was completed on 15 March 1949.
This development has been completely reported in "Technical
Report 93.02"(1) by this Research Division under "Section 1,
General".
Essentially the system as developed at New York University con-
sists of a constant volume balloon of thin polyethylene which,
when filled with hydrogen or helium, furnishes the lift for the
system. (Because of the increased safety to personnel and equip-
ment, use of helium is to be recommended). The balloon is in-
flated with enough gas to balance the weight of the suspended
equipment, plus a certain amount of "free lift" which will cause
the system to ascend. When the balloon nears floating altitude
and becomes full, the gas comprising the "free lift" will be
expelled through an open appendix at the bottom of the balloon.
The system is then at equilibrium at an altitude fixed by the
balloon volume. The ratio of molecular weights of the lifting
gas and air, density of the surrounding air, and the total balloon
load are as follows:
Vb (1- Mg ) da= L
Ma
This state of equilibrium is broken, however, by changes in any
of the above variables. Basically, losses of lift due to leakage
and diffusion of gas, and changes of temperature of the lifting
gas cause a change from equilibrium conditions.
Any variations causing an increase in altitude will result merely
in a valving of gas from the fixed volume balloon and a slight
increase in altitude. Changes in the reverse direction, however,4. must be compensated for by decreasing the load on the system to prevent descent to the ground. This decrease of load is carried out by dropping liquid ballast as demanded by a pressure activated ballast control switch. This switch completes a circuit through a relay operated ballast valve whenever the balloon system descends to a region of pressure greater than that of its selected floating altitude. Ballast is thus dropped and the system returned to floating altitude. On flights made on another project since the termination of the development phase of this project, the ballast control system was standardized to include a pressure displacement switch and an electrically operated ballast valve. The displacement switch (Fig. 1) consists of a standard temperature compensated aneroid cell and pen arm from a radiosonde modulator [PHOTOGRAPH] Fig. 1 Pressure Displacement Switch for Ballast Control
5. (Type E preferred); a rotating commutator of two segments, an insulator and a conductor; a six volt 1 rpm motor; and a shelf for the pen arm. In calibration, the aneroid cell is moved across the base by means of a screw which allows selec- tion of various altitudes for control. Initially the pen arm rides on the shelf during ascent so that the circuit to the valve remains open until the balloon approaches floating altitude. Several thousand feet before ascent is completed the pen arm falls off the shelf closing the ballast circuit (Fig. 2) and causing ballast flow during the final period of ascent. When the balloon reaches control [DIAGRAM: DISPLACEMENT SWITCH COMMUTATOR ANEROID PEN ARM 5RPM MOTOR BALLAST FLUID RELAY OPERATED VALVE 6V. BATTERY BALLAST CONTROL CIRCUIT] Fig. 2 Ballast Control Circuit
6. altitude the pen passes to the insulator portion of the commutator and ballast flow ceases. Whenever the balloon system subsequently descends past control altitude, ballast is made to flow, maintaining the balloon altitude at control level. This system has been used successfully on over twenty constant level flights maintaining altitude to close limits for periods up to 60 hours. An example of a flight made with this control is shown as Fig. 3. [CHART: Pressure altitude vs. time graph with three record traces] 50,000 FT. MSL 45,000 FT. MSL 40,000 FT. MSL A— PRESSURE RECORD (PRESSURE ALTITUDE FROM OLLAND CYCLE DATA) (ALTITUDE FROM N.A.C.A. STANDARD ATMOSPHERE) 35,000 FT. MSL B— BALLAST RECORD C— TEMPERATURE RECORD BATTERY TEMPERATURE BALLOON TEMPERATURE SUNSET RISE — SIDESET FREE AIR TEMPERATURE Released 1420z 12 August 1949 Rapid City AFB — South Dakota FLIGHT 121 Gross Load — 32,000gm Ballast — 8104 gm Pressure Displacement Control 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2100 2200 2300 2400 0100 0200 0300 0400 0500 0600 0700 0800 0900 1000 12 AUGUST 1949 GREENWICH CENTRAL TIME 13 AUGUST 1949 Fig. 3 Constant Level Balloon Flight Using Ballast Control
7.
A review of this system by members of the University staff
has been published in "Transactions of the American Geophysical
Union(2)". Earlier work on this development has been reported
by members of this Research Division in"Technical Report 93.01"(3)
and in the "Journal of the American Meteorological Society"(4).
A manual for those interested in making use of balloon systems
of this type has also been published as "Section II, Operations"
of our "Technical Report 93.02"(1). This report consists of a
discussion of instrumentation for balloon systems, techniques
for launching and tracking, and telemetering from balloons as
developed and tested at New York University.
C. Telemetering From Balloon Systems
The second requirement of this project was the investigation,
development, and testing of balloon borne telemetering systems.
The development was completed in June of 1948 and a final report(7)
of work accomplished and recommendations made to the sponsor at
that time.
Two types of transmitter units were suggested as a means of
accomplishing the telemetering of data from a balloon to ground
station receivers. A high frequency system, making use of line-of-
sight transmission allows for accurate positioning of the balloon
system from two ground stations. The line-of-sight characteristic,
however, limits the range of this type transmitter, and ranges
in excess of 250 miles are not to be expected with a balloon
system floating at 40,000 ft.
Three line of sight transmitters were designed for use in
balloon work. The first, the FM-1, was designed to operate at
72 mc, using a conventional reactance tube modulator. Several
stages were included to deliver 1 watt output at the design
frequency. The unit was quite complicated and the required
input power large due to the requirement for several stages
to transmit at the high frequency. Fig. 4 is a schematic of
the FM-1 transmitter.
In order to overcome this limitation of FM sets, a two tube
transmitter was developed (Fig. 5). Variation in vacuum tube
resistance is used to modulate the oscillator plate voltage of
a self-excited oscillator in accordance with the audio signal.
This provides the frequency modulation desired. In order to
maintain a stable center frequency and render the oscillator
insensitive to changes in supply voltage, a neon tube voltage
regulator was included.8. [CIRCUIT DIAGRAM: FM-1 Transmitter schematic with component labels including 36mc, 50mmf, 25mmf, 72 mc, 220K, 3A4, 3A5, ANT, 47 K, 25 mmf, 150 mmf, 25 K, 2 K, 1k4, 47 K, Eb, 820 K, 0A+, 0B-] Fig. 4 FM-1 Transmitter [CIRCUIT DIAGRAM: FM-2 Transmitter schematic with component labels including 3A5, 3-30 mmf, 2.5 mh, 8200, .001 mfd, .0001mfd, 270 K, .0008mfd, 1.5 V, 4700, NE48, NE48, 4200, 2.5 mh, 3-30 mmf, .0005mfd, .001 mfd, 2.5mh, 180-225V., B+, B-, A+, ANT.] Fig. 5 FM-2 Transmitter
9. Output of the oscillator is both amplitude and frequency modulated, the amplitude modulation being limited by a class "C" RF amplifier. This unit weighed six ounces, was fed by a plate voltage of 270 volts with a filament drain of 400ma. at 1.5 volts. The output was one watt at frequencies from 25 to 100mc. Before procurement of a receiver with automatic frequency control an attempt was made to develop a crystal controlled oscillator to overcome the frequency drift inherent in FM systems. This work was abandoned when the controlled receiver was obtained. The crystal control unit which was developed required extreme care in tuning in order that modulation be linear. A miniature power amplifier, using one dual triode as a push-pull amplifier was constructed for use at 25 to 100mc with any of the above mentioned transmitters. The antennae for these transmitters was a half-wave vertical dipole. The receiver found satisfactory for these systems was the R-2A/ARR-3 Sonobuoy receiver. This unit employs Automatic frequency control and will tolerate a drift ± .35mc before retuning is required. When SCR-658 radio direction finding equipment became available work on these transmitters was abandoned and a 400mc transmitter used. This system allows for accurate positioning of the balloon systems by use of crossed azemuths from several receiving stations. A transmitter using pulse time modulation was designed for use with this receiving equipment. The advantages here are high peak power with relatively low input power (and thus a high signal to noise ratio) and simultaneous transmission of several data channels at one frequency. This project was abandoned before tests could be completed due to a modification of project requirements, but preliminary results indicated that this system would be advantageous in AM or FM transmission. This system makes use of short duration pulses ( .5 micro second) at a repetition rate of approximately 10 kc. For long range transmission of information an amplitude-modulated transmitter was developed. (Fig. 6) This unit, the AM-1, is crystal controlled, employing a 3A4 miniature tube in a Pierce oscillator circuit as the crystal oscillator. This circuit does not require an LC tank circuit and eliminates the tuning of this additional stage. The RF amplifier is a 3A5 miniature dual triode tube. The unit was designed to give 1.5 watt output with a 270 volt plate supply and can be used with 380 volts to give 3 watt output.
10. [CIRCUIT DIAGRAM: AM-1 Transmitter schematic with component labels including 1000 mmf, 100mmf, 3-35 mmf, XTAL, 3A4, 47K, 47 K, 100 mmf, 1000 mmf, 3A5, A+ RA., 1.5v, A- RA., 500 mmf, .1mfd, 82 K, 0-100 mmf, 150 mmf, 3A5, 3A5, 470 K, 160 mmf, 0.05 mfd, 0A+, 5v, 0A-, TO OLLAND CYCLE GROUND, TO RESISTOR BOARD (COMMON POINT OF MODULATOR RESISTORS), NOTE-DASHED LINE REPRESENTS BLOCKING OSCILLATOR CIRCUIT. SOLID LINE REPRESENTS XMITTER CIRCUITS., B+ 270V, 5K, 100K] Fig. 6 AM-1 Transmitter Frequency ranges from 1.5 to 9mc can be employed with the AM-1. The modulation of the AM-1 is effected by use of a triode modulator (2-3A5) tubes) connected in series with the plate supply of a class "C" RF amplifier. Variation of the plate supply voltage of the RF amplifier caused by change in tube resistance gives amplitude modulation linear with plate voltage of the amplifier. By use of this system modulation from DC to several hundred cycles is obtained. The receiver for this transmitter was a Hammerlund SP 400X with several modifications. In order to increase the signal to noise ratio a crystal filter was introduced into the IF amplifier circuit to narrow the bandwidth. Bandwidth was also reduced by
11. decreasing the coefficient of coupling between the primary and secondary of the IF transformers. By this reduction of bandwidth to 3kc a 3 microvolt signal produced a 15.5 DB signal to noise ratio, where at 16 kc bandwidth only 7 DB was obtained. In order to obtain accurate reproduction of the amplitude of the audio frequency the AVC circuit was modified by adding a fixed bias to the AVC diode of the receiver. This flattened the character- istic of the AVC circuit and no change in amplitude of recorded audio signal was detected over a six hour flight using a constant amplitude audio signal from the transmitter. The signal was tapped off at the output of the second detector of the receiver and fed to a Brush BL 905 AC amplifier for recording. The recorder used was a Brush BL-202 double channel oscillograph. A quarter wave vertical receiving antennae was employed with a counter poise ground. The transmitting antennae was a vertical half wave dipole. In order to use the AM-1 for transmission of information from pressure and temperature sensors a relaxation oscillator circuit was incorporated in the system. (dotted section - Fig. 6). This oscillator used one half of one of the 3A5 modulator tubes and produced a blocking rate approximately proportional to resistance of the sensor instruments. This information could be superimposed on the regular modulated signal and two types of information could be transmitted simultaneously; one as an amplitude and frequency change of the basic signal, the other as a frequency of pulses superimposed on the basic signal. The AM-1 has been used in balloon control research to transmit information on pressure, temperature and ballast requirements. It was also employed to give information on Neutron intensities in another Air Force project(5). In order to obtain information on balloon position on a wind study project the AM-1 was used as a beacon to be "homed in" on by the radio compass of aircraft(6). A system of diversity reception was considered for use with a dual channel AM-1 transmitter in order to increase reliability despite atmospheric noise. In the dual channel unit a common modulator was connected to two separate crystal oscillators and RF amplifiers. In preliminary tests two receiver and recording units were used. For short range balloon flights the AM-1 was modified for use with subminiature and acorn type tubes. In this, the AM-2, two 2E27 tubes in parallel provide excitation for the type 958A RF amplifier. A circuit diagram of this unit is shown as Fig. 7.
12. [CIRCUIT DIAGRAM: AM-2 Transmitter schematic with component labels including 6-9mc XTAL, 2E27, 2E27, .001 mfd, .001 mfd, 100 mmf, 47 K, 47 K, 25 mh, 25 mh, .001 mfd, 20K, 958A, 3-30 mmf TRIMMER, .0005mfd, .001 mfd., 2.5 mh, 180-225V., B+, B-, A+, 958A, 958A, 470 K, 3-30 mfd TRIM., 0B+ LOW (35 V.), OA+] Fig. 7 AM-2 Transmitter In addition to radio direction finding with the SCR658 and beacon transmission with radio compass, several other methods of balloon positioning were evaluated. Radar positioning was successful only if a target was attached to the balloon train. Generally, the ranges possible with radar are not as great as those possible by radio direction finding. For direction finding on the low frequency AM transmitter some value was found in use of loop antennae. Accuracy of this method is between .5 and 2 degrees and is generally hindered by sky wave reflection. A pulse time modulated transponder beacon at high frequencies was found to be advantageous for obtaining accurate slant range to the balloon. Preliminary investigation of use of Doppler effect for positioning indicated that this method is not feasible due to difficulty in measuring the low frequency differences involved.
13.
D. Launching Services
During the course of the project balloon flights were split into
two general classifications, (a) research and (b) service.
Research flights were made to test balloon controls and telemetering
systems developed under the contract. A full report of these
research flights has been made in "Technical Report 93.02 (1),
Section III, Summary of Flights"
Service flights were carried out by New York University personnel
in conjunction with technical personnel from the sponsoring agency
to test geophysical equipment developed in Air Force laboratories.
The requirements for these flights were launching and tracking
of balloons to float at specified altitudes for short periods of
time (6 to 8 hours). Because of this short flight duration,
simplified plastic balloon systems were used. Balloons were
maintained aloft by use of constant fixed ballast flow, or ballast
was excluded entirely from the system. A typical flight using
constant ballast flow at a rate slightly exceeding leakage losses
is shown as Fig. 8.
[CHART: Barograph record, height in thousands of feet vs. time]
Time—MST
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 82
Barograph Record Of G.M.20' Plastic Balloon With
534 gm/hr Fixed Ballast Leak
RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO,N.M.— 0511 MST, 10 AUG 1948
DESCENDED AT ROSWELL,N.M.— 1830 MST, 10 AUG 1948
DURATION— 11¼ hrs
Fig. 8
Balloon Flight Using Fixed Ballast Flow14. Fig. 9 is a typical flight with no ballast. The flight train for these flights is shown as Fig. 10. [CHART: Barograph record, height in thousands of feet vs. time] Time— M.S.T. NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 71 Barograph Record Of G.M. 20 Ft.Plastic Balloon Showing Balloon Performance When No Ballast Was Dropped RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO N.M., 2042 MST—9 JULY, 1948 RECOVERED AT VALENTINE TEXAS, 10 JULY, 1948 ESTIMATED DURATION 10 HOURS Fig. 9 Balloon Flight Without Ballast [DIAGRAM: Flight train components listed top to bottom] G.M. 20' Balloon ——> Flight Termination Switch——> Payload ——> Payload ——> Parachute ——> Banner ——> Orifice Ballast Assembly——> Launching Harness Fig. 10 Flight Train, Service Flight
15. With light weight payloads, balloon systems of this type can be launched by two or three experienced balloon men. The launching is carried out in a manner similar to that explained in Section II, Operations, of "Technical Report 93.02(1)" in that the balloon is inflated in the lee side of a building or wind screen, (or in an aircraft hangar if one is available, or in the open when winds are light) with the equipment train laid out downwind of the balloon. The amount of gas lift is equal to balloon weight plus approximately 10% to cause ascent at 800 to 1000ft. min. A picture of inflation of a 20 ft. diameter plastic balloon is shown as Fig. 11. [PHOTOGRAPH: Ground crew inflating a large plastic balloon in open field with wind screen visible] Fig. 11 Inflation of a 20 ft. Plastic Balloon
16.
The following is a list of equipment needed for launching of
a single flight of this type:
(a) Launching Equipment:
1 ea. set instructions (Operations Manual)
2 ea. elliptical shot bags (each filled with 100# of shot)
1 ea. 40' x6' Ground Cloth
4 ea. sheets polyethylene,.001" to .004", 4' x 4'
1 ea. gas tank manifold with pressure gages and valve
1 ea. rubber hose, 1" I.D.,10' long with diffuser
1 ea. rubber tubing 1/2" bore, 1/8" wall, 8' long
1 ea. solution balance
1 ea. inflation nozzle, ML-196 for rubber balloons
1 ea. tool kit complete with 2 sheath knives, 50' cloth
measuring tape, brass wire, 1" Mystic tape, volt ohmmeter,
pliers, screwdrivers, inflation tools, flashlights, crescent
wrenches, soldering iron, compass, 2 open-end wrenches,
1-1/8" x 1-1/4" openings, 14" pipe wrench, spanner for
helium tank valves, etc.
1 ea. theodolite ML-247 with tripod ML-78 (optional)
1 ea. recorder, brush oscillograph or other with amplifier.
1 ea. SCR-658 radio direction finder
1 ea. chronometer
(b) Flight Equipment:
2 to 5 tanks helium
1 ea. balloon
2 ea. rolls acetate fiber scotch tape
1 ea. appendix stiffeners (if appendix is to be used)
500# test nylon line
75# test linen twine
2 ea. 350 gram balloon ML-131A (for wind sock)
5 to 10 toggles or hooks
1 ea. radio transmitter
1 ea. pressure sensor (and temperature if desired)
Payload instrumentation
1 ea. banner, 3' x 6'
Data sheets
Weight sheets
Reward tags (English, Spanish or other language)
(c) Termination Equipment
1 ea. flight termination switch
1 ea. set rip rigging
2 ea. cannons
2 ea. squibs (treated for high altitude)17.
(d) Fixed Rate Ballast Equipment: (optional)
1 ea. orifice spinnerette, to give proper ballast flow
1 gallon ballast, compass fluid AN-C-116
1 ea. ballast reservoir (1 gallon capacity)
1 ea. filter 3' diameter, 325 x 325, phosphor bronze mesh
6 inches tubing (Tygon) 3/16" bore
Tracking of these flights was maintained by use of an SCR 658 radio
receiver with a 400mc transmitter telemetering information from
the balloon system. Information received through the telemetering
circuit can be recorded on a standard weather station recorder,
a recording oscilloscope of the Brush Development type or by any
other convenient means.
Altitude of the service flights was determined by use of a modified
radiosonde modulator, an olland cycle modulator (see p.68 , Section
I, General, Technical Report 93.02(1)), or by computation from
knowledge of the weight of the balloon system and volume of the
balloon.
In order to keep balloon systems from floating in the air lanes,
a flight termination switch was included in the circuit. This
switch is a radiosonde modulator modified so that all contacts
above 25,000 ft. are disconnected from the circuit. The pen arm
rides on a shelf during ascent to about 30,000 ft. and then falls
to the commutator (See Fig. 12).
[PHOTOGRAPH: Close-up of flight termination switch device mounted on flat surface]
Fig. 12
Flight Termination Switch18. When the system again descends to 25,000, the pen arm comes into contact with the commutator contact and an electrical circuit is closed through a squib in the load line. The load line is cut and the load on the system falls six to eight feet before being caught by a supplementary load line. During this fall a rip line pulls a hole one foot long in the side of the balloon and the system descends using the partially inflated balloon to hold the rate of descent to approximately 1200 ft/minute. This system has been used successfully in over 100 flights. A drawing of the rip assembly is shown as Fig. 13. The cannon and squib to cut the load line are shown as Fig. 14. [DIAGRAM: Balloon rip assembly showing: KNOTS ABOVE AND BELOW CANNONS 34' RIP LINE OF 100# TEST BRAIDED NYLON WITH 2' SLACK APPENDIX 3' LINE 2 SQUIB FIRING CANNONS TO BE FIRED AT 20,000 FT. BY FLIGHT TERMINATION SWITCH 10'SNUB LINE (COILED UP) TO TAKE PLACE OF 1FT LINE, WHICH HAS BEEN CUT (BOUND WITH THREAD) FLIGHT TERMINATION SWITCH RIPS BALLOON ON FINAL DESCENT TO 20,000FT, THUS REDUCING FLOATING TIME IN THE AIR LANES. THE HALF DEFLATED BALLOON THEN ACTS AS ITS OWN PARACHUTE ACETATE FIBER TAPE RIP LINE (100# TEST OR LOBSTER TWINE) 6' SLACK INSIDE BALLOON KNOT BALLOON WALL DETAIL OF RIP LINE INSERT INTO BALLOON] Fig. 13 Balloon Rip Assembly
19.
[DIAGRAM: Cross-section of rip assembly cannon showing:
NYLON LINE
LEAD BULLET
ALUMINUM
SQUIB
TO BAROSWITCH CIRCUIT]
Fig. 14
Rip Assembly Cannon
In all,115 service flights were made under this contract from
various government installations throughout the country. A
summary of these flights is listed in Table I (see end of text).
E. Meteorological Analysis
As one phase of this project, New York University agreed to prepare
analyses of winds and temperatures in the troposphere for dates and
localaties specified by Watson Laboratories.
The vertical distribution of temperature from the ground up to
heights of about 15 km at the time of any particular experiment
was estimated from the routine radiosonde ascents which were
nearest in respect to both time and space, to the site of the
experiment. If the time of the experiment was within three hours
of one of the twice-daily, standard hours of radiosonde observa-
tion, the temperature distribution given by such observation was
assumed to have existed (within the limits of error in the method
of measurement) at the time of the experiment. If the time differ-
ence was greater than three hours, a linear interpolation was made
between radiosonde observations preceding and following the time
of the experiment. Interpolation in space was accomplished
ordinarily by assuming a linear horizontal variation of temperature.20. However, when weather conditions indicated a markedly dis- continuous variation of temperature (i.e. a "front"), appropriate subjective modification of the objective linear interpolation technique was applied. The vertical distribution of wind was determined mainly from direct observations (pilot-balloon and radio wind-sounding measurements) of free-air winds at weather stations in the area of each experiment. However, actual measurements of winds in the upper half of the troposphere often are scarce or completely lacking, and it was frequently necessary to make use of an indirect method of estimating the wind at elevations greater than 5 km. Charts of the distribution of atmospheric pressure(as given by radiosonde observations) at selected levels between 5 km and 15 km were constructed, and the wind direction and speeds at these levels were computed from the well-known geostrophic wind equation, which relates the wind to the horizontal distribu- tion of pressure. For the experiments carried out off the east coast of the U.S.A. between 1 August 1946 and 1 August 1947, it seemed feasible to show the distributions of both temperature and wind in vertical cross-section. This was due to the fact that these experiments were made, and the results of same recorded, within a fairly narrow band centered close to a line between Lakehurst, N. J., and Nantucket, Mass., at which points radiosonde and upper-wind observations are taken regularly. However, vertical cross-sections of temperature and wind were abandoned as a method of representa- tion of the distribution pertaining to all subsequent experiments. There were several reasons for this decision. In the first place, the sites and character of later experiments did not fit into the existing weather-observing network in a manner favorable to cross- sectional representation. In the second place, experience brought about the conclusion that the horizontal gradient of temperature is usually so small that, within the area encompassed by an experiment, the difference in temperature at a given level between points at the ends of a cross-section is no greater than the average error of the radiosonde measurements. Thirdly, it was soon realized that the variability of the wind in space and time is such that an individual pilot-balloon or rawinsonde ascent is not representative of the average vertical distribution of velocity during the interval occupied by a single experiment. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the wind at high levels in the troposphere often had to be in- ferred by indirect means. Since the true wind usually deviates somewhat from the theoretical geostrophic wind (the latter being derived under certain simplifying assumptions) and since the geometry of the pressure field is subject to some uncertainty owing to inaccuracies in the radiosonde observations, it became apparent that the assignment of a single velocity value at any
21.
given point in a cross-section through the atmosphere was
misleading.
In order to avoid the suggestion of greater precision than was
warranted by the character of the information available, it
was decided, during the autumn of 1947 to present the meteorological
diagnoses in a different form. Since that time, graphs (in lieu
of cross-sections) have been constructed to show the vertical
distributions of the estimated ranges, that is to say, the estimated
extremes of temperature and wind on the whole or over a part of
the area involved in each experiment.
Since August, 1950, the principal task has been the preparation
of diagnoses of conditions existing during experiments being con-
ducted regularly in eastern Colorado, western Nebraska and western
Kansas by the Industrial Research Institute of the University of
Denver. The design of these experiments necessitates a particularly
careful study of the available weather data and the exercise of
a considerable amount of synoptic meteorological judgment in the
preparation of the wind and temperature diagnoses.
F. Flights Utilizing the Constant Level Balloon System
After completion of the balloon control and telemetering development
phases of the project, the balloon systems were utilized under
Contracts AF 19(122)-45 and AF 28(099)-10, between this University
and the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories. A brief review
of these projects is as follows:
1. High Altitude Balloon Trajectory Study (Contract AF 19(122)-45)
Under the terms of this contract the Research Division was
commissioned to launch and track constant level balloon
systems in order to study wind conditions at the 200 mb
level of the atmosphere. Flights were to remain afloat
until they had traveled approximately 1000 miles.
In order to track the balloon systems, the AM-1 trans-
mitter was operated at 1746 kc, using the radio compass
from an aircraft to "home in" on the balloon and position
it at specified time intervals. Information on pressure
altitude, ballast flow data and balloon, free air and
transmitter battery pack temperatures was transmitted
through the AM-1 to receivers mounted in the aircraft
and recorded on brush recorders for analysis at New
York University.
A total of 22 flights (two of which crossed the Atlantic
Ocean and were recovered in Norway and Algeria) were22.
made on this project. A complete report of these flights
and the equipment used is included in "Technical Report
121.01"(6) by this Research Division.
2. High Neutron Intensity Study (Contract AF 28(099)-10)
In conjunction with a study to determine the altitude of
maximum neutron density a modification was made on the
Constant Altitude balloon system developed under this
contract. In order to study neutron densities at two
different altitudes with the same set of instruments,
it was desirable to carry these instruments through
a "stepped flight". The balloon system in this case
was to ascend to a selected altitude (say 45,000 ft.)
float there for one hour and then ascend to a higher
altitude (for example 65,000 ft.) to float for another
hour before descending.
The advantages of this type flight for Cosmic Ray studies
are that a given altitude may be sampled for a long
enough period of time to obtain statistically valid
results, and such statistical sampling can be made
at several levels without the necessity of releasing
another balloon system and other set of neutron sensing
instruments. By proper design of equipment a fairly
wide range of altitudes can be sampled with "altitude
steps" of almost any desired size.
The step effect is attained by release of a fairly
large amount of ballast at a fast rate set off by a
pre-set clock timer or a radio release activated by
a transmitter on the ground. The amount of ballast
to be released is determined from the standard altitude-
volume load relationships used for constant-level balloon
flight. As a part of the final ballast release, the
ballast tank and its controls may be dropped from the
system.
If the level positions of the flight must be controlled
to fine limits, or if they must be of long duration
(more than two hours) it is necessary to employ constant-
level ballast control over these portions of the flight.
However, if the level portions of the flight are to be
in the neighborhood of 1 hour duration, ballast control
during these floating periods can be eliminated, making
use of the inherent stability of the plastic balloon
systems for short range constant level flights. It is
this latter method which was used by the New York University
group in the study of Neutron Maxima.23. In this study four flights were made to study conditions at altitudes of 45,000 and 60,000 ft. A clock timer was set to cause release of ballast after the system had floated at the lower level for one hour. After ballast was expended the timer caused release of the ballast tank to further reduce the load on the systems. A typical flight of this series is shown as Fig. 15. Further details on this study have been given in reports on "Neutron Intensity Study"(5) by this Research Division. [CHART: Altitude (FT. MSL) vs. Time After Release (Hours) Y-axis: 0, 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000 X-axis: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Labels on chart: ASCENT, 1st LEVEL, BALLAST RELEASED, 2nd LEVEL, DESCENT] Fig. 15 "Two Level" Stepped Flight
24.
Flight
No. Date Release Altitude
Point in ft. Recovery
MXF-1 5/13/48 Maxwell Field, Ala. 60,000
" -2 5/14/48 " " " 55,000
" -3 5/14/48 " " " did not reach Tyler,
altitude Ala.
" -4 5/14/48 " " " 55,000
E-CW-400-2 7/23/48 Eglin AFB, Fla. 45,000
" " " -3 8/23/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -4 8/24/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -5 8/25/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -6 8/25/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -7 8/26/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -8 8/30/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -9 8/31/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -10 9/2/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -11 9/2/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -12 9/8/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -13 9/10/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -14 9/13/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -15 9/29/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -16 9/30/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -17 11/1/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -18 11/4/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -19 11/4/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -20 11/8/48 " " " 45,000 30° 26' N 86° 29' W
" " " -21 11/8/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -22 11/9/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -23 11/15/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -24 11/15/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -25 11/16/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -26 11/17/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -27 11/18/48 " " " 45,000 12 mi.W., Fitzgerald,
Ga. 3:30 P.M. 11/18/48
" " " -28 11/18/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -29 12/1/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -30 12/9/48 " " " 45,000
" " " -31 12/11/48 " " " 60,000
" " " -32 12/12/48 " " " 62,000
" " " -33 12/14/48 " " " 65,000
" " " -34 12/16/48 " " " 65,000
" " " -35 12/17/48 " " " 65,000
" " " -36 1/13/49 " " " Test
" " " -37 1/13/49 " " " 50,000
" " " -38 1/14/49 " " " 50,000
" " " -39 1/15/49 " " " 50,000
" " " -40 1/28/49 " " " No release25.
Flight
No. Date Release Altitude
Point in ft. Recovery
E-CW-400-41 1/28/49 Eglin AFB, Fla. 60,000
" " " -42 1/28/49 McDill AFB.Fla. 50,000
" " " -43 2/16/49 Avon Park, Fla. 48,000
" " " -44 2/17/49 " " " 50,000
" " " -45 2/18/49 " " " 48,000
" " " -46 2/21/49 " " " 55,000
" " " -47 2/22/49 " " " 50,000
" " " -48 2/22/49 " " " 40,000
" " " -49 2/23/49 " " " 42,000
" " " -50 2/23/49 " " " Equipment
failure
" " " -52 2/24/49 " " " 50,000
" " " -53 3/2/49 " " " 45,000
" " " -54 3/3/49 " " " Instrument
failure
" " " -55 3/3/49 " " " 50,000
" " " -56 3/4/49 " " " 50,000
CL-1 6/7/49 Clovis AFB, N.M. 45,000
" -2 6/10/49 " " " 45,000
" -3 6/10/49 " " " 45,000
" -4 6/14/49 " " " 45,000 Graham, Texas
" -5 6/14/49 " " " 45,000
"- 6 6/16/49 " " " 50,000
" -7 6/23/49 " " " 50,000 Sayre, Okla.
" -8 6/23/49 " " " 55,000
" -9 7/19/49 " " " 50,000 Portales, N.M.
" -10 7/21/49 " " " 50,000
" -11 7/21/49 " " " 50,000
" -12 9/26/49 " " " 50,000 Marlow, Okla.
" -13 10/6/49 " " " 50,000 La Mont, Okla.
" -14 11/18/49 " " " 50,000 Frankel City, Texas
" -15 11/30/49 " " " 50,000
" -16 12/2/49 " " " 50,000
" -17 12/6/49 " " " 50,000 Boonville, Miss.
" -18 12/8/49 " " " 50,000 Fort Douglas, Ark.
EN-1 1/23/50 Vance AFB, Okla. 50,000 Centralia, Ill.
"-2 1/31/50 " " " 50,000 Nevada, Mo.
"-3 2/2/50 " " " 50,000 Moore's Hill, Ind.
"-4 2/9/50 " " " 50,000 Sheridan, Ky.
"-5 2/9/50 " " " 50,000 Pt. Hillford,
Nova Scotia, Can.
"-6 2/9/50 " " " 50,000 Jonesboro, Me.
"-7 2/14/50 " " " 50,000 Perkins, Okla.
"-8 2/14/50 " " " 50,000 Winchester,
Ontario, Can.26.
Flight
No. Date. Release
Point Altitude
in ft. Recovery
EN-9 2/17/50 Vance AFB, Okla. 55,000 Washburn, Mo.
" -10 3/3/50 " " " 50,000
KN-1 4/25/50 Sedalia AFB, Mo. 50,000
" -2 5/12/50 " " " 55,000 Booneville, Mo.
" -3 5/26/50 " " " 55,000 Warrensburg, Mo.
" -4 5/26/50 " " " 40,000 Concordia, Mo.
" -5 Hi. 6/2/50 " " " 50,000 Wapella, Ill.
" -5 Lo. 6/2/50 " " " 40,000
" -6 Hi. 6/20/50 " " " 50,000 Ashtabula, Ohio
" -6 Lo. 6/20/50 " " " 40,000
" -7 Lo. 7/11/50 " " " 40,000 Springdale, Ark.
" -7 Hi. 7/11/50 " " " 50,000
" -8 7/14/50 " " " 40,000 Loysville, Pa.
" -9 7/24/50 " " " 50,000 California, Mo.
" -10 8/31/50 " " " 50,000
" -11 9/14/50 " " " 48,000 Shelbyville, Tenn.
" -12 9/14/50 " " " 45,000 La Monte, Mo.
" -13 9/22/50 " " " 52,000
" -14 9/28/50 " " " 48,000 Louisianna, Mo.
" -15 10/5/50 " " " 48,000
" -16 10/10/50 " " " 45,000
" -17 10/12/50 " " " 45,000 Marshall, Mo.
" -18 10/17/50 " " " 45,000
" -19 10/26/50 " " " . 50,000 Dickson, Tenn.
In addition service flights were made from Watson Laboratories,AMC
Eatontown, N.J., for testing of items of geophysical equipment during
the course of the project.
During June, 1949, service flights were made from Luke AFB,
Arizona, simultaneously with those made from Clovis AFB, New Mexico.27.
REFERENCES
1. Research Division, College of Engineering, New York University,
Technical Report 93.02, Constant Level Balloons
Section I - General - November, 1949
Section II- Operations - January, 1949
Section III- Summary of Flights - July, 1949
2. Murray, W. D.; Schneider, C. S.; Smith, J. R. - Development and
Utilization of Constant Level Balloons - "Transactions of the
American Geophysical Union", Dec. 1950.
3. Research Division, College of Engineering, New York University,
Technical Report #1, Constant Level Balloon Project #93 - April,1948.
4. Spilhaus, A. F.; Schneider, C. S.; Moore, C. B. - Controlled
Altitude Free Balloons - "Journal of Meteorology" - August, 1948.
5. Research Division, College of Engineering, New York University,
Determination of Neutron Maximum at High Altitudes - Progress
Reports and Technical Report #118.5, March,1949 to March, 1950.
6. Research Division, College of Engineering, New York University,
Technical Report 121.05 - High Altitude Balloon Trajectory Study,
June, 1950.
7. Research Division, College of Engineering, New York University,
Final Report 93.17, Radio Transmitter, Receiver and Recording
Systems for Constant Level Balloons - June, 1948.11 New York University Constant Level Balloons Section 1, General November 15, 1949
Technical Report No. 93.02
CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOONS
Section 1
GENERAL
Constant Level Balloon Project
New York University
Prepared in accordance with provisions of contract
W28-099-ac-241, between
Watson Laboratories, Red Bank, New Jersey
and
New York University
The research reported in this document has been made possible
through support and sponsorship extended by the Geophysical
Research Directorate of the Cambridge Field Station, AMC,
U. S. Air Force, under Contract No. W28-099-ac-241. It is
published for technical information only and does not repre-
sent recommendations or conclusions of the sponsoring agency.
Prepared by: James R. Smith
and
William D. Murray
Approved by: Harold K Work
Dr. Harold K. Work
Director of the Research Division
College of Engineering
New York University
15 November 1949
New York 53, New YorkTABLE OF CONTENTS
Page Number
I. Introduction ............................................. 5
Contract Requirements ................................. 5
Project Facilities .................................... 6
II. Principles of Balloon Control ............................. 6
III. Methods of Attack ......................................... 8
Rubber Balloons ........................................ 8
Plastic Balloons ....................................... 9
Internal-Pressure Balloons ............................. 14
Altitude Controls ..................................... 16
Flight Simulation ..................................... 25
Flight Termination Gear ............................... 29
IV. Equations and Theoretical Considerations .................. 30
Floating Altitude and Altitude Sensitivity ............. 30
Rate of Rise .......................................... 33
Superheat and its Effects ............................. 34
Adiabatic Lapse Rate .................................. 38
Diffusion and Leakage of Lifting Gas .................. 40
·Bursting Pressure and Appendix Considerations .......... 47
A General Equation of Motion .......................... 56
V. Telemetering .............................................. 62
Information Transmitted ............................... 62
Transmitters Used ..................................... 63
Receivers and Recorders Used .......................... 65
Batteries Used ........................................ 65
Radio Direction-Finding ............................... 66
Radar and Optical Tracking ............................ 67
VI. Instrumentation ........................................... 67
Altitude Determination ................................ 67
Temperature Measurements ............................. 74
Ballast Metering ...................................... 76
VII. Conclusions .............................................. 79I. INTRODUCTION
A. Contract Requirements
On November 1, 1946 the Research Division of the College of
Engineering of New York University entered into Contract
W28-099-ac-241 with Watson Laboratories of the Air Materiel
Command. Under this contract the University was commissioned
to design, develop and fly constant-level balloons to carry
instruments to altitudes from 10 to 20 kilometers, adjustable
at 2-kilometer intervals.
The following performance was specified:
1. Altitude to be maintained within 500 meters.
2. Duration of constant level flight to be initially
6 to 8 hours minimum, eventually 48 hours.
3. The accuracy of pressure observation to be comparable
to that obtainable with the standard Army radiosonde
(± 3-5 mb).
In addition to this balloon performance it was desired that:
4. A balloon-borne transmitter be developed for telemetering
of information from the balloon to suitable ground re-
ceivers.
5. Positioning of balloon during flight be determined by
ground tracking such as radar or radio direction-finding
or theodolite.
6. Appropriate meteorological data be collected and inter-
preted.
Following the first year of work the contract was renewed for
a 1-year period, and in addition to the provisions of the
original contract it was agreed that a total of 100 test flights
would be launched by the University.
In September, 1948 a second renewal of the contract was effected.
With this renewal, which expires in March, 1949, it is ex-
pected that the development of equipment will be concluded.
Further extensions are under consideration whereby New York Uni-
versity will supply standardized flight gear and flight ser-
vice personnel for routine test flights.
-5-B. Project Facilities
To meet the requirements of the contract, a research group
was built up and the following facilities were made available:
1. Administrative section.
2. Engineering personnel were assigned to one or more of the
following groups:
(a) Balloon section
(b) Performance control section
(c) Telemetering section
(d) Analysis section (including meteorological and per-
formance data analysis)
3. A small machine shop was provided to manufacture experi-
mental models of equipment which was flown.
4. A field crew for launching, tracking and recovery of
balloons was established.
Work-shop, laboratory, office and storage space was pro-
vided by New York University (Figures 1 and 2). Field work
was largely conducted at Army bases and Air Forces installa-
tions. At one time the number of full-time employees reached
26 with 17 part-time men on the staff at that time. Most in-
dividuals were called upon to work in several departments
depending upon the urgency of field work, equipment preparation
or development work.
II. PRINCIPLES OF BALLOON CONTROL
Following preliminary investigations, two distinct principles of
achieving constant-pressure altitude for free balloons were studied
in detail. The first of these is the maintenance of the balloon
at floating level by the use of a servo-mechanism or other con-
trol which causes the supported load to vary with the buoyancy of
the balloon. The second principle embodies the use of a non-
extensible balloon capable of withstanding a high internal pressure.
With a fixed volume and a given load, such balloons remain at a
constant pressure level as long as the internal pressure of the
balloon is equal to or greater than that of the air at floating
level. A surplus of buoyancy causes super-pressure, but when the
gas is cooled relative to the air environment such a surplus is
needed to prevent excessive reductions in balloon pressure. When-
ever the balloon's internal pressure becomes less than that of the
air, it falls to earth. Such a balloon was used by the Japanese
for the fire bombing of the western United States during World War II.
-6-[FIGURE: Two black and white photographs showing interior views of a research laboratory/workshop with workbenches, equipment, and personnel]
Figures 1 and 2. Interior views, Research Division Shop.
-7-To use the first of these principles it is possible to main-
tain a condition of buoyancy by at least the following two me-
thods: (1) dropping a part of the load, as ballast, to match the
loss of lifting gas which occurs as a result of diffusion and
leakage; (2) replacement of the lifting gas by evaporation from a
reservoir of liquified helium or hydrogen. Of these two methods,
ballast dropping is most satisfactory from the consideration of
simplicity of control and safety of personnel. While the use of
liquid helium is theoretically more efficient, the amount and com-
plexity of control equipment adds much to the cost and also the
weight of air-borne equipment.
The development of non-elastic balloons which can withstand high
internal pressure was investigated. Two designs which compro-
mise extreme cost (required for balloons of high internal pressure)
with small wall strength, hence small super pressure, were tested.
At first, attempts were made to control balloon performance by using
buoyancy-load balance techniques with elastic balloons, but the
difficulties which were experienced resulted in the development of
a third principle of operation combining a non-extensible balloon
with a system of controls which can be applied either to a freely
expanding balloon or to a balloon of fixed volume.
III. METHODS OF ATTACK
The work on the development of controlled-altitude balloons may be
divided into three phases, each one identified by the type of bal-
loon which was used. Concurrent with the balloon development was
the design and testing of control equipment required to maintain
the balloon at specific altitudes. Some of the equipment instru-
mentation was used on more than one kind of balloon, but in general
the problems and methods of attack are identified with one of the
three types of balloons.
A. Rubber Balloons
Following the example of Clarke and Korff, assemblies of neo-
prene rubber balloons were first considered. Using these
freely expanding balloons it was necessary to balance the load
to be lifted with the buoyancy given by an integral number
of balloons. One or more accessory balloons were attached to
the assembly to provide lifting force to carry the train aloft.
With the gear at a predetermined altitude, the lifting bal-
loons were cut loose from the train by a pressure-activated
switch,leaving the equipment at floating level, more or less
exactly balanced. Since there is no inherent stability in an
extensible balloon, any existing unbalance will cause the
train to rise or fall indefinitely until the balloon reaches
-8-its bursting diameter, the gear strikes the ground, or corrective
action is taken. Even if the extremely critical balance is initially
achieved, there will be unbalance occasioned by (1) bursting of
balloons due to deterioration in the sunlight, (2) diffusion of
lifting gas from the balloons, (3) loss or gain of buoyancy when
temperature inside the balloon changes with respect to the ambient
air temperature. This will result initially from radiative dif-
ferences, and after an amount of difference (superheat) has been
established, changes in ventilation will cause changes in buoyancy.
Two methods of attaching the payload to the clusters of rubber bal-
loons were tried. In the first of these (Figure 3) a long load
line was used, and short lines led from it to the individual bal-
loons. The length of such arrays was as much as 800 feet, and
this size made them difficult to launch. The single load ring
array, seen in Figure 4, proved to be much easier to handle and
is recommended for cluster launchings. During ascent each of the
balloons in such an array ride separated from each other and no rub-
bing or chafing has been observed.
The controls which were associated with this balloon system were
crude and, in general, ineffective. They included (1) cutting off
balloons as the buoyancy became excessive and a preset altitude
extreme was passed, and (2) releasing part of the load in the form
of solid or liquid ballast whenever descent occurred. The sensi-
tivity of these elastic balloons makes it difficult to control
their altitude with any system of controls, and as controls were
developed it was found more practical to change from freely ex-
panding balloons to non-extensible cells not made of neoprene. The
tendency of neoprene to decay within a few hours when exposed to
sunlight was the most cogent argument against doing more work on
altitude controls to be used with such a system.
B. Plastic Balloons
The next attempts to control the altitude of a balloon vehicle were
made using non-extensible plastic cells, with an open bottom to pre-
vent rupture when expansion of the lifting gas is excessive. With
a fixed maximum volume, such a system has inherent vertical insta-
bility in only one direction. When full, there is a pressure alti-
tude above which a given load will not be carried. The instability
of such a system is found only when an unbalanced downward force
exists. The development of controls and films for balloon material
proceeded concurrently, but the choice of a non-extensible plastic
film was made before the system of control was perfected.
The properties which were given most consideration in the selection
of fabric include (1) availability and cost, (2) ease of fabrica-
tion and (3) satisfactory chemical and physical properties. Pri-
-9-[FIGURE: Two diagrams showing typical rubber balloon arrays. Left diagram shows a long vertical string of balloons with a TRANSMITTER box and BALLAST CONTROLS box hanging below. Right diagram shows a fan-shaped cluster of balloons with TRANSMITTER and BALLAST CONTROLS hanging below.]
Figures 3 and 4. Typical rubber balloon arrays.
marily on the cost basis, an extruded film of plastic was found to
be superior to fabrics such as silk or nylon with the various
coatings.
-10-The physical and chemical properties needed in a balloon material
are: (1) chemical stability, (2) low permeability, (3) high tensile
strength, (4) low brittle temperature, (5) high tear resistance,
(6) high transparency to heat radiation and (7) light weight.
In Table 1 the properies of 7 plastics and 2 coated materials are
given. From this data polyethylene and saran appear to be the most
suitable films.
Table 1
|Fabric |Low Temper- |Perme- |Tensile |Tear Re- |Ease of |Stability to|
| |ature Prop- |ability |Strength |sistance |Fabrica- |Ultraviolet |
| |erties | | | |tion | |
|Polyethylene |Good |Medium |Low |Good |Good |Good |
|Saran |Fair |Low |High |Poor |Fair |Fair |
|Nylon |Good |Low |High |Low |Good |Good |
|Vinylite |Very poor |Medium |Medium |Good |Good |Good |
|Teflon |Believed |Low |High |Good |Cannot |Good |
| |good | | | |be fabri- | |
| | | | | |cated | |
|Ethocellu- |Good |Very |Low |Fair |Good |Good |
|lose | |high | | | | |
|Pliofilm |Poor |High |Poor |Fair |Good |Poor |
|Nylon or silk | | | | | | |
|fabric coated | | | | | | |
|with: | | | | | | |
| Neoprene |Fair |Low |High |Fair |Fair |Fair |
| Butyl |Good |Low |High |Fair |Fair |Good |
| rubber | | | | | | |
Having decided upon the proper fabric to be used, an effort was
made to interest a number of companies in the fabrication and
production of balloons. The first supplier of balloons made of
·polyethylene was Herold A. Smith, Inc., Mamaroneck, New York.
In these balloons, 4 and 8 mil sheets were heat sealed to form
a spherical cell open at the bottom. Load attachment tabs were
set into the fabric and loading lines ran from these tabs to a
load ring. This method of supporting the load proved to be un-
satisfactory.
-11-Subsequently, other companies produced balloons of one type or
another for us; the total number and type of balloons purchased
is given in Table 2.
Table 2
Plastic Balloons
|Company |Film Type, Thickness |Special |Unit |No. Delivered|
| |Diameter, Shape |Features |Cost |to Date |
|Harold A. Smith,Inc. |.004 polyethylene |Prototype |$150.00 |4 |
| |3-ft.diam.,spherical | | | |
| " " " " |.008 polyethylene |Low perme- |530.00 |5 |
| |15-ft.diam.,spheri- |ability | | |
| |cal | | | |
| " " " " |.004 polyethylene |Low perme- |530.00 |5 |
| |15-ft.diam.,spheri- |ability | | |
| |cal | | | |
|General Mills Inc. |.001 polyethylene |Stressed |20.00 |25 |
| |7-ft.diam.,tear- |tape type | | |
| |drop |seam | | |
| " " " |.001 polyethylene |Stressed |125.00 |175 |
| |20-ft.diam.,tear- |tape type | | |
| |drop |seam | | |
| " " " |.001 polyethylene |Stressed |250.00 |15 |
| |30-ft.diam.,tear- |tape type | | |
| |drop |seam | | |
| " " " |.001 polyethylene |Stressed |900.00 |5 |
| |70-ft.diam.,tear- |tape type | | |
| |drop |seam | | |
|The Goodyear Tire & |.004 polyethylene |Stressed |475.00 |10 |
|Rubber Company,Inc. |20-ft.diam., egg- |tape type | | |
| |plant |seam and low | | |
| | |permeability | | |
|Winzen Research,Inc. |.015 polyethylene |Low perme- |115.00 |20 |
| |20-ft.diam.,tear- |ability | | |
| |drop | | | |
- - - - - - - - - - - - Non-Plastic Balloons - - - - - - - - - - -
|Dewey and Almy Chem- |J-2000 neoprene | |325.00 |3 |
|ical Co. |balloon with nylon |Internal | | |
| |shroud of 15-ft. |pressure | | |
| |diam.,spherical | | | |
|Seyfang Laboratories |Neoprene-coated |Internal |550.00 |10 |
| |nylon 22.5-ft. |pressure | | |
| |diam.,spherical | | | |
-12-Teardrop shaped polyethylene balloons were produced by General
Mills Inc. and Winzen Research, Inc., both of Minneapolis,
Minnesota. The General Mills cells were supplied in four sizes
with the diameters of 7, 20, 30 and 70 feet to carry loads to
varying altitudes. A 20-foot balloon is shown in Figure 5.
[FIGURE: Black and white photograph of a tall teardrop-shaped balloon being launched, with several people visible at the bottom for scale]
Figure 5. 20'-Diameter, teardrop polyethylene balloon.
In all of these, film is .001" polyethylene, butt welded with
fiber tape laid along the seams to reinforce the seal, and to carry
-13-and distribute the load. These tapes, which converge to the
load ring at the bottom, actually support the load (Figure 6).
An open bottom permits the escape of excess lifting gas and thus
prevents rupture.
[FIGURE: Technical diagram showing appendix detail of polyethylene balloon, with labels: BALLOON FILM, TAPE, APPENDIX RING on left detail circle; and TAPES, APPENDIX RING, APPENDIX, LOAD LINES, LOAD RING on right full view]
Figure 6. Appendix detail, polyethylene balloon.
On the Winzen balloons, which are made from .015" polyethylene,
all but two of the balloons were made with similar fiber tape re-
inforcements; these two were produced without tapes and both of
them have been flown with no evidences of unsatisfactory perfor-
mance.
The eggplant shaped balloon produced by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Company, Inc. has been flown with satisfaction, but the exact
amount of diffusion, which is expected to be low from this balloon,
is not yet known.
C. Internal-Pressure Balloons
From a theoretical standpoint the most satisfactory means of keeping
a balloon at constant pressure-altitude is to use a non-extensible
-14-cell with very low diffusion through the walls and one capable
of maintaining super-pressure in excess of that lost with re-
ductions of gas temperature. Such a balloon could be sealed
off completely or a pressure-activated valve could be used to
permit efflux of the gas when the bursting pressure is approached.
The neoprene-coated nylon balloon built by Seyfang Laboratories
(Figure 7) has been used with a valve set to prevent rupturing.
[FIGURE: Black and white photograph of a neoprene-coated nylon balloon in the air, approximately two-thirds inflated]
Figure 7. Neoprene-coated nylon balloon,
two-thirds inflated.
The fabric has been coated with a metallic paint to minimize
the effects of radiation. However, the values of superheat ob-
tained by the gas when the balloon is in the sun have been of
the order of 300C. The amount of buoyancy lost when circulation
-15-or sunset cuts off the superheat is so large that it is not possible
to carry enough ballast to sustain the system under these condi-
tions. On the other hand, the loss of buoyancy through a sealed-off
Seyfang balloon at 4100 feet MSL is of the order of 50 grams per
hour which is significantly less than the loss expected from a 20-
foot, 1 mil polyethylene cell in flight conditions. (With the appendix
aperture sealed, such a cell shows a loss of lift of about 40 grams
per hour when one-fifth inflated at sea level).
One other type of balloon which has been used as a super-pressure
balloon is the neoprene J2000 balloon of Dewey and Almy, surrounded
by nylon cloth shroud. The rubber balloon normally would expand
until it reached bursting diameter, but when enshrouded, it is
limited to the volume of the shroud. The difficulties in launching
and flying this balloon are not unusually great, but on each of the
several tests which have been made to date improper handling has
been a possible cause of the early rupture of the balloon. It is
believed, however, that such a balloon is not especially suitable
for long flights because of the deterioration which occurs in the
neoprene in the presence of sunlight. Perhaps a shroud of material
which would filter out the ultraviolet rays would protect and
lengthen the life of such a balloon.
Despite the success of the Japanese silk or rice-paper balloons,
which were constructed on a super-pressure principle, it is not be-
lieved practical at this time to develop a balloon of such strength
that it would successfully withstand and retain pressure increases
corresponding to the temperature changes from night to day as the
superheat of absorbed sunlight is gained. The super-pressure with
a neoprene-coated nylon balloon, for example, would be approximately
0.5 psi. That such a balloon could be built is unquestioned. The
cost of production, however, appears at this time to be unwarranted.
D. Altitude Controls
Beginning with the arrays of rubber balloons which were first used,
various systems of dropping ballast, both solid and liquid, have
been attempted with the aim of exactly compensating for the loss of
buoyancy which is occasioned as the lifting gas diffuses or leaks
through the balloon. On the early rubber balloons only rough incre-
mental ballast dropping was employed. At that time it was decided
not to use sand as ballast since most sand contains some water which
may freeze while aloft. Further, it is easier to control the flow
of a liquid ballast than it is to control sand particles. In the
investigations for a suitable liquid ballast the petroleum product
known commercially as Mobil Aero compass fluid was finally settled
upon. These investigations included tests of cloud point, freezing
point, and also density and viscosity over a large range of tempera-
tures. The compass fluid is especially suitable for ballast work
-16-in high altitudes, since it freezes below -80°C and will flow
readily at low temperatures. Also, this fluid will absorb only
a very slight amount of water which might freeze aloft.
Basically three different principles have been used in the control
of ballast flow. The first of these is calculated constant flow;
the second is displacement-switch control; and the third is rate-
of-ascent switch control.
(1) Constant Flow
In the simplest of the control systems, liquid ballast is allowed
to flow continuously through an orifice (Figure 8) at a pre-
determined rate. This rate is set to slightly exceed the ex-
[FIGURE: Technical engineering diagram showing Section A-A cross-section of an orifice, with labels including dimensions (.005'D TO .012'D AS NEEDED, .010", .625", .5") and DETAIL B showing a parabolic curve, plus a PERSPECTIVE VIEW TRUE SIZE. Scale: 4:1]
Figure 8. Orifice for fixed-rate ballast flow.
pected loss of lift of the balloon due to leakage and diffu-
sion. If this method is successfully used, the balloon stays
full because the gas remaining in it has less load to support.
Therefore, the balloon will rise slowly as ballast is dropped,
maintaining equilibrium between the buoyancy and the load. In
the General Mills 20-foot balloon, for example, diffusion losses
are about 200 grams per hour at altitudes near 40,000 feet. The
balloon at its ceiling of 40,000 feet with a 26-kilogram pay-
load rises about 700 feet with each kilogram of ballast dropped.
This means that such a balloon using this constant-flow type
control will float at a "ceiling" which rises at the rate of
about 140 feet per hour. Constant flow was first obtained by
use of the manual ballast valve shown in Figure 9. Due to
excessive clogging of this valve, caused by its annular ring
opening, gate-type valves were tested, and finally the use of
-17-simple orifices of various sizes replaced the manual ballast
valve.
[FIGURE: Technical diagram of a manual ballast valve showing labeled components: INLET TUBE, VALVE BODY, NEEDLE, AIR VENT, BALLAST DISCHARGE TUBE, DIAL (Graduated every two degrees), TO DISCHARGE TUBE OF AUTOMATIC BALLAST VALVE]
Figure 9. Manual ballast valve.
(2) Displacement Switch
The displacement principle in ballast control has been used in
two different types of valves. The first of these, called the
"automatic ballast valve," used a needle valve, controlling
ballast flow by an aneroid capsule to which the needle was at-
tached (Figure 10). The aneroid capsule was open to the at-
mosphere on ascent; as the balloon began to descend to a region
of higher pressure, a minimum pressure switch was used to seal
off the capsule and further descent caused ballast flow. (For
details see Technical Report No. 1, Constant Level Balloon
Project, Research Division, College of Engineering, New York
University, New York, N.Y., 1948.)
There are three undesirable features of this system. Greatest
is the effect of temperature changes on the air sealed in the
capsule. Seal-off pressure acts as a datum plane. Any in-
crease from this pressure causes compression of the aneroid,
and ballast flows proportionally to the difference from seal-
off pressure. However, with changes of temperature of the
entrapped air, the activation pressure of the valve changes,
the floating level is thus also a function of temperature of
the gas in the aneroid.
-18-[FIGURE: Technical diagram of an automatic ballast valve with labeled components: Ballast Inlet Tube, Ballast Valve Face, Tension Spring to Open Ballast Valve, Aneroid capsule closed by sealing at desired altitude. Descent below sealing alt. causes aneroid to contract, opening ballast valve., String holds valve open until severed by squib., Ballast Valve Seat, Ballast Outlet Tube, Valve Stem. Valve Closed by Comp. Force On Stem., Tension Springs to Close Sealing Valve, Aneroid Sealing Valve Fixes pressure of aneroid capsule.]
Figure 10. Automatic ballast valve.
The second undesirable feature of the automatic ballast valve
system is the lag induced by the use of a minimum pressure
switch to seal off the aneroid capsule. This is in addition
to the lag of the aneroid itself. If a mercury switch is used,
the differential between minimum and seal-off pressure is about
8 millibars; with a less dense liquid, the operation will still
require about a 2-millibar difference. If the sealing is done
by a fixed pressure switch, it is then necessary to predict the
altitude to which the balloon will rise. Failure to reach
this height would leave the aneroid open and useless. Deliberate
under-estimation of the ceiling causes a relatively long period
of uncontrolled slow descent before control begins.
The third unwanted feature is the waste of ballast which flows
during both descent and ascent of a balloon whenever it is
below the seal-off elevation. Since the balloon is no longer
"heavy" when its downward motion has been arrested, flow
during the return to the datum plane is needless and indeed
-19-will cause an overshoot, hence the unnecessary exhaust of some lifting gas. The effects of temperature on the aneroid capsule of the auto- matic ballast valving system were eliminated by the use of a ballast switch which uses a vacuum-sealed aneroid, set to per- mit ballast flow through a valve whenever the balloon is below a given pressure altitude. In this system the minimum pressure switch and the lag caused by its use are eliminated. This dis- placement-switch control has the disadvantage that the flow which it permits is not proportional to the displacement of the balloon below a datum plane but is constant through the valve. Normally this flow is large to permit rapid restoration of equi- librium. A second disadvantage is the requirement of batteries to supply power to the electrically operated valve. However, the advantage of eliminating the temperature effects on the aneroid compensate for these two comparatively minor disadvan- tages. In practice, the displacement switch has consisted of a modified radiosonde modulator in which the standard commutator is re- placed by a special bar which is an insulator above a certain point and a conductor at lower levels (higher pressures). When the aneroid pen arm is on the conducting section of the commu- tator, a relay opens the ballast valve. To prevent excessive flow on ascent, the pen arm rides on an insulated shelf above most of the contact segment of the commutator (Figure 11). [FIGURE: Photograph of pressure displacement switch mechanism] Figure 11. Pressure displacement switch. -20-
The pen drops off the shelf at a safe distance below the ex-
pected pressure altitude and ballast then flows until the
pressure pen reaches the insulating section of the commutator.
In order to prevent the overshoot mentioned as one undesirable
feature of the automatic ballast system, the high pressure
end of the insulator may correspond to the expected maximum
altitude of the balloon, any loss of lift due to impurities
or escape of lifting gas will cause the balloon to level off at
a ceiling within the ballast-dropping range. Continued ballast
dropping will result in the rise of the balloon. Thus, an over-
estimation of the ceiling is not as critical as in the case of
the previous system.
(3) Rate-of-Ascent Switch
With the displacement-switch control just described there re-
main the problems of ballast waste and balloon oscillation re-
sulting from discharge of ballast during rises of the balloon
after a descent has been checked. To eliminate this, a ballast-
control switch acting on the rate of rise of the balloon is
put in series with the displacement switch to close the ballast
flow circuit only when the balloon is coming down or floating
below pressure altitude. When it is rising, no ballast flow is
permitted. This "rate-switch" is seen in Figure 12.
[FIGURE: Diagram of rate-of-ascent switch showing Capillary Tube, Wax Seal, Volume Chamber, Air Inlet, Platinum Wire Lead, Electrolyte]
Figure 12. Rate-of-ascent switch.
-21-A glass flask is open to atmospheric pressure through a fine
capillary tube. With various rates of change of pressure,
various differential pressures exist between the air in the
flask and the outside air. This pressure difference controls
the level of liquid in a manometer switch, filled with 24% hydro-
chloric acid. When the internal pressure is 0.2 mb more than
the ambient pressure, the switch opens and ballast flow is stopped
even though the balloon may be below the floating level. (The
switch is set so that a rate of change of .1 mb/minute acting
for three or more minutes will open the switch.) By thus re-
stricting flow when the balloon is rising, balloon oscillations
are minimized and ballast is conserved. A sketch of this opera-
tion is shown as Figure 13.
[FIGURE: Two graphs — DISPLACEMENT SWITCH and DISPLACEMENT & RATE SWITCHES — showing Altitude vs Time curves with Floating Altitude line and Ballast Flow patterns]
Figure 13. Height-time curve, showing
ballast control action.
Since the rate switch is much more delicate than the displace-
ment switch, safety considerations have caused the combined con-
trol to be supplemented by a pure displacement switch control.
In this, the conducting segment of the pressure modulator is
divided, and only a limited pressure height range (set for de-
sired floating level) is controlled by both switches in series.
If the rate switch is damaged at launching (by spilling some of
its electrolyte, for instance) or in flight (perhaps by evap-
oration of the electrolyte) and the balloon descends, simple
displacement control becomes effect when the high pressure
(lower altitude) segment of the conductor is touched by the pres-
-22-sure pen. The switch circuit is seen in Figure 14.
[FIGURE: Circuit diagram for ballast control with combined displacement and rate-of-ascent switches, showing Rate Switch, Sigma Relay, High Altitude Contact, Commutator, Aneroid Bellows, Low Altitude Contact, Displacement Switch, Solenoid Valve, and 6V power supplies]
NOTES:
BATT. PACK IN TRANSMITTER BOX
SIGMA SENSITIVE TYPE 5F RELAY- COIL
RESISTANCE-16000 OHMS
DISPLACEMENT SWITCH-ED48-107
RATE SWITCH-ED48-115
SOLENOID VALVE-ED48-110
USE 4FH-6 V LITHIUM CHLORIDE BATTERIES (BURGESS)
FOR DETAILS OF DISPLACEMENT SW. SEE ED48-126
Figure 14. Circuit for ballast control with combined
displacement and rate-of-ascent switches.
Figure 15 is a theoretical height-time curve, showing when
ballast would be dropped using such a control and the re-
sulting balloon behavior. During ascent the pressure pen is
kept off the commutator bar until Point 1 where it falls on-
to the low-altitude conducting segment. (The shelf has been
set so that the pen will fall onto the low-altitude segment in
order that a ballast signal will be received for a short period
of time, indicating that the system is working properly. The
balloon rises and ballast flows until the pressure pen reaches
Point 2, the beginning of the region where both switches in
series control the ballast. As long as the balloon continues
to rise, no flow occurs. Should the maximum altitude be above
the control level, no ballast will flow until the balloon de-
scends to that point. Then, with both controls operating, ballast
will flow only on the descending and floating portions of the
flight below control level. A second course is illustrated,
wherein the rate-switch has failed. There the balloon de-
scends to Point 2 and oscillates about this level, as a result
-23-of displacement switch actions alone.
[FIGURE: Graph showing theoretical height-time curve with altitude vs time, Cases A and B, TOP-HIGH ALT. COMMUTATOR positions (1) PEN OFF SHELF, (2) TOP LOW ALT COMMUTATOR, (3) BOTT. HIGH ALT. COMM., and ballast flow patterns for normal and rate switch failure cases]
Figure 15. Theoretical height-time curve.
(4) Rate-of-Descent Switch
It may at times be desirable to control a balloon merely by a
switch activated at any given rate of descent. This could be
accomplished merely by "reversing" the rate-of-ascent switch.
This type of control would prove to be quite difficult, however,
for a constant level flight. One flight, No. 97, was made
using a type of rate-of-descent switch as shown in Figure 16. In
[FIGURE: Diagram of rate-of-descent switch showing Position while rising, Adjustable Contact, Position while Descending, Aneroid Capsule, Ballast Solenoid Valve, Capillary Tube, Sealing Valve (Actuated at desired altitude)]
Figure 16. Rate-of-descent switch.
-24-this switch a circuit is closed when the rate of descent ex-
ceeds 1/5 mb/minute, allowing ballast to flow. The record of
Flight 97 indicates that good control was obtained for a four-
hour period using this switch. However, the instrument is so
delicate and susceptible to temperature effects that its use is
not advised.
E. Flight Simulation
To make laboratory tests on the control equipment just described, a
flight-simulation chamber has been built combining a bell jar and a
temperature chamber. A drawing of the temperature chamber designed
and built at New York University is shown in Figure 17. (Investi-
[FIGURE: Diagram of temperature control chamber showing 200 Watt Bulb or Heater, Top Hatch, Light Bulb, Air Circ. Blower, Light Bulb, Thermo Regulator, Working Space, Temp. Control Blower, Copper Tray, Cold Reservoir, Drain, Loading Hatch for Dry Ice Compartment, Front View, Drain
LOWEST WORKING TEMP -65° TO -70°C
ACCURACY OF TEMP CONTROL 0.5°C]
Figure 17. Temperature control chamber.
gation of commercially sold chambers showed that the cost of pur-
chasing a temperature chamber of the size desired would be pro-
hibitive.) First designs called for the use of a freon refrigerating
system; however, use of dry ice as a coolant proved to be more ad-
vantageous. This chamber, with its automatic control, can hold
temperatures as high as +100°F and as low as -90°F within 5° for a
period of several hours. Dry ice consumption at -60°F is approxi-
mately 150 pounds for a 24-hour period.
It is possible, using a bell jar for flight-similitude studies,
to arrange switches so that the vacuum pump is turned off and on at
-25-the same time that ballast is normally required in flight. This system simulates the effect of rising and falling in the atmosphere and indicates the effectiveness of the controls which have been applied. In order to simulate flight, it is necessary that three conditions be maintained within the system. The first is that a leak of air into the bell jar is permitted at a rate of pressure increase which has been observed during balloon descent. A large lag chamber is connected into the bell jar to supply the second condition which is a delay similar to that inherent in the control action on an actual balloon flight. It is necessary to properly adjust the volume of such a lag chamber to obtain the desired magnitude of control action. A third requirement is that the response of the vacuum pump must correspond to that response which has been observed when a balloon system drops ballast. In order to measure this, the control me- chanism has been allowed not only to switch the vacuum pump on and off but also to actuate the standard ballast-flow equipment. This system may be adjusted so that the amount of pressure change which a single period of pumping produces accurately represents the amount of ballast thrown off during flight. The barogram shown in Figure 18 is an example of such a test. On this test the rate-of-ascent ballast switch was added to the displace- [FIGURE: Barograph record showing Flight Similitude Record Of Pressure with altitudes 40,000 FT. and 30,000 FT. plotted over 12 hours, sections A and B marked A- Displacement Switch Operating. B- Displ. & Rate Of Ascent Switches Operating.] Figure 18. Sample barograph record. ment switch after the latter had operated for a period of six hours. The combination of the two is seen to have effected a reduction in -26-
the amplitude and frequency of oscillations induced by the servo
system. In fact, under the influence of both controls, oscillation
is almost undetectable.
As a consequence of such tests, it is possible to predict the type,
size and frequency of oscillations which the servo-control equip-
ment will introduce into the balloon flight. This is especially
significant since it is known from flights on which no control equip-
ment was included that oscillations do occur naturally within the
atmosphere, apparently as a result of vertical cellular convection
currents. By knowledge of the frequency of oscillation caused by
a given control system it is possible to analyze oscillations and de-
termine which are caused by control and which are atmospheric. The
wiring diagram of the flight-similitude system is shown in Figure 19.
[FIGURE: Wiring diagram of flight-similitude system showing components numbered 1-7 and M, with 6V-DC Power Supply and 110 AC]
NOTES
(1) Sigma Relay Type 5F
(2) Rate Switch-ED48-115
(3) Heavy Duty Relay, Guardian Series 200dpst
(4) Ballast Solenoid Valve - ED49-2
(5) Displacement Switch-ED48-107
(6) Auto Syphon
(7) Counter
(M) Pump Motor
Figure 19. Wiring diagram, flight-similitude system.
-27-The vacuum system is shown in Figure 20. [FIGURE: Physical layout diagram of flight-similitude system showing Ballast, To Counter, Auto. Syphon, Ballast Solenoid Valve, Manometer, Manometer Valve, Bypass Valve, Vacuum Pump, Chamber Valve, Lag Chamber, Rate Switch, Vacuum Chamber, Displ. Switch, Diffusion Valve, Exhaust Valve, Lag Valve, Pump Valve NOTE: BROKEN LINE INDICATES ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT] Figure 20. Physical layout, flight-similitude system. This equipment has been used in testing instruments to be flown and also equipment which is used in the launching and preparation before release. For example, the Du Pont S64 squibs, which have been used in conjunction with the flight-termination switches and also for severing launching lines, were tested in this chamber and found to fail when subjected simultaneously to cold temperature (-50°C) and low pressures (10 millibars) although tests at either low temperature or low pressures alone produced no failures. As a result of these tests, a new squib, the S59, has been produced by Du Pont and is used in current flights. Other equipment which has been tested in the bell jar and the cold chamber includes the Lange barographs and the Olland-cycle pressure-measuring in- struments. -28-
F. Flight Termination Gear
The rate of descent when controlled balloons are falling after
exhausting all ballast is sometimes as slow as 50 feet per minute.
This means that several hours might be required to fall through
the lanes of aircraft traffic, increasing considerably the hazard
to aircraft (admittedly very small). To minimize this possibility,
units have been added to the flight train to cause a rapid descent
after the balloon system has descended to some critical value, say
20,000 feet. One such destruction system, using a flight-termination
switch, is shown in Figure 21. It consists of a pressure-activated
switch, triggered on descent only, an explosive charge used to sever
[FIGURE: Diagram of flight termination equipment showing balloon with labeled components: Knots Above and Below Cannons, 34' Rip Line of 100# Test Braided Nylon With 2' Slack, Appendix 3' Line, 2 Squib Firing Cannons to be Fired at 20,000 Ft by Flight Termination Switch, Acetate Fiber Tape, Rip Line (100# Test or Lobster Twine) 6" Slack Inside Balloon, Knot, Balloon Wall, 10' Snub Line (Coiled Up) to Take Place of 1 Ft Line, Which Has Been Cut (Bound With Thread), Flight Termination Switch Rips Balloon on Final Descent to 20,000 Ft, Thus Reducing Floating Time in the Air Lanes. The Half Deflated Balloon Then Acts as Its Own Parachute
DETAIL OF RIP LINE INSERT INTO BALLOON]
Figure 21. Flight termination equipment.
the main load line, a rip line attached to the balloon near the
equator and a snub line which takes up the strain after the load
has fallen a few feet.
-29-When the contact is made, the load line is cut and the entire
weight of the dependent equipment is used to pull out a section of
the balloon wall. Through this rupture, the lifting gas can es-
cape, and the balloon descends, using the upper portion as a para-
chute. The rate of descent has been observed to vary from 600 to
1500 feet per minute when this system is employed.
For some special applications it has been desirable to cause the
balloon to descend after some predetermined time, instead of waiting
for the descent to air traffic lanes. In these cases, a clockwork
switch has been used instead of the pressure-activation unit. When
clocks are used they are kept free of lubricants which will freeze.
The best results have been obtained from the use of a Dow Corning
Silicone (DC 701) diluted with 30% kerosene. If this is not
available, it is better to send up a clock without any lubrication.
Given relatively loose mechanism (a cheap alarm clock) the differ-
ential expansion of parts which is encountered at low temperatures
is apt to cause less trouble than does the congealing of standard
lubricants.
IV. EQUATIONS AND THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Development of a controlled altitude balloon has led to investigation
of many theoretical considerations applicable both directly and in-
directly to the description of variables encountered in balloon con-
trol. Some of these relationships have been derived directly from standard
hydrodynamic or thermodynamic principles; others come from an empirical
study of results of laboratory tests and actual balloon flights. In
this section we will investigate these theoretical considerations and
endeavor to correlate them with actual flight results. A more simple
investigation of the equations necessary for the launching and tracking
of a controlled altitude balloon is contained in Part II of this report,
"Operations."
We shall first consider the relationships which aid in evaluating the
elementary characteristics of non-extensible balloon flight and those
which are helpful in carrying out inflation and launching operations
of such balloons. Next, we shall discuss more complex considerations
involved in balloon flights.
A. Floating Altitude and Altitude Sensitivity
To determine the altitude at which a non-extensible balloon will
float we must consider the weight of the balloon system, the volume
of the balloon, and the densities of the lifting gas and the
air. [If the lifting gas is 98% helium (molecular weight
4.50 lb./lb. mol), the lift of a unit of gas will be 24.4 lb./lb. mol.
Similarly, if 98% hydrogen were the lifting gas, the lift would be
26.6 lb./lb. mol.] By using these three basic parameters, we can
obtain an expression for the molar volume at which the balloon will
float:
-30-(1) MV = Balloon Volume x Gas Lift
Gross Load
[It may be noted from this equation that a balloon can float at
molar volumes less than that computed for maximum balloon volume
(i.e., when it is not full). However, under these conditions the
balloon would be in neutral equilibrium, since any vertical force
would cause it to rise or fall until a force in the opposite direc-
tion stopped it. This is also the case with floating extensible
balloons.]
To convert from molar volume to equivalent altitude we must know
the pressure-temperature distribution of the atmosphere in which
the balloon will float. Since it is difficult to obtain an
accurate distribution for each flight, the atmospheric model as
drawn up by NACA standards has been used. In general the error
obtained in using the NACA standard is not great, but if greater
refinement is desired, data obtained from averaged radiosonde ob-
servations over a given launching site can be used.
From such knowledge of the distribution of pressure and temperature,
we may plot a curve of molar volume vs. altitude by use of the
following equation:
(2) MV_z = 359 ft³/lb mol x T_z/273°K x 1013.3 mb/p_z ft³/lb mol
By use of such a plot we easily find the floating altitude of a
full non-extensible balloon by use of equation (1) to find molar
volume, and then of the plot of equation (2) to find altitude.
The two equations have been combined and graphed in the form of
an altitude vs. gross load chart with helium as the lifting gas
for various balloon sizes and various release sites in the
"Operations" section of this technical report (Part II, page 108).
For the NACA standard atmosphere we may derive an equation for alti-
tude sensitivity by use of the molar volume-altitude relationship.
This is most easily done by plotting molar volume vs. altitude on
semi-logarithmic paper, since the curve of molar volume vs. altitude
from 40,000 to 105,000 feet (where a constant lapse rate of zero
is assumed) is approximately a straight line on semi-log paper.
The general form of the equation for this portion of the atmosphere
is y = ae^bz where y is the molar volume and z the altitude.
It is possible to determine empirically the constants a and b.
For example, using the molar volume at 50,000 feet, we find from
*359 ft³ = Molar volume of air at standard conditions (273°K, 1 atm. pressure)
-31-the equation 2500 ft.³/lb. mol = ae^50b where 50 is the expression
for altitude in thousands of feet. Similarly, at 70,000 feet,
6450 = ae^70b, and by solving to eliminate a, we find 2.58 = e^20b
or 20b = .95, and the constant b is equal to .0475. Thus, the
equation may be written:
(3) y = ae^.0475 z
y was originally defined as the molar volume, equal (for 98% helium)
to:
Balloon Volume x 24.4 = K
Gross Load W
In turn, K/W = ae^.0475 z, where z is the expression for altitude
in thousands of feet. From this relationship, we may solve for
W, the gross load.
(4) W = K/a e^-.0475 z
(5) ln(Wa/K) = -.0475 Z
or:
(6) ln W + ln a/K = -.0475 Z
Differentiating with respect to W:
(7) dz/dW = -21.052 ft/W lb where W is gross load in lb.
We see that the value of the constant a is unimportant here, and
the expression is independent of balloon volume, as long as it
does not vary with time. Included is the assumption that over a
short period of time buoyancy of lifting gas does not change.
Thus, we have an expression for A, the altitude sensitivity, which
is valid between 40,000 and 105,000 feet. Similarly, it is possible
to evaluate altitude sensitivity for operation between 0 and 30,000
feet. A in this range is equal to 31,400 ft./lb.
W
A plot of altitude sensitivity against load is shown on page 109
of the "Operations" section (Part II of this technical report).
-32-We may use this equation to approximate the rise of a full balloon
system when controlled by overcompensated constant ballast flow:
(8) dz/dt = dW/dt x A
where z is the balloon ceiling, t is time, and W is total weight
of the balloon system.
B. Rate of Rise
The equation of Clarke and Korff:
(1) dz/dt = 272 F^½/G^⅓ cm/sec
has been used to obtain the relationship between rate of rise and
free lift (or excess buoyancy) for a balloon system of any given
weight. For practical use, the equation has been modified to:
(2) dz/dt = 1486 F^½/G^⅓ where F is free lift in pounds
and G is gross lift in pounds.
Although this equation was derived for use with extensible spherical
balloons, it predicts closely the performance of non-extensible
balloons while they are rising to floating level. An average value
for the constant in equation (2) from actual flights is 1600 ft./min(lb.)^1/6
The deviation from this relationship, evidenced in several flights,
may be due to several variations from the assumptions upon which
the equation is based. This deviation has in general been an in-
crease of rate of rise of from 0 to 25% at higher altitudes.
To explain this increase, let us first investigate the changes
which may occur in the free lift. If any gas leaves the balloon
because of leakage through the balloon or the appendix, the free
lift will be reduced and the rate of rise will decrease (as it
does after the balloon is full and "levels off"). Therefore, this
variation may be ruled out when considering rise before the balloon
becomes full.
Free lift will vary with changes of temperature of the lifting gas
with respect to the free-air temperature. A change of this sort can
be caused by the acquisition of superheat of the lifting gas, or by
temperature decrease or increase caused by adiabatic expansion or
compression of the lifting gas. (These items will be discussed later
in this report.) Actual temperature measurements during rising
portions of flights indicate that there is no appreciable tempera-
-33-ture difference between the lifting gas and free air. Evidently
the effect of ventilation as the balloon moves through the air
causes the lifting gas to remain at a temperature approximating
that of the air, and the increase of lift due to temperature
variation is small in magnitude.
Since changes in the value of free lift appear incapable of causing
any appreciable increase in rate of rise, other possible variations
such as a change of the drag, or fluid friction, effect must be
considered.
The equation of Korff is based upon the assumption that the effect
of the change in Reynolds number and the change in size are of equal
magnitude, but in opposite directions. Therefore, these variables
are eliminated to obtain the simple engineering formula of Korff.
With a non-extensible balloon, however, the change of drag effect
is probably less than the effect of change of Reynolds number. There-
fore, it is likely that the rate of rise would increase with alti-
tude. The change in drag effect may be realized by a decrease of
relative size of the flabby, unfilled portion of the balloon. Thus
there will be a decrease of the drag caused by flow of air past this
flabby portion as the shape of the balloon changes; the result will
be an increase in the rate of rise of the system.
C. Superheat and Its Effects
The effect of the heating of lifting gas by the sun's rays has long
been of interest to those using balloons for atmospheric investigation.
In cosmic-ray studies using freely extensible balloons, this heating
effect was used to advantage in extending the length of flights.
These flights were often released at night using the heat added at
sunrise to replenish lift lost during the night by diffusion and
leakage.
In constant-level balloon work, using non-extensible balloons, the
effect of superheat of the lifting gas is more often a disadvantage
than an advantage. The disturbance of the flight is not great when
the gas acquires this superheat but may be disastrous when the super-
heat is lost. It is at this time that a large amount of ballast is
required to keep the balloon system afloat.
Let us investigate the effects of gain and loss of superheat on a
full, non-extensible balloon. We shall try to explain these
effects in terms of percentage loss or gain of lift of the balloon
system by use of simplified engineering formulas. First, the
general formulas:
(1) Lift: L = V_b(d_a - d_g) , where
V_b = balloon volume
d_a, d_g = density of air and lifting gas, respectively
-34-(2) Density: d = p/RT
p, R, T = pressure, specific gas constant, and
temperature of the air or lifting gas
(3) Let: B = R_a/R_g (= M_g/M_a)
At any two positions:
L_1 = V_1(d_a₁ - d_g₁)
L_2 = V(d_a₂ - d_g₂)
Investigating the gain of superheat, since there is no change of
volume V_1 = V_2 and:
(4) ΔL = L_2-L_1 = V_1 (d_a₂ - d_a₁ - d_g₂ + d_g₁)
Assume now that the balloon carries no internal pressure and that
the difference in lift does not cause the balloon system to pass
through any appreciable atmospheric pressure difference (in the
case where the balloon is floating at 40,000 ft. MSL a change of
1000 ft. would be only 9 mb, or a 5% change).
Therefore:
p_a₁ = p_a₂ = p_g₁ = p_g₂ = p
Assume also that initially the air and lifting gas are at the
same temperature and that the air passes through no appreciable
temperature change. Then:
T_a₁ = T_a₂ = T_g₁ = T_1
Then, making use of our two assumptions and substituting equation
(2) into equation (4), we have:
ΔL = Vp(1/R_aT_1 - 1/R_aT_1 - 1/R_gT_g₂ - 1/R_gT_1)
= Vp/R_g (1/T_1 - 1/T_g₂)
and:
ΔL/L_1 = R_g(1/T_1 - 1/T_g₂) / (1/T_1)(1/R_a - 1/R_g)
-35-(5) ΔL/L_1 = B/(1-B) (T_g₂-T_1/T_g₂)
or, for small temperature differences, we have:
(6) ΔL/L = B/(1-B) (ΔT/T)
With increasing temperatures, there will be an unbalance in the
direction of greater altitude. While climbing to a greater alti-
tude the balloon will valve gas and come to equilibrium at a new
level. Thus the effect of gain of superheat with a full non-
extensible balloon will be a slight increase of altitude.
Investigating the case where an initial amount of superheat is
lost:
(7) ΔL = V_2(d_a₂ - d_g₂) - V_1(d_a₁ - d_g₁)
and since the balloon volume will decrease with cooling of the
lifting gas:
V_1 = V_1 T_g₂/T_g₁ (assuming constant p)
Therefore, again making use of the assumptions that:
p_a₁ = p_a₂ = p_g₁ = p_g₂ = p
and:
T_g₂ = T_a₁ = T_a₂ = T_2
Combining equation (2) and equation (7), we have:
ΔL = V_1 [T_g₂/T_g₁ (p/R_aT_2 - p/R_gT_2) - (p/R_aT_2 - p/R_gT_g₁)]
= V_1 (p/R_aT_g₁ - p/R_gT_g₁ - p/R_aT_2 + p/R_gT_g₁)
-36-(8) = pV_1/R_a (1/T_g₁ - 1/T_2)
Then:
ΔL/L_2 = (1/R_a)(1/T_g₁ - 1/T_2) / (1/T_2)(1/R_a - 1/R_g)
(9) = 1/(1-B) (T_2-T_g₁/T_g₁)
or for small temperature differences:
(10) ΔL/L = -1/(1-B) (ΔT/T)
the negative sign indicating a loss of lift.
From this equation we may approximate the amount of ballast re-
quired to compensate for the loss of superheat of the lifting gas.
It is apparent, then, that the amount of superheat gained or lost
by a balloon's gas is of extreme importance to the control of the
flight.
For this reason a transparent film has a definite advantage over a
reflecting fabric. For example, aluminum-coated fabric balloons
floating at 40,000 feet have exhibited lifting gas superheat in
the neighborhood of 40°C.* Polyethylene balloons, on the other
hand, show superheat of approximately 10°C under the same conditions.
Assuming a total weight of 30 kilograms in the balloon system, with
helium as the lifting gas ( B ≈ 1/7 ), the following compensation
at sunset, or when superheat is lost, will be necessary:
Aluminized fabric:
ΔL/L = 1/(1-1/7) (40°/250°) = 18.7 %
Polyethylene:
ΔL/L = 1/(1-1/7) (10°/250°) = 4.7 %
*This will explain the rapid descent of flight with fabric balloons and
will show the need for high rates of ballast flow at sunset with poly-
ethylene balloon flights (see Part III, "Summary of Flights," of this
report).
-37-This relationship between loss of lift and loss of superheat is
substantiated by analysis of Flight 94. From the rate of descent
the unbalance (using the equation of Clarke and Korff, see page 33)
is in the neighborhood of 5 kilograms. Although there was no
temperature measurement on this flight, a previous flight of
this type indicated a superheat of approximately 40°C. By equation
(10), with a gross load of 52 kg., the unbalance caused by loss
of all of this superheat would be 9.7 kg. It is believed that
ventilation past the balloon during a low velocity descent before
operation of the ballast mechanism caused loss of superheat. Since
this loss caused greater descent, and thus more ventilation, super-
heat was lost. An enormous rate of ballast flow would have been
required to check descent.
D. Adiabatic Lapse Rate
One of the causes of temperature difference between the lifting gas
and free air during rise or descent of balloon systems is the
difference in lapse rates of air and the lifting gas. The adiabatic
lapse rate is that temperature change caused by adiabatic ex-
pansion or compression of a gas during ascent or descent through a
given vertical distance. The actual lapse rate of the lifting gas
is the adiabatic lapse rate plus the effects of conduction and
radiation. The adiabatic lapse rate is defined as:
(1) LR = Ag/C_p
where: A = 2.39 x 10^-8 cal/erg
C_p = specific heat at constant pressure
g = acceleration caused by gravity
In the metric system for helium, ( C_p = 1.25 cal/°C/gm ):
LR = - 980 x 239 x 10^-3 / 1.25 = -1.87°C/km
or:
LR = -.57°C/1000 ft
The adiabatic lapse rate for air, ( C_p = 0.239 cal/°C/gm ):
LR = - 980 x 239 x 10^-3 / 0.239 = -9.8°C/km
or:
LR = -2.98°C/1000 ft
-38-The actual atmospheric distribution, however, does not indicate an adiabatic lapse rate for air but rather a lapse rate which varies with altitude. For the troposphere the lapse rate of the atmosphere averages -1.98°C/1000 ft. It may be shown then that in the tropo- sphere a rising balloon will get warm with respect to the air (neglecting ventilation and radiation effects) at a rate of 1.98 - .57 = 1.41°C/1000 ft. In the tropopause the lapse rate of the atmosphere is zero. Thus the lifting gas (if helium) will cool relative to the air at a rate of .57°C/1000 ft. Similarly, in the stratosphere, the lifting gas will cool relative to the air at a rate of 2.24 + .57 = 2.81°C/1000 ft. This effect is plotted as Figure 22. [FIGURE: Graph showing altitude vs temperature with curves labeled Temp of Lifting Gas due to Adiabatic Expansion with Altitude and Air Temp, regions Stratosphere and Troposphere, points A, X, Y marked] Figure 22. Lapse rate of air and helium. Here, below point A, the lifting gas will be warmer than the air. Above point A, the lifting gas will be cooler than the air. The effect of this temperature difference on the lift (as shown in the previous section) is approximately ΔL = L ΔT/T 1/(1-B) Thus, as a balloon system passes through point A, it will have less lift than at release. This effect has been observed on several flights, where a balloon system slowed down during ascent through a temperature inversion. Since the effect of the sun in heating the lifting gas decreases the effect of different lapse rates, the effect is not as noticeable during the day as at night. At night the balloon system may pass through an inversion, lose its lift, and remain at an altitude much below its estimated floating altitude until warmed by the sun's rays at sunrise. -39-
This effect adds to the stability of stratospheric balloon flights.
If a system in equilibrium in the stratosphere were to lose lift
and descend, the compression of the gas would cause an increase
of the lifting gas temperature relative to the air temperature,
causing a decrease in unbalance.
Similarly, an initial unbalance causing rise of the system would
cause relative cooling of the lifting gas and thus again decrease
the unbalance. Hence, the rate of rise or descent in the strato-
sphere will be limited by the rate of heat exchange due to con-
duction and radiation, which will counteract this effect of
adiabatic heating or cooling.
Empirical evidence indicates that there is a great deal more
stability in a stratospheric balloon system than in a similar
system floating in the troposphere. This "adiabatic stability" is
a principal reason for better performance of stratosphere flights.
E. Diffusion and Leakage of Lifting Gas
The lifting gas of a balloon can be lost by:
leakage through small holes in the fabric or film;
solution, migration and evaporation through fabric or film;
true molecular diffusion through openings, such as the
appendix opening.
(1) Leakage
Volumetric flow, Q, of a gas through any given opening in the
balloon surface may be evaluated as a function of the area of
the opening, A; the pressure head causing the flow, h and a co-
efficient of leakage, C_d.
(1) Q = C_d A √2gh where g is the acceleration
due to gravity
It would be difficult to evaluate the amount and area of holes
in the balloon surface. Let us, then, compare the rate of
leakage at any given altitude with leakage at sea level, rather
than attempting to evaluate the leakage at a given altitude.
First we shall compare the rate of leakage of a full balloon
at any given altitude with leakage of a full balloon at sea
level. Let us assume that the area of any opening in the sur-
face of the balloon does not vary with altitude and that the
coefficient of leakage is constant. Thus:
(2) Q ∝ √h where h is pressure head in
feet of lifting gas
-40-However:
(3) h = Δp/d_g × 144
where Δp is the pressure difference across the opening (psi)
and d_g is density of lifting gas (lb./ft.³). Combining equa-
tion (2) and equation (3):
(4)
Q ∝ √(Δp/d_g)
The pressure difference across any given opening can be eval-
uated in terms of: height above a known point of zero pressure
difference; rate of pressure change with altitude of the at-
mosphere (which, for any small section of altitude is assumed
to be constant); and ratio of the densities of air and the
lifting gas. Since the pressure difference across the appendix
opening is zero this is our reference point for evaluating
height. Figure 23 shows this pressure relationship in graphic
form.
[FIGURE: Diagram of balloon with pressure labels Z₁, Z•, Δz, Z₀, Δp_z, and p showing pressure difference across balloon]
Figure 23. Pressure difference across balloon.
-41-This relationship is expressed as:
(5) Δp = Δz (dp/dz)_air (1-B)
where B = M_g/M_a , M_g & M_a are molecular weights of lifting
gas and air, respectively.
Since, for a full balloon, Δz is constant at any altitude, and
B (for our discussion) is a constant:
(6) Q ∝ √((dp/dz)_air / d_g)
The mass rate of flow is equal to the density of the lifting
gas multiplied by the volumetric rate of flow:
(7) L = Qd_g ∝ √((dp/dz)_air d_g)
Since the number of openings will not change with altitude,
equation (7) expresses the relationship for mass rate of flow
from a full balloon for any altitude. The leakage at any
altitude may be expressed as a function of leakage at sea
level:
L_z/L_0 = ((dp/dz)_air-z / (dp/dz)_air-0 · d_g_z / d_g_0)^(1/2)
As an example, let us compare the leakage rates of a lifting gas
through a full balloon at sea level, at 40,000 feet and at
100,000 feet.
| Altitude | (dp/dz)_air | d_g |
|----------|-------------|----------|
| 0 | 1/27 | 1013/288R |
| 40,000 | 1/112 | 188/218R |
| 100,000 | 1/1880 | 10.9/218R |
-42-Comparing rate of leakage at 40,000 feet with leakage at
sea level:
L_40/L_0 = √(27/112 · 188/1013 · 288/218) = 0.243
Comparing rate of leakage at 100,000 feet with leakage at sea
level:
L_100/L_0 = √(27/1880 · 10.9/1013 · 288/218) = 0.044
Therefore, if leakage of a full balloon at sea level is known,
it is possible to compute theoretical leakage at any altitude.
However, if it is not possible to completely inflate a balloon
on the ground in order to make a sea level test (if lift would
be great enough to rupture balloon or load lines), a method of
comparing full balloon leakage with partially full balloon
leakage must be found.
Let us assume that it is possible to obtain results of a
leakage test for a balloon inflated to a volume 1/x of full bal-
loon volume. Again starting with equation (1):
Q = C_d A √2gh
We see that in this case the total area of openings, A is not
constant but is a function of volume. Therefore, we have:
(8) Q ∝ A√h
We have shown that:
h = Δp/d_g · 144 = Δz(dp/dz)_air(1-B)/d_g · 144
Since we are comparing partially inflated balloon leakage at
sea level with full balloon leakage at sea level the variable
in the above expression is Δz. This is graphically illus-
trated in Figure 24.
-43-[FIGURE: Two diagrams — top labeled FULL BALLOON showing balloon with labels Z₁, Z•, Z₀, Δz_f, Δp_f, and p; bottom labeled BALLOON ½ FULL showing partially inflated balloon with labels Z•, Δz_k, Δp_k, and p]
Figure 24. Comparison of pressure head across
partially and fully inflated balloons.
Thus, the relationship is:
(9) Q ∝ A√ΔZ
(10) Q ∝ V^(1/3) √V^(1/3) ∝ V^(5/6)
Since the density of the lifting gas is constant, we may then
express mass leakage as:
(11) L ∝ V^(5/6)
And then, to compare leakage of a full balloon with leakage of
a balloon 1/x full:
(12) L_F = L_(1/x)(x)^(5/6)
-44-Example: If a 20-foot diameter balloon 1/10 full were tested at
sea level and found to have a leakage rate of 50 gm/hr. the
leakage rate of a full 20-foot balloon at sea level would be:
L_f = 50 GM/HR (10)^(7/6) = 340 GM/HR
The leakage of a full 70-foot diameter balloon at sea level in
this case would be:
L_f = 50 GM/HR [10(70/20)³]^(5/6) = 7820 GM/HR
Values for leakage at several different altitudes for 20-foot
and 70-foot diameter balloons, assuming a leakage of 50 gm/hr.
for a 20-foot balloon 1/10 full at sea level are:
| Altitude (MSL) | 0 | 40,000 ft. | 100,000 ft. |
|----------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
| 20-ft. diam. | 340 gm/hr. | 83.2 gm/hr. | 15 gm/hr. |
| 70-ft. diam. | 7820 gm/hr. | 1912 gm/hr. | 345 gm/hr. |
Another consideration is that relationship expressed by the
kinetic theory of gases regarding gases at low pressures. The
kinetic theory states that there is a molecular type of flow
across a thin diaphragm through openings whose dimensions are
of the order of the length of the mean free path of the mole-
cules involved. Mass flow of the gas is then:
L = Δp · A √(d_g/2Π)
where:
Δp = is the pressure difference across the film
A = area of the opening
d_g = density of the gas in question
This relationship, however, becomes valid only at extremely
low pressures, and when considering balloon systems at normal
floating levels the more common fluid-flow relationship will
control the rate of loss of lift through openings in the film.
It would be of little use then to investigate further the leak-
age of gas through openings by means of the relationships in-
volved in the kinetic theory.
-45-(2) Solution, Migration and Evaporation through Film
A very slight amount of lift is lost through solution of the
gas into the balloon film, migration through the film and evapora-
tion into the atmosphere. The rate of this type of diffusion
is a function of the characteristics of the lifting gas and
the partial pressure involved. Since the lifting gas is
assumed to be very nearly pure, the partial pressure is merely
the pressure of the atmosphere in which the balloon is floating.
This method of diffusion need not be considered when ex-
amining the loss of a balloon's lifting gas since it is of a
low enough value to be insignificant as compared with the loss
of gas by leakage through openings in the film.
Tests have indicated that this type of diffusion through .001"
polyethylene has a value of approximately 4 liters/meter²/day.
At sea level this is equivalent to 5.32 gm/hr. for a 20-foot
diameter balloon. At 40,000 feet MSL the value would be
approximately 1 gm/hr.
(3) Diffusion through Appendix
We have seen that there is no pressure difference across the
open appendix of the balloon during floating. Therefore, the
loss of lifting gas through this appendix (except when the
balloon is rising and gas is being valved out of the appendix)
can be only by true intermolecular diffusion of the gas into
the atmosphere and air into the lifting gas. The expression
for loss of lifting gas by diffusion is similar in form to the
expression for transfer of heat through a given distance by
conduction:
(13) dN/dt = -D dN/dz dy dx
where:
dN/dt = time rate of transfer of molecules of gas
across the area dy dx in direction z
D = a coefficient of diffusion, dependent upon
viscosity and density of the gas involved (D∝c⁻¹)
dN/dz = variation of molecular concentration with
variation in direction z
dydx = the differential term for area.
Then, since a molecule of lifting gas has a given weight, we may
state that:
-46-(14) dw/dt = K dN/dt
where K is a constant.
We may state the relationship (13) in terms of rate of trans-
fer and area of the opening, assuming dN/dz to be constant across
the opening:
(15) dw/dt = -K₁D dc/dz A
where:
dw/dt = mass transfer of lifting gas
dc/dz = variation of concentration of lifting gas
in direction z
A = area of opening
In order, then, to determine the rate of loss of lifting gas
by diffusion through the open appendix we must:
(a) determine the relationship between the coefficient of
diffusion, D, and altitude (or pressure and temperature)
(b) determine the loss of lift by diffusion through the appendix
at any convenient altitude (i.e. at the ground)
(c) derive a relationship between loss at the ground and loss
at any altitude.
However, determination of valid relationships to find diffu-
sion through the appendix opening would require large scale
laboratory testing and then tedious derivation of mathematical
equations, a study in research in itself. It was deemed more
practical to reduce or eliminate this type of loss of lift
by reduction of the area of the opening by use of a relief
valve system as explained in Part II of this report, "Operations,"
pp. 8-14.
F. Bursting Pressure and Appendix Considerations
Bursting pressure of a balloon can be computed from the equation:
(1) Δp=4Sft/D for failure of the fabric or film,
where:
-47-Δp = bursting pressure (psi)
S_f = maximum allowable tensile stress of fabric
or film (psi) (for safety S_f = 1/2 S_max
where S_max = maximum stress in tension)
t = thickness of fabric or film (in.)
D = balloon diameter (in.)
or:
(2) Δp = 4S_s/D for failure of seams
where:
S_s = maximum allowable tensile strength of seams
(lb./in.)
D = balloon diameter (in.)
In general, a balloon should be manufactured so that any failure
should occur first in the fabric or film and thus the tensile
stress of this fabric or film will be the factor in determining bursting
pressure.
Since the non-extensible balloons used in constant-level work by
the N.Y.U. group have been of the open-appendix type, bursting
due to excessive super-pressure has not been a problem. Strength
of the balloon must be considered, however, from the standpoints
of back pressure induced during rise of a full balloon and pressure
distribution of the lifting gas itself inside of the balloon.
(1) Pressure Distribution of Lifting Gas
It was shown in the previous section that the pressure diff-
erence across any portion of the balloon surface may be equated:
(3) Δp_z = Δz dp/dz (1-B)
A plot of Δp against Δz would then be a straight line at
any given altitude. Maximum allowable balloon pressure--
equation (1)--may be plotted as a function of Δz, rather
than diameter for any given horizontal plane of the balloon
surface, z. Using this relationship, cutting any horizontal
plane z-z across the balloon (Figure 25), the diameter of the
-48-balloon at any point z may be expressed as:
d_z = 2[(D/2)² - (Δz - D/2)²]^(1/2)
(4) = 2[DΔz - Δz²]^(1/2)
Therefore, maximum allowable balloon pressure at any plane z-z
will be:
(5) Δp_z = 4S_f t / 2(DΔz - Δz²)^(1/2) psi
Equation (5) may be plotted in terms of bursting pressure and Δz
for any given diameter balloon. A straight line through the
origin and tangent to the plot of Equation (5) will indicate
the maximum allowable (dp/dz)_air (1-B) for any given diameter bal-
loon. Comparing the maximum allowable (dp/dz)_air with a chart
of altitude vs. pressure in the atmosphere will indicate the
minimum altitude at which the balloon can be allowed to be full.
From an altitude-buoyancy table for any given diameter balloon,
the maximum allowable buoyancy, or maximum allowable gas in-
flation can be obtained.
Figure 26 is a plot of equations (3) and (5) for .001" poly-
ethylene (S_f = 900/2 psi) balloons of 20', 30' and 70'
diameters.
[FIGURE LEFT: Circle with d and Δz labels showing relationship d/ΔZ for balloon]
[FIGURE RIGHT: Graph with curves for 70' Diam. Balloon, 30' Diam. Balloon, and 20' Diam. Balloon; x-axis Δp-psi; y-axis Δz-ft.; equations Δp_z = 4S_f t/2(DΔz-Δz²)^(1/2) psi and (dp/dz)_air(1-B) = .256×10⁻³ psi/ft.]
Fig. 25. Fig. 26.
Relationship d/ΔZ, for balloon. Graph of equations (3) and (5).
-49-We see that the maximum allowable (dp/dz)_a(I-B) for a 30' diameter,
.001" thick polyethylene balloon is 256×10⁻³ psi/ft. Dividing
by (1-B) we have the maximum allowable:
(dp/dz)_a = 256 × 10⁻³ / 1-.138 = .300 × 10 psi/ft⁻³
= 20.7 × 10⁻³ mb/ft
This is comparable to an altitude of 18,300 ft. or a gross
buoyancy of 450 lb., the maximum allowable inflation of a 30'
diameter, .001" thick polyethylene balloon from the stand-
point of pressure distribution.
In order to determine mathematically the point of failure due
to pressure distribution we may use equations (3) and (5) and
their derivatives:
Δp_z = Δz (dp/dz)_air (1-B)
Δp_z = 4S_f t / 2(DΔz - Δz²)^(1/2)
at the point of tangency of these curves (T in Figure 26):
Δp_T3 = Δp_T5 and (dp/dz)_T3 = (dp/dz)_T5
in equation (5), making 4S_f t/2 = K and in equation (3), making
(dp/dz)_a(1-B) = m , the slope of the line Δp_z = Δz·m
we have:
(5a) Δp_z = K / (DΔz - Δz²)^(1/2)
and:
(3a) Δp_z = mΔz
differentiating with respect to z :
(5b) dp/dz = -K(D-2ΔZ) / 2(DΔz-Δz²)
(3b) dp/dz = m
-50-Since at T, (dp/dz)_3 = (dp/dz)_5 :
m = -K/2 · (D-2ΔZ) / (DΔz - Δz²)^(3/2)
and, since at T, Δp_z3 = Δp_z5 :
mΔz_T = -KΔz_T/2 · (D-2Δz_T) / (DΔz_T - Δz_T²)^(3/2) = K / (DΔz_T - Δz_T²)^(1/2)
and: Δz_T(2Δz_T - D) = 2(DΔz_T - Δz_T²)
Δz = ¾ D
Then:
Δp_T = K / (¾D² - 9/16 D²)^(1/2) = K / (√3/4 D)
m = (dp/dz)_air (1-B) = K(2·¾D-D) / 2(¾D² - 9/16 D²)^(3/2) = 16K / 3√3 D²
Allowable:
(dp/dz)_air = 16K / 3√3 D² · 1/(1-B)
For the example above,
D = 30', S_f = 900/2 , t = .001 in. , B = 53.8/386 = 0.138
(helium)
Then:
(dp/dz)_air = 16/(3√3) · 4/2 · 900/2 · .001/(30)²·12 · 1/(1-0.138) psi/ft
Allowable (dp/dz)_air = 0.298 · 10⁻³ psi / ft
= 20.55 mb/ft
This is comparable to an altitude of approximately 18,200 ft.
Thus the maximum allowable buoyancy for a 30' diameter, .001"
thick polyethylene balloon filled with helium is 440 lb.
(2) Appendix-Opening Considerations
As an open-appendix, constant-volume balloon ascends the
lifting gas will expand due to the decrease in the pressure
-51-of the surrounding atmosphere. Upon reaching the altitude at
which it is full it will still have an unbalance in the
direction of increase of altitude due to the excess buoyancy
causing ascent. This unbalance is gradually decreased as the
balloon rises (with a fixed volume) into less dense air. Mean-
while excess gas pressure is relieved by valving gas through
the appendix until the balloon system is in a condition of
equilibrium. The portion of the ascent after the balloon has
become full is known as the "leveling-off" period.
The lifting gas which is valved out through the appendix will
cause a "back pressure" inside of the balloon which must be
transferred to the balloon fabric or film. In other words,
there must be a pressure difference across the appendix opening
during this period to force the excess lifting gas out of the
balloon. Let us analyze this back pressure by the method used
by Picard. Using the rules of subsonic aerodynamics, Picard
suggests that air at sea level escaping at 1333 ft/sec. pro-
duces a back pressure of 1 atmosphere and that back pressure
induced is proportional to the square of escape velocity of
the gas and inversely proportional to the density of the gas
escaping. Volume of gas lost in ascent through 1 foot is,
within a reasonable degree of accuracy:
(6) ΔV/ΔZ = V/P · dp/dz · (T+ΔT)/T
ΔV/ΔZ = volume lost per foot of ascent (ft.³/ft.)
V = balloon volume (ft.²)
P = pressure of free air (psi)
dp/dz = pressure change with increase of Z (psi/ft)
T = temperature of air (°C abs.)
ΔT = change in air temperature during rise (°C)
For ascent in the troposphere this relationship will reduce to:
(7) ΔV/ΔZ = V/27,800 ft³/FT
The velocity of escape of gas, then:
(8) V = dz/dt · V/27,800 · 1/A_a
V = velocity of escape of lifting gas (ft./sec.)
-52-dz/dt = ascent velocity of balloon (ft./sec.)
V/27800 = volume of gas lost per foot of ascent (ft.³/ft.)
A_a = area of appendix opening (ft.²)
The back pressure caused by this velocity:
(9) Δp = (V/1333)² · 14.7 d_g/d_a0
Δp = back pressure induced (psi)
V = velocity of escape of gas (ft./sec.)
d_g = density of lifting gas at altitude
of balloon (lb./ft.³)
d_a0 = density of air at sea level (lb./ft.³)
14.7 = pressure of air at sea level (psi)
1333 = escape velocity of air to produce back pressure
of 1 atmosphere at sea level (ft/sec)
or, combining equation (8) and (9):
(10) Δp = (dz/dt · V/27800 · 1/A_a)² / (1333)² · 14.7 d_a/d_a0 psi
As an example, let us find the back pressure induced in a 20'
diameter balloon with a 1' diameter opening ascending at
800 ft./minute, as it becomes full at 30,000 ft. (density of
helium @ 30,000 ft. = 300/1013 · 290/235 · 0.138 d_a0)
Δp_20 = (800/60 · π·20³/6 · 4/π)² / 1333² · 14.7 · 0.051 = .275×10⁴·psi
It is to be noted that equation (5) can be arrived at by more
simple reconstruction of the standard equation for fluid flow:
(11) dV/dt = C_d A_a √2gh
dV/dt = volume rate of flow (ft.³/sec.)
C_d = a constant of flow
-53-g = the acceleration of gravity (ft./sec.²)
A_a = area of the opening (ft.²)
h = head of fluid causing flow (ft.)
since h = 144 Δp/d_g , we have:
(12) Δp = d_g/288g (1/C_d A_a · dV/dt)² psi
where d_g is density of the lifting gas (lb./ft.³).
From equation (7) we have:
dV/dt = dz/dt · V/27800 ft³/sec
therefore:
(13) Δp = d_g/288g (1/C_d A_a · dz/dt · V/27800)² psi
Comparing equations (10) and (13) we see that if the equations are
equal:
1/(288g C_d²) = 14.7/(1333² d_a0)
If we let C_d = .975 , a reasonable value for the relatively
low velocity flow of gas through the appendix, we have:
1/(288g C_d²) = 113.5 × 10⁻⁶ ft-sec²/in²
14.7/(1333² d_a0) = 114.8 × 10⁻⁶ ft-sec²/in²
Therefore, the equations (10) and (13) are equal and inter-
changeable.
It may be noted from equations (10) and (13) that for any given
balloon, appendix area and balloon volume are fixed, and the
related variables are lifting gas density, rate of rise, and
allowable back pressure. For any given allowable back pressure
greater rates of rise are allowable at higher altitudes (where
d_g is lower).
Once a floating altitude has been decided upon or it has been
decided to carry a given load as part of the balloon system, we
can find a maximum allowable rate of rise. We must consider
-54-the pressure distribution of the lifting gas and the internal
back pressure due to valving gas. To find maximum rates of
ascent for various balloons would necessitate a complicated
series of trial and error solution. In general, it has been
more practical to determine a maximum rate of rise for normal
operating conditions for any given size balloon by finding the
maximum allowable rate for the balloon rising to its lowest
normal operating level (i.e., we will find the maximum allowable
rate for the worst normal operating conditions and consider
it a maximum for all normal operating conditions.)
Let us take the case of a 20-foot diameter polyethylene balloon
of .001" thickness. Lowest normal floating altitude is 20,000 ft.
MSL. Let us assume that the balloon will be full and begin
valving gas at 15,000 ft. MSL. Assume the appendix diameter
to be ½ foot. Using equation (1) to find maximum allowable
internal pressure and assuming the critical x-y plane to be that
of maximum diameter ΔZ = D/2 , we have:
Δp_all. = 4S_f t/D = 4(900/2)·.001 / 12·20 = .0075 psi
(Here we have introduced a factor of safety by saying S_f = 900/2
instead of 900 psi, the ultimate strength in tension of poly-
ethylene.) Pressure distribution:
Δp_D/2 = ΔZ dp/dz (1-B) = 20/2 · 3.38·10⁻⁴·.862 = .00291 psi
Allowable back pressure:
Δp_bp = Δp_all - Δp_D/2 = .0046 psi
Maximum rate of rise using equation (13);
dz/dt = √(288 Δp_bp g / d_g) (27800/V C_d A_a) ft/sec
= 100.7 ft/sec
= 6000 ft/min
It is evident from this calculation that the rate of rise of the
20-ft. diameter polyethylene balloon is not a critical factor
in bursting unless the open appendix becomes snarled and gas is
not allowed to escape.
Rate of rise and appendix openings are important from the stand-
point of balloon design. For operational reasons it is important
to have a rapid rate of rise. In order to make most efficient
use of weight, the balloon film should be thin. As mentioned
-55-in the preceding section on diffusion and leakage the appendix
opening should be small. It can be seen that as we make one
of our conditions better, we must sacrifice at least one of
the others. Therefore, balloons must be designed compromising
rate of rise, balloon thickness, and appendix opening. Methods
of decreasing the appendix opening, except during the valving
of lifting gas, are discussed in other sections of this tech-
nical report. In general they consist of means of applying
a delicate relief valve, capable of opening to a large area
with application of only slight internal pressure, and also
closing tight upon release of this internal pressure.
G. A General Equation of Motion
If we collect and relate the variables incidental to balloon flight,
we may form a general equation of motion. This is most easily ex-
pressed in terms of forces acting upon the balloon system. We may
equate an acceleration term plus a drag or friction term against a
term to include all other forces:
(1) m D²z + n(Dz)² = ΣF
This is a differential equation of a type common in mechanical vi-
bration problems, and solution for the variable z would not be
difficult if relationships of the many variables included in the
terms m and ΣF were simple. However, the complexity of the
balloon system introduces many terms as parts of n and ΣF .
We shall first state the more complex form of equation (1) above
and then attempt to explain the variables included in each part of
the equation. As will be shown, it is extremely difficult to find
a complete solution of the equation since many of the variables
are in themselves extremely complex and at this time incapable of
accurate solution. Therefore, our discussion will be more of a
qualitative rather than a quantitative nature.
The general force equation is:
(2) W/g D²z + C ρ/2 A(Dz)² = V_b(ρ_a - ρ_g) - W ± F_atm
The force due to acceleration F_A = W/g D²z
where:
W = weight of the balloon system
g = acceleration of gravity
D²z = acceleration of the balloon system (An
acceleration in the direction of greater
altitude is considered positive.)
-56-The force due to friction or drag F_D = C_D ρ/2 A Dz (This assumes
that there is no vertical motion of the air in which the balloon
system is floating. We shall later consider the case where an
atmospheric force is causing vertical motion of the air.)
Where:
ρ = mass density of the air surrounding the
balloon system
A = projected area of the balloon on a plane
perpendicular to the relative velocity
Dz = vertical velocity of the balloon system
(Velocity in the direction of greater altitude
is considered positive.)
C_D = a coefficient of drag, dependent on Reynolds
number N_R = D_z d ρ/μ where:
d = diameter of sphere (ft.)
ρ = mass density of surrounding
fluid (lb. sec.²/ft.⁴)
μ = viscosity of surrounding fluid
(lb. sec./ft.²)
A plot of drag coefficient against Reynolds number for a sphere is
shown in Figure 27.
[FIGURE: Log-log graph of drag coefficient C_D (y-axis, 0.1 to 100) vs. Reynolds Number N_R (x-axis, 1 to 10⁶) for a sphere, showing characteristic curve with plateau and drop]
Figure 27. Drag coefficient vs. Reynolds Number, for sphere.
-57-If a balloon is teardrop in shape rather than spherical, the curve
would be modified so that the value of C_D, for a given Reynolds
number would be lower. In this case the sudden drop in C_D
as Reynolds number increases (the change from viscous to turbulent
flow) would occur at a lower Reynolds number.
We have thus far in our discussion assumed that there is no verti-
cal motion of the air surrounding the balloon system relative to
the coordinate z . However, this is not necessarily the case
under actual conditions. In many instances vertical air movement is
found in the atmosphere. Therefore, we must introduce a term to
allow for this vertical air movement. In equation (2) this term
was indicated as ±F_A , the external atmospheric force.
We may consider this vertical air movement in terms of a velocity Dζ.
Then the vertical velocity of the balloon system relative to the
air surrounding the system will be the difference between the velo-
city of the balloon relative to the absolute altitude Dz and the
velocity of the surrounding air relative to the absolute altitude.
This may be equated as Dz - Dζ , where Dz and Dζ are both con-
sidered positive in the direction of increase of altitude.
The total force due to the drag, or friction will be:
F_D + F_ATM = C_D ρ/2 A(Dz - Dζ)²
where the notations are those used previously, except that now
N_R = (Dz-Dζ) d ρ/μ . The relationship between N_R and C_D will be those
used previously.
The force due to buoyancy of the lifting gas F_b = V_b(ρ_a - ρ_g)
where:
V_b = balloon volume (ft.³)
ρ_a, ρ_g = density of the air and lifting gas, respectively
(lb./ft.³)
This term may also be stated as: F = V_b (p_a/R_a T_a - p_g/R_g T_g)
where:
p_a, p_g = pressure of air and lifting gas
R_a, R_g = specific gas constant of air and lifting gas
T_a, T_g = temperature of air and lifting gas
The changes that will take place in this expression are those due
to a temperature difference between the lifting gas and the free
air, change in volume of the balloon due to loss of lifting gas,
change of the gas constant of the lifting gas due to dilution with
air, and (in the case of a balloon that will hold an internal pressure)
pressure difference between lifting gas and surrounding air.
-58-Temperature effects were discussed previously in this report.
Those discussions on superheat and adiabatic temperature change
will apply to the general equation. In general, temperature of
the free air and lifting gas can be measured to a fair degree of
accuracy.
Balloon volume at any time is a function of original full balloon
volume plus the summation of all the changes in volume due to pres-
sure and temperature changes and loss of lifting gas. It will
also be affected by loss or gain of air by the balloon through
diffusion and intake of air through the appendix. The non-
extensible balloon will have a maximum volume and thus any changes
tending to increase the gas volume to a value greater than the
balloon volume will result in a valving of the excess lifting gas
into the air, or (in the case of a balloon which will carry in-
ternal pressure) a pressure increase of the lifting gas.
It is for this reason that a non-extensible balloon is said to be
in a state of stable equilibrium in a direction of greater alti-
tude when it is full. However, in a direction of lesser altitude,
and with the case of a partially full floating balloon, the system
is in a state of neutral equilibrium.
Composition of the lifting gas will change due to contamination of
the lifting gas by the entry of air into the balloon, either by the
flow of air through the appendix opening or by diffusion of air into
the balloon. We may then modify our term for density of the lifting
gas to include a term for the pure gas and a term for the contaminat-
ing air. Using the method of partial volumes, we may equate the density
of the lifting gas at any time by:
ρ_g = p_g/(V_b T_g) (V_p/R_p + V_a/R_a)
where:
p_g = pressure of the lifting gas
V_b = total lifting gas volume
V_p = volume of pure lifting gas in balloon
V_a = volume of air in balloon
R_g = specific gas constant of pure lifting gas
R_a = specific gas constant of air
Then, calling V_p/V_b = x_p and V_a/V_b = x_a (here we see that since
V_p + V_a = V_b, x_p + x_a = 1 ) we may equate:
ρ_g = p_g/T_g (x_p/R_p + x_a/R_a)
-59-The equation for the force due to buoyancy will then become:
F_e = V_b [ p_a/(R_aT_a) - p_g/T_g (x_p/R_p + x_a/R_a) ]
If the balloon is of the type that will carry no internal pressure
p_a = p_g , and we may state that:
F_e = V_b p_a [ 1/(R_aT_a) - 1/T_g (x_p/R_p + x_a/R_a) ]
Discussions of the contamination of the lifting gas are included under
the section on "Diffusion and Leakage of Lifting Gas" of this report.
The force due to the weight of the system F_W = W The weight
of the balloon system at any time is a function of the original
weight of the system plus the change of weight of the system. This
change in the weight of the system is caused by the loss of ballast
and the weight of the system at any time ( t ):
W_t = W_0 - Σ ΔW_b
t=o
where:
W_0 = the original weight of the system
Σ ΔW_b = the sum of all the losses of ballast from
t=o time at which W = W_0 until the time t
The value of the term Σ ΔW_b depends on the type of ballast control.
t=o
With no ballast:
Σ ΔW_b = 0 and W_t = W_0
t=o
If a constant ballast flow is used:
Σ ΔW_b = dW/dt t
t=o
where:
dW/dt = rate of ballast flow
t = elapsed time from t = 0 to t = t
If a practical fixed opening type of ballast control is used:
where: Σ ΔW_b = f ( t, h, μ_b, ρ_b, A )
t=o
t = time
h = head of ballast above opening
μ_b = viscosity of ballast fluid
ρ_b = density of ballast fluid
A = area of opening
-60-The ballast flow at any time, t:
dW/dt = C_F ρ_b A √2gh
so that:
Σ ΔW_b = ∫ C_F ρ_b A √2gh dt
t=o o
where:
C_F is a coefficient of discharge, dependent
upon Reynolds number of the flow through
the opening
In this equation only √2g and A are constants (if temperature
effect on the opening A is neglected), ρ_b is dependent upon temper-
ature of the fluid and h is dependent upon the shape of the vessel
containing the fluid and time t.
If ballast flow is controlled by atmospheric pressure:
Σ ΔW_b = Σ dW/dt t_p>p_c , with a fixed valve opening
t=o t=o (open-or-closed valve)
where t_p>p_c represents the time when atmospheric pressure is
greater than the pressure of control. Here, again, dW/dt = C_F ρ_b A√2gh
With ballast flow proportional to p - p_c :
Σ ΔW_b = Σ d(dW/dt)/dΔp (p - p_c) t_p>p_c
t=o t=o
where: d(dW/dt)/dΔp relationship between rate of flow and
pressure difference ( p - p_c ) where p > p_c
If we include a rate of pressure change control or a rate of ascent
control such that there is no ballast flow if rate of pressure
change is less than some value -(dp/dt)_c or rate of ascent is greater
than some value (dz/dt)_c ,we impose the condition for ballast flow in
the above two cases that for flow to occur p>p_c , and dp/dt > (dp/dt)_c
or dz/dt < (dz/dt)_c
We might also have a control that will open or close a valve on
rate of pressure change such that:
Σ ΔW_b = Σ dW/dt t_dp/dt>(dp/dt)_c
t=o t=o
-61-where t_dp/dt>(dp/dt)_c is the time during which pressure change of
the air surrounding the balloon is greater than a design value
of pressure change causing ballast flow.
The general equation, then, indicates the relationships between
the variables involved in balloon flight. The discussions in
this section of the report, "Equations and Theoretical Considerations,"
attempt to qualitatively organize the relationships between these
variables in order that a complete overall picture of the aspects
of balloon flight can be formulated.
It should be stressed that the theoretical relationships as stated
here do not lend themselves to simple insertion into an overall
equation which is easily solved. Rather, solutions of many of the
variables are in themselves complex. At this time it appears im-
practical to delve too deeply into such matters as "the variation
of diffusion and leakage through various types of balloons under
different conditions" or "a study in the change of coefficient of
drag on a balloon system at all points during its flight." It
has been more practical to generally state the relationships in
unsolved form and concentrate the experimental portion of the re-
search problem on such matters as actual development of balloon
controls.
V. TELEMETERING
A. Information Transmitted
The need for a balloon-borne transmitter and some system of ground
receiving and recording was recognized early in the work of the pro-
ject. The primary objective of such telemetering was to collect
data to evaluate the altitude controls applied to the balloon sys-
tem. Pressure, perhaps the most important data, was measured by
the use of radiosonde-type aneroid capsules. A discussion of the
pressure modulators used is given in the following section.
A second use of air-borne transmitters was to provide a beacon for
radio direction-finding. With proper equipment a balloon-borne
transmitter can provide a signal to guide an aircraft, homing with
a radio compass, or provide a position "fix" by the crossed azi-
muths of ground receiving stations.
In addition to these two very important functions of altitude
determination and positioning, telemetering systems were used to
detect and transmit temperature data and ballast flow data. The
equipment used for these purposes is described below.
-62-B. Transmitters Used
(1) 72-Megacycle Radiosonde Transmitter (T-49)
The standard T-49 transmitter of the Army Weather Service was
first used in project work, with a modified commutator bar
switching specially coded resistors into the circuit as the
balloon passed from one critical pressure to another. The
operating characteristics of this transmitter may be found in
the following publications: T.B. Sig. 165, T.M. 11-2403,
T.M. 11-2404 and the Weather Equipment Technician's Manual.
The defects which were encountered in the use of this trans-
mitter were principally (1) relatively short range and (2)
unfitness for direction-finding using available equipment.
Our experience has been that reception from the T-49 trans-
mitter by standard equipment is not much above 80 miles under
good conditions. When flights were made which traveled many
times this distances, the inadequacy of this transmitter was
clearly demonstrated.
The problem of direction-finding is of major importance when
attempts are made to position and track the balloon and its
equipment train. Since no standard directional receiver equip-
ment is available for this use with the T-49, this transmitter
is of limited value.
(2) 400-Megacycle FM Transmitter (T-69)
The T-49 transmitter was abandoned in favor of the T-69 400-mc
system as soon as ground receiving equipment for the latter was
available. By using the directional receiving set SCR-658
with the T-69 transmitter, the problem of direction-finding
and positioning was attacked. A second advantage enjoyed by
this system is the improved range attainable.
Our experience has been that an SCR-658 set in good condition
can receive a signal up to a range of 150 miles, providing
that the line-of-sight transmitter is high enough to preclude
blocking by intervening terrain. The use of two or more sets
to increase the area of a tracking net is discussed under
"Radio Direction-Finding" below.
The operating characteristics of the T-69 system and the SCR-658
may be found in these publications: T.B. Sig. 165, T.M. 11-1158A.
Pressure indicators were obtained, as with the T-49, by use of
the modified commutator bar switching specially coded resistors
into the circuit as the balloon passed from one fixed pressure
to another. A few special tests were made of a chronometric
system of pressure modulation. For a complete discussion
of pressure modulation methods, see Section VI, A.
-63-(3) Low-Frequency Transmitter (AM-1)
A low-frequency transmitter developed by the Electrical Eng-
ineering Department of New York University was adapted to re-
place or supplement the T-49 and T-69 transmitters. The
carrier frequencies used have been in the region 1 mc to
3 mc. The schematic of this set is shown in Figure 28, as
operated at 3135 kc. The output is approximately 2 watts,
and a typical air-to-ground range is 300 miles, although
reception of more than 450 miles has been attained by both
ground and air-borne receivers.
[FIGURE: Schematic diagram showing AM-1 transmitter circuit with components including 1000 MMF, 3A4, 100 MMF, 3-35 MMF, 3A5 tubes, labeled A+ P.A., A- P.A., resistors (47K, 3.9K, 15K, 200K, 470K), capacitors (1000 MMF, 500 MMF, 300 MMF), inductors (2.5mh, 2.5mh), B+ 270V, and notation "SECOND HALF OF 3A5 MAY BE USED FOR MODULATING UNIT (BLOCKING OSC)" with outputs O A+ and O A-]
Figure 28. Schematic diagram, AM-1 transmitter.
Information is introduced in a manner similar to that employed
in conventional radiosonde transmitters: resistances are
switched into the blocking-oscillator grid circuit. In the
case of pressure or ballast-count, fixed resistors causing
distinct blocking frequencies are used; for temperature, the
switch introduces the thermistor resistances.
-64-When this transmitter operates at a lower frequency, say
1746 kc, the standard aircraft radio compass can be used to
find the direction to the transmitter. No suitable standard
equipment for ground direction-finding has been available to
the project.
C. Receivers and Recorders Used
For the T-49 and T-69 radiosonde transmitters, standard ground-
station equipment was used to receive and record the signal. An
appropriate receiver (National 110 for the T-49 and SCR-658 for
the T-69) feeds the signal through a frequency meter and into a Friez
recorder, model AN/FMQ-1(). With this system, frequencies between
10 and 200 cycles per second can be recorded.
When the Olland-Cycle pressure modulator is used, (see Section VI,
A,3) with low-frequency pulses indicating the completion of the pres-
sure or reference circuit, a recorder made by the Brush Development
Co. (Model BL 212) replaces the Friez recorder and frequency meter.
With the AM-1 transmitter, the usual ground receiver has been the
Hammarlund Super-Pro Model SP-400-X. For aircraft operation, an
aircraft radio compass such as AN/ARN-7 is used.
D. Batteries Used
To extend the life of the batteries used with the T-49 and T-69
transmitters, experimental packs were developed using both dry
and wet cells. A typical "12-hour" dry-cell pack for the T-69
was composed of:
B supply: 135V--1 ea. B90FL (especially assembled for N.Y.U.
by Burgess Battery Co.) or 6 ea. Burgess
XX30 in series--parallel
A supply: 6V--1 ea. Burgess 2F4 or 2 ea. F4H in parallel
C bias supply: 45V tap of B90FL or XX30 assembly
With an AM-1 transmitter, the input power required is as follows:
"B" supply, 270 volts at about 300 milliamperes; main "A" supply,
1½ volts at 600 milliamperes; and a separate "A" supply for the
power amplifier, 1½ volts at 200 milliamperes. The battery pack
includes 8 Burgess XX45 or Eveready 467 in series--parallel;
2 Burgess 4FH batteries in parallel; and one 4FH, respectively.
This pack lasts about 20 hours in flight. Also included in the
battery container were batteries for auxiliary functions such as
Olland-Cycle or program-switch motors, ballast-control relays,
and bring-down mechanisms.
The problem of operating at cold temperature was given much consid-
eration. Special cold temperature batteries were tried with in-
sufficient difference in performance to justify the added expense
and difficulty of procurement. In addition, it was felt that
-65-mass-production methods and quality control associated with stan-
dard dry batteries gave greater assurance of satisfactory performance.
Subsequent measurements made of the temperature inside the trans-
mitter battery pack showed that the temperature can be maintained
above -10°C if the transmitter and batteries are housed in a box
insulated with one- to two-inch walls of Styrcfoam. This insulation
is effective even through long nighttime periods when no solar
heating is added.
One type of battery tested in flight was a light-weight wet cell
(Burgess Type AM) of the "dunk" type, (magnesium + silver chloride).
These cells were vacuum-packed to provide indefinite shelf-life.
Activated by immersion in water just before release, they were ex-
pected to produce a constant voltage over a period of 6 hours to
overcome cold temperature effects. Those units used proved to be
rather unsatisfactory and subject to erratic behavior. Further-
more the cost of the cells was very great compared with ordinary
cells.
E. Radio Direction-Finding
For ground stations, when the balloon-borne transmitter is a T-69,
the SCR-658 RDF set has been used. With such a set the radio sig-
nal can be picked up at distances up to 150 miles and good azimuth
bearing may be obtained (accurate to less than one degree). Although
the elevation angle may be obtained with equal accuracy when free
from distortion, angles of less than 13 degrees are usually affected
by ground reflection to such an extent as to render them valueless.
To extend the range over which such sets were effective, two or more
usually were used, positioned along the expected track of the balloon
at intervals of about 100 miles. With two sets giving crossed azi-
muth "fixes" the position may be determined. If the elevation
angle is above 13 degrees, it is possible to fix the balloon with one
SCR-658 (assuming the pressure altitude is known).
For details of the maintenance and use of the SCR-658, see War De-
partment publication T.M. 11-1158A.
When aircraft are used to follow and position the balloon, the use
of a radio-compass is found to be feasible, using the AM-1 trans-
mitter at a frequency that is within the limits of the compass re-
ceiver. By homing on the signal and flying along the indicated
bearing until the compass needle reverses, the balloon's position
may be found from initial distances of up to 500 miles. No appre-
ciable cone of silence has been observed in recent flights which
used a transmitter operating at 1746 kc.
Radio compass equipment, AN/ARN-7, is described in U. S. A. A. F.
publication T. O. 68-10.
-66-F. Radar and Optical Tracking
Because of their limited range, ground radar sets and theodolites
were only of minor value in tracking balloons. Sets such as the
SCR-584, the SPM-1, and MPS-6 are suggested when the balloon is
expected to remain within the 60 to 80 mile range.
VI. INSTRUMENTATION
A. Altitude Determination
To provide accurate, sensitive and readable records of the pressure
(altitude) encountered by the balloon, various systems have been
tried. A modified radiosonde-type aneroid pressure capsule (Signal
Corps ML 310-/) has been the basic sensing element, but three
different systems of modulation of the radio signal as a function
of pressure have been used.
(1) Standard Diamond-Hinman Radiosonde Pressure Modulator
Seen in Figure 29, the standard Diamond-Hinman radiosonde system
provided first pressure sensor used. As the pen arm is pushed
[FIGURE: Schematic diagram labeled "Diamond-Hinman radiosonde system" showing conducting segments for humidity circuit, conducting segments for high reference circuit, conducting segments for low reference circuit, commutator, contact arm, pressure capsule, pigtail, and circuit components including R2 (1M), R3 (1MEG), E1 Humidity Element, E2 Temperature Element, R1 (8M), K1 Relay, P1, and Plug Panel Prong View. M=1,000 Ω notation at bottom.]
Figure 29. Schematic diagram, Diamond-Hinman
radiosonde system.
across the commutator by the aneroid capsule, it falls on
alternating insulators and conductors attached to three circuits.
-67-By knowing the altitude of release and counting the number of
switches from conductor to insulator, the position along the
the commutator is known. This in turn is calibrated to give
pressure values, from which the altitude may be computed.
This system was not suitable for floating balloons because
(1) only 70 to 90 discrete contacts are provided to cover the
entire atmospheric pressure range; this means that the best
readability obtainable with this system is about ±10 millibars.
(2) When the balloon oscillates about a floating level, the fre-
quent changes from one contact to another give ambiguous readings,
since the number of discrete resistances used is limited.
For circuit details of this unit, see T.B. Sig. 165 and the
Weather Equipment Technician's Manual.
(2) Specially Coded Radiosonde Modulators
To remove the ambiguity of altitudes reported by the system
above, extra resistances were introduced into the circuits
of those contacts near the floating level; thus, each contact
gives a distinctive frequency and each pressure (altitude)
can be clearly distinguished.
In this system, there still remains the lack of resolution or
sensitivity inherent in the modulator with 70 to 90 contacts.
(3) Olland-Cycle Modulator
To improve the sensitivity of the pressure measurements, an
Olland-Cycle (chronometric) pressure modulator was developed.
Seen in Figure 30, the modulator contains a standard Signal
[FIGURE: Photograph of Olland-Cycle pressure modulator with ruler for scale]
Figure 30. Olland-Cycle pressure modulator.
-68-Corps ML-310/ radiosonde aneroid unit, a metal helix on a
rotating cylinder of insulating material, and a 6-volt electric
motor which rotates the cylinder.
There are two contacting pens which ride on the cylinder and
complete the modulator circuit of the transmitter when they
touch the helix. One pen is fixed in position and makes a con-
tact at the same time in each revolution of the helix. This
contact is used as a reference point for measuring the speed
of rotation of the cylinder. The time that the second pen (which
is linked directly to the aneroid cell) makes contact with the
spiral, is dependent on the cylinder speed and on the pen
position which is determined by the pressure. By an evaluation
chart, the atmospheric pressure can be determined as a function
of the relative position of the pressure contact as compared to
the reference, thus eliminating all rotation effects except short-
term motor speed fluctuations.
The operation of this unit is described in detail in Section
II, "Operations," of this report, pages 54-63.
Some of the units flown have been made in the shops of the
project, while others have been commercially supplied. The
following specifications have been set up for performance of
the Olland-Cycle:
Pressure range: 1050 to 5 mb.
Temperature range: +30°C to -30°C
Accuracy: ±0.2 mb.
Readability: ±0.1 mb.
A number of tests have been made on the accuracy of the Olland-
Cycle modulator. The tests were of two types. The first was
made running the unit at room temperature while the pressure
remained constant. In the second, the pressure was varied from
surface pressure to about 20 millibars several times at diff-
erent temperatures. In tests of the first type, the maximum
variation of pressure for a given contact pen position was
1.3 millibars in a series of 182 revolutions.
The most comprehensive tests of this type were made with two
Olland-Cycles in the same bell jar running for three hours and
ten minutes. Due to differences in speed of revolution, differ-
ent numbers of revolutions were recorded in the time interval,
138 being made by instrument No. L-416 and 181 by instrument No.
B-501. No. L-416 was made in the shops of the Research Divi-
sion and used a Brailsford 6-volt (1 rpm nominal speed) motor,
hard-rubber cylinder with 8 turns per inch of .010" nickel wire
on a ¼" aluminum plate base. No. B-501 was made by Brailsford
and Co. to Balloon Project specifications. It had the same
6-volt motor, a paper base bakelite cylinder with 8 turns per
inch of .010" nickel wire and was mounted on a 1/16" sheet
aluminum frame.
-69-The following statistics for a given pressure (1001.8 millibars)
were computed:
N.Y.U. Shop Model Brailsford Model
L-416 B-501
on the mean 12.5% 34 %
within 0.1% of mean 25 % 50 %
" 0.2% " " 41.5% 70.5%
" 0.3% " " 62.5% 85.5%
" 0.4% " " 75 % 91 %
" 0.5% " " 95.6% 100 %
Other conclusions arrived at as a result of this test were:
(a) Since changes of speed of the motors did not occur simul-
taneously in the two instruments, the speed changes probably
are not due to slight changes in pressure or temperature.
(b) Sensitivity varied from 0.1 to 0.9 millibars.
(c) Sensitivity increased with increase of rate of pressure change.
It was recommended as a result of these tests that the records
of flights when the balloon is floating be read to the nearest
two-tenths of a percent of a cycle, or approximately two-tenths
of a millibar, for high accuracy. When using the instruments
manufactured by Brailsford and Co., satisfactory accuracy will
be attained, if necessary, when the record is read to the
nearest one-tenth of a percent of a cycle.
In the second group of tests the pressure was reduced slowly
to about 20 millibars and increased to sea-level pressure at
different temperatures.
The most comprehensive series of calibrations was made with the
first instrument made by Brailsford and Co. Two runs were made
at room temperature (22°C), one at -10°C, one at -30 to 37°C
and one at -56 to -62°C. On the last test at the lowest tempera-
ture, the unit was found to be completely unreliable. The
cause of failure was the erratic motor operation at extremely
low temperatures. This had been observed previously during
flights when the Olland-Cycle was not thermally insulated.
The other curves were plotted on a single chart in order to
study their spread (see Figure 31). The envelope of curves
thus obtained showed no regular temperature effect over the
range +22°C to -37°C. In general, the envelope was less than
10 millibars wide although at some higher pressures it was as
much as 12 millibars wide. The curves at low pressures fell
closest together and were all within 3 to 4 millibars apart
between 50 and 150 millibars and 6 millibars apart between
150 to 200 millibars.
-70-[FIGURE: Three graphs showing Tests of Olland-Cycle performance. Left graph shows % (y-axis, 80-130) vs mb (x-axis, 55-70). Middle graph shows mb values 350-400 vs 205-225 mb. Right graph shows mb values 1330-1380 vs 980-1000 mb. KEY shows three lines: solid = 22°C, dashed = -10°C, dotted = -35°C]
Figure 31. Tests of Olland-Cycle performance.
Hysteresis at any one temperature was the worst serious cause
of the width of the envelope of curves. However, this
error was minimized by the smoothness of the rotating cylinder
and the continuous motion of the cylinder under the contact
pen. Probably the necessary looseness of the bearings and
the joining to the motor gear train had a great deal to do with
the spread between different calibrations.
The maximum variation of any one calibration curve from the
mean was about ±3 millibars.
The following recommendations are made for the use of the
Olland-Cycle modulator:
(a) The modulator should be mounted inside the battery box and
insulated so as to keep its temperature above -30°C.
(b) During the rapid-rising portion of the flight the accuracy
of the data warrants reading only to the nearest one percent
of a cycle, or about one millibar of pressure.
Tests on the sensitivity of Olland-Cycle modulators indi-
cate that although the accuracy is limited as indicated
above, small variations may be detected with the result
that it is valid to read the pressure record to the nearest
tenth of one percent of one revolution.
-71-When the Olland-Cycle principle was originally adopted, both
clocks and electric motors were considered for the power supply.
·In addition to the tendency of clocks to stop at cold tempera-
tures due to freezing of lubricants and unequal expansion of the
parts, the movement of the clockwork in discrete steps limits
the accuracy of sampling. For these reasons, electric motors
are preferred.
The motor now in use has been built to meet the following spe-
cifications:
(a) 6 to 7.5 volt operation.
(b) 1 RPM gear train.
(c) 20 to 40 milliamperes drain.
(d) Speed change at low temperature to be no more than 20%.
(e) Constancy of speed during any single revolution not to
deviate by more than 0.3%.
To check the performance of these motors at cold temperatures,
a series of tests was run on the motors now in use with the
average case seen in Figure 32. The loss in RPM was more than
[FIGURE: Graph showing Speed tests of Olland-Cycle motors. X-axis = Voltage (4-16), Y-axis = R.P.M. (0.4-1.4). Two curves shown: +25°C (upper curve) and -70°C (lower curve)]
Figure 32. Speed tests of Olland-Cycle motors.
desired, but the motors continued to operate at a steady rate.
As long as the speed of revolution does not vary markedly with-
in a single revolution, the error is not serious. In early
flights made at prolonged cold temperature, erratic performance
-72-of the motor-driven units was observed; current practice is
to provide adequate temperature insulation.
(4) Barograph
As a secondary pressure unit, a clock-driven barograph has been
included on many flights. The instrument (shown in Figure 33)
[FIGURE: Photograph of smoked drum barograph instrument]
Figure 33. Smoked drum barograph.
will provide up to 40 hours of pressure data if recovered.
About 70% of all those units flown to date have been recovered.
The performance specifications are as follows:
(a) Rotation: one revolution every 12 hours
(b) Duration: 36 hours running time
(c) Pressure range: 500 to 5 mb.
(d) Accuracy: ±5 mb.
(e) Readability: 1.0 mb. or approximately .22 mm on the drum
(f) Weight: 1000 grams
(g) Time accuracy: 10%
(h) Temperature compensation between 30°C and -70°C
Instruments have been built by Lange Laboratories to meet
these requirements (the time accuracy figure is questionable).
-73-A description of the use of this barograph is given in Part II,
"Operations," of this report.
B. Temperature Measurement
To interpret some of the observed balloon behavior, a knowledge
of the temperature of the gas and the outside air temperature was
required. The evaluation of "superheat" effects was accomplished
primarily by exposing a conventional radiosonde thermistor inside
the balloon with a control thermistor measuring the free-air tempera-
ture. Similarly, a thermistor was sometimes installed inside the
battery-pack housing to measure the temperature of the batteries.
While this system was in use it was general practice to use the
standard government service thermistors ML 376/AM (brown) and
ML 395/FMQ-1 (white). The white elements were needed when the ex-
ternal temperature was measured, since no adequate protection from
the sun was available. Also, at floating level there is no venti-
lation to be had since the balloon is stationary with respect to
the air.
The resistance of the thermistors was switched into the grid circuit
of the blocking oscillator of the AM-1 transmitter, and by compari-
son with pre-flight calibrations the audio frequency transmitted
could be interpreted in terms of temperature. To record the signal
after it was received, a fast-speed Brush Co. Oscillograph Model BL212
is used. (Due to the frequency response of the Brush recording
system, the circuit was arranged to give lower frequencies than a
standard radiosonde for the same temperature range.) A sample cali-
bration chart is shown in Figure 34.
[FIGURE: Graph showing Sample calibration chart for temperature measurements. X-axis = Frequency-cps (0-100), Y-axis = Temp-Deg C (-60 to +60). Shows a curve with data points.]
Figure 34. Sample calibration chart for
temperature measurements.
-74-The temperature data obtained was of considerable value, especially
to determine the effect of insulation of the battery pack. It was
found on most flights where reasonable thermal insulation was applied
that the temperature of the pack remained above 0°C after several
hours of exposure at nighttime. The extreme observed was -10°C.
Daytime flights had the added advantage of heating from the sun.
The temperature of the lifting gas at the ground was ordinarily
found to be somewhat below the temperature of the air. This is due
to the extreme cooling encountered in the expansion of the compressed
gas as it was fed from the tanks into the balloon. During the rising
period, in daytime, the gas gained heat, since it cools adiabatically
less rapidly than does air (also less than the normal tropospheric
lapse rate); at the floating level a differential of about 10°C
was common. A typical temperature trace is shown in Figure 35.
[FIGURE: Graph showing Typical temperature record. X-axis = time (0800-2400). Left Y-axis = HEIGHT-Thousands of feet (0-40). Right Y-axis = TEMP-Deg C (-60 to +40). Three traces shown: Air Temp (dashed), Batt. Temp (solid), Ball. Temp (dotted).]
Figure 35. Typical temperature record.
To permit the transmission of both temperature and pressure data by
one radio channel, a pair of programming switches have been de-
signed and flight tested. The first is the temperature switch (Figure 36),
[FIGURE: Photograph of Temperature programming switch]
Figure 36. Temperature programming switch.
-75-which switches four elements into the transmitter circuit in turn.
Recently a motor making five revolutions per minute was used so
that each temperature is transmitted for three seconds. The four
elements are the free-air temperature, the gas temperature, battery-
pack temperature and a reference signal. This switch is supple-
mented by a master program switch which alternately places the
temperature switch and the pressure modulator into the transmitter
circuit. The present arrangement is to permit the temperature data
to be transmitted for about one minute in every fifteen. In this
way representative temperature sampling may be obtained, without
materially destroying the continuity of the pressure and ballast
data.
A second system of determining temperature makes use of the smoked
drum of the barograph. By adding a temperature-activated pen, this
unit makes a record of the temperature encountered. Since it is not
the free-air temperature nor the temperature of the lifting gas but
rather the temperature of the barograph itself, the data obtained
has been of little value. Following the development of suitable
temperature telemetering apparatus, this method was not used.
C. Ballast Metering
It is often very desirable to know whether or not ballast control
equipment is operating properly during flight tests. For this
purpose, two systems of ballast metering have been devised. It is
possible (1) to record on an instrument which is balloon-borne or
(2) to detect and telemeter information to the ground concerning
ballast flow.
Figure 37 shows the automatic siphon which has been used in the AM-1
transmitter circuit for the telemetering of such information. A
series of pulses of fixed frequency is transmitted whenever the
contact arm of the automatic siphon is filled above a critical
level. The electrolyte used is non-miscible with the ballast and
rises and falls in proportion to the rise and fall of the main arm
of the siphon. This main arm empties when approximately 3.5 grams
of ballast have been allowed to flow into it. As a consequence of
this intermittent filling and emptying of the lines of the siphon,
an intermittent signal of fixed frequency is transmitted whenever
ballast is flowing steadily. It is important that an electrolyte
be used which will not freeze at low atmospheric temperatures and
will not boil at the low pressures encountered. After a series of
tests it was decided that a 24% solution of hydrochloric acid be
used for altitudes up to 85,000 feet. It is necessary to use
platinum wire for the contact points.
In order to record in flight the functioning of the ballast control
system a ballast recording mechanism has been developed in con-
junction with the Lange Laboratories of Lexington, Kentucky. This
-76-[FIGURE: Technical drawing labeled "Automatic siphon" showing detailed schematic with measurements. Components labeled include: 0.7mm Bore Capillary Tubing, 22 To 24 GA. Platinum Wire, Detail Of Top Contact, Moll. Pyrex Glass, Vent Hole-Approx. ⅜" O.D., Pillar, 15mm O.D., Pligene Cement Applied Just Before Flight, #00 Rubber Stopper, Platinum Wire, 6mm O.D. Capillary Tubing-.7mm Bore, Flared OD=5mm, Platinum Wire In Seal On Rear Column-22 To 24GA.- 2½ cm Long, OD=7mm, Scale 1:1. Various measurements shown: 1cm, 3cm, 2cm, 1mm-6mm, 4cm, 2cm, 4cm, 1½cm]
Figure 37. Automatic siphon.
instrument has been added as a part of the baro-thermograph. A
cutaway sketch of this ballast-recording instrument is shown as
Figure 38.
[FIGURE: Cutaway diagram of Ballast-recording meter showing components labeled A (top), B, C, C1, C2, D, E, F, G, G1, H, J, K, L with arrows indicating up direction at A and down at G/G1]
Figure 38. Ballast-recording meter.
-77-Operation of the instrument may be described as follows: The
instrument is inserted in the load line just above the ballast
assembly by attaching the load line to the upper ring (A) and the
rigging from the ballast assembly to the lower ring (B). A canti-
lever spring (F) is set into an adjustable base (K), which may be
adjusted for various empty ballast-assembly weights by changing the
setting of the adjusting screw (L). The lower ring is attached
to the cantilever spring, but can be adjusted for different ballast
weights by sliding along the spring (from G to G1, for instance).
For light ballast weights the lower ring is moved away from the
base (K) (to the right on the diagram), and for heavy ballast weights
it is moved toward the base. Adjustments are made on the adjusting
screw (L) and the lower ring (G) before each flight according
to the weights of the ballast assembly and the ballast.
The cantilever spring is attached to the connecting bar (E) at (H).
Thus the deflection of the lower ring is transferred through the
cantilever spring to the connecting bar and then to the pen arm
(C), which is pivoted about a fixed point (D). The deflection is
recorded by the pen on a rotating smoked drum (B). In order to
prevent the pen from going off the drum, an adjustable stop is set
at (J).
The unit should be calibrated for maximum load (pen arm at C1),
a medium load (pen arm at C) and minimum load (pen arm at C2) before
each flight. A trace of ballast function will start at the top of
the drum and as ballast is discarded will fall toward the bottom
of the drum. By measuring the deflection at any time and comparing
with the calibration, the amount of ballast left in the assembly
at any time can be determined. Since this instrument is a part
of the baro-thermograph, the trace obtained upon recovery will contain
. information concerning altitude, temperature, and ballast functioning
over the complete flight. After proper correction for time dis-
placement of the three pens has been made, the three types of in-
formation can be correlated to give a fairly complete picture of
the balloon flight, including reasons for various types of motion.
It is expected that this instrument will be extremely valuable in
determining ballast control operation over a long period of time,
especially after the balloon system is out of radio reception range.
It also will give information that could not be obtained if there
were any failure of the automatic siphon meter or the transmitter
during launching or flight. The chief drawback of the instrument
is that information is dependent on recovery.
At the time of writing of this report the instrument has not been
flight tested. Preliminary laboratory tests indicate that the in-
strument will live up to the high expectations placed upon it.
Since the instrument actually records the tensile force in the load
line during flight, it may also be valuable in analysis of the ac-
celeration forces induced during periods of balloon oscillation
in the atmosphere.
-78-VII. CONCLUSIONS
Considerable experimental work has been done in conjunction with the
study of balloons and controls. The description of operating pro-
cedures and the use of specially developed equipment is included in
Part II of this report, "Operations," (bound separately).
A summary of the results of flights made to test equipment and controls
is given in Part III, "Summary of Flights." At this time the use of
thin polyethylene balloons with pressure-activated ballast controls
has been demonstrated effectively to meet the contract requirements.
Tests made on another contract have found controls consistently active
over 24 hours with an average pressure constancy of ±2 mb. at 200 mb.
Even greater ballast efficiency has been found at higher altitudes
using the same pressure-activated controls.
-79-12 New York University Constant Level Balloons Section 3, Summary of Flights July 15, 1949
Technical Report No. 93.02
CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOONS
Section 3
SUMMARY OF FLIGHTS
Constant Level Balloon Project
New York University
Prepared in Accordance with provisions of Contract
W28-099-ac-241, between
Watson Laboratories, Red Bank, New Jersey
and
New York University
The research reported in this document has been made possible
through support and sponsorship extended by the Geophysical
Research Directorate of the Cambridge Field Station, AMC,
U. S. Air Force, under Contract No. W28-099 ac-241. It is
published for technical information only and does not repre-
sent recommendations or conclusions of the sponsoring agency.
Prepared by: James R. Smith
James R. Smith
Approved by: Harold K Work
Dr. Harold K. Work
Director of the Research Division
College of Engineering
New York University
15 July 1949
New York 53, New YorkTable of Contents
Page Number
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
II. Flights
Number 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
13 - 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
29 - 39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
41. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
43 - 51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
54. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
55. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
56. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
58. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
60. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
63. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
68 - 72 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
73. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
74. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
75. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
78. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
79. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
80. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
81. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
82. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
85. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
86. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
88. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
89. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
90. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
92. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
93. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
94. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
96. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
97. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
98. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
102. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
103 - 111. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
104. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
106. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
110. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
III. Index...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68Introduction
In November, 1946 the Research Division of the College of Engineering
of New York University contracted with Watson Laboratories, AMC, to develop
and fly constant-level instrument-carrying balloons. This is the third part
of the final report on the work accomplished and describes the experimental
balloon flights which were made.
In reviewing the flights a number of analytical comments may be made.
In most flights one objective was the maintenance of the balloon at a constant
pressure level for as long as possible. On many flights balloon behavior
was affected by instrumental controls of one kind or another while on some
flights no controls at all were used.
Balloons of varying sizes and of different principles of construction
have been launched singly, in tandem and in clusters. On some, temperatures
were measured and on others the flight path was an object of special study.
To explain certain observed flight data a careful analysis of atmospheric
stability has been made, while other flights have special significance be-
cause they demonstrate the effect of superheat on the lifting gas or some
other feature of analytical importance.
Since over 100 flights have been made, it is difficult to tabulate the
important results obtained on each specific flight. To present the data
which has been collected each significant flight is presented chronologically,
with drawings and details where necessary, and a summary of the flight
results is given.
To render this information useful, an index has been prepared with re-
ference made to flights which show typical or important results in each
category.
/Flight 5: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0517 MST, June 5, 1947
Recovered at Roswell, New Mexico
In this flight, a 55-pound load was lifted with a linear array of 28
350-gram rubber balloons. By attaching the balloons at 20-foot intervals
along the load line, a total length of about 600 feet was required. The
train is shown in Figure 1. For altitude control, three lifting balloons
[FIGURE: Diagram showing balloon train configuration with labeled components:
LIFTER BALLOONS
LIFTER CUT-OFF, ACTS AT 35,000'
TOTAL LENGTH OF BALLOON TRAIN 585'
(LESS LIFTERS)
500# TEST NYLON LINE.
HAND BRAIDED LOBSTER TWINE
(8 STRAND 200# TEST NYLON)
20'
CANNON TO CUT OFF LAUNCHING LINES.
SILK PARACHUTE.
720-RADIOSONDE WITH HEAVY DUTY
BATTERIES AND 25 ORDINATE HUMIDITY
RESISTOR.
PAY LOAD (15# W.T.)
BALLOON TO BURN OFF AT 43000'.
BALLOON TO BURN OFF AT 47000'.
HALF FILLED BALLOON TO BURN OFF AT
4/6/50'
11 POINT PRESSURE SWITCH FOR 3 BALLOONS
AND BALLAST
SANDBALLAST IN 3 PLASTIC TUBES, TOTAL OF
5300 gm BALLAST, DROPPED IN THE FOLLOWING
INCREMENTS:
500gm AT 31000'
300gm AT 33000'
700gm AT 37000'
700gm AT 35000'
700gm AT 38000'
700gm AT 21000' (2)
700gm AT 19000' (2)
PLASTIC RESERVOIR AND DRIBBLER SET AT
34000']
Figure 1: Train, Flight 5
were cut free at 35,000 feet, and the remaining load was weighted to balance
at that point. As a precaution against over-buoyancy, three more balloonswere to be freed at 40,000, 42,000 and 45,000 feet. The use of sand ballast,
to be dropped in increments upon descent to altitudes below 31,000 feet,
was supplemented by an early model of the automatic ballast valve set to ex-
pend liquid ballast at 34,000 feet.
From the height-time curve of the flight (Figure 2), it will be seen that
the maximum altitude reached was much above the predicted 35,000 feet. Also
[FIGURE: Height-time curve graph showing:
1 BALLOON BURST - INTERPRETATION No 2
50 Ft/min
153 Ft/min
-8Ft/min
DATA SUBJECT TO INTERPRETATION
DUE TO LACK OF RECORDERS
2 BALLOONS BURST
18 REMAINING
INTERPRETATION No 1
12 Ft/min
-350 Ft/min
1 BALLOON BURST
-819 Ft/min
OBSERVED LIFTER BURN-OFF
-150 Ft/min
22½ REMAINING
5 BALLOONS BURST
-684 Ft/min
-1050 Ft/min
HEIGHT-TIME CURVE
FLIGHT-5
Released at Alamogordo,N.M.
June 5th,1947-0517 M.S.T.
13 BALLOONS REMAINING -
SAND BALLAST DROPPING
-400 Ft/min
50 100 150 200 250 300 350
TIME (min)
-EXTRAPOLATED
16 BALLOONS
TOUCHED GROUND
0-24½ BALLOONS + 3 LIFTERS]
Figure 2
the rate of rise was greater than expected. Both of these evidences of ex-
cess buoyancy are attributed to superheating of the balloon by sunshine.
The real height is somewhat in doubt because the conventional radiosonde baro-
switch (Army type ML-310/)was used, and the pressure signal which was trans-
mitted was ambiguous at some points.
On this flight theodolite readings were taken until the balloon was 90
miles away from release point after 260 minutes of flight. In addition,
visual observations were taken from a B-17 aircraft which circled the bal-
loon for most of the flight.
-7-Flight 7: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0509 MST, July 2, 1947
Descended at Cloudcroft, New Mexico
Using a cluster array (Figure 3) of 13 350-gram rubber balloons and
four larger lifting balloons, a 53-pound load was carried aloft on this flight.
At 35,000 feet, the desired floating level, the lifter balloons were cut free.
[FIGURE: Diagram showing balloon train configuration with labeled components:
Lifter assembly - 4 balloons
inflated to 3000 gm. lift.
60'
Lifter cutoff at 35,000.
75'
9.0'
13 balloons inflated to 900 gm.
Lift 4 balloons inflate to
2100 gm.lift.
70'
Payload (13# wt)
15'
30'
74.5 mc Radiosonde.Heavy duty
Batteries in black boxes wrapped in
polyethylene.
Ballast baroswitch.
Ballast dropper assembly, 16 Aluminum
tubes of granulated Lead dropped by
descent pressure switch in the following
increments:
300gm - 34000' 400gm - 29,700' 800gm - 25800'
200gm - 33,000' 400gm - 29,000' 800gm - 25,200'
200gm - 32,000' 600gm - 28,000' 800gm - 24,500'
300gm - 31,000' 600gm - 27,400' 1000gm - 23,800'
400gm - 30,500' 600gm - 26,600' 1000gm - 23,100'
1600gm - 22,500']
Figure 3: Train, Flight 7
When the train began to descend below 34,000 feet, lead shot was dropped in
increments to maintain buoyancy.
-8-This altitude-control system operated well enough to produce a height-
time curve (Figure 4) with one descent checked by ballast dropping. Too
much weight was lost in this action, and the train rose until some of the
balloons were burst. Subsequent descent was not checked.
[FIGURE: Height-time curve graph showing:
1-2 BALLOONS BROKE
LIFTERS CUT
216 Ft/min
10 BALLOONS
308 Ft/min
1 BALLOON
BROKE
336 Ft/min
100 Ft/min
DROPPED BALLAST
HEIGHT-TIME CURVE
FLIGHT 7
387 Ft/min
July 2nd,1947
O - RADIOSONDE DATA
X - ALAMOGORDO THEODOLITE
^ - WAFFORD TOWER THEODOLITE
POSITION OF LANDING
13 BALLOONS
3-4 LIFTERS
TIME IN MINUTES
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400]
Figure 4
From this flight it appears that the inherent instability of freely ex-
tensible balloons is so great that no simple control will cause them to
remain at one pressure level.
Tracking for the entire flight period was accomplished with a C-54
aircraft. Two theodolite stations were operated, one at the launching
site and one at Wafford Lookout, a fire tower about 20 miles northeast of
the release point.
-9-Flight 10: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0501 MST, July 5, 1947
Not recovered
This flight was the first to use a large plastic balloon as the lifting
vehicle. The cell was spherical, 15 feet in diameter, and the walls were
.008" polyethylene heat sealed at the seams (made by Harold A. Smith, Inc.).
The altitude control was an automatic ballast valve, pressure-triggered to
throw off liquid ballast. The equipment train used on this flight is shown
in Figure 5.
[FIGURE: Diagram showing balloon train configuration with labeled components:
15' dia.-.008" thick polyethylene
Balloon. H.A.Smith Inc.
Reinforced blow-out patch to be
opened by Time-clock.
Bridle of 9 nylon lines, each 150#
test, 10' long, served to a thimble
and attached to reinforced patches
at alternate seams.
Open Appendix
30'
Payload
10'
75'
20'
74.5mc. Radiosonde with 20' end
fed antenna. Heavy duty batteries
in black boxes, polyethylene
wrapped.
Plastic ballast Reservoir with
3,000 gr ballast.
Pressure operated ballast valve
(Automatic) actuated by 30th contact
of radiosonde baroswitch.]
Figure 5: Train, Flight 10
The balloon rose to about 16,000 feet MSL and dropped back to 9000 feet
MSL where it "floated" for at least 4 hours, at which time radiosonde re-
ception failed. It is believed that the automatic ballast valve sealed off
-10-properly at 12,000 feet, but the air entrapped in its aneroid was heated
and caused the operating level to be at the lower value. This would
correspond to a superheat of 30°C above the air temperature.
Later flights showed that the type of load attachment used on this
balloon was unsatisfactory; however, with proper rigging, cells of .008"
thickness were good vehicles as they usually showed very low diffusion and
gas leakage.
Near the end of the recorded data, the height-time curve shows large
oscillations about a pressure plane (Figure 6). Three factors which probably
[FIGURE: Height-time curve graph:
HEIGHT-TIME CURVE
FLIGHT 10
Released at Alamogordo,N.M.
July 5,1947-0501MST
36 Ft/min
45 Ft/min
-600Ft/min
TIME IN MINUTES
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500]
Figure 6
contributed to this instability were:(1) the turbulent motion of the heated
air over the desert, (2) the changes in temperature of air in the aneroid
valve as intermittent clouds shut off the sun, and (3) the overcompensation
caused by the valve-controlled ballast flow.
On this flight the first "destruction device" was used for the purpose
of bringing down the balloon after a fixed time to prevent excessive inter-
ference in air-traffic lanes. This particular model was a clock-driven
device which failed to operate, probably because of low temperatures causing
unequal contraction within the movement. Its action was to consist of de-
tonating an inflammable compound taped to the balloon, rupturing its side and
permitting a rapid escape of the lifting gas.
-11-Flight 11: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0508 MST, July 7, 1947
Not recovered
On this flight a 15-foot, .008" wall, polyethylene balloon was combined
with a cluster of six small plastic cells (7-foot diameter, .001" wall) to
lift a total load of 35 pounds as high as possible (Figure 7). The small
[FIGURE: Diagram showing balloon train configuration with labeled components:
15'Dia.- 008" thick polyethylene
Balloon. H.A.Smith Inc. with reinforced
blow out patches to vent gas when
fired by Baroswitch
Baro-switch set to deflate large
Balloon when train descends to 10,000'.
20'
6 General Mills Balloons, 200 cu ft
.001" polyethylene.
30'
50'
Payload
10'
70'
2 Underinflated metre Balloons
for Stadia measurements, 240' from
center of small balloon to center
of 15' balloon.
74.5mc Radiosonde with 20' end
fed Antenna Black battery box
wrapped in polyethylene.
20'
Plastic ballast Reservoir contains
3000 gm ballast
Valve to be actuated
by 45th contact on radiosonde.]
Figure 7: Train, Flight 11
cells did not rise as fast as the large balloon; consequently, three of them
were inverted and filled with air.
With this loss of lift, the altitude reached was only about 17,000 feet
MSL, and the automatic ballast valve (set to operate at 45,000 feet) was not
activated. This flight demonstrated the need for a minimum-pressure switch
-12-to activate the ballast valve. A fixed ballast leak of about 400 grams
per hour was caused by a defective valve fitting and this was sufficient
to maintain the balloon at nearly constant level until all the ballast was
exhausted. Following this experience, the use of a preset fixed leak was
employed on many flights.
The very unstable "floating" seen on Flight 10, when the automatic
ballast valve controlled the flight, is not found on this flight where the
vehicle used only a fixed-leak control. This eliminates both the over-
compensation and the serious effects of temperature changes on the aneroid
capsule, which are found when the automatic ballast valve is used.
The trajectory of this balloon (Figure 8) shows a very interesting de-
formation at the transit of the Sacramento Mountains. The anti-cyclonic
[FIGURE: Map showing trajectory of Flight 11 and height-distance curve:
ROSWELL
AROSWELL A.A.F.
Trajectory
SCALE 0 5 10
MILES
FLIGHT No.11
Released at Alamogordo,N.M.
July 7,1947-0508M.S.T.
NUMERALS ON CURVES INDICATE MIN.
AFTER RELEASE.
Height-Distance
ALAMOGORDO
A.A.F.
CLOUDCROFT
SACRAMENTO
MOUNTAINS
TULAROSA
VALLEY
DISTANCE (MILES FROM ALAMOGORDO A.A.F.)]
Figure 8
curvature over the eastern slope suggests that the air stream at the floating
level was distributed by the terrain, and the deformation predicted by dynamic
theory may thus be given a physical illustration. The trajectory was de-
termined by aircraft and theodolite observation.
Another striking feature of the flight is the disagreement between the
actual flight path and the trajectory which might have been estimated from
routine upper-wind reports. Reports from El Paso, Roswell, Albuquerque and
White Sands were used for comparison with the observed trajectory. Except
for White Sands, none of these stations reported any wind from the WSW at or
near the floating level during the 12-hour period covered by the flight. At
White Sands a very shallow current was detected moving in the direction indicated
by the balloon flight. This clearly demonstrates the non-representiveness of
the ordinary pilot balloon observation.
-13-Flight 12: Released from Lakehurst, New Jersey, 0714 EST, August 5, 1947
Recovered at Smyrna, Delaware
This flight saw the first use of several new items. The balloon was the
first .001" polyethylene cell flown; a 397 mc(T-69) transmitter was flown,
with radio direction-finding equipment used to track the balloon; a 3 mc
(AM-1) transmitter was tested for the first time and the first model of a
minimum-pressure switch was provided to activate the automatic ballast valve.
The equipment train for this flight is illustrated in Figure 9.
[FIGURE: Diagram showing balloon train configuration with labeled components:
20' dia. G.M. .001' polyethylene balloon
with incendiary patch on equator
for rapid descent below 8,000'(440mb)
2" steel ring for Launching lines
Destruction Baroswitch fires
on descent to 460mb.Black box, loosely
covered with plastic sheeting.
T69, Rawinsonde (397mc), Heavy duty
battery pack, standard modulator,
no ventilating duct, white tempera-
ture element, 25ordinate humidity.
10'
NYU Low frequency AM-1 transmitter
with pressure from standard modulator(49'
antenna, through rings on 160 foot para-
chute shroud). Held taut by 6 oz. Lead
wt. at bottom.
Overall Length: 257'
160'
T-49-74.5MC Radiosonde, end fed
antenna, standard modulator, no venti-
lating duct, white temperature element,
25ordinate humidity, squib in ballast valve
fired by B power supply of radiosonde.
Ballast reservoir with Automatic
ballast valve plus fixed rate
leak from adjustable needle valve
set to flow at 220 gm/hour
25'
Minimum pressure switch actuates
ballast valve when balloon descends
15mb from maximum pressure, 2 used in
parallel]
Figure 9: Train, Flight 12
Measurements in the hangar prior to release indicated that lift losses
from leakage and diffusion were about 200 grams per hour, and in addition
-14-to the automatic ballast valve system, a fixed-flow needle valve was set
to discharge ballast slightly in excess of the expected loss. Both systems
failed to keep the balloon afloat, and a slow descent from its maximum alti-
tude of 14,000 feet MSL resulted. The expected altitude of 38,000 feet
was not reached, and this is believed to be due to mixing of the air with
the lifting gas during rising. The bottom of the balloon was open with
no protecting skirt or valve to keep out air. Since the thin fabric would
rupture with an internal pressure of 0.017 psi, some form of skirt or ex-
ternal appendix was suggested for future flights.
Radio reception with the 3 mc transmitter was excellent and far sur-
passed the performance of either the 72 mc or 394 mc transmitters which were
also flown.
Because of the low elevation angle of the transmitter, the single SCR-658
radio direction-finding equipment was not of much use for positioning.
Tracking by aircraft was satisfactory throughout the flight.
-15-Flights 13, 14, 15, 16 and 20: Made in September, 1947, they had as their
primary purpose the testing of external balloon appendices to prevent ex-
cessive dilution of the lifting gas with air.
On three of these flights the loose polyethylene tubes twisted shut during
the balloons' ascent and caused the cell to burst as it became full. The
unsatisfactory models tried are seen in Figure 10, as well as the skirt
[FIGURE: Diagram showing experimental appendix designs with labels:
Unsatisfactory
2'
10'
Satisfactory
2'
With Cardboard Stiffeners
Experimental
Appendix Designs]
Figure 10
stiffened with external battens which was developed on Flight 20 and used
successfully thereafter.
On most of these flights, radio direction-finding equipment (SCR-658)
was used, as well as theodolite and aircraft for tracking and positioning
the balloons. A system of air reconnaissance and ground recovery was de-
veloped using a radio-equipped jeep to move cross-country at the direction
of the aircraft observer. Several satisfactory recovery missions were made
on these and later flights using this technique.
-16-Flight 17: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1647 MST, September 9, 1947
Recovered at Croft, Kansas
On this flight the first balloon made of .004" polyethylene was launched.
The altitude controls were a fixed-flow needle valve orifice set to leak
at 100 grams per hour and an automatic ballast valve activated by a minimum-
pressure switch.
This flight reached floating level shortly before sunset, and the
balloon took on superheat which was lost when the sun went down. This
cooling necessitated the rapid discharge of ballast to maintain buoyancy.
The operation of the automatic ballast valve at this time was satisfactory
and restored the balloon to a floating level within one hour. Following
restoration a satisfactory floating performance was indicated for as long
as radio contact was maintained (Figure 11). The need for a balloon-borne
[FIGURE: Height-time curve graph:
SUNSET
Height-Time
FLIGHT NO.17
RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO
SEPTEMBER 9,1947 1647 MST
RECOVERED NEAR PRATT, KANSAS, 530 MI. AWAY
TIME - (Minutes After Release)
50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400]
Figure 11: Height-time curve, Flight 17
barograph was demonstrated by this flight which traveled more than 500
miles from the release point.
-17-Flight 23: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0918 MST, September 12, 1947
Not recovered
A J-2000 neoprene balloon was encased with a nylon shroud and provided
with a valve to permit gas to escape after a small superpressure (¼" of
water) was exceeded. The balloon in its shroud is shown in Figure 12.
[PHOTOGRAPH: Black and white photograph showing a neoprene balloon encased in a nylon shroud, with several people standing near it on the ground. A vehicle is visible in the background.]
Figure 12: Neoprene balloon encased in a nylon shroud
If a "superpressure" balloon is used, much less ballast is required since,
during minor oscillations, the reduction of buoyancy will not cause the bal-
loon to descend as long as the remaining buoyancy is equal to or greater than
the load supported.
This balloon, and three similar ones (Flights 38, 66, 87), failed to achieve
constancy of altitude. All four failed during the rising period or soon
after the shroud became full. (The balloons were heated prior to release
to restore elasticity.)
-18-Flights 29 through 39: They were made from Alamogordo, New Mexico during
November and December, 1947 to test ballast controls and to develop a
launching technique satisfactory for high winds. The period of data re-
ception by radio was too short in all of these flights to permit much evalua-
tion of the altitude controls. On three flights (33, 35 and 39) a Ferguson
meteorograph was added to the train to record flight pressure; of 11 balloons
released, only these three were not recovered.
On seven flights the pressure signals received by radiosonde were lost
while the balloon was still rising; Flight 38 was a shrouded neoprene
balloon which burst as it became full; and Flight 39 was a polyethylene
balloon which burst at or near its ceiling following a very rapid rise.
(This was the first balloon to burst using a short external appendix with
stiffeners.)
On the other two flights (30 and 35) a very short period of level flight
was recorded before the balloon-borne radio transmitter passed out of range.
Besides these two, several other .001" polyethylene balloons probably
were maintained at constant or near-constant levels for several hours, as
can be seen from their points of recovery (Figure 13). One balloon was
seen descending 18 hours after release.
[FIGURE: Map showing points of recovery for wintertime flights:
Flight No. 29 Released on Nov.21,1947-1709MST
" " 30 " " Nov.25,1947-1036MST
" " 31 " " Nov. ?,1947-0930MST
" " 32 " " Nov.28,1947-0808MST
" " 35 " " Dec. 2,1947-0248MST
Points of Recovery
for
Wintertime Flights
POINT OF RELEASE]
Figure 13
On Flights 29 through 33 only a fixed ballast leak was used, set for
flows of from 300 to 600 grams per hour. Other flights used automatic
ballast controls. Although these fixed leaks seemed to be sufficient to keep
the balloons aloft, there was no clear evidence as to what amount would be
needed for most efficient operation. The need for a system of ballast
metering was indicated in this series of flights.
-19-Flight 41: Released from Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Pennsylvania,
0956 EST, February 16, 1948
Not recovered
The balloon was of .001" polyethylene and had a fixed-leak ballast
control set to provide a constant flow of 650 grams per hour. The principle
objective of this flight was to test aircraft reception from a balloon-
borne transmitter. Using RDF equipment, two B-17 planes were able to re-
ceive clear signals from the transmitter at least 150 miles away from
it and were able to home in on the signal by using the radio compass. There
was a questionable zone of about a 15-mile radius beneath the balloon,
and it is probable that this represented a cone of silence from the verti-
cal antenna. The balloon was near 40,000 feet with the planes at about
10,000 feet.
On later flights, using a frequency of 1746 kc, reception range was ex-
tended to over 400 miles and no cone of silence was encountered. By flying
along the bearing indicated by the compass until it abruptly reverses,
the position of the balloon may be determined. Visual observations confirmed
the presence of the balloon overhead.
On service flights made from this same base during this week, two new
pieces of flight gear were added to the train. The first of these was a
cloth parachute, mounted upside down in the line to serve as a drag, acting
against excessive rates of rise. When mounted above the cloth identification
banner, this chute also acts to minimize sway and lateral oscillation of the
equipment.
The second unit was a new type of destruction device--a pressure-activated
mechanism by which a large hole is ripped in the balloon upon descent into
the lanes of air traffic. In this device (Figure 14) the equipment is per-
mitted to fall freely for a few feet, jerking a length of line through the
balloon side. After this fall, the equipment again is carried by the main
load line, and the ruptured balloon acts as a parachute to lower the gear
to the ground at about 1000 feet per minute.
-20-[FIGURE: Diagram showing rip-out line in place on balloon with labeled components: KNOTS ABOVE AND BELOW CANNONS 34' RIP LINE OF 100# TEST BRAIDED NYLON WITH 2' SLACK APPENDIX 3' LINE 2 SQUIB FIRING CANNONS TO BE FIRED AT 20,000 FT BY FLIGHT TERMINATION SWITCH ACETATE FIBER TAPE 1' RIP LINE (100# TEST OR LOBSTER TWINE) 6" SLACK INSIDE BALLOON KNOT BALLOON WALL 10' SNUB LINE (COILED UP) TO TAKE PLACE OF 1FT LINE, WHICH HAS BEEN CUT (BOUND WITH THREAD) FLIGHT TERMINATION SWITCH RIPS BALLOON ON FINAL DESCENT TO 20,000 FT, THUS REDUCING FLOATING TIME IN THE AIR LANES. THE HALF DEFLATED BALLOON THEN ACTS AS ITS OWN PARACHUTE DETAIL OF RIP LINE INSERT INTO BALLOON] Figure 14: Rip-out line in place on balloon -21-
Flight 43 through 51: In April, 1948 a number of flights were made using
.001" polyethylene balloons and fixed-leak ballast controls. Only four
of these flights were recovered. The landing points of these are shown in
Figure 15.
[FIGURE: Map of the United States showing Points of Recovery for April-1948 Flights]
Flight No. 43 Released on April 3, 1948 - 1016 MST
" " 44 " " April 6, 1948 - 0934 M.S.T.
" " 45 " " April 7, 1948 - 0541 M.S.T.
" " 47 " " April 13, 1948 - 1135 M.S.T.
Points of Recovery
for
April-1948 Flights
Figure 15
Little is known positively about the floating levels since radiosonde
data was not obtained on most flights, and no barographs were available.
Three receiving stations at Alamogordo, Roswell and Carlsbad, New Mexico were
used to position the balloon with radio direction-finding equipment. By
assuming a floating level corresponding to the load, several flight patterns
were derived. No aircraft tracking was provided to check these computed
trajectories.
-22-On these flights fixed ballast leaks of from 250 to 600 grams per hour
were used. These leaks were provided through round orifices rather than
through needle valves which had been in use previously. This improvement
reduced the possibility of clogging.
On Flight 43 the first model of an Olland-cycle pressure modulator was
flown with a modified T-69 (400 mc) radiosonde transmitter. The results
obtained on this flight were not satisfactory, but later test proved
successful.
The train seen in Figure 16 is typical of those flown during this period.
Note the presence of the device to rip the balloon when descending into
air lanes and thus speed up its fall.
[FIGURE: Diagram of balloon train]
G.M. 20' Balloon
Flight Termination Switch
Payload
Payload
Parachute
Banner
Orifice Ballast Assembly
Launching Remnant
Flight 16: Train, typical of those flown in April, 1948
-23-Flight 52: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0958 MST, April 23, 1948
Recovered at Galseburg, Kansas
On this flight a .001" polyethylene balloon carried the first model of
the Lange Barograph and an improved Olland-cycle pressure modulator to give
improved radiosonde pressure data. The signal from the radiosonde was lost
soon after the release, but the barograph was recovered and the altitude
record is shown in Figure 17. It will be seen that the balloon rose to a
[FIGURE: Height-Time Curve graph]
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700
Time (M.S.T.) Time unknown
Pen Arm went off trace
Data missing
Clock stopped
Rate of Ballast flow: 300 gms/hour
Height-Time Curve
FLIGHT 52
Released at Alamogordo N.M.
April 23-1948 0958 M.S.T.
Recovered at Galesburg, Kans.
(Barograph Trace Data)
Figure 17
pressure such that the barograph pen passed off the chart, and several hours
of flight were not recorded. The slowly rising ceiling seen here was the
first long-period confirmation of the expected behavior of a balloon con-
trolled by a constant ballast loss. The flow in this case was set for about
250 grams per hour, and the altitude change was about 400 feet per hour.
This rise of "ceiling" is somewhat larger than predicted and heightened
the interest in obtaining temperature measurements so that the buoyancy be-
havior could be more exactly determined.
-24-Three other points of interest may be seen on this barotrace: (1) The two very pronounced step effects found on the rising portion of the flight at about 625 mb and 480 mb correspond to stable layers in the atmosphere as seen from the El Paso radiosonde sounding taken at 0800 MST (Figure 18). [FIGURE: Tephigram / El Paso Radiosonde Report] TEPHIGRAM El Paso Radiosonde Report 1500 G.C.T. — April 23, 1948. PRES MB 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 Figure 18 (2) The clock of the barograph stopped after being exposed about 10 hours at cold temperature. (3) During the floating period many small oscilla- tions are seen on the pressure record. Neglecting superheat changes, there is no variation in the forces of the balloon system except the constantly decreasing weight of ballast and the monotonic loss of lifting gas, and these oscillations must, therefore, be attributed to some force in the atmosphere. -25-
Flights 54, 56 and 60: On these three flights, made in April and May, 1948,
fixed-leak ballast losses were used to keep a .001" polyethylene balloon
aloft, but no barograph record of pressure is available. From the descent
points (Figure 19) and the radiosonde data which was received it is believed
that the ballast flows of about 300 grams per hour were adequate.
[FIGURE: Map of the United States showing Points of Recovery for Spring Flights]
Flight No 54 Released on April 30, 1948-1757 M.S.T.
" " 56 " " May 5, 1948-0912 M.S.T.
" " 60 " " May 13, 1948-0449 M.S.T.
Points of Recovery
for
Spring Flights
Figure 19
On both Flights 56 and 60 a very light load was lifted, and the floating
level in each case was over 60,000 feet MSL. Light winds were encountered
in both cases, and a reversal from Westerlies to Easterlies was experienced
-26-near the floating level on Flight 60. With a relatively slight change in
elevation, the balloon passed from Westerlies (below) to Easterlies (above)
with the result that the balloon was still visible from the launching site
(Alamogordo, New Mexico) at sunset, 14½ hours after released. The finder
reported seeing the balloon descend 35 hours after release.
Since the ballast flowing to maintain buoyancy would have been exhausted
in only 5 hours, this flight provided the first evidence that such a bal-
loon in the stratosphere maintains buoyancy much longer than at lower levels.
The two factors which contribute to this are the heat added to the helium
by adiabatic compression when descending and the diminished diffusion of
lifting gas at a low pressure.
On Flights 56 and 60, a three-station network was set up to receive
pressure signals on radio direction-finding (SCR-658) equipment. In
addition, theodolites were used for several hours in each case.
-27-Flight 55: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1907 MST, May 3, 1948
Recovered at Northeast, Pennsylvania
On this flight a barograph was flown, and a satisfactory Olland-cycle
pressure modulator was also used for over 5 hours to give height data. The
length of time of signal reception is significant, since the battery box
of the transmitter was not insulated, and there was no heat to be gained
from the sun during this nighttime flight. The .001" polyethylene balloon
was observed descending 22 hours later after traveling more than 1500 miles.
The altitude control used on this flight was an automatic ballast valve,
activated by a minimum-pressure switch, and as evidenced by the barogram
in Figure 20 (12-hour rotation), the balloon maintained its altitude for over
[FIGURE: Barograph record chart showing altitude over time]
60000'
50000'
40000'
30000'
20000'
0400 0500 0600 0700 0800 0900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500
1900 2000 2100 2200 2300 0000 0100 0200 0300
Time-MST
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 55
Barograph Record Of G.M. 20 Ft Balloon With
Automatic Ballast Valve
RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, N.M., 1907 MST- 3 MAY, 1948
RECOVERED AT NORTHEAST, PA., 4 MAY, 1948
DURATION 23 HOURS
Figure 20
15 hours before beginning its accelerating descent. On this flight re-
cord, marked oscillations are observed at three points. Despite the presence
of automatic ballast controls which might cause oscillatory motion, these
rises and falls must be attributed to atmospheric disturbances since the
magnitude of the forces required to produce such accelerations is far
greater than any which could be supplied by the control equipment.
-28-A check against the trajectory and end point of the balloon flight was made by a group of graduate students of meteorology at New York University. By constructing constant-pressure maps from the appropriate radiosonde data, the expected trajectory was computed assuming the balloon would move with the geostrophic wind. The results of this comparison (Figure 21) show that the balloon tends to move across the isobars toward lower pressure. [FIGURE: Map of the United States showing flight trajectory] Actual Point of Descent Points of Descent computed from Pressure Pattern Point of Release FLIGHT 55 MAY 3-4, 1948 Figure 21 -29-
Flight 58: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 2033 MST, May 10, 1948
Recovered at Val D'Or, Quebec
A .001" polyethylene balloon was the vehicle on this flight carrying a
barograph as well as an early model of the Olland-cycle pressure modulator.
This flight was released at night with a fixed ballast flow of about 300
grams per hour expected to keep the balloon afloat. From the barogram
(Figure 22) (12-hour rotation) it appears that the orifice did not permit
sufficient (if any) flow to maintain buoyancy during the first several
hours (perhaps the orifice was clogged or frozen). After a descent to about
33,000 feet at sunrise a floating level was maintained with 4 kilograms of
ballast available. The full flow rate could not have been maintained much
more than the 11 hours during which the balloon was at this pressure.
[FIGURE: Barograph record chart showing altitude over time]
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 58
Barograph Record Of G.M. 20 ft. Plastic Balloon With
300 gm/hr Fixed Ballast Leak
RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, N.M. — 2033 MST, 10 MAY, 1948
RECOVERED AT VAL D'OR, QUEBEC, CANADA — 24 MAY, 1948
ESTIMATED DURATION — 24 1/2 hrs.
Figure 22
On this flight, oscillations in the pressure record were seen. With
no control system which could cause such behavior, they must be attributed
to atmospheric motion.
The descent point was compared with that expected from analyses of the
pressure field. The results of a number of such analyses are shown in
-30-Figure 23. As on Flight 55, the balloon appears to have moved across the
isobars, toward lower pressure.
[FIGURE: Map of the United States showing flight trajectory]
Actual Point of Descent
Points of Descent
computed from
Pressure Pattern
Point of Release
FLIGHT 58
MAY 10-11, 1948
Figure 23
Radio direction-finding tracking (SCR-658) was used during the first
367 minutes of this flight. This was made possible by a strong output
from the battery, indicating that no harmful effects were experienced in
the cold atmosphere despite the absence of solar radiation. The need for
measurements of the temperature of the batteries was suggested by this
flight.
-31-Flight 63: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1116 MST, May 13, 1948
Descended at Alamogordo, New Mexico
On this flight a Seyfang Laboratories balloon, made of neoprene-coated
nylon, was flown with a valve in the appendix set to open after an internal
pressure of 0.02 psi was built up. On an earlier flight (59) such a bal-
loon was flown with no valve but an appendix held closed with a rubber
band; it ruptured upon becoming full.
Both a constant ballast-flow orifice and an automatic ballast control
were used to keep this balloon buoyant. In addition to the ballast, a
surplus of buoyancy might have been acquired when super pressure was built
up inside the cell. Despite these controls, the balloon began to descend
after a short period of floating, and its descent was not checked (Figure 24).
[FIGURE: Height-Time Curve graph for Flight 63]
HEIGHT-TIME CURVE
FLIGHT 63
RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, N.M.
MAY 13-1948 — 1116 MST
RECOVERED AT MAYHILL, N.M.
MAY 13-1948 — 1349 MST
Figure 24
An analysis of the acceleration which could be gained from a loss of super-
heat indicated that if the coated fabric had absorbed radiation and gained
50°C over the outside air, the superheat thus obtained would be so great
that its subsequent rapid loss (as by ventilation) could not be compensated
for even with the ballast flowing at full rate. To improve the analysis
of balloon flights, a measure of the temperature difference between lifting
gas and air temperature was suggested.
-32-Flights 68 through 72: In July, 1948 this series of flights was made without
ballast controls to determine the natural buoyancy of the General Mills, Inc.
20-foot .001" polyethylene balloons. Of five such flights, only two good
barograph records were obtained, one daytime flight (70) and one night flight
(71). In both cases a nearly constant level was maintained for about four
hours at the highest altitude reached.
On the barogram of Flight 70 (Figure 25) a section of arrested descent may
be noticed, preceded and followed by a nearly constant fall. The cause of
this step is not apparent, although a check has been made of the atmospheric
structure of that day.
[FIGURE: Barograph record chart for Flight 70]
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 70
Showing 20' General Mills Balloon
Performance When No Ballast Was
Dropped
RELEASED AT HOLLOMAN AFB, N.M.—JULY 8, 1948
0835 MST — RECOVERED AT KENT, TEXAS
Figure 25
On Flight 71 marked oscillations are seen at the floating level and also
during the descent portion of the barogram (Figure 26). Clearly these must
represent atmospheric motions since no controls of any sort were in use.
There is no reason to believe that rapid changes in superheat occured, since
the floating level was far above the cloud level. Also the flight was made
at night and no sunshine was encountered.
[FIGURE: Barograph record chart for Flight 71]
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 71
Barograph Record Of GM 20 Ft Plastic Balloon Showing
Balloon Performance When No Ballast Was Dropped.
RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO N.M., 2042 MST — 9 JULY, 1948
RECOVERED AT VALENTINE TEXAS, 10 JULY, 1948
ESTIMATED DURATION 10 HOURS
Figure 26
-33-Flight 73: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1948 MST, July 14, 1948
Recovered at Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico
The objective of this nighttime flight was to determine whether a
fixed ballast leak of 100 grams per hour would sustain a 20-foot, .001"
polyethylene balloon at floating levels near 50,000 feet. From the Olland-
cycle pressure record (Figure 27) it appears that loss of buoyancy due to
[FIGURE: Height-Time Curve graph for Flight 73]
FLIGHT 73
Released at Alamogordo, N.M.
July 14, 1948 — 1948 MST.
Recovered approx. 50 Miles S.E.
of Holloman AFB.
July 15, 1948 — 1830 MST.
OLLAND CYCLE DATA
BALLAST FLOW 108 gm/hr
Figure 27
diffusion and leakage is more than this. Indeed, the balloon with this
ballast flow did not remain at altitude as long as either Flight 70 and
71 which were without altitude controls.
-34-Flight 74: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1040 MST, July 19, 1948
Not recovered
This was a test of a single 7-foot balloon made of .001" polyethylene,
carrying a 4-kilogram payload. One part of the load was the first model
of an automatic ballast siphon used to detect and telemeter the amount of
ballast being discharged through an automatic ballast valve.
The balloon flew at 7000 feet MSL across a heated desert area and into
a mountain pass whose elevation was about 6000 feet MSL. During the first
two hours its behavior was reported by radio, and the accompanying time-
height curve (Figure 28) shows how the ballast valve operated successfully
[FIGURE: Height-Time Curve (Olland Cycle Data) and Ballast Flow chart for Flight 74]
FLIGHT 74
Released at Alamogordo, N.M.
July 19, 1948 — 1040 MST
Figure 28
to sustain the balloon. During this turbulent flight about 200 grams of
ballast were expended per hour, but the pronounced orographic and convective
currents probably necessitated more control than would be required in a
more stable atmosphere.
The very useful information about ballast flow was reported clearly, and
the principle of the auto-siphon was used repeatedly on later flights. Small
variations are seen in the pressure at which the ballast flow began. Since
the balloon was floating below the base of clouds, this represents the changes
of activation pressure which resulted from changes of superheat of the air
entrapped in the aneroid.
-35-Flight 75: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1010 MST, July 20, 1948
Recovered at Hollister, California
In order to reach higher altitudes than was possible when 20-foot plastic
balloons were used, a 70-foot, .001" polyethylene cell was flown on Flight
75. To determine the duration of buoyancy of this type of balloon no con-
trols were used. Despite this, the balloon remained aloft for more than 60
hours and successfully withstood the loss of superheat occasioned by at
least two sunsets. From the height-time curve of this flight (Figure 29)
the very marked effect of superheat is apparent.
[FIGURE: Barograph record chart for Flight 75]
FLIGHT 75-BAROGRAPH RECORD
70' G.M. BALLOON-NO CONTROLS
Showing Natural Stability Of
Balloons At High Altitudes
Released At Alamogordo, N.M.—July 20, 1948
Recovered At Hollister, Cal.—Aug. 22, 1948
Estimated Flight Duration—90 Hours
SUNSET(1st)
SUNSET(2nd)
(3rd) SUNSET
1600 2200 0400 1000 1600 2200 0400 1000 1600
JULY 20 JULY 21 JULY 22
TIME-MST
Figure 29
The record of the barograph was not complete since the clock stopped each
night (clearly recording the lowest elevation reached, however) and ran
down completely after 56 hours.
Since the small external appendix with cardboard stiffeners was not
suitable for the large balloon, a new design with aluminum formed stiffeners
(Figure 30) was used. This type of appendix closer worked well on later
flights, and it is likely that the long duration of this flight may be attri-
buted in part to satisfactory closing off of the aperture. In addition to
-36-maintenance of the purity of the lifting gas, this balloon floated in a
region of very low pressure, thus reducing the loss of buoyancy by diffu-
sion.
[FIGURE: Diagram of aluminum battens for balloon appendix]
APPROX. 42"
5/8"
BATTENS OF .032" - 17ST OR 24ST ALUMINUM,
EDGES COVERED WITH MYSTIK TAPE. 3 BATTENS
120° APART, BENT IN FIELD TO FORM LIGHT
CLOSURE OF APPENDIX.
Figure 30: Aluminum battens for balloon appendix
A third factor contributing to the long flight was the heat gained by
adiabatic compression of the helium during descent. In the temperature in-
version of the stratosphere this adiabatic heating would add to the buoyancy
by superheating the lifting gas.
From this flight it becomes apparent that the control required to maintain
buoyancy at high levels is much smaller than that at low levels. On the next
day, before Flight 75 had ended, a second 70-foot balloon was flown with
standard automatic ballast controls, and this flight was never recovered. Pre-
sumably the marked easterly flow then observed above 60,000 feet carried this
second flight into the Pacific Ocean.
Radar, RDF and theodolite were used to track the balloon.
-37-Flight 78: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 2038 MST, July 22, 1948
Not recovered
This flight was the first to be made with (white) thermistors exposed in-
side the .001" polyethylene balloon, inside the battery box and exposed to
the air. The flight was at night and the balloon temperature was colder than
the air temperature by about 5°C during the short period of time that the
temperature values were telemetered. The standard SCR-658 receiver and
Friez radiosonde ground station were used to record this data which was trans-
mitted by a T-69 radiosonde. A New York University AM-1 transmitter was
used to send out pressure data.
An automatic ballast valve, activated by a mercury minimum-pressure switch,
was used to control ballast flow but the cold temperature presumably caused
the mercury to freeze and no ballast flow was evidenced. (A ballast-metering
siphon was part of the equipment.)
On subsequent flights, the minimum-pressure switch used an electrolite
which can withstand the cold nighttime temperatures of the upper air.
The evidence of the thermistor in the battery box is very encouraging,
since after four hours of flight the temperature remained above 10°C. This
was the first measurement obtained on the cooling of batteries and indicated
that no special cold temperature batteries were needed if insulation is care-
fully made. The temperature data and the height-time curve of Flight 78 are
shown in Figure 31.
[FIGURE: Height-time curve and temperature data chart for Flight 78]
FLIGHT 78
Released at Alamogordo, N.M.
July 22, 1948 — 2038 MST
OLLAND CYCLE DATA
LHM
Battery temp
Balloon temp
Air temp
No ballast controls
operative
2100 2300 0100 0300
TIME — MST
Figure 31
-38-Flight 79: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1614 MST, July 23, 1948
Recovered at Alamogordo, New Mexico
This was the third attempt to use a coated nylon balloon, sealed off with
a valve in the bottom. From Figure 32, the height-time curve, it may be seen
[FIGURE: Height-time curve with temperature data for Flight 79]
Barograph Trace Data
Height Time Curve
Radiosonde Data
(Olland Cycle)
Temp inside
Balloon
Free Air Temperature
FLIGHT 79
Released at Alamogordo, N.M.
July 14-48-1614MST
Recovered at Alamogordo, N.M.
July 14-48-1830MST
Figure 32
that this balloon did not remain aloft very long but that a high degree of
superheat was generated in the lifting gas, despite the aluminum coating
of the balloon.
The automatic ballast controls included in the flight equipment were in-
operative, and as soon as the balloon lost its initial excess buoyancy (corre-
sponding to the super-pressure maintained behind the safety valve) it de-
scended. From the speed of the descent it was computed that an accelerating
force equal to 5% of the gross load (52 kg) was acting to bring the balloon
down. This force was in turn derived from the loss of lift encountered when
over 30°C of superheat was lost by ventilation.
-69-Flight 80: Released at Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1126 MST, July 24, 1948
Recovered at Rincon, New Mexico
On this flight an automatic ballast valve activated by a minimum-pressure
switch was used to support a .001", 20-foot polyethylene balloon. From the
height-time curve (Figure 33) it may be seen that the balloon remained at its
maximum height for two hours, then began to descend slowly. A ballast meter
was in use, and no ballast flow was recorded until the balloon descended to
about 30,000 feet. It is likely that the mercury minimum-pressure switch was
frozen at the higher levels, or that the squib which the switch controlled
failed to detonate until a higher pressure was reached.
[FIGURE: Height-Time Curve (Olland Cycle Data) and Ballast Flow chart for Flight 80]
HEIGHT-TIME CURVE
(OLLAND CYCLE DATA)
FLIGHT 80
Released at Alamogordo, N.M.
July 24, 1948 — 1126 M.S.T.
Recovered at Rincon, N.M.
July 25, 1948
BALLAST FLOW
1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2100 2200
TIME (M.S.T.)
Figure 33
Following the activation of the aneroid capsule of the automatic ballast
valve, ballast was released in four separate blocks. With each flow of
ballast except the fourth, the balloon was returned to the seal-off pressure
of the aneroid with no change in this pressure (321 mb=28,500 feet). The
fourth ballast-flow period lasted until the balloon had risen to 300 mb (30,000
feet) and ballast cut off there. Since the sun had set between the third and
-40-fourth ballast-flow periods, this rise in "ceiling" is attributed to the
cooling of the air entrapped in the aneroid of the automatic ballast valve.
This decrease of pressure of 21 mb corresponds to a loss of 8°C of superheat.
In each of the four periods of ballast flow, there was enough unnecessary
ballast lost to cause an overshoot when the balloon returned to its floating
level. This excess ballast was that used during the period when the balloon
had begun to rise but was still below activation altitude of the automatic
ballast valve. The inefficient use of ballast was one of the major objections
to such a control system.
On this flight the ballast load of 3 kilograms was exhausted in only
three hours, indicating a large loss of gas from this particular balloon.
It is believed that the large initial acceleration provided by the rapid de-
scent of the balloon caused the restoring force, and the subsequent over-
shoot, to be very large, and the high ballast flow is probably much greater
than was the loss of buoyancy on this flight.
-41-Flight 81: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0548 MST, August 6, 1948
Not recovered
The balloon flown on this flight was made of .004" polyethylene, and it
was eggplant shape about 20 feet in diameter and 25 feet long. The first of
its kind, this balloon was made by Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Inc.
Only a short period of radio reception was obtained, but during this time
the balloon rose with predicted speed (500 feet per minute) nearly to its
predicted altitude (40,000 feet) and floated within 1500 feet of the 37,000-
foot level. Figure 34 is the height-time curve for this flight.
[FIGURE 34: Height-time curve graph. X-axis: TIME (M.ST.) from 0600 to 1100. Y-axis: HEIGHT--Thousands of Feet above M.S.L., from 0 to 50. Curve rises steeply from 0600 to approximately 0700, then levels off near 37,000 feet and holds with a gradual dashed-line descent. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 81 / Released at Alamogordo, N.M. / Aug. 6, 1948 -- 0548 M.ST. / OLLAND CYCLE DATA / GOODYEAR BALLOON WITH / AUTOMATIC BALLAST VALVE]
Figure 34
Since the balloon did not descend far enough below its maximum altitude
to activate the minimum-pressure switch and the automatic ballast valve, no
ballast flow data was telemetered while the balloon was within the radio
range. This indicates a very low rate of gas loss through the walls of this
balloon.
-42-Flight 82: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0515 MST, August 10, 1948
Recovered at Roswell, New Mexico
This flight was made with a 20-foot, .001" polyethylene balloon carrying
a load to 54,000 feet and sustained by a fixed-leak orifice control, ex-
pending ballast at about 525 grams per hour. With 4500 grams of ballast aboard
the balloon should have been increasingly buoyant for 8½ hours after release.
From the barogram (Figure 35) it may be seen that the "ceiling" did rise, at
[FIGURE 35: Barograph record graph. X-axis: Time-MST from 1500/1600/1700 through 1400. Y-axis: Height in Thousands of Feet, from approximately 20 to 70+. Multiple curved lines shown. Legend reads: NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 82 / Barograph Record Of G.M. 20' Plastic Balloon With / 534 gm/hr Fixed Ballast Leak / RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, N.M.- 0511 MST, 10 AUG 1948 / DESCENDED AT ROSWELL, N.M.- 1630 MST, 10 AUG 1948 / DURATION- 11¾ hrs]
Figure 35
a rate of 700 feet per hour (525 grams of ballast was lost each hour), for
about 7½ hours, and then generally accelerating descent was experienced.
On this flight, radio reception was maintained for the entire air-borne
period of 11 hours. Flight 82 is a good example of flight using a single
fixed-leak orifice for altitude control by ballast dropping.
-43-Flight 85: Released at Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1542 MST, August 17, 1948
Not recovered
The objective of this flight was to carry a standard radiosonde to a
high level; there it was to be released on a parachute and, at the moment
of release, the batteries for the transmitter were to be activated. To
accomplish this a pressure-triggered switch was rigged on a .001", 20-foot
polyethylene balloon. Below the baroswitch a standard T-69 radiosonde was
supported with a parachute stuffed into a case also hanging from the parent
balloon (Figure 36). Two plugs were set to keep the transmitter circuit
[FIGURE 36: Equipment train diagram, Flight 85. Labeled components from top to bottom: G.M. 20' BALLOON, APPENDIX, BAROSWITCH, CANNON, CLOTH SACK, FOLDED CHUTE-CLOTH, PULL-OUT PLUGS- CLOSE CKT. WHEN T-69 FALLS, STANDARD T-69. Caption: Figure 36: Equipment train, Flight 85]
open until the baroswitch fired the "cannon" which severed the supporting line.
Then the circuit plugs were to be pulled from their stops, and the parachute
was to be pulled from its sock, supporting the radiosonde on its descent.
The failure of this system to act may be attributed to the use of a squib
to fire the line-cutter cannon. Subsequent tests at lower levels (where the
squibs work better) were made with a satisfactory release and activation of
the "dropsonde."
-44-Flight 86: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0941 MST, August 19, 1948
Recovered at Valmont, New Mexico
This was the fourth flight made with a single, 7-foot, .001" polyethylene
balloon (Figure 37), carrying a light load to relatively low altitudes.
[FIGURE 37: Photograph of a 7-Foot polyethylene balloon inflated indoors. Caption: Figure 37: 7-Foot polyethylene balloon]
On Flight 74, the automatic ballast meter showed that a ballast flow of 200
grams per hour was required by an automatic ballast valve on such a balloon.
Flight 84 was launched in August, 1948 with a low-altitude barograph and no
altitude controls to ascertain how long such a balloon would stay up. Using
radar and helicopter that balloon was tracked for nearly 2 hours at an altitude
of 12,500 feet with a load of 3 kilograms. It was still floating when lost.
On Flight 86, a fixed ballast leak was used, set at 170 grams per hour.
After an early failure of the radiosonde transmitter, this balloon was followed
with a plane; a floating level of about 14,500 feet was maintained for 4 hours,
with a rise of "ceiling" of about 1200 feet per hour.
This balloon was observed during descent and was still distended, indicating
that the lifting gas had been replaced by air both before and during descent.
-45-Flight 88: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1241 MST, August 25, 1948
Recovered at Lovington, Texas
This flight was planned to measure the diffusion and leakage of lifting
gas through a 20-foot, .001" polyethylene balloon at 40,000 feet. A fixed-
leak orifice was set to flow at 100 grams per hour, and an automatic ballast
valve was included to supply more ballast as demanded. This automatic valve
broke on release, and the flow of 100 grams per hour was not sufficient to
keep the balloon and equipment up.
Temperature data on this flight was obtained from thermistors inside the
balloon, inside the battery and in the free air. These data and the height-
time curve are shown in Figure 38. During the period from 1400 to 1530 when
[FIGURE 38: Combined height-time and temperature graph. X-axis: TIME (M.ST.) from 1300 to 1800. Left Y-axis: HEIGHT--Thousands of Feet above M.S.L., 0 to 40. Right Y-axis: temperature scale from -80 to +40. Multiple curves shown including height and temperature traces labeled 1, 2, 3. Note at top reads "SIGNAL BLOCKED BY NOISE". Legend box reads: FLIGHT 88 / Released at Alamogordo, N.M. / Aug. 25, 1948 -- 1241 M.ST. / Recovered at Lovington, N.M. / Aug. 26, 1948 -- 1515 M.ST. Additional labels: OLLAND CYCLE DATA, Height Time Curves, BAROGRAPH TRACE DATA. Temperature legend: 1- BATTERY TEMP / 2- FREE AIR TEMP / 3- BALLOON TEMP]
Figure 38
the balloon was slowly descending, the temperature of the gas increased with
respect to the free air temperature, and a differential of 150C was recorded
at 1530. With subsequent, more rapid descent, this differential was reduced,
presumably by ventilation. The battery box temperature remained above 100C
after four hours aloft.
-46-Flight 89: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1005 MST, August 26, 1948
Not recovered
On this flight a .001", 20-foot polyethylene balloon was used to carry
a ballast meter to about 45,000 feet to determine the ballast requirements
at that altitude, using an automatic ballast valve. No record of ballast
flow was telemetered during this flight, but it is not known whether the
ballast meter was inoperative or the ballast valve itself failed--possibly
due to failure of a squib to detonate at the combined low pressure and cold
temperatures aloft.
From the height-time curve, Figure 39, it will be noted that the balloon
was in a near floating condition for about five hours after reaching its maxi-
mum altitude. The total weight available on this flight was 2 kg, so a loss
of 400 grams per hour would have been required if the ballast was used
during this period.
From Flights 70 and 71 we know that a balloon has remained for about four
hours at slightly higher altitudes with no ballast flow to support it; Flight
89, therefore, is not necessarily an example of the action of the automatic
ballast valve control.
[FIGURE 39: Height-time curve graph. X-axis: TIME (M.S.T.) from 1000 to 1900. Y-axis: HEIGHT IN THOUSANDS OF FEET ABOVE M.S.L., from 0 to 50. Curve rises from 1000 to peak near 45,000 feet, holds nearly flat for approximately five hours, then descends. Legend box reads: HEIGHT TIME CURVE / FLIGHT 89 / Released at Alamogordo, N.M. / Aug. 26, 1948 - 1005 MST. / (Olland Cycle Data)]
Figure 39
-47-Flight 90: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1502 MST, August 27, 1948
Recovered at Roswell, New Mexico
The .001", 20-foot polyethylene balloon used on this flight was released
in mid-afternoon to provide a test of the sunset effect on a balloon supported
by the automatic ballast valve.
From the height-time curve, Figure 40, it may be seen that the balloon
had attained a floating altitude shortly before the sunset and that the
action of the automatic ballast valve was sufficient to restore the buoyancy
[FIGURE 40: Combined height-time and ballast flow graph. X-axis: TIME (M.S.T.) from 1500 to 0300. Left Y-axis: HEIGHT--THOUSANDS OF FEET ABOVE M.S.L., 0 to 50. Secondary Y-axis for ballast flow (gm/min) from 0 to 20, shown as bar chart labeled BALLAST FLOW. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 90 / Released at Alamogordo, N.M. / August 27, 1948 - 1502 M.S.T. Additional label: HEIGHT-TIME CURVE (OLLAND CYCLE DATA)]
Figure 40
and cause the balloon to again reach a floating condition. The difference be-
tween the two floating levels may be explained by a consideration of the auto-
matic ballast valve and the minimum-pressure switch which was used to seal
off its aneroid capsule. Since the balloon had not fallen far enough to permit
the switch to seal off the valve before sunset, this action was accomplished
-48-during the sunset descent (caused when the superheated helium lost the sun's
heating effect). A further descent of 5 mb (500 feet at this level) was re-
quired to start the flow of ballast. By this time, the balloon had lost
considerable lift and in exchange had acquired a downward velocity of about
120 feet per minute. To check this descent a ballast flow was required for
about 40 minutes. During the next hour the balloon was buoyant and climbing
back to the seal-off pressure of the automatic ballast valve. The ineffi-
ciency of this valve system is demonstrated by the ballast which was lost
after the balloon had regained its buoyancy and had begun to rise. More
ballast was wasted than was required to check the descent. Indeed, the
entire 3000 grams available was expended at this time, according to the evi-
dence of the ballast meter.
On this flight there was no apparent change in the activation pressure of
the automatic ballast aneroid between the times when ballast flow began and
ended. This indicates that the entrapped air had not experienced any signi-
ficant temperature change during the two hours of ballast operation.
-49-Flight 92: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0911 MST, August 31, 1948
Recovered at Ft. Stockton, Texas
On this flight an automatic ballast valve (with ballast meter) was used
to support a 20-foot, .001" polyethylene balloon. The automatic ballast valve
operated properly for about six hours, and 3000 grams of ballast was ex-
hausted soon after sunset. In this case (Figure 41) the floating level of the
[FIGURE 41: Height-time curve graph with ballast flow data. X-axis: TIME -- MST from 0900 to 0100. Y-axis: HEIGHT (thousands of feet above M.S.L.), 0 to 60. Curve rises steeply, levels near 40,000 feet for extended period, then descends after sunset. Bar region labeled INTERMITTENT BALLAST FLOW AS DEMANDED. Labels: OLLAND CYCLE DATA, SUNSET, BAROGRAPH TRACE DATA. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 92 / Released at Alamogordo, N.M. / Aug. 31, 1948 - 0911 MST / Recovered at Ft. Stockton, Tex. Sub-caption: G.M. 20' Balloon with Automatic Ballast Valve]
Figure 41
balloon was not seriously affected by sunset as was the case in Flight 90,
since the balloon had already descended to the activation level of the auto-
matic ballast valve. This descent followed about three hours of relatively
stable flight during which time no ballast was released. The 5000-foot de-
scent represents the delay in operation caused by the activation of the aneroid
capsule by a minimum-pressure switch, added to the lag of the aneroid itself.
Following the initial activation at about 38,500 feet, small oscillations were
introduced into the flight pattern by the action of the automatic ballast valve.
Flight 92 provides a good example of the control of a balloon's altitude
by the use of a pressure-set automatic ballast valve. In such a flight there
is no tendency to rise to higher and higher levels. The adulteration of the
lifting gas with air reduces the buoyancy of the balloon, and through the
ballast-valve control, the load is diminished to the same extent so that
equilibrium is maintained at the activation pressure of the automatic ballast
valve's aneroid. In this flight the altitude constancy achieved was the best
of all flights made to date. For seven hours and 35 minutes this balloon was
held within 1000 feet at 38,000 feet MSL. (At this altitude 1000 feet corresponds
to a pressure difference of 10 millibars.)
-50-The sunset effect resulted in a rise of about 500 feet (5 mb) in the floating level of the balloon at 1830 MST. This seems to be due to a change in the effective seal-off pressure of the aneroid capsule of the auto- matic ballast valve which was the consequence of a decrease in the temperature of the trapped air inside. The rise in altitude experienced corresponds to a decrease of temperature of about 6OC, the superheat of the aneroid, which was lost at sunset. This valve may be compared with the 30OC found on Flight 10. On the earlier flight a black valve was used while on this flight the equipment was polished aluminum, with a highly reflective surface. -51-
Flight 93: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0712 MST, September 1, 1948
Recovered at Neuvas Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico
This daytime flight with a 20-foot, .001" polyethylene balloon went up
with defective ballast controls; consequently the flight's main value is in
showing the natural stability of such a balloon without any altitude con-
trols. As with Flight 88, which went to about the same height (40,000 feet),
this balloon remained at a near-floating level for less than two hours
(Figure 42). It is interesting to compare this duration at 40,000 feet with
the four-hour duration at 50,000 feet shown on Flight 70 and 71. Probably
the effect of reduced pressure on diffusion of the lifting gas is a major
factor contributing to the longer floating period at the lower pressure.
[FIGURE 42: Height-time curve graph. X-axis: TIME (M.S.T.) from 0700 to 1300. Y-axis: HEIGHT--Thousands of Feet above M.S.L., from 0 to 40. Curve rises to near 40,000 feet, holds briefly, then descends. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 93 / Released at Alamogordo, N.M. / Sept. 1, 1948 -- 0721 M.S.T. / Recovered at Nuevo Casas Grandes / Chihuahua, Mex. / OLLAND CYCLE DATA]
Figure 42
-52-Flight 94: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1208 MST, September 3, 1948
Recovered At Villa Ahumada, Chihuahua, Mexico
On this flight, a fourth attempt was made to sustain a Seyfang, neoprene-
coated nylon balloon. On Flight 79, a previous Seyfang flight, no ballast
equipment had been in operation, and so a careful record of ballast flow on
Flight 94 was desired. This was provided by a ballast meter. In addition to
this and the barograph and Olland pressure-measuring instruments, a thermo-
graph was also part of the equipment train.
The height-time curve (Figure 43) shows that the initial buoyancy sur-
plus of this balloon (for the most part due to superpressure held behind
[FIGURE 43: Height-time curve graph with ballast flow indicator. X-axis: TIME (M.S.T.) from 1200 to 1600. Y-axis: HEIGHT--Thousands of Feet above M.S.L., from 0 to 50. Curve rises to approximately 40,000 feet, holds briefly, then descends. Hatched bar region near top labeled: BALLAST FLOW 20gm/min THROUGH AUTOMATIC BALLAST VALVE. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 94 / Released at Alamogordo, N.M. / Sept. 3, 1948 -- 1208 M.S.T. / Recovered at Villa Ahumada, / Chihuahua, Mex. / OLLAND CYCLE DATA]
Figure 43
the safety valve) was reduced by diffusion so that after one hour of floating
it began to descend at an accelerating rate. After falling about 2000 feet,
the automatic ballast valve began to operate, and ballast was discharged at
the rate of 20 grams per minute. During the descent, however, the strong
superheat which the balloon had acquired was reduced by ventilation.
The adiabatic lapse rate of helium is 2OC per kilometer, whereas air in
the troposphere warms up about 6OC with each kilometer of descent. This
means that with each kilometer of fall, the lifting gas was cooled relative
to the air by an additional 4OC. The combination of inertia, loss of super-
heat through ventilation, and adiabatic cooling of the gas as it was com-
pressed, proved too great for the limited flow of ballast through the auto-
matic valve, and the balloon fell unchecked to the ground.
From Flight 79, it was determined that superheat of nearly 40OC is built
up when Seyfang balloons are flown in the sunshine. If this were lost, the
buoyancy of the balloon would be reduced by one-sixth, and no satisfactory
control could be achieved by ballast dropping.
-53-Flight 96: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0733 MST, September 8, 1948
Not recovered
On Flight 96 a .001", 20-foot polyethylene balloon was used to carry a
ballast meter to about 45,000 feet to determine the flow required at that
altitude using an automatic ballast valve. No record of ballast flow was
telemetered during this flight, but it is not known whether the meter was
inoperative, or the valve itself failed--possibly due to failure of a squib
to detonate at the combined low pressure and cold temperature aloft.
From the height-time curve, Figure 44, it will be noted that the balloon
was in a near-floating condition for about four hours when the transmitter
[FIGURE 44: Height-time curve graph. X-axis: TIME (M.S.T.) from 0700 to 1600. Y-axis: HEIGHT IN THOUSANDS OF FEET ABOVE M.S.L., from 0 to 40. Curve rises to near 40,000 feet and holds for extended period before data ends. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 96 / Released at Alamogordo, N.M. / Sept. 8, 1948 -- 0733 M.S.T. Additional label: HEIGHT-TIME CURVE (OLLAND CYCLE DATA)]
Figure 44
signal gave out. There is no way of telling whether the constant-level
flight obtained was due to the natural buoyancy of the balloon or the action
of the automatic ballast valve.
-54-Flight 97: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0856 MST, September 10, 1948
Recovered at Duncan, Oklahoma
On this flight a .001", 20-foot polyethylene balloon was used to test a
new type of ballast control. In this system, ballast flow was excited at any
altitude if the balloon descended at a rate equal to or greater than 1 milli-
bar in five minutes.
The buoyancy record and the Olland-cycle pressure data obtained from this
flight show a disagreement of about 10,000 feet (Figure 45). No explanation
has been provided for this difference and the following evidence has been
considered. The predicted floating level was about 45,000 feet, in agreement
with the Olland-cycle radiosonde data. On the other hand, the balloon rose
extremely slowly and may have taken in air to dilute the lifting gas. In this
event, the floating level might easily have been reduced by 10,000 feet.
[FIGURE 45: Height-time curve graph showing two separate data sets. X-axis: TIME (M.S.T.) from 0900 to 1900. Y-axis: HEIGHT--Thousands of Feet above M.S.L., from 0 to 50. Two curves shown: upper dashed line labeled OLLAND CYCLE DATA and lower solid line labeled BAROGRAPH TRACE DATA. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 97 / Released at Alamogordo, N.M. / Sept. 10, 1948 -- 0856 M.S.T. / Recovered at Duncan, Okla.]
Figure 45
Once at the floating level, however, the balloon was maintained within
1000 feet (or 1200 feet) of a constant level for over four hours. This in-
dicated that the control system was in operation since previous flights
(88 and 93) at this altitude descended after about two hours of flight with-
out ballast.
-55-Flight 98: Released from Red Bank, New Jersey, 0948 EST, October 28, 1948
Not recovered
On Flight 98 a 20-foot, .001" polyethylene balloon was used to test
radio reception using a new model of the Olland-cycle modulator and a T-69
radiosonde transmitter. Three receiving stations were used, with elevation
and azimuth angles as well as the pressure altitude recorded by RDF (SCR-658)
equipment. The trajectory of this flight (Figure 46), reconstructed from the
data received at the ground station, indicates that the balloon was more than
[FIGURE 46: Map showing trajectory of Flight 98. Map covers coastal New England area including Red Bank NJ, Long Island, Nantucket, and Cape Cod. Trajectory line runs from Red Bank eastward offshore with time stamps at 1130, 1245, 1335, 1710. Dashed extrapolated extension continues beyond 1710. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 98 / TRAJECTORY / RELEASED AT RED BANK N.J. / OCT. 28 1948- 0948 EST. Annotations show RED BANK AZIMUTH ANGLE- ±10° and NANTUCKET AZIMUTH ANGLE- ±1°. Scale bar in Miles: 0 10 20 30 40 50. Label EXTRAPOLATED on lower right.]
Figure 46
175 miles from the Nantucket station at the time the signal was first re-
ceived. This reception is much greater than may be expected from most
-56-SCR-658 ground sets when the T-69 transmitter is used. The signals obtained were not very strong, and there was only an interrupted record of the pressure height. From the height-time curve (Figure 47) it will be seen that a three- to four-hour period of floating was recorded, at an altitude near 50,000 feet MSL. This is in good agreement with the results obtained from earlier flights (70 and 71) at this level when no control apparatus was included. [FIGURE 47: Height-time curve graph. X-axis: TIME (E.S.T.) from 1000 to 1700. Y-axis: HEIGHT -- Thousands of Feet, from 0 to 60. Curve rises steeply from 1000 to approximately 1130, levels near 50,000 feet, holds with slight decline through approximately 1600, then descends. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 98 / Released at Red Bank, N.J. / Oct. 28, 1948 -- 0948 E.S.T. / OLLAND CYCLE DATA / NO BALLAST WAS DROPPED] Figure 47 -57-
Flight 102: Released from Red Bank, New Jersey, 1023 EST, December 9, 1948
Not recovered
Flight 102 was the first test given to a 30-foot, .001" polyethylene bal-
loon manufactured by General Mills, Inc.; with this balloon a 30-kilogram pay-
load was successfully lifted to 58,000 feet. A combination rate-of-ascent
switch and displacement switch was used to control ballast flow, but no record
of ballast was made since the ballast meter was broken at launching.
Flight data was received by three ground stations, and the signal from the
AM-1 transmitter (with about 10 pounds of batteries) was received for about
400 miles. This was a good test of the distance to which a signal may be
transmitted by the AM-1 (N.Y.U) transmitter under daytime conditions. The
trajectory of this flight is Figure 48.
[FIGURE 48: Map showing trajectory of Flight 102. Map covers coastal New England area including Red Bank NJ, Long Island, Stewart Field, Nantucket. Trajectory line runs from Red Bank eastward with time stamps: 1115, 1130, 1200, 1245, 1315, 1400 and beyond. Legend box reads: TRAJECTORY -- FLIGHT 102 / RELEASED AT RED BANK, N.J. / DEC. 9-1948- 1023 EST. Scale bar in Miles: 0 10 20 30 40 50.]
Figure 48
In the height-time curve (Figure 49) it is interesting to note the descent
which began shortly before sunset. There is reason to believe that this
fall was being checked by ballast flow. The normal descent after a balloon
-58-begins to fall is accelerating, while on this flight acceleration is evident. With a loss of 10OC superheat, and a limited flow (900 grams per hours), it would require two hours of flow to restore the buoyancy of the balloon. This is a demonstration that more rapid compensation is required. [FIGURE 49: Height-time curve graph. X-axis: TIME (E.S.T.) from 1100 to 1700. Y-axis: HEIGHT -- Thousands of Feet above M.S.L., from 0 to 70. Curve rises steeply from 1100 to approximately 1200, levels near 58,000 feet, holds through approximately 1600, then begins descent. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 102 / Released at Red Bank, N.J. / Dec. 9, 1948 -- 1023 E.S.T. / OLLAND CYCLE DATA] Figure 49 -59-
Flight 103 through 111: These flights were released in January and February,
1949 from Alamogordo, New Mexico to test the action of the combined ballast
controls (displacement switch and rate-of-ascent switch). Receiving units
were stationed at Alamogordo; at Miami, Oklahoma and at Nashville, Tennessee;
aircraft were used both to receive the signal and also to track and position
the balloon by the use of the radio compass.
For the first time on these flights, a program switch was used to permit
a single transmitter to transmit three temperature signals as well as ballast-
flow data and pressure information. By interrupting the pressure and ballast
data for short intervals of temperature data, all of this information was
telemetered with the AM-1 (N.Y.U.) transmitter.
Aircraft reception of 500 miles was reported on these flights, but ground
reception was limited to about 250 miles, perhaps due to mountains surrounding
the receiving station.
No significant data was obtained on four of these flights, and on two
more the principal objective of the flight was defeated by the excessive gas
loss from the balloons.
From the height-time curves of Flights 103 and 107 (Figures 50 and 51)
may be seen that even with constant ballast flow (at 2400 grams per hour)
[FIGURE 50: Combined height-time and temperature graph. X-axis: TIME-MST from 1030 to 1300. Left Y-axis: HEIGHT--Thousands of Feet, from 0 to approximately 40. Right Y-axis: TEMP- Deg C, from -60 to +20. Bar chart columns show ballast flow data. Labels: A- Air Temp., B- Ball. *, C- Batt. *. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 103 / Released at Alamogordo, N.M. / Feb. 4, 1949 -- 1015 MST / OLLAND CYCLE DATA. Caption notation: LHM. Bar at top left labeled 40 gm/min, bar at top right labeled 38 gm/min.]
Figure 50
-60-[FIGURE 51: Combined height-time, ballast flow, and temperature graph. X-axis: TIME -- MST from 0700 to 0900 with subdivisions at 15, 30, 45, 0800, 15, 30, 45. Left Y-axis: HEIGHT -- Thousands of Feet, from 0 to 50. Right Y-axis: TEMP- Deg C, from -60 to +20. Bar columns show ballast flow in gm/min with scale shown. Labels: A- Air Temp., B- Balloon Temp., C- Battery Temp. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 107 / Released at Alamogordo, N.M. / Feb. 9, 1949 -- 0706 MST / OLLAND CYCLE DATA. Caption notation: LHM.]
Figure 51
the balloon continued to descend. In both cases the token ballast flow on
the ascent portion of the flight indicates that the controls were operative,
but there was no test of efficiency since on-off operation was never per-
mitted.
The temperature data of these flights is in generally good agreement with
that seen earlier with the balloon gas being warmed by the sun to acquire
a superheat of 10o to 20oC.
-61-Flight 103: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1015 MST, February 4, 1949
Recovered at Mountain View, Oklahoma
On Flight 103 a B-17 airplane was used to follow the balloon, homing in
on the signal from the AM-1 transmitter with the radio compass. There were
few clouds over the first section of the balloon's path, and very exact
positioning was obtainable. The compass needle reversed almost immediately,
and no cone of silence was found when the plane passed beneath the balloon.
The fixes indicated on the trajectory (Figure 52) show how exactly the path
of the balloon may be determined when tracked in such a manner.
[FIGURE 52: Map showing trajectory of Flight 103 released on Feb. 4, 1949. Map shows states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico. Release site marked at Alamogordo at 1015, bearing 69 degrees. Path proceeds northeast through Plainview at 1320, then 1349, 1405, 1425, 1438, to recovery site at Mountain View. Pecos River labeled. Legend box reads: TRAJECTORY- FLIGHT 103 RELEASED ON FEB.4,1949 DWS LHM]
Figure 52
-62-Flight 104: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1123 MST, Feburary 5, 1949
Recovered at Hale Center, Texas
On this flight a stepwise floating level was achieved by the dropping of
weight from the 20-foot, .001" polyethylene balloon. From the height-time
curve (Figure 53) the climb from 35,000 feet MSL to 47,000 MSL can be seen.
A time clock was used to start the rapid flow of ballast after about one hour
at the first level. Following the exhaustion of all ballast, the ballast
reservoir itself was released to cause the final rise of the balloon.
By the use of this technique, atmospheric sampling of any kind may be
conducted with two or more levels sampled on a single flight. Without using
any control to keep the balloon constantly at a given altitude for a long
time, the sampling steps should not be expected to be much longer than one
hour apiece.
[FIGURE 53: Height-time curve graph. X-axis: TIME (M.S.T.) from 1130 to 1430. Y-axis: HEIGHT-Thousands of feet above M.S.L. from 0 to 60. Curve shows climb from ~35,000 ft, then step to ~47,000 ft after ballast drop, then rise after parachute assembly dropped. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 104 / Released at Alamogordo,N.M. / Feb.5,1948 — 1123 M.ST. / Recovered at Hale Center, Tex. / OLLAND CYCLE DATA. Annotations: "6 kg BALLAST DROPPED" and "1600gm BALLAST ASSEMBLY WITH PARACHUTE DROPPED"]
Figure 53
-63-Flight 106: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0657 MST, February 8, 1949
Recovered at Ellsmore, Kansas
This was the first flight to clearly demonstrate the efficient action
of a combination ballast control--displacement switch and rate-of-ascent
switch--on a 20-foot, .001" polyethylene balloon. From the height-time curve
and ballast-flow record (Figure 54), it will be seen that the ballast con-
trol was operating at 41,000 feet MSL during the period of radio reception
from Alamogordo, New Mexico. By the time the second receiving station picked
up the signal, all of the ballast had been exhausted and the balloon was
falling. On this flight a high loss of lifting gas caused the total ballast
load of 600 grams to be exhausted in less than five hours. (Average used in
first two hours was 1700 grams per hour.)
[FIGURE 54: Combined height-time curve and ballast flow record. X-axis: TIME-MST from 0700 to 1300. Left Y-axis: HEIGHT-Thousands of feet. Right Y-axis: TEMP—Deg.C. Ballast flow bars shown at top. Curve shows ascent to ~41,000 ft, then descent. "Received at Alamogordo" and "Received at Miami, Okla." annotations. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 106 / Released at Alamogordo,N.M. / Feb.8,1949— 0657 MST / OLLAND CYCLE DATA. Labels: A-Air Temp. B-Bell. " C-Bell. " LHM]
Figure 54
The descent point of this balloon was compared with that predicted from a
study of the atmospheric pressure patterns at floating level. Assuming geo-
strophic flow, members of a graduate class in meteorology at New York
-64-University computed the points of descent seen in Figure 55. As in the cases of Flights 55 and 58, the balloon appears to have moved across the isobars toward lower pressure. [FIGURE 55: Weather map showing computed vs. actual descent points for Flight 106, Feb 8, 1949. Map covers southwestern and central United States. Shows isobar lines with wind observations. Labeled elements: "Actual Point of Descent", "Position Fixed by Aircraft", "Points of Descent computed from Pressure Pattern", "Point of Release". Legend: FLIGHT 106 / FEB.8,1949] Figure 55 -65-
Flight 110: Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 0649 MST, February 11, 1949
Recovered at Kershaw, South Carolina
This flight had as its main objectives the testing of a Winzen Research
Inc. .0015", 20-foot polyethylene balloon, and further testing of the combina-
tion ballast control--displacement switch and rate-of-ascent switch. Following
the initial ascent of this flight, a slow descent resulted from loss of
lifting gas. Three hours were required for a descent of 2000 feet to the
pressure where ballast flow was begun. This and the general flight pattern
indicate the satisfactory nature of this Winzen Research Inc. balloon. After
ballast started, the valve stuck and a constant flow at 1800 grams per hour
followed. The rising ceiling seen in Figure 56 is the typical flight
pattern for a balloon whose load is being steadily decreased at a rate in
excess of the loss of buoyancy.
[FIGURE 56: Height-time curve for Flight 110. X-axis: TIME-MST from 0600 to 1800. Y-axis: HEIGHT-Thousands of feet. Shows received at Alamogordo, Miami Okla., Nashville Tenn. Curve shows initial ascent, slow descent, then rising ceiling after ballast valve stuck. Legend box reads: FLIGHT 110 / Released at Alamogordo, N.M. / Feb.11, 1949- 0649 MST / Recovered at Kershaw, S.Car. / OLLAND CYCLE DATA LHM. Annotations: "20' Winzen Balloon", "Ballast valve stuck, causing continual flow & rise of balloon", "Flow at 20 gm/min", "Run out of ballast". Also labels: SUNSET EFFECT, RECEIVED AT ALAMOGORDO, RECEIVED AT MIAMI, OKLA., RECEIVED AT NASHVILLE, TENN.]
Figure 56
On this flight all three of the receiving stations positioned along the
expected path were able to receive and record the pressure and ballast sig-
nal. No temperature equipment was flown.
-66-A comparison of the point of descent predicted from geostrophic flow and that actually observed was made by members of a graduate class of meteorology at New York University (Figure 57). Using an airplane fix [FIGURE 57: Large weather map of contiguous United States showing Flight 110, Feb.11,1949. Isobar lines and wind observations across the country. Labeled elements: "Position Fixed by Aircraft", "Actual Point of Descent", "Points of Descent computed from Pressure Pattern", "Point of Release". Bold legend: FLIGHT 110 / FEB.11,1949] Figure 57 made during the flight the actual trajectory seems to have been well to the north of the "center of gravity" of predicted points of descent, and the actual flight path was considerably longer than that predicted. Since the pressure pattern at the eastern end of the flight was anticyclonic, this seems to be in accordance with the idea of super-geostrophic flow associated with anticyclonic systems. As in all the earlier cases where such a study was made, the balloon apparently moved across the isobars toward lower pressure. -67-
Index
(All references are to flight numbers. The number of the flight on which a
particular instrument or principle was first demonstrated is underlined.
For example, airborne radio direction finding was first used on Flight 41.)
Adiabatic temperature changes, 60, 75, Ballast requirements (cont'd.)
94 with .008", 15'-diameter polyethylene
balloon, 11
Airborne radio direction-finding, 41, with Seyfang balloon, 94
103, 110
Balloons
Aircraft tracking, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13- flights using other than polyethylene
20, 86, 105 neoprene-coated nylon (Seyfang),
Air flow 59, 63, 79, 94
deformation of, over mountain rubber, 5, 7
range, 11 shrouded rubber (Dewey and Almy),
geostrophic, compared with balloon 23, 38, 66, 87
trajectories, 55, 58, 106, 110 flights using polyethylene
.001",7'-diameter, 74
Altitude sensitivity, 52, 82, 86, 110 .001",20'-diameter, 12
.001",70'-diameter, 75
Appendices (external) on polyethylene .001",30'-diameter, 102
balloons .004",20'-diameter, 17
first use of, 13 .008",15'-diameter, 10
need for, demonstrated, 12
stiffened with cardboard, 20, 39 Barograph
stiffened with metal, 75 longest record of, 75
need for, demonstrated, 17, 29, 30, 32
Arrays of rubber balloons use of (Fergusson), 33, 35, 39
cluster, 7 use of new model (Lange), 52
linear, 5
Buoyancy
Atmospheric oscillations, 10, 52, 55, changes in, due to sunset, 75, 90
58, 63, 71 natural
Seyfang balloons in the troposphere, 79
Automatic ballast valve 7'-diameter polyethylene balloons
effect of superheat on, 10, 74, 80, in the troposphere, 86
92 20'-diameter polyethylene balloons
first activated by minimum-pressure in the stratosphere, 60, 98
switch, 12 20'-diameter polyethylene balloons
first use of, 5 in the troposphere, 70, 71, 88,
sunset effect on, 80, 90, 92 93, 98
typical flight with, 92 70'-diameter polyethylene balloons
in the stratosphere, 75
Ballast meter
need for, demonstrated, 29-39 Combination control (rate of ascent ballast
use of, 74, 78, 80, 86, 89, 90, 92 switch with displacement switch)
94, 96, 102 first use of, 102
typical flight with, 106
Ballast requirements
with .001", 7'-diameter poly- Controls
ethylene balloons, 74 first use of
with .001", 20'-diameter poly- automatic ballast valve, 5
ethylene balloons, 54, 66, 60,
80, 92, 106
68Controls, first use of (cont'd.) Flight patterns, typical (cont'd.)
fixed needle-valve ballast leak,11 with rubber balloons and increment
fixed orifice ballast leak, 43 ballast loss, 5, 7
minimum-pressure switch with auto-
matic ballast valve, 12 Geostrpphic air flow, compared with
rate-of-ascent ballast switch, 97 balloon trajectories, 55, 58, 106, 110
rate-of-ascent ballast switch
combined with displacement
switch, 102 Lange barograph
superpressure, 23 first use of, 52
lifter balloons, 5, 7 longest record of, 75
solid ballast, 5, 7
superpressure, 23, 38, 59, 63, 66, Lifter balloons for altitude control, 5, 7
79, 87, 94
typical flight with
automatic ballast valve, 92 Meteorograph, Fergusson, 33, 35, 39
fixed ballast leak, 82
rate-of-ascent ballast switch
combined with displacement Minimum-pressure switch
switch, 102 failures due to freezing of, 78, 80
first use of, 12
need for, demonstrated, 11
Deformation of air flow over mountain
range, 11
Olland-cycle pressure modulator, use of,
Destruction device 43, 52, 55, 58, 73, 97, 98
first use of, 10
first use of new design (rip-out Oscillations in the atmosphere, 10, 52,
principle), 41, (Fig. 16) 55, 58, 63, 71
Dewey and Almy, shrouded rubber
balloons, 23, 38, 66, 87 Polyethylene balloons
7'-diameter, 74, 76, 84, 86
Dropsonde, 85 30'-diameter, 102
15'-diameter, 10
20'-diameter, 12, 17
Easterly winds at high levels, 60, 75 70'-diameter, 75
Pressure-measuring instruments
Fixed-leak ballast control barograph, 35
first use of, 11 Lange barograph, 52
typical flight with, 82 Olland-cycle modulator, 43, 52, 55, 58,
73, 97, 98
Flight patterns, typical
with polyethylene balloons and Program switch, use of, 103
automatic ballast-valve control,
92
with polyethylene balloons and auto- Radar tracking, 75, 86
matic ballast-valve control
thru a sunset, 90, 92
with polyethylene balloons and Radio direction-finding
fixed flow of ballast, 82 airborne, 41, 103, 110
-69-Radio direction-finding (cont'd.) Tracking (cont'd.)
SCR-658, 12, 13-20, 56, 58, 60, 75, theodolite, 5, 7, 11, 13-20, 56, 60,
78, 81, 98 75
Rate of rise, excessive, 13, 14, 16,39 Trajectories, 11, 55, 58, 103, 106, 110
Rubber balloons, 5, 7 Transmitters
3 mc (AM-1)
first use of, 12
Seyfang, neoprene-coated nylon bal- longest reception distance with, 102
loons, 59, 63, 79, 94 longest reception time with, 92
397 mc (T-69)
Solid ballast for altitude control, first use of, 12
5, 7 longest reception distance with, 82
longest reception time with, 82
Stepwise pattern of floating, 104
Sunset effect Typical flight patterns, see Flight patterns,
on automatic ballast valve, 80, 90, typical
92
on buoyancy, 5, 75, 90
Superheat
effect on automatic ballast valve,
10, 74, 80, 92
effect on buoyancy, 75, 79
effect on Seyfang balloon, 59, 63,
· 79, 94
Superpressure balloons
Dewey and Almy, shrouded rubber,
23, 38, 66, 87
Seyfang, neoprene-coated nylon,
59, 63, 79, 94
Temperature measurements, need for
shown, 58, 63, 73, 78, 88, 103,
106, 107
Theodolite observation, 5, 7, 11, 13-
20, 56, 60, 75
Tracking
aircraft, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13-20, 86,
103
radar, 86, 75
radio direction-finding
airborne, 41, 103, 110
SCR-658, 12, 13-20, 56, 58, 60,
75, 78, 81, 98
-70-13
New York University
Technical Report No. 1
Constant Level Balloon
April 1, 1948TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 1
Balloon Group, Constant Level Balloon Project
New York University
Covering the period Nov. 1, 1946 to Jan. 1, 1948
CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOON
Research Division, Project No. 93
Prepared in Accordance with Provisions of Contract
W28-099-ac-241, between
Watson Laboratories, Red Bank, New Jersey
and
New York University
Prepared by: Charles B. Moore, James R. Smith, and
Seymour Goldstein
Approved by: ıarles S. Schneider, Project Director
and
Prof. Athelstan F. Spilhaus
Director of Research
Research Division, College of Engineering, New York University.
April 1, 1948
New York 53, New YorkCONTENTS
Page
Section 1. Introduction to Problem..................................1
Section 2. Method of Attack.........................................1
A. Balloons.............................................1
B. Altitude Controls...................................6
C. Altitude Determination.............................10
D. Horizontal Position Determination.................13
E. Flight Termination Control........................14
Section 3. Theoretical Relationships and Computations.............15
A. Altitude-Density Relationships.....................15
B. Load-Diameter-Maximum Altitude Relationships........16
C. Balloon Diameter-Weight Relationships..............18
D. Rate of Rise.......................................18
E. Ballast Requirements...............................19
F. Internal Pressure.................................20
Section 4. Flight Techniques..........................................22
A. Inflation...........................................22
B. Release............................................23
C. Recovery...........................................26
Section 5. Flight Summary...........................................26
Section 6. Current Objectives.......................................32
Section 7. Appendix
1. Flight Summary Data................................36
2. Correspondence.....................................37
3. Flight forms and tables............................47
Section 8. Reference Notes..........................................61List of Figures
Following Page
Fig. 1. Plastic Balloon for Constant Level Balloon Project........ 4
Fig. 2. Thin, tear-drop, polyethylene balloon..................... 5
Fig. 3. General Mills twenty-foot balloon......................... 5
Fig. 4. Ten-foot appendix attached to a General Mills balloon..... 5
Fig. 5. Two-foot appendix, stiffened, shown on a General Mills
balloon.................................................. 5
Fig. 6. General Mills twenty-foot balloon in flight............... 5
Fig. 7. Idealized time-altitude curves for various balloon
control systems........................................... 7
Fig. 8. Manual ballast valve...................................... 7
Fig. 9. Components of Manual Ballast release assembly............. 7
Fig. 10. Manual ballast release assembly........................... 7
Fig. 11. Automatic ballast valve................................... 7
Fig. 12. Automatic ballast valve, showing loaded diaphragm......... 7
Fig. 13. Automatic ballast valve................................... 7
Fig. 14. Minimum Pressure switch................................... 8
Fig. 15. Ballast reservoir......................................... 10
Fig. 16. Ballast release assembly.................................. 10
Fig. 17. Complete ballast release assembly......................... 10
Fig. 18. Coverage of probable balloon paths with four-station.
SCR-658 net............................................... 12
Fig. 19. Buoyancy vs. altitude for various diameter balloons
(helium)................................................. 17
Fig. 20. Buoyancy vs. altitude for various diameter balloons
(hydrogen)............................................... 17
Fig. 21. Calculated net lift for General Mills Inc., balloons...... 18List of Figures (cont'd)
Following Page
Fig. 22. Polyethylene balloon weights............................. 18
Fig. 23. Balloon weights for various fabric weights............... 18
Fig. 24. Free lift of balloons vs. rate of rise................... 19
Fig. 25. General Mills twenty-foot balloon billowing in a 5-
knot wind................................................ 23
Fig. 26. Heavy elliptical shot bag................................ 23
Fig. 27. Aluminum "cannon" in position............................ 24
Fig. 28. Plan view of balloon launching layout.................... 25
Fig. 29. Balloon shapes during launching.......................... 25
Fig. 30. General Mills twenty-foot balloon in flight.............. 26
APPENDIX I
Fig. 31. Train Assembly, flight 5, (meteorological cluster).... 36
Fig. 32. Trajectory, flight 5..................................... 36
Fig. 33. Height-time curve, flight 5............................. 36
Fig. 34. Trajectory, flight 6..................................... 36
Fig. 35. Height-time curve, flight 6............................. 36
Fig. 36. Train assembly, flight 7,(meteorological cluster)..... 36
Fig. 37. Trajectory, flight 7..................................... 36
Fig. 38. Height-time curve, flight 7............................. 36
Fig. 39. Train assembly, flight 8, (General Mills Cluster)..... 36
Fig. 40. Trajectory, flight 8..................................... 36
Fig. 41. Height-time curve, flight 8............................. 36
Fig. 42. Train assembly, flight 10................................ 36
Fig. 43. Height-time curve, flight 10............................ 36
Fig. 44. Train assembly, flight 11................................ 36
Fig. 45. Trajectory and height-time curve, flight 11............. 36
Fig. 46. Train assembly, flight 12................................ 36
Fig. 47. Height-time curve, flight 12............................ 36List of Figures (cont'd)
Following Page
Fig. 48. Height-time curves, flights 13, 14, 16, and 23.... 36
Fig. 49. Height-time curve, flight 15....................... 36
Fig. 50. Height-time curve, flight 20....................... 36
Fig. 51. Height-time curve, flight 24....................... 36
Fig. 52. Height-time curve, flight 27....................... 36
Fig. 53. Height-time curves, flights 29, 30 and 32......... 36
Fig. 54. Height-time curves, flights 33, 34, 35 and 36...... 36
Fig. 55. Height-time curves, flights 37, 38 and 39......... 36
Fig. 56. Trajectory, flight 17.............................. 36
Fig. 57. Height-time curve, flight 17....................... 36List of Tables
Page
1. Properties of Fabrics used for balloon manufacture............ 3
II. Types and number of balloons ordered.......................... 4
III. Average wind values above selected stations in the
Southwest.....................................................12
IV. Buoyancy per Pound Mol of Gas.................................16
V. Glossary of Terms.............................................21
VII. Summary of Flight Data.......................................Appendix I
Following
Page 36THE BALLOON PROJECT TECHNICAL REPORT
Section 1. Introduction to Problem
On 1 November 1946, the Research Division of the College of
Engineering of New York University entered into Contract No. W28-099-ac-241
with Watson Laboratories, Air Materiel Command. Under this contract, the
University was commissioned to design, develop and fly constant-level
balloons to carry instruments to altitudes from 10 to 20 km, adjustable at
2 km intervals.
The following performance was specified:
a. Altitude shall be maintained within 500 meters
b. Duration of constant-level flight to be initially 6 to 8 hours
minimum; eventually 48 hours
c. The accuracy of pressure observations shall be comparable to that
obtainable with the standard Army radiosonde (+ 3 to 5 mb)
-
Monthly reports have been submitted to describe the progress of the
project, however, much data and details of technical nature were given only
in a qualitative way. It is intended to collect these data in this technical
report and to review at the same time the total achievement of this phase of
the project.
Section 2. Method of Attack
A. Balloons
A survey was made of previous attempts to produce a constant-level
balloon; such as, the experiments by Meisinger1 with manned balloons, the
shrouded meteorological balloon developed by Dewey and Almy2, the Japanese
balloon bombs3, and the clusters of meteorological balloons which have been
used in cosmic ray investigations by Compton, Korff and others4.
- 1 -From this survey and a study of aerostatics, 10, 15, 16 it appeared that
a non-extensible balloon is highly desirable due to the vertical stability
exhibited when such a balloon is full of the lifting gas: A non-extensible
balloon with no diffusion or leakage through the walls, which could withstand
a high internal pressure, would automatically remain at the density where
the buoyancy of the full balloon equaled the load. In practice, control
devices are needed to offset the leakage and diffusion of the lifting gas
and to correct for the motion of the balloon due to diurnal changes of
the balloon's temperature and to correct for vertical wind currents in the
atmosphere. It was decided to use a plastic as the balloon fabric, since
available plastics have suitable characteristics, and are also relatively
inexpensive as compared to coated fabrics.
The desirable properties to be considered in the selection of a
plastic balloon material are:
a. Ease of fabrication
b. High tear resistance
c. Light weight
d. High tensile strength
e. Chemical stability
f. Low permeability
g. Low brittle temperature
h. High transparency to heat radiation
Table I is a qualitative-characteristics catalog of the film and
fabrics investigated. The data in the table are presented as approximations
because of the great variations of a given property with choice of samples
and test methods. From this study, polyethylene, nylon, saran, and neoprene-
- 2 -coated nylon seem to be most generally satisfactory. Eighteen plastics
and balloon fabrication companies were contacted in an attempt to secure
fabricators.
Table I
Low Temp. Permea- Tensile Tear Ease of
Fabric Properties bility Strength Resistance Fabrica- Stability to
tion Ultraviolet
Polyethylene Good Medium Low Good Good Good
Saran Fair Low High Poor Fair Fair
Nylon Good Low High Low Good Good
Vinylite Very poor Medium Medium Good Good Good
Teflon Believed Low High Good Cannot be Good
good fabricated
Ethocellulose Good Very Low Fair Good Good
high
Pliofilm Poor High Poor Fair Good Poor
Nylon or silk
fabric coated
with:
1. Neoprene Fair Low High Fair Fair Fair
2. Butyl
rubber Good Low High Fair Fair Good
3. Polyethylene Unknown --
4. Saran Unknown --
- 3 -Table II shows the balloons which have been purchased from those
manufacturers who expressed an interest in the problem.
Table II
Film type, thickness, Special Unit Delivered
Company diameter, shape Features Cost to date
H. A. Smith .004 Polyethylene Proto- $150.00 4
Coatings, Inc. 3 feet diameter type
spherical
H. A. Smith .008 Polyethylene Low $530.00 5
Coatings, Inc. 15 feet diameter Permeability
spherical
H.A. Smith .004 Polyethylene Low $530.00 5
Coatings, Inc. 15 feet diameter Permeability
spherical
General Mills,Inc. .001 Polyethylene Stressed $20.00 25
7 feet diameter tape type
Teardrop. seam
General Mills,Inc. .001 Polyethylene Stressed $125.00 47
20 feet diameter tape type
Teardrop. seam
Dewey & Almy A spherical nylon $339.00 2
Chemical Co. cloth shroud around
a neoprene balloon.
Table II is based upon final or modified orders in those cases where
the rapid progress of flight technique rendered certain features obsolete
before the balloons on order were delivered.
Figure 1 shows the spherical balloon as originally designed. This
type of balloon was made of .004 and .008 inch, heat-sealed, polyethylene.
It had several good characteristics, such as very low leakage, but the method
of load attachment furnished by H.A. Smith, Inc., was not satisfactory. Of
the six balloons of this type which were used, two ripped free from the shroud
lines during launching.
- 4 -Spherical Balloon 15' Diameter. 9 eyelets in reinforced seams for attaching bridle rigging to balloon at 30° below balloon's equator. Appendix Inflation 4"dia. X 10" Long. Balloon with rigging 18 lunes of flat film cemented together to make sphere. PLASTIC BALLOON FOR CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOON PROJECT AT NYU APRIL 27, 1947 SCALE: 1"= 3'0" FIG. 1
Figures 2 and 3 show the tear-drop cell of the stressed tape
design developed by General Mills, Inc. The film is .001 inch polyethylene,
butt-welded, with scotch tape laid along the seam to reinforce the seal and
to carry and distribute the load. These strips, which converge to the load
ring at the bottom, actually support the load.
The overloading of a General Mills 20-foot balloon on Flight 12 at
Lakehurst kept the lower end of the balloon open during ascent. The
ceiling was greatly reduced by the resulting dilution of the helium with
air. On later flights an unsuccessful attempt to minimize this mixing
was made, using a 10-foot external appendix passing through the shroud
lines. This appendix fouled in the rigging and twisted completely shut,
causing the balloon to burst at pressure-altitude. A modification with
a 10-foot appendix outside the shroud lines also failed in actual flight.
Figure 4 shows this appendix construction on a General M lls balloon which
is being inflated. The final style is shown in Figures 5 and 6. It con-
sists of a 2-foot external appendix stiffened with cardboard battens.
This is taped on the outside of the load ring. It serves as a one-way
valve which excludes air during ascent but allows the extra helium to
valve freely when the balloon is full. No external appendix can be used
whenever the rate of rise exceeds 600 feet per minute. For optimum balloon
performance, it has been determined that: 1) the equipment load for the
General Mills 20-foot balloon should be held under 30 pounds; 2) rates of
rise should be less than 900 feet per minute; and 3) for maximum altitudes
an external appendix is needed; hence the limiting rate of rise is about
600 feet per minute in this case.
Several experimental flights have been made using shrouded Dewey
and Almy neoprene balloons, as well as small and large experimental cells in
- 5 -Figure 2
Teardrop, .001" polyethylene
balloon, 20 foot in diameter,
designed by General Mills, Inc.Figure 3 Twenty ft. balloon, showing burn-out patch in place.
Figure 4 General Mills 20 foot balloon with 10 foot appendix.
Figure 5 Two foot appendix, stiffened, shown on a General Mills ballon. The swollen inflation tube indicates that the balloon is being filled.
Figure 6 General Mills 20 foot balloon in flight with 2 foot stiffened appendix.
various cluster arrangements. None of these have been too satisfactory
but further investigation will be made in the field of shrouded or coated
films.
B. Altitude Controls
Given a balloon capable of carrying the instruments to a desired
altitude (the theory and computations involved are discussed in Section 3),
there remains the problem of maintaining the cell at a constant level. The
buoyancy of a gas-filled cell will decrease as the gas leaks or diffuses
through the balloon wall. To hold an absolutely constant altitude, the
volume of lifting gas entrapped must be maintained in an atmosphere of
unvarying horizontal density, with no change in the total weight supported
by the balloon and with no fluctuations of the temperature of the gas with
respect to the air. The best approximation to these conditions may possibly
be achieved through the use of liquified hydrogen, which would be permitted
to evaporate at a rate in excess of gas leakage. The weight of equipment
required to control this evaporation rate appears to be prohibitive. Liquid
hydrogen, also, is not safe to handle.
Two practical methods of keeping a balloon at nominally constant
altitude have been devised, both using the liquid ballast dropping technique.
(Solid ballast, such as sand, does not flow well and is liable to absorb
moisture which will freeze at the temperatures experienced at high altitudes.
Although a few preliminary flights were made with desiccated sand, a highly
refined water-free kerosene-type petroleum product,compass fluid,was found
to be more satisfactory).
In the simpler control system, ballast is dropped at a pre-determined
rate, aimed to slightly exceed the loss of lift of the balloon due to leakage
and diffusion. If this method is successfully used, the balloon stays full
because the remaining gas in the balloon has less load to support; therefore,
- 6 -the balloon can rise slowly until the balloon is again full and the
equilibrium is again reached between the buoyancy and the load. In the
General Mills 20-foot balloon, for example, diffusion losses equal about
300 grams per hour; the balloon at its ceiling of 50,000 feet, with a
30-pound payload, rises about 900 feet with each kilogram of ballast
dropped. This means that a balloon, using the simple ballast-dropping
technique, will float at a ceiling which rises at the rate of about 360
feet per hour. An idealized flight of this type is shown in the solid
curve of Fig. 7., neglecting the oscillation shown at sunset.
The "manual ballast valve" which was developed for this simple
control system is shown in Fig. 8. This valve can be adjusted prior to
balloon release to allow any predetermined flow of compass fluid up to
2000 grams per hour. The filter housing and ballast reservoir used
with this valve are shown in Figures 9 and 10. This method is good where
1) a slowly rising ceiling can be tolerated, and 2) the flight does not
have to go through a sunset while at its ceiling.
For economy of ballast, hence longer flight duration, it is desirable
to keep the constant flow as close as possible to the total loss of buoyancy
resulting from diffusion and leakage. This means that whenever rapid loss
of buoyancy occurs, due to changes in solar radiation, the manual ballast
valve alone will not sustain the balloon. When the balloon is suddenly
cooled, due to sunset or clouds cutting off insolation (loss of superheat),
the heavy loss will start the balloon downward and only a rapid expenditure
of ballast will check its fall and restore its stability.
The second type of ballast dropping control has been devised to
operate on a demand basis, when such a descent occurs. This control is
called the automatic ballast valve. Figures 11, 12 and 13 show the ap-
pearance and design of this pressure-actuated needle valve.
- 7 -IDEALIZED TIME ALTITUDE CURVES FOR VARIOUS BALLOON CONTROL SYSTEMS NYU - 27 AUG 47 FIG 7 — Balloon floating at its ceiling --- Balloon floating on its floor Ceiling rises as ballast drops from pre-set valve to compensate for diffusion Midimum Pressure Switch activates automatic ballast valve SUNSET Automatic ballast valve shuts off Automatic ballast valve starts operation Increased lift due to superheat Balloon descends due to uncooled trapped air in automatic ballast valve This is cause of flight oscillation SUNRISE Longer flight duration due to greater ballast efficiency All ballast expended balloon descends All ballast expended balloon descends Safety device tips balloon to ensure no floating under 20,000 feet in the air lanes RELEASE ALTITUDE (Thousands of Feet) LOCAL TIME
INLET TUBE VALVE BODY NEEDLE AIR VENT BALLAST DISCHARGE TUBE DIAL (Graduated every two degrees) TO DISCHARGE TUBE OF AUTOMATIC BALLAST VALVE MANUAL BALLAST VALVE FIG. 8
Figure 9 Fixed rate, manually operated ballast release assembly.
AIR VENT IN CAN LID 2½ GALLON CAN 8"DIA. 9½" LONG PUROLATOR FILTER CARTRIDGE-P-70- 1MICRON POROSITY ¼" BRASS TUBING NEEDLE VALVE TYGON TUBING RIGGING LINES EYE BOLTS-SILVER SOLDERED TO CAN CORKED FILLER HOLE IN LID 1QUART CAN-SILVER SOLDERED TO LARGE CAN FILTER DRAIN HOLES FIG. 10 NYU BALLOON PROJECT FIXED RATE BALLAST RELEASE ASSEMBLY DATE 3-3-48 DWN.BY S.G. ED 48-31
Figure 11 Automatic ballast valve.
Figure 12 Automatic ballast valve, showing loading diaphragm.
BALLAST INLET TUBE NEEDLE VALVE (BALLAST CONTROL) BALLAST DISCHARGE TUBE NEEDLE VALVE (DIAPHRAGM SEAL) DIAPHRAGM SEAL-OFF MECHANISM SQUIB (FIRED AT MAXIMUM ALTITUDE) MOUNTING HOLE FOR SAFETY SWITCH DIAPHRAGM DEPRESSOR (FOR GROUND CHECK) DIAPHRAGM (NORMALLY OPEN TO ATMOSPHERE -SEALED AT MAX. ALTITUDE) RESTRAINING CORD PROTECTIVE CAP CANNON FIG. 13 AUTOMATIC BALLAST VALVE N.Y.U. - 19 JANUARY 1948 - PINCUS
When the atmospheric pressure outside the diaphragm increases to
5 mb. above the internal pressure, compass fluid will be discharged at
the rate of 160 grams per minute under a 1-foot head. When the automatic
ballast valve is completely open (at 6.5 mb. pressure differential), 300
grams per minute will flow.
The automatically operated needle valve is held closed by a loaded
diaphragm until the balloon reaches altitude. This diaphragm is open to
the atmosphere until the balloon descends from the minimum atmospheric
pressure attained. At that time, an electrical contact is made, firing
a squib which seals the diaphragm mechanically from any further access to
the external air. Thereafter, the capsule contains a volume of air which
has been trapped at the pressure and temperature existing at the time of
operation of the sealing switch. When the ambient pressure increases to
the point where the entrapped air is compressed below this original volume,
the diaphragm will withdraw the ballast control needle valve allowing
ballast discharge to occur.
Figure 14 shows the minimum pressure switch which makes the electrical
contact at the time of seal-off. It consists of a trapped volume of air that
is allowed to escape through a mercury pool as long as the outside pressure
is decreasing. As soon as the exterior pressure increases, mercury is
drawn into the tube making the seal off contact between two electrodes.
The dimensions of the air chamber and capillary tubing are chosen so
that during operation the change in the volume of the air would be less than
one one-thousandth of the original volume. The distance between the two
electrodes (one under mercury, the other within the capillary tubing) was
influenced by considerations of safety and sensitivity. If the distance is
less than 6 mm., shaking during launching is likely to move the mercury
- 8 -MATERIAL - BLOWN PYREX GLASS LIGHTWEIGHT STOPCOCK-3MM. BORE - NORMALLY OPEN TO ATMO- SPHERE - CLOSED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE BALLOON ASCENT MONEL WIRE-22 GAGE LEADOUT WIRES SHOULD PROJECT ¼" MINIMUM. WRAP WIRES IN TUBE AROUND GLASS BOSSES TO ANCHOR. CAPILLARY TUBING-2 MM. BORE-BOTTOM TIP SHRUNK DOWN TO 0.75±0.25MM. TIP OF CAPILLARY TO TIP OF PLATINUM WIRE CONTACT- 8±2 MM. AIR CHAMBER-3" LONG INSIDE DIA.-30MM. PLATINUM WIRE-22 GAGE PLATINUM WIRE CONTACT SEALED INTO CAPILLARY MERCURY FIG. 14 NYU BALLOON PROJECT MINIMUM PRESSURE SWITCH (MERCURIAL) DATE: 3-9-48 SCALE: FULL DWN.BY S.G. ED 48-33
sufficiently to cause a short between the electrodes, firing the squib
prematurely. If the distance is too large, however, there will be too
great a height difference between the time of minimum pressure and the
time the electrodes are shorted. For instance, a spacing of 10 mm. would
delay the firing of the squib until the pressure reached 13.3 mb. above
the minimum pressure. At an altitude of 50,000 feet, the equivalent height
(standard atmosphere) would be about 2300 feet. It is obvious that for high
level flights, a less dense and lower freezing electrolyte for the minimum
pressure switch will be needed to obtain the desired sensitivity of 2000
feet.
By adding the pressure-activated automatic ballast valve to the
manual ballast valve, the complete pattern of the solid curve in Figure 7
may be achieved ideally. At sunset the rapid cooling causes descent which
cannot be compensated for by the manual ballast valve. As soon as the seal-
off pressure of the automatic ballast valve is exceeded by the atmospheric
pressure, ballast flow is begun, which restores the balloon to its ceiling.
The dashed curve in Figure 7 shows the action of a balloon when the
automatic ballast valve alone is used for control purposes. In this case
the balloon will sink slowly from its ceiling (where full buoyancy just
equals the load) to the level where the automatic ballast valve drops
ballast at a rate equal to the diffusion (the floor). It will be noted
that a flight which is controlled in this manner is less wasteful of
ballast and results in a correspondingly longer flight. The "floor"
determined by this valve varies diurnally as the temperature (hence pressure)
of the air entrapped in the diaphragm is affected by solar radiation. The
amplitude of this diurnal oscillation may be as much as 6000 feet, the night
level being higher than the day level.
- 9 -To reduce the effect of varying fluid heads and a corresponding
variation in valve calibration, a ballast reservoir mounting was devised
to limit the head values. This ballast reservoir, after several modifica-
tions, consists of a spun aluminum tank with filter, mounted on 18-inch
legs. It is shown in Figure 15. The legs serve as supports for the other
control units and a head of at least one foot is provided by tubing to the
automatic ballast valve. The capacity of the reservoir is approximately
five gallons. Figures 16 and 17 show the complete ballast release assembly.
One other system of altitude control may be mentioned. This is the
method used by Korff and others⁴ to roughly approximate constant level
flights for cosmic ray investigations. A number of meteorological balloons
are inflated until they will just support the flight load. A few other balloons
are added to the train to give a free lift appropriate for the desired rate
of rise (see Computations, Section 3). At some time after release these
"lifter" balloons burst due to over-inflation, or are released by a pressure
or time-activated mechanism. If the original balance was correct, and the
effects of superheat and diffusion cancel each other, the cluster of cells
may float. When one or more of the balloons breaks, or leaks excessively,
the train will descend. Although this method was used in early experimental
flights it proved to be useful only as a stop-gap method of carrying gear
aloft for test purposes. No modification of this basic technique seems likely
to produce even a consistant flight pattern due to the uncertainty of properties
and behavior of these inherently unstable balloons.
C. Altitude Determination
In order to evaluate the performance of the basic control
apparatus, an investigation of pressure-measuring equipment and telemetering
gear has been made. The problems of measuring upper-air conditions in general
- 10 -VENT- -CORK
RIGGING
SPACERS
-RESERVOIR
FILTER
ASSEMBLY
WIRE FILTER
CLOTH
BALLAST RESERVOIR
FIG. 15RIGGING
LINE
-VENT
BALLAST
RESERVOIR
FILTER
MINIMUM
PRESSURE SWITCH
BATTERY BOX
VENT TUBE
MANUAL
AUTOMATIC/ BALLAST VALVE
BALLAST VALVE
DISCHARGE TUBE
BALLAST RELEASE ASSEMBLY
FIG. 16Rigging
Reservoir
Filter
Minimum Pressure Switch
On-Off Switch (In series with
minimum pressure switch.)
Minimum Pressure
Switch Housing
Automatic Ballast Valve
Manual Ballast Valve
Squib Holder
Battery Holder
Figure 17
Complete ballast release assembly.may differ markedly from the problems of surface measurement. For example;
for any instrument used on a floating balloon, some consideration must be
given to the effect of solar radiation on its behavior. As mentioned in
the discussion of the automatic ballast valve, this effect is especially
important in the action of any aneroid or other capsule which is not com-
pletely temperature compensated. Since the floating balloon will remain
within one parcel of air, rising and falling and moving sidewise as the
air does, temperature extremes will result from radiation effects and lack
9
of ventilation. One investigator has estimated that the temperatures to
be experienced by such a body range from -60°C after a night of radiation
to a maximum of +50°C in direct sunlight. Two ways of partially circum-
venting the undesirable results of this feature are:
1. Temperature compensation of the pressure capsule for some pre-set
pressure. This compensation is only complete at one pressure.5
2. A second method of reducing insolation effects is the use of
highly reflective shields.
The methods of height determination used so far are not completely
satisfactory. Pressure-heights have been obtained by 72 mc. and 397 mc.
radiosonde transmitters with long-life battery packs. Difficulties have
been experienced in all long flights due to:
1. Signals being lost due to excessive range or to power failure.
2. When the balloon begins to float and height oscillations result
from the action of the automatic ballast valve, it is impossible
to identify the radiosonde contact (hence the pressure) using the
conventional baroswitch of the Diamond-Hinman type radiosonde.
These steps are now being taken to improve height measurements:
1. The addition to the flight train of a light-weight barograph.
- 11 -This could provide up to 40 hours of pressure-time data if
recovered. At present, about 60 percent of the flights have
been recovered.
2. The adoption of a time-interval or Olland-cycle radiosonde
system for telemetering pressure data.
3. Expansion of the network of ground tracking stations equipped
with SCR-658 direction finding sets to increase reception of
data telemetered. Figure 18 shows the area to the east of
Alamogordo, New Mexico, and the probable boundaries of flight
paths following release from the Alamogordo Army Air Base.
Table III shows the prevailing wind data on which these probable
boundaries are based. Also shown in Figure 18 are the desirable
locations for SCR-658 sets and the overlap of reception ranges
which could be expected, using stations at Alamogordo, Roswell,
New Mexico; Hobbs, N.Mex.; and Big Springs, Texas.
TABLE III
AVERAGE WIND INTENSITIES IN BEAUFORT SCALE
AND WIND DIRECTIONS AT ELEVATIONS TO 10,000
METERS FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 1944 AND 1945
NOVEMBER
Year Surface 1,500 M 3,000 M 5,000 M 10,000 M
El Paso 1944 N-3 NE-1 WSW-5 W-7 --
1945 N-3 WSW-3 WSW-5 W-7 --
Roswell 1944 S-1 WNW-3 W-4 -- --
1945 S-3 SW-1 WNW-5 W-7 --
Albuquerque 1944 SE-3 -- W-3 W-6 W-9
1945 N-3 -- WNW-5 W-8 W-9
Amarillo 1944 SSW-4 W-4 WSW-5 W-7 WSW-11
1945 SW-4 SW-4 W-6 WNW-9 --
Big Spring 1944 -- WSW-4 WNW-4 W-7 WSW-9
1945 -- SW-3 W-6 WNW-7 --
Abilene 1944 -- -- -- -- --
1945 -- -- -- -- W-10
- 12 -[NYU BALLOON PROJECT Coverage Of Probable Balloon Paths By 4 Station SCR-658 Net Date 3-12-48 C 48-7 Dwn By S.G.] NEW MEXICO TEXAS AREA INTO WHICH MAJORITY OF BALLOONS SHOULD DRIFT R = 100 MI. FROM BIG SPRING R = 100 MI. FROM HOBBS R = 100 MI. FROM ROSWELL R = 100 MI. FROM ALAMOGORDO RELEASE POINT ALAMOGORDO EL PASO N65E N45E N45E S45E CLOVIS HOBBS BIG SPRING ROSWELL GUADALUPE MTS. S. SACRAMENTO MTS. SAN ANDRES MTS. U.S. MEXICO SCALE OF MILES 1" = Approximately 40 Mi. 0 5 10 20 30 40 FIG 18
DECEMBER
Year Surface 1,500 M 3,000 M 5,000 M 10,000 M
El Paso 1944 N-3 NNE-1 W-2 NW-1 --
1945 NNE-3 W-3 WNW-6 WNW-6 --
Roswell 1944 S-1 NW-3 NW-4 WNW-6 --
1945 SSE-3 WSW-2 WNW-5 WNW-8 --
Albuquerque 1944 N-3 -- WNW-4 WNW-6 W-10
1945 N-3 -- NW-6 WNW-8 WNW-9
Amarillo 1944 NW-4 NW-4 WNW-6 WNW-6 WNW-8
1945 SW-3 W-2 WNW-5 WNW-9 --
Big Spring 1944 -- NW-4 NW-5 WNW-6 --
1945 -- WSW-3 W-6 WNW-7 --
D. Tracking Devices: Horizontal
The flights made in the early part of this program were tracked
optically with theodolites. Coupled with the height data, theodolite
readings provide a fairly reliable horizontal locus of the balloon. However,
even in the clear air of New Mexico, this method is useful for not more than
100 miles and, unless accurate height data are available, theodolite stations
provide useful data for not more than 40 miles.
Aircraft observations have been used with some success when the ceiling
of the balloon is not too great. It is expected that an inverted AN/APQ-13
radar, mounted atop a B-17, will greatly augment the horizontal tracking
and will be of some value in determining height.
The most useful equipment for determining horizontal movement of the
balloons has been the SCR-658 radio direction finding set. Long after the
vertical angles registered by this gear are questionable (due to reflections
off intervening terrain), the horizontal angles are useable. Used in sets
of two or more, or coupled with height data, these observations give good
positions with distances up to 150 miles. Figure 18 shows the coverage a
network of four of these sets would provide. In contrast to the theodolites
and aircraft observations, these instruments are perfectly operative when
- 13 -the balloon is not visible due to haze, cloud cover, etc. Ground radar
has been used, when available, with fair results, particularly when radar
targets are added to the flight train.
E. Flight Termination Control
Due to the size and weight of the balloons and the flight gear,
the Civil Aeronautics Authority was advised of the testing program. At a
meeting in New York on 20 March 1947, the New York Air Space Sub-Committee
prescribed a procedure which was designed to minimize the hazard to air
traffic. Similarly, the Fort Worth Sub-Committee established a procedure
for flights made within the Fort Worth region of the CAA. Pertinent cor-
respondence with the CAA is included in the Appendix, Part 2. Owing to
the size of these cells, a very slow rate of descent should be expected
after all ballast has been expended and the flight control devices have
ceased to operate. Thus a large balloon and several heavy pieces of
equipment might take an hour or more to descend through the levels of
air travel. Despite the extreme improbability of midair collision, it is
obviously desirable to take all possible precautions against such mishap
and current flights have the following safeguards: (1) Flights are released
on days when cloud cover is forecast to be light, thus permitting visual
contact. (2) Notices to airmen are to be issued if the balloon is descending
within designated regions of dense air traffic. (3) To reduce the time
involved in a final descent, a special device called the "blowout patch"
has been developed. This is an igniting squib which is fastened to the
side of the cell, on the equator. Sealed in with the squib, which is fired
electrically when the cell descends below 20,000 feet, is a quantity of
gunpowder and magnesium. When the squib is fired, the incendiary patch
blows out, allowing a rapid escape of gas through the opening. Since the
- 14 -patch is on the equator, the cell does not collapse but serves as a
parachute to prevent extremely rapid fall and damage to the instruments.
Figure 3 shows this patch in position on a balloon. Due to premature
firings, a time switch has been built into the circuit to prevent misfiring
in launching. A rip device will be developed to replace the incendiary on
all future flights.
Section 3. Theoretical Relationships and Computations
A. Altitude-Density Relationships
An investigation into the relationship between density of the
atmosphere and altitude, with the seasonal and geographical variations
experienced, was made. The basic data, mean aerological soundings, were
taken from the Monthly Weather Review, 1943.6 These basic data consisted
of observed temperatures, pressures, and humidities for altitudes from the
surface up to the bursting height of balloons, normally 50,000 to 60,000
feet. For altitude above this height, the highest reported temperatures
for the stations under consideration were used and the pressure data were
taken for the remaining altitudes up to 100,000 feet, from the N.A.C.A.
Standard Atmosphere7.
Density was expressed inversely in terms of pound molar volumes,
as this relates volume in cubic feet to buoyancies of gases of varying
purity, using fundamental data. Using the simple gas laws, the molar
volume of dry air at each altitude was computed in the following manner:
Given: (1) The pound molar volume of any gas at standard
conditions=359 ft.3
- 15 -(2) From the mean sounding data at 49,200 ft. (15 km.)
over Lakehurst, N.J. (Jan. 1943).
Temperature =-59.5°C.
Pressure = 120 mb.
Temperature Pressure
Molar volume x (observed) x (standard)
(standard) Temperature Pressure
(standard) (observed)
= Molar volume at observed conditions.
359 x 273.2 - 59.5 x 1013.3 = 2370 ft.3
273.2 120
This is the mean pound molar volume at 15 km for Jan. 1943 over
Lakehurst, N. J. This volume data was computed for levels up to 100,000
ft. over several stations and may be found in Appendix 3, plotted on the
left hand side of figures 19 and 20.
B. Load-Diameter Maximum Altitude Relationships
Molar volume is related to buoyancy in the following fashion.
Using 98% hydrogen of molecular weight, 2.11 lb./mol. and dry air of
molecular weight 28.76 lb./mol., a buoyancy equal to the difference,
26.65 lb/mol. (See Table IV) is available whenever one pound molecular
weight of hydrogen displaces one pound molecular weight of dry air under
the same conditions of temperature and pressure.
TABLE IV
Buoyancy per Pound-Mol.
Helium (98%) 24.6 #/#mol, or
11.1 kg/#mol
Hydrogen (98%) 26.6#/#mol, or
12.1 kg/#mol
- 16 -The number of mols in a balloon volume may be readily computed
by dividing the air density, expressed in molar volume, at a given
altitude into the balloon volume. The lift of the gas filling the
balloon at any altitude is then equal to the number of mols multiplied
by the buoyancy per mol. For example: To find the lift of the gas in
a completely inflated (hydrogen filled) balloon of 20-foot diameter,
at an altitude where the pound molar volume is 1000 ft.3 (This is equivalent
to about 30,000 ft.):
Volume of a 20-foot diameter sphere = 4190 ft3.
Number of mols in sphere at this altitude = 4190 = 4.19 mols
1000
Buoyancy = 4.19 mols x 26.65 #buoyancy/mol = 111.7 # lift given by
the gas at 30,000 feet.
In one step, this becomes:
Gross Lift/Balloon = (Balloon Volume) x (Difference in molecular weights of
air and lifting gas)
Molar Volume at a given altitude
Conversely, the maximum altitude to which a given size balloon will
carry itself and a specified load can be determined, as a molar volume, which
may be evaluated from a graph of altitude versus molar volume. Such graphs,
computed as in Part A of this Section, are given in Figures 19 and 20, at
the left hand edge.
Hydrogen and helium lifts were computed for various molar volumes
for spheres of lifting gas with diameters from 7.5 to 75 feet. Figures 19
and 20 were plotted using the values computed. To use these figures to
determine the maximum altitude of a balloon with a specified pay load, enter
the table with required buoyancy (balloon weight plus payload). Go vertically
to the diagonal line representing the balloon's size, and then read horizontally
on the left hand edge, either the molar volume or the equivalent altitude over
- 17 -[NYU BALLOON PROJECT Buoyancy vs Altitude Date 1-20-48 C-4B-3 Molar Volumes Computing For Buoyancy vs Altitude (Helium) For Selected Stations At Altitudes At Selected Stations Lakehurst N.J. Jan 43 Lakehurst N.J. Apr 43 Albuquerque N.Mex Mar 43 Albuquerque N.Mex Aug 43 Huntsman Pt. Jan 34/45 Huntsman Pt. Dec 34/45 Altitude - Ft Molar Volume - Ft3] FIG. 19
[NYU BALLOON PROJECT Buoyancy vs Altitude Molar Volumes Computing For Buoyancy vs Altitude (Hydrogen) For Selected Stations PN Jan 43 PN Apr 43 Albuquerque N.Mex Jan 43 Albuquerque N.Mex Jun 43 Huntsman Pt. Jul 34/45 Huntsman Pt. Dec 44/45 Altitude - Ft Molar Volume - Ft3] FIG. 20
sample stations. Figure 21 shows the calculated net lift of the General
Mills balloons.
C. Balloon Diameter-Weight Relationships
To facilitate design discussions, charts have been drawn up
relating the approximate weight of a balloon to its size and the unit
weight of the balloon fabric. A ten percent increase is added to the
weight over that determined from the surface area to account for seams
and shroud lines. Figures 22 and 23 are these charts.
D. Rate of Rise
It is important that the rate of rise of a balloon be neither
too fast nor too slow. For example, if a General Mills' 20-foot balloon
rises faster than 900 feet per minute, there is danger of rupturing the
balloon when pressure altitude is reached. On the other hand, if rates
of rise under 400 feet per minute are chosen, since the free lift will
be quite low, there is danger of: 1) a slight error in inflation resulting
in the balloon's being unable to lift the equipment, or 2) with a wind much
in excess of the rate of rise, the up-wind release failing due to the
dragging of the equipment prior to its being lifted by the balloon.
To compute the free lift necessary for a given rate of rise, the
4
equation developed by Korff is used. This equation is:
V = 412 (F) ½
(G) ⅓
where F = free lift in grams
V = rate of rise in feet per minute
G = gross lift in grams
For our purposes, we wish to find F and have modified the equation
to read:
- 18 -NYU BALLOON PROJECT CALCULATED NET LIFT OF GENERAL MILLS INC. BALLOONS MATERIAL WEIGHT - 0.042 LB/SQ.YD. TAPE WEIGHT - 0.0018 LB/FT. STRESSED TAPE BALLOON TYPE DATA BASED ON N.A.C.A. NO. 1200 TABLE II & FLIGHT TESTING - BENSON HANLIN FIGURE 8:3C [Placed Mrgs Dwg. A-19618 Gen. Mills Inc. Date 1-19-48 C-45-4] AVERAGE ALTITUDE 1000 FT NET LIFT (PAYLOAD) LBS. PER BALLOON FIG. 21 [Curves shown for balloon diameters: 7½' DIA., 15' DIA., 20' DIA., 25' DIA., 30' DIA., 40' DIA., 50' DIA., 60' DIA., 70.44' DIA., 80' DIA., 90' DIA. Estimated Min. Recommended Load line and Max. Recommended Load line shown. Net Recommended Load line shown.]
NYU BALLOON PROJECT POLYETHYLENE BALLOON WEIGHTS OF SPHERICAL BALLOON DIAMETER OF BALLOON vs WEIGHT OF BALLOON - POUNDS FOR FILMS OF 0.001 INCH TO 0.006 INCH THICKNESS PER PERCENT ADDED FOR WEIGHT OF DRESS AND SEAMS Date 11-18-48 C-46-1 DIAMETER OF BALLOON - FEET WEIGHT OF BALLOON - POUNDS FIG 22
NYU BALLOON PROJECT BALLOON WEIGHTS DIAMETER OF SPHERICAL BALLOONS vs WEIGHT OF BALLOON - POUNDS FOR FABRICS OF 0.001 INCH TO 0.100 INCH OUNCES PER SQUARE YARD WEIGHT OF DRESS AND SEAMS Date 11-18-45 C-4B-13 DIAMETER OF BALLOON - FEET WEIGHT OF BALLOON - POUNDS FIG 23
F = ( V )2 x (G) 2/3 (Approximate)
412
where G = gross load
A chart, Figure 24, has been drawn up, based on this equation, expressing free
lift as a percentage of gross load, allowing the rate of rise to be approximately
predetermined.
E. Ballast Requirements
The amount of ballast which must be dropped through the manual
ballast valve to keep the balloon at its ceiling, can be approximately
determined by the following measurements: a balloon of similar size and
construction is inflated and its loss of lift with time is measured with
correction for variation of temperature. This inflation is not complete,
but is of the same magnitude as that of a balloon ready for release,
approximately 14% of full inflation in the case of a General Mills balloon.
The loss of lift per hour, multiplied by a factor representing the increase
of the surface which results from total inflation, is thus obtained. This
factor is the reciprocal of the fraction of inflation raised to the two-thirds
power for a spherical balloon, and is approximately the same for the tear-drop
shaped General Mills balloons.
Field experience has shown that ballast leak pre-set to slightly exceed
the computed loss of lift is insufficient. A ballast leak of double the
computed loss of lift has usually been adequate. It is believed that increased
liquid viscosity and valve closure caused by the colder temperatures of the
high atmosphere are responsible for the need for this higher ballast setting.
An investigation into temperature effects on the ballast release systems has
been started.
The amount of ballast which must be released at sunset to compensate
for the loss of superheat, may be computed as follows:
- 19 -NYU BALLOON PROJECT FREE LIFT VS. RATE OF RISE OF BALLOONS FREE LIFT - PERCENT OF GROSS WEIGHT RATE OF RISE - FEET PER MINUTE FOR GROSS WEIGHTS OF BALLOONS Date 4-15 C-45-2 FIG 24
ΔG = G x ΔT x (1 + K) K
T
where ΔG = loss of lift
G = gross load (balloon weight plus
equipment load)
ΔT = mean temperature difference in
lifting gas before and after sunset
T = free air temperature
K = specific gravity of lifting gas,
relative to air
The specific gravity of 98% helium, diluted with air, and with
respect to air, is 0.157. It may be noted that with a lower specific
gravity of a gas, lower ballast corrections are required. Hydrogen, for
example, requires half the ballast which helium requires for the same
temperature differential. At high altitudes, a difference of 40°C may
be expected in the temperature of the lifting helium from day to night.
This would correspond to a loss of lift at sunset, on a General Mills 20-
foot balloon, of about 550 grams.
F. Internal Pressure
The maximum internal pressure which can be held within a
8
spherical container is given by Timoshenko :
P = 2Su x t
r
where Su is the ultimate strength of the material
in tension, t is thickness of the material and r is the radius of the spherical
shape. Applying this equation to a polyethylene film, such as used in the
General Mills 20-foot balloons, Su at room temperature = 1900 psi., t = 0.001",
and r = 10 ft., giving the maximum pressure, P = 0.032 psi. This pressure is
equivalent to about 1.1 inches of water, or 2.5 mb. This small bursting pres-
sure necessitates proper inflation and load values to prevent the balloon's
- 20 -bursting at pressure altitude.
A series of forms which have been used to facilitate computations
have been drawn up. They are included in Appendix 3, together with a table
of altitudes based on the N.A.C.A. Standard Atmosphere6, and other useful
reference tables.
TABLE V
Glossary
Equipment load: Weight of all equipment, rigging, and ballast hung from
the balloon shrouds not including balloon or its integral
parts.
Gross load: Load on the gas at release (Balloon plus equipment load weight).
Free lift: Net lift of the balloon with the equipment load attached.
Gross lift: Lift of all of the gas in the balloon at release (Equals weight
of the balloon, equipment load plus the free lift).
Balloon inflation: Gas inflation to be given the balloon in terms of
initial lift of the balloon (equals weight of equip-
ment load plus free lift plus allowance for gas
losses before launching).
Floor: The locus of altitudes at which a balloon will float when lift
losses are exactly compensated for on a demand basis by ballast
dropping. In practice, this is determined by the operation of
the automatic ballast release and is some altitude below the ceiling.
Ceiling: The locus of pressure altitudes at which a non-extensible balloon
will float when gas losses are slightly over-compensated for by
ballast losses.
Pressure Altitude: The altitude at which a non-extensible balloon becomes
fully inflated.
- 21 -Pressure Height: The height above mean sea level as determined from
pressure measurements used in this work with the
N.A.C.A. Standard Atmosphere.
Section 4. Flight Techniques
The general techniques of preparing and launching controlled altitude
balloons are patterned after those of the smaller radiosonde balloons. The
treatment of large, manned balloons has been studied, however, and information
of considerable value has been gleaned; as from the National Geographic Society
reports of the flights of Explorer I and Explorer II11,12, and from the book
by Upson and Chandler15. From these and other studies13, 14,and from original
experimentation with General Mills advice, a satisfactory technique of handling
controlled-altitude balloons has been developed.
A. Inflation
The lifting gas used for these large balloons has been helium.
The choice of gas was made on safety considerations. Hydrogen, however,
has several advantages over helium. It will lift 9% more than helium and,
due to its lower specific gravity, requires but 50% of the ballast release
that helium requires to correct for disappearance of superheat at sunset.
Helium, on the other hand, leaks and diffuses at a rate but 70% that of
hydrogen. However, for long flights, hydrogen would probably have more
over-all economy of ballast.
Inflation has been made through a low-pressure, diffusing manifold,
feeding from a number of helium tanks simultaneously to the balloon. The
smaller balloons have been inflated inside a hangar, permitting very exact
weigh-off of the balloon's free lift, thus predetermining the rate of rise
fairly well. The plastic balloons larger than 15 feet in diameter have
generally been inflated out-of-doors, as no hangar large enough for interior
- 22 -inflation has been available.
The 20-foot General Mills balloons are inflated through a tube
in such a fashion that the gas collects in a bubble at the top of the
balloon. The tube is inserted by the manufacturer and is shown in Figure 5.
If this bubble is restricted, the wind cannot catch and make a sail of it.
(See figure 25 for the sail effect.) The actual technique of inflation is as
follows:
In actual inflation the balloon is spread out on a ground cloth
which covers the launching table and a balance. The balloon is
arranged so the upper 18 feet projects beyond the balance. Two
heavy (80#) elliptical shot bags (see Figure 26) are covered with
polyethylene and placed on top of the balloon on either side of the
inflation tube. The platform is then made to balance. The lower
end of the balloon is weighed and then stretched out again down wind,
held down with sand bags and polyethylene strips. A weight equal to
the weight of the lower half of the balloon, plus the equipment weight
and the desired free lift is placed on the balance. Inflation is
started, taking care to get all twists out of the inflation tube
before allowing full gas flow. When the balance beam falls, in-
flation is complete (care must be exercised to guard against under-
inflation due to wind moving the balloon on the balance). The in-
flation tube is carefully removed, and the helium truck is moved clear.
All personnel are now positioned for release.
B. Release
During the early portion of the experimental period, flights of
meteorological balloons in clusters were launched. The first flights were
made with balloons hitched one above another along a single strong load line.
- 23 -[FIGURE 25] Figure 25 General Mills 20 foot balloon billowing in a five knot wind.
[FIGURE 26] Webbing Ties Draw String Partition For Tight Packing at End ELLIPTICAL SHOT BAG (80*) MATERIAL: HEAVY CANVAS NYU BALLOON PROJECT 22'-10" Lifting Handles of Heavy Parachute Webbing, Stitched as Shown on top of Webbing. All Seams Double Stitched. Partition or Ties Spaced Along Length of Minor Axis to Hold Shape. +15" +.125 +.00 8" FIG. 26
With these and subsequent rigging lines the following technique was used:
on all lines a strength test was made and a safety factor of at least ten
to one was demanded. Most of the lines used are of braided or woven nylon,
chosen for its low weight-strength ratio. To facilitate handling of the
line segments each length is prepared with a small hook on either end. The
knots employed are double carrick bends.
The total length of the early trains reached as much as eight hundred
feet, making them extremely difficult to release. A system of restraining
the load line was evolved with two winches paying out restraining lines
while balloons and equipment were added to the load line. In this way the
pull of the balloons themselves and the much greater strain caused by even
light winds was held by winches. When the final piece of equipment was
clear of the ground (or when the entire flight line was under tension with
the lowest element being held back) a gunpowder squib was electrically fired
to sever the restraining lines near the bottom of the balloon. Figure 27
shows the aluminum "cannon" holding the gunpowder, the two winch lines and
a light line used to pull the restraining lines away from the load line after
firing. The load line has not yet been attached in Figure 27, but will be
fixed just above the "cannon".
When the restraining line is severed, there is danger of a pendulum
swing of the train causing the lower components to be dashed into the ground.
To avoid this action, the lowest piece of equipment is usually held by a
member of the crew on the back of a truck. By driving downwind faster than
the surface wind speed, the pull of the balloon can be resolved into only a
vertical component and the equipment may be safely released when the truck
gets under the balloon.
With later plastic cell flights, this method of launching was also
used in cases of light wind. When winds of about 5 knots are encountered,
- 24 -[FIGURE 27] Rigging Loading Ring Cannon Hold-down line Figure 27 Aluminum "cannon" and launching lines used to restrain balloon while load is being attached.
the total strain on rigging lines and even on the balloon itself becomes
excessive. With the thin polyethylene film of the General Mills' balloons,
such a wind force causes the balloon first to billow, sail-like, as in Figure
25, then to tear.
To eliminate surface failures on days when the wind is not calm, the
following release technique is employed: The equipment train is laid out
parallel to the wind direction, with the balloon in the lee of a large build-
ing and the other components stretched out downwind. The central portion of
the balloon rests on a platform balance and the lower portion rests on a
sloping eleven-foot table whose top is level with the platform and whose
bottom rests upon the ground. The upper portion of the balloon usually
lies on another table, level with the platform. Except for this upper
portion, the balloon is held down on the scales and sloping table by bags
of sand and lead shot. In addition, one sand bag is fastened to the lead
thimble of the balloon by a short line which is kept taut during inflation.
This layout is shown in Figure 28.
When the balloon is inflated, it is held down at the weighing-off
scales by the shot bags. Personnel required for the launching consist of two
men at the hold-down shot bags (who lift the bags at the release signal), one
man near the large sand bag (who cuts the line to the load thimble when the
balloon rises above him), one man at each piece of sensitive equipment on the
train (to support and protect the equipment until it is airborne), one man
at the lower end of the hold down line (who fires the cannon severing the
last line when the gear is all safely lifted).
If each operation is performed when the balloon is directly overhead
and if the train has been accurately laid out downwind, the entire train is
sent off with a minimum of oscillation of the load. Figure 29 shows successive
positions of the balloon and gear during release.
- 25 -[FIGURE 28] NYU BALLOON PROJECT PLAN VIEW OF Balloon Launching LAYOUT Dwg. No. 48-1 Date 11-15-47 TRAIN LENGTH - 210 FT. LAYOUT LENGTH - 490 FT. Ballast Reservoir Hold Down Line 63 lbs. Shot Cannon Banner Transmitter Wind Direction Ground Cloth Sand Bag Oscillatory Pack Baroswitch Helium Tanks (4) To Truck Shot & Sand Bags Scale For Detail Of Tables See Fig. A Hanger FIG. A Table Arrangement
[FIGURE 29] FIG. 29 NYU BALLOON PROJECT BALLOON SHAPES DURING LAUNCHING ED-48-3 DATE 1-16-48 1 WIND 2 WIND HEAVY SAND BAGS LEAD SAND BAGS 3 WIND WIND CAUSES LOWER PORTION OF BALLOON TO SPREAD OUT LIKE TRUMPET. LEAD SAND BAGS AT SCALE GATE. 4 WIND LOWER PORTION OF BALLOON IS RESTRAINED BY SAND BAG AND WIND STRAINS UPWARD PORTION FORWARD. WHEN THE BALLOON HAS VERTICAL, THE LINE FROM THE SAND BAG IS CUT. SAND BAG TO LOAD 5 WIND IN FLIGHT, THE BALLOON ASSUMES A VERTICAL POSITION WITHOUT DISTORTION. TO LOAD
This method of release is a development of the upwind release used in
radiosonde flights in the U.S. Weather Bureau, with refinements first used
by General Mills Aeronautical Research Laboratories and necessitated by the
larger balloon size and the number of components on each flight.
Using this method, successful releases were made at Alamogordo in
winds of 20 miles per hour with gusts up to 30 miles per hour.
C. Recovery
Much additional information on the behavior of the train components
can be gained if they are recovered. Two methods of recovery are employed:
1) reward tags and 2) recovery by the balloon crew tracking the flight.
Reward tags attached to several components have encouraged the finders
to protect the equipment and report its location. The tag and associated
questionnaire are included in Appendix 3. Total recovery of flights to date
is about 60% of those released.
When the location of the balloon is known by visual observation from
an airplane, or the landing area is indicated by direction-finding gear,
recovery is attempted by truck by the balloon crew or the crew at one of the
downwind stations. Several successful recoveries have been made of flights
of relatively short range. It was found in earlier attempts that the balloon
equipment was a difficult target both in the air and on the ground. Con-
sequently a colored cheesecloth banner (6 by 12 ft., stiffened top and bottom)
was added to the train. It also is a convenient marker for theodolite stadia
measurements. A banner may be seen in Figure 30. White banners seem to be
the most generally useful.
Section 5. Flight Summary
A summary of pertinent information on all flights made to date is
included in Appendix 1 as table VII. Also shown there are flight train
- 26 -[FIGURE 30] Figure 30 General Mills 20 foot balloon in flight, showing banner and other flight train components.
diagrams, time-height curves, trajectories and photographs of signi-
ficant flights, grouped by flight numbers. The flight numbering system
has been revised since its inception and now only those flights in which
an attempt was made to control the altitude of the balloon are included
in the summary. Excluded are flights made to test special gear and
launchings which were not successful.
Flights A, B, 1, 5, 6 and 7 all made use of meteorological balloons
in various arrangements and combinations. Each flight included one or
more "lifting balloons" which were to be released from the train when
the desired altitude was reached, the other balloons then theoretically
supporting the load at the constant altitude.
Figures 31 and 36 show the two methods used to group the balloons
in clusters. Figure 31 shows the linear array borrowed from cosmic ray
flight techniques; figure 36 shows the modified "Helios Cluster" in which
lines from the balloons are joined at a central ring at the top of the
load line.
The Helios cluster was by far the easier to handle because of the
simpler rigging and the reduced launching strains.
Flight 7 was the only one of this group in which anything approach-
ing a controlled altitude was attained. The previous flights failed to
level off when the lifting balloons broke loose. In flights 1, 5 and 6,
where ballast dropping devices were included, the ballast either did not
drop, or the dropping did not have the desired effect. In flight 7,
however, the cluster rose till the lifters were cut off, descended until
sufficient ballast was dropped to cause the cluster to rise to a still
higher altitude. There several balloons burst, resulting in a final
descent. The time-height curve for this flight is shown as figure 38.
- 27 -This flight pattern represents the best approximation to constant
level flight that we have obtained with meteorological clusters.
Flights 8 and 11 each employed more than one polyethylene balloon
in an attempt to reach higher altitude than possible with the single
balloons then available. Figure 39, 40, 41, 44 and 45 show the type
and arrangement of balloons and their flight behavior. In both flights,
the maximum altitude was not high enough to cause activation of the
automatic ballast valve. Consequently, there was no compensation for
diffusion other than the steady leakage of ballast through the imperfect
seating of the valve. In flight 8, after one hour, this leak was not
sufficient to maintain a constant altitude, so the flight terminated.
However, in flight 11, constant altitude was maintained at 16,000 ft.
± 1500 feet for 7 hours until all of the ballast was expended.
Flight 10, in contrast to flights 8 and 11, did reach an altitude
at which the automatic ballast control was actuated, resulting in a
flight of perhaps more than 26 hours. Although the maximum altitude
reached by this heavy spherical cell was 15,000 feet, the ballast control
was effective at a level of 9000 feet. The expected difference between
activation level and operation level was probably exceeded because of the
temperature effect of the air entrapped in the pressure capsule.
Figure 42 shows the train, and figure 43 shows the time-altitude
curve for the 512 minutes of radiosonde data.
The oscillations around 9000 feet during the last two hours of
data may be attributed to the changing buoyancy of the balloon as cloud
masses intermittently shielded it from the sun's rays. An unconfirmed
report was received to the effect that this balloon was still floating
26 hours later over Pueblo, Colorado.
- 28 -Flight 12 was designed to overcome the difficulties encountered
in flights 8 and 11, and, by the use of a thin tear-drop balloon (General
Mills balloon) to carry the load to a higher altitude than flight 10.
To guarantee a predetermined constant ballast flow, the manual ballast
valve was added to the flight train. The minimum pressure switch
replaced the fixed pressure switch to activate the automatic ballast
valve, whether or not a predetermined activation altitude was reached.
Figure 46 shows the train; figure 47 shows the time-altitude curve, which
exhibits a marked departure from the ideal. The minimum pressure switch
failed to operate or operated near surface pressure, effectively preventing
the operation of the automatic ballast valve. The manual ballast valve did
not provide sufficient flow to prevent the gradual descent of the balloon.
Finally, the heavy load necessitated almost complete inflation of the
balloon at the surface. This distention permitted continual mixing of
air through the open bottom of the balloon. Instead of reaching the pre-
calculated 38,000 feet maximum altitude, this flight had a peak of 14,000
feet from which it slowly descended. Since the blowout patch was set to
act upon descent to 20,000 feet, it also failed to operate.
Five of the succeeding flights (nos. 13, 14, 15, 16 and 20) had as
a prime objective the development of a satisfactory appendix to overcome
the loss of buoyancy due to mixing during launching and ascent. The types
considered have been discussed in Section II, Part A of this report and
the (two foot) appendix stiffened with battens, which was finally evolved,
is shown in figure 5. Figures 48, 49 and 50 show the time-altitude curves
for these flights. Either short flight or limited radio reception curtailed
the trajectory data.
In flight 19, the danger to personnel of the blowout patch was
- 29 -dramatically demonstrated by its firing 30 seconds after release. Launching
shocks caused the baroswitch pen-arm to fall off its shelf, completing contact
prematurely. In later flights, a time delay switch was placed in series with
the baroswitch to prevent a recurrence of this action.
Flights 21, 22, 24, 26 and 27, although carrying altitude control
devices, were flown to test gear for associated projects. Either no pressure
reporting gear was carried or the data from modified gear proved unreliable.
Hence few performance data charts are presented.
Flight 21, using a late-model General Mills 20 foot thin cell and
an automatic ballast valve, is known to have lasted for ten hours, descending
at Marietta, Oklahoma.
Flight 22, included an earlier model General Mills balloon with a
high rate of gas leakage, and an automatic ballast valve. The ballast control
kept the balloon aloft, but for only six hours.
Flight 24, including an automatic ballast valve, is believed to have
maintained constant level, ± 1,000 feet, for 122 minutes. It stayed aloft
for at least 3½ hours, when transmission ceased. The time-altitude curve
is shown in figure 51.
Flight 27 employed a fixed rate of leak rather than an automatic
ballast valve. The manual control did not provide sufficient ballast flow,
accounting for the time-altitude curve shown in figure 52.
Flights 29 through 37 and flight 39 were undertaken to test the
downwind launching procedure, to try for higher constant level altitudes,
and to determine the feasibility of using the General Mills thin cells for
frequent service flights. Flights 37 and 39 burst early. The former was
released during a rainstorm and balloon failure occured at the seams.
- 30 -Flight 29, with a manual ballast valve, was released just before
sunset on 22 November. It was observed descending 50 miles north of
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 14 hours later. The average wind was 130 mph.
Radio receiption was for 69 minutes.
Of the other recent flights, satisfactory radio performance was
enjoyed only on flight 36. Before any more flights are made, a better
transmitter and battery pack will be needed. Even on this flight the
signal was lost after 135 minutes, due to excessive range. The last
plotted position was northeast of Tucumcari, N.M. This flight was recovered
from Burlington, Iowa.
Time-height curves of this series are included in figures 53, 54
and 55. Despite the limited data, some results can be determined. For
example, flight 32 is believed to have floated for at least 70 minutes
within 1,000 feet of a constant level above 40,000 feet MSL.
Flight 35 also exhibited 32 minutes of constant-level flight before
the radio signal was lost. From the remarkable distances that some of
the others traveled (See flight summary Table VI, Appendix I) it is almost
certain that they floated for long periods.
These flights included a simple-filter manual ballast valve assembly
(Figure 9) designed to reduce equipment weight and cost. The performance
of this equipment justifies its continued use for relatively short flights.
Considerable difficulty was experienced with the type of filter used.
Experiments are now being conducted to improve the filter.
Because of limited data received from earlier flights, modified
Fergusson meteorographs were added to the equipment train on flights 33,
35 and 39. As of January 1, 1948 none of these instruments have been
recovered.
- 31 -Flight 17, using a fifteen-foot balloon of .004 Polyethylene is
worthy of special consideration. The thickness of this type of cell
eliminates much of the problem of appendix design since more internal
pressure can be withstood. Despite this factor, and the low permeability
of the fabric, balloons of this type are too heavy and costly to be used
for high altitude flights.
The trajectory and time-altitude curve of this flight are shown
in figure 56 and 57. This controlled-altitude flight demonstrates that
the automatic ballast valve combined with a fixed leak, will successfully
maintain constant altitude through a sunset. The balloon floated at 29,000
feet ± 500 feet for at least three hours, after which the excessive range
prevented further radio reception. Here again the necessity of a barograph
was demonstrated as the balloon was recovered from Pratt, Kansas, 530 miles
away. Two flights, 23 and 38, were made using the shrouded Dewey and Almy
J-2000 Neoprene balloon. Both of these flights were failures. Flight 23
(see figure 48) attained a maximum altitude at 50,700 feet and began to
descend immediately. Flight 38 (see figure 55) was observed from a B-25,
and the balloon was seen to burst within the shroud.
Section 6. Current Objectives
In order to meet the requirements for future flights, improvement
must be made in three phases:
1. Performance data for too many flights have been either uncertain
or of too short duration. Before more flights are undertaken,
altitude-measuring instruments must be improved and increased.
To this end, four specific improvements are being undertaken:
A. To supplement the pressure data received by radio, a
lightweight barograph will be added to those flight
trains in the future when flights of more than a few
hours' duration are attempted.
- 32 -B. The improvement of radio transmitter gear; it is
planned to utilize the three megacycle transmitter
developed in the Electrical Engineering Laboratories
at New York University. In previous tests, this has
provided clearer reception and a longer range for
comparable weight than either the 72 megacycle or
397 megacycle units previously used. To provide
direction finding, 397 megacycle carrier signal will
also be transmitted which will be tracked by SCR-658
sets. It is also hoped that a better light weight
battery pack can be developed for airborne use.
C. The Olland cycle time-interval method of presssure
measuring and data presentation is being adapted,
with the following advantages anticipated:
(1) The direct interpretation of pressure data
in terms of the time interval eliminates the ambiguities
inherent in counting pressure contacts in the Diamond-
Hinman system. Used in conjunction with the Brush re-
corder operating at medium speed, and with four turns
on a helix rotating once a minute, the pressure read-
ability of this system will be better than one millibar.
(2) Under noisy conditions the recorded data obtained
with this system will be more readable than the audio
signal now being employed. When only pressure data is
being transmitted, this system can be more economical
of power than is a system of modulated audio frequencies.
(3) In cases where data other than pressure is also
to be transmitted on the same radio channel, the pressure
- 33 -signals may be arranged so as to consume a very
small portion of transmission time.
D. The duration of radio reception and of positioning data
may be greatly extended by appropriately equipped aircraft.
It is intended to utilize a B-17 with top-mounted radar to
search above the plane for tracking. Depending upon the
noise-level encountered, it may be possible to acquire
pressure data with a receiver in the plane. It may be
necessary to provide at least two aircraft for continuous
reception over long periods.
2. It is very desirable that the simplified light-weight ballast
control system for flights of less than 24 hours' duration be
perfected. The elaborate ballast assembly with the automatic
ballast valve will not be needed for the many contemplated
flights which will be made with a useful life of less than
eight hours. A lower-capacity reservoir with manual ballast
valve and filter provides a light-weight, inexpensive unit.
Tests are now being conducted to find the best design for these
components.
3. In order to float a balloon at a pre-selected maximum altitude
it is necessary to supplement the variation-of-ballast with a new
height control system.
A. With a given balloon, and given total load, it is
possible to forecast the maximum height. (See Section
III for the computation.) If various maximum heights
are desired, this maximum height may be varied by
varying the total load, or varying the bouyancy of
the balloon through variation in balloon volume.
- 34 -The method used heretofore is variation of balloon load through changes in the amount of ballast used. However, there are upper and lower limits on the amount of ballast that can be used, due to the strength limitations of the fabric. Also, the "height sensitivity"; that is, the ratio of change in altitude to change in load, is not great enough to provide suit- able choice of heights. B. Another attack is to effect a change of volume by making openings below the equator of the balloon. The volume of gas contained in the balloon envelope is then obviously limited. C. If this method of height control proves to be un- satisfactory, still other control mechanisms will be sought. The three objectives, with their indicated subdivisions, will be pursued to better effect control of the balloon altitude. A parallel pursuit will be the investigation of other balloon types and sizes, in addition to the satisfactory General Mills Polyethylene models now in use. Thus, plans for the future include both the development of control devices currently under test and also a broad, general study of the basic components of constant-level balloon trains from the theoretical as well as the operational viewpoint. - 35 -
APPENDIX 1 Train Assembly, flight 5, (meteorological cluster)............. Fig. 31 Trajectory, flight 5........................................ Fig. 32 Height-time curve, flight 5................................. Fig. 33 Trajectory, flight 6........................................ Fig. 34 Height-time curve, flight 6................................. Fig. 35 Train assembly, flight 7, (meteorological cluster)........... Fig. 36 Trajectory, flight 7........................................ Fig. 37 Height-time curve, flight 7................................. Fig. 38 Train assembly, flight 8, (General Mills Cluster)............ Fig. 39 Trajectory, flight 8,....................................... Fig. 40 Height-time curve, flight 8................................. Fig. 41 Train assembly, flight 10................................... Fig. 42 Height-time curve, flight 10................................ Fig. 43 Train assembly, flight 11................................... Fig. 44 Trajectory and height-time curve, flight 11.................. Fig. 45 Train assembly, flight 12................................... Fig. 46 Height time curve, flight 12................................ Fig. 47 Height-time curves, flights 13, 14, 16, and 23............... Fig. 48 Height-time curve, flight 15................................ Fig. 49 Height-time curve, flight 20................................ Fig. 50 Height-time curve, flight 24................................ Fig. 51 Height-time curve, flight 27................................ Fig. 52 Height-time curves, flights 29, 30 and 32................... Fig. 53 Height-time curves, flights 33, 34, 35 and 36............... Fig. 54 Height-time curves, flights 37, 38 and 39................... Fig. 55 Trajectory, flight 17....................................... Fig. 56 Height-time curve, flight 17................................ Fig. 57 (36)
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - FLIGHT 5 TRAIN ASSEMBLY] LIFTER BALLOONS, 3 EACH. B/S LIFTER CUT-OFF, ACTS AT 35,000' TOTAL LENGTH OF BALLOON TRAIN 585' (LESS LIFTERS) 300# TEST NYLON LINE. HAND BRAIDED LOBSTER TWINE (1 EACH - 200# TEST NYLON) 20'EA. 14'EA. CANNON TO CUT OFF LAUNCHING LINES SILK PARACHUTE 72.0- RADIOSONDE WITH HEAVY DUTY BATTERIES AND 25 ORDINATE 'HUMIDITY' RESISTOR. PAYLOAD (15# WT.) FIG 31 50' BALLOON TO BURN OFF AT 45,000'. BALLOON TO BURN OFF AT 42000'. HALF FILLED BALLOON TO BURN OFF AT 40000' 11 POINT PRESSURE SWITCH FOR 3 BALLOONS AND BALLAST SAND BALLAST IN 9 PLASTIC TUBES, TOTAL OF 5900 gm BALLAST, DROPPED IN THE FOLLOWING INCREMENTS: 500 gm AT 31000' 500 gm AT 29000' 700 gm AT 27000' 700 gm AT 25000' 700 gm AT 23000' 700 gm AT 21000' (2 EACH) 700 gm AT 19000' (2 EACH) NYU BALLOON PROJECT Flight 5 DATE 6-5-47 | ED 48-39 PLASTIC RESERVOIR AND DRIBBLER SET AT 34000'.
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - FLIGHT 5 TRAJECTORY - POLAR PLOT] FIG 32 NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 5 TRAJECTORY Alamogordo, New Mexico Launching Time: 0516:45 MST Scale 1cm=5m ROSWELL CLOUDCROFT ALAMOGORDO AAB 70° 80° ON GROUND 315mm 90° [Trajectory line with time interval markers plotted on polar coordinate grid]
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - HEIGHT-TIME CURVE FOR FLIGHT 5] NYU BALLOON PROJECT HEIGHT - TIME CURVE FOR FLIGHT 5 5 JUNE 47 ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO Launching Time: 0516:45 MST FIG 33 INTERPRETATION #2 50 Ft/min 133.8 Ft/min INTERPRETATION #1 Data Subject to Interpretation due to lack of recorders 12.2 Ft/min 15 Ft/min Balloon burst 7 Balloons burst 10 remaining 815 Ft/min 150 Ft/min 5 Balloons burst 1050 Ft/min 13 Balloons remaining Sand ballast dropping 400 Ft/min EXTRAPOLATED 12 Balloons touched ground 1 Observed Lifter burnoff 22 remaining 1 Balloon Burst 350 Ft/min 684 Ft/min 0 Superheat blanket 50 24 Balloons + Lifters ALTITUDE (FT) [Y-axis, bottom to top]: 4069, 5000, 10000, 15000, 20000, 25000, 30000, 35000, 40000, 45000, 50000, 55000 TIME (min) [X-axis]: 0 to ~350 343mm KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. N.Y. 3600
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - FLIGHT 6 TRAJECTORY - POLAR PLOT] FIG 34 NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 6 TRAJECTORY 7 June 47 Alamogordo, New Mexico Launching Time 0831:00 MST Scale 1km=1m 80° 90° 100° 110° 105°49'N 120° 130° 140° Found 38°45'W Burst 7min EXTRAPOLATED 149min Burst 2min ALAMOGORDO AAB [Trajectory line with time interval markers plotted on polar coordinate grid]
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - HEIGHT-TIME CURVE FOR FLIGHT 6] NYU BALLOON PROJECT HEIGHT-TIME CURVE FOR FLIGHT 6 7 JUNE 47 ALAMORDO, NEW MEXICO LAUNCHING TIME 0S3200 MST FIG 35 LAST LIFTER BURST 20 MAIN R2 LIFTERS ALL LEFT MAIN BURST (14 LEFT) MAIN BURST (16 LEFT) 1 MAIN BURST (11 LEFT) ALL LIFTERS BURST 755 Ft/min BURNOFF BALLOON BURST MUCH SAND FELL SAND FELL ALTITUDE (FT) [Y-axis, bottom to top]: 4069, 5000, 15000, 25000, 35000, 45000, 55000, 65000, 75000 TIME (MIN) [X-axis]: 0 to 150 KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. N.Y.
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - FLIGHT 7 TRAIN ASSEMBLY]
Lifter assembly - 4 balloons
inflated to 3000 gm. lift.
60'
75'
B/S lifter cutoff at 35,000'.
90'
60'
12ea. balloons inflated to 900 gm.
Lift, 4ea. balloons inflated
to 2100 gm. lift.
70'
Payload in picture frame mount
and transmitter. (13 # wt.)
15'
30'
74.5 mc Radiosonde. Heavy duty
Batteries in black boxes wrapped in
polyethylene.
30'
FIG 36
Ballast baroswitch.
Ballast dropper assembly, 16 Aluminum
tubes of granulated lead dropped by
descent pressure switch in the following
increments:
300gm - 34,000' | 400gm - 29,700' | 800gm - 25800'
200gm - 33,000' | 400gm - 29,000' | 800gm - 25,200'
200gm - 32,000' | 600gm - 28,000' | 800gm - 24,500'
300gm - 31,000' | 600gm - 27,400' | 1000gm - 23,800'
400gm - 30,500' | 600gm - 26,600' | 1000gm - 23,100'
| 1600gm 22,500'
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
FLIGHT 7
Date: 7-2-47 | ED-48-44[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - FLIGHT 7 TRAJECTORY - POLAR PLOT] NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 7 TRAJECTORY July 2, 1947 Alamogordo AAB, New Mexico Launching Time: 0509½ MST Scale: 1cm=2M. FIG 37 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120° Winsfield Tower Observed to Land (120 MST) 346 min 107 min 231 min 255 min 230 min 10 min ALAMOGORDO AAB N [compass indicator] [Trajectory line with time interval markers plotted on polar coordinate grid]
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - HEIGHT-TIME CURVE FOR FLIGHT 7] NYU BALLOON PROJECT HEIGHT-TIME CURVE FOR FLIGHT 7 July 2, 1947 S - Radiosonde Data - Alamogordo Theodolite x - Winsfield Tower Theodolite FIG 38 Lifters Cut 306 ft/min 4 Balloons Broke 246 ft/min Balloon broke Dropped Ballast 100 ft/min 350 ft/min Position of Landing 35+ ft/min ALTITUDE (Thousands of feet above M.S.L.) [Y-axis]: 0 to 50 TIME IN MINUTES [X-axis]: 0 to 400 KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. N.Y.
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - FLIGHT 8 TRAIN ASSEMBLY] 10 Each - Conical General Mills Balloons, .001" polyethylene, 7'long 28' 50' Payload and Transmitter 10' 70' FIG.39 20' 74.5 mc. - Radiosonde, Standard Modulator, 20' End fed Antenna Plastic Ballast Reservoir and Dribbler, 5,000 gm. of ballast. NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 8 Date 7-3-47 | ED-48-40
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - FLIGHT 8 TRAJECTORY - POLAR PLOT] NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 8 TRAJECTORY Alamogordo AAB, July 3, 1947 Launching Time: 0305 MST Scale: 1CM=1Mi. FIG 40 Observed Dragging on Desert Believed Grounded at 197 min 300° 290° 280° 270° 260° 250° 1 min 2 min 3 min 4 min 5 min 6 min 7 min 8 min 9 min 10 min 11 min 12 min 13 min 15 min 16 min 17 min 18 min 19 min 24 min 35 min 40 min 44 min 59 min 80 min 95 min 100 min 109 min 117 min 124 min 130 min 131 min 152 min 155 min 171 min 175 min 177 min 187 min 197 min 201 min ALAMOGORDO AAB N [compass indicator] [Trajectory line with time interval markers plotted on polar coordinate grid]
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - HEIGHT-TIME CURVE FOR FLIGHT 8] NYU BALLOON PROJECT HEIGHT - TIME CURVE FOR FLIGHT 8 July 3, 1947 Radiosonde data Radar fixes Extrapolated FIG 41 62 ft/min 128 ft/min 4.75 ft/min 2.83 ft/min ALTITUDE (Thousands of feet above MSL) [Y-axis]: 5 to 20 TIME IN MINUTES [X-axis]: 0 to 175 KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. N.Y.
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - FLIGHT 10 TRAIN ASSEMBLY] 15' dia.-.008" thick polyethylene Balloon. H.A. Smith Inc. Reinforced blow-out patch to be opened by Time-clock. Bridle of 9 nylon lines, each 150# test, 13' long, served to a thimble and attached to reinforced patches at alternate seams. Open Appendix 30' Payload in picture frame mount, and payload transmitter 10' 75' FIG.42 20' 74.5mc. Radiosonde with 20'end fed antenna. Heavy duty batteries in black boxes, polyethylene wrapped. Plastic ballast Reservoir with 3,000 gr ballast. Pressure operated ballast valve (Dribbler) actuated by 30th contact of radiosonde baroswitch. NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 10 Date 7-5-47 | ED-48-42
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - HEIGHT-TIME CURVE FOR FLIGHT 10] NYU BALLOON PROJECT HEIGHT-TIME CURVE FOR FLIGHT 10 July 5, 1947 0501 MST Alamogordo, New Mexico FIG 43 35 ft/min 45 ft/min 600 ft/min ALTITUDE (Thousands of feet above MSL) [Y-axis]: 4+ to 16 TIME IN MINUTES [X-axis]: 0 to 500 KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. N.Y.
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - FLIGHT 11A TRAIN ASSEMBLY] 15'Dia.- .008" thick polyethylene Balloon. H.A. Smith Inc. with reinforced blow out patches to vent gas when fired by B/S. Baro-Switch set to deflate large Balloon should train descend to 10,000'. 90' 30' 6 each.—General Mills Balloons, 200 cuft .001" polyethylene. 50' Payload in picture-frame mounting. 10' FIG.44 70' 2ea.— Underinflated metro Balloons for Stadia measurements, 240' from center of small balloon to center of 15' balloon. 74.5mc Radiosonde with 20' end fed Antenna. Black battery box wrapped in polyethylene. 20' Plastic ballast Reservoir contains 3000 gm ballast. Dribbler to have been actuated by 45th contact on radiosonde. NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 11A Date 7-7-47 | ED-48-41
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - FLIGHT NO. 11 TRAJECTORY AND HEIGHT-DISTANCE] NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT NO.11 RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, New Mexico JULY 7, 1947 - 0305 MST (Numerals in Curves Indicate Minutes After Release) FIG. 45 N - Trajectory Scale D = 5 Miles Roswell Roswell AAF Height - Distance Alamogordo AAF Cloudcroft Sacramento Mountains Tularosa Valley DISTANCE (Miles from Alamogordo AAF) [X-axis]: 0 to 100 ALTITUDE (Thousands of Feet Above MSL) [Y-axis]: 0 to 20 [Numerals along trajectory curves]: 10, 41, 51, 65, 85, 142, 152, 167, 187, 194, 221, 225, 232, 317, 332, 441, 559
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - FLIGHT 12 TRAIN ASSEMBLY] 20'dia. G.M. .001"polyethilene balloon with incendiary patch on equator for rapid descent below 20,000'(460mb) 2" steel ring for launching lines Heavily reenforced baroswitch fires on descent to 460 mb. Uses 2ea. 45 volt batteries in parallel. Black box, loosely covered with plastic sheeting. 10' T69, Rawinsonde (397mc), Heavy duty battery pack, standard modulator, no ventilating duct, white tempera- ture element, 25 ordinate humidity. Millman's transmitter w/pressure from standard modulator. 3.135 MC (149' antenna through rings on 160 foot para- chute shroud). Held taut by 6 oz. lead wt. at bottom. 15' Estimated length overall: 257' 160' T-49-74.5MC Radiosonde, end fed antenna, standard modulator, no venti- lating duct, white temperature element, 25 ordinate humidity, squib in ballast valve fired by B power supply of radiosonde. HEAVY DUTY BATTERY PACK 25' Ballast reservoir with Kollmann ballast valve plus fixed rate leak from adjustable needle valve set to over-compensate diffusion by 10% Minimum pressure switch actuates ballast valve when balloon descends 15mb from maximum pressure, 2 each used in parallel. FIG.46 NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 12 Date 8-5-47 | ED-48-43
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - HEIGHT-TIME CURVE FOR FLIGHT 12] NYU BALLOON PROJECT HEIGHT-TIME CURVE FOR FLIGHT #12 LAKEHURST N.A.S. NEW JERSEY 5 AUG 1947 FIG 47 17.4 ft/min 17-704 ft/min 876 ft/min ALTITUDE IN FEET [Y-axis]: 0 to 15000 TIME IN MINUTES [X-axis]: 0 to ~280 PLANED DATA EDT.
[DIAGRAM: NYU BALLOON PROJECT - HEIGHT-TIME CURVES FOR FLIGHTS 13, 14, 16, & 23] NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT NOS. 13, 14, 16, & 23 RELEASED AT Alamogordo, New Mexico FLIGHT #13 - Sept 2, 1947 - 0447 MST FLIGHT #14 - Sept 3, 1947 - 0464 MST FLIGHT #16 - Sept 5, 1947 - 0636 MST FLIGHT #23 - Sept 18, 1947 - 0318 MST Flight #25 - Height-Time Curves FIG 48 Flight #23 Flight #16 Flight #14 Flight #13 ALTITUDE (Thousands of Feet Above MSL) [Y-axis]: 0 to 48+ TIME (Minutes After Release) [X-axis]: -50 to 150
NYU BALLOON PROJECT HEIGHT-TIME CURVE FOR FLIGHT 15 September 8, 1947 1153 MST Alamogordo, New Mexico o · x Theodolite Data x · x Radiosonde Data ALTITUDE (Thousands of ft. above M.S.L.) [Y-axis scale: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50] TIME IN MINUTES [X-axis scale: 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400] FIG 49 KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. N.Y.
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT NO. 20 RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO SEPTEMBER 10, 1947 1306 MST Height-Time Curve ALTITUDE (Thousands of Feet Above MSL) [Y-axis scale: 18, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60] TIME (Minutes After Release) [X-axis scale: 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300] FIG 50
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT NO. 24 RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO SEPTEMBER 13, 1947 0654 MST Height-Time Curve ALTITUDE (Thousands of Feet Above MSL) [Y-axis scale: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40] TIME (Minutes After Release) [X-axis scale: 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500] FIG 51
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT NO. 27 RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO SEPTEMBER 18, 1947 0521 MST Height-Time Curve ALTITUDE (Thousands of Feet Above MSL) [Y-axis scale: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35] TIME (Minutes After Release) [X-axis scale: 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450] FIG 52
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHTS 29,30,32 Released at Alamogordo, New Mexico No. 29 - Nov. 21,1947 - 1700 MST No. 30 - Nov. 20,1947 - 1700 MST Landed at Mt. [ILLEGIBLE], [ILLEGIBLE]. 0330 EST. Nov 22nd No. 32 - Nov. 25,1947 - 0800 MST HEIGHT - TIME - CURVES — Sonde Curve ---- Pressure Curve ALTITUDE (Thousands of Feet) MSL [Y-axis scale: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50] TIME (Minutes After Release) FLIGHT 29 FLIGHT 30 FLIGHT 32 629 ft/m 697 ft/m 300 ft/m FIG 53
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHTS 33,34,35,36 Released at Alamogordo, New Mexico No. 33 - Nov. 28,1947 [ILLEGIBLE] No. 34 - Nov. 28,1947 [ILLEGIBLE] 1431 MST Landed: [ILLEGIBLE], Kansas, [ILLEGIBLE] No. 35 - Nov. [ILLEGIBLE],1947 [ILLEGIBLE] Landed: [ILLEGIBLE] Boundary Lines No. 36 - Nov. 7,1947 0800 MST FLIGHT - TIME CURVES — Sonde Lines ---- Pressure Curve ALTITUDE (Thousands of Feet Above MSL) [Y-axis scale: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50] TIME (Minutes After Release) FLIGHT 33 FLIGHT 34 FLIGHT 35 FLIGHT 36 [ILLEGIBLE] ft/m [ILLEGIBLE] ft/m [ILLEGIBLE] ft/m [ILLEGIBLE] ft/m FIG 54
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHTS 37,38,39 Released at Alamogordo, New Mexico No. 37 - Dec 3, 1947 - 1542 MST Landed Alamogordo, New Mexico No. 38 - Dec 4, 1947 - 0850 MST Landed 50 Mi. N. of Roswell AAF 1047 MST No. 39 - Dec 4, 1947 - 1624 MST Landed 3 Mi. NE of Cloudcroft N. Mexico HEIGHT - TIME CURVES o Sonde Curve o- - -o Pressure Curve ............. Extrapolated ALTITUDE (Thousands of feet above M.S.L.) [Y-axis scale: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45] TIME (minutes after release) FLIGHT 37 FLIGHT 38 FLIGHT 39 950 ft/m 766 ft/m 937 ft/m FIG 55 KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. N.Y.
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT No.17 RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO SEPTEMBER 9, 1947 1647 MST First 125 Minutes Only (Numerals on Curves Indicate Minutes After Release) Height-Distance Trajectory Scale 0___5___10 (Miles) SUNSET N [arrow] [Numerals on curves: 2, 10, 14, 20, 24, 30, 36, 44, 50*, 55, 65, 66, 68, 72, 72, 89, 89, 94, 94, 102, 102, 112, 112, 125, 125] ALTITUDE (Thousands of Feet Above MSL) [Y-axis scale: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30] DISTANCE (Miles From Alamogordo AAF) [X-axis scale: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90] [Geographic labels: Alamogordo, Alamogordo AAF, Tularosa Valley, La Luz, Sacramento Mountains, White Tail, Hondo, Escondido] FIG 56
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT NO.17 RELEASED AT ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO SEPTEMBER 9, 1947 1647 MST RECOVERED NEAR PRATT, KANSAS, 530 MI. AWAY Height-Time SUNSET ALTITUDE (Thousands of Feet Above MSL) [Y-axis scale: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30] TIME - (Minutes After Release) [X-axis scale: 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400] FIG. 57
TABLE III SUMMARY OF NYU CONSTANT-LEVEL BALLOON FLIGHTS COLUMN HEADERS (left to right): FLIGHT NUMBER | DATE AND TIME OF RELEASE | LAUNCHING SITE | DESCRIPTION OF BALLOONS | BALLOON WEIGHT | DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT INSTRUMENTATION | TOTAL WEIGHT INCLUDING BALLAST | DESCRIPTION OF BALLAST CONTROL | FREE LIFT | BALLOON LIFT | RADIOSONDE [?] | TRACKING [?] | AIRCRAFT DIRECTION ITEM [?] | FLIGHT DURATION | OPTION CONSTANT LEVEL | MAXIMUM CONSTANT LEVEL MSL | RECOVERY LOCATION AND SITE | CRITIQUE FLIGHT 4 | 20 May, 1430 MST | Mtn. N.J. | 2 - 350 gram meteorological | 0.7 kg | 70.1 mc Radiosonde | 1.0 kg | None | 4 min. 10000 | of | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 70 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 17000' Coast. 25000 | of | Balloon balancing load. Free lift too [ILLEGIBLE] grams after original balloon. Free lift reduced. Balloon did not level off. FLIGHT 6 | 14 Nov. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | NYU, N.J. | 2 - 350 gram Meteorological | 0.4 kg | 71.5 mc Radiosonde | 1.8 kg | None | 5 min. 10000 | of | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 115 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 15000' Coast. 25000 | of | Balloon balancing load; free lift too high; therefore balloon [ILLEGIBLE]. Free lift [ILLEGIBLE] balloon resulting loss down and no [ILLEGIBLE] altitude wind balloon did not [ILLEGIBLE]. Flight not attempted at falling off [ILLEGIBLE] balloon. FLIGHT 7 | 3 April 1947, 1419 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 04 + 350 gram Meteorological Balloons Trans. | 4.9 kg | 74.1 mc Prox + this gear 100.0 | 13.0 kg | 3 bags of ballast launched at descent | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Theodolite pkg | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 363 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 44000' | [ILLEGIBLE] | Balloon due to poor [ILLEGIBLE] decreasing balloon. Flight # balloon 3 litter balloons, balloons have been observed and now successfully at balloon [ILLEGIBLE]. FLIGHT 8 | 5 June 1947, 0409 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 20 - 350 gram Balloons, Theodolite, Radar | 10.4 kg | 74.1 mc [ILLEGIBLE] Ballast | 26.4 kg | Balloons to exit 3190 ft 0.5 kg extra 0.5 kg above MSLO to launch | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Theodolite pkg S.I.T. | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 363 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 38000' Coast. 11000 | [ILLEGIBLE] | First successful flight operating [ILLEGIBLE] heavy loads, 2 litter balloons; [ILLEGIBLE] kilo balloons, [ILLEGIBLE] std balloon. FLIGHT 9 | 3 July 1947, 0811 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 20 - 350 gram Balloons, Theodolite | 9.8 kg | 74.1 mc Prox ballast Trans-Meter assembly | 28.3 kg | 4 over balanced front [ILLEGIBLE] grams each + 5 kg above at MSLO | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Theodolite pkg | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 416 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 45510 Coast. 36000 | [ILLEGIBLE] | Best right thought possible with many balloon balloons, 4 litter [ILLEGIBLE] altitude control so that altitude, altitude, no 3 altitude balloons recovered at falling balloon. FLIGHT 10 | 3 July 1947, 0063 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | [ILLEGIBLE] | 4.4 kg | Radiosonde Balloon re-trans- | 16.7 kg | Automatic Balloon release | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Theodolite pkg | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 165 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 14000 Coast. 17000 | [ILLEGIBLE] | First controlled altitude flight. Radar instrument. Flight was alt detected during the altitude, altitude control. The [ILLEGIBLE] balloon no longer to eliminate the [ILLEGIBLE] balloon.
TABLE VI SUMMARY OF NYU CONSTANT-LEVEL BALLOON FLIGHTS COLUMN HEADERS (left to right): FLIGHT NUMBER | DATE AND TIME OF RELEASE | LAUNCHING SITE | DESCRIPTION OF BALLOONS | BALLOON WEIGHT | DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT INSTRUMENTATION | TOTAL WEIGHT INCLUDING BALLAST | DESCRIPTION OF BALLAST CONTROL | FREE LIFT | BALLOON LIFT | [ILLEGIBLE] | TRACKING | AIRCRAFT DIRECTION ITEM | FLIGHT DURATION | OPTION CONSTANT LEVEL | MAXIMUM CONSTANT LEVEL MSL | RECOVERY LOCATION AND SITE | CRITIQUE FLIGHT 11 | [ILLEGIBLE] July 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 - General Mills [ILLEGIBLE] Poly- ethylene with 15 load points | 17.1 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] Radio- sonde Balloon as- sembly | 15.9 kg | Counter pulley [ILLEGIBLE] bag for Air | [ILLEGIBLE] | 11.3 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] | Theodolite 1100- 1165 [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 38000' Coast. 14000' | [ILLEGIBLE] | Balloon not higher to obtain higher [ILLEGIBLE] altitude critical. Therefore liftoff [ILLEGIBLE] into balloon. Balloon fell [ILLEGIBLE] low and below balloon descended and successfully [ILLEGIBLE] at balloons landed at [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] accomplished at [ILLEGIBLE] balloon. FLIGHT 12 | 5 Sept. 1947, 0611 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1c General Mills [ILLEGIBLE] poly- ethylene [ILLEGIBLE] 27 load points | 6.1 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] Radio- sonde Balloon as- sembly | 20.0 kg | Automatic Balloon release | 3.6 kg | 29.8 kg | 100% | Theodolite 100- 1165 [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 14000' | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] Flights with large [ILLEGIBLE] balloon. Was not to obtain higher altitude at [ILLEGIBLE]. Balloon [ILLEGIBLE] outside around above [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] balloon. [ILLEGIBLE] performance [ILLEGIBLE] of descent. [ILLEGIBLE] FLIGHT 13 | 5 Sept. 1947, 0611 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 General Mills [ILLEGIBLE] poly- ethylene with 27 load points | 6.4 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] Radio- sonde Balloon as- sembly | 24.2 kg | Automatic Balloon release | 3.6 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] | 100% | Theodolite 1100- 115 MST 37 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 19000' | [ILLEGIBLE] | Flights around around ahead lines, [ILLEGIBLE] altitude. Recovery not [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] Recovery not [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] FLIGHT 14 | 6 Sept. 1947, 1135 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 General Mills poly- ethylene with outside ballast load points | 4.0 kg | Automatic Balloon release | 15.1 kg | Automatic Balloon release | [ILLEGIBLE] | 34.7 kg | 100% | Theodolite 100- 1100 [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 64000' Coast. 34000' | [ILLEGIBLE] | Ascends again trained around ahead lines, [ILLEGIBLE] altitude. Ascends [ILLEGIBLE] and [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] km/ph. Descent [ILLEGIBLE] FLIGHT 15 | 6 Sept. 1947, 1135 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 General Mills poly- ethylene with outside [ILLEGIBLE] load points | 4.0 kg | Automatic Balloon release | 15.1 kg | Automatic Balloon release | [ILLEGIBLE] | 34.7 kg | 100% | Theodolite 100- 1100 [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 64000' Coast. 34000' | [ILLEGIBLE] | Hardly tested balloon with too much free [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] with release advance [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] control [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] recovery not [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] used with Free falling gear but was not [ILLEGIBLE]. FLIGHT 16 | 8 Sept. 1947, 1823 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 General Mills poly- ethylene with outside [ILLEGIBLE] load points | 4.4 kg | Automatic Balloon release | 18.1 kg | Automatic Balloon release | [ILLEGIBLE] | 38.5 kg | 310 | Theodolite 100- 1100 [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 14000 Coast. 17000 | [ILLEGIBLE] | Cluster of meteorological balloons for [ILLEGIBLE] altitude control [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] there until transmitter failed. FLIGHT 17 | 9 Sept. 1947, 1647 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 M. A. Smith 15' .006" polyethylene | 3 kg | Automatic Balloon release load assembly | 11.3 kg | Automatic Balloon release load assembly | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 314 | Theodolite 100- [ILLEGIBLE] 210 sec. | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 13100 Coast. 5000 | Pratt, Kansas 525 mi. | Successful flight with altitude con- [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] at Roswell. Recovery at Pratt, Kansas [ILLEGIBLE] altitude [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] balloon diffusion to [ILLEGIBLE] per hr.
TABLE VI SUMMARY OF NYU CONSTANT-LEVEL BALLOON FLIGHTS COLUMN HEADERS (left to right): FLIGHT NUMBER | DATE AND TIME OF RELEASE | LAUNCHING SITE | DESCRIPTION OF BALLOONS | BALLOON WEIGHT | DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT INSTRUMENTATION | TOTAL WEIGHT INCLUDING BALLAST | DESCRIPTION OF BALLAST CONTROL | BALLOON LIFT | FREE LIFT | RADIOSONDE [?] | TRACKING | [ILLEGIBLE] | FLIGHT DURATION | OPTION CONSTANT LEVEL | MAXIMUM CONSTANT LEVEL MSL | RECOVERY LOCATION AND SITE | CRITIQUE FLIGHT 18 | 10 Sept. 1947, 0045 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 M. A. Smith 15' .006" poly- ethylene with 18 load points | 6.4 kg | Data gear Radiosonde Balloon release | 13.9 kg | Automatic Balloon release | 2.1 kg | 13.4 kg | 100% | Theodolite 115- 135 MST 37 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Over 300 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 54000' Coast. 40000 | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] premature activation of auto- [ILLEGIBLE] balancing to ground many more. [ILLEGIBLE] descended to ground and ascended through this [ILLEGIBLE] balloon dispersed [ILLEGIBLE] three miles [ILLEGIBLE] hours [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] four delay switch not [ILLEGIBLE] directed directive. FLIGHT 19 | 10 Sept. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 General Mills 15' [ILLEGIBLE] poly- ethylene [ILLEGIBLE] 27 load points | 6.1 kg | Data gear Radiosonde Balloon re- lease | 9.0 kg | Repeat bal- [ILLEGIBLE] Balloon [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] 1000 gp/hr | 1.9 kg | 10.5 kg | 325 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 60 min. data | [ILLEGIBLE] | Not pro- vided for | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] to height [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Balloon [ILLEGIBLE] not verified. [ILLEGIBLE] FLIGHT 20 | 11 Sept. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 General Mills 15' [ILLEGIBLE] poly- ethylene [ILLEGIBLE] 27 load points | 7.9 kg | Data gear Radiosonde Balloon as- sembly | 12.0 kg | Automatic Balloon release | [ILLEGIBLE] | 12.0 kg | 100% | Theodolite 115- MST [ILLEGIBLE] 57 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | About 600 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Not pro- vided for | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] successful flight [ILLEGIBLE] height [ILLEGIBLE]. Balloon reached [ILLEGIBLE] Altitude. [ILLEGIBLE] Performance. [ILLEGIBLE] FLIGHT 21 | 12 Sept. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 General Mills 15' [ILLEGIBLE] poly- ethylene [ILLEGIBLE] with [ILLEGIBLE] load points | 6.4 kg | Automatic Balloon release | 11.3 kg | Automatic Balloon release | 1.7 kg | 12.8 kg | 100% | Theodolite 115- 115 MST 135 min. 37 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Over 400 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | 304 min. 1000 | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] Post loss of stressed [ILLEGIBLE] balloon believed to [ILLEGIBLE] were certain [ILLEGIBLE] around [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Possibly [ILLEGIBLE] of around [ILLEGIBLE] or around [ILLEGIBLE]. FLIGHT 22 | 13 Sept. 1947, 1135 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 General Mills 15' [ILLEGIBLE] poly- ethylene [ILLEGIBLE] load points | 5.9 kg | Automatic Balloon release | 5.3 kg | Automatic Balloon release | 3.5 kg | 12.0 kg | 210 min. | Theodolite 115- 130 MST 210 min. 37 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Over 400 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | 210 min. 1000 | Graham, Texas | [ILLEGIBLE] Cluster of stressed [ILLEGIBLE] balloon with too much free [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] there was [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] recovery [ILLEGIBLE]. FLIGHT 23 | 13 Sept. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 General Mills 15' [ILLEGIBLE] poly- ethylene [ILLEGIBLE] with [ILLEGIBLE] load points | 3.9 kg | None | 7.3 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] | 1.0 kg | 4.9 kg | 210 min. | Theodolite [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 30 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Unknown | Unknown | Cluster of meteorological balloons for [ILLEGIBLE] altitude con- [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE]. FLIGHT 24 | 14 Sept. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 General Mills 15' [ILLEGIBLE] poly- ethylene [ILLEGIBLE] with [ILLEGIBLE] load points | 4.2 kg | Automatic Balloon release load assembly | 13.4 kg | Automatic Balloon release load assembly | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 314 | Theodolite [ILLEGIBLE] 210 sec. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Over 500 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Unknown | Tulsa, Oklahoma 325 mi. | Transmitter failed shortly after release. Transmitter about 13 miles.
TABLE VII SUMMARY OF NYU CONSTANT-LEVEL BALLOON FLIGHTS COLUMN HEADERS (left to right): FLIGHT NUMBER | DATE AND TIME OF RELEASE | LAUNCHING SITE | DESCRIPTION OF BALLOONS | BALLOON WEIGHT | DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT INSTRUMENTATION | TOTAL WEIGHT INCLUDING BALLAST | DESCRIPTION OF BALLAST CONTROL | BALLOON LIFT | FREE LIFT | RADIOSONDE [?] | TRACKING | [ILLEGIBLE] | FLIGHT DURATION | OPTION CONSTANT LEVEL | MAXIMUM CONSTANT LEVEL MSL | RECOVERY LOCATION AND SITE | CRITIQUE FLIGHT 27 | 18 Sept. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 M. M. [ILLEGIBLE] with [ILLEGIBLE] Poly- [ILLEGIBLE] with 10 load points | [ILLEGIBLE] kg | 2.49 linear [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] assembly | 10.2 kg | Manual balloon [ILLEGIBLE] valve, fixed 300 gp/hr | 1.5 kg | 14.6 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] None required | [ILLEGIBLE] | 270 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | Max. 28000 | [ILLEGIBLE] | Another flight showing intensity of auto- [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] to ground [ILLEGIBLE] around more [ILLEGIBLE] present height, descended to ground and ascended [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] believed directive. FLIGHT 28 | 21 Sept. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 meteorological [ILLEGIBLE] 44 mm auto | 2.5 kg | Data gear [ILLEGIBLE] Radiosonde [ILLEGIBLE] assembly | 7.2 kg | None | 3.0 kg | 7.1 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] | None required | [ILLEGIBLE] | Over 300 min. | [ILLEGIBLE] | No data | [ILLEGIBLE] | Cluster of meteorological balloon for [ILLEGIBLE] altitude [ILLEGIBLE] not [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] for some. FLIGHT 29 | 21 Nov. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 MM [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] appendix | 3.7 kg | 7.49 barrel [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] assembly | 13.1 kg | 2/3 pd. one per-valve [ILLEGIBLE] total last valve | 1.5 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 600-640 [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] 400 min. [ILLEGIBLE] alt. | [ILLEGIBLE] | 7 or 7 hours | [ILLEGIBLE] | Not found by [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] | Cloahoma [ILLEGIBLE] | Excellent flight passed through data lines, tracking data in excess of 100 mph. [ILLEGIBLE] of around [ILLEGIBLE] less than expected due to lack of [ILLEGIBLE]. FLIGHT 30 | 24 Nov. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 MM [ILLEGIBLE] appendix | 4.1 kg | 7.49 barrel [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] assembly | 13.1 kg | 2/3 pd. one per- valve [ILLEGIBLE] total last valve | 1.5 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] Not rec. [ILLEGIBLE] found [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Not found by [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] Texas | Ascends again trained around ahead lines, [ILLEGIBLE] altitude around [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] tracking data [ILLEGIBLE] than [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] expected [ILLEGIBLE]. FLIGHT 31 | 26 Nov. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 MM [ILLEGIBLE] appendix | [ILLEGIBLE] kg | 7.49 barrel [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Radiosonde [ILLEGIBLE] assembly | 12.7 kg | 2/3 pd. one per-valve [ILLEGIBLE] total last valve | 1.0 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] | 1400 [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] None | [ILLEGIBLE] | Unknown | [ILLEGIBLE] | Unknown | Unknown | Rod trailing [ILLEGIBLE]. Altitude about [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] specifically [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] flight data [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] was [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] of the [ILLEGIBLE] flight. FLIGHT 32 | 25 Nov. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 MM [ILLEGIBLE] appendix | 3.9 kg | Automatic [ILLEGIBLE] later, bar- [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] assembly | 14.3 kg | 2 1/2 pd. one per- valve [ILLEGIBLE] total last valve | 3.0 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] | 1400 [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Unknown | [ILLEGIBLE] | Unknown | [ILLEGIBLE] Kansas [ILLEGIBLE] | Transmitter failed shortly. Elevation angle [ILLEGIBLE]. Airplane about 13 miles.
TABLE VIII SUMMARY OF NYU CONSTANT-LEVEL BALLOON FLIGHTS COLUMN HEADERS (left to right): FLIGHT NUMBER | DATE AND TIME OF RELEASE | LAUNCHING SITE | DESCRIPTION OF BALLOONS | BALLOON WEIGHT | DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT INSTRUMENTATION | TOTAL WEIGHT INCLUDING BALLAST | DESCRIPTION OF BALLAST CONTROL | BALLOON LIFT | FREE LIFT | RADIOSONDE [?] | TRACKING | [ILLEGIBLE] | FLIGHT DURATION | OPTION CONSTANT LEVEL | MAXIMUM CONSTANT LEVEL MSL | RECOVERY LOCATION AND SITE | CRITIQUE FLIGHT 34 | 29 Nov. 1947, 1310 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 GM 8' appendix | 4.1 kg | Cool water, Barometer, bar- [ILLEGIBLE], [ILLEGIBLE]- meteo- graph, bal- [ILLEGIBLE] | 15.4 kg | Reservoir #205 Constant valve, Balloon Valve, manual valve | 5.0 kg | 34.3 kg | 726 g | 620-130 [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Unknown [ILLEGIBLE] 12 lost | [ILLEGIBLE] | Unknown | Lubbock Texas | Barred patch initiated before release. [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] too [ILLEGIBLE] was lifted when balloon pre released. [ILLEGIBLE] crashed [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] too [ILLEGIBLE] unknown. [ILLEGIBLE] FLIGHT 35 | 1 Nov. 1947, 0977 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 GM 8' appendix | 4.0 kg | Cool water, [ILLEGIBLE] bar- [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE]- meteo- [ILLEGIBLE] | 18.7 kg | Reservoir #205 Constant valve, Balloon Valve, [ILLEGIBLE] | 5.0 kg | 34.4 kg | 730 g | 600-100 [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Unknown [ILLEGIBLE] 12 lost | [ILLEGIBLE] | Unknown | Not re- covered | A constant level flight. No data due to [ILLEGIBLE] or battery failure over [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE]. FLIGHT 36 | 2 Nov. 1947, 0734 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 GM 8' appendix | 4.3 kg | Cool water, [ILLEGIBLE] ser- vice, bar- [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] serv. [ILLEGIBLE] | 18.7 kg | GM automatic Balloon [ILLEGIBLE] valve | 5.4 kg | 34.3 kg | 803 g | 600-130 [ILLEGIBLE] theodo- lite [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] Unknown [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Unknown | Alamogordo New Mexico | Flight with General Mills automatic ball. High wind was [ILLEGIBLE] and [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] the altitude, [ILLEGIBLE] all 1 liter of [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] of [ILLEGIBLE] Paddled [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] failure. FLIGHT 37 | 3 Nov. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 GM 8' appendix | 6.0 kg | Constant load. 1 manual valve, Automatic [ILLEGIBLE] | 20.9 kg | Constant load, 1 manual, valve | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 900 g | 630-113 [ILLEGIBLE] theodo- lite [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 90 min. 13 h | [ILLEGIBLE] | 90,000 plateau | 69 mi. N. [ILLEGIBLE] N. Mexico | Allowed in rain shower. Burst and [ILLEGIBLE] lost. 3 liter of [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] all [ILLEGIBLE] of Paddled [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] failure. FLIGHT 38 | 4 Nov. 1947, [ILLEGIBLE] MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 GM 8' appendix | 6.6 kg | Cool water, [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] | 30.9 kg | Reservoir #200 1 manual valve | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 866 g | 600-113 [ILLEGIBLE] theodo- lite [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 68,000 plateau | Unknown | [ILLEGIBLE] Inflation error with resulting high free lift, cracked balloon to [ILLEGIBLE] descent. Several General Mills automatic [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE]. Recovery not [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] too [ILLEGIBLE] of [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] and [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] Roswell and [ILLEGIBLE]. FLIGHT 39 | 4 Nov. 1947, 1946 MST | Alamogordo, New Mexico | 1 GM 8' appendix | 4.0 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] meteo- [ILLEGIBLE], bar- [ILLEGIBLE] with thick- [ILLEGIBLE] ser. | 35.4 kg | Auto- matic #205, [ILLEGIBLE], no manual valve | 5.0 kg | [ILLEGIBLE] | 846 g | 600-113 [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | 68,000 plateau | 1 mi. NE of NM [ILLEGIBLE] | Inflation error with resulting high free lift. [ILLEGIBLE] balloon to [ILLEGIBLE] General Mills automatic [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE]. [ILLEGIBLE] crewed Balloon is [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] altitude [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Roswell, and [ILLEGIBLE].
TABLE IX SUMMARY OF NYU CONSTANT-LEVEL BALLOON FLIGHTS COLUMN HEADERS (left to right): FLIGHT NUMBER | DATE AND TIME OF RELEASE | LAUNCHING SITE | DESCRIPTION OF BALLOONS | BALLOON WEIGHT | DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT INSTRUMENTATION | TOTAL WEIGHT INCLUDING BALLAST | DESCRIPTION OF BALLAST CONTROL | BALLOON LIFT | FREE LIFT | [ILLEGIBLE] | TRACKING | [ILLEGIBLE] | FLIGHT DURATION | OPTION CONSTANT LEVEL | MAXIMUM CONSTANT LEVEL MSL | RECOVERY LOCATION AND SITE | CRITIQUE FLIGHT [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | Alamogordo, New Mexico | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] kg | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] kg | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] | [ILLEGIBLE] [Remaining rows largely ILLEGIBLE due to print quality]
APPENDIX 2
Correspondence
Page
1. Abstract from: Air Coordinating Committee, New York Sub-
committee on Airspace, Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Control.
Subject: Approval to release free balloons from Allentown, Pa. and
Lakehurst, N. J...............................................38
2. Letter to the Secretary, New York Subcommittee on Airspace.
Subject: Request for interpretation of agreement on conditions of
release of free balloons from Allentown, Pa. and Lakehurst, N.J.........41
3. Reply from the Secretary, New York Subcommittee on Airspace.
Subject: Same as above.........................................42
4. Extract from: Air Coordinating Committee, Fort Worth Regional
Airspace Subcommittee.
Subject: Obstructions to air navigation...........................43
5. Memorandum from the Chairman, Fort Worth Regional Airspace Sub-
committe.
Subject: Procedure for Release of free balloons in the White
Sands Danger Area..............................................45
(37)COPY
Abstract from:
AIR COORDINATING COMMITTEE
NEW YORK SUBCOMMITTEE ON AIRSPACE
RULES OF THE AIR AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
385 Madison Avenue
New York 17, N. Y.
20 March 1947
N. Y. Meeting No. 12
PROBLEM:
1. The Secretary of the Subcommittee presented a request from the War
Department member in behalf of New York University for approval to release free
balloons from Allentown, Pa. and Lakehurst, N. J.
DISCUSSION
2. The subject project is broken down into two phases as described below:
A. PHASE I.
(1) The type balloon to be used in this phase of the
project will be 6 ft. in diameter, hydrogen filled,
encompassed by a nylon shroud with black and white
panels 24" wide. Radio instruments weighing approxi-
mately 3 lbs. will be suspended approximately 50 ft.
below the balloon and equipped with parachute device
so that upon separation from the balloon, the attached
equipment will float down towards the earth rather
than become a freely falling body.
(2) It is anticipated that two flights will be required in
this phase of operation, the release to be made during
weather conditions in which the sky is free of clouds
and the visibility at least three miles at all altitudes
up to 20,000 feet., within a four hour cruising radius
from Allentown, Pa.
(3) The balloon, during these flights, shall be convoyed
by suitable aircraft to maintain air-ground communica-
tions on the balloon trajectory and equipped to effect
destruction of the balloon at the termination of four
hours flight or at such time that the balloon may
become hazardous either to aircraft flight operations
or the persons or property of others on the surface.
(4) New York University will file a Notice to Airmen at
least twelve (12) hours in advance of balloon release
and a second notice will be filed at the time of release
with the Allentown, Pa. Airways Communications Station.
(38)B. PHASE II.
(1) The type balloon to be used in this phase of the project
will be a 15 to 40 ft. diameter plastic balloon, hydrogen
filled. Radio equipment weighing approximately 25 lbs.,
will be suspended approximately 100 ft. below the
balloon. The balloon will be towed to high altitude
levels (above 20,000 feet) by three auxilliary lifting
balloons fastened together with a 4 lb. weight. All
equipment attached to the balloon will be equipped with
parachute device so that upon separation from the balloon,
the attached equipment will float down towards the earth
rather than become a freely falling body. Upon attaining
the desired altitude, the auxilliary lifting balloons
will be released from the main balloon.
(2) It is anticipated that a maximum of ten flights will be
required in this phase of operation, 2 to 5 releases to
be made from Allentown, Pa. and 2 to 5 releases to be
made from Lakehurst, N. J. Release will be made during
weather conditions in which the sky is free of clouds
and the visibility at least three miles at all altitudes
up to 20,000 feet.
(3) The range of flight during this phase of operation will
be between 30,000 and 60,000 feet. A period of six hours
will be the maximum duration of flight.
(4) New York University will provide an operator for tracking
of the balloon during period of flight and will furnish
information on its position to the N.Y. Air Traffic
Control Center during period of flight.
(5) New York University will file a Notice to Airmen at
least twelve (12) hours in advance of balloon release and
a second notice will be filed at time of release with
either the Allentown, Pa. or Lakehurst, N.J. Communica-
tions Stations.
(6) Destruction of the balloon will be predetermined to be
effected over water where hazards are not present. Aerial
convoy will not be effected during this phase of operation
inasmuch as balloon flights will be conducted in excess
of 20,000 feet.
3. The War Department member requests that balloon operations along
the lines of Phase II be presented to the Washington Subcommittee for
clearance with all other Regional Airspace Subcommittees, in consideration
of War Department plans to continue the Phase II type of operation from
White Sands, New Mexico, upon completion of the 12 proposed releases
described herein. The type of balloon releases proposed out of White Sands,
N. Mex., will involve flight through other regions.
(39)RECOMMENDED ACTION
4. That the release of free balloons by New York University as
described above in Paragraph 2-A (Phase I), Subparagraphs (1) - (4) inclusive,
be approved.
5. That the release of free balloons by New York University as
described above in Paragraph 2-B (Phase II), Subparagraphs (1) - (6)
inclusive, be approved.
6. That the Washington Airspace Subcommittee present the Phase
II operation to other Regional Airspace Subcommittees for clearance, in
view of War Department plans to continue the Phase II type of operation
from White Sands, New Mexico.
(40)April 17, 1947
Mr. C. J. Stock, Secretary
New York Subcommittee on Air Space
385 Madison Avenue
New York 17, N. Y.
Reference: New York Meeting No. 12 Subject No. 26, New York Case #156
Dear Sir:
Receipt of the minutes of the above meeting are acknowledged with thanks.
However, on reading them, a discrepancy was noted. We believe the weather
conditions agreed upon for Phase 2 operations were not a cloudless sky, but
no ceiling under 20,000 ft.
We realize that there might be occasions when the clouds present would
not constitute a ceiling. Yet, due to chaotic or unstable sky conditions,
our balloons might be considered an unseen hazard to aircraft.
It is therefore requested that we be permitted to fly these rapidly
rising, high altitude balloons after obtaining clearance on days
when there are no more than scattered clouds in thin layers up to
20,000 ft. and visibility greater than three miles.
This is an important point, as the phenomena which we hope to measure
is not a frequent one and our chances to investigate the remote phenomena
are markedly reduced if we have to wait for cloudless skies and the phenomena
to coincide.
This would have been brought to your attention earlier. However, we are
unable, until yesterday, to confirm our impressions with the representatives
of the Army Air Forces who were present at the meeting.
Yours very truly,
C. S. Schneider
Research Assistant
CSS:gm
(41)AIR COORDINATING COMMITTEE
FORT WORTH REGIONAL AIRSPACE SUBCOMMITTEE
P. O. BOX 1689
FORT WORTH 1, TEXAS
August 21, 1947
Meeting No. 30
Time: August 21, 1947 - 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Place: Regional Office, CAA, Ft. Worth, Texas
Members Present: L. C. Elliott, Chairman
Lt. Col. Hall F. Smith, War Dept. Member
Major Williams, War Dept. Alternate Member
Perry Hodgden, CAB Member
Commander James Douglas Arbes, Navy Dept. Member
Tracy Walsh, ATA Coordinator
Secretary: Paul H. Boatman
EXTRACT COPY
SUBJECT PAGE NUMBER
III. OBSTRUCTIONS TO AIR NAVIGATION
A. WHITE SANDS, NEW MEXICO, PROVING GROUND - NEW YORK UNIVERSITY - RELEASE
OF FREE BALLOONS - CASE #111........................... 3
PROBLEM
1. The Secretary of the Subcommittee presented a request received from the
New York University through the Department of Commerce Member for approval of re-
leases of free balloons at the White Sands Proving Ground in Phase II operation
as outlined in New York Subcommittee Meeting No. 12, dated March 20, 1947.
DISCUSSION
2. It was first thought that balloons would ascend and descend within the
confines of the White Sands presently assigned danger area and that no further
authorization would be required; however the Subcommittee was advised by the
University that balloons have been descending outside of the area in the vicinity
of Roswell, New Mexico. It, therefore, appeared that there was a certain amount
of hazard to aircraft encountered in the descent of this equipment.
3. The Subcommittee did not have full information on the number of releases
anticipated and other pertinent details; however it appeared the chances of collision
of aircraft with this equipment was very remote and due to the fact prevailing winds
in this area would ordinarily carry the equipment eastward, which would tend to carry
it away from heavy travelled already established civil airways, that this activity
might not be too objectionable.
(43)4. The Department of Commerce Member stated that he felt it may be necessary
to effect some coordination with air traffic in the local El Paso area but that due
to the meager information available, this could not be determined without a discussion
of methods and procedures with the people who were actually going to do the work.
5. Thw War Department Member stated that he felt it desirable to stipulate
that local coordination should be effected with the Commanding Officer at Biggs
Field.
(NOTE: At a meeting held in El Paso, Texas, on August 27, 1947, between
representatives of the CAA and the New York University, procedures
satisfactory to the Commerce Member and the Commanding Officer at
Biggs Field were established).
RECOMMENDED ACTION
6. That release of free balloons by the New York University within the
confines of the White Sands Proving area be approved provided that:
(a) Local coordination be effected to the satisfaction of the
Department of Commerce Member and the Commanding Officer at
Biggs Field to assure all precautions are taken to prevent
collision of aircraft with this airborne equipment.
(44)COPY
AIR COORDINATING COMMITTEE
FORT WORTH REGIONAL AIRSPACE SUBCOMMITTEE
P. O. BOX 1689
FORT WORTH 1, TEXAS
September 2, 1947
MEMORANDUM
TO: L. C. Elliott
Chairman, Ft. Worth Regional Airspace Subcommittee
Lt. Col. Hall F. Smith, War Dept. Member, Ft. Worth
Regional Airspace Subcommittee
FROM: Secretary, Ft. Worth Regional Airspace Subcommittee
SUBJECT: Procedure for Release of Free Balloons in the White Sands Danger
Area
The writer met with Mr. James R. Smith of New York University and Lt. V. D.
Thompson of Alamogordo AAF, at El Paso, Texas, on August 27 to discuss procedures
to be followed during the descent of free balloons released within the White Sands
Danger Area.
Mr. Smith advised that he had met with the Commanding Officer at Biggs Field who
had stated he desired no further coordination other than what the Civil Aeronautics
Administration might require and that he would write a letter to Mr. Smith to this
effect. Mr. Smith will forward this to the Chairman of the Subcommittee for the
record.
Mr. Smith outlined their program, which consists for the most part of testing
various types of balloons. Their program will probably be of 5 flights per month
for the next 6 months, the first flight to be released on Sept. 6, weather per-
mitting. Weather minimums were agreed on as not more than 4/10 of the sky covered
or forecasted to be covered within the expected descent area (60 mile radius).
Balloons are tracked by VHF DF stations at Alamogordo and Roswell for the present
plus an aircraft. When the balloon descends to 20,000 feet, if not in the clear,
positions will be given every hour or so and will be put out as notams on Schedule
"A" from the Roswell AAF. This will serve to advise the Army Fields, the airlines,
and some itinerant traffic. In any case if the balloon is outside the assigned
danger area, notams will be issued when the balloons descend below 15,000 feet.
The balloons are for the most part 15 feet in diameter and plastic. Suspended
from the balloon is a 100 foot one thousand pound test nylon line which carries
the airborne equipment. Releases are usually made at dawn and the flight terminates
in an average of 8 hours time; it may be from 6 to 12 hours duration.
It is believed the notam procedure will serve to advise pilots of this activity
effectively enough to provide the desired amount of caution. It is understood
(45)the airlines have some instrument flights through this area at 20,000 feet; how-
ever these are for the most part at night and to the north of the expected balloon
track.
/s/ Paul H. Boatman
PAUL H. BOATMAN
Secretary, Ft. Worth Regional Airspace
Subcommittee
C
O
P
Y
(46)APPENDIX 3
Flight Forms and Tables
Page
1. Pressure in Standard Atmosphere...............................48
2. Mathematical tables for diameters, volumes, and surfaces
of spheres....................................................50
3. Table of basic data for computation of molar volume..........51
4. Data for molar volume-altitude graph..........................53
5. Notice to finder (one copy in Spanish, one in English).....54
6. Questionnaire.................................................55
7. Preflight data sheets and computation forms.................56
.(47)PRESSURE IN STANDARD ATMOSPHERE
(Accurate to .001 mm of Hg, .0001 in. of Hg and .002 of millibar)
Thermal Layer Isothermal Layer
ft.per ft per
Altitude Pressure (mb) Altitude (mb)
(feet) (mm Hg) (In. Hg)* (mb) (feet) (mm Hg)* (In.Hg)* (mb)
-5,000 907.809 1210.312 35,332 175.899 6.9251 234.513
-4,000 876.533 34.5091 1168.615 36,000 170.375 6.7077 227.148
-3,000 846.130 33.3121 1128.081 37,000 162.430 6.3949 216.556
-2,000 816.582 32.1488 1088.686 38,000 154.854 6.0966 206.455
-1,000 787.879 31.0188 1050.419 39,000 147.632 5.8123 196.826
0 760.000 29.9212 1013.250 27 40,000 140.747 5.5412 187.647 110
1,000 732.923 28.8552 977.150 41,000 134.183 5.2828 178.896
2,000 706.634 27.8202 942.101 42,000 127.925 5.0364 170.553
3,000 681.114 26.8155 908.077 43,000 121.959 4.8015 162.599
4,000 656.344 25.8403 875.053 44,000 116.271 4.5776 155.015
5,000 632.308 24.8940 843.008 31 45,000 110.848 4.3641 147.785 140
6,000 608.991 23.9760 811.921 46,000 105.678 4.1605 140.892
7,000 586.375 23.0856 781.769 47,000 100.750 3.9665 134.322
8,000 564.444 22.2222 752.530 48,000 96.051 3.7815 128.057
9,000 543.180 21.3850 724.180 49,000 91.571 3.6052 122.085
10,000 522.571 20.5736 696.704 36 50,000 87.301 3.4370 116.392 175
11,000 502.600 19.7874 670.078 51,000 83.229 3.2767 110.963
12,000 483.251 19.0256 644.282 52,000 79.348 3.1239 105.789
13,000 464.511 18.2878 619.297 53,000 75.647 2.9782 100.854
14,000 446.362 17.5733 595.100 54,000 72.119 2.8393 96.151
15,000 428.793 16.8816 571.677 43 55,000 68.755 2.7069 91.666 225
16,000 411.786 16.2120 549.003 56,000 65.549 2.5807 87.391
17,000 395.332 15.5642 527.066 57,000 62.492 2.4603 83.316
18,000 379.412 14.9375 505.841 58,000 59.577 2.3455 79.429
19,000 364.018 14.3314 485.317 59,000 56.799 2.2362 75.726
20,000 349.132 13.7453 465.471 50 60,000 54.150 2.1319 72.194 285
21,000 334.742 13.1788 446.286 61,000 51.624 2.0324 68.826
22,000 320.836 12.6313 427.746 62,000 49.217 1.9377 65.617
23,000 307.403 12.1025 409.837 63,000 46.921 1.8473 62.556
24,000 294.429 11.5917 392.540 64,000 44.733 1.7611 59.639
25,000 281.901 11.0984 375.837 60 65,000 42.647 1.6790 56.858 360
26,000 269.808 10.6223 359.714 66,000 40.658 1.6007 54.206
27,000 258.140 10.1630 344.158 67,000 38.762 1.5261 51.678
28,000 246.883 9.7198 329.150 68,000 36.954 1.4549 49.268
29,000 236.027 9.2924 314.677 69,000 35.230 1.3870 46.969
30,000 225.561 8.8803 300.723 72 70,000 33.587 1.3223 44.779 455
31,000 215.473 8.4832 287.274 71,000 32.021 1.2607 42.691
32,000 205.754 8.1005 274.316 72,000 30.528 1.2019 40.701
33,000 196.394 7.7320 261.837 73,000 29.104 1.1458 38.802
34,000 187.381 7.3772 249.821 74,000 27.746 1.0924 36.992
35,000 178.705 7.0353 233.254 86 75,000 26.452 1.0414 35.266 580
76,000 25.219 .9929 33.623
* Mercury column at 0° c. 77,000 24.043 .9466 32.055
(48)PRESSURE IN STANDARD ATMOSPHERE
(Accurate to .001 mm of Hq, .0001 in. of Hg and .002 of millibar)
Isothermal Layer
Ft. per
Altitude Pressure (mb)
(feet) (mm Hg)* (in.Hq)* (mb)
78,000 22.921 .9024 30.559
79,000 21.852 .8603 29.134
80,000 20.833 .8202 27.775 735
81,000 19.862 .7820 26.480
82,000 18.935 .7455 25.245
83,000 18.052 .7107 24.067
84,000 17.210 .6776 22.945
85,000 16.408 .6460 21.876 935
86,000 15.642 .6158 20.854
87,000 14.913 .5871 19.882
88,000 14.217 .5597 18.954
89,000 13.554 .5336 18.071
90,000 12.922 .5087 17.228 1190
91,000 12.319 .4850 16.424
92,000 11.745 .4624 15.659
93,000 11.197 .4408 14.928
94,000 10.675 .4203 14.232
95,000 10.177 .4007 13.568 1510
96,000 9.702 .3820 12.935
97,000 9.250 .3642 12.332
98,000 8.819 .3472· 11.758
99,000 8.407 .3310 11.208
100,000 8.015 .3156 10.686 1920
(49)[Multi-column mathematical reference table: Diameters, Volumes, and Surfaces of Spheres] Diam. Volume Surface [repeated across multiple column groups] [ILLEGIBLE — dense tabular data spanning full page with fractional and whole number diameter entries and corresponding volume and surface values] MATHEMATICAL TABLES AND WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 87 Table 90. Diameter of Circles with sides of Squares of Equal Areas [ILLEGIBLE — small reference table] Diameter of circle = 1.12838 X diameter of square Side of square = 0.88623 X diameter of circle Side of square = 0.56419 X diameter of circle Table 31. Spheres: Diameters, Volumes, Surfaces Surface = 3.14159 X (diameter)2 Volume = 0.523599 X (diameter)3 [ILLEGIBLE — tabular data with columns Diam., Volume, Surface] (50)
Basic Data for Computation of Molar Volume
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO
January 1943 (Mean Sounding)
Altitude Temp. Pressure Humidity Molar
(KM) (°C) (Mb) % Volume
ft.3
1.620
(Surface) + 3.8 838 45 449
2 3.4 800 46 463
2.5 .6 752 45 486
3 - 2.6 706 48 522
4 - 8.3 622 51 567
5 -14.6 546 50 631
6 -21.2 477 48 704
7 -28.3 416 45 786
8 -35.7 332 39 872
9 -43.0 312 - 983
10 -49.7 269 - 1140
11 -54.7 230 - 1250
12 -57.2 197 - 1450
13 -58.1 168 - 1690
14 -60.2 143 - 1990
15 -61.6 122 - 2320
16 -63.0 104 - 2700
17 -64.3 88 - 3170
18 -65.1 75 - 3700
PHOENIX, ARIZONA
20 -63 54 - 5410
(51)Basic Data for Computation of Molar Volume
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO
(Mean Sounding)
August 1943
Altitude Temp. Pressure Humidity Molar
(KM) (°C) (Mb) % Volume
ft.3
1.620
(Surface) 25.2 838 44 480
2 23.3 803 39 492
2.5 20.4 758 42 517
3 16.6 715 48 541
4 8.8 634 66 594
5 1.1 562 79 652
6 - 5.6 495 72 715
7 -11.0 436 56 803
8 -17.1 382 45 895
9 -24.2 333 45 980
10 -31.6 290 - 1110
11 -39.4 251 - 1250
12 -47.0 217 - 1390
13 - 54.7 186 - 1560
14 .-61.5 158 - 1780
15 -66.4 134 - 2060
16 -69.8 114 - 2460
17 -70.0 96 - 2830
SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA
20 -58.1 58 - 4960
(52)Data for Molar Volume-Altitude Graph
Altitude, ft. Molar Volume, ft.3 Altitude, ft. Molar Volume, ft.3
5,000 420 50,000 2200
10,000 490 55,000 2850
15,000 590 60,000 3700
20,000 680 65,000 4900
25,000 820 70,000 6200
30,000 980 75,000 7800
35,000 1230 80,000 10,000
40,000 1410 85,000 12,600
45,000 1750 90,000 15,900
95,000 20,200
100,000 25,600
This data assumes a constant temperature (-60°C) above 65,000 ft.,
and below that altitude is based on representative pressures and temperatures
taken from Washington, Albuquerque, Pittsburgh and Lakehurst soundings.
Individual variations from season to season, and from station to
station may be noted in the graphs at the left of Figures 19 and 20. These
variations are at most about 10%.
(53)Remuneracion
La materia ha volado con este globo desde la New York
University para hacer investigaciones meteorologicas.
Se desea que esta materia se vuelva para estudiarle
nuevamente.
Con este motivo, se dara una remuneracion de ______
dolares norteamericanos y una suma proporcional para
devolver todos los aparatos en buen estado. Para recibir
instrucciones de embarque, comuniquense con la persona
siguiente por telegrafo, gastos pagados por el recipiente,
refiriendо al numero del globo ______.
CUIDADO:
PELIGRO DE FLAMA. HAY KEROSEN EN EL TANQUE.
C.S. Schneider
Research Division
New York University
University Heights
Bronx 53, N. Y.
NOTICE
This is special weather equipment sent aloft on research
by New York University. It is important that the equip-
ment be recovered. The finder is requested to protect
the equipment from damage or theft, and to telegraph collect
to: Mr. C. S. Schneider, New York University, 181st St. &
University Heights, West Hall, New York City, U.S.A. Phone:
LUdlow 4-0700, Extension 63 or 27. REFER TO FLIGHT #
A dollar ($ ) reward and reasonable reimbursement
for recovery expenses will be paid if the above instructions
are followed before September 1948.
KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE. THERE IS KEROSENE IN THE TANK.
(54)CUESTIONARIO
Tenga la bondad de contestar lo siguiente y enviarlonos para que
podamos mandarle a Ud. la remuneracion.
1. En que fecha y a que hora se descubrio el globo?
2. Donde se descubrio? Indique la distancia y direccion
aproximada del pueblo mas cercano que se encuentra en el
mapa del sitio de descubrimiento.
3. Se observo bajar? Cuando?
4. Se bajo despacio o se cayo rapidamente?
_______________________________________________________________
QUESTIONNAIRE
Please answer this and send to us so that we may pay you the
reward.
1. On what date and at what hour was the balloon discovered?
2. Where was it discovered? (Approximate distance and direction
from nearest town on map?)
3. Was it observed descending? If so, when?
4. Did it float down slowly or fall rapidly?
(55)WEIGHT SHEET Page 1.
Flight No. ______________ Date ______________
Time ______________
Balloon Manufacturer ______________
Number ______________ Quantity ______________
Burnout Patch and Wires. . . ______________
Shrouds . . . . . . . ______________
Total Balloon Weight . . . . . . . . ______________
_______________________________________________________________
Launching Remnant . . . . ______________
1st Unit. Serial No. ______________
description ______________ ______________
Line length ______________ ______________
2nd Unit. Serial No. ______________
description ______________ ______________
Line length ______________ ______________
3d Unit Serial No. ______________
description ______________ ______________
Line length ______________
4th Unit Serial No. ______________
description ______________
Line length ______________
Banner description ______________ ______________
Ballast assembly - description
______________
______________
______________
Ballast . . . . . . ______________
Total Equipment Weight. . . . . . . . ______________
Gross Load . . . . . . . . . ______________
(56)Page 2.
RATE OF RISE AND MAXIMUM ALTITUDE COMPUTATIONS
Flight No. ______________ Date ______________
Time ______________
_______________________________________________________________
BALLOON INFLATION
Desired Rate of Rise . . . ______________ft./min.
Gross Load . . .______________
Assumed Gross Lift (Gross Load + 10%) G______________
G 2/3 ______________
Free Lift - F = (V/412)2G2/3. . . ______________
Equipment Weight. . . . .______________
Desired Balloon Inflation = Free Lift + Equipment Total ______________grams
Allowance for Leakage @ ______________gm/hr, ______hrs. waiting______________ "
Actual Balloon Inflation . . . . . . . ______________ "
_______________________________________________________________
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE
Balloon Volume. . . . cu. ft.
Helium 11.1 kg/mol
Gas Lift/mol . . . . . Hydrogen 12.0 kg/mol
Molar Volume = Balloon volume x gas lift/mol
gross load
cu. ft.
Maximum Altitude . . . . ft. m.s.l.
Altitude Sensitivity . . . ft./kg.
(57)Page 3.
BALLAST COMPUTATIONS
Flight No. ______________ Date ______________
Time ______________
Surface Balloon Diffusion(measured) . . . ______________gms/hr
(estimated)
Percent Inflation. . . . . . ______________
1 2/3
Full Balloon Diffusion: Surface Diffusion x (________)
(% inflation)
Ballast Leak (120% Full Balloon Diffusion). ______________
Automatic Ballast Valve Calibration
______________________________________________
Estimated Ballast Duration. . . . ______________
(58)New York University 4.
Research Division
Balloon Project
Supplementary Information for Flight No. ______________
Release: Site ______________ date ______________ time ______________
Encoded Sounding Data:
_______________________________________________________________
Encoded Upper Winds.
_______________________________________________________________
Release Weather
_______________________________________________________________
In-Flight Hourly Weather
_______________________________________________________________
Train Sketch in Folder ______________ Films Sent Out ______________
List Flight Records in Folder:
_______________________________________________________________
Remarks
Checked by ______________
(59)Page 5
Transmitter Performance for Flight No. ______________.
Release: Date __________Time ________________Site ______________.
Transmitter Type and Serial No. ______________________________________________.
Batteries: ' Type and Number______________________________________________.
Open Circuit Voltages:
Voltages Under Load:
Reception at Station #1
Reception at Station #2
Reception at Station #3
Critique
(60)REFERENCES
1. Meisinger, C. L. "Constant Elevation Free-balloon Flights from Fort
Omaha," Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 47, pp. 535-538, 1919.
2. "Progress in Developing a Constant-Level Balloon", Report by Dewey and
Almy Chemical Company, Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 15, 1944.
3. "Analysis of Japanese Weather Service", Air Weather Service Technical
Report 45-1, Langley Field, Virginia, May, 1946.
4. Clarke, E.T., Korff, S.A., "The Radiosonde: The Stratosphere Laboratory",
Journal of the Franklin Institute, Vol. 232, No. 3, September, and No. 4,
October, 1941.
5. Middleton, W.G.K., Meteorological Instruments, Toronto, Canada, 1941, p. 46.
6. "Aerological Observations", Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 71, pp. 202-3, 1943.
7. Brombacher, W. G., "Altitude-Pressure Tables Based on the United States
Standard Atmosphere", Report No. 538, National Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics, Washington, D. C. September, 1935.
8. Timoshenko, MacCullough, Elements of Strength of Materials, Vol. 1, p. 51.
9. Lange, K. O., Unpublished Report, Lexington, Kentucky, 1947.
10. Warner, E. P., Aerostatics, The Roland Press Co., New York, 1926.
11. "The National Geographic Society - "U.S. Army Air Corps Stratosphere Flight
of 1934 in the Balloon 'Explorer'", Contributed Technical Papers of the
National Geographic Society, Washington, 1935.
12. The National Geographic Society - "U.S. Army Air Corps Stratosphere Flight
in the Balloon 'Explorer II'", Contributed Technical Papers of the National
Geographic Society, Washington, 1936.
- 61 -13. Lugeon, Jean, "Le Poste Aerologique de la Station Centrale de
Meteorologie a Payerne et les nouvelles methodes suisses de
radiosondage", Extrait des Annales de la Station Centrale Suisse de
Meteorologie, 1941; Zurich, 1942
14. Lugeon, Jean, "Quelques Innovations aux Methodes Suisses de Radiosondage,"
Tirage a part des Annales de la Station Centrale Suisse de Meteoro-
logie, 1942, Zurich, 1943.
15. Upson, R., Chandler, C. Free and Captive Balloons, The Roland Press
Co., New York 1926.
16. Prandtl, L., Tietjens, O.G., Fundamentals of Hydro-and Aeromechanics,
the Maple Press Co., York, Pa.
(62)14
Athelstan F. Spilhaus, C.S. Schneider,
and C.B. Moore
"Controlled-Altitude Free Balloons"
Journal of Meteorology
Vol. 5, August 1948JOURNAL
OF
METEOROLOGY
VOLUME 5, 1948
40871
Published bimonthly by the
AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY130 JOURNAL OF METEOROLOGY VOLUME 5
CONTROLLED-ALTITUDE FREE BALLOONS
By Athelstan F. Spilhaus, C. S. Schneider, and C. B. Moore
College of Engineering, New York University
(Manuscript received 4 December 1947)
ABSTRACT
The results of an experimental program to develop balloons with associated control devices, which will
float at constant pressure in the atmosphere, are given.
Newly developed plastic balloons and automatic ballast equipment are described. Examples of successful
controlled-altitude flights are shown, together with a preliminary analysis of their trajectories.
The constant-level balloon may provide data not obtainable from an ordinary pilot-balloon network.
Future possibilities and plans for its use are indicated.
1. Purpose
Drift bottles have been used for many years in the
study of ocean currents and have provided interesting
data. In meteorology, no corresponding device has
been available. It is evident, however, that a balloon
which is free to move with the air currents, and yet
whose altitude can be controlled, has many important
applications in meteorology, as well as in other fields,
where it may be desired to keep instruments at alti-
tude for considerable lengths of time. An example is in
the investigation of cosmic rays; here, clusters of
ordinary extensible meteorological balloons have been
used, but the constancy of altitude obtained is not
sufficient for many meteorological applications. The
purpose of the present investigation¹ was to develop
a balloon with a control system which would fly at a
predetermined constant level for periods of many
hours. Such a balloon has wider application than the
ocean drift bottle, because, whereas the latter is
limited to surface (or near surface) currents, controlled
free balloons may be set to drift at any pressure
elevation desired, or along other thermodynamically
defined surfaces, as long as the element defining the
surface changes in a monotone fashion in the vertical.
In addition to the uses for maintaining instruments
at high elevations, there are numerous potential appli-
cations of these balloons. Direct measurements of air
trajectories and of lateral diffusion become possible.
The balloons may also be used as vehicles to convey
and drop radiosondes over ocean areas. One problem
in this application is to obtain an absolute altitude
tie-in point, as it will be difficult to identify the point
at which the radiosonde reaches the sea surface.
2. Earlier attempts
There have been numerous attempts for various
purposes to get a balloon or group of balloons to stay
at a fairly constant altitude. Meisinger was interested
¹ Sponsored by, and in cooperation with the Watson Labora-
tories of the Air Materiel Command.
in the meteorological aspects of this, using a manned
balloon. In the investigation of cosmic rays, as for
example, by Clarke and Korff (1941), clusters of
ordinary meteorological balloons, 350-gram or 700-
gram size, numbering anywhere from twenty to nearly
seventy, were utilized. No altitude-control devices
were used; the balloons were merely given different
amounts of inflation. Thus the whole train ascended
to an altitude where certain of the more highly inflated
balloons burst until the remainder just balanced the
load; thereafter, the assembly descended slowly due
to loss of lift by the diffusion of gas. The only provision
for having the system regain altitude if it descended
too low was by arranging the launching before dawn,
so that after the bursting of the first balloon and the
subsequent descent, superheating of the balloons by
the rising sun would cause the whole assembly to rise
again, thereby increasing the duration of the flight.
The system does not have sufficient control for many
purposes.
The much-publicized use of balloons by the Japanese
in the last war represents an attempt which must be
considered highly successful from the point of view of
the length of time which the balloons stayed in the air.
Here the objective was not to obtain any critical
altitude control, but rather to insure that the balloons
remained floating. The Japanese nonextensible bal-
loons were of two types. One type was of heavy paper,
coated to minimize diffusion, of spherical shape, about
25 to 30 ft in diameter, and containing about 19,000
cubic feet of gas. A solid-ballast control system was
utilized and gas was valved at a low internal pressure
(about two inches of water) to prevent the balloons
from rupturing due to the increase of the internal
pressure by altitude fluctuations or radiation changes.
Such a valve tends to conserve the lifting gas but acts
as a safety device to prevent damage of the envelope
due to too great an internal pressure.
The solid-ballast system was complex; approxi-
mately 900 pounds of sand was used on each balloon,
distributed in thirty-six bags. The dropping of ballastAUGUST 1948 ATHELSTAN F. SPILHAUS, C. S. SCHNEIDER, AND C. B. MOORE 131 was controlled by a baroswitch arrangement which dropped a bag by igniting a fuse when the altitude fell below any one of four different levels between 25,000 and 5000 ft. In addition, a delay mechanism consisting of a two-minute fuse was arranged between successive switches so that after ballast was dropped, two minutes would be allowed for the balloon to regain its altitude; if it did not regain in this time another bag of ballast would be dropped. The system was inefficient because if any one of the thirty-six fuse arrangements failed, no more ballast was dropped. The second type of Japanese balloon was similar, in general, but slightly larger; it was made of oiled silk and therefore would stand a greater internal pressure (approximately six inches of water). The higher the internal pressure that the balloon can stand, the less gas need be valved under conditions of superheating or altitude fluctuations. The Japanese released many balloons of these types from their islands and estimated five to seven per cent of those released reached the west coast of this country. The balloons floated between the surface and 30,000 ft above sea level; those which reached the west coast must have remained aloft from four to ten days. While the altitude maintained was not constant, these bal- loons were highly successful for the time they remained in the air. An attempt in this country was made in 1943 by the Dewey and Almy Company, to obtain constant-level balloons which would float at altitudes up to 15,000 ft. An ordinary 350-gram meteorological balloon was used but its volume was controlled by a nonextensible shroud around it. With this method a flight at about 5000 ft was obtained at fairly constant altitude for about an hour and a half. 3. Design of controlled-altitude balloons As a result of the Japanese and other experiments, the use of a nonextensible envelope for the balloons was indicated. If a perfectly nonextensible balloon could be built with no diffusion through the walls, and which could withstand a high internal pressure, it would automatically stay at a constant density where the buoyancy of the full balloon equaled the load. In practice, control devices are needed to offset the leak- age and diffusion of gas, to compensate for vertical currents in the atmosphere, to correct for the motion of the balloon due to diurnal changes of the balloon's temperature, and to compensate for the valving of gas which is necessary to prevent rupture of the envelope. It was decided to use a plastic as the balloon fabric, as some modern plastics are quite transparent to radia- tion, strong, easily fabricated, and relatively inexpen- sive as compared with coated fabrics. A. Choice of plastics.—In the selection of a plastic material of which to make the balloons, the desirable properties are: (a) low brittle temperature, (b) low permeability, (c) high tensile strength, (d) high tear resistance, (e) chemical stability, (f) high radiation transmission or reflection. Polyethylene soon recom- mended itself for use, with its brittle temperature of below −80F. It is apparently unaffected by ultraviolet and ozone. The permeability through one mil of thick- ness and one square meter of area for 24 hours is ten liters for hydrogen and seven liters for helium, at normal atmospheric temperature and pressure. [Image: FIG. 1. Polyethylene balloon, 20-ft diameter.] Polyethylene is also relatively easy to fabricate. It has an ultimate tensile strength of 1,900 pounds per square inch at 25C, which, in a 15-ft balloon made out of four-mil fabric, represents a working pressure of about 2.3 inches of water. The tensile strength at the temperatures at which the balloon flies at high altitude may be more than three times the value quoted above. Fig. 1 shows a polyethylene balloon² flown success- fully in Flight 26 described below. Another film in- vestigated is Saran, which has ten times the tensile strength of polyethylene—three times the strength across the seams. Saran has a higher transparency and one-thirtieth the permeability of polyethylene. The effective brittle temperature of Saran for this work is not known reliably. B. Ballast valve.—The altitude control is an auto- matic ballast-dropping device³ consisting essentially of ² Made by General Mills, Inc. ³ Made by Kollsman Instrument Division of Square D Com- pany.
132 JOURNAL OF METEOROLOGY VOLUME 5 [Diagram: FIG. 2. Automatic ballast valve. Labels: BALLAST INLET TUBE, MOUNTING HOLE FOR SAFETY SWITCH, NEEDLE VALVE (BALLAST CONTROL), DIAPHRAGM DEPRESSOR (FOR GROUND CHECK), BALLAST DISCHARGE TUBE, DIAPHRAGM (NORMALLY OPEN TO ATMOSPHERE — SEALED AT MAX ALTITUDE), NEEDLE VALVE, DIAPHRAGM SEAL-OFF MECHANISM, RESTRAINING CORD, SQUIB (FIRED AT MAXIMUM ALTITUDE), PROTECTIVE CAP, CANNON] a diaphragm-operated needle valve which jettisons liquid ballast whenever the balloon is below the alti- tude at which the control is actuated. This is shown in fig. 2. The ballast reservoir (fig. 3), in general, can hold 15 kilograms of the liquid ballast—usually com- pass fluid, a highly refined kerosene-type petroleum product. When the atmospheric pressure outside the diaphragm is 5 millibars above the internal pressure, 160 grams of ballast per minute flow under a one-foot head. When the automatic ballast valve is wide open, which is after 6.5 millibars increase over the internal pressure, 300 grams per minute flow. These values may be compared with a diffusion loss of lift of the order of magnitude of 10 grams per hour from the thicker 15-ft balloon described below. Quite positive altitude control can be obtained. Efforts are made to cause the static rate of leakage, i.e., the leakage which proceeds when the automatic ballast valve is closed, to exceed slightly the rate of loss of lift due to the diffusion of the lifting gas from the balloon. To facilitate setting the fixed leak, a manually operated ballast valve, consisting of a leak adjustable by means of a fine needle valve, is added to the ballast-release assembly.⁴ C. Minimum pressure switch.—Obviously, the auto- matic ballast valve must not be in operation while the balloon is rising, as this would be a waste of ballast. Therefore the automatically operated needle valve is closed until the balloon reaches altitude. This is ac- complished by having the loaded diaphragm of the altitude control open to the atmosphere until the balloon descends from a minimum pressure. At this time, an electrical contact is made and a squib⁵ cuts a ⁴ Since this manuscript was written, the procedure has been simplified. Only a simple fixed leak is used for daytime flights. The automatic ballast valve is used alone for flights through sunset or sunrise. ⁵ A small electrically detonated charge. restraining cord and allows a needle valve to seal off the diaphragm from any further access to the air (fig. 2). The capsule then contains a volume of air which has been trapped at the existing pressure and temperature, at the time of operation of the sealing switch. Thereafter the aneroid will withdraw the ballast-control needle valve when the ambient pressure increases to the point where the entrapped air is com- pressed below this volume. Fig. 4 shows the minimum pressure switch which makes the electrical contact at the time of seal-off. It consists of a trapped volume of air that is allowed to escape through a mercury pool as long as the outside pressure is decreasing. As soon as the exterior pressure increases once more, however, mercury is drawn into the tube, making the seal-off contact between two electrodes. 4. Height determination Up to the present time, the standard radiosonde has been used in order to determine the altitude at which the balloon is flying. This permits a regular radiosonde ascent to be obtained during the period that the bal- loon is rising. Thereafter, as the balloon remains at approximately the same altitude, it becomes somewhat difficult to identify the radiosonde contact, but utiliz- ing both the temperature and pressure indication, this is possible. A special radiosonde modulator of the Olland type has been designed (fig. 5). The pressure [Diagram: FIG. 3. Ballast-release assembly. Labels: RIGGING LINE, VENT, BALLAST RESERVOIR, FILTER, MINIMUM PRESSURE SWITCH, BATTERY BOX, VENT TUBE, AUTOMATIC BALLAST VALVE, MANUAL BALLAST VALVE, DISCHARGE TUBE]
AUGUST 1948 ATHELSTAN F. SPILHAUS, C. S. SCHNEIDER, AND C. B. MOORE 133 capsule and linkage is of conventional design but in place of the commutator bar, a motor driven helix is employed. This system permits the determination of [Diagram: FIG. 4. Minimum pressure switch (mercurial). Labels: STOP COCK (Normally open to atmosphere — closed off before balloon ascent.), AIR CHAMBER, CAPILLARY TUBING, WIRE LEADS, PLATINUM TIP CONTACTS, MERCURY] pressure data without knowledge of the history of con- tact sequence or of the ascent or descent of the balloon, as is required in the conventional radiosonde. 5. Tracking of the balloon The balloons that have been flown by the writers usually have been tracked by theodolites. Airplanes have also been used, to extend the observations. These two methods require the balloon to be visible and not obscured by cloud cover. When available, ground radar has been used in tracking the balloons, with good results. A series of SCR 658 radio direction-finders is also used, arranged in a net along the expected trajectory of the balloon. In addition, aircraft equipped with inverted search radar have been employed to extend the tracking net. 6. Flight results While the characteristics of various plastics were being investigated, four preliminary flights were made with clusters of ordinary meteorological balloons, from 16 to 26 in number, to which two to four towing balloons were attached. The towing balloons were cut free by a baroswitch at a predetermined altitude. The remainder of the balloons were inflated so that they exactly balanced the load hung from the cluster. To offset diffusion, sand was dropped from an arrange- ment of tubes, 9 to 16 in number, each containing about 200 to 1500 grams of sand ballast. This ballast was dropped by a baroswitch mechanism on descent only. Some of these flights were relatively successful as a beginning method but the dropping of discrete quantities of sand caused too great fluctuation of alti- tude and therefore was abandoned later. The first successful flight stayed at 51,000 ft, plus or minus 100 ft, for 38 minutes; another remained between 30,000 and 40,000 ft for 147 minutes. The latter shows the same characteristic time-altitude curve as the cosmic- ray clusters, although its altitude control is superior. It is not believed that much improved altitude control can be obtained, utilizing ordinary meteorological bal- loons. Flight termination was usually due to deteriora- tion of the balloon caused by the sun. In the first flight utilizing plastic balloons, a cluster of ten seven-foot diameter balloons⁶ was used. The load on the cluster was 16.5 kilograms. An altitude control was used. Unfortunately, the maximum alti- tude reached was not as high as the predetermined altitude which was selected to seal the diaphragm of the automatic ballast valve. As a result, the cluster rose to ceiling and stayed at this altitude for a short while. Diffusion and leakage of helium produced a loss of lift at the rate of 125 feet per minute. The next flight was made with a single polyethylene balloon, 15 ft in diameter. To insure sealing-off, the ballast-release diaphragm was set to operate at an altitude of 12,000 ft, considerably below the calculated ceiling of the balloon. After a dawn release the balloon continued to ascend to 15,100 ft where it leveled off, then slowly descended to 9000 ft due to diffusion losses. At this altitude the ballast release began to operate and thereafter the balloon maintained its altitude within ±1300 ft for a period of 4½ hours before the radio signal was lost. However, in the first two hours of this period, before the convection currents ⁶ Made by General Mills, Inc. [Diagram: FIG. 5. Olland-cycle pressure modulator. Labels: SUITABLE LIGHT WEIGHT HOUSING TO PROTECT INSTRUMENT DURING FLIGHT, ARM POSITIONED BY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE ACTING ON CAPSULES, HELIX, LOW DRAIN ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVING HELIX AT ABOUT 2 RPM, PLUG TO HAVE CONNECTIONS WIRED TO EACH CONTACT ARM, TO HELIX AND TO MOTOR]
134 JOURNAL OF METEOROLOGY VOLUME 5
from the desert set in, the balloon maintained an alti-
tude of 9200 ± 150 ft.
An explanation as to why the ballast release func-
tioned at 9000 ft, although it was set to operate at
12,000 ft, is plain from the following data. The air in
the diaphragm was sealed off on the dawn ascent at
12,000 ft, where the pressure was 657 mb and the
temperature 9C. However, by the time the balloon
passed through this level during the slow descent, the
instrument temperature was 19C. This means that
the pressure of the air trapped inside the diaphragm
was higher than it was at time of seal-off.
For the ballast valve to function, the balloon had to
descend to a pressure which would be greater by about
3 mb than the pressure of the trapped air at its now
higher temperature. Of course, there was little ventila-
tion past the instrument, and therefore the instrument
temperature was about 25C above the ambient tem-
perature after the sun had risen.
The automatic ballast valve operates when the
volume inside the sealed diaphragm becomes slightly
less than the volume at seal-off. Denoting the altitude
at which it can operate by the subscript h, the pressure
divided by the temperature at this altitude will equal
the pressure at the seal-off altitude divided by the
trapped-air temperature at the time of seal-off; in
this case
p_s = 657 mb
T_s = 9C = 282A
T_h = 39C = 312A,
where the subscript s refers to seal-off. Thus the pres-
sure at altitude h is given by
p_h = p_s T_h/T_s = 727 mb.
This pressure, at which ballast release will begin, cor-
responds to an altitude of 9000 ft, which is the ob-
served altitude maintained by the balloon for nearly
4½ hours, until the radiosonde tracking signal was lost.
[Figure: FIG. 6. Idealized time-altitude curves for various balloon-control systems. Graph showing altitude (thousands of feet) vs. local time. Two curves: solid line = Balloon floating at its ceiling; dashed line = Balloon floating on its floor. Annotations include: Ceiling rises as ballast drops from pre-set valve to compensate for diffusion; Minimum Pressure Switch actuates automatic ballast valve; SUNSET; Automatic ballast valve starts operation; Automatic ballast valve shuts off; Air-ballast expended balloon descends; Increased Wt due to superheat; Balloon descends due to increased temperature of trapped air in automatic ballast valve — This is cause of flight oscillation; Longer flight duration due to greater ballast efficiency; At ballast expended balloon descends; SUNRISE; Safety device tips balloon to insure no floating under 20000 feet in the air lanes]
The theodolite lost the balloon in clouds earlier and
the airplane observer never succeeded in seeing it, so
the balloon may have remained for a considerably
longer period at this altitude. Eleven hours after be-
ginning the ascent, the balloon was reported to have
been seen over Albuquerque, New Mexico, and about
26 hours later a report was made from Pueblo,
Colorado, which seemed to indicate that the balloon
was still in the air at that time. The meteorological
situation and wind data for that area at the time of
flight support the contention that the latter observa-
tions were of the same balloon.
The next flight consisted of an assembly of various
balloons, as follows:
One 15-ft diameter 0.008-inch polyethylene balloon,
Six 7-ft diameter General Mills 0.001-inch poly-
thene balloons,
Two 350-gm meteorological balloons for stadia
measurements.
The single balloon had a measured diffusion loss of
lift of 4 grams per hour. The General Mills balloons
were observed to lose lift at the rate of about 100
grams per hour per balloon.
Three of the 7-ft balloons were inverted and deflated
shortly after launching, due to differences in the rates
of rise of the various balloons in the cluster. Therefore,
the altitude reached was not high enough to effect
seal-off. (It is for this reason that the minimum pres-
sure switch was developed for use in later flights.)
Fig. 9 shows the elevation and plan views of the
track of this flight. The train leveled off at 16,500 ft.
The diffusion loss of lift of the remaining balloons was
approximately 300 grams per hour. The ballast valve
used had an unusually high rate of static leakage
which had been measured before release and found to
be 310 grams per hour. Thus fortuitously, the loss of
lift was compensated by ballast leakage. This nearlyAUGUST 1948 ATHELSTAN F. SPILHAUS, C. S. SCHNEIDER, AND C. B. MOORE 135 [Figure: FIG. 7. Height-time curve of balloon Flight 17. Released at Alamogordo, New Mexico, on 9 September 1947 at 1647 MST (105th meridian). Recovered near Pratt, Kansas, 530 miles distant. Graph shows Height-Time curve with SUNSET marked, altitude (thousands of feet above MSL) on y-axis, TIME (Minutes After Release) on x-axis.] constant leakage held the balloon at 16,800 ± 700 ft for 7 hours. The duration of the flight was 9½ hours. When the original 2700-gram ballast was expended, the balloon descended rapidly. Even had the auto- matic ballast valve been functioning, the constancy of altitude would have been the same. This seems to indi- cate that only a minimum of automatic control is needed, provided that diffusion losses are slightly overcompensated by a constant ballast leak. Other flights also indicate the importance of a check valve in the balloon appendix to prevent dilution of the lifting gas with air. If this is not done, the altitude reached is far under the theoretical altitude deter- mined by the displacement and gross load. 7. Control systems Two systems of control are possible with the equip- ment as described. The balloon is controlled between an upper level (ceiling), where the full balloon buoy- ancy just equals the load, and a lower level (floor), below which the automatic ballast valve operates. Schematic curves for these two systems of control are shown in fig. 6. In the first system of control the rate of static ballast leakage is greater than the diffusion loss of lift, and the balloon will stay at the ceiling. If it is displaced above the ceiling the buoyancy is insufficient to bal- ance the load and it will descend again. Provided the rate of ballast discharge is greater than the rate of lift loss by loss of gas this ceiling will slowly rise by valving of gas, and as gas is lost by diffusion. The less the amount of gas the lower the pressure (higher ceiling) must be for the gas to fully distend the envelope. Unnecessary valving is undesirable and may, in part, be minimized by use of a restraining safety valve set in the appendix, which will allow some slight pressure to be carried in the balloon, preventing gas loss at the peaks of minor oscillations but still valving gas before the balloon ruptures due to too great an internal pressure. In this system of control, the automatic valve is not sealed off until the balloon starts a descent due to cooling or other changes in lift, as when night falls. Upon descent the valve is activated and starts drop- ping ballast immediately; this continues until the balloon is no longer losing lift at a rate greater than the diffusion losses. The balloon will then rise above its former ceiling to a height determined by the weight of ballast dropped, and remain there as long as there is ballast to compensate for lift losses. Flight 17, repro- duced in fig. 7, used a low-leakage balloon and is an actual case of ceiling control. It may be compared with the idealized time-altitude curves in fig. 6. In the second system of control the static rate of leakage is less than the diffusion loss of lift. In this case the balloon will descend to the floor, where the automatic control operates and the balloon floats at an equilibrium altitude where the rate of ballast re- lease exactly balances the rate of loss of lift. Floor control conserves ballast, since only that needed for altitude control is released. However, the altitude of the floor varies diurnally as the temperature of the entrapped air in the automatic ballast valve is affected by solar radiation. Two methods are being investigated to circumvent this undesirable feature. One is to [Figure: FIG. 8. Wind vectors at 16,000 feet for El Paso (EO), Albuquerque (AB), and Roswell (THJ), at 03ʰ, 09ʰ and 15ʰ (MST) on 7 July 1947, in connection with balloon Flight 11, mean motion of which is shown by the balloon vector. Cross-hatched sector contains all wind vectors at these three stations for the three observation hours and for the three levels, 14,000, 16,000, and 18,000 feet.]
136 JOURNAL OF METEOROLOGY VOLUME 5 temperature-compensate the diaphragm, the other to insulate and shield the valve from radiation. Using the ceiling-control system, flights of less than 24 hours not passing through sunset, may be held at ceiling by use of a nonextensible balloon and a simple fixed rate of leak to over-compensate diffusion losses. The constancy of level will be better the lower the diffusion and the lower, therefore, the rate of rise of the ceiling. The automatic control is needed for flights lasting through a period in which day changes to night. 8. Preliminary trajectory analysis of two constant- level balloon flights, 7 July 1947⁷ The most striking feature of the constant-level bal- loon flight (Flight 11, fig. 9) originating at Alamogordo Army Air Base at 05ʰ08ᵐ MST⁸ on 7 July 1947 is the disagreement between the actual trajectory and the trajectory that might have been estimated from routine upper-wind reports. In this connection the observations from the Weather Bureau stations at El Paso, Roswell, and Albuquerque have been examined, since the path of the balloon was contained within the triangle formed ⁷ The authors are indebted to Prof. G. Emmons for contributing the major part of this section. ⁸ Mountain Standard Time—105th meridian civil time. All further time references will be tacitly MST. by these stations. Over El Paso, the wind direction at 16,000 ft (the approximate average altitude of the balloon during the greater part of the flight) was approximately SW at 03ʰ, ESE at 09ʰ, and ESE at 15ʰ. Over Roswell, the apparent average wind direction at 16,000 ft was S during this period. Over Albuquerque, which was considerably farther from the path of the balloon than the other two stations, the wind direction at 16,000 ft was variable between WSW and SSE during the interval from 03ʰ to 15ʰ. In contrast with these observations is the fact that the constant-level balloon floated in an essentially steady WSW current between 06ʰ and 09ʰ. In fig. 8 the wind observations at 16,000 ft have been plotted for El Paso, Roswell, and Albuquerque for 03ʰ, 09ʰ, and 15ʰ. The wind directions at 14,000 ft, 16,000 ft, and 18,000 ft (only the intermediate level is shown in the figure) are all contained in the 150-degree sector between directions 90° and 240°; yet the mean motion of the balloon (approximately 265°) between 05ʰ48ᵐ and 13ʰ11ᵐ falls entirely outside this sector. An indication that this local WSW current was of small depth is given by a special upper-wind observa- tion made at White Sands at about 13ʰ. The observa- tion in question recorded a wind direction of 250° at 16,000 ft, which is in excellent agreement with the first [Figure: FIG. 9. Height-distance curve and planned trajectory of balloon Flight 11. Released at Alamogordo, New Mexico, 7 July 1947, at 0508 MST. (Numerals on curves indicate minutes after release.) Graph shows Trajectory (plan view) and Height-Distance curve, with Alamogordo AAF as origin, tracking path toward Roswell and Roswell AAF, with altitude markings up to 20,000 ft and distance up to 100 miles from Alamogordo AAF. Sacramento Mountains and Tularosa Valley marked on terrain profile.]
AUGUST 1948 ATHELSTAN F. SPILHAUS, C. S. SCHNEIDER, AND C. B. MOORE 137
part of the trajectory of the constant-level balloon.
The interesting fact about the White Sands observa-
tion is that at all but one of the other reported altitudes
between the ground and 20,000 ft, the wind directions
were from either the NE or SE quadrants.
The trajectory of the balloon curved slightly anti-
cyclonically over the eastern slopes of the Sacramento
Mountains. This characteristic is suggestive of the
well-known deforming effect of a mountain range on
an air current directed toward the axis of the range.
In this case, however, the validity of invoking the
aforementioned effect to explain the anticyclonic cur-
vature, when the wind at levels below the mountain
summits appears to have been blowing approximately
parallel to the range, depends on assuming that the air
currents parallel to the range themselves constitute a
barrier deforming a higher current blowing in a differ-
ent direction across the mountains. The sharp cyclonic
bend that occurred after the balloon had come over
relatively flat country occurred at the time that the
balloon began its final descent and is due to the fact
that the course of the balloon turned toward the north
as a result of descent to levels where the wind had
maintained a southerly direction throughout the day.
It is of interest to compare this flight with Flight 17
(fig. 10). It may be observed on fig. 10 that no deform-
ing effect of the mountain barrier is apparent. This,
however, is to be expected, as the altitude of the bal-
loon above the mountain top is three times that of
Flight 11, where this anticyclonic deformation of the
trajectory was observed. The balloon was ultimately
recovered from Croft, Kansas, a distance of 530 miles
from the release point; on the basis of the observed
wind speeds a 12-hour flight duration is estimated.
9. Conclusion
Within the coming year it is hoped that a number
of meteorological investigations may be attempted,
utilizing constant-level balloons. Release of three or
more from a single point to float at the same level,
release at a number of points to obtain a synoptic
presentation of the trajectories in a chosen level, and
the dropping of radiosondes from balloons are some of
the operations to be attempted. Efforts will be made
to simplify the arrangement so that a constant-level
flight may be made in a routine fashion and at no
greater cost than the ordinary radiosonde flight.
REFERENCE
Clarke, E. T., and S. A. Korff, 1941: The radiosonde: the strato-
sohere laboratory. J. Franklin Inst., 232, 217–355.
[Figure: FIG. 10. Height-distance curve and planned trajectory of balloon Flight 17. Released at Alamogordo, New Mexico, 9 September 1947, at 1647 MST. First 125 minutes only are shown. (Numerals on curves indicate minutes after release.) Graph shows Trajectory (plan view) and Height-Distance curve, with Alamogordo AAF as origin, tracking path toward Hondo and Escondido, altitude up to 30,000 ft, distance to 100 miles. La Luz, White Tail, Sacramento Mountains, Tularosa Valley marked on terrain profile.]15 New York University Progress Report No. 6 Constant Level Balloon Section II June 1947
PROGRESS REPORT #6
Covering Period from May 1, 1947 to
May 31, 1947
CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOON
Section II
Research Division, Project No. 93
Prepared in Accordance with Provisions of Contract
W28-099 ac-241, between
Watson Laboratories, Red Bank, New Jersey
and
New York University
Prepared by Charles S. Schneider
Approved by [signature]
Professor Athelstan F. Spilhaus
Director of Research
Research Division
College of Engineering
June, 1947I. The following new men were employed on the Balloon Project
during May:
Name Duties Qualifications
J. Richard Smith Meteorologist Former Weather Bureau
(full time) and Army forecaster.
Taught weather equip-
ment at New York Uni-
versity. M.S. in Phys-
ics-Meteorology, NYU.
William O. Davis Balloon Performance B.A. Physics, New York
Analyst (part time) University. Former AAF
pilot. Graduate student
in Physics.
Fred Barker (rehired) Equipment Construction Undergraduate Aeronaut-
(part time) ical Engineering Stud-
ent.
II. The following administrative action was taken during the month of
May:
A bid was obtained from Skinner, Cook, & Babcock, Contractors,
at 60 E. 42d Street, New York City, for the erection of a prefabricated
building for the Balloon Project. The quotation of $4,000 was forward-
ed to Watson Laboratories.
Correspondence during this period was as follows:
Date of
Corres-
pondence Address Abstract Answer
5/1/47 WIRE Use of football field Granted.
Dr. Frank Myers requested for balloon
Lehigh University launching on 6 May.
Bethlehem, Pa.
5/5/47 WIRE Bad weather postponed None needed.
Same flight until 9 May.
5/6/47 Kollsman Instrument Div. Request for quotation Furnished.
Square D Co. on diaphragm seal-off
Elmhurst, L.I. for dribbler and for
Att: Paul Goudy increased quantity of
modified dribblers.
- 1 -5/7/57 WIRE Samples of parachute Furnished.
Barney Frank shroud lines requested.
Hightstown, N.J.
5/6/47 General Mills Request for quotation Awaiting
Minneapolis, Minn. on sample balloons shown Navy clearance.
Att: Mr. O. C. Winsen to C.B. Moore on visit.
5/13/47 Dewey & Almy Chem. Co. Request delivery date Given.
Cambridge, Mass. on 1000 gm balloons.
Att: Mr. Isom
5/14/47 Mr. G.P. Clare Request for information Furnished.
4719 W. Sunnyside Ave. and catalogues on rot-
Chicago, 30, Ill. ary switches.
5/14/47 Goodyear Tire & Rubber Delaying action in
Akron, Ohio Goodyear's quotation
Att: Leonard M. Harb for balloons.
5/15/47 Office of the Secretary Request clearance for Given.
Fort Worth Sub-Committee flight of Balloons
on Air Space from Alamogordo.
Civil Aeronautics Auth-
ority, (4th Region)
Fort Worth, Texas
5/27/47 General Mills Repeat request for Awaiting
Minneapolis, Minn. quotation on plastic Navy clearance.
Att: Mr. O.C. Winsen balloons.
- 2 -IV. Conferences
The following conferences were held during the month of May:
Date People Present Where Held Discussed Conclusions
5/1/47 O. C. Winsen of General Mills Manufacture of balloons Obtain Navy clearance
General Mills Minneapolis, Minn. by General Mills for this General Mills bal-
project. loons look good for
our work.
5/8/47 Dr. Peoples, Mr. Watson Laboratories Bethlehem flight for Final details.
Ireland, of Watson Red Bank, N.J. May 9.
Laboratories. C.S.
Schneider, C.B. Moore
5/10/47 Same Same New flights at Alamo- Set up trip to Alamo-
gordo, N.M., where lower gordo for May 29.
winds can be found.
New dribbler design.
5/13/47 Paul Goudy of Kollsman Instrument Div.
Kollsman Instrument Square D Co.
Elmhurst, L.I.,N.Y.
5/14/47 Representative Vulcan Proofing Co. Testing of balloon Vulcan proofing would
of Vulcan Proofing Brooklyn, N.Y. fabrics and films. make tests.
Co. C.S. Schneider,
C.B. Moore
5/22/47 Dr. Peoples, Messrs: Watson Laboratories, Final arrangements for
A.H.Mears, John Red Bank, N.J. Alamogordo trip.
Alden, Charles
Ireland, C.S.Schneider,
C.B. Moore
- 3 -III C 1. General Work Accomplished
A conference was held on May 1 at Minneapolis with Mr.
O. C. Winsen of General Mills concerning the manufacture of
balloons by General Mills for this project. At the present time
this company cannot supply us with balloons until Navy clearance
is obtained, but it is hoped that arrangements can be completed
in the near future. The type of balloons manufactured by General
Mills seems to be well suited to the needs of this project.
On May 8 a trip was made to Lehigh University, Bethlehem,
Pa., to fly a cluster of meteorological balloons carrying Watson
Laboratories equipment. Winds developed during launching and the
balloons escaped when the restraining lines snapped under the
strain, carrying balloons aloft without payload.
As a result of this incident, two conclusions were
drawn: first, that a new launching technique was needed; second,
that another launching site must be selected offering consistently
calm winds during launching. It was decided to make the next
flights at Alamogordo, New Mexico, early in June.
On May 14 a conference was held at the Vulcan Proofing
Co., in Brooklyn, N.Y. to discuss the possibility of this company
testing various types of fabric and film used in the manufacture
of balloons. It was agreed that the company would make the desired
tests when ordered by us.
The high point of the month's activities was the departure
for Alamogordo on May 31, and the balance of the month was spent
in the preparation of equipment for the flights to be made there.
Departure was made from Olmstead Field, Middletown, Pa. in a C-47
furnished by the Watson Laboratories.
2. Specific Problems
In general, problems remain the same as those discussed in
the previous report, namely: the determination of the relative merits
of various balloon films and fabrics available; the analysis of the
altitude control devices to be used; and the flight testing of the
equipment to be used in preliminary work. All of these problems now
await further flights and delivery of equipment ordered before
solution can be attempted.
3. Limitations.
The greatest hindering factor in the progress of work is the
lack of available space. The prefabricated building to be furnished
by the government under the terms of the contract is now more urgently
- 4 -needed than before, due to the hiring of more personnel. The
joint laboratory and office which this project shares with
another is highly inadequate for six men of theirs and eleven
of ours -- a total of 17 men in a space approximately 15x15 feet.
d. Methods of Attack
Until plastic balloons can be obtained, we will continue
to fly clusters of meteorological balloons.
e. Apparatus and Equipment
The only substantial change in equipment during the
period covered by this report, other than general strengthening
of flying lines, is the addition of a new main sand ballast dropping
device to the equipment train of the flights to be made at Alamogordo.
The device consists of a nest of eight plastic tubes each
filled with dry sand and sealed on the bottom with a sturdy paper
membrane. At the bottom of each tube, resting against the membrane,
is a small detonating squib of sufficient force to rupture the paper
and permit the sand to fall. Each squib is connected to a different
lead on the baro-switch of a radio-sonde modulator, so that a
predetermined weight of sand may be released at eight predetermined
altitudes. A small wire "shelf" is placed over the commutator of the
modulator in such a way that the pin arm is lifted clear of the con-
tacts during ascent and permitted to drop into place at an altitude
above that of the highest firing contact. This is designed to prevent
the firing of squibs and consequent dropping of ballast during ascent.
f. Conclusions and Recommendations
It is felt that the use of freely extensible meteorological
balloons is unsatisfactory for any final solution of our problem
because of their inherent instability and the rapid deterioration
of neoprene rubber under the rays of the sun. It is felt that cluster
flights of these balloons are a purely stop-gap method of floating Watson
Laboratories equipment until plastic non-extensible balloons can be
obtained and tested.
The need for greater work space is becoming increasingly
urgent as new personnel are added to the project and the extent of
the work grows.
- 5 -It is believed that with present equipment the Alamogordo,
New Mexico, area is the most suitable available for launching
purposes, since calm winds are consistently present at dawn, and
there are a minimum of clouds to impair ground observation of the
balloons in flight.
Future Work
It is hoped that in the immediate future satisfactory
techniques for the launching and floating of cluster flights may be
developed under optimum conditions, and tests made on small plastic
balloons to be furnished by H.A. Smith, Coatings, Inc., of Mamaroneck,
New York.
Arrangements have been completed with the Vulcan Proofing
Co. of Brooklyn, N.Y. to test various balloon fabrics and films
available. These tests will probably be conducted in the near future.
As soon as arrangements can be completed to obtain Navy
clearance we plan to obtain non-extensible balloons from General Mills
in sufficient quantity to make flight tests and commence work on the
ultimate objective of this project.
- 6 -16 New York University Special Report No. 1 Constant Level Balloon May 1947
See also Weaver Attachment 25
SPECIAL REPORT #1
Covering Period from January 1, 1947
to April 30, 1947
CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOON
Research Division, Project No. 93
Prepared in Accordance with Provisions of Contract
W28-099 ac-241, between
Watson Laboratories, Red Bank, New Jersey
and
New York University
Prepared by: Charles S. Schneider [signature]
Charles S. Schneider
Assistant Project Director
Approved by: Renato Contini [signature]
Renato Contini
Acting Director of Research
Research Division
College of Engineering
May, 1947ABSTRACT
A preliminary survey was made of the problem. Speci-
fications were drawn up for the equipment needed and manu-
facturers were contacted to construct experimental balloons
and altitude controls.
A balloon crew was assembled.
While awaiting delivery on the NYU designed equipment,
clusters of meteorological balloons have been flown for experi-
ence and as a stop-gap method of carrying a payload to altitude.
In addition, two salvaged, racing-type, man-carrying balloons
of 35,000 cubic foot size have been procured and are being pre-
pared for flight. Two 19,000 cubic foot Japanese balloons have
been made available by the Navy.
Preliminary calculations have been made on balloon
buoyancies and families of curves plotting altitude vs. lift
for various balloon sizes have been prepared for planning and
flight purposes.
Civil Aeronautics Authority has given clearance for
flight of large balloons form Lakehurst, New Jersey, and Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania, with certain restrictions.
- 1 -REPORT
I. The personnel working on this project consists of the following
full-time employees:
Name Duties Qualifications
Charles S. Schneider Asst. Proj. Director Former weather equipment
officer, Army Air Forces
doing similar work during
the war. Elec. Engineering,
Brooklyn Polytechnic & NYU
Charles B. Moore Jr. Research Engineer Former weather equipment
officer, Army Air Forces
doing similar work during
the war. Graduate of
Georgia School of Technology
in Chemical Engineering.
Richard Hassard Chief of Flight Detail Former Signal Corpos Officer,
Elec. Engineering at NYU.
Murry Hackman In charge of the Former weather equipment
Electronic Weather Technician, Degree in
Equipment. Mathematics and Statistics
City College of New York.
In addition to the above full-time employees, the following
part-time personnel are now working on the project:
Name Duties Qualifications
Henry Kammenzind Computations & Equip- Undergraduate Elec.
ment Construction Engineering Student.
Ralph Morrell Equipment Construction Undergraduate Admin.
Engineering Student.
James Smith Weather Observer and Former Weather Observer
Draftsman in Army and Undergraduate
Engineering Student.
William Kneer Machinist Undergraduate Engineering
Student.
-2 -The following personnel were hired but later resigned:
Name Duties Qualifications
Robert Wisnieff Equipment Construction Undergraduate Physicist
Student.
Robert Ferris Equipment Construction Undergraduate Physics
Student.
Fred Barker Equipment Construction Undergraduate Aeronautics
Engineering Student.
II. The following administrative action has been taken in connection
with this contract:
Personnel
1. The assignment of Charles S. Schneider to act as Assistant
Project Director.
2. The employment of Charles B. Moore Jr. of Georgia Tech. as
a Research Assistant with duties as Engineer.
3. Murry Hackman was engaged to take charge of the Electronic
weather equipment due to his past experience as a weather equipment
technician and as an instructor of the AAF classes in the maintenance of
radiosonde receptor AN/FMQ-1 and radio directional finder SCR-658 at
Chanute Field, Illinois.
4. Richard Hassard, a former Signal Corps Officer was hired
because of his general knowledge of electrical and radio circuits to
handle the construction of special flight equipment.
Equipment
5. As New York University did not possess all the necessary
equipment a list of equipment was prepared and submitted to the
Government with the request that this equipment be loaned or furnished
- 3 -by the government. To date most of this equipment has been received
with the exception of the AN/FMQ-1, SCR-658 and the prefabricated
buildings needed for office and storage space.
6. The list of equipment that was submitted to the government
consisted of the major items that were necessary. However, because
many small hand tools and radio parts and other equipment were needed
periodically a petty cash fund of $100 was set up to facilitate
purchase of small items. A further request has been submitted to the
Chancellor of the University requesting that this petty cash be
increased to $200 and that a travel fund of $100 be established.
Housing
7. The existing inflation shelter at the school for the
Meteorological Department's use was not adequate to handle the large
diameter plastic balloons that we plan to use. Therefore a request
was submitted and approved by the Contracting Officer for the con-
struction of a 27 ft. cube inflation shelter on the campus of New
York University. Due to restrictions placed on us by the Air Space
Sub-Committee of the Civil Aeronautics Authority, New York Office,
it has since been decided not to erect this inflation shelter in the
New York area, but rather to use existing facilities at Lakehurst,
New Jersey or Olmstead Field, Middletown, New Jersey.
Sub-Contracts
8. Permission was secured from the Contracting Officer of the
Watson Laboratories to place two sub-contracts. One was for the fabri-
cation of plastic balloons and was placed with Harold A. Smith Inc.,
of Mamaroneck, New York. This sub-contract amounted to $7,565. The
second sub-contract was placed with Kollsman Instrument Division of
- 4 -Square D Incorporated at Elmhurst, Long Island, New York. This
sub-contract was for the construction of model altitude controls
and amounted to $7,446.
Correspondence written during this period is as follows:
Date of
Corres-
pondence Address Abstract Answer
11/7/46 Plax Corp Forwarding P.O.#5983 Not furnished.
Hartford, Conn. & Requesting price
Att: Mr. Griffith quotation and delivery
schedule for 4 diff.
thicknesses of 36" wide
polyethylene sheet
(.001" .00225" .004"
and .008".
11/7/46 Visking Corp. Request to know what
Chicago, Ill. maximum width Poly-
Mr. Cahn ethylene could be
supplied in, and
what the cost and
delivery date would
be.
12/4/46 Visking Corp. Advising interest in 72" circumference
Chicago, Ill. securing 300 ft. of 72" Polythylene tube
E. B. Cahn circumference poly- could be furnished.
ethylene tubing re- Request to know
quest information on quantity and thick-
thickness and price. ness .002 mil thick
$1.40/lb. estimate
and would need 19
lbs.
12/10/46 Dewey & Almy Chem. Co. Acknowledging receipt None required.
Cambridge, Mass. of material used by
Att: Mr. Langley W. Isom Mr. Isom in his con-
stant level balloon
work. Also advising
that order for single
and double neck 1000
gram balloons had been
placed.
- 5 -12/16/46 Celanese Celluloid Corp. Advising this company Advising they do
180 Madison Avenue of our desire to fabri- not believe ethyl
New York, N. Y. cate a balloon from plas- cellulose would
tic film and our inter- work secondly that
est in ethyl cellulose they do not make
as a possible plastic film only molding
film to be used for powder - no litera-
this construction. Re- ture available.
quest that literature
be supplied showing
low temperature char-
acteristics, tensile
strength, etc.
12/17/46 Nixon Nitrogen Works Same request made of Advising they only
Nixon, New Jersey this company as with make molding
Celanese Celluloid powder.
Corp.
12/17/46 Plax Corp. Advising that E. L. None required.
Hartford, Conn. Cournand Co., re-
Att: Mr. Griffith commended by Plax,
had declined the
contract for fabri-
cation of balloons.
That Unexcelled Chem.
Corp. of New Bruns-
wick had agreed to
this fabrication and
supplied the necessary
shipping address for
the polyethylene.
12/17/46 Dewey & Almy Chem. Co. Acknowledging receipt Advising that nub
Cambridge, Mass. of single and double must be cut with
Att: Mr. Isom neck balloons. Double scissors in order
neck balloons were to get double neck.
received with a single
neck plus a nub on the
top of the balloon.
Request to know
whether shipment was
in error and if so
what disposition to
be made.
12/17/46 Dow Chem. Co. Same request made of Not received.
Midland, Mich. this company as that
made with Celanese
Celluloid Corp.
- 6 -12/24/46 Unexcelled Chem. Corp. Advising the Plax Corp. Advising that .002
Harold A. Smith had been supplied with mil thickness too
his shipping address thin. Suggested
and also requesting endeavoring to
his technical advice obtain 72" width
on the feasability of in .006 mil.
using a 72" wide strip
of polyethylene, 2 mil.
thickness that Visking
Corp. of Chicago could
supply.
1/3/47 Harold A. Smith Acknowledge receipt of New quotation
letter of December 26th furnished.
containing estimated
cost of fabrication of
balloon. Advising that
the bid could not be
accepted on a cost plus
basis. Requesting that
their quote be resub-
mitted.
1/3/47 Visking Corp. Advising that fabri- Advising that
Chicago, Ill. cation of balloons at they only have
Att: J. L. Lane a 2 mil. thickness .004 and .006
polyethylene film would 15 18" flat width.
be extremely difficult The 36" width
to handle. Request request could be
made that information made but price
be supplied on a 72" would be prohi-
circumference film 4-6 bitive.
mils in thickness.
1/8/47 Watson Laboratories Advising need of radio- Advising part ship-
Red Bank, N. J. sonde receptor SCR658 ment would be made
Mr. A. H. Mears by NYU plus power units Feb. 13th.
and technical publi-
cations.
1/8/47 Watson Laboratories Returning list of Advising government
Red Bank, N. J. equipment to the records changed and
Mr. A. H. Mears government loaned or that catalogues
government furnished will be sent under
with request that separate cover.
certain corrections,
additions and deletions
be made.
- 7 -1/14/47 Bland Charnas Inc. Requesting to know Advising that they
Yonkers, N. Y. whether this company could not assist
would consider fabri- us in fabrication.
cation of 15 ft. dia-
meter plastic balloon.
1/21/47 Shellmar Projects Corp. Request that they quote Advising plant
Mt. Vernon, Ohio on delivery and cost of could not cope with
fabrication of 10 ea.15 problem at this
ft. balloons. Five to time.
be fabricated from Saran
(Type M.00225" thick and
5 from polyethylene made
from PM-1.004" thick.
1/21/47 Milprint Inc. Same request as letter Verbally informed.
Milwaukee, Wisc. to Shellmar 1/21/47. Not interested.
Mr. Paul B. Hultkrans
1/21/47 Rowe Packaging Co. Ltd. Same request as letter Wish to make model
Toronto, Canada to Shellmar 1/21/47. and submit same be-
fore quoting. Never
heard anything.
1/21/47 Western Products Inc. Same request as letter Acknowledged re-
Newark, Ohio to Shellmar 1/21/47. ceipt of letter
and advising quot-
ation would follow.
Did not arrive.
1/23/47 Kennedy Car Liner & Same request as letter Verbally informed.
Bag Co., Inc. to Shellmar 1/21/47. Not interested.
Shelbyville, Ind.
1/23/47 Unexcelled Chem. Corp. Request for quote on New quotation
Harold A. Smith 15-15 ft. diameter bal- furnished.
loons and 6-3 ft. dia-
meter balloons to be
fabricated from various
thicknesses of Saran
and Polyethylene.
1/23/47 Watson Laboratories Advising that tool None required.
Red Bank, N. J. equipment TE-50A was
Mr. A. H. Mears short a 6" ruler a pr.
of tweezers, and a
socket wrench. No
request for replacement
for these items made.
- 8 -1/28/47 Kollsman Instrument Co. Request for quotation Quotation supplied.
Elmhurst, L. I. of 3 ea. of the follow-
Att: Paul Goudy ing altitude control
equipment:
1. Motor switched
modulators.
2. Elec. controlled
dribblers.
3. Mech. controlled
dribblers.
2/3/47 Contracting Officer Forwarding quote from Not approved.
Watson Laboratories Unexcelled & requesting
Red Bank, New Jersey approval.
2/7/47 Watson Laboratories Requesting permission Permission granted.
Red Bank, New Jersey to build a 27 cubic foot
Att: Mr. D. Rigney inflation shelter.
2/10/47 Contracting Officer Forwarding quotation Permission granted
Watson Laboratories received from Kollsman to place subcontrac-
Red Bank, New Jersey Instrument Co. for the
necessary control de-
vices for the constant
level balloon.
2/11/47 Patterson Bros. Advising that one Ungar Replacement made.
New York City electric soldering pencil
Att: Mr. H. Carey is being returned under
separate cover as it was
received in unusable con-
dition. Request for re-
placement made. Quotation
enclosed.
2/18/47 Contracting Officer Requesting permission to Permission withheld.
Watson Laboratories place subcontract with
Red Bank, N. J. Unexcelled Chem. Corp.
for the fabrication of
balloons.
2/24/47 General Mills Request that quotation Declining to quote
Minneapolis, Minn. be supplied for the until after confer-
Mr. O. C. Winzen fabrication of 15-15 ft. ence with NYU
diameter balloons and representatives.
6-3 ft. diameter balloons
made of various thick-
nesses of polyethylene
and Saran.
- 9 -2/24/47 Bland Charnas Co. Inc. Same request as letter No reply received.
New York City to General Mills 2/24/47.
2/24/47 Leonard M. Harb Same request as letter Quotation supplied
Goodyear Tire & Rubber to General Mills 15 April 1947.
Akron, Ohio 2/24/47.
No answer received.
3/6/47 Watson Laboratories Forwarding copy of
Red Bank, N. J. letter of request that
Mr. Brophy had been sent to Mr.
H. A. Smith for the
fabrication of balloons.
3/7/47 Contracting Officer Advising that Unexcelled Permission granted.
Watson Laboratories Chem. Corp. did not wish
Red Bank, N. J. to proceed with the con-
tract and that instead
H. A. Smith of Mamaro-
neck, N. Y. was willing
to undertake the fabri-
cation. Quotation from
Mr. Smith enclosed. Re-
quest that approval be
granted.
3/7/47 Goodyear Tire & Rubber Request a quote on the Quotation supplied
Akron, Ohio fabrication of 5 ea. 15 April 1947.
Mr. L. M. Harb balloons made from
Nylon covered with
suitable neoprene and
5 ea. balloons made
from fortisan covered
in a similar fashion.
Advising that any
recommendations con-
cerning balloon fabrics
would be appreciated.
3/7/47 Seyfang Laboratories Same request as letter Advised interest.
1300 Mediterranean Ave. to General Mills 2/24. Ask for conference.
Atlantic City, N. J.
3/7/47 Unexcelled Chem. Corp. Requesting that poly- No action taken.
New Brunswick, N. J. ethylene film that had
been shipped to them
from Plax Corp. be
returned to NYU.
3/7/47 Plax Corp. Request that shipping ad- No answer required
Hartford, Conn. dress for polyethylene
Mr. R. E. Ames film be changed from
Unexcelled Chem. Corp.,
New Brunswick, N.J. to
H. A. Smith, 490 Bleecker
Ave., Mamaroneck, N.Y.
- 10 -3/19/47 Unexcelled Chem. Corp. Confirming telephone Film shipped.
New Brunswick, N. J. conversation in which Quotation supplied.
Att: Mr. Tegen authorization was given
to ship polyethylene
film to NYU and advis-
ing once again of cor-
rect shipping address.
3/21/47 Manne-Knollton Insul. Requesting quote and Quotation supplied.
Co., N. Y. C. delivery date on fibre
screws 1½" long, filli-
ster head and 8-32
thread.
3/24/47 General Mills Acknowledge letter of Asked for con-
Minneapolis, Minn. 3/11 and advising that ference in April.
Mr. O. C. Winzen our representatives
would be pleased to
discuss construction
details of the balloons.
3/24/47 Mr. R. S. Hassard Advising him of possibi- Hassard employed.
5 Hollywood Ave. lity of full-time posi-
Tuckahoe, N. Y. tion in Research Div.
of NYU. Requesting
that he make appointment
for interview.
3/25/47 Mr. George E. Weidner Requesting permission Invited to visit
Engineer Board for NYU representatives Mr. Weidner.
Barrage Balloon Branch to visit with him to
Ft. Belvoir, Va. discuss constant level
balloons and safety
valves and control
devices.
3/27/47 H. A. Smith Requesting quote on Supplied
Mamaroneck, N. Y. valves.
3/29/47 H. A. Smith Request for quote on Not received.
Mamaroneck, N. Y. balloons fabricated
from nylon and forti-
san film coated with
butyl rubber.
3/29/47 Seyfange Laboratories Requesting quote on Received.
1300 Mediterranean Ave. 3 sets of stabalizer •
Atlantic City, N. J. fins.
- 11 -3/31/47 J. R. Garvin Requesting quote for the Acknowledged.
Douglas Leigh Sky 80,000 cu. ft. balloons Asked for definite
Advertising Co. that this company re- express ion of
Lakehurst, N. J. ceived from surplus. interest.
3/31/47 Seyfang Laboratories Requesting quote on one Furnished.
1300 Mediterranean Ave. to five each 15 ft.
Atlantic City, N. J. diameter balloons made
of 3 oz. silk cloth
coated with neoprene
and 2 each 3 ft. dia-
meter balloons made
from the same material.
4/1/47 Mr. J. Boyle Requesting quote on Quote furnished on
Air Cruisers Inc. 25-15 ft. diameter nylon fabric coated
Clifton, N. J. balloons and 10-3 ft. with butyl rubber.
diameter balloons made Interested but want
from polyethylene .004" cost plus basis.
polyethylene .008"
saran .00225" and a
fortisan fabric coated
with butyl rubber and
from nylon film.
4/1/47 Molded Latex Products Identical letter as Furnished.
Inc. above request to Air
Paterson, N. J. Cruisers Inc.
4/8/47 WIRE Requesting price and
H. J. Brailsford & delivery date of 3
Co. Inc. volt price type relays.
Rye, N. Y.
4/8/47 Capt. Albert C. Trakowski Forwarding minutes of None required.
Watson Laboratories Air Space Sub-Committee
Red Bank, N. J. Meeting.
4/8/47 General Mills Acknowledging receipt April date set.
Minneapolis, Minn. of March 31st letter
Mr. O. C. Winzen and notifying this
company that our re-
presentatives would
be pleased to come at
their convenience.
4/10/47 WIRE Requesting to know Answered.
H. G. Brailsford how relays ordered
Rye, N. Y. were shipped.
4/10/47 WIRE Requesting permission Given.
Lehigh University to make balloon re-
Bethlehem, Pa. lease from Lehigh Uni-
Prof. Frank Myers versity on 15 April.
- 12 -4/10/47 WIRE Requesting to know Date Given.
Seyfang Laboratories whether April 17th
1300 Mediterranean Ave. or 13th would be
Atlantic City, N. J. satisfactory to Mr.
Frank C. Seyfang to
meet NYU representa-
tives to inspect
80,000 cu. ft. and
2-35,000 cu. ft. in
Heightstown, N. J.
4/11/47 WIRE Advising that single None needed.
Dewey & Almy neck N1000 gram balloons
Cambridge, Mass. should be furnished on
Mr. W. L. Dawbarn our order 148-48.
4/14/47 WIRE Advising NYU represen- Furnished.
Frank Seyfang tative could not keep
Seyfang Laboratories engagement for April
Atlantic City, N. J. 17th to inspect balloons
and requesting that
next best suitable
date be furnished.
4/15/47 WIRE Advising NYU still Satisfactory
Mr. Barney Frank interested in pur-
27 Rochdale Ave. chase of balloons.
Roosevelt City, N. J. Requesting that in-
spection date be
changed from 17 Apr.
to 23 Apr.
4/17/47 WIRE Advising time of None needed.
Lehigh University arrival at Lehigh to
Bethlehem, Pa. release balloons.
4/17/47 N. Y. Sub-Committee on Advising that dis- Request refused.
Air Space crepancies observed in
385 Madison Ave., NYC minutes of CAA meeting
Att: C. J. Stock and requesting that
conditions for more
suitable flights be
granted.
4/21/47 WIRE Advising that NYU
General Mills representatives would
Minneapolis, Minn. make definite date
Mr. O. C. Winzen for arrival later in
week.
- 13 -4/21/47 WIRE Confirming date of None needed.
Barney Frank Apr. 23 for date
27 Rochdale Ave. inspection of bal-
Roosevelt City, N. J. loons.
4/21/47 Seyfang Laboratories Confirming date of 23 Answered.
Atlantic City, N. J. Apr. for date in-
spection of balloons.
4/23/47 Kollsman Instrument Changing details in None needed.
Division altitude control
80-08 45th Avenue purchase order.
Elmhurst, L. I.
4/28/47 WIRE Advising that 2 - Acknowledged.
Seyfang Laboratories 35,000 cu. ft. bal-
Atlantic City, N. J. loons were purchased
from Barney Frank
and that these bal-
loons were being
shipped to him for
repair.
4/28/47 Barney Frank Advising that Univer- Acknowledged.
27 Rochdale Ave. sity would buy 2 -
Roosevelt City, N. J. 35,000 cu. ft. balloons
and that these balloons
should be shipped to
Seyfang Laboratories.
- 14 -IV. Conferences
Preliminary conferences were held with plastic packaging companies. However, as trained personnel
were not always available at the time of these conferences with the various companies it was necessary to
write followup letters. Reference to these letters can be found under communications of this report.
In addition to these preliminary conferences the following conferences were
also held:
Date People Present Where Held Discussed Conclusions
2/11/47 Dr. J. Peoples, C. Watson Laboratories Government furnished Equipment would
Ireland, D. Rigney, Red Bank, N. J. equipment. be expedited by
Capt. Trakowski, Moore, Watson.
Schneider
2/21/47 R. Brophy, Dr. J. Watson Laboratories Placement of sub- NYU should visit
Peoples, Capt. Red Bank, N. J. contracts for balloons Goodyear before
Trakowski, D. Rigney, with H. A. Smith, Inc. placing contract.
Schneider, Moore
2/25/47 Lt. Comdr. Harrison, Lakehurst Naval Air Jap Balloons. Jap balloons were
Dr. Peoples, Schneider, Station available for
Moore, Hackman Lakehurst, N. J. projecture.
2/27/47 J. Sturtevant, L. Harb, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Fabrication of Goodyear was inter-
Schneider, Moore Co., large balloons ested and would
Akron, Ohio prepare a quote.
3/3/47 Dr. Peoples, D. Rigney, Watson Laboratories Placement of sub- Permission granted
Moore, Schneider Red Bank, N. J. contracts for balloons to place sub-contract.
and altitude controls.
3/21/47 Mr. Hagen, Dr. Premior- Molded Latex Fabrication of large Await preparation of
gest, Moore Paterson, N. J. balloons. a quote.
- 15 -3/25/47 Lt. Gunther, Comdr. Lakehurst Air Naval Use of Lakehurst as Lakehurst would be
Harrison, C. Ireland, Station a launching site. available to Watson.
Moore Lakehurst, N. J.
3/26/47 F. Seyfang, Mrs. F. Atlantic City, N. J. Fabrication of large A quotation would
Seyfang, Moore, Seyfang Laboratories balloons. be prepared.
Schneider
4/4/47 Dr. Peoples, D. Rigney, Watson Laboratories 1st Cluster Flight Prepare for Second
Moore, Schneider Red Bank, N. J. Flight
4/11/47 R. Brophy, Mr. Cambridge New York University Contract Administration Housing would be
R. Contini, M. Giannini Housing provided by govt.
Schneider, Moore
4/30/47 P. Goudy, Moore Kollsman Instrument Co. Ballust valve construc- Change indetails.
Elmhurst, L. I. tion.
During the period covered by this report, Messrs. Moore and Schneider made repeated trips to
Kollsman Instrument Co. and discussed the fabrication of the modulators and other equipment that Kollsman
was designing for our use. These meetings have not been considered conferences but for the benefit of this
report the same individuals were always present, Messrs. Schneider and Moore of New York University and
Paul Goudy, Engineer for Kollsman Instrument Co. The material discussed was methods of improving the con-
struction of the modulators and other equipment.
- 16 -III C 1. General Work Accomplished.
The period was spent in preparatory work which consisted of
the following phases:
Phase 1. The designing of a balloon and of altitude controls to be
used as tentative solutions to the main problem.
2. The contacting of plastic film fabricators to obtain several
sources of supply for large non-extensible balloons. To date, one sub-
contract has been let for 15 ft. diameter balloons.
3. The contacting of an instrument company which would construct
the altitude control devices. A subcontract has also been let for
altitude controls.
4. The designing of a large balloon inflation shelter at N. Y. U.
Materials have been procured for it. Due to change in plans the shelter
will not be built at N. Y. U. therefore the materials are being held for
the government until termination of contract.
5. The repairing and testing of the radiosonde receptor in Depart-
ment of Meteorology for preliminary flights pending the arrival of
Government-loaned equipment.
6. The preliminary flights with clusters of Meteorological balloons
as stop-gap methods to attempt constant level balloon flights while
awaiting the delivery of N. Y. U. designed equipment.
7. The making of preliminary calculations and requirements on
constant level balloon performance.
2. Specific Problems.
Yet to be determined is the relative merits of various balloon
films and fabrics available. This is to be handled by test work done by
- 17 -the General Mills and perhaps by the Bureau of Standards in Washington.
The altitude control devices need to be analyzed for deter-
mination of optimum settings for initial action and rates of release
of the ballast. This problem is awaiting some flights before a full
scale, mathematical study is undertaken.
The main problem is the flight testing of the equipment planned
as a tentative solution to the desired flight path. This awaits receipt
of some large lightweight balloon envelopes and more of the altitude
controls.
3. Limitations.
More work would have been accomplished had the equipment to
be furnished by the Government arrived. The prefabricated building
that is to be supplied by the Government according to the contract is
urgently needed, as there is no housing available for the project at
N. Y. U. The project personnel has been using work benches occupied
by other projects. The project has been using the office space of
another research group. This has not been satisfactory as six of their
men and four of ours attempt to work in a joint laboratory and office
15 x 15.
Restriction on the project is the Civil Aeronautics Authority
requirement that balloon flights be made only on days that are cloudless
up to 20,000 feet. This is difficult to meet in the eastern United
States but appears less difficult in the New Mexico area.
The pertinent abstract from minutes of the meeting with the Air
Space Sub-Committee of CAA on 17 March 1947 are included in the appendix.
- 18 -d. Methods of Attack
(1) After a survey of available literature in aerostatics and
after conferences with various balloon manufacturers and authorities it
is believed that the basic problem of maintaining the 15 lbs. of payload
at constant altitude can best be solved by using a non-extensible balloon
and a device operated by pressure which drops ballast whenever the
balloon descends below a preset altitude.
The specifications for the equipment are as follows:
The balloon should be of large known volume, light in weight,
non-extensible, either transparent or highly reflective to
solar radiation. Rigging should be used to distribute the
load evenly about the balloon.
A safety valve should be used to hold the inflation appendix
of the balloon normally closed (as any hydrogen lost decreases
the time possible at nominal constant altitude). The valve
would act as a safety vent if the balloon should rise appreciably
above the altitude where it is fully inflated, as there is danger
of rupturing the envelope unless the excess pressure is relieved.
The safety valve should be set to release pressure before the
limit of the working stress of the balloon fabric is reached.
If the exact volume of the balloon is known and the air density
vs. altitude relationship is determined on the day of flight,
it is possible to compute the total lift of the gas in the
balloon at any altitude. By adjusting the gross load to be
supported by the gas to equal the total lift at the desired
altitude of flight, the balloon will level off at the desired
- 19 -altitude as it has no further buoyancy. This altitude stability
exists only as long as the balloon is in the fully inflated or
"taut" state. Once the balloon starts descending (due to loss
of hydrogen by diffusion or by other loss) it becomes flabby and
is no longer stable. It will continue descending until corrective
action is taken or until it reaches the earth.
The altitude control is to be used is the ballast valve. When
correctly set it will determine the lower limit of the balloon's oscillation
as it would release a free flowing liquid ballast from a reservoir whenever
the balloon descends a short distance below a preset altitude.
To test this tentative solution to the basic problem, inter-
mediate sizes of balloon made of suitable fabric or films are needed in
addition to the altitude controls.
Balloons
Balloon manufacturers and fabricators of plastic films were
contacted to locate a suitable balloon material. The following materials
were suggested:
Material Advantages Disadvantages Disposition
Plastic Film
Polyethylene Good low temperature Low tensile strength, 10 ea. 15 ft.
properties (Gen.Mills Milky-translucent, balloons being
desires to fabricate Medium permeability. fabricated from
Picard's balloons it.
from this).
Saran Transparent, low Tears easily, fair 5 large balloons
permeability, high low temperature pro- being fabricated.
tensile strength. perties (?), weak at
seams if heat sealed.
- 20 -Nylon Good low temperature Not available, low Awaiting sample.
properties, easily tear resistance (?)
fabricated, strong.
Vinylite Easily fabricated. Very poor low Discarded.
Almost transparent. temperature pro-
perties.
Teflon Strong Can not be fabricated. Discarded.
Ethocel Easily fabricated. Very high Discarded.
Good low temperature permeability.
characteristics.
Pliofilm Easily fabricated. Poor ultra violet Discarded.
properties, poor low
temperature properties.
Coated Fabrics
Nylon coated Strong, easily Heavy, expensive Awaiting
with fabricated. opaque, nylon Investigation.
neoprene cloth has relative
butyl rubber high elongation.
polyethylene
saran
Fortasin (regen- Awaiting
ated celulose Investigation.
rayon) coated
with
neoprene
butyl rubber
polyethylene
saran
Silk coated Awaiting
with Investigation.
neoprene
butyl rubber
As a result of this preliminary study a sub-contract was
given to H. A. Smith, Coatings Inc. of Mamaroneck, New York, to fabricate
balloons with the following specifications for test purposes:
- 21 -3 foot diameter balloons, no attachments excepting an inflation
tube or appendix made of the balloon film about 10 inches long
and 1.4" diameter.
2 each made from Polyethylene PM-1 film .004" thick
2 each made from Polyethylene PM-1 film .008" thick
2 each made from Saran type M film .00225" thick
15 foot diameter balloons with inflation tube 4" in diameter and
12" long, also means for attaching rigging lines supporting a
25-pound load to bottom of balloon and means for attaching aux-
iliary lifting balloons to top of balloon. If possible, balloon
should be capable of withstanding internal pressure equivalent
to 2" water.
5 each made from Polyethylene PM-1 film .004" thick
5 each made from Polyethylene PM-1 film .008" thick
5 each made from Saran Type M film .00225" thick
(1) The balloon film should be treated before or after manufacture
in such a way as to seal all pinholes.
(2) A patching kit should be furnished for use of the balloon
flight personnel.
(3) It is desired that either the volume of the 15 foot balloons
be known to within 10 to 20 cubic feet when fully inflated or that the volume,
though unknown, be nearly the same for each of the balloons of this size
(differences in volume should not exceed ±1% of the total volume of a mean
balloon).
Delivery was made 20 April 1947 on the first 3 foot balloons, two
15 foot balloons are expected by the end of May.
In an attempt to interest another manufacturer in the problem,
the following companies were contacted.
Company Type of Company Interested? Disposition
Dobeckman Co.
500 Fifth Avenue, NYC Plastics & Packaging No None
Kennedy Car Liner & Bag
Co., Shelbyville, Ind. Plastics & Packaging No None
- 22 -Plextron Inc.
55 Tremont Ave., Bx 57 Beach Balls No None
DuPage Plastics Co.
475 Fifth Ave., NYC Beach Balls No None
Shellmar Products Inc.
Empire State Bldg., NYC Plastics & Packaging No None
Millprint Inc.
Milwaukee 1, Wisconsin Plastics & Packaging No None
Celanese Plastics Corp.
180 Madison Ave., NYC Plastics & Packaging No None
E. L. Cournand Co.
2835 9th Ave., NYC Plastics & Packaging No None
Bland Charnas Co.
24 Ashburton Ave, Yonkers Toys, Beach Balls No None
Western Products Inc.
Newark, Ohio Plastics & Packaging No None
Rowe Packaging Co.
26 Queens St. E.
Toronto 1, Ontario
Canada Plastics & Packaging No None
Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Co., Akron 16, Ohio Blimps & Balloons Yes Awaiting final
decision.
Molded Latex Products
Inc., 27 Kentucky Ave.
Paterson 3, N. J. Balloons (Meteorological) Not None
very.
Air Cruisers Inc.
Clifton, N. J. Balloons (Meteorological) Yes Awaiting final
decision.
General Mills Inc.
1837 Pierce St. N.E.
Minneapolis 13, Minn. Balloons (Picard's) Yes Awaiting visit.
Seyfang Laboratories
1300 Mediterranean Ave.
Atlantic City, N. J. Barrage Captive & Yes Awaiting final
Other Balloons decision.
Dewey & Almy Company
Cambridge 40, Mass. Meteorological Balloons No None
- 23 -On completion of the survey of balloon materials other orders
will be placed for experimental intermediate balloons.
As soon as a series of successful flights are obtained, it is
planned to procure balloons of about 8 times the displacement of the inter-
mediate size for tests as the model to solve the problem. These larger
balloons would be about 30 feet in diameter.
Altitude Control
Mr. Goudy of the Kollsman Instrument Division of Square D Corpora-
tion was contacted to determine the feasibility of:
(1) An accurate pressure-actuated liquid ballast dropping device.
(2) A motor-switched modulator for the standard Army radiosonde
AN/SMT-1. The standard pressure-switched modulator would be of little
value in determining the height of the constant level balloon after it
leveled off on a constant pressure surface.
On a subcontract Kollsman undertook to build a pressure actuated
"dribbler" or ballast dropping device as follows:
Mechanically Controlled Dribbler
To consist of a diaphragm operated needle valve which will allow
no flow for a 2 mb. increase in pressure on the diaphragm over pressure
of which diaphragm is sealed but will allow a flow of 40 grams/minute
under 1 foot of lead for a 5 mb. increase in pressure. Petroleum ballast
with a density of about .775 gm/cc is to be used.
Diaphragm to be open to the atmosphere until it is sealed off
by the radiosonde pressure switch at a preset altitude.
- 24 -An electrically operated needle valve was included in the order,
however it is to be cancelled as the mechanical valve appears more feasible
to the manufacturer.
As the motor switched modulator was already in experimental
state of manufacture for the Signal Corps and Evans Signal Laboratories
an order was placed for 3 of them with these characteristics:
To have a motor-driven commutator to contain 4 contacts alternately
switching two different temperatures, pressure and a reference. Rate of
switching will complete one cycle per minute. To report pressure accurately
between 150 and 500 mb. with a pressure resistor to be of such a valve that
with a large radiosonde frequency variation for a small change in pressure.
To have an adjustable contact variable between 250 mb and 400 mb
with a factory adjustment of 300 mb. When the pressure arm reached this
contact, a squib will cut a thread that holds the ballast diaphragm open.
The first mechanical dribbler was received on 20 April 1947 and is
undergoing modification and tests before being flown on Cluster Flight #2.
If it is successful, an order for improved models will be placed.
Another method maintaining a balloon at constant altitude
is by replenishing the hydrogen in the non-extensible envelope as it is
valved or as it diffuses. This might be accomplished by use of liquid
hydrogen but not by use of chemicals due to their great weight relative
to the small volume of hydrogen generated. The liquid hydrogen method
is being investigated with a long range view. It does not seem too
feasible, however, due to the difficulties of keeping the rate of eva-
poration of the liquid hydrogen low at the high altitudes, without ex-
tensive and heavy guard flasks of liquid air.
- 25 -A third method of holding the equipment at a nominal constant
altitude is to fly a cluster of standard meteorological balloons equipped
with ballast dropping devices and a device for releasing lifting balloons
should the cluster depart from the altitude limits desired. This method
is inherently unstable, as there are no proportional restoring forces which
will act on the flabby, freely extensible meteorological balloons. The
success of this procedure depends on very careful balancing of the load
against the variable lift of the balloons.
This cluster method is of use and interest only as a stop-gap
method of lifting the Army equipment to altitude now, and has been the
method used while awaiting delivery of the non-extensible plastic balloons.
III d) e. A flight was made on 3 April 1947 using this method. A
cluster of 12 balloons meteorological carrying a radiosonde, a 15 lb.
dummy load and a series of ballast dropping devices was released from
the football field at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa. The train was
to be towed to 30,000 ft. by 2 lifting balloons which would then be
cut loose. The weight of the equipment was adjusted to equal the lift
of the balloons and presumably the train should have floated after the
towing balloons were cut off. Actually, due to lack of experience in
the difficulty of handling long balloon trains, auxiliary rigging lines
were needed to take up launching stresses. These lines fouled the main
flying line and the ballast which was to be dropped on parachutes. As a
result, the balloon train went to 50,000 ft. where the tow balloons worked
themselves free. The remaining train thereupon descended as fast as it
had climbed (1,000 ft. per minute), landing in the ocean near Sandy Hook,
- 26 -N. J. The flight was of value in training personnel, establishing a
net for reception of the 74 megacyle radiosonde data, and in obtaining
familiarity with the type of operation peculiar to all large balloon flights.
The actual layout of the train used is sketched in the appendix.
Using the lessons learned on the dummy flight, improved equipment
was built for a flight with a payload. Release was attempted on 18 April.
Due to the high wind at 0830 EST, the time of release, and due to mal-
functioning of the Army receiver in the plane that was to follow the balloons,
release was not made. The already-inflated balloons were cut free and the
equipment was brought back to New York University. It is expected that this
equipment will be flown about 8 May. A description of the final flight
equipment will be given in the report for May. A sketch of the layout
of equipment built for the second cluster flight is given in the appendix.
As this is a stop-gap method using modified standard components, no
detailed report is being prepared on the equipment. Preliminary altitude
controls used in both flights consist of standard radiosonde modulators
ML-310 which have had leads taken off of the desired contacts of the
commutator. The modulator thus acts as a pressure actuated control that
releases ballast or balloons. In the first flight small radiosonde relays
were used to close circuits to burn off cans filled with ballast. In the
improved, second flight, a nest of plastic tubes were filled with dried
sand. The bottom of the tube was covered with paper and a DuPont type S64
Squib was placed on the paper under the sand. On firing the squib, a hole
is torn in the paper, permitting the sand to trickle out. This method
permits dropping of more ballast and yet, in smaller increments. In the
- 27 -second cluster flight, provision was also made to release balloons if the
train rose above 40,000 ft. The flying line in the second train was
approximately 500 ft. long.
This cluster flight is tedious to prepare and difficult to
launch, and is a greater hazard to aircraft than the plastic balloons
will be because of the great length of the cluster train.
III e) Apparatus and Equipment.
A detailed explanation is not given on the equipment of the
Cluster Flight. However, a layout sketch is enclosed in the appendix.
An important piece of new apparatus for this project is the ballast
valve or dribbler, a photograph and drawings of which appears in the
appendix. It consists of a special diaphragm which operates a needle
valve. Normally the valve is closed as the diaphragm is open to the air
before the balloon reaches the desired altitude. This allows the
pressure inside the diaphragm to be the same as the outside pressure.
The diaphragm is sealed electrically by the baroswitch of the flight
radiosonde when the balloon train passes a predetermined altitude.
Whenever the balloon train descends below this preset altitude, the
increase of pressure on the sealed diaphragm causes the needle valve to
be opened. The greater the excess in pressure on the diaphragm the more
ballast there is released through the valve. Thus a proportional restoring
force is applied to the train. The ballast that is to be used is a
petroleum cut boiling from 300° to 400°F with a density of about .78 and
a minimum change of viscosity with temperature. Two different type
fluids that may meet this specification are the Army type compass fluid
- 28 -and a Sinclair paint solvent. The ballast valve or dribbler essentially
perform the same function as the Japanese altitude control on the balloon
bombs yet it is simpler and permits use of a liquid ballast for better control.
Another piece of equipment that is under construction by Kollsman
Instrument Company is a motor-switched radiosonde modulator. It presents
pressure data to the radiosonde transmitter as a variable resistance. The
meteorological data is programmed by a small Brailsford Electric motor. This
modulator will provide the contact that seals off the diaphragm in the
ballast valve. A complete discussion of this equipment will be furnished
upon its delivery.
Sketches of balloon and rigging of the balloon to be used on to
the main problem are given in the appendix and are self-explanatory.
Computations
A chart showing the relation between altitude, gross lift, and
balloon size has been found necessary.
Data for it was computed using mean aerological soundings as
reported in the Monthly Weather review for 1943.
A chemical term, molar volume (in cubic feet) was used as a term
relating the sounding data with buoyancies of the balloons at various
altitudes.
Using the simple gas laws, the molar volume of dry air was
computed thus:
I. (1) Molar volume of any gas at standard conditions is 359 ft.3
(2) From Monthly Weather Review Jan. 1943, the mean sounding
data at 15 km for Lakehurst, N. J. is: Temperature -59.5°C
Pressure 120 mb.
- 29 -359 X 273.2 - 59.5 X 1013.3 = 2370 ft.3 (the mean molar volume
273.2 120
at 15 km for Jan.1943 over Lakehurst,N.J.)
This volume data was computed for all levels given. Data was
"borrowed" from other stations in the same latitude to piece out the 20
km soundings as needed.
II. Lifts were computed for various molar volumes for balloons
between 7.5 and 75 feet diameter in the following manner:
Given
purity of Hydrogen 99.7%
impurity as oxygen 0.3%
computed molecular wt. 2.11 #1 mol
Molecular weight of dry air as computed from data reported at
10 km. in Handbook of Chemistry and Physics.
28.764 #1 mol
To find the lift of a 20 ftD balloon at an altitude where the
molar volume is 1000 ft.3:
Volume 20 ft.D Balloon = 4190 ft.3
Lift/BalloonBalloon Volume X(Difference in molecular wgts.of air/hgn
Molar Volume at a given altitude
or
Total Lift of gas in #/Balloon = ft.3/Balloon X ( #/mol)
ft.3/mol
for the 20 foot diameter balloon:
Lift = 4190 (28.76 - 2.11) = 111.7# lift from a 20 foot diameter
1000 sphere of hydrogen at an altitude
where the molar volume is 1000 ft.3.
The lifts were plotted against molar volume for each size
balloon. The altitudes corresponding to various molar volumes for
Lakehurst and Albuquerque in January and in August 1943 as computed
above were plotted on the left margin of the chart.
The family of curves was plotted on log paper and is included
in the appendix with the basic sounding data.
- 30 -III g) Conclusions and Recommendations.
It is believed that a balloon can be kept at nominal constant
altitude between 10 and 20 km. for six hours using a non-extensible
envelope with the addition of a ballast valve to keep the balloon near
its pressure altitude. The flying of a balloon thus equipped is our
main objective. The work to date has been primarily preparatory but it
is believed that plastic balloons can be flown in the early summer with a
payload.
Additional work space is urgently needed at New York University
if significant work is to come from this group.
It is believed that the ideal launching area for balloons of
this type is Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa. as long as this is feasible.
For large balloons it is believed that the Navy people at Lakehurst can
best facilitate the launching. Calm winds are essential for actual launching.
Future Work
General Mills is making large balloons from lightweight films
that would meet our specifications with the exception that they cannot
take any internal pressure. It is believed that their balloons should be
investigated as General Mills appear to be the best source of supply for
large balloons. An order will be placed with them as soon as they furnish
a quotation.
As a stop-gap device before these might arrive it is planned to
fly two 35,000 cu.ft. racing type as well as the 2 Japanese balloons from
Dakehurst, N. J. carrying payloads with heavy duty power supplies for the
radio transmitters.
In the meantime, improved clusters of meteorological balloons
will be flown until larger balloons are available.
- 31 -C O P Y
Abstract from:
AIR COORDINATING COMMITTEE
NEW YORK SUBCOMMITTEE ON AIRSPACE
RULES OF THE AIR AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
385 Madison Avenue
New York, 17, N. Y.
N.Y. Meeting No. 12 20 March 1947
PROBLEM:
1. The Secretary of the Subcommittee presented a request from the
War Department member in behalf of New York University for approval to
release free balloons from Allentown, Pa. and Lakehurst, N. J.
DISCUSSION
2. The subject project is broken down into two phases as described
below:
A. PHASE I.
(1) The type balloon to be used in this phase of the
project will be 6 ft. in diameter, hydrogen filled,
encompassed by a nylong shroud with black and white
panels 24" wide. Radio instruments weighing approxi-
mately 3 lbs. will be suspended approximately 50 ft.
below the balloon and equipped with parachute device
so that upon separation from the balloon, the attached
equipment will float down towards the earth rather
than become a freely falling body.
(2) It is anticipated that two flights will be required in
this phase of operation, the release to be made during
weather conditions in which the sky is free of clouds
and the visibility at least three miles at all altitudes
up to 20,000 feet., within a four hour cruising radius
from Allentown, Pa.
(3) The balloon, during these flights, shall be convoyed
by suitable aircraft to maintain air-ground communica-
tions on the balloon trajectory and equipped to effect
destruction of the balloon at the termination of four
hours flight or at such time that the balloon may
become hazardous either to aircraft flight operations
or the persons or property of others on the surface.
(4) New York University will file a Notice to Airmen at
least twelve (12) hours in advance of balloon release
and a second notice will be filed at the time of release
with the Allentown, Pa. Airways Communications Station.
- 32 -B. PHASE II.
(1) The type balloon to be used in this phase of the project
will be a 15 to 40 ft. diameter plastic balloon, hydrogen
filled. Radio equipment weighing approximately 25 lbs.,
will be suspended approximately 100 ft. below the
balloon. The balloon will be towed to high altitude
levels (above 20,000 feet) by three auxilliary lifting
balloons fastened together with a 4 lb. weight. All
equipment attached to the balloon will be equipped with
parachute device so that upon separation from the balloon,
the attached equipment will float down towards the earth
rather than become a freely falling body. Upon attaining
the desired altitude, the auxilliary lifting balloons
wife be released from the main balloon.
(2) It is anticipated that a maximum of ten flights will be
required in this phase of operation, 2 to 5 releases to
be made from Allentown, Pa. and 2 to 5 releases to be
made from Lakehurst, N. J. Release will be made during
weather conditions in which the sky is free of clouds
and the visibility at least three miles at all altitudes
up to 20,000 feet.
(3) The range of flight during this phase of operation will
be between 30,000 and 60,000 feet. A period of six hours
will be the maximum duration of flight.
(4) New York University will provide an operator for tracking
of the balloon during period of flight and will furnished
information on its position to the N. Y. Air Traffic
Control Center during period of flight.
(5) New York University will file a Notice to Airmen at least
twelve (12) hours in advance of balloon release and a
second notice will be filed at time of release with
either the Allentown, Pa. or Lakehurst, N. J. Communica-
tions Stations.
(6) Destruction of the balloon will be predetermined to be
effected over water where hazards are not present. Aerial
convoy will not be effected during this phase of operation
inasmuch as balloon flights will be conducted in excess
of 20,000 feet.
3. The War Department member requests that balloon operations along
the lines of Phase II be presented to the Washington Subcommittee for
clearance with all other Regional Airspace Subcommittees, in consideration
of War Department plans to continue the Phase II type of operation from
White Sands, New Mexico, upon completion of the 12 proposed releases
described herein. The type of balloon releases proposed out of White
Sands, N. Mex., will involve flight through other regions.
- 33 -RECOMMENDED ACTION
4. That the release of free balloons by New York University as
described above in Paragraph 2-A (Phase I), Subparagraphs (1) - (4) inclu-
sive, be approved.
5. That the release of free balloons by New York University as
described above in Paragraph 2-B (Phase II), Subparagraphs (1) - (6)
inclusive, be approved.
6. That the Washington Airspace Subcommittee present the Phase
II operation to other Regional Airspace Subcommittees for clearance, in
view of War Department plans to continue the Phase II type of operation
from White Sands, New Mexico.
- 34 -2 ea. 1000 gm. Balloons on
Single 30' Nylon Line.
5000 gms. Lift each.
All individual balloons on
single 15' Nylon lines and
tied onto Main Line at
20' intervals.
Parachute #1
Ascent Cutoff #1
Acts at 283 mbs.
Flying line from Cutoff #1 to
Parachute #2 is braided for
added strength.
There is a distance of 5' between
each piece of equipment, except
the 20' between balloons on the
Main Flying Line.
10 equally spaced balloons
in break.
Parachute #2
Descent Cutoff #1
Acts at 472 mbs. The 12 balloons on the braided
line are each 350 gm. balloons
Parachute #3 with a lift of 1550 gms. each.
Parachute #4
Parachute #5
Dummy Payload
15 lbs.
Radiosonde
with antenna
Descent Cutoff #2
Acts at 370 mbs.
Parachute #6
BALLOON TRAIN FOR
CLUSTER FLIGHT No. 1
BETHLEHEM, PENNA.
3 APRIL 47.
Ballast Can #1
Descent Cutoff #3
Acts at 338 mbs.
Parachute #7
Ballast Can #2Spherical Balloon
15' Diameter.
9 eyelets in reinforced
seams for attaching bridle
rigging to balloon at 30°
below balloon's equator.
Appendix Inflation
4" Dia. X 10" Long.
Balloon with rigging
18 lunes of flat film
cemented together to
make sphere.
PLASTIC BALLOON
FOR CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOON PROJECT AT NYU
APRIL 27, 1947
SCALE: 1" = 3' 0"Non-Extensible Balloon
Bridle consisting of 9 nylon
lines, each 150# test, 13 feet
long, served together at a
thimble.
Safety Valve set in Appendix
3" Dia. Ring for use
in launching.
Thimble
100'
Payload
35'
Radiosonde
5'
Ballast Reservoir
3'
Pressure-Operated Ballast Valve
PROPOSED ASSEMBLY OF
TRAIN FOR CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOON
APRIL 27, 1947 SMITH, JAMES F.LAKEHURST (39 meters)
JANUARY 43 AUGUST 43 -
Alt.Ft. Temp.°C Press mb Humidity% Molar Vol.ft.3 Temp.°C Press mb Humidity% Molar Vol.ft.3 Alt.Ft.
65,617 -58 53 - 5410 - 64 58 - 4850 65,617
62,336 - - - - -212.0 - - - 62,336
59,055 - - - - -61.2 79 - 3985 59,055
55,774 - - - - -64.2 94 - 2962 55,774
52,493 - - - - -337.2 110 - 2370 52,493
49,212 - - 120 2370 -65.6 130 - 2150 49,212
45,931 - - 140 2050 -337.1 153 - 1845 45,931
42,651 213.7 164 - 1808 -64.1 179 - 1630 42,651
39,370 -59.5 192 - 1506 -333.7 209 - 1440 39,370
36,089 215.8 224 - 1339 -60.7 243 - 1450 36,089
32,808 -57.4 262 - 1130 -329.6 282 - 1115 32,808
28,527 216.3 304 - 995 -30.4 325 - 1000 28,527
26,247 217.2 352 - 888 -296.0 374 - 890 26,247
22,966 -56.0 408 - 788 -23.8 428 - 800 22,966
19,685 -54.1 469 - 705 -290.0 488 - 718 19,685
16,409 -51.0 526 60 632 17.0 555 31 650 16,409
13,123 -45.5 611 59 566 -233.1 649 28 582 13,123
9,843 -38.8 696 60 507 -45.3 711 33 523 9,843
8,202 1 742 61 478 -311.4 756 49 499 8,202
6,561 248.2 791 65 453 -33.2 802 21 474 6,561
4,921 -25.0 843 69 427 3.9 852 55 452 4,921
3,281 254.3 898 68 401 276.9 903 63 432 3,281
1,640 -18.9 956 69 378 1.5 956 58 413 1,640
0 -13.0 1013 76 359 6.4 1003 60 385.0 0
- 39 -ALBUQUERQUE (1620 meters)
- JANUARY 43 - AUGUST 43 -
Alt.Ft. Temp.°C Press mb Humidity% Molar Vol.ft.3 Temp.°C Press mb Humidity% Molar Vol.ft.3 Alt.Ft.
65,617 -63 54 - 5410 -58.1 58 - 4960 65,617
62,336 - - - - - - - - 62,336
59,055 - 75 - 3701 -70.0 - - - 59,055
55,774 -65.1 88 - 3170 - - - - 55,774
52,493 -64.3 104 - 2700 -69.8 96 - 2830 52,493
49,212 -63.0 122 - 2320 -66.4 114 - 2430 49,212
45,932 -61.6 143 - 1990 -61.5 134 - 2060 45,932
47,651 -60.2 168 - 1690 -54.7 138 - 1780 47,651
39,370 -54.1 197 - 1450 -47.0 186 - 1560 39,370
36,089 -57.2 230 - 1250 -39.4 217 - 1390 36,089
32,808 -54.7 269 - 1140 -31.6 251 - 1250 32,808
29,527 -49.7 312 - 983 -24.2 290 - 1110 29,527
26,247 -43.0 362 - 872 -17.1 333 - 980 26,247
22,966 -35.7 416 39 786 -11.0 382 45 895 22,966
19,685 -28.3 477 45 704 - 5.6 436 45 803 19,685
16,404 -14.6 546 50 631 1.1 495 56 715 16,404
13,123 - 8.3 622 51 567 3.8 562 72 652 13,123
9,843 - 2.6 706 48 522 16.6 634 79 594 9,843
8,202 .6 752 45 486 20.4 715 68 541 8,202
6,562 3.4 800 46 463 23.3 753 48 517 6,562
0 3.8 838 45 449 25.2 805 39 492 0
Ste 1620 meters - 5315 feet
- 40 -Fiscal Report As of April 30th, 1947
Total amount expended $20,067.96
Available Balance 97,632.04
Total $117,700.0017 Journal Transcriptions Albert P. Crary April 2, 1946–May 8, 1946, and December 2, 1946–August 16, 1947
1946 1 April 2 Tues D & I left caracas Pan Am bus 9 pm. Arrived Miami 10 pm on Pan Am. through customs and caught 1 am National Airlines plane for Newark April 3 Wed Arrived Newark 730 am and took airline bus to NYC. D left for Providence 9 am. Called up Ewing but he was in Chicago - due back tomorrow. Left on 1040 sleeper for Canton tonight. April 6 Sat. At home. Over to Ogdensburg to see Steve this pm April 7 Sun. Left Canton on 805 sleeper. Saw Bob Foster '31, also on way to NYC April 8 Mon. Arrived NYC 730 am. Up to Columbia University to see Ewing 130 pm. Wyckoff and Dove on way to Los Angeles by plane this pm. Crane and Morrison in also from Watson Labs. Went back to Red Bank with them in ATIS car to Officer's Club near Watson Lab. Crane, Morrison and I went up tonight to see Reinnagle at office. Met Gifford who has 90' sea rescue boat this project is planning to use. Stayed at Officer's Club tonight April 9 Tues. At Watson Labs all day. Went through all processes necessary for employ- ment under Civil Service. Warrant Officer Gifford transferred to WLERL-4 today. McCurdy already in and started work. Talked with Reinnagle and Gallo re Columbia contract. Gifford left pm for Washington, Major Crane for Camp Dix and Morrison for NYC. Reinnagle and I went down to CO this pm to meet group from Cornell extension at Buffalo - Aeronaut- ical research wanting to get contracts. Stayed at Molly Pitcher Hotel in Red Bank tonight April 10 Wed Checked out of Molly Pitcher Hotel and caught 730 am train out of Red Bank to NYC. Checked in at Hotel Webster and then up to Ewings at Columbia University. Mr Gallo of Watson Labs in at 10 am and we went over contract questions regarding Watson Lab contract with Columbia until 1 PM. Went over all parts of work with Doc from 2 to 530 pm. John Ewing in from Missouri. April 11 Thurs. Worked on rough outline of Eglin Field and SOFAR project Am. Up to see Ewing at Columbia PM. Doc and I went over contract with Watson Lab & Columbia tonight. Caught 1205 sleeper to Boston. April 12 Fri. Arrived Woods Hole about 11. Joe Worzel went over all sound transmission work at WHOI this pm. April 13 Sat. Talked with Columbus Iselin this Am regarding Watson Lab work and needs. Crane and Gifford up pm and Joe and I went up to lab with them. April 14 Sun. Down to lab this am with Joe looking for C9A files. Jim Peoples over about noon for awhile. Joe and I went golfing pm. Took 600 pm train to Boston and 1230 sleeper to NYC. Up to Boston with Lt Frank Ryder with Navy and WHOI April 15 Mon. Contacted Doc Ewing in NYC and rode down to Red Bank with him. Talked over instrumentation of upper atmosphere investigations. Out to Oakhurst this pm. Conference with Col. Cole and Col. Crough re Project 188-5 and regarding microseisms. Doc and I went back to Molly Pitcher Hotel in Red Bank tonight. April 16 Tues. Rode out to Watson Labs with Ewing. Went over to Evans Labs with Harry Davis Watson Lab navigation man, and saw newly developed ranging apparatus and talked to Lt Rydetor? re Spherics, location of lightning and thunderstorm data collected during past few years. Saw Col. Duffy of Meteorological Division AAF and back to Watson Labs. Doc went on through to NYC. Went over program with Dove and Crane this pm. Back to lab tonight with Crane and Gifford, discussing Project 185-7-1. Back to Myrtle Hotel at 1045 pm. April 17 Wed. Rode out to Watson Labs with McCurdy. Worked with Major Crane on report regarding underwater work, Eglin Field and deep water. Took this in to Colonel Cole this pm. Acceptance probable. Got room in private house in Red Bank. Moved out of Molly Pitcher Hotel. April 18 Thurs. Caught bus out to Watson Lab. Col Cole up this am and advised writing new Cost Expenditure for and revising the R. & R. Major Crane left about noon for trip Phila and Woods Hole. Made arrangements to meet him in NYC Monday. Wrote out new R & R and Cost Expenditure ready to take to Col Cole. April 19, Fri. Talked over work with Dove and we wrote up 2nd EO covering all ocean work. Talked to Ewing on phone this am. Dove and I went down to see Col Cole and then wrote up new EO for deep water work. Saw Hincke? regarding this EO and A for P processed this pm and ready to go out to Wright Field. April 20 Sat. Caught 710 train to NYC, cashed check at Chase Natl Bank, talked to Ewing on phone. Back to Red Bank about 4 pm. April 22 Mon. At Watson Labs this am. Got final physical exams. Down to Supply to see Major Morris with Reinnagle re getting equipment out that came from WHOI without paper coverage. Got travel order back and authority to use it. Caught 342 pm out of Red Bank and arrived
1946 2 in Newark about 430. Reservations to Dayton on Spirit of St. Louis had been cancelled. Called Watson Labs. Got roomette on Spirit about 530. Called Mrs Ewing in NYC. Left Newark on Spirit of St. Louis at 620 pm. April 23 Tues. Arrived Dayton, Ohio about 830 am. Tried to get return ticket for tonight but coach car only open. Took bus out to Wright Field, Bldg 28. Saw Mr Drexler and turned over 2 of the A for P to him. Colonel Maier on leave. Went down to Colonel Winter's office and found Major Crane there. We talked to Colonel Winters regarding the need for planes and about new EO on extended long ranges of the 189-7-1 program which he approved and marked up to 1-P & sent on for higher approval. Went over with Crane & saw Colonel Lind gard in the plane assignment division and talked about planes. Had lunch with him and then went back to talk to Colonel Taton regarding planes to 189-9-1. Went over to look at C-97, converted B-29 for transport. Back to Bldg 28 & talked with General Rives. Request for planes agreed upon and B-29 will be available near the 1st of June. 189-7-1 required by Rives. A for Ps in Drexler's office not yet signed. - will be sent on to Watson Labs later. Crane had reservations for me on the Spirit of St Louis and we left Dayton at 8 pm. April 24 Wed. Discussed with Crane possibilities of getting sound through the ground part of the ocean sound channel and about the possibilities of a balloon such as Piccards. Arrived in NYC about 1030. Called Watson Labs and then we took a taxi up to Ewing's office at Columbia. After Ewing 1-2 class we discussed plans for 188-5 and 189-7-1, both Eglin Field and long range channel program. Left Ewings office about 6. Crane registered at Hotel Lexington and I caught 740 out of Penn Station and arrived at Red Bank at 845 pm April 25 Thurs. Up to Watson Labs. Worked over notes of conference with Ewing yesterday. Wrote up both travel blanks and sent them down to Travel Order Section. Talked with Palmer about MQ travel forms. Wrote up letter to Wright Field requesting use of second crash boat. Wrote R&R for Mark 2 hydrophone. Talked to Lt. Hungerford regarding request of this. Stepanoff, new physicist for WLERL in this pm. Crane left for Wright Field tonight. April 26 Fri. Up to Watson Labs. Went over purchases already applied for with Reinnagle. Wyckoff in this am. McCurdy in pm for radio parts. Went back to Oakhurst with McCurdy this PM April 27 Sat. Left Red Bank about 730 AM with McCurdy in his car. Drove through NJ at TRenton & down to Philadelphia. Mac left me off at Olney at subway station. Contacted Marion at Bankers Security and went by train with her to Newton, Pa at 100 PM . Stayed with Flaggs. Apr 28 Sun. Wayne & Marion drove me over to Trenton, NJ & I caught 1030 am train into NYC. Went up to Ewings about 1215. Joe Worzel there & Hilly Barbour. They left for Woods Hole about 2 PM. I caught 550 train out of Penn Station to Red Bank, NJ April 29 Mon. Up to Watson Labs. Checked over at library to have some periodicals obtained. Went over water work with McCurdy regarding what is needed in way of purchases. Went over to Oakhurst with Roke, new engineer, former Lt. Commander in Navy. Talked to Charlie Ireland regarding Eglin Field work. April 30, Tues. Up to Oakhurst. Went over equipment that would be left there and what we might do when rest of people gone to Whitesands with Wyckoff. Wyckoff and I took car to Watson Labs to conference with Col Duffy of Weather Bureau, Capt Kellogg and Col Gault. Discussed weather problems - on eqpt? and S658s & aerography neede in coming work. Discussed equipment with McCurdy pm and tried to find where demolition cable could be located. May 1 Wed. Up to Watson Labs. Talked with Stepanoff and Wyckoff regarding work to be done while crew was recording White Sands in New Mexico. Commander Navy arrived about 1130 am and we held a conference - Gault, Compton?, Dove Crane, Wyckoff, Hungerford, Vaux and myself regarding Navy participation with us in Crossroads. Captain Kellogg of Weather Service over pm and talked with Crane and I regarding 658s, airgraphs, etc. Got travel orders etc to Columbia tomorrow. Wyckoff and about 11 others leaving for White Sands by plane tomorrow morning. Up to lab tonight with Crane. May 2 Thursday. Left Red Bank on 8 am train, off at Elizabeth and took ferry to NYC. Up to GCT and then up to Docs. Too late for talk with Kellogg but in time for conference with Ewing, Lane of Columbia, Gallo, Bradford, Dove and Crane of Watson Labs. Conference went over contracts with Columbia and WL. Crane and I talked to Dove for short time after dinner. Caught 1130 sleeper to Boston tonight. May 3 Fri. Arrived Woods Hole 1045 am . Went over to Falmouth with Dorothy. Up to lab pm with Joe W. Talked to Jim Peoples re his amplifier and level recorder. Bump and Kit over tonight. Saw Columbus PM.
1946 3 May 4 Sat. Up at WHOI this am. Out with John Ewing taking bottom shots in water. Worked with Joe on his boat this pm. Over to Jim and Rowes tonight and to Buzzards Bay bowling. May 5 Sun. Up to WHOI about 11. Went over deep water equipment with Joe Worzel and Jim Peoples. Jim and I caught 600 pm train to Boston tonight, got 1130 pm Owl to NYC May 6 Mon. Caught 625 train out of Penn Station to Red Bank. Arrived Red Bank 730 and caught bus out to Watson Labs. Checked at library for caps?militaryinfo. Called up Morris of Supply and wrote supply request. Stepanoff in fm Oakhurst. Wrote up weekly report to Watson Labs for 189-7-1. Arranged truck to take library to Nyack, N.Y. for 104' boat and bring back microbaragraph from Columbia. Went out to Oakhurst and saw Rooke who is working on fluxmeter, and got fathometer NMB-1 ready to send to Nyack. Went over list of parts needed 189-7-1 with Peoples. Peoples signed in at Watson Labs today. Capt Kellogg in from Evans Labs re how they can help- rough draft of letter of request to be written by Col Graul. Got travel orders to NYC tomorrow and to Nyack. May 7 Tues. Jim Peoples and I caught 608 train out of Red Bank and arrived Ewing's office about 850 am. Conference at Ewing's office Gallo, Bradley, Crane, Peoples and I from Watson Labs, Lane and Ewing of Columbia and Iselin and McCrory? of WHOI regarding 189-7-1 contract of WHOI with Columbia. Conference later Iselin, Crane, Ewing, Peoples and myself regarding technical procedure and plan for Atlantis, Anton Dohrn and two boats of Watson Lab for summer and next winter. Crane, Peoples and I left about 240 pm for Nyack, NY in Army car. Arrived in Nyack at Peterson's Shipbuilding Co, new 104' boat P778 docked about the same time. Went over all changes and additions to the boat with Gifford and made plans for con- version to our needs. Left Nyack about 6. Jim Peoples and I caught 740 train out of Penn Station and arrived in Red Bank 9 pm. May 8 Wed. Jim Peoples and I went up to Watson Labs this am
1946 1 Dec 2 Mon. Oakhurst. Cold wave hit about midnight - temperature down to 15° - strong wind. Started preparations for Alamogordo trip; getting Rubicon drums and galvanometers ready. Dec 3 Tues. Oakhurst. Worked on Rubicon drums and galvanometers for Alamogordo trip - Stepanoff on August 9 data - Vivian working up cruise tabulations. Oliva setting up new GR3 for Alamogordo. Got oscillograph operating with 3 T-21 microphones. Dec 4 Wed. Oakhurst. Set up 20 sec galvos and operated for several hours. In with McCurdy to safety meeting, Vl. Chantz set up Rubicon in dark box and took several records with 1 sec galv. Made up list for Alamogordo. Dec 5 Thurs Oakhurst. Worked on relays for setup at Alamogordo. McCurdy & his group on T-21 operations. Woodruff and Chantz getting motors,etc ready for trip. Went over work at Oakhurst with Vivian. Dec 6 Fri. Oakhurst. Worked on equipment for Alamogordo. Left at noon, caught 135 to New York City. Contacted Carl Gerdes and Ed Schempf at United Geophysical office. Curtin also in NY office. Went out to eat with Carl and Ed and discussed future work. They have job open for me in Alaska and also later possibilities in Turkey. Ed caught plane out about 745. Left on 1215 tonight for Asbury Park. Dec 7 Sat. Went to Oakhurst 10 - 3. Woody and Phil there getting ready for Alamogordo. Peoples up for awhile pm. Dec 8 Sun. Worked about 7 - 8 hours at Oakhurst. Chantz and Peoples there - getting realys, etc ready for Alamogordo. Went over all theoretical work on flights, etc with Peoples. Dec 9 Mon. Oakhurst. Finished getting all equipment ready for Alamogordo. Chantz, Woody and I went to Watson Labs. Got checks and travel orders. All equipment loaded on trucks and taken to Watson Labs late pm. Talked to Colonel Duffy a while about future plans. Dec10 Tues. Woody, Chantz and I left Oakhurst in staff car about 9 am. Arrived at Newark airport 10. C-54 in from Middletown about 11, bringing Ball and Oakes from Wright Field. Loaded up all equipment on C-54 and left Newark about 145 pm. Lewis, pilot; Clowry, co- pilot. Arrived Oklahoma City about 945 pm EST. Got rooms at Air Base Hotel. Went into Okla- homa City for dinner tonight. Dec 11 Wed. Oklahoma City. Waited for weather to lift. Unable to leave in time to reach Alamogordo before dark. At Air Base hotel tonight. Equipment from Johns Hopkins University transferred to MOGUL plane, including warhead of V-2. 4 scientists & crew, including Del- gano? . Called Jimmie at Fairview, Okla. Dec 12 Thurs. Left Oklahoma City in C-54 at 0800 CST. Arrived at Alamogordo about 11 RMT. Met Major Pritchard at air base. C-54 unloaded warhead material first then all MOGUL eqpt which went to North Hanger. Went over to Prichard's office, met Major Maguire? and talked over prospects of serups. Woody and Phil worked on equipment pm. Went up in L-3 with Sgt Mack looking over country of proposed sites. WAC corporal launched at 4 pm. Worked on equipment tonight. Staying at BOQ. Dec 13 Fri.Woody and I left Alamogordo Air Base in weapon carrier and scouted out area south of White Sands and Turoro Lake. Got lost on ordnance map we had. Located Tower and K station Went to Proving Ground. Saw Karsh and Major Grant and got good locations and one of good maps. Left Proving Grounds about 2 and went up west side of sand area to site A3. Arrived there at 4 but over very rough roads. Back to Alamogordo Air Base at 620. Chantz in Alamogordo working on T-21s, BST and Brush equipment. Dec 14 Sat. Went out Hwy 70 this am toward Proving Grounds. Turned off at White Sands Nat'l Monument and drove to end of 9 mile road in park, about half in white sand area. Found loc- ation for #2 site which is about 30 miles north and a little east of launching site. Back to Air Base at noon. Went out north looking for Site 3. Tried to get through Ordnance Gate but needed key. Went back and around by Alamogordo and Tularosa but couldn't get in there. Back to base, got key from Provost Marshal and went out to Ordnance Gate. Found it did not lead in right Came back to North Hanger and took road out from there, finally landing at bombing area about 35 mi from base. Left all Rubicon equipment there. Back at Base 645 Dec 15 Sun. Got all GR3 recording units and went up to site 3. Set up both Rubicon in tent and GR3 in small building. Got recordings on both. Back through Tularosa and Alamogordo. Dec 16 Mon. Signal Corps people, Dr Kane and Dr Crenshaw in this am. They are planning to measure time interval between bursts of meteorites at 60, 70, 80 seconds after launching. Went over our plans with them. Packed eqpt for Site #2 in White Sands. Chantz and I stayed setting up apparatus and Woody went back for equipment for Site #1. Left Site 2 about 3 pm and went to site 1. Set up equipment there. Finished about 7. To Alamogordo for dinner.
1946 2
Dec 17 Tues. Got Chantz a Jeep to use on Station 3. Went out to #3 made final checks -
Chantz stayed there. Woodruff and I went to Station 1 and made final checks there. Woodruff
drove me to Station 2 and then went back to 1. V-2 rocket went up at about 1015pm Got Brush
recording - 1 trace & Rubicon at 2. Woodruff got BST & Rubicon at 1 -though had interfer-
ence with other group. Chantz got GR 3 & Rubicon record at #3. Back to BOQ about 12. Rub-
icon & BST recordings not yet developed.
Dec 18 Wed.Chantz and I went out to Sta 3 and got all equipment together and back to camp
about 1 - went in borrowed weapon carrier. Woody and Jeff Fowler took other weapon carrier
and collected all equipment from Sites 1 and 2. Packed all equipment at north hanger and
loaded it into truck, which was then put on plane. Got data from V-2 firings from Pritchard's
office. Left Alamogordo about 730 pm in C-54 and went to El Paso Biggs Field.
Dec 19 Thurs. Went down to El Paso this morning and then across to Juarez. Back to Biggs
Field about 230 pm. C-54 left El Paso 400 pm , landed in Patterson Field, Dayton, Ohio 110am
Dec 20 Fri. Left Dayton about 9 am & arrived in Olmsted Field near Harrisburg, Pa about
noon. It Carroll and Clowry drove us down to Pa RR station. Got 150 out of Harrisburg and
arrived in Newark 6 pm. Caught train to Asbury Park.
Dec 21 Sat. Chantz went down to Oakhurst and developed 3 Rubicon recordings from White Sands
and BST recording at Site # 1. Site #1 recording poor, possibly NC. Looked over recordings
obtained at Oakhurst on bombing run of 19 Dec.
Dec 22 Sun. Cut to Peoples this evening in Marlsboro.
Dec 23 Mon. Oakhurst. Worked on Alamogordo and Flight 13. Had flight # 14 this pm. - 24
bombs starting at 2 pm. Ran GR-3, Brush and Rubicon at lab. Woodruff went out to Farmingdale
with van and Rubicon but results NG. No shots apparent on recordings.
Dec 24 Tues. Oakhurst. Closed down about 1130. Worked on Flight# 14 and work from NYU.
Started Stepanoff on extension of Aug 8 flight. Into NYC PM and caught 1045 sleeper to NNY
Dec 28 Sat. Cold NE winds and storms all day. Unable to get roads cleared out. Cancelled
reservations for this evening to NYC.
Dec 29 Sun. Caught 805 sleeper to NYC this evening.
Dec 30 Mon.Arrived NYC about 915 am - caught 1040 out of Penn Sta, arrived Asbury Park
about 1 pm. Worked on Alamogordo results. Went over work with McCurdy who proposed new
type instrument and wants authority to go ahead with it.
Dec 31 Tues. Oakhurst. Flight # 15 this morning at 1040 - 1105. Woody went out to Farmingdale
and recorded on Rubicon drum. Recorded also on Rubicon drum T-9- Brush and GR3-T-8. Set up
sonobuoy 1000 ft * west of T-8-0. Times Square tonight.
1947
Jan 1 Wed Asbury Park. Snowstorm pm
Jan 2 Thurs. Oakhurst. Worked with V on flights 12, 13 and part of 14. Got Alamogordo
results together. Conference this pm with Colonel Duffy and showed him my results with
flights and with Alamogordo. with V on Flights 14 and 15 and started NYU data of Sept 12.
Stepanoff on extension of August 9 results. Conference pm: Dr. Ewing, Spilhaus, Dr Ference
of Evans, Duffy. Discussed Evans program and air flight and Alaomgordo results. Made arr-
angements for cooperation with Evans in coming tests.
Jan 4 Sat. At Oakhurst about 3 hours. Finished getting velocities for Sept 17 flight and
started work on data of Oct 4 cruise.
Jan 6 Mon. Oakhurst. Finished velocity data for Oct 4 and Oct 16 from NYU meteorological
studies. Stepanoff finished Aug 9 data and started on # 1 of Sept 12. Moved into new build-
ing next to T-8-0 today.
Jan 7 Tues. Oakhurst. Vivian worked up ray paths, time and distance for Vel #2 of Sept 12.
Started on Aug 8 data to get Stepanoff's figures together for study above 15 kms. Went
scouting for location of sono buoy west of Oakhurst Arm about 3000 ft. Chantz and Woodruff
on calibration of Alamogordo instruments and fixing up of equipment for field uses.
Jan 8 Wed. Oakhurst. Worked on Aug 8 cruise, making final calculations for sky wave. on
Vel #3, Sept 12 cruise. Woody and I went over to high ridge 2900 ft west of Oakhurst with
sonobuoy which worked into GR3.
Jan 9 Thurs. Oakhurst. Worked on sky wave data. Vivian and Stepanoff on Sept 12 ray paths.
Flight # 16 at 1200 to 1220 pm. No noticeable results. Used sonobuoy at 160' hill back of
labs.
Jan 10 Fri. Oakhurst.Into Watson Labs at 9 to take supervisor's test. Trakowski, Peoples and
I went to Camp Evans and discussed results of V2 rocket recordings informally. Flight #17
this PM 1600 to 1620. Worked on sky wave data1947 3 Jan 11 Sat. Oakhurst. Worked on sky wave data of Aug 8. Drew up curves for lower and upper stratosphere. Regung? brought in calculator from Wright Field. Jan 12 Sun. Oakhurst. Worked on sky waves Aug 8 and 9th. Got out letter to Gutenberg pertaining to those two days. Jan 13 Mon. Oakhurst. Working on sky wave curves. Made plans for Alamogordo this Thursday Jan 14 Tues. Oakhurst. Calibrated instruments A-21 to take to Alamogorso. Raining Jan 15 Wed. Oakhurst. Started writep of V-2 rocket work. Dr O'Day in from Watson and we went over V-2 rocket program with him. Finished calibration of T-21s on GR 8. Vivian fin- ished sky wave curves. Worked on Dec 31 Woods Hole recordings. Jan 16 Thurs. Oakhurst. All equipment for Alamogordo packed and loaded on truck pm. Worked with Vivian on sky waves of Aug 8th and 9th. Jan 17 Fri. Oakhurst. Conference with Capts Lewis, Clowry and Duff of Olmstead Field and MOGUL at 1230 regarding bombs, future flights, etc. Mathematecian from Newman's group started work this noon - for two weeks. - working with Vivian. Woodruff and Chantz went up to Newark with equipment and loaded on P-47. Went up at 2 pm by staff car. P-47 left Newark 333 pm, landed at Patterson for fuel, landed at Tinker Field, Okla City 120 am. Stayed there overnight, Officers Manjak and Layden. Jan 18 Sat. Left Oklahoma City about noon and went as far as Amarillo. Stayed at Amarillo - at Clinton Hotel Jan 19 Sun Left Amarillo about 1130 CST - arrived Alamogordo 1230 pm RMST. Unloaded equip- ment off plane and put in north hanger. Unpacked GR-8s, T-21 galvanometers. 3 T-21s and 2 galvanometers broken. Repairing tonight Jan 20 Mon Alamogordo. Tested out T-21s at north hanger with GR-8s. Loaded up all equipment for GR-3 and Rubicon drum and went out to A1 tower. Set up house along road about 3/4 mi southeast of the tower. Ran out 3 1000' lines for the at 120° radii. Set up dark room tent and 2 galv L&N broken suspensions. Worked on timing circuits, T-21s and galv at Alamogordo Air Base. Jan 21 Tues Alamogordo. Tried out more T-21s with GR-8. All OK but one. Set out Site 2 near Hwy 70, C&GS marker 'Dona'. Laid out 1000'cables, set up Rubicon. Went out to end of Doppler line to station G but could not find C&GS marker 'Town'. Went back along line toward block- house & set up site #1, cables and Rubicon drum at intersection of G line and 0 line. Sites now set up 6, 13, 19 mi from blockhouse, all about 2 mi east of N line from boundary? site Jan 22 Wed Alamogordo. Made rounds of all 3 sites. Set up L&N at Site #3, & surveyed to tower. Took T-21s and GR-8s to Sites 1 and 2 and set them up ready to operate. Took Rubicon recordings at Site 1 and 3 to check galvanometers. Jan 23 Thurs. Alamogordo. Left air base about 900am. Bombing postponed from 11 am to 3 pm. Went out to Site 3, surveyed to tower. Got GR-3 recordings. Left Chantz at Site 3 and went to Site 2. Woody left Site 2 and went to site 1. Bombing delayed by 15-30 minute intervals from 3 pm to 519 pm. Got good recordings at Site 2 . Both other stations lost to triang- ulation acc't radio communication though Woody had GR-8 operating but without directional instrumnets. Jan 24 Fri. Alamogordo. Checked with Major Pritchard at base. Left about 830 and picked up all equipment from 3 sites. Surveyed Site #2 and made rough survey of Site #1 Jan 25 Sat. Alamogordo. Sorted out all equipment at north hanger. Left GR3, Rubicons and Sprengnethers. Packed up GR8's and other equipment and loaded in C-47. Carroll and Short in C-47 from Middletown ready to leave tomorrow. Worked on Site 2 recordings pm. got azimuths and angles of ascent for 2 main explosions. Have high angle of ascent. Jan 26 Sun. Left Alamogordo about 830 am in C-47, Lt Sherry of Alamogordo pilot. Landed at Scott Field, St Louis for gas & eats, and then to Patterson Field, Dayton, Ohio where we stayed overnight acct bad weather east of Pittsburg. Jan 27 Mon. Left Patterson Field about 930 am, arrived in Newark near noon. Chantz and Woodruff left by train. I went to Oakhurst with truck and equipment.Arrived about 330 pm. Peoples going to Washington tomorrow to V-2 panel meeting with Trakowski. Jan 28 Tues. Oakhurst. Worked up diagrams for azimuth and offset distances, also angle of descent from Site 2, Alamogordo. Went over recording, got about 20 recordings on first part but only 2 on down part. Jan 29 Wed. Oakhurst. Worked on latter part of V-2 recording of Alamogordo. Got 2 recordings besides 2 large ones, but very poor. Worked up possible trajectory of V-2 rocket. Worked up future program for Alamogordo - Chantz & Oliva leaving about 10 February for semi- permanent work there. We are passing up Feb 6 rocket but starting on definite program following that.
1947 4 Jan 30 Thurs. Plotted up angle of azimuth against angle of descent for V-2 recordings. Set aside this work for bombing runs. Worked on Flight 18 with Vivian. Started Eileen on calculations with Aug 8 and 9 data, reworking calculations doe before. Checked picks on Flight 19 - they appear to be sky waves though angle of descent is not regular. Jan 31 Fri Oakhurst. Worked with Eileen on Aug 8 calculations. Finished up for both direct and reflected possibilities. Went over Flight 19 records. Found that all of these are sky waves. Feb 1 Sat. Left A.P. for Philly on 940 bus, arrived at Marions apt about 1. Wayne back from work about 5. After dinner we went out to Newtown and stayed overnight. Feb 2 Sun. Drove up to Sparta NJ with Marion and Wayne. Saw Dorothy, Joe and family. Nelson Steenland & family living there with them. Saw Worzels pm. Ed Douglas in tonight for few minutes. Joe took me over to Dover & caught 958 train, then 1120 out of Penn Station, Newark. Arrived AP about 1230 Feb 3 Mon Oakhurst. Peoples in Washington regarding balloon ascention in June. Made plans for flight 20 which was made this pm 1300 to 1320 in conjunction with instruments in blimp. Route just south of east, no results. Worked on sky waves from Flights 18-19. Feb 4-5-6, Tues, Wed, Thurs. Oakhurst. Checked over all sky wave picks on Flights 19 - 19. Went over Loran data and plotted up to get accurate plane speed. Plotted T - X curve using these figures. Worked up Oakhurst corrcetions for elevations and replotted all values for velocity - Flights 18 - 19. Received Gutenberg letter in which he had worked out Aug 8,9 data. Went over this method and worked over thae data again. Unique solution not obtainable. Went over possible experiments in 'Helios' balloon June with Peoples. Feb 7 Fri Oakhurst. Worked on 23, 24 Jan T-X curves. V files 23,24 Jan forms, started on NYU data. Eileen worked on least squares-Va , then on Gutenberg's method applied to Aug 9 data. Feb 8 Sat Oakhurst. Worked on V-2 rocket information 23 Jan. Used meteorological information for 2 explosions. Tried to get V at height of explosions but seems too low. Feb 9 Sun Asbury Park - worked on calculations of flights, setup? and calculations for rockets. Feb 10 Mon Oakhurst. Worked over Alamogordo Radar Hueco stations for 23 Jan 1947 records and made plot of V-2 rocket derived D - H using all radar data. Went over all equipment to go to Alamogordo. Made plans for departure Thurs. Set up 8 sec galv in T-9. Vivian checked velocity from caps with temperatures and continued on V2 22-23, Flights 12-13, Cruises, NYU data. Eileen in pm - worked on formulas of seismic refraction using straight line for line - Aug 8 - 9. Finished this and went back to least square solutions of Jan 23 -24 data. Feb 11 Tues Oakhurst. Flight 21 scheduled for 8 tonight postponed until tomorrow. Worked on Oct 22 data with sky waves to Highland Lights. Went over all records. Have 2? consecutive shots to H.L. Oliva left by train tonight for Alamogordo. Feb 12 Wed Oakhurst. Vivian & Eileen worked on temperatures and winds Oct 22 & 23 and worked up ray paths for sky waves to Highland Lights. All equipment for Alamogordo assembled and loaded on trucks for Watson Labs this pm. Flight 21 at midnight tonight. McCurdy, Chantz, Woodruff, Ball, Hom?, Rigny present. Dropped 20 bombs 1200 to 1237. No signals received, either sky or direct waves. Feb 13 Thurs. Got special instruments for 1 cycle from McCurdy this AM. Drove up to Newark in staff car- Chantz & myself. Loaded B-25 this pm but could not get all equipment on.-left 5 reels and box of equipment ? . Left Newark about 330, stopped in Middletown, Pa - Olmsted Field for 1 1/2 hrs to eat and gas plane, then left and landed at Godman Field out- side Fort Knox, Louisville, Ky. Stayed at Officers Club tonight. Feb 14 Fri Left Louisvilleabout 930 am. Stopped at Tinker Field, Ok City for eats and refuel then to Alamogordo. Arrived Alamogordo 430 pm - contacted Watson Lab and got truck. Unloaded all equipment from B-25 & took part of it to North hanger. B-25 crew:Lt Posher, Lt Alberts, Sgt ? Oliva arrived Alamo. by train this am Feb 15 Sat. Moved eqpt from north hanger across runway to stowage building. Checked T-21s on GR 8. Checked galvanometers, etc Feb 16 Sun Alamogordo.Out to Tower and Dona sites & surveyed in instrument locations - 5 to be station(ed) in shape. Ran out field wire at Dona station. Feb 17 Mon Alamogordo. Went out to Tower site and set up Springnether and GR3 equipment. Rubicon 500 ft from GR3. Took trial recordings on both equipments Feb 18 Tues Alamogordo. Went out to Dona Site this morning. Set up GR8 then Phil took truck and went over to GR3 Tower site. WAC corporal shot off about 215 but with little slipstream. Recorded at Dona but Phil at Tower site never saw rocket. Waited at Dona until 6 pm. Phil had
1947 5 not come so got rideinto Army base. Phil in later. Very windy for recording. Feb 19 Wed. Alamogordo. Got radios from Watrus of Signal Corps and got trip tickets for tomorrow. Ran test records on Rubicon at both sites and checked everything ready for tomorrow. Feb 20 Thurs. Alamogordo. Out early to station at Tower. Left Phil off there and went over to Dona Site. Rocket delayed from 10 to 1119. Both stations got good recordings except 1 97-MS on both WG. Worked on GR8 records tonight. Feb 21 Fri. Alamogordo. Went to White Sands Proving Grounds with Pritchard, Magnir?, Sol & Phil this morning for V-2 critiques, 0930 to 1100. Canister from rocket unpacked? about 40 miles up and finally found this pm between El Paso and Alamogordo. No transportation back to NJ yet. Worked on GR-3 records today Feb 22 Sat. Alamogordo. Worked on data all day today. Correlated between the Tower and Dona sites for several sources. Worked total travel times for ascents both Dora and Tower and got average velocities up to about 65 kms, velocity increases from about 40 kms up to 60. Average velocity at 65 kms is about 320 meters per sec. Feb 23 Sun. Worked on detailing record from GR3. Added more and made T-D move up to 75 kms, giving velocity of about 420 m/sec at top.Phil and Sal went out and picked up equip- ment - T-791s and GR8 and checked all pickups. Feb 24 Mon. Alamogordo. Waited for air transportation today but none available and may not be any until Thurs at latest. Worked on V-2 recordings, frequency and characteristic anal- ysis - T-3. Sal and Phil out to Site at Dona and recorded WAC Corporal at 1400. Got some waves in about 7 minutes after it had left ground. Feb 25 Tues. Alamogordo. Went out to Tower Site, surveyed in #6, took down shelter. To Dona Site, set up GR3 in shelter, surveyed in #6, went to launching site, about 2 -3 miles NW launching area. Phil went in to WSPR and got permission, Sal and I surveyed 1 site for use with WAC Corporal. Feb 26 Wed. Alamogordo. Worked on GR8 records of 20 Feb V-2 rocket. This am Phil and Sal set up Sounding? site for tomorrow's W.A.C. I left 7 pm - C-47 Hoffman, Missinger: Pilot, co- pilot. arrived in Newark 9am. Feb 27 Thurs. Arrived Newark 9 am. Lewis, Duff,Mosher a request? in from Middletown - on way to WL to conference and I rode in with them. Conference re future missions. Conference PM Trakowski, Peoples, Rying & myself regarding future operations Feb 28 Fri. Oakhurst. Ewing in from NYC. Went over Alamogordo results with Ewing, Peoples and Trakowski. Out to Peoples tonight March 1 Saturday. Asbury Park March 2 Sunday Oakhurst. worked on calculations for wind translations. March 3 Monday.Oakhurst. Postponed Alamogordo trip until tomorrow. getting together equip- ment for Alamogordo. Thompson going also to get information on bombing runs? there. Worked on calculations from V-2 March 4 Tuesday. Thompson and I left staff car about 930, arrived at Newark 1040. Loaded up B-25 with equipment and left about 1230. Stopped at Middletown and picked up radio. Stopped at Scott Field & Tinker Field for gas. Arrived at Alamogordo 2 am. Crew B-25:Hoffman, DeTurk, Hancock March 6 Thursday. Alamogordo. Snowing - rocket flight called off until tomorrow. Chantz out to Tower Site and brought in batteries. Sal and I checked low frequency equipment and went out to Tularosa site with it this pm. Ready to use on 1 sec galv on Rubicon drum March 5 Wednesday. Alamogordo. Chantz, Thompson and myself out to Tulerosa site and surv- eyed out X setup and ran out wires. Back about 2. Oliva working on check of T21s. Worked on radio and T21s until tonight March 7 Friday. Alamogordo. At 8 am Pritchard got word rocket would go off between 1034 and 1200. Phil and Sal went out to Dona and Launching Sites with weapon carrier. Hoffman, DeTurk and Thompson out with them in staff car. I took Jeep and went out to Tularosa site. Rocket off at 1123. Got recording on GR8 but not time for Rubicon record. Phil and Sal got OK records from their sites. Thompson reported on bombing sites for runs and met and talked with Ordnance Officer. Left Alamogordo 845 pm , B-25 with Hoffman, DeTurck. Motor trouble on way and reached? Tinker Field 1200 with cylinder broken. March 8 Sat. Hoffman wired Alamogordo and caught Manjak & Schneider (P4)? before leaving for Florida. They changed their route and landed at Tinker Field, O.C. 535. Trouble with their oil gauge and the trouble not repaired until 10 am. Left Tinker Field 10 and landed at Patterson. Off from patterson to Olmsted, Olmsted at 9pm. I stayed there overnight.
1947 6 March 9 Sun. Left Olmsted 0934 am - C47, Manjak and Schneider and landed at Newark 1130 Thompson and I took train to Asbury Park from Pa station. In Asbury Park 3 pm March 10 Mon Oakhurst. Vivian and I worked on Flight 25, Parts 1 and 2. Started Eileen on V-2 rocket recordings. March 11 Tues Oakhurst. Vivian and I worked on Flights 25, 24. Flight 26 off today, Part 1 at 9, part 2 at 2 pm. Good results! Eileen on V2 rocket March 7, Dona Site. March 12 Wed Oakhurst. Vivian and I worked on records - Flight 26, and started Flight 23. Eileen worked on Dona site, V-2. Thompson and I went over Alamogordo plans. March 13 Thurs Oakhurst. Worked with Vivian some on Flight 23 and 22. Worked on Tularosa site of V2 - 7 March. Eileen worked on Launching Site, V-2. Flight 27 today - at 12 noon and at 4 pm. Probably last of flights. March 14 Fri Oakhurst. Vivian worked on identification of returns, last 4=5 cruises. gave good sky waves. Trakowski, Peoples and myselfwrote up report for General Reves on overall program to be hand carried by Thompson to Washington. Eileen worked on V-2 records, #21 March 15 Sat Oakhurst. Worked up survey of Launching Area and Tuleroso sites & plotted all sites on air map. Worked on V2 rocket March 7 records. March 16 Sun Oakhurst. Worked on formula for sound correction until 2 pm - went over to McCurdys tonight. March 17 Mon Oakhurst.Vivian plotted up all last sky waves. Worked on eqpt list for Alamo- gordo. Worked on formulas for wind correction. March 18 Tues Oakhurst. Worked with V. Checked through all March 13 records. Worked on Woods Hole recordings pm. Eileen working on V-2 rockets. March 19 Wed Oakhurst. Reviewed Flight 24A trying to get some azimuths from Oakhurst but records very poor. Reviewed records of Jan 23rd and started on stratosphere calculations. Eileen working on corrections Jan 20 V-2 rocket from meteorological data. Baten? in from Florida Field Station, ready to go to Alamogordo next Tuesday. March20 Thursday, Oakhurst. Went over final calculations for stratosphere data using seismic methods, of Jan 23 data with Vivian. Got V=325 at 3 kms. Studied azimuths on that data and got w = 10 m/sec coming from south on June 23rd. Worked with Eileen on rocket Jan 20thcorrecting for met data and plotting final H against X in kms from surface for up data. March 21 Friday Oakhurst. Worked on Alamogordo plans - Lewis & Clowry over this pm and we went over all future plans including bombing for Alamogordo. Worked on rocket data with Eileen and on flight data with V, Stepanoff on ray paths of Dec 13 March 22 Saturday Oakhurst. Went over all V2 rocket data. Studied azimuth - elevation graphs & studied WAC Corporal of 3 March. Caught 534 train from Asbury Park - 1045 sleeper out of NYC March 23 Sunday. At home. Arrived Canton about 9. Left on sleeper tonight about 8 pm March 24 Monday. Arrived NYC about 7. At 0930 went up to Math Department at NYU - Washington Square. Met Mr Bennett of WL. Found that Dr. Courant would not be in until late and decided not to wait but caught 1040 train to Asbury Park. Went over shipment ready for Alamogordo and over work for Vivian and Eileen. Packing tonight. March 25 Tuesday Truck at Oakhurst at 9 with scales - all equipment weighed - about 3500# total including TORRID. Edmonton, Reynolds, Thompson, Porter, Godbie? and I left about 10 and went through to Mitchell Field in staff car. B-17, Carroll, pilot -- co-pilot. Left Mitchel Field about 3 pm. High level winds - went southern route - stayed at Maxwell Field Alabama tonight. Thompson stayed behind waiting for B-45 March 26 Wednesday. Left Maxwell Field, Ala.about 9 and landed in Alamorgoro 3 pm March 27 Thursday Alamogordo. Phil, Reynolds and I went out to Tower site, took in all wires. Pulled down tent and Rubicon equipment and took it over to new site west of Lake Lucero. Strung out wire, surveyed in site & set up Rubicon tent. Sal, Edmonson, Godble?, Porter weighing in equipment in Alamogordo air base. March 28 Friday. Alamogordo. Went out with Godlers, Porter to White Sands west of air base. Located site and surveyed it, put up shelter and set up GR3. Phil and Reynolds went up to Tularosa site, Sal and Edmondson worked on GR8 and low frequency equipment. Thompson in with B-45 from Newark. March 29 Sat Alamogordo March 30 Sun Alamogordo. Phil and I went out to Dona site and picked up some equipment and then out to Lucero site. Set up Rubicon and took a record. Tried to get through to Tularosa site west of White Sands but couldnt find road.
1947 7 March 31 Monday. Alamogordo. Chantz, Bill Godbee and Ace went out to E. White Sands and Tularosa sites to make final setups. Sal, Edmondson, Peoples and I went out to Dona site this pm and moved tent and Rubicon to #3 position and set up low frequency apparatus April 1 Tues V2 Rocket #22 went off at 1310 this pm. Chantz and Don at Tularosa, Godbee and Peoples at East White Sands, Sal and Edmondson at Dona, Porter and I at Lucero. All 4 stations got good recordings though low frequency instrument at Dona did not work out. April 2 Wed. Peoples, Major Magnur?, Thompson and myself went over to Lt Col McKenson's office this am regarding bombing runs. There are many difficulties with the bombing here, mostly that so many new groups have moved in and are setting up on the northern? range. Thompson and I went overto see Major Mitchell this pm regarding same matter. Wrote memo regarding proposed work to take to CO tomorrow. Peoples left on B-17 today. Don and Bill G went to Dona and Launching Area sites am and got all loose wires. Don and Bill E went to East White Sands and Tularosa pm and got inventory and brought back Rubicon and tent from Tularosa. Worked on East White Sands record. V2 made 85 peaks - down course. Porter worked on calculations pm. Sal and Edmondson took complete inventory and this pm worked on low frequency equipment. April 3 Thurs. Oliva and Edmondson on low frequency equipment. All T-21s changed over to Stds. Edmonton and Bill G went out to Lucero and Dona, got inventory and brought back tent from Lucero. April 4 Fri. Reynolds and I went out to Osurso? Range and located PB1 bombing range. Set up wires and did surveying. Chantz and Porter on computations April 1 April 5 Sat Alamogordo. April 6 Sun. Checked clocks. Cleaned out hanger and emptied trash out at East White Sands April 7 Mon Talked to Pritchard re 3rd car for tomorrow. Gave him memo of progress report for MOGUL project to date, talked to Lt Dyer of Signal Corps regarding for tomorrow firing. Chantz and Bill went out to Tularosa and got that site ready. All equipment checked for tomorrow. Edmondston and Reynolds ran drum recording of McCurdy low frequency equip- ment at base. Porter and I worked on amplitudes and frequencys of all recordings April 1 firing and started calculations. Olive worked on calibration of GR8 recorder attenuation. Got 3rd vehicle and all trip tickets for tomorrow. April 8 Tues. Ace and I went out 7 am to Osarco site. Arrived 9 and set up radio and T-21s. Rocket due at 11, delayed until 1710. Very windy then, all settings at 8. Ran 3 rolls but nothing came in. Chantz at Tulerosa - Godbee and Reynolds at East White Sands - Oliva and Edmonston at Dona - all sites windy but 3 closest ones got some signals. April 9 Wed. Worked on yesterday's records. Made picks on Dona, East White Sands and Tularos. Found nothing on Oscuro site recordings. Don and Bill G went out to East White Sands site and took recordings with pistonphone to get GR3 attenuation calibration. Sal Olive left this pm for San Diego. Wrote letters to Vivian and Jim P tonight. April 10 Thurs. Ace and Phil worked on rocket recordings. - azimuths vs elevation angles. Don and I went out to Tulaarana Range and checked bombing sites - bombing range just north of Range Camp and another site between that and our Tularosa site. Triangulated in with Tularoas Peak, etc. Thompson left in 45 for East. Godbie and Edmondson went with him. April 11 Fri. Don and I went out past Tularosa Site looking for bombing sites. Went back to Air to Ground Range and to air strip. Chantz and Porter working on calculations V2 23 and T-21 calibrations. April 12 Sat. Alamogordo Air Base April 13 Sun. Worked on formula for triangulation without using compass - Alamogordo Air Bas April 14 Mon. Porter, Chantz and I worked on GR3 and GR8 calibration curves for frequency and attenuation settings. Don worked around equipment - Don, Ace and Bill got apartments at air base. Wrote letters to Vivian and Eileen tonight. April 15 Tues Alamogordo. B-29 arrived today - Lt Ball, McCurdy, Woodruff and MOGUL pers- onnel - 41493: Lewis, Wolk, Burnhoff, Adams, Duff . Worked some on instrument calibrations. Lewis, Ball and I checked with Major Pritchard, then to Major Mitchell's office regarding bombing sites. Mitchell said CO had turned down bombing from air, but we could have surface charges along Tularosa road. Went up in AT-6, light plane with Capt Runcraft and looked over area west of Tularosa as far as the mountains, where bombing sites are to be located. April 16 Wed. Chantz and Reynolds out to East White Sands and Tularosa sites to check GR3 equipment for tomorrow. Porter and McCurdy working on low frequency equipment for V2 tomorrow. Woodruff, Ball, Work and I went out to Dona site then to Launching Area site. Strung out wires and left equipment for tomorrow's firing. McCurdy working tonight on low freq. Oliva in from San Diego this pm
1947 8 April 17 Thurs. V2 firing #24 scheduled for 11 am. Chantz - Porter at Tulerosa Range; Reynolds - Woodruff at East White Sands, Woodruff with low frequency equipment for 1 trace GR3;Oliva - Kabassa?, radio operator on B-29 at Dona Site, Bill Edmonston arrived by car from Florida about 11 and went out to Dona -- Captain Lewis and myself at Launching Area site. V-2 postponed from 11 to 1610. 9 explosives supposed to go off, SCEL, only 1 worked. Tularosa site - had bad instruments - had 3 working but in line; East White Sands - one short roll, then paper jammed; Dona Site OK; Launching Area site - OK for first 2 rolls, paper jammed on third roll. McCurdy set up low frequency in hanger, north side, and on Rubicon drum but recordings questionable - as SCEL radio transmitter interfered. April 18 Fri. B-29 took off for Middletown and Newark about 730 from Alamogordo with all personnel that came down with it. Wrote Peoples a letter regarding split-up of equipment so that bombing runs could be continued on East Coast. Plans are to have Edmonston, Rey- nolds here with 2 sets and take Oliva, Chantz w 2 sites for the East. Set up equipments - Sprengnether & L&N galvanometers for Helgoland experiment & run equipment 1030 to 3 Pm. Checked over all recordings. Oliva and Reynolds out to Dona and brought in all equipment except wire. April 19 Sat. Into El Paso with Bill E this am. Got reservations to Houston next weekend. April 20 Sun. Worked on plans for bombing runs and V2 monitoring. April 21 Mon. Alamogordo Air Base. Bill Edmonston and I went out to Tularosa Range and checked 2 bombing targets, and located third bombing site 7-8 miles west of A1, near alkali flats. Chantz and Porter worked on calculations V2 -#24. Sal worked on equipment. Don off today. April 22 Tues. Alamogordo. Reynolds - Oliva out to East White Sands. Brought GR3 there in for overhaul. Worked up calibration of GR 8. Got curves for settings of 8 and for changes in attenuation. Talked to St. James, Ordnance Supply, re 500# bombs. Wire from Peoples - Godbee ready to come back - plane ready to come down this week. Sent return wire to hold plane off until after 1 May. April 23 Wed. Alamogordo. Bill E. and I left Air Base at 0930 and drove to Roswell. Scouted out area between Roswell and Donali? but all irrigated farm lands. Finally back with find- ing suitable site, 129 miles from Air Base to Roswell. Chantz went Tularosa range GR3 back, Oliva and Reynolds checking GR3 in base, Datn?on calculations April 1 rocket April 24 Thurs. Phil and Ace working on V-2 recordings April 1 and 8 getting and amplitudes. Sal and Don on GR3, Bill E. on clock checks. Saw Pritchard about Roswell trips, bombing. Saw Post Engineers and Major Mitchell. April 25 Fri. Sal and I went to Motor Pool and got our driving licenses. Worked up sunshots for Tower and Dona sites, OK within 10 minutes. Bill E and Phil got timbers from scrap pile and went out on Tularosa Bombing Range to build shelters. Sal and Don working on GR3. Left Air Base 130 and left Alamogordo 3 pm. Got room in El Paso at Hotel McCoy. April 26 Sat. Left El Paso on Continental Air Lines at 0930, went by way of Hobbs, Mid- land, Odessa, San Angelo to San Antonio. Waited there about 2 hrs and caught Eastern Air Lines out to Houston. Got in about 0630, took bus to Houston and taxi to see Donnie. April 27 Sun. Houston with Donnie and family April 28 Mon. Down to Sohio Geophysical office with Donnie and Roy Bennett. Went up to Abbott and Stansell about a car. Caught bus out to airfield 1020 and caught Eastern Air Lines to San Antonio, and Continental Air Lines to El Paso. Arrived El Paso 730 and caught train to Alamogordo, then bus to Air Base. Chantz, Oliva and Bill E. checked over L&Ns, got driving licenses and worked on calibration curves. April 29 Tues. Alamogordo Air Base. Delayed trip to Silver City to talk over Signal Corps Communication with Peoples, Ball this PM. Went out with Don to East White Sands to set up GR3 and get it working. Lt Thompson in pm. Lt Stevens in on vacation trip. Sal and Bill E got low frequency equipment together and ran test with it at hanger. Possibility rocket will not be fired until Monday acct weather April 30 Wed. Alamogordo. Phil and Don out to East White Sands and Tularose sites to get equipment ready for test tomorrow. Set up Rubicon at Tularosa. Sal and Bill E. went to Dona and Launching Area sites to set up equipment. All mikes got out ready for firing. May 1 Thurs. Out at 2 am. Put up equipment for low frequency run at the north hanger. Out to stations in field - Thompson with Phil at Tularosa - Don and Ace to East White Sands, Sal and Bill E. to Dona and I went to Launching Area site. Rocket misfired at 050009 and all equipment of Signal Corps 'explosions' lost. Picked up equipment from Dona, Launching Area and East White Sands this pm. C-47 in this pm: Dubell, Mosher and Duff. Duff brought in 2 100# bombs with some TNT charges. Bill Godbee in from R.B.
1947 9 May 2 Friday. Alamogordo. Assembled apparatus to go back to Watson Labs. Phil and Bill Godbee out to Tularosa and picked up all GR3 equipment. Duff, Mosher, Dubell and I went out to Tularosa Bombing Site #2 and shot off 2 100# bombs, using the TNT blocks alongside. All went off OK. Duff got box caps for use. Will cancel 500# bomb order and use just TNT blocks if possible. All equipment loaded on plane this pm. May 3-4 Sat, Sun. Left Alamogordo about 9 am, Chantz, Porter and myself, 2 Signal Corps men along. Stopped at El Paso and went over to Juarez for pm. Left El Paso about 8 pm. Landed in Scott Field about 4 and found weather bad in East. Stayed at BOQ until 10. Left about 11 and arrived in Middletown, Olmsted Field, about 6. Weather bad in Newark. Stayed in Olmsted Field BOQ May 5 Mon. Left Olmsted Field at 7 am. In Newark about 8. Trucks in about 11. Loaded equip- ment and sent to Oakhurst. Arrived Oakhurst about 230. Chantz left for Frenchtown fm Newark May 6 Tues. Oakhurst. Worked with Vivian and Eileen on their calculations. Eileen working on several? Feb 20 rocket and Vivian on last flights from Oakhurst. May 7 Wed Oakhurst. Conference am - Dr Delassos? and Leonard from UCLA. Went over T-21 calibration they had - also the results from Alamogordo. Conference pm with Mr--- from AMC Wright Field. Flight scheduled for tomorrow, balloons with instruments going up at Bethlehem - B-17 following balloons with recording equipment and B-29 dropping bombs east- ward from Atlantic City. May 8 Thurs. Oakhurst. Scheduled balloon flight this morning at 730. Mears and men from NYU at Bethlehem with balloons. Trouble with winds and instruments did not go up. Peoples, Moulton over to Middletown with recording equipment on B-17 following balloons. Had no trouble following them. B-29 started dropping bombs near Atlantic City about 8. Trouble with oil leak in a motor and B-29 had to jettison the bombs and return. Recorded at Oak- hurst with Brush and GR3. Working today with Eileen on Feb 20 rocket - final ave velocity data May 9 Fri Oakhurst. Worked on calculations - bombing runs and V2 tests Feb 20. Took sleeper out of NYC for Canton tonight. May 10 Sat. Canton. Steve and Esther up from Syracuse for weekend. May 11 Sun. At home. Took sleeper out of Canton for NYC May 12 Mon. Arrived NYC and caught 0940 out to Asbury Park - then to Oakhurst. Saw Mr Emmons of NYU this pm regarding future flights both here and in Alamogordo. May 13 Tues. Chantz and I went down to Cape May today with staff car and driver. Located suitable site for bomb recordings on road between Cape May Court House and Goshen. Surveyed out 5 pickup locations and took solar observations. Back in AP about 0800 pm May 14 Wed - Finished checking up with Chantz and Oliva in regard to bombing runs on east coast. Run scheduled for 9 and 12 on Friday. Packed up all equipment from computing office to go to Alamogordo. Checked transit and rod to go to Alamogordo. Jappett?, new computer, in today. Started him out on work Stepanoff was doing. May 15 Thurs Oakes, Stevens?, Oliva and myself to Fort Dix this am early. Loaded up C-54 when it arrived, with 229 boxes of TNT, about 12,000#. Carroll - pilot and Hoffman- copilot. Mears, Vivian and Eileen arrived laterand we took off Fort Dix about 1130, EDST. Arrived in Fort Worth about 9 EDST. Off again to Big Springs, Texas, where forced to stop account of weather conditions. Stayed overnight at Hotel Supples. May 16 Fri C-54 arrived at Alamogordo from Big Spring about 930 MST. All TNT unloaded and put in dump. Vivian and Eileen got rooms at girls dorm. Mears and I at BOQ 25. Went over future program with Edmondson, Reynolds and Godbee. Vivian and Eileen in office this pm. Have office in Watson Lab Bldg. Checked out ready to go to Silver City Monday. Got car ready and gas for car. Checked transit and made from field wire chain for 125 meters. Mears and Thompson down to critique at White Sands and to see Capt Smith of Weather Service. May 17 Sta. Alamogordo. Vivian, Eileen and I worked on May 15 rocket data. Plotted up azim- uth angle against elevation angle for Dona and White Sands stations. Plotted azimuth against time for Dona site. May 18 Sun. Alamogordo. Worked on Dona record, May 15 rocket. Checked through picks - plotte elevation angle against time, calculated elevation and distance from bombing site using straight line plane between launching site and point of impact. May 19 Mon Reynolds and I left about 0745 in weapon carrier for Silver City. Arrived at Giles National Forest Station about 1230. Got permission for site there and went along valley 16 miles, then back 5 and located site. Surveyed location, dug holes and strung wire. Back to ranger station and located ourselves on range map. Left Bayard about 630 pm. Back at Alamogordo about 1045 pm. Edmondson and Godbee out to record WAC Corporal at Dona site
1947 10 but it was postponed until Thursday. May 20 Tues. Edmondson and I left about 0845 in weapon carrier for Roswell. Arrived at Hagerman about 12. Went across Pecos R and found site. Surveyed in locations, dug holes and strung wires. Went over to Roswell Army Air Field, filled up with gas. Checked for room for Bill for Wed and Thurs. Back to Alamogordo about 730 pm. Godbee and Reynolds loaded up one weapon carrier, ready to leave tomorrow. Vivian working on weather data to send back to Watson. Eileen working on March 7 azimuth - elevation plots and checking picks. May 21 Wed. Reynolds and Godbee left about 800 in loaded weapon carrier. Stopped at gate by SC Lt and had to unload on motor pool weapon carrier acc't bad tires and heavy load on other one. Left about noon for Silver City. Bill Edmondson picked up GR8 and left for Ros- well in weapon carrier SC about noon. Got all equipment together for shooting tomorrow. Worked with V and E this pm. Eileen finished checking original data 7 March and started checking April 1 azimuths and elevation angles. V finished azimuths direct waves and started extension of weather data to 288, 18 kms fm sky wave data. May 22 Thurs. Thompson and I out at 0730 to Ordnance dump. Sgt Rand met us there and let us in area. Picked up 17 boxes of TNT. Shot 1000 at Site 1, 1100 at Site 3, 1200 at Site 3 and 1300 at Site 1 again. Thompson left for El Paso to meet his family, in from Corpus Christi. Worked a little in office PM. Called up Silver City and Roswell tonight, changed schedule of tomorrow from 1100 last one to 1115. Checked AAF clocks over telephone. May 23 Fri. Went out at 0530 and got sgt Rand. We went out to ammunition dump, picked up 16 boxes of TNT. Sgt Rand to field with me. Shot 0800 Site 1, 0900 Site 2, 1000 Site 3 and 1115 Site 1. Worked on theoretical calculations pm. Bill E in from Roswell about 5 and and Reynolds & Godbee in about 800 May 24 Sat. Went over with Godbee and unloaded his truck, hung his recordings to dry. Went over GR8 records too but didn't see any signals there. GR3 from Silver City has some good sky waves. May 25 Sun. Tried to get into El Paso to catch train to Houston but Alamogordo train too late to make connections. Back to Alamogordo Air Base. May 26 Mon. Worked on Tests 1 and 2 records today. No signals from Roswell - some thunder on 2 shots. 5 sky waves from Silver City. Vivian worked on records, Eileen on thunder recordings. Godbee worked am, Bill and Don off today. May 27 Tues. Worked with V on tests 1 and 2, E back on rocket of April 1. Bill Godbee and Don out to Dona and set up GR3 for Thursday firing. May 28 Wed. B-17 in from Watson with Mears, Hackman, NYU and Alden. They plan to fly test balloon tomorrow. Other gang with recording equipment, due to leave Watson Sat. Got every- thing ready for HERMES rocket tomorrow, Dona & White Sands. Finished theoretical calcul- ations of T-X solution of sky waves. May 29 Thurs. Mears and Hackman got balloon ascension off about 1 PM today with B-17 plane to follow it. Don and Godbee out to Dona, Bill and I to East White Sands to record HERMES. Set for 1100 am, postponed repeatedly, finally fired at 0730 PM. Rocket off course, landed near Juarez, Mexico. May 30 Fri. Memorial Day. Got 330 bus out of Alamogordo, 1030 train out of El Paso to Housto May 31 Sat. Arrived Houston 715, went up to bank 900, then to Abbott - Stansell and picked up car - '42 Chrysler. Went up to Sohio and talked to Donnie and Roy Bennett for an hour. Left Houston about 1145, stayed overnight past Post, Texas. June 1 Sun. Left 0400, arrived in Alamogordo about 0930 - 800 miles to base from Houston. C-47 with Moore, Schneider and others from NYU. Also Ireland, Minton, Olsen. NYU men worked on balloons today in north hanger. June 2 Mon. Changed shooting plans to coordinate with balloon flights. Balloon all ready to go. Receiver in plane and receiver on ground. Edmondson with GR8 to Roswell pm, Godbee and Reynolds with GR3 to Silver City. Vivian working on amplitudes of flights - Eileen on April 7 rocket. Jun 3 Tues. Up at 0230 am ready to fly balloon but abandoned due to cloudy skies. I went out to Tularosa Range and fired charges from 6 on to 12, missed 530 shot - trouble getting ordnance man. Jun 4 Wed. Out to Tularosa Range and fired charges between 00 and 06 this am. No balloon flights again on account of clouds. Flew regular sono buoy up in cluster of balloons and had good luck on receiver on ground but poor on plane. Out with Thompson pm. Shot charges from 1800 to 2400. June 5 Thurs. Up at 4 to shoot 2 charges for balloon flight. Whole assembly of constant- altitude balloons set up at 0500. Fired charges at 0537 and 0552, then soon buzzed by plane
1947 11 to return. Receiver at plane did not work at all. Ground receiver worked for a short time but did not receive explosions. B-17 and most of personnel out to Roswell - recovered equipment some 25 mi east of Roswell. Out at 10 this morning, got TNT and went out to range. Fired shots 12 to 18 every hour. Last of bombing tests this week. June 6 Fri. NYU personnel getting ready for flight tomorrow. Conference about noon, Hackman with radiosonde, Olsen and Godbee with receiver to Roswell - also Smith on theodolite. Regular equipment in plane.Edmundson and Reynolds to operate equipment at labs - receiver with GR8. Worked on GR8 this pm and this evening. Fired some shots pm at site #4 but no transmitter for sonobuoy. This pm put McCurdy low frequency amplifier in circuit before GR8 and have plenty of signal. June 7 Sat. Balloon flight off about 530. Dribbler? broken on takeoff. Balloon was to 60,000'+, broke left balloons then train came down somewhere in mountains. Recordings at north hanger, and at Roswell but plane did not receive. Shot at 6, 630, 7, 730, 8 and 830 at site #4. Plane out to find balloons but no luck. All NYU personnel and John Alden off on B-17 - Lewis, Gallagher. Went over to Alamogordo with Ireland, Minton, Olsen and Mears but no train today - making reservations for tomorrow. June 8 Sun. Rancher, Sid West, found balloon train 25 mi south of High Rolls in mountains. Contacted him and made arragements to recover equipment Monday. Got all recordings of balloon flights. Took Treland, Mears, Winton, Olsen to Alamogordo to catch train this pm June 9 Mon. Bill Godbee and Don Reynolds went out to Sid West's ranch south of High Rolls and broughtback recovered balloons- clock, 2 radiosondes, sonobuoy and microphone and lower part of dribbler. Bill Edmondson cleaning up hanger and sorting out equipment of NYU. Worked today on balloon records (GR8) from north hanger. No definite signals obtained. Took inv- entory MRs. June 10 Tues. Bill G , Bill E and Don worked on equipment, repairing GR8, T21 mikes, etc. Getting ready for rocket Thursday. Worked on GR8 recordings from Hagerman, Tests 3,4,5,6. No signals obtained. Worked on balloon tests from Roswell - no signals. V on Gila R tests 3,4,5,6. Eileen on V2 amplitudes. June 11 Wed. Bill Godbee and I went out to Tulerosa Range and located Site #5 for bombing, 24 mi N of Site #3 - roads bad. Laid out wire for shooting, Don and Bill E getting ready for rocket. Checked Rubicon records, all 3 sites. June 12 Thurs. All rockets postponed until July 3 rocket of S.C.E.L. Bill E, Don, Bill G went down to El Paso and then SE along Rio Grande. Located listening site south of Clint, Texas and layed out wires and dug holes. Worked on bombing flights from Oakhurst. June 13 Fri. Men off today. V worked on tests 3,4,5,6 Tularosa bombing amplitudes. I plotted amplitudes. I plotted T-X all sky waves and started reviewing March 11 and 17 records. June 14 Sat. Bill E and family, Don R and family, V, E and I to Carlsbad. June 15 Sun. Through Carlsbad Caverns and back to Alamogordo. June 16 Mon. Men off today. Worked on eastern shore cruises, plotting T-X corrected to 68 kms & worked on apparent velocities and differences in azimuth. June 17 Tues. Men left for Silver City and Febrero? near El Paso for bombing tests. Worked on Cruises. June 18 Wed. Test 7 of Tularosa Bombing Program, Shots at 7, 930 and 1230. Men called in from field to check clocks. Weather poor - raining at all sites. E on V2 rockets, V Cruises. June 19 Thurs. Test 8 of Tularosa bombing program, shots at 1600, 1830, 2100 , 2400. Weather poor - rainy at Alamogordo. June 20 Fri Finish of Test 8. Shots at 0000 and 0230, Sites 1,3,5. Men back today. Godbee, Reynolds at Silver City got all shots, Edmondson at El Paso got 1 possibly 2. Looked over all Fabens records today. E on weather data, rocket firings, V on Tests 3,4,7 and Flights. June 21 Sat Worked on GR8 records from Fabens - calculated azimuth and elevation angles - Fabens recordings and some of Silver City. June 22 Sun. On trip with V & E - San Cruzes, Hot Springs, Carizzo Week of Jan 23-28 Alamogordo Air Base. Men worked on equipment for sound ranging Monday and made arrangements for off base transportation, had to get some from Base Motor Pool; Bill G, Don R left am for Gila Valley and Bill E went to Fabens. Tests 9, 10 Wednesday 25 and Thurs, Fri 26-27. Test 9: 7-10-13-16-18 Sites 1-3-5-3-1. Went out with Sgt Rand. Contacted by telephone Wed night and Thursday. Shot 10 Thurs, Fri at 18-21-00-03-05. Out with Sgt Rand again. Men in Fri pm. Good results from west, but poor or nothing from Fabers. Looked over some of Fabens records Sat. V worked on Tests 7-8 getting all data, including amplitudes, then worked on Flights 1-27. Got met data for all flights up to 18 kms except Oct ones. Found one whole minute error in timing on 24A flight which now checks with others
1947 12 in March. E on new weather calculations 20 Feb. Found adding wind directly to velocity from temp gives accurate enough results. Changed 20 Feb rocket and plotted up altitudes against signal strength - shows nothing significant & started on 1 April rocket. Have all 4 station azimuths about finished. Phil Chantz and Wiggett in by train Friday night. They brought in records of Flights 28, 29 and 30 on east coast - 1 of May and 2 in June. Went over records Saturday and identified signals of 28 -29. Balloon expedition personnel arr- ived Saturday evening - Peoples, Trakowski, Mears, Ireland, Olsen, Moulton, Alden from AMS and Moore, Schneider, Hackman, Smith, Hazzard, 2 others and a Lt Smith from Navy NYU. 29 June (Sun) NYU personnel and some of Watson Lab men working today with equipment in north hanger. Went to Ruidoso with Mears, Trakowski, Godbee, V & E Week of 30 June - 5 July '47 Alamogordo. Vivian worked on Tests 9 and 10, finishing all upward data on GR3 recordings. Eileen worked on 1 April rocket, getting signal strengths vs altitude (corrected for weather data) and started on the calculations to get time of signal for correlation purposes. Appears likely that strength of signal is dependent on station factors rather than anything about rocket. Balloon tests? 7, 8, 9, and 10 off this week. Test 7, slated for 1 July postponed until 2 July as equipment was not ready. 100 tanks Helium obtained from Amarillo Monday evening. Also radiosonde receivers set up by NYU personnel Monday but were not operable. Test 7 at dawn on July 2 with pibal 1 hr first following with theodlite. Winds were very light and balloons up between A air base and mountains most of time. Included cluster of met balloons. Followed by C-54? for several hours & finally landed in mountains near road to Cloudcroft. Before gear could be recovered, most of it had been stolen. Stations operating at north hanger, Cloudcroft and Roswell. Shots made unfortunately at Site #4 and picked up good from north hanger and from Cloudcroft for awhile. Nothing from Roswell. On Thursday morning 3 July, a cluster of GM plastic balloons sent up for V2 recording but V2 was not fired. No shots fired. Balloons up for some time. No recordings from Roswell as pibal showed no W winds. Balloons picked up by radar WL and hunted by Manjak C-45. Located on Tularosa Range by air. Out pm with several NYU by weapon carrier and Chantz C-45. We never located it. Rocket postponed until 730 Thursday night but at last minute before balloon went up, V2 was called off on account of accident at White Sands.Sent up cluster balloons with dummy load. Balloon flight #10 at dawn on July 5th. Had gone out in C-45 again with Moser and Dubell to hunt for balloon from Flight 8 but not since? we found them. C-54 went to El Paso and picked up single Smith plastic balloon and GM cluster plastic balloons. Flight 10 with single plastic followed from Alamogordo and Cloudcroft. Shot 8 shots from Site 4. Picked up most and lost signal at 845. Balloons ? more than 6 hrs although time clock had been put in to bring them down after 5 hrs. ? were picked up by ? C-45 as first flight out was delayed. Had special balloon at 7 with explosice charge which went off at 35,000 ft and at 745 but by that time the receiver had lost the signal. Followed by radiosonde series until after 1300. Cloudcroft off at 8 and doubtful about signals received. Peoples and Trakowski up 4 July with Dr. O'Day of CFS to Alamo Tower ---- ? Solar Obser- vatory the SCEL station. Schneider up with O'Day to check use as NYU station. Alamogordo crew helped get helium, and did ground shooting of 2 July. Out July 3 at Dona and Launching sites at 2 pm and later at night. Finished identification on Flights 28, 29 and 30 on east coast and made plans for Bermuda flights. Unable to leave for home on 3 July as was planned and wired Donnie first part of week if he could change his schedule and go home folloeing week. Got wire back that he had decided not to make the trip. July 6(Sun) Worked at office on flights and rocket data. Started on plans for speech 17 July meeting NYU - Getting ready for Flight 11. Plans are to put up Smith balloon with GM ? plastics + simple met balloon sonobuoy + balloon bomb. July 7 (Mon) Alamogordo. Balloon Flight 11 A off at 0503. Big plastic with small auxiliary plastics. WL gear - radiosonde and dribbler. Followed with theodolite and receiver until about 11. Picked up on radiosonde receiver at Roswell and followed then.Finally came down (at 10,000 ' cap should have punctured plastic) near Hwy 70 between Roswell and Tularosa. Second balloon - met balloons with radio sonde up about 630. Third balloon with 2 1/2 # stick TNT and caps set by pressure element to fire at 35,000' up at 0630. Surface bombing at Site 4 from 545 to 845 at 15 min intervals. Ireland followed main receiver only about 3/4 hr but followed radio sonde about 3 hrs. 35,000' explosion off about 655. Vivian got all instructions for completing work on Flights 1-30 and picked all records and filed. Sent off TWX re Bermuda Flight and wrote up memo on it. Worked with Eileen on
1947 13 April 1 rocket plotting H-SS, H-T, SS-T. July 8(Tues) Alamogordo. C-54 off about 1030 with 23 people - all NYU, WL including V, E, Godbee. It Thompson, Edmondson, Reynolds and myself left. Wrote up report on East Coast Flights for Peoples. July 9(Wed) Alamogordo. Worked today on balloon flights. Studied WL records of them briefly and wrote a memorandum to Peoples about results. Left in car this PM late. Flat tire between Roswell and Tularosa and stayed there. July 10 Thurs. Changed tire and went into Roswell. Bought new tire. On to El Reno, Okla today. Stopped in cafe in Hereford, Texas and met Dannie Harns from UGC. Went up to office and saw Bob Cowder?, PC and Gene Conant, supervisor. July 11 Fri. From El Rosa to Cherokee. Got note at Cherokee that Jimmie was at Tonkawa and went over there. Stayed tonight with J & family. July 12 Sat. Jim, Pat , Vanessa along with me on way home. Got to Doolittle, Ark tonight. July 13 Sun. to cabins in Ohio just out of Springfield. July 14 Mon. To cabins near Geneva, N.Y. July 15 Tues. Stopped at Syracuse. Got home about 230. Marion & her baby there. July 16, 17, 18 At home. Drew in 4 or 5 loads of hay but land very wet and rains inter- mittently. July 19 Sat. Marion and I left in Chrysler for Woods Hole to see Dorothy & family. Through Albany, Springfield, Providence. 463 miles 12 hours. Doc Ewing on Atlantic cruise. Worzel working on gravity at sea. Saw Geo Woollard and the Ryders. Woollard after Guggenheim fellowship for next year - positions at WHOI and Princeton are ? very satisfactory. July 20 Sun. Saw men working with Worzel at WHOI, Pollak, went over to Vine's new house, saw Kit and Bump at their house, then out to Ewings, saw Midge & children, Anne and Mikey. July 21 Mon. Went down to WHOI, Pollak, Bumpus, Worthington. Up 3rd floor and saw Emmons of NYU, who is finishing up some research work there under Ray Montgomery. Talked with Col- umbus Iselin for short time. Saw Gil Oakley. Marion & I left about 11 am. Went through Providence, Hartford. Crossed river at Hudson. Met rain last part of trip, not home until 130. Jim & family spent weekend with Steve and Esther in Syracuse. July 22,23,24 At home. Drew in a little more hay from lot in front of barn but still rain- ing quite often. Jimmie & family took Thursday PM train to Syracuse to catch tomorrow's plane to Wichita, Kansas. July 25, 26,27 At home. Steve and Esther came up Sat night. Marion and I went to Watertown to pick them up at bus station at midnight. They left again Sun pm on bus from Canton. Chas Crary up from Canton Sunday PM July 28,29,30,31,Aug 1. At home. Chrysle to Canton, change plugs, reline wheels - Rained hard first part of week then clear. Got in lots in back of barn, north of road and front of house. Aug 2 Sat. Marion - Bunny and I left 1230 PM, arrived Marcellus about 5 PM. Ate dinner with Steve and Esther, left Marcellus 730 PM. Through Binghamton, Scranton, Stroudsburg, Easton. Arrived in Newtown about 245 am. Aug 3 Sun. In Newton with Flaggs for dinner. Left Newtown about 5 PM. Arrived Jersey Coast. Got room on Hwy 35 near White Bite Shop. Aug 4 Mon. Up to Oakhurst. Went over developments to date with Jim Peoples. Out to lunch with Lt Ball. This PM Chantz and I surveyed to Sonobuoy site. Aug 5 Tues. Oakhurst. Worked on Aberdeen results - 2 failures - 1 direct wave. - Worked on Bermuda run # 2 - Oakhurst and started Bermuda #2 C.N.C.H., Peoples on vacation starting today. Aug 6, 7, 8 Wed, Thurs, Fri. Oakhurst. Worked on Cruises 1 -28 with Vivian and Epstein. Checked over all recordings of Bermuda #2, Flight 32. Got sonobuoy survey calculated and worked up results of Flight 25 B which depended on sonobuoy signal. Started Epstein on wea- ther data which Wiggett is working on. Wrote letter to Emmons with remaining work to be done there. Conference Wed pm with Clowry, Carroll, Dubell, Bernhoff of Olmsted regarding Bermuda and Alamogordo plans. Mr Mears put up balloons with equipment on here at Oakhurst. Reynolds and Edmondson in and working around lab. Worked some with Eileen on rockets. Aug 9,10 Asbury Park Aug 11, 12, 13,14,15,16 Oakhurst. Wrote memo regarding Alaskan work and had copies typed up. Worked most of week on rockets. Plotted altitude against time of origin for April 1, 8 rockets but did not get identical graphs. Tried to vary distance to obtain similiar curves but this was not possible. Made plots of time vs SS and altitude vs SS in effort to corr- elate signals between stations. Correlated fairly good on 1 April but poor on 8 April.
18 New York University Progress Report [No. 7] Constant Level Balloon, Section II July 1947
PROGRESS REPORT
Covering Period from June 1, 1947 to
June 31, 1947
CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOON
Section II
Research Division, Project No. 93
Prepared in Accordance with Provisions of Contract
W28-099 ac-241, between
Watson Laboratories, Red Bank, New Jersey
and
New York University
Prepared by Charles S. Schneider
Approved by Professor Athelstan F. Spilhaus
Director of Research
Research Division
College of Engineering
July, 1947II. ABSTRACT
The first successful, though nominal, constant level flight
was made in a series of launchings at Alamogordo, New Mexico.
Navy permission was given for New York University to purchase
the Navy-sponsored polyethylene balloons from General Mills.
This opens up the first source of large, light-weight plastic
balloons. First delivery was made on the subcontract with
H. A. Smith Coatings, Inc. for the 15-foot diameter heavy
polyethylene balloons. Improved type ballast reservoir was
designed and procurement started. Equipment was prepared for
a second series of flights at Alamogordo in July.
III. a. PERSONNEL
The following men were hired:
Name Duties Qualifications
Dorion, Richard. Navigator, Draftsman Former B-17 Radar
Navigator. Under-
graduate Mechanical
Engineering Student.
Higgins, Robert L. Equipment Construc- Undergraduate Mech-
tion anical Engineering
Student. Army
Instrument Mechanic
at Oak Ridge.
[ILLEGIBLE]
Morrell, Paul Equipment Construc- Undergraduate Engineer-
tion ing Student. Merchant
Marine Engineer.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Clearance was obtained from the U. S. Navy for the purchase of
plastic balloons from General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.
b. COMMUNICATIONS
6/[ILLEGIBLE](1) Correspondence during this period was as follows:
[ILLEGIBLE]
Date of
Corres-
pondence Address Abstract Answer
6/16/47 Mr. A. P. Crary, Forwarding check for None required
Watson Labs., AMC, equipment recovery
Alamogordo AAF,N.M. reward
-2-Date of
Corres-
pondence Address Abstract Answer
6/16/47 Mr. F. M. Cooper Specification of Considering
959 Whittier Ave. large balloon sent problem before
Akron 2, Ohio and appointment mailing bid.
requested to dis-
cuss manufacture
6/19/47 Contracting Offi- Enclosing copies None required.
cer, of Special Report
Watson Laborator- #1
ies
Red Bank, N. J.
6/19/47 Mr. Douglas Rig- Request for addi- Being procured.
ney tional Army
Watson Labora- weather equipment
tories
Red Bank, N. J.
6/23/47 Chief of U. S. Request for Big Active coopera-
Weather Bureau Springs radio- tion received.
Washington 25, sonde station to
D. C. monitor Alamo-
Att: Mr. B. C. gordo flights
Haynes
6/25/47 Kollsman Instru- Order to modify Complied with.
ment Div. dribble mounting
Square D Company and rate of flow.
Elmhurst, N. Y.
Att: Mr. Paul
Goudy
6/24/47 WIRE Request 7 foot Complied with.
Mr. O. C. Winzen balloons have
General Mills means of attach-
Minneapolis, Minn. ing shroud lines
to carry load.
6/26/47 Mr. O. C. Winzen Order to ship re- Complied with.
General Mills maining 7-foot General Mills
Minneapolis, Minn. balloons to El awaiting ballast -
Paso. Request for sample.
estimate on bal-
last gripping
devices.
-3-(2) Conferences
The following conferences were held during the month of June:
Date People Present Where Held Discussed Conclusions
6/12/47 H. A. Smith, New York University Manufacture of Poly- 2 each 15 ft. dia-
Messrs. Schneider, ethylene balloons for meter balloons
Moore this project. would be completed
by 1 July.
6/13/47 Dr. Peoples, Messrs. Watson Laboratories Results of Alamogordo Communications
Ireland, Mears, of Red Bank, N. J. flights will be improved,
Watson Laboratories, next flight's set-
Messrs. Schneider, up accomplished.
Moore, J. K. Smith,
Hackman of N.Y.U.
6/17/47 Mr. Paul Goudy, Kollsman Instrument Modification of the
U. D. Moore Co. Ballast valve
6/20/47 H. A. Smith, New York University Different types Granular lead is
Messrs. Moore, of solid ballast better than sand
J. K. Smith or various powders.
6/25/47 Mr. Gordon Vaeth, Sands Point Office Request for clearance Granted.
Commander G. W., of Naval Research, on General Mills Bal-
Hoover, J. K. Smith, Port Washington, loons. Request f r Lt.
C. D. Moore L. I., N. Y. H. F. Smith (USNR) to
accompany project to
Alamogordo.c. 1. GENERAL WORK ACCOMPLISHED Field tests were conducted at Alamogordo Army Air Base during the week of June 1, using clusters of meteorological balloons. The primary object of these tests was to perfect handling and launching techniques for large flights and to check the opera- tion of the various altitude controlling devices developed for this project. At the same time, the tests afforded the oppor- tunity to carry aloft payloads of Watson Laboratories equip- ment. In general, while the flights were successful in the sense of carrying Watson Laboratory gear aloft for an extended period of time, difficulties and materiel failures encountered served to emphasize the unsatisfactory characteristics of meteorological balloon clusters. A technical report under preparation will contain discussion of the flights. After the return from Alamogordo, the remainder of the month was occupied with preparations for a second field trip to Alamogordo Army Air Base for tests to be conducted in July. Twenty-five seven-foot diameter 1 mil. thick polyethylene balloons were received from General Mills. One each fifteen- foot diameter 8 mil. thick polyethylene balloons was received from H. A. Smith, Inc. A seven-man balloon crew departed for Alamogordo Army Air Base on June 27 to make the second series of launchings there. The plastic ballast reservoir used for the first flights in New Mexico was too fragile to take launching stresses. An aluminum reservoir, mounted on legs containing a built-in filter was designed and a supplier was located. The capacity of the new reservoir is 5 gallons (30#) though it will weigh only 2 pounds. It is believed that the aluminum reservoirs if recovered may be used repeatedly. 2. Specific Problems The greatest problem encountered during the field tests at Alamogordo was the unpredictable and highly variable effect of superheat on meteorological balloons. The unpredictable increase in lift of the cluster under the rays of the sun was as much as 25% higher than the initial lift. This in several instances resulted in the inability of altitude control bal- loon cut-offs to stop the ascent of the balloon train at the desired altitude. The extreme low temperatures encountered at high altitudes apparently has considerable effect on the operation of elec- trical equipment used in altitude control.
In several cases squibs used for altitude control failed to fire at extremely high altitudes. It is believed that plac- ing a small load on batteries may help keep cells warm enough to produce the necessary voltage at high altitude on future flights. 3. Limitations The greatest factor hindering the progress of work is still the lack of available space at New York University. d. METHODS OF ATTACK Field tests at Alamogordo indicated that a Helios-type cluster is much superior to a long cosmic-ray type flying line in case of fabrication, handling and launching when it is necessary to use clusters. Therefore, this type of cluster where the balloons are all at the same level, will be used on all future multiple balloon flights. Large plastic balloons have been obtained and will be flown at Alamogordo during the tests to be conducted in July. e. APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT The main sand ballast-dropping device was improved as a result of experiments at Alamogordo by constructing the ballast tubes of aluminum rather than plastic, and by using stronger paper diaphragms as the frangible support for the ballast. f. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Opinion has been strengthened that clusters of meteorological balloons will never be a satisfactory method of achieving con- stant altitude for long period flights. Various factors which weigh against the success of such flights are: the inherent vertical instability of extensible balloons; the rapid deter- ioration of neoprene under the rays of the sun (average 6 hour life); the complex set of ballast and lifting equipment re- quired; the variable and indeterminate effects of superheat; and the difficulty of launching a long train assembly, even under the best conditions. In general, equipment must be strengthened and higher safety factors must be used to withstand the strains of launching and the oscillations of the balloon train in flight. One or more observation posts, downwind, are needed for Alamo- gordo releases; each post should have theodolite and radiosonde observers and equipment. Better communications between, and coordination of observation posts is vital for satisfactory
tracking of balloons in flight. Aerial observation of the
balloons greatly assists interpretation of performance data.
Better radio transmission of data is needed from the balloon.
IV. FUTURE WORK
Plastic balloons have been obtained from both General Mills and
H. A. Smith, Inc. and will be flown on the next field trip to
Alamogordo in July. Arrangements have been completed to obtain
as large a supply as is necessary of these balloons and tests
will be conducted frequently to perfect a technique of maintain-
ing a balloon at nominal constant altitude.19 New York University Progress Report No. 4 Radio Transmitting Receiving and Recording System for Constant Level Balloon [Section I] April 2, 1947
Rpt 3 (ie y) COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING NEW YORK UNIVERSITY [SEAL: NEW YORK UNIVERSITY / PERSTARE ET PRAESTARE / MDCCCXXXI] [ILLEGIBLE] REPORT BY THE ENGINEERING RESEARCH DIVISION
4
PROGRESS REPORT NO. 3 [handwritten: 4]
Covering Period from March 1, 1947 to
March 31, 1947
RADIO TRANSMITTING, RECEIVING AND RECORDING SYSTEM
FOR CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOON
Research Division, Project No. 95
Prepared in Accordance with Provisions of Contract
W28-099 ac-241, between
Watson Laboratories, Red Bank, New Jersey
and
New York University
Prepared by
Prof. Philip Greenstein
Project Director
Department of Electrical Engineering
Approved by [signature: Renato Contini]
Renato Contini
Acting Director of Research
Research Division
College of Engineering
April 2, 1947ABSTRACT
During the period covered by this report, work was continued on
developing an FM transmitter. Tests were made on FM Radio
Receiver R-2a/ARR-5 and Radio Transmitter T-1B/CRT-1 to determine
their performance characteristics, and compare the results with
the transmitter system under development.
Necessary field equipment was constructed and an antenna was erected
in preparation for field testing of the completed AM transmitter.
A duplicate model of the AM transmitter was constructed and built
into a container with a battery pack and simulated signal circuit.
a. PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATION
No change
b. COMMUNICATIONS
None
c. GENERAL WORK UNDERTAKEN DURING THIS PERIOD
It was called to our attention by the Watson Laboratories,
Oakhurst Field Station, that the FM radio transmitter T 1-b/CRT,
which is a unit of Sonobuoy equipment AN/CRT-1, might have
application in this project. Five of these transmitters were
purchased from a surplus radio supply house. These units were
tested for frequency stability under conditions of variation in
plate and filament voltages. Deviation measurements were made
at several values of plate voltage. These tests indicated that
this transmitter would probably be unsatisfactory without a system
of automatic frequency control. The receiver used with transmitter,
R-2a/ARR-5, has an a.f.c. circuit incorporated. A receiver of
this type was borrowed from the Oakhurst Field Station. Tests
were conducted to determine the overall frequency drift which could
be tolerated in the transmitter before returning became necessary.
It was observed that as great as a ± 0.55 mc shift could be
tolerated at the transmitter. Further tests on the transmitter
showed that the frequency deviation varied with input plate
voltage and that as the battery depreciated, an error would be
introduced in any amplitude measurement. For a plate voltage
change from 155 to 90 volts, a variation in detected amplitude
of over 20% was observed.
1..II Further tests on the FM transmitter being developed at this
laboratory showed that the deviation was likewise a function
of the applied plate supply voltage. This problem will have
to be solved by improved circuit design before a suitable FM
transmitter can be evolved.
In addition to the AM transmitter model already constructed,
a second unit was built. This duplicate was installed in a
cardboard container which also houses the storage battery
supply and a blocking oscillator to supply an audio-frequency
which modulates the carrier at 50 c.p.s. Plans and arrangements
were made for testing this unit on a captive balloon.
d. APPARATUS
.II A battery box containing a metered circuit for constant
monitoring of transmitter currents were constructed for field
or blimp transmission tests.
An antenna approximately 150 ft. in length was erected on poles
twenty feet above the roof of the Electrical Engineering Building
for use in receiving signals during test flights.
e. FUTURE WORK
In view of the excellent characteristics of the automatic
frequency control of the Radio Receiver R-2a/ARR-5, an attempt
will be made to secure the circuit diagram of this equipment
and employ its use in any FM receiver which might be used.
Further circuit investigation will be carried out to develop
an FM transmitter which is free of the undesirable effects
introduced by input voltage variations.
Field tests will be carried out on the AM transmitter using
a tethered balloon and a blimp, if available. It is desired
to obtain information about the operating range and difficulties
which might develop with this transmitter.
[signature: Philip Greenstein]
Philip Greenstein
Project Director
2.20 Interview Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James McAndrew with Professor Charles B. Moore June 8, 1994
Same as Weaver Attachment 23
21 Report [Selected Pages] Holloman AFB "Progress Summary Report on U.S.A.F. Guided Missile Test Activities" August 1, 1948
[IMAGE: Cover page with aircraft silhouette graphic]
Holloman
AIR FORCE BASE
ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO
Summary Report
[on]
GUIDED MISSILE
[TEST] ACTIVITIES
VOL. 1 1 AUG. '48 NO. 10
COPY # 10HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE
Alamogordo, New Mexico
P R O G R E S S S U M M A R Y R E P O R T
on
U. S. A. F
GUIDED MISSILE TEST ACTIVITIES
Compiled by: Reviewed by:
[signature] [signature: Thomas R. Waddleton]
D. M. BROWN, THOMAS R. WADDLETON,
Major, USAF, Lt. Colonel, U S A F
Director of Technical Deputy for Operations
Information Division and Projects
Approved by:
[signature: Paul F. Helmick]
PAUL F. HELMICK,
Colonel, U S A F
Commanding
[ILLEGIBLE]
S-E-C-R-E-T
[stamp: TRAN [ILLEGIBLE] / NONRECORD]
Vol I 1 August 1948 No. 10
Copy # 50
[stamp: PERMANENT
RECORD]
This document contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States
within the meaning of the Espionage Act, 50, U. S. C. 31 and 32. Its transmission or the
revelation of its contents in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALS:
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS
DOD DIR 5200.10radar station was not troubled by this phenomenon due to its an-
tenna directivity and elevation orientation of 60 degrees. It is
believed that the intermediate loss of signal by the radar station
is normal because of elevation pattern lobing produced by ground-
reflection interference which is initiated by secondary antenna
lobe transmission. Since this condition exists in the transmit-
ting pattern, it affects both the radar station and its remote re-
ceiving station. Current effort is concentrated on improvement
of photography and antenna orientation in preparation for addition-
al tests.
b. Tracking Projects:
(1) Radar Tracking Set AN/MPS-6 - A letter was received from Watson
Laboratories authorizing changes and modifications of the range
circuits necessary for conditions as encountered at this location.
The fore part of July was spent in achieving these betterments,
and in the installation and orientation of an M-2 optical tracker
to be used in conjunction with the MPS-6 and as a tracking aid.
Experimental tracking of three balloons furnished and flown by the
Atmospheric Group was performed for the dual purpose of checking
the signal return of the radar with various reflecting targets,
and for precise position data of the balloon equipment for use by
the Atmospheric Group. On 19 July, a 130 foot balloon carrying no
radar reflector was tracked. Radar contact was made at a range of
about 3K yards with signal return being above saturation on the
scopes of the MPS-6. Tracking was automatic in Azimuth and Ele-
vation and aided in range. Signal return remained above satura-
tion until a range of 7K yards was read, at which point grass ap-
peared on the scopes and signal to noise averaged about 4 to 1
out to a range of 23K yards where too frequent radar losses neces-
sitated that automatic tracking be abandoned. This balloon was then
tracked manually to a maximum range of 27K yards.
On 20 July 1948, a weather balloon carrying one kite type reflector
was flown and tracked. Contact was made at a range of 3K yards,
and signal return was above saturation at all times until a range
of 10K was exceeded and grass showed only occasionally out to
24,360 yards. This balloon was obscured by clouds at a range of
33K yards, but tracking was continuous in automatic Azimuth and
Elevation throughout its flight, and the maximum range read was
34K yards.
On 21 July, a 130 foot balloon, identical with the one flown on
19 July except for three kite reflectors being carried, was flown
and tracked. Radar contact was made at a range of 1,510 yards.
Grass first appeared on scopes at a range of 24.5K yards, and sig-
nal was above saturation to 30K yards. Tracking was continuous
and automatic throughout the flight, and a maximum range of 121K
yards was reached.
26Permission to use the MPS-6 in tracking further V-2 missiles having
been received, plans were formulated for operation in conjunction
with the missile scheduled to be fired Thursday, 22 July and post-
poned until Monday, 26 July at 1100. Plans contemplated that the
crew on the M-2 Optical Tracker would track visually at all times
during the flight with their elevation and azimuth readings repeated
on the antenna. The MPS-6 antenna was initially positioned in azi-
muth on the calculated bearing to the launcher and raised slightly
above the horizon in elevation, with the correct range gated on the
scopes and with a velocity of about 300 MPH set in the aided range
motor and the motor initially stopped. It was further planned that
when target echo would bloom on the scopes, the echo should be
trued up in Azimuth, Elevation, and Range; and antenna control would
be thrown to automatic with range followed manually until speed of
the missile approximated the 300 MPH as set on the motors, at which
time the video motor would be activated and range tracking thrown
to "Aided." It was planned to throw antenna control to the M-2
Tracker only if target failed to show or if extended "loss" subse-
quently occurred.
During the half-hour period prior to the take-off, several random
aircraft were noted in the vicinity of the launcher; and at X-5
minutes, one low flying aircraft was observed on the scopes at a
range beyond the launcher directly in line with it and flying in
towards the launcher.
Timing signals and the zero signal were received, and at about
X plus 2 seconds the target "bloomed" on the J Scopes at the cal-
culated range to the launcher (62,800 yards). This pip went almost
instantly to far beyond saturation, and all grass disappeared from
the scopes. The Azimuth and Elevation, and Range controls were cen-
tered on the target, and antenna control was thrown to automatic.
Range started to slowly increase as did elevation with azimuth being
stationary. The echo remained beyond saturation for about two sec-
onds after automatic control was thrown in, at which time grass ap-
peared on the scopes and the signal fell rapidly to zero and the an-
tenna whirled off target at about X plus 6 seconds. Upon returning
antenna to position manually, a strong target appeared at a range
of about 2K yards outside the range gate, and believing this to be
the rocket, this pip was trued up and antenna locked in "Automatic"
and this target was tracked for a period of about 10 seconds or
until it was noted that range was decreasing and elevation was sta-
tionary at the horizon while the M-2 Elevation repeater showed the
optical tracker to be looking at approximately 50 degrees. Realiz-
ing that the target being followed was the aircraft noticed before
take-off, antenna control was transferred to the optical tracker
and left in its control until the M-2 crew lost the missile. During
this time, no target was visible at any time and no further radar
contact was made with the missile. However, slightly before the
missile impact was heard, a cluster of small echoes were found at a
2722 Interview [Col Jeffrey Butler and 1st Lt James McAndrew with] Col Albert Trakowski, USAF (Ret) June 29, 1994
Same as Weaver Attachment 24
23
Report
Cambridge Field Station, Air Materiel
Command
"Review of Air Materiel Command
Geophyscial Activities by
Brigadier General D.N.Yates, and
Staff, of the Air Weather Service"
February 10, 1949[REDACTED]
[REDACTED] (47)
cpy 3[ILLEGIBLE]
Review of Air Materiel Command Geophysical Activities by
Brigadier General D. N. Yates, and Staff, of the Air Weather Service
Cambridge Field Station
Air Materiel Command
Cambridge 39 Massachusetts
[REDACTED]
[REDACTED]
10 Feb. 1949
I. Introduction
II Tour of Geophysical Research Laboratories
a. Review of Facilities
b. Project presentations
III Discussion
DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR
INTERVALS NOT AUTOMATICALLY
DECLASSIFIED. DOD DIR. 5200.10
[REDACTED] FROM AUTOMATIC DECLASSIFICATION SCHEDULE
EXCLUDED FROM AUTOMATIC DECLASSIFICATION SCHEDULE
[REDACTED]
38
2-1081[REDACTED]
PROJECT ABSTRACTS
J. TERRESTRIAL SCIENCES LABORATORY
Chief: Dr. James A. Peoples, Jr.
1. Project title: Acoustic Sounding of the Atmosphere
Project scientists: Dr. J. A. Peoples, Jr., Dr. Norman
Haskell
Summary of In-Laboratory work:
When large explosions have occurred, it has been observed that the sound was
heard locally, say up to 25 miles, and also at distances of 100 to 200 miles, but
that nothing was heard at intermediate distances. This phenomenon can only be
explained by assuming that the sound is refracted into the atmosphere over the in-
termediate observers and then is bent back down to the more distant areas. For this
to occur the velocity of propagation must first decrease with altitude and then
increase again to a value at least as large as ground velocity. This is due to a
decrease of temperature up to the tropopause followed by an increase in temperature
above that level. Winds also have an appreciable affect which can be determined
from asymmetrical propagation.
Up to about 1946 most data on this phenomenon had been obtained by taking
polls after accidental explosions had occurred. Zones of audibility were mapped out
and general conclusions then drawn. Very little systematic work was done in which
accurate travel times and other factors were obtained. Beginning in 1946 at these
laboratories, a systematic study of these propagation anomalies were started. Sound
ranging detectors were set up in arrays, so that the direction and time of arrival
of compressional waves could be determined. Explosions were set off on or near the g
round at ranges varying from 25 to 200 miles. Data has been taken which has resulted
in the indirect determination of the temperature (sound velocity) structure of the
atmosphere up to the stratospheric level. East-west propagation was first studied
off the New Jersey coast. These tests show there is little or no regular diurnal
variation, and that some annual variation in the temperature structure exists. High
level winds are shown to be generally easterly. Additional tests have been made in
New Mexico to determine the diurnal and annual variations of the temperature structure
at that latitude. Some accurate observations of wind velocity are indicated by
observations taken along a north-south line as well as an east-west line. Winter
observations have been taken in the vicinity of Fairbanks, Alaska for information at
very high latitudes. Observations have been taken near the Panama Canal Zone for
additional information in the tropics.
The sounds produced by rockets launched at Alamogordo have been recorded with
acoustic detector arrays located on the ground near the rocket trajectory. From data
gathered in this manner, some indications of upper air temperature and winds have been
obtained and much more accurate determinations could be made if the rocket trajectories
were more accurately known.
1
[REDACTED]Additional details of the atmospheric temperature and wind structure can
be obtained by placing microphones near the tropopause where the velocity of sound
is at a minimum. To our knowledge, no one has ever tried such an experiment, and
in order to do this new equipment had to be developed, since wind produces strong
noise in any microphone it was obvious that the detectors could not be used on an
aircraft. It was further believed that the noise level of an instrument placed on
a constant level balloon would be far below that generally observed on ground
equipment. Both a satisfactory constant level balloon and a light weight microphone
and telemetering system has been developed in this laboratory.
Basic acoustic propagation information is now being accumulated from
equipments launched at Eglin Field Florida. The sound for these experiments is
obtained from high altitude (20,000 to 25,000 feet) bomb bursts. Sufficient data
have not yet been obtained to justify complete analysis, but it can be stated that
observed results generally agree with predictions based upon theory.
Observations of the travel times of waves from an explosive source has
yielded a considerable amount of data on the temperature and wind structure of the
atmosphere up to altitude of about 50 km (160,000 feet). The interpretation of the
data has so far been based on geometrical wave theory, and leads to a variation of
propagation velocity with altitude which is in reasonable agreement with other
lines of evidence. There are, however, several observed facts which cannot be ex-
plained on the basis of the elementary geometrical ray theory, and require a more
complete analysis in terms of wave theory. They are: --(1) the "zones of silence",
that follow according to geometrical ray theory from the initial decrease of velocity
with altitude, which do not have sharply defined boundaries; (2) the same apparent
angle of arrival is often observed over a considerable range of distance from the
source, whereas on the ray theory a given angle of arrival was associated with one
particular distance only; (3) at large distances, the total duration of the signals received
is very much greater than can be explained by ray theory, and the character of the
signal received is that of a long train of waves of varying amplitude and frequency rather
a limited number of well defined transient pulses.
Preliminary studies indicate that all of these facts may be explained
qualatatively by more complete wave theoretical analysis of the diffraction of wave
energy into the regions that are zones of silence in the elementary ray theory, and further
work, aimed at quantitative treatment is in progress. Until an analysis of this kind has
been carried through, one can not feel too much confidence in attempts that have been
made to use long distance sonic and microbaremetric wave propagation data to deduce
atmospheric temperatures at levels above the second inversion.
In addition to the theoretical approach to this problem, consideration is
being given to the use of surface waves on shallow water as a model of wave pro-
pagation in the atmosphere. The velocity of surface waves whose wave length is greater
than the depth of the water is a function of the depth, so that the variation of velocity
with altitude in the atmosphere can be simulated on a thin sheet of water by suitable
contouring of the bottom. Surface tension and visosity set at a lower limit of about
4 cm. to the wave lengths that can be used in such a model. With a water table about
four feet wide simulating the atmosphere up to 50 km. a four centimeter wave length
would represent a wave length in the atmosphere of about 1 mile, or a period of about five
seconds.
2
[REDACTED]Complementary Contracts:
a. Columbia University
No. W28-099-ac-82
b. University of California at Los Angeles
No. W28-099-ac-228
c. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
No. W28-099-ac-229
All contracts on: "Consultation and Assistance in Research
on Atmospheric Acoustical Wave Propagation."
2. Project title: Development of Constant Level Balloons
Project scientist: Dr. James A. Peoples, Jr.
Summary of In-Laboratory work:
The development of a constant level balloon was at first motivated by
the needs of the acoustic upper air sounding program. As it has developed,
this balloon is now a principal atmospheric probing tool in its own right.
In order to develop this balloon several special devices have been invented.
An Olland cycle pressure indicator, accurate to better than one millabar,
has been developed. A device has been constructed which will deflate and bring
down balloons in flight either by timing or by pressure activated mechanisms.
A balanced flow control valve has been made which gives a constant flow of
ballast material proportional to pressure change. Other accessories include
a telemetering device to indicate the rate of ballast flow; minimum ballast
flow, minimum pressure switches, barographs, and balloon tracking radio trans-
mitters which can be picked up by an aircraft radio compass at a range of 100
miles or more. A sensitive integrating vertical anemometer is now being develop-
ed which will aid in the interpretation of atmospheric oscillations.
A thorough investigation of balloon materials and fabrication methods has
been conducted, and balloons have been designed suitable for use with the
balisting mechanisms developed. Launching and operational techniques have been
developed which permit the launching of balloons in winds up to 20 per hour.
Good control of ascent rate and ceiling altitude has been obtained. Constant level
flights of several hours duration are now routine and flights lasting up to 5
hours with pressure variations not greater then one or two milabars have been
obtained. Simplified control which operate satisfactorily during the day or night
are not adquate when sunset occurs during a flight. A system for maintaining
constant level thru sunset has been devised and tested in a bell jar, but in actual
flight tests have not yet been made. Temperature measurements have been made
both inside and outside of balloons to show the affects of super-heat.
Temperature measurements have also been made in instrument and battery cases
during flight. Measurements to show the actual characteristics of control devices
have been made on balloons in flight and simulated in the laboratory. This
3
[REDACTED]includes rate of ballast expenditure, diffusion, leakage, and stability of con-
trol.
By-product information of importance to meteorology or balloon flying
techniques includes the following: Observation, measurement and theoretical
analysis of high altitude atmospheric oscillations has been accomplished.
These oscillations are several millibars in amplitude (as indicated on balloon
baragraph traces) and the period of oscillation varies between 4 and 10 minutes.
Air mass trajectories have been measured over ranges up to about 400 miles and
have been indicated by the recovery of gear up to 2,000 miles from the launching
point. Additional field tests on air mass trajectories are now being made.
Complementary Contracts:
a. New York University
No. W28-099-ac-241
"Development of Constant Level Balloon"
b. Melpar, Inc.
No. W28-099-ac-429
"Development of Balloon Telemetering System"24 New York University Constant Level Balloons Section 2, Operations January 31, 1949
Technical Report No. 93.02
CONSTANT LEVEL BALLOONS
Section 2
OPERATIONS
Constant Level Balloon Project
New York University
Prepared in Accordance with provisions of Contract
W28-099-ac-241, between
Watson Laboratories, Red Bank, New Jersey
and
New York University
The research reported in this document has been made possible
through support and sponsorship extended by the Geophysical
Research Directorate of the Cambridge Field Station, AMC,
U. S. Air Force, under Contract No. W28-099 ac-241. It is
published for technical information only and does not repre-
sent recommendations or conclusions of the sponsoring agency.
Prepared by: Charles B. Moore, Project Engineer
and
James R. Smith, Project Meteorologist
Approved by: William D. Murray for
Professor E. N. Kemler
Acting Director of the Research Division
College of Engineering
New York University
31 January 1949
New York 53, New YorkTABLE OF CONTENTS
Page Number
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Purpose of Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Principles of Altitude Control . . . . . . . . . .7
II. General Mills 20-Foot Balloons . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
III. Equipment Train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Lines and Rigging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Altitude Control Equipment . . . . . . . . . . 16
Flight Termination Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Accessory Flight Equipment . . . . . . . . . . 27
Tracking and Recording Instruments . . . . . . 27
Flight Tools and Equipment . . . . . . . . . . 29
IV. Pre-Flight Computations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Lifting Gas and Rate of Rise . . . . . . . . . 29
Length of Balloon Bubble . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Expected Altitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Ballast Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Altitude Sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Forms and Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
V. Balloon Inflation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Preparation of Balloon . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Use of Shot Bags and Releasing Device . . . . . 39
Inflation Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
VI. Balloon Launching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
VII. Tracking and Altitude Determination . . . . . . . . . 51
Positioning Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
SCR-658 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Theodolite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Aircraft Radio Compass . . . . . . . . . . 53
Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Altitude Determination . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Olland Cycle Pressure Measuring Instrument . . 54
Codesonde. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Barograph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
-3-Page Number
VIII. Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
IX. General Mills 7-, 30-, and 70-Foot Balloons . . . . .71
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Appendix I. Equipment List and Flight Forms . . . . .81
Appendix II. Tables and Charts for 20-Foot Balloon
Flights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
-4-LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure Number Page Number
1. General Mills 20-foot balloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
2. Balloon appendix stiffened with cardboard battens . . . . 11
3. Detail drawing for balloon battens. . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4. Balloon appendix with spring bow stiffener. . . . . . . . 13
5. Carrick bend knot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
6. Detail drawing of fixed rate ballast assembly . . . . . . 17
7. Detail drawing of orifice assembly . . . . . . . . . . . 18
8. Detail drawing of filter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
9. Ballast control circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
10. Ballast reservoir assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
11. Detail drawing of flight termination rip rigging . . . . 23
12. Detail drawing of flight termination switch . . . . . . . 24
13. Detail drawing of line cutter cannon . . . . . . . . . . . 25
14. Schematic drawing of line cutter cannon . . . . . . . . . 26
15. Detail drawing of banner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
16. Typical service flight train (complete) . . . . . . . . . 30
17. Typical service flight train (simple) . . . . . . . . . . 31
18. Typical research flight train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
19. Sample calibration curve for helium gage . . . . . . . . . 34
20. Sample warning and reward tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
21. Sample reward notice and questionnaire. . . . . . . . . . 38
22. Detail drawing of elliptical shot bag . . . . . . . . . . 40
23. Detail drawing of sand and shot bag . . . . . . . . . . . 41
24. Launching platform with arms open . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
25. Launching platform with balloon fixed in place. . . . . . 43
26. Five tank helium manifold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
27. Detail drawing of diffuser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
28. Detail drawing of Y-shaped wind screen. . . . . . . . . . 48
29. Plan view of balloon launching layout . . . . . . . . . . 49
30. Balloon shapes during launching . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
31. Olland cycle pressure modulator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
32. Sample record of Olland cycle pressure modulator signal . 58
33. Olland cycle test oscillator circuit. . . . . . . . . . . 59
34. Calibration curve for Olland cycle pressure modulator . . 60
35. Lange barograph-thermograph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
36. Sample barograph record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
37. Correction curve for Lange barograph. . . . . . . . . . . 70
38. Sample height-time curve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
39. Sample trajectory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
40. General Mills 7-foot balloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
41. General Mills 70-foot balloon being inflated. . . . . . . 76
42. General Mills 70-foot balloon being launched. . . . . . . 77
43. Detail drawing of helium heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
-5-OPERATIONS MANUAL
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Purpose of Manual
This manual is designed to serve as a guide in the prepar-
ation, launching, and tracking operations of constant-
level balloons. In the body of this manual, most of the
discussion applies specifically to the 20-foot diameter
balloon developed by General Mills, Inc. In Section IX,
a brief description is given of the other sizes of balloons
used for constant-level flight. The manual is based upon
the experiences and investigations of the Constant Level
Balloon Project, Research Division of the College of Engineer-
ing, New York University. The charts and tables which were
developed to use for this work are included in Appendix II
of the manual.
B. Principles of Altitude Control
For constant-level work, non-extensible balloons are used
for three reasons:
(1) With a given weight of equipment, it is possible to
determine before the release of the balloon, the
maximum altitude which will be attained.
(2) Without special control equipment, it is possible
to maintain a nearly constant altitude for periods
from one to six hours, depending upon atmospheric
conditions and floating level. Generally, it is
not possible to extend such flights through a sun-
set.
(3) By adding altitude control equipment, it is possible
to maintain the balloon at various nearly constant,
predetermined levels for periods of much more than
six hours regardless of the time of day.
II. GENERAL MILLS 20-FOOT BALLOONS
A. Description
General Mills, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has de-
veloped a series of non-extensible, plastic balloons.
These balloons are tear-drop in shape, made from extruded
polyethylene sheet, 0.001" thick. Cells are currently
produced with a diameter of 7, 20, 30 and 70 feet. The
-7-volume of the 20-foot cell is about 4300 cubic feet and
its uninflated length is 38 feet. It is made up of 20
gores, heat sealed together in a butt weld. Along the
seams thus formed, a special acetate-fiber scotch type
tape (Minnesota Mining and Mfg. Co.,) is laid to reinforce
the weld and to carry and distribute the load. These
tapes converge to an appendix ring at the balloon bottom,
to which the load harness is attached. By using this
stressed tape design, much larger loads may be carried than
the thin polyethylene alone could hold. To exclude
air entering through the bottom, which is left open, an
external skirt or appendix is added.
Figure 1 shows a 20-foot balloon ready to be released,
with an external appendix in position. As the balloon
rises, the lifting gas inside will expand until the balloon
is full, whereupon the excess gas which was needed to
make the balloon rise will be valved out. The full bal-
loon will then float at a level where the buoyancy just
balances the load. It will remain there until buoyancy
is lost by diffusion of the lifting gas, or by cooling,
as at sunset.
Neglecting minor effects, the amount of gas which is needed
to just balance the load at the maximum or floating ele-
vation would also just balance the load at any lower level,
including the surface, although the balloon would be less
than completely full at such a lower level.
B. Load Limits
For a given lifting gas, the altitude to which a balloon
will rise is determined principally by the load it bears.
With a 20-foot General Mills balloon, using helium, a
payload of 40 pounds will reach approximately 46,000
feet and an 18-pound load will go to about 58,000 feet.
Although the manufacturers recommend keeping the payload
between 18 and 40 pounds, no trouble has been found in
launching loads of as much as 70 pounds (37,000 feet) or
as small as 4 pounds (67,000 feet).
C. Appendices
For highest altitudes and smallest sunset effects on a bal-
loon, it is necessary to keep air from diluting the helium.
To accomplish this, a check valve is required in order
that helium may be valved when the balloon is full, yet
air not be permitted to enter at any time. An appendix,
consisting of a tube of balloon material, whose length is
about 2 to 2½ times its diameter is used for this purpose,
and is supplied as part of the General Mills balloon.
-8-[PHOTOGRAPH]
Figure 1
General Mills 20 foot balloon in flight with 2
foot appendix, stiffened with cardboard battens.
-9-Stiffeners are added so that the appendix will not foul
in the rigging. With a fouled appendix the helium cannot
be valved, and the balloon after becoming full at its
ceiling will burst. These stiffeners are taped to the
outside of the appendix just before inflation.
The various appendix types which have been used are given
in the following table:
Appendix Data
Appendix Stiffeners Effect on Effect on
Type Altitude Descent
Attained
None None Ceiling is Balloon remains
10,000 to 20,000 full at all times
feet lower than after ceiling is
computed. reached by taking
on air. Greatly
complicates con-
trol.
Standard 3 corrugated Computed Balloon remains
cardboard ceilings full at all times
battens, 2½" attained. after ceiling is
by 15" reached by taking
on air. Greatly
complicates con-
trol.
Standard 4 aluminum Computed ceil- Air excluded
battens 15 x ing attained if during any
½ x .030" balloon does descent fairly
24 ST not burst due well.
to restriction
on appendix.
Flattened Metal spring Not yet flight Not yet flight
Tube bow to hold tested. Simili- tested. Simili-
appendix flat, tude tests in- tude tests in-
like pressed dicate computed dicate almost
trousers ceiling would complete exclu-
be reached with sion of air.
no bursts due
to appendix at
1000 ft/min rate
of rise.
Figures 2, 3, and 4 show the various appendices described
in the above table.
-10-[PHOTOGRAPH]
Figure 2
Two foot appendix, stiffened with card-
board battens, shown on a General Mills
balloon. The swollen inflation tube
indicates that the balloon is being filled.
-11-[TECHNICAL DRAWING]
NOTE:
MAT. 17ST OR 24STAL SHEET-032 THK.
ALL EDGES TO BE COVERED WITH TAPE
3 BATTENS 120° APART
BENT IN FIELD TO FORM LIGHT
CLOSURE OF APPENDIX
Approx. 13 In.
Taped Edges
(Mystik Tape)
5/100"
BATTENS FOR G.M.
20FT BALLOON
LHM
DATE 10-14-48 ED48-95A
FIG. 3
-12-[PHOTOGRAPH]
Figure 4
Two foot appendix, showing
metal spring bow in position.
-13-Since the back pressure forcing the helium out of a
full balloon when it is rising is 4 times as great at
1000 feet per minute as at 500 feet per minute, the rate
of rise is critical when an appendix is used. It has
been found necessary to limit the rate of rise to 700
feet per minute to prevent bursting at ceiling when using
General Mills 20-foot balloons with standard appendix.
It is believed, from laboratory tests, that use of the
spring bow stiffeners on the new appendix will permit rates
of rise up to 1000 feet per minute. Flutter in the bal-
loon fabric while rising is apt to cause failure due to
ripping at speeds of more than 1000 feet per minute. A
20-foot General Mills balloon will burst with an internal
pressure of 0.014 psi., which is about 1 mb., equivalent
to a 200-foot rise at ceiling with a closed appendix.
III. EQUIPMENT TRAIN
A. Lines and Rigging
Following rigging failures early in the testing program,
careful study was given to the lines and rigging methods
used to attach flight instruments to the balloon. For
safety in launching, a factor of 10 to 1 is used on all
loads. Thus, if a 40-pound load is to be lifted, it is
not safe to use less than a 400-pound tested line. The
line strength should be determined independently if
possible, since the actual breaking point of lines runs
between 50 and 70% of the manufacturer's rated strength.
Braided or woven nylon is recommended for all rigging.
A stranded or laid line is subject to untwisting in flight,
twirling the suspended instruments and reducing line
strength. The nylon material is weather resistant to a
high degree and tends to stretch under shock rather than to
snap. For some purposes it may be desirable to use a line
of constant length, in which case the nylon may be pre-
stretched. Only a few of the common knots are useful
in tying nylon. Bowlines and square knots have been found
to slip and are hard to untie. The carrick bend, shown
in Figure 5, is recommended. In addition to this, a safety
knot is made in the loose end, and the entire tie secured
by a final taping. For convenience in assembly, the indivi-
dual pieces of line and equipment are rigged with harness
snaps at each end. This permits unit replacements or re-
moval at the last minute with a minimum of delay. For
extremely light-weight rigging, wooden toggles and loops
in the nylon may be used instead of the heavier metal
snaps.
-14-[PHOTOGRAPH]
Figure 5
Carrick Bend
-15-B. Altitude Control Equipment
Flights of 20-foot General Mills balloons, using no con-
trol equipment, have been sent to altitudes of about
50,000 feet. After reaching maximum altitude, the balloons
all exhibit a tendency to float then descend at an in-
creasing rate for periods of from 2 to 6 hours. In stable
layers of air such as the stratosphere the descent of a
balloon is retarded by the helium, on compression, getting
warmer than the surrounding air. This results in much longer
duration flights requiring no external control though,
strictly speaking, the altitude is not constant. This
concept is in good general agreement with the observed
data; balloons have remained in a semi-floating state
much longer (up to 30 hours) when in the stratospheric
inversion than when in less stable lower atmospheric
layers.
When it is desired to maintain a balloon at constant
level for a guaranteed period of time in excess of two
hours, a ballast system of altitude control should be
added to the flight gear. The level at which the bal-
loon is to float must be the maximum altitude to which
it can carry the payload. To compensate for loss in buoy-
ancy occasioned by loss of lifting gas through diffusion
and leakage, a continual lightening of the load is re-
quired. To effect this in a simple fashion, liquid ballast
is permittted to flow through an orifice at a predetermined
rate which exceeds the expected loss of lift. (See Section
IV, D) The reservoir and ballast assembly which has
been developed for this use is shown in Figure 6. A de-
tail sketch of the orifice in its mounting is shown as
Figure 7, and Figure 8 shows a suitable filter which
must be used to protect the orifice from clogging. The
liquid ballast must (1) not freeze, but flow well at
cold temperature (-80°C); (2) not absorb water, which
would freeze; and (3) be relatively inexpensive. A re-
commended liquid is Aeromobil Compass Fluid, made by
Socony-Vacuum Co. (Air Force Spec. AN-C-116).
There are three possible objections to the use of this
simple control system. First, a continued lessening of
the total weight on the balloon--with no change in volume--
must result in a constantly raising ceiling. For a 20-
foot balloon at 45,000 feet, this change is approximately
1000 feet with each kilogram of ballast dropped (see Sec-
tion IV, E). Second, only a prefixed ballast flow is
permitted, and excessive loss of lift, as might come when
the gas is colled at sunset (when the balloon loses superheat),
-16-[FIGURE: Technical drawing — NYU BALLOON PROJECT, 1 GAL. CAP. LT WGT. FIXED RATE BALLAST RESERVOIR, ED48-79A, DWN BY: LHM, DATE: 9-2-48]
SMALL HOOK
5/8" DIA. BRASS RING SILVER SOLDERED
ONE GAL. CAN WITH 1/2" FILLER HOLE
6 1/2" DIA.
3/16" BRASS TUBING .032 WALL
TWO BRACES- 1/8" BRASS TUBING - EQUALLY SPACED
NOTE:
ALL JOINTS SILVER SOLDERED.
USE 3" CONE TYPE FILTER WITH 325×325 WIRE CLOTH ORIFICE ATTACHED WITH 1/2" I.D. TYGON SEE ED48-75 ORIFICE & FILTER NOT ASSEMBLED ON RESERVOIR UNTIL READY FOR FLIGHT
SPINNERETTE ORIFICE INSERTED HERE.
FILTER SUPPORT ARM-5" LONG 1/8" BRASS TUBE WIRED TO FILTER WITH N° 20 B&S GAGE SOFT BRASS WIRE
1/2" TUBING-1" LONG
3/16" TUBING-1" LONG
3/16" I.D. TYGON-1 1/4" LONG
FIG. 6
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
1 GAL. CAP. LT WGT. FIXED RATE BALLAST RESERVOIR
DWN BY: LHM
DATE: 9-2-48 ED48-79A
RATE OF FLOW 200 TO 250 GM./HR. WITH .008" SPINNERETTE.
WEIGHT APPROX. 575 GM. COMPLETE LESS BALLAST.
CAPACITY- APPROX. 2800 GM. OF BALLAST
-17-[FIGURE: Technical drawing — NYU BALLOON PROJECT, ORIFICE ASSEMBLY, ED48-75A, DATE 8-25-48]
NOTE
SPINNERETTE ORIFICE MFD. BY J. BISHOP CO., MALVERN, PA.
MONEL OR NICKEL
SPINNERETTE ORIFICE→
1/2" BRASS TUBE
SOFT SOLDERED
ATTACHED WITH WIRE→
TYGON TUBING
TO BALLAST RESERVOIR
DISCHARGE PLUGGED UNTIL READY FOR FLIGHT
PLUG
FIG. 7
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
ORIFICE ASSEMBLY
DATE 8-25-48 ED48-75A
-18-[FIGURE: Technical drawing — NYU BALLOON PROJECT, TYPE "C" FILTER, ED 48-34A, DATE: 5-18-48]
FIG. 8
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
TYPE "C" FILTER
Date: 5-18-48 ED 48-34A
SECTION A-A:
SOFT SOLDERED
BRASS CONE
0.025"
SILVER SOLDERED
WIRE MESH 325×325 (PHOSPHER BRONZE)
BRASS TUBING 1/2 OR 3/16" O.D. CUT 1 1/8" AND FLARE ONE END
NOTE:
WIRE MESH FROM NEWARK WIRE CLOTH CO., TWILLED WEAVE CODE PYA, OR EQUIVALENT.
SCALE 1:1
-19-will cause the balloon to descend. Third, as a consequence
of the previous limitation, the maximum floating period
of a balloon with this control system is 24 hours, achieved
when launching is at sunset.
When any or all of the above objections prohibit the
use of this simple control system, more complex ballast
dropping devices may be used. Figure 9 shows in schematic
form the servo or demand type control which has been used
to maintain balloons at a constant pressure level, with
high ballast efficiency and without harmful sunset effects.
Figure 10 is the ballast reservoir assembly which is used
with this type control. A more detailed discussion of
this servo-control is given in Techncial Report Number 2
of the Balloon Project, New York University.
C. Flight Termination Gear
When a balloon loses buoyancy by the loss of lifting gas,
it sinks slowly to earth. To prevent the balloon from
remaining in airplane traffic lanes for a long period
of time, a flight termination device is added to the
equipment train. This device, shown in Figure 11, con-
sists of a pressure-actuated switch and rigging to tear
a large hole in the balloon when it descends to some
predetermined height. A pressure pen is held above
its commutator by a short shelf (see Figure 12). After
passing an altitude corresponding to the end of the shelf,
the pen falls onto the commutator. Upon subsequent
descent to 20,000 feet, it closes an electrical circuit.
When this circuit is closed, a squib is detonated in an
aluminum "cannon" (see Figures 13 and 14) driving a pellet
through the main load line. As the line is severed,
the weight of the load is suddenly taken by a rip line
which extends nearly taut (about 2 feet slack) up the
side of the balloon to a point about 10 feet below the
balloon crown. At this point, two small holes about
18" apart have been made, and the rip line is passed from
the outside into the balloon through the top hole, then
down the inside and out the bottom hole. Both holes are
securely taped with acetate fiber tape. About 6 inches
of slack line is left inside the balloon. When the main
line is cut, a large hole is made in the fabric by this
rip line as it pulls out of the balloon. After the in-
struments have fallen about 10 feet and the rip is made,
they are caught up by a snub line and the load is again
taken to the load ring. The ruptured balloon then acts
as a parachute for the load, descending at about 1000
to 1500 feet per minute.
-20-[FIGURE: Circuit diagram — NYU BALLOON PROJECT, BALLAST CONTROL CIRCUIT, EDA48-114B, LHM, 11-12-48]
FIG. 9
BALLAST CONTROL CIRCUIT
LHM
11-12-48 EDA48-114B
HIGH ALTITUDE CONTACT
ANEROID BELLOWS
COMMUTATOR
DISPLACEMENT SWITCH
SOLENOID VALVE
SIGMA RELAY
RATE SWITCH
6V
6V
NOTES:
BATT. PACK IN TRANSMITTER BOX
SIGMA SENSITIVE TYPE 5F RELAY- COIL RESISTANCE-16000 OHMS
DISPLACEMENT SWITCH-ED48-107
RATE SWITCH-ED48-115
SOLENOID VALVE-EDA48-110
USE 4FH-6V LITHIUM CHLORIDE BATTERIES (BURGESS)
FOR DETAILS OF DISPLACEMENT SW. SEE ED48-126
-21-[PHOTOGRAPH: Ballast reservoir assembly showing component parts, labeled as Figure 10]
Ballast Reservoir
Filter
Solenoid Valve
Ballast Meter
Rate Switch
Displacement Switch
[ILLEGIBLE] Transmitter
Figure 10
Ballast reservoir assembly
showing component parts
-22-[FIGURE: Technical diagram — NYU BALLOON PROJECT, FLIGHT TERMINATION RIP RIGGING, ED 48-68A, DATE 7-19-48]
KNOTS ABOVE AND BELOW CANNONS
34' RIP LINE OF 100# TEST BRAIDED NYLON WITH 2' SLACK
APPENDIX 3' LINE
2 SQUIB FIRING CANNONS TO BE FIRED AT 20,000 FT BY FLIGHT TERMINATION SWITCH
10' SNUB LINE (COILED UP) TO TAKE PLACE OF 1 FT LINE, WHICH HAS BEEN CUT (BOUND WITH THD)
FLIGHT TERMINATION SWITCH RIPS BALLOON ON FINAL DESCENT TO 20,000 FT, THUS REDUCING FLOATING TIME IN THE AIR LANES. THE HALF DEFLATED BALLOON THEN ACTS AS ITS OWN PARACHUTE
FIG. 11
ACETATE FIBER TAPE 1'
RIP LINE (100# TEST OR LOBSTER TWINE) 6" SLACK INSIDE BALLOON
KNOT BALLOON WALL
DETAIL OF RIP LINE INSERT INTO BALLOON
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
FLIGHT TERMINATION RIP RIGGING
DATE 7-19-48 ED 48-68A
-23-[FIGURE: Technical diagram — NYU BALLOON PROJECT, FLIGHT TERMINATION SWITCH, ED48-70A, DATE 7-27-48]
PEN ARM IS ON SHELF UNTIL BALLOON RISES ABOVE 25,000 FT. WHERE IT FALLS ON TO THE COMMUTATOR. WHEN THE BALLOON DESCENDS THE PEN ARM RIDES DOWN ON COMMUTATOR UNDER THE SHELF, CLOSING THE CIRCUIT AT 20,000 FT.
N° 2 SHAKEPROOF LOCK WASHERS UNDER TOP AND BOTTOM NUTS
COMMUTATOR CONTACT OPEN ABOVE 45TH
2-56 NF
PEN ARM SHELF
SHELF DETAIL:
1/16"
1/4"
3/4" BRASS WIRE
SILVER SOLDER
ANEROID CELL
NOTE: MFD. BY KOLLSMAN
12" WIRE LEADS- 20 GAGE STRANDED WIRE
LINKAGE DETAIL:
BRACKET HOLDS PEN ARM CAPTIVE
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
FLIGHT TERMINATION SWITCH
DATE 7-27-48 ED48-70A
FIG. 12
CIRCUIT CLOSES ON DESCENT TO 20,000 STANDARD ATMOSPHERE
TO SQUIB CANNON
-24-[FIGURE: Technical drawing — NYU BALLOON PROJECT, LINE CUTTER CANNON, ED48-117A, LHM, 11-15-48]
FIG. 13
FINISH EDGE AS PER SOLID LINE, NOT AS BROKEN LINES
DETAIL B [cross-section detail]
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
LINE CUTTER CANNON
LHM
11-15-48 ED48-117A
DRILL 1/4" - REAM .2815 +.0005/-.0005
THD 1/4 - 20 NF
5/32" DRILL
3/16" DRILL
TAP 1/2 - 20 NF
HARDEN DRILL ROD BULLET
NOTES:
FOR USE WITH:-
1. DuPONT S-64 SQUIB (3' WIRES)
2. 500# TEST PARACHUTE SHROUD LINE
COUNTERSINK BOTH ENDS
2/8 DRILL THRU
SECTION A-A
MATERIAL:
CANNON: 24 OR 61ST AL
CAP: 24 OR 61ST AL
BULLET: DRILL ROD OR CAST LEAD
-25-[FIGURE: Technical diagram — N.Y.U. BALLOON PROJECT, ASSEMBLY OF LINE CUTTER CANNON, ED49-5A, DWN BY: LHM, DATE: 2-1-49]
NYLON LINE
SQUIB
BULLET
TO BAROSWITCH CIRCUIT
NOTES
FOR CANNON DETAILS SEE ED48-117A
USE KNOTS ABOVE AND BELOW CANNON
SQUIB- DUPONT S-64
FIG. 14
N.Y.U. BALLOON PROJECT
ASSEMBLY OF LINE CUTTER CANNON
DWN BY: LHM
DATE: 2-1-49 ED49-5A
-26-D. Accessory Flight Equipment
On most flights, three pieces of equipment are added
to the train for special purposes. These are: (1) a
banner, (2) a drag parachute, and (3) safety weights.
The banner is a red or yellow cheesecloth rectangle,
3 x 6 or 6 x 12 feet, with aluminum spreaders at top
and bottom. Shown in Figure 15, the banner is tied
taut to the load line, and serves to reduce sidewise
swaying as the balloon rises. Due to the bright color,
it is useful in locating the balloon after being grounded
and acts as a warning to air craft during descent and
ascent. If thodolite stadia determinations are being
made, the banner can be used as one of the check points
on the train.
The drag parachute is inserted into the train above the
banner in inverted position and serves to retard the
ascending balloon somewhat, thus reducing the probability
of bursting due to excessive rates of rise.
To correct a too slow rate of rise, (which may result
from under inflation due to gage errors, freezing of
valves, or excessive adiabatic cooling of the gas during
inflation) two small bags of sand or shot are added to
the bottom of the restraining line. If it appears that
the balloon is not rising with the desired velocity as
it picks up the equipment, one or both of these safety
weights are cut free. The weight of each bag is equal
to the desired free lift, so that if the computed free
lift is not available, this lift may be supplied. Prior
to the adoption of this practice, it was necessary to sacri-
fice equipment or the balloon in such cases.
E. Tracking and Recording Instruments
Depending upon the nature of the flight, the weather condi-
tions, and the equipment available, gear may be added to
the flight train to aid in horizontal position determination
and altitude measurement. The discussion of suitable
equipment for such work is given in Section VII. In general,
the equipment added may be either radio transmitters or
gear of other assorted types. Each unit is rigged sep-
arately, with hooks at each end of the line segment.
Prior to the inflation of the balloon a thorough check
of all such equipment, especially radio gear, is made.
It is necessary to have spare equipment tested, calibrated,
and assembled for last minute replacement if failure is
detected at this time.
-27-[FIGURE: Technical drawing — NYU BALLOON PROJECT, BANNER, ED48-56, DATE: 5-19-48]
LIGHTWEIGHT HOOK
RIGGING
45°
1" MINIMUM HEM IN TOP & IN BOTTOM
BANNER CLOTH
24 S.T. .028" WALL 3/8" AL. TUBING TAPED AT BOTH ENDS
NOTE:
DRILL NO HOLES IN THE TUBING
SIZES: COLOURS:
A B WHITE
3' 3' YELLOW
6' 6' RED
6' 12'
3' 6'
CLOTH: CHEESECLOTH 20 THREADS × 20 THREADS PER INCH
FIG. 15
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
BANNER
Date: 5-19-48 ED48-56
-28-Position of recording and radio instruments in the flight
train is in some cases dictated by the size and shape of
antennae or other special part. In general this type of
gear is not placed below the altitude control equipment
because of possible damage which might result from
ballast being dropped upon them. Typical trains are shown
in Figures 16, 17, and 18.
F. Flight Tools and Equipment
A list of tools and equipment and facilities which should
be provided for any launching site is given in Appendix II.
IV. PRE-FLIGHT COMPUTATIONS
A. Lifting Gas and Rate of Rise
When the equipment for a flight is in readiness and the
inflation procedure is to be begun, the total weight to
be lifted must be determined. A weight sheet (shown in
Appendix I) is filled in, with the final weight of each
piece of gear with its rigging. In this work the weights
of the equipment are measured in grams and kilograms for
ease of computation. The gross load reported should be
accurate to the nearest 200 grams. The amount of lifting
gas to be used must be carefully figured to prevent in-
correct inflation which might result either in the bal-
loon failing to rise, or perhaps rising too fast and rup-
turing at its ceiling. After the total weight to be
lifted is found, a percentage of this total is added to
provide for lifting the load at some specified rate.
With a given excess of buoyancy, a balloon will lift its
load at an almost constant predictable speed. (The rate
of rise will increase by about 25% at higher altitudes,
due to the changes in balloon shape and decrease of air
density.) Graph 1 of Appendix II shows the relationship
between the free lift and the rate of rise, with free
lift expressed as a percentage of the total or gross load
(which includes the weight of the balloon itself). For
example, if a gross load of 10.0 kilograms is to be lifted
at a desired ascent rate of 600 feet per minute, 9.2%
of the gross load should be added, giving a gross lift
of 10.0 + .920 = 10.920 kilograms. (The rate of rise
should not exceed 700 feet per minute if a standard appen-
dix is used.)
It should be noted that this graph, derived from equations
for spherical balloons, applies also to the tear-drop cells
of General Mills, Inc., without regard for the balloon
diamter.
-29-[FIGURE: Technical diagram — NYU BALLOON PROJECT, PROPOSED FLIGHT TRAINS FOR SERVICE FLIGHTS (COMPLETE), FT48-X1, DWN. BY: L,HM, DATE: 8-31-48]
G.M. 20 BALLOON G.M. 202
APPENDIX 3'
RIP RIGGING
FLIGHT TERMINATION SWITCH
PAYLOAD
PARACHUTE ML-132 30'
BANNER- 3'×6'
LAUNCHING REMNANT
15' 50'
ORIFICE BALLAST ASSEMBLY
1500 gm FT. SWITCH
500 " RIGGING
2500 " PAYLOAD
500 " DRAG & BANNER
500 " RESERVOIR
1500 " BALLAST
7000 gm NET
4500 " BALLOON
11500 gm GROSS
NOTE:
CEILING-59000 TO 63000 FT.
All rigging 500 lb. test Nylon
2 Full Tanks Helium Req'd
Prob. Flight Dur.- 10 hrs.
FIG. 16
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
PROPOSED FLIGHT TRAINS FOR SERVICE FLIGHTS (COMPLETE)
DWN. BY: L,HM
DATE: 8-31-48 FT48-X1
-30-[FIGURE: Technical diagram — NYU BALLOON PROJECT, PROPOSED FLIGHT TRAINS FOR SERVICE FLIGHTS (SIMPLE GEAR), FT48-X2, DWN. BY: L.H.M., DATE: 8-30-48]
G.M. 20' BALLOON G.M. 202
PARACHUTE ML-132 30'
BANNER- 3'×6'
15' 50' LAUNCHING REMNANT
PAYLOAD
500 gm DRAG CHUTES
300 " BANNER
2000 " PAYLOAD
4500 " BALLOON
7300 " GROSS LOAD
NOTE:
Use low rates of rise (500 ft per min) to prevent balloon failure during ascent.
All rigging 500 lb. test Nylon.
Max. Ceiling with this load: 67000 to 70000 ft.
Probable Ceiling: 45000 ft. since no appendix is used.
Prob. Flight Duration- 3 hrs.
1 1/4 FULL TANKS HELIUM REQ'D.
FIG. 17
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
PROPOSED FLIGHT TRAINS FOR SERVICE FLIGHTS (SIMPLE GEAR)
DWN. BY: L.H.M.
DATE: 8-30-48 FT48-X2
-31-[FIGURE: Technical diagram — NYU BALLOON PROJECT [ILLEGIBLE], PROPOSED FLIGHT TRAINS FOR RESEARCH FLIGHTS, LHM, FT49-1A, DATE: 2-1-49]
WHITE THERMISTOR
20' BALLOON
APPENDIX 3'
RIP RIGGING
BAROGRAPH & FLIGHT TERMINATION SWITCH
DRAG CHUTE ML-132 25'
THERMISTER LINE
3'×6' BANNER
170' HOLD DOWN LINE WITH LOOP
BALLAST RESERVOIR
SOLENOID VALVE & BALLAST METER SAFETY WEIGHTS
AM-1 TRANSMITTER WITH PRESSURE MODULATOR, TEMP. & PROGRAM SWITCHES INSIDE SERVO CONTROLS
ANTENNA
APPROX. WEIGHTS: (GMS)
BALLOON 4200
BAROGRAPH 1500
FLIGHT TERM. SW.
WITH BATT. 1000
ALL LINE 400
ANTENNA 860
BALLAST ASSY.
+ TRANSMITTER 17000
BALLAST 5000
BANNER AND
DRAG CHUTE 450
TOTAL 30410
SAFETY WTS.- EQUAL TO FREE LIFT
FIG. 18
NYU BALLOON PROJECT [ILLEGIBLE]
PROPOSED FLIGHT TRAINS FOR RESEARCH FLIGHTS
LHM FT49-1A
DATE: 2-1-49
-32-When the total quantity of gas needed has been computed,
the lift requirement may be expressed in terms of the
pressure of a number of cylinders of gas. It is not
possible to assume that each tank of gas will give the
same amount of lift, nor is it possible to use a gage
which has not been experimentally calibrated to relate
lift to pressure. For calibration of a gage it is suffi-
cient to valve gas from an observed equilibrium tempera-
ture and pressure in a cylinder into a rubber balloon
and then measure the total lifting capacity of the gas
from the tank. Check points should be made with tanks
under varying amounts of pressure. Figure 19 shows a
sample gage calibration worked up for varying temperatures
assuming the simple gas law
Lift2 = P2/P1 × T1/T2 Lift1
This law applies to within ±1%. Note: Do not use Graph 6
without checking calibration of gage to be used. Ordi-
narily a whole number of full tanks of gas will not
exactly supply the desired lift,which should be figured
with not more than one-tenth full tank tolerance in ex-
cess (permit no under inflation). It is thus necessary
to prepare partially full tanks and by combining full and
partially full cylinders get the required total. It is
necessary to allow the cylinders to attain equilibrium
temperature after valving them before taking final pressure
readings.
B. Length of Balloon Bubble
The volume of gas required for a given balloon may be ex-
pressed as the length of an uninflated bubble at the crown
of the balloon. Graph 2 of Appendix II gives the relation-
ship between bubble length and resultant inflated volume,
using gross lift as an expression of volume. It will be
noted that when the elevation of the launching site is
markedly different from sea level, a shift in this curve
is needed to accomodate varying densities of the atmosphere.
The inflation of this bubble, which is pinched off by
launching equipment or shot bags, will serve as a good
check of the final amount of gas in the balloon, thus
warning if the balloon is underinflated.
C. Expected Altitude
To predict the altitude to which a balloon will rise it
is necessary to know the volume of the balloon, the total
-33-[FIGURE: Graph — NYU BALLOON PROJECT, CYLINDER PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE VS. LIFT, 220 FT³ HELIUM CYL., JUNE 30-1948, C48-21A]
SAMPLE ONLY
REDRAW FOR EACH GAGE AFTER CALIBRATION
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
CYLINDER PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE
VS.
LIFT
220 FT³ HELIUM CYL.
JUNE 30 - 1948
C48-21A
NOTE: CYLINDER VOLUME = 1.45 FT³
GAGE SERIAL NO. 683
FIG. 19
Y-AXIS: CYLINDER PRESSURE, PSI (GAGE) [range 600 to 2600]
X-AXIS: LIFT IN KG [range 1 to 8]
Temperature curves labeled: 110° 90° 70° 50° 30° F
Markings: 1/2 CYLINDER, 3/4 CYLINDER, FULL CYLINDER (6.81 kg)
-34-weight of equipment and balloon, the distribution of
density in the atmosphere and the buoyancy of the lifting
gas. Assuming that the lifting gas is helium, Graph 3
in Appendix II summarizes the relationship between gross
load and floating level for balloons of several diameters.
To use this graph to find the floating level of a balloon
of given size and load, enter with the required buoyancy
(equal to the gross load). Go vertically to the diagonal
line corresponding to the balloon size and then horizontally
to the extreme left-hand edge and read the altitude. The
volume of the balloon is related to density by the use
of the molar volume in this chart. Assuming observed
pressure and temperature distributions over selected
stations and the N. A. C. A. standard atmosphere, the
molar volume is given as well as the altitudes. Table 1
of Appendix II gives the N. A. C. A. Standard Atmosphere
relating pressure with altitude, and Table 2 gives the
variation of temperature with altitude. For local condi-
tions more exact measurements may be made using the
temperature and pressure distribution indicated by a
sounding rather than the standard. To do this, it is
necessary to compute the molar volume from this relationship
molar volume_z = 359 ft.³ × T_z/273°C × 1013.3 mb/P_z
Example: Find the molar volume at 30,000 feet MSL where
the reported temperature is -30°C, and the reported
pressure is 300 mb.
molar volume_30,000 = 359 ft.³ × (273-30)°C/273°C × 1013 mb./300 mb. = 1080 ft.³
This is the volume of a pound mol of any gas at those condi-
tions.
By plotting several points of this curve of molar volume
versus altitude, it is possible to locate very exactly the
altitude which corresponds to the molar volume to which
the balloon will go (found from Graph 3 or as follows).
This density or molar volume to which a balloon will rise
is given by the following formula:
Molar volume = Balloon volume Gas Lift/mol
Gross load
Gas lift/mol = 11.1 kg/mol (using Helium)
-35-D. Ballast Requirements
For a 20-foot General Mills balloon, a flow of ballast
of at least 200 grams per hour is needed to keep the bal-
loon aloft. Flow of the compass fluid used varies
(through a sharp-edged orifice) with the head, or vertical
distance between the free surface of the liquid and the
orifice. It is not affected by the temperature or pressure,
so long as the reservoir is properly vented.
Flow also varies with the size and shape of the orifice.
Using round spinnerette orifices, the flow of various heads
has been computed and is shown in Table 3, Appendix II.
From a knowledge of the minimum head to be expected (de-
pending on the construction of the ballast reservoir and
its connection to the orifice), the desired rate of flow
can be obtained by proper selection of orifice size. While
200 grams per hour has been used successfully for the
usual floating altitudes of the General Mills 20-foot cells,
this figure should be considered as an absolute minimum.
A short period check of the flow rate through each ballast
assembly prior to flight is recommended.
E. Altitude Sensitivity
The altitude gained by a balloon when its load is re-
duced by one kilogram is called its altitude sensitivity.
This amount is affected by the density of the atmosphere
at the floating level; for 20-foot balloons between
40,000 and 53,000 feet, it is roughly 1000 feet per kilo-
gram of weight lost. This weight is normally lost by
ballast dropping. The altitude sensitivity and the ballast
drop control the rate of rise of the ceiling. Graph 4,
Appendix II gives more exact values for this figure at
various altitudes.
F. Forms and Records
For the purpose of making standard pre-flight computations,
a series of computation sheets have been drawn up. These
are shown in Appendix I. Reward tags attached to components
of the flight train have encouraged the finders to protect
the equipment and report its location for recovery. The
tags, questionnaires, and the warning notices which are
used on appropriate gear where squibs or acid are used are
shown in Figures 20 and 21.
V. BALLOON INFLATION
A. Preparation of Balloon
From the moment the protective packing of the balloon is
removed, great care must be exercised to prevent tears
-36-DANGER!
ACID!
EMPTY THIS ON GROUND
BEFORE HANDLING
DANGER!
FIRE!
CUT THESE WIRES
BEFORE HANDLING
REWARD NOTICE
This is special weather equipment sent aloft on research by New York University.
It is important that the equipment be recovered. The finder is requested to protect
the equipment from damage or theft, and to telegraph collect to: Mr. C. S. Schneider,
New York University, 181st St. & University Heights, Box 12, New York City,
U.S.A. Phone: LUdlow 3-6310. REFER TO FLIGHT #______
A______________dollar ($ ) reward and reasonable reimbursement for re-
covery expenses will be paid if the above instructions are followed before Sep-
tember 1949.
KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE. THERE IS KEROSENE IN THE TANK.
Figure 20
Sample warning and reward tags
-37-QUESTIONNAIRE
Please answer this and send to us so that we may pay you the
reward.
1. On what date and at what hour was the balloon discovered?
2. Where was it discovered? (Approximate distance and direction
from nearest town on map?)
3. Was it observed descending? If so, at what time?
4. Did it float down slowly or fall rapidly?
5. How much kerosene was there in the tank?
Remuneracion
La materia ha volado con este globo desde la Nueva York
University para hacer investigaciones meteorologicas.
Se desea que esta material se vuelva para estudiarle
nuevament.
Con este motivo, se dara una remuneracion de ________
dolares norteamericanos y una suma proportional para
devolver todos los apartos en buen estado. Para recibir
instrucciones de embarque, comuniquense con la persona
siguiente por telegrafo, gastos pagados por el recipiente,
refirriendo al numero del globo ________.
CUIDADO!
PELIGRO DE FLAMA, HAY KEROSEN EN EL TANQUE.
C. S. Schneider
Research Division
New York University
University Heights
Bronx 53, New York
Figure 21
Sample Spanish reward notice and English questionnaire.
-38-and pin holes from being made in the fabric. For example,
the film is so easily injured that it is not safe to lay
a folded-up balloon on a bare table-top or other hard
surface on which sandor splinters might be found. For
this reason a clean ground cloth of canvas should always
be used for the lay-out of the balloon. Once the balloon
has been laid out on the ground cloth, it is made ready
for inflation and the rip line of the flight-termination
gear is inserted into the cell (see Section III, C).
B. Use of Shot Bags and Releasing Device
While the balloon is being inflated it is necessary to
hold it in position. Under conditions of calm wind, this
may be accomplished by simple fastening heavy weights to
the loading ring and allowing the entire balloon envelope
to rise freely above its anchor.
Since only 10 to 20% of the balloon is full at the surface
when the inflation is complete, it is possible to restrict
the volume filled and so cut down the area exposed to
the wind on days which are not calm. The volume required
can be expressed as the length of the bubble collected
at the head or top of the balloon. Having determined the
desired length (see Section IV, B), the remainder of the
balloon may be held down on the ground cloth by weighted
bags wrapped in protective sheets of polyethylene (see
Figures 22 and 23). Elliptical shot bags, weighing 100
pounds, are used to hold the base of the bubble to be in-
flated. Twenty-pound sand bags are used to keep the
appendix closed to prevent filling of the balloon with air
and to restrict the uninflated folds of the balloon. A
more elaborate system of holding the gas in the upper section
of the bubble makes use of the General Mills releasing de-
vice shown in Figures 24 and 25. Mounted on wheels, this
mechanism is rolled into position with the head of the
balloon lying across the platform. The protective roller
arms lock into position holding the bubble until launching.
This device is used with large loads when shot bags might
roll or slide off the balloon. As the arms open outward
as well as upward when the locking pins are removed, it is
necessary to position the platform with the arms opening
away from the bubble.
C. Inflation Techniques
When the balloon is manufactured, a polyethylene inflation
tube about 4" in diameter is inserted. This tube extends
from a few feet outside the appendix to near the top of
-39-ALL SEAMS TRIPLE STITCHED
HEAVY DUTY PARTITION OR
TIES SPACED ALONG LENGTH
OF MINOR AXIS TO HOLD SHAPE
LIFTING HANDLES OF HEAVY
PARACHUTE WEBBING, STITCHED ON
AS SHOWN
WEBBING TIES
DRAW STRING
Use 1" Rod For Inserted Backbone
15"+0.85
-0.00
8"
22"+1.0
-0.0
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
Date 7-6-48
ELLIPTICAL SHOT BAG
ED48-62
FIG 22
-40-BAG SPECIFICATIONS
TYPE A B BOTTOM
40# Sand 12" 10" Double
40# Shot 7" 6" Double
Safety Wt. 5" 3" Single
MATERIAL- HEAVY CANVAS DUCK
S-HOOK
DRAW STRING
TIE MADE OF CLOTH TAPE
FIG. 23
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
SAND AND SHOT BAG
SPECIFICATIONS
DATE 11-23-48
ED48-122A
-41-Figure 24
General Mills launching platform for large balloons.
-42-Figure 25
Launching platform with balloon fixed in place
for inflation.
-43-the balloon and permits gas to be introduced into the
top of the cell first. As the balloon is laid out and
shotbags are positioned, this tube must be kept clear.
At the point where the bubble is pinched off the folds
of the balloon are carefully divided; the inflation tube
is made as free as possible with only one layer of poly-
ethylene above and one below it. The tube is then pulled
up above and between the arms of the releasing device or
the heavy shot bags, and the remainder of the fabric is
pinned down so that no shifting will permit premature re-
lease.
Depending upon the load to be lifted and the rate of rise
desired, a pre-computed amount of helium is fed into the
balloon (see Section IV, A). This amount is determined
by noting the equilibrium pressure and temperature of
the gas in each cylinder. A manifold is used to feed the
gas from the tanks to the inflation tube in the balloon.
Shown in Figures 26 and 27 this manifold system consists
of an adjustable number of flexible pigtails leading into
a main line of heavy copper tubing. This main line and
the fittings are capable of withstanding the full tank
pressure of about 2500 feet psi. Two pressure gages are
included in the main line and it is thus possible to make
last-minute checks of the amount of gas (pressure) in
each tank. (Due to variable gage-calibrations, it has
been found necessary to establish the lift-pressure ratio
of each gage before using it.) In the main line of the
manifold, two valves control the gas flow. The inflation
tube is often initially twisted when the balloon is first
laid out. A small amount of gas at very low pressure
should be valved into the tube to strengthen it. In addi-
tion to the fine valve control required for this pre-
liminary gas feed, it is also necessary for a manifold
valve to permit high gas flow from the tanks even when
the pressure is greatly reduced. For this, the coarse
globe valve is used.
Once the tube has been checked, inflation should proceed
as rapidly as possible. The balloon is outdoors and so
subject to buffeting by the wind. The limiting factor
of speed of inflation is the vibration of the fabric
near the open end of the inflation tube.
As a result of the extreme cooling of the rapidly expanding
gas, the manifold and the tank valve generally become
coated with frost. Too rapid cooling may actually cause
the valve to freeze shut.
-44-Figure 26
Five Tank Helium Manifold
-45-SCALE 1:2
BALLOON INFLATION TUBE
TAPED AROUND DIFFUSER
HOLES PUNCHED THROUGH BOTTOM OF
STANDARD TIN CAN (APPROX. 3/32" DIA.)
SILVER SOLDERED
BRASS TUBE
1" I.D. RUBBER HOSE
FROM MANIFOLD
ATTACHED HERE
4 1/2"
2 3/8"
3"
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
DATE 8-25-48
TYPE 2 DIFFUSER
ED48-76A
FIG 27
-46-The effect of this cooling is evidenced in the lifting
power of the gas. When a rapidly filled balloon is launched
immediately after inflation, it has less lift than de-
sired and may even be "heavy" rather than buoyant. 20°C
cooling will make balloon 1% heavier. This may be 25%
of free lift. In the inflation of the 70-foot balloons
where more gas is used, and the cooling effect is more
often harmful, a heating unit is added to the inflation
equipment. The gas passes from the manifold through a
coil which is centrally warmed by a blow torch and on into
the inflation tube. The gas should arrive in balloon no
more than 20°C cooler than the air.
VI. BALLOON LAUNCHING
When the balloon inflation is complete, the inflation tube
is removed from the balloon as gently as possible. There
is apt to be constriction at the point where the bubble is
formed by the launching arms or the shot bags. If the tube
does stick at this point, great care must be given to freeing
without ripping the balloon.
Should the balloon be torn in this or any other manner, it
may be possible to patch the fabric and salvage the flight.
The acetate-fiber scotch tape, used to attach the batten is
used for patching. Transverse tapes are laid across the tear
and the entire region is covered with a matting of tape.
When the inflation tube is freed and the restrained bubble
is ready for launching, the lower portion of it is laid out
down wind, as is all of the gear on the load line. The in-
flation is generally done in the lee of the hangar or "Y"-
shaped wind screen (see Figures 28 and 29) with the bubble
as close to the wall as possible. It is imperative that the
wind direction be noted prior to launching and that the equip-
ment be directly downwind from the head of the bubble. It is
strongly recommended that a standard meteorological rubber
balloon be inflated and tethered on a 150-foot line near the
point of release to serve as a wind indicator. This balloon
is much more effective than a standard wind vane.
All pieces of equipment and all on-lookers must be removed
from the immediate vicinity to prevent accidental entanglement
of the load line when the balloon begins to rise. Each piece
of delicate gear to be carried aloft should be cradled by
one man. As a signal given by the flight director (after
checking to see everyone is ready and that the balloon will
go in the desired direction), the bubble is released (see
Figure 30). If "launching arms" are used, this is not
-47-EYE BOLTS
120°
120°
120°
PREVAILING WIND
DIRECTION
TELEPHONE POLES CROSS BRACED WITH STEEL CABLE
TO SUPPORT CANVAS WIND SCREEN. CANVAS REMOVED
AFTER USE. PERMANENT WIND SCREEN MAY BE
ERECTED USING WOODEN SIDES.
ANEMOMETER AND
WIND VANE
TURNBUCKLES
USE PULLEYS TO HOIST
CANVAS SCREEN
10'
10'
25'
8'
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
Y-SHAPED WIND SCREEN
DATE 1-25-49 LHM
ED49-3A
FIG 28
-48-NYU BALLOON PROJECT
PLAN VIEW OF BALLOON
LAUNCHING LAYOUT
DWN BY LHM
DATE 1-18-49
ED49-1
Figure 29
NOTES:
TRAIN ILLUSTRATED IS FROM FT48-X3
AND IS USED FOR LONG RANGE
CONSTANT LEVEL FLIGHTS.
G.M LAUNCHING PLATFORM MAY BE USED
IN PLACE OF ELLIPTICAL SHOT BAGS
ALL SHOT & SAND BAGS COVERED WITH
1 MIL POLYETHYLENE TO PREVENT
DIRECT CONTACT WITH BALLOON
-49-[DIAGRAM: 5 numbered positions showing balloon shapes during launching]
1
SAND BAGS
SHOT BAGS
WIND
DIRECTION
2
JUST AFTER
REMOVAL OF
4 SAND BAGS
3
WIND CAUSES LOWER
PORTION OF BALLOON
TO SPREAD OUT SAIL FASHION
4
BALLOON BEGINS
TO PICK UP LOAD
TO LOAD AND
HOLD-DOWN LINE
5
THE BALLOON TRAIN ASSUMES
A VERTICAL POSITION
WHEREUPON HOLD DOWN
LINE IS SEVERED
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
BALLOON LAUNCHING - REVISED
DATE 1-28-49 LHM
ED49-4
FIG 30
-50-difficult, but if the two elliptical shot bags are em-
ployed, they must be lifted simultaneously upward and
outward away from the balloon. As the cell rises, each
piece of gear must be cradled by its bearer allowing it
to be lifted vertically when the balloon passes overhead.
In many instances where the wind direction is not constant
at the surface or changes as the balloon goes upward, and
exact downwind positioning of launching personnel will be
difficult. It is often necessary for these men to run to
one side or forward or backward to get directly beneath
the balloon. In cases of extreme wind speed, it has been
found necessary to load the lower pieces of equipment on to
a truck bed before release of balloon and launch it by
driving underneath the balloon.
It is possible to estimate the space required to launch a
train of given length if the wind speed is known. By using
the computed figure for rate of rise, the length of time re-
quired to lift the entire train is found. The distance
the bubble will travel during this time is proportionate to
the wind speed. For example, if a train 250 feet long is
launched with the rate of rise at 500 feet per minute, a
bubble will move downwind at 660 feet if the wind is 15
miles per hour (22 feet per second), and the man at the end
of the equipment train must cover 410 feet in 30 seconds
carrying the gear with him.
The use of a restraining line attached to the load line above
any heavy gear or delicate gear is recommended. A loop in
this restraining line is attached to a winch mounted on a
track a few hundred feet downwind of the lowest piece of
gear, or is held by a well-gloved man. The safety weights
are attached near the end of this line. The balloon tends
to pull the gear in beneath itself in calm or light winds,
and may pull sidewise if the train alignment is not perfectly
downwind; the restraining line withstands this pull. Thus
tethered, the balloon is forced to come overhead of the equip-
ment bearers, and they are able to launch with less diffi-
culty and danger of equipment damage. If the apparent ascent
rate is too slow, the restraining line is cut between the
safety weights and the other pieces of equipment. If the rate
of rise appears to be high enough, the restraining line is
severed below the safety weights and they rise, completing
the launching.
VII. TRACKING AND ALTITUDE DETERMINATION
Following release, it is often necessary to know the position
of the balloon and its height as long as possible. Several
methods of position and height determination have been found
useful. Advantages and limitations of each system are given.
-51-A. Positioning Equipment
(1) SCR-658
The radio direction finding set SCR-658 has been
found to be the most useful unit to track a balloon-
borne transmitter, within its limited range. If
the set is in good condition and the transmitter
signal is good, it is possible to receive from a
transmitter which is 150 miles away at an altitude
of 50,000 feet. At this distance, the elevation
angle is usually not high enough to be reliable,
since below angles of 13°, ground reflection of sig-
nals makes them nearly meaningless. The azimuth
angle and the elevation angle, when above 15° are
accurate to about 0.5°. It is thus necessary to
use two such sets on about a 100-mile base line
to give a position fix. If the elevation of the
balloon is determined independently, and the eleva-
tion angle is above 13°, it is possible to locate
the balloon-borne transmitter with one SCR-658.
The installation and maintenance of SCR-658 requires
the services of a specially trained man, while the
operation procedure may be made by relatively un-
skilled personnel, with limited training. For
details of the use of the SCR-658, see War Department
publication TM11-1158A.
(2) Theodolite
The meteorological theodolite is useful on daytime
flights when skies are clear for ranges up to 100
miles. If radio data are available to give height,
the additional information obtained from this in-
strument--elevation and azimuth angle--will completely
fix the balloon's position in three dimensions.
When pressure data are known, two theodolites
with a base line several miles in length will also
uniquely locate the balloon. A third method, less
accurate but still useful, is the method of stadia
measurements. By carefully measuring, prior to
release, the distance between two distinctive portions
of the train and then noting the angular distance
subtended during flight by these instruments, the alti-
tude and hence all coordinates of the balloon may be
determined.
Regular and frequent checks must be made of the scale
adjustments of the instruments and of the base plate
-52-levels when the instrument is located out of doors.
For details of the use and care of theodolites,
see either the War Department publication TM-11-
423 or the U. S. Weather Bureau Circular "O".
(3) Aircraft Radio Compass
It has been found feasible to determine the posi-
tion of the balloon by following the signal from a
balloon-borne transmitter, using an aircraft radio
compass as receiving unit. In this way it is possible
to fly along a path toward the balloon, usually at
a much lower altitude, by noting the plane's
position where the compass reading is reversed, the
disposition of the transmitter is found. The main dis-
advantage of using this system is that aircraft is
needed, but there is no other method which will so
readily position the balloon over great distances
and periods of time. With this system, the limit
of transmission time is a function of the weight of
transmitter batteries which can be carried rather
than distance. It is possible to power a trans-
mitter to supply 2 watts, for about 15 hours, using
15 pounds (7 kilograms) of batteries. Longer periods
of transmission may be achieved by intermittent opera-
tion of the transmitters or use of heavier batteries.
(4) Radar
If ground radar is available, accurate positioning
over a limited range can be made. It is helpful
but not strictly required to add radar targets
(corner reflectors) to the flight train for such
tracking. Using radar, the elevation angle, azimuth
angle and slant distance out are obtained, giving
a complete fix on the balloon with one set. The
maximum distance to which appropriate sets can reach
is about 65 miles; such sets are the SCR-584, the
SPM-1 and the MPS-6. With good orientation and leveling
such sets have an accuracy of 1.0° and about 500 feet
of slant range. Because of the limited range, radar
sets are not generally useful. Attempts to use
radar mounted atop aircraft for aerial observation
have been abandoned in favor of the radio compass.
B. Altitude Determination
In early attempts to utilize standard radiosonde
pressure modulators they were found to be unsatisfactory.
The Diamond-Hinman system of counting signal changes
-53-is not useful when the changes occur at a nearly con-
stant altitude due to the width of the steps and the am-
biguity of direction of vertical motion. Two pressure
measuring systems have been found satisfactory for use
in constant-level work and are discussed below. For a
discussion of the radio transmitters which have been
used (the standard T-69 and the NYU AM-1), see Techni-
cal Report No. 2, Balloon Project, New York University
Research Division.
(1) Olland Cycle Pressure Measuring Instrument
This instrument, shown in Figure 31, is used in
balloon flights as the primary pressure measuring
unit, as it will continuously measure pressure
without ambiguity. It modulates the transmitted
radio signal at intervals whose timing is determined
by the pressure of the air at the balloon's position.
As presently designed, the modulator contains a
standard Signal Corps ML-310E radiosonde aneroid
unit, a rotating cylinder of insulating material
with a metal helix wound around the cylinder, and a
6-volt electric motor which rotates the cylinder.
There are two contacting pens which ride on the cy-
linder and conduct electrical current when they
touch the helix. One pen is fixed in position and
makes a contact at the same time in each revolution
of the helix. This contact is used as a reference
point for measuring the speed of rotation of the
cylinder. The time that the second one, which is
linked directly to the aneroid cell, makes contact
with the spiral, is dependent on the cylinder speeed
and on the pen position which is determined by the
pressure. By an evaluation chart, the atmospheric
pressure can be determined as a function of the
relative position of the pressure contact as compared
to the reference thus eliminating all rotation effects
but short term motor speed fluctuations.
Preparation of the modulator for flight consists of
the following steps:
(a) Test the motor operation. When a 6-volt battery
is inserted in the motor circuit with the proper
polarity, the motor should run smoothly at one
revolution per 60 to 80 seconds. Noisy opera-
tion is probably a sign of dirty or corroded
-54-Figure 31
Olland Cycle Pressure Modulator
-55-gears or poor alignment of the rotating cy-
linder. The motor gears may be cleaned with
carbon tetrachloride and a small clean brush.
If the trouble is due to misalignment, the in-
strument should not be used since this will
affect the rotation at a non-uniform rate and
thus destroy the entire accuracy of the record.
(b) Calibrate the instrument. The following equip-
ment is required for the calibration:
Vacuum pump
Bell jar
Base plate with at lest 4 electrical leads
Manometer
Tape recorder
The vacuum pump should be capable of evacuating
the bell jar to a pressure lower than that to
be reached by the balloon in flight. A pressure
of ten millibars, corresponding to about
100,000 feet elevation is usually a good minimum.
Four wires are necessary to conduct the six
volts to the motor and to transmit the reference
and pressure signals. The wires must pass out
of the bell jar through an air-tight seal in
the base plate. The base plate also needs a
tube leading to the manometer and a tube to the
vacuum pump. It is advisable to use two sepa-
rate tubes rather than placing the manometer
lead in the same line as the pump lead in order
to obtain the pressure in the bell jar rather
than that in the pumping line.
In operation the negative line of the battery
leads is used as the ground connection of the
output signal.
A tape recorder such as the Brush Development
Co. model BL-902 oscillograph and amplifier
BL-905, is needed to record the signal both
during calibration and during the balloon flight.
The Brush recorder is used at present and the
discussion of the operation will be made in terms
of the characteristics of this instrument. When
using the slow speed of the recorder, which
feeds the paper at the rate of 30 centimeters
per minute, the distance between successive re-
ference marks will be 30 to 40 centimeters de-
-56-pending upon the speed of rotation of the mo-
dulator motor. The pressure signal appears
at any point along the record between or over-
lapping the references depending upon the pressure.
A sample record of this sort is shown in Figure 32.
The Olland cycle acts as a switching unit for the
test oscillator (see Figure 33) whose signal is fed
into the Brush amplifier and finally to the recorder.
By adjusting the resistors in the test circuit,
the frequency of oscillation may be adjusted. Since
within the usual range, the frequency of oscillation
is approximately additive when the two signals over-
lap, the suggested frequencies are about 4 cycles per
second for pressure and 8 cycles per second for refer-
ence. When overlapping signals are being recorded
the frequency will be about 12 cycles per second
which is easily recognizable on the record.
The calibration of the modulator unit should be
in steps of 25 to 30 millibars in order to have
at least three points within each turn of the
helix.
Evaluation of the record is accomplished with
the aid of a nomogram divided into 100 equal
parts. The record is laid on the nomogram with
the leading edge of the first reference on the
zero line and the leading edge of the second
reference on the 100th line. The position of
the leading edge of the pressure signal is then
read to the nearest third of a division on the
nomogram. If one complete turn of the spiral
represents 75 millibars, it is thus possible
to read the pressure to an accuracy of one-
three-hundreth of 75 or about one-quarter milli-
bar.
In evaluating the record the tape should be kept
parallel to the horizontal lines on the nomogram
or perpendicular to the zero line in order to
avoid errors in interpretation.
The total motion of the pen arm of the modulator
is normally 12 to 14 turns of the spiral. Therefore,
there will be the same number of points at which
the pressure and reference signals overlap. The
calibration curve (Figure 34) is drawn to show
pressure from zero to surface pressure (about
-57-Sample Record Of Olland Cycle Pressure Modulator
Signal As Recorded On Brush Oscillograph
C49-6
Time Signal Every 10
Seconds On Channel 2.
Reference - 9 cps
Pressure - 5 cps
Ballast — 2.5 cps
Feb 25,1949-LHM
[FIGURE 32 — oscillograph record showing REFERENCE, BALLAST, PRESSURE signal traces at various levels labeled 1150, 1160, 1130, 1131]
-58-[FIGURE 33 — Circuit diagram labeled:
FIG. 33
OLLAND CYCLE
TEST OSCILLATOR
LHM
11/30/48
ED48-125
Diagram shows circuit with:
- 0.1 MFD capacitor
- To Brush Recorder
- 0.05 MFD capacitor
- 82K resistor
- B+ 135V battery
- 3A5 tube
- .00015 MFD capacitor
- .05 MFD capacitor
- MISC BALLAST PRESSURE RE- sections with resistors:
- 10 meg — Term Term
- 5 meg — Term Term
- 2 meg — Term Term
- 10 meg — Term
- DPDT Relay
- Olland Cycle Helix
- Olland Cycle Contact
- PRESS switch
- 24V battery
- 6V motor (SPST switch, Motor 6V)
- 9V battery]
-59-[FIGURE 34 — Graph labeled:
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
CALIBRATION CURVE
For OLLAND PRESSURE MODULATOR
No L-4.04
FEB. 24, 1949 LHM
C49-5
FIG. 34
X-axis: PER CENT PRESSURE x100 (scale 0 to 14, with markings at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14)
Y-axis: PRESSURE IN MILLIBARS (scale 100 to 1000, with markings at 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000)
A straight diagonal line runs from upper left (near 0 percent, ~100 mb) to lower right (near 14 percent, ~950 mb)]
-60-1020 millibars) against percentage of the turns
as read on the nomogram. The lowest pressure
reading is numbered as read and succeeding
pressures are plotted in a continuous ascending
series. When the pressure reading reached the
first overlap on the reference, it is called
100 percent; the second overlap is 200 percent
and so on until the last overlap which may be
1200 or 1300 percent.
(c) Pack the modulator and insert it inside the
transmitter box. The modulator should be pro-
tected from extreme cold since the motor opera-
tion becomes erratic when the temperature reached
30° to 40°C below zero. A box or paper cover
over the modulator will keep particles of in-
sulation and dirt from the moving parts.
(d) When the entire assembly has been made and in-
flation of the balloon is about to begin, the
transmitter and motor should be turned on and
reception of the signal tested. If any serious
trouble appears, the modulator should be re-
placed by another calibrated modulator since
any work on the instrument will probably change
the calibration.
During the flight, radio static and noise will
appear on the Brush record as pips which may re-
semble the transmitted signals and with increasing
distance or weakening transmitter the noise will
finally completely obscure the pressure record.
Careful tuning of the receiver will prolong
the record as long as possible. When tuning
the receiver, the sensitivity control of the
Brush amplifier should be turned to the least sen-
sitive position since any sudden change in the
tuning may throw the pen off its supports and
damage its glass tip.
When the flight reception is completed the re-
cord is evaluated exactly as in the evaluation
of the calibration record--using the same nomo-
gram. However, since the instrument is subjected
to different atmospheric conditions, the motor
speed may vary suddenly, giving false values for
the pressure. These values may be detected by
carefully observing the rate of rotation of the
motor, which is measurable by the distance be-
tween the reference marks. If there is a sudden
-61-change in motor speed of five percent or more
from the preceding rotation, the pressure value
should be rejected. A slow, continuous change
in speed from minute to minute may be neglected
since it is probably a uniform change through-
out the rotation period. The motor speed will
decrease during the flight, as a result of the
low temperatures and the drop in battery voltage.
This of itself does not decrease the value of
the record, as long as the speed does not change
suddenly.
(e) Olland-Cycle Pressure Element Specifications
(1) Pressure range: 1050 to 5 mb.
(2) Desired accuracy: Surface to 300 mb ±5 mb.
300 mb to 50 mb ±2 mb.
50 mb to 5 mb less than ±2 mb, ±1 mb if
possible.
Highest accuracy and readability desired
on low pressure end. Temperature compensa-
tion, as required to meet pressure accuracy
requirements for temperature, range +30°
to -70°C or equivalent for medium and high
altitude flights. Mean operating tempera-
ture required more than 0°C.
(3) Helix:
Cylinder--made of insulating material with
low temperature coefficient.
Diameter 3/4 inch to 1 inch, length 2¼
inch.
Spiral--made of nickel or other metal which
does not corrode in the atmosphere, .010
inch or less in diameter.
Eight turns per inch on cylinder.
Check-points--Six points located between
turns of spiral, starting with 9th turn,
60 degrees apart.
Made of the same material as the spiral.
In the electrical circuit of the pressure
signal.
Suggested shape 1/16 inch diameter, round
pin, flush with surface of helix.
-62-General--Helix mounted in a rigid frame to
prevent lengthwise movement or springing
out through bending of a frame.
Joined to motor drive by a pin through both
drive shaft and helix shaft.
When rotating at about 1 rpm duration of
signals not over 3 to 4 seconds.
Surface of helix to be polished with rouge
or crocus cloth.
Loading edge of the metal spiral will be
true and smooth to within .0005 inch.
(4) Motor:
6 to 7.5 volts
1 rpm gear train
20 to 40 milliamperes drain
Constant speed--change of speed during any
single revolution not more than 0.3%
Speed change at low temperature not more
than ±20%
(5) Mounting of Unit:
Mounting in such manner that temperature
changes and stresses will not change the
relative positions of the aneroid and the
helix. This may be done by mounting all
elements on a ¾" metal plate or by mounting
all parts in a frame supported on a single
pedestal.
Mount unit in an easily opened, stiff single
thickness cardboard or plastic box to pro-
tect it from other units in flight trains.
External terminal strip with four terminals
connected to ground, motor, reference, and
pressure.
Total weight not over 500 grams.
Overall dimension not over 5 x 5 x 4 inches.
To be mounted in transmitter, where insula-
tion will prevent cooling below 0°C within
6 hours at air temperature of -40° to -50°C.
-63-(2) Codesonde
The modified radiosonde built by Brailsford and Co.,
Rye, New York, called the codesonde, has been found
valuable when knowledge of small variations in the
height of the balloon is not required. Using this
system, a radio transmitter is modulated by a Morse
code signal which is a function of pressure (and
temperature if desired). This system is useful for
tracking a balloon with aircraft since no recording
equipment is necessary for data interperlation.
Each combination of dots or dashes may be identified
by ear, and with a calibration chart, the pressure
which corresponds to the balloon's height may be
thus determined by anyone who can read Morse code
with a suitable receiver. The advantages of
using this system for a balloon which is to be followed
by aircraft include the fact that it is necessary to
receive only one complete code group to completely
identify the pressure level of the balloon. It is
thus possible to interrupt the period of reception
without permanently losing the altitude record. It
is expected that a balloon transmitter which can be
followed with an aircraft radio compass will be used
in conjunction with this pressure modulator, giving
three-dimensional position data.
(3) Barograph
Many balloon flights pass out of the range of even
a network of receiving stations. When it is not
possible, because of weather or other considerations,
to follow the balloon with aircraft, a clock-driven
meteorograph may be added to the flight train to re-
cord data, such as pressure and temperature. It is
necessary to recover the balloon equipment to evaluate
this sort of record. With inland release points,
it has been possible to recover about 75% of all
flights.
The model U-48 Lange barograph, shown in Figure 35,
is designed to give a record of atmospheric pressure
and the temperature of the barograph case. In order
to obtain a maximum spread of the pressure record
in the range at which the data is most useful, the
linkages are arranged so that recording begins at
about 500 millibars or around 19,000 feet, and may
be continued as high as the balloon rises. The
-64-[FIGURE 35 — Photograph of:
Lange Barograph Thermograph With
Sample of Recorder Re[cord]
Figure 35]
-65-temperature recording is confined to the lower
2 inches of the drum so as to interfere as little as
possible with the pressure record when the balloon
floats above 30,000 feet.
Recording is accomplished by three pens which scratch
carbon from a smoked aluminum foil. This method
eliminates the need for liquid ink and applies a
minimum of pressure to the recording drum.
The recording drum rotates once in twelve hours.
Therefore, if a flight lasts over twelve hours, the
trace will overlap. Such a record is shown in
Figure 36. The clock runs for 36 to 40 hours on
one winding.
Preparation of the barograph for use on a balloon
ascension requires the following:
(a) Place an aluminum foil about 10 inches long by
3 3/4", .002" thick on the drum. Care should
be taken to have the overlapping edge of the
foil face in the direction of rotation of the
drum so that the stylus slides off the edge in-
stead of catching and tearing the foil. A few
drops of rubber cement along each edge of the
foil are sufficient to fasten the foil to the drum
and will not interfere with removal of the foil
after recovery of the barograph.
(b) Wind the clock. The clock should not be wound
tightly since at the low temperatures encountered
in the upper atmosphere the clock spring may
snap. However, if the clock is wound an hour
or so before release, it will be sufficiently
relaxed by the time the low temperatures are
reached.
(c) Check pressure of the marking pens. Too much
pressure of the pens on the drum will introduce
an error due to the frictional lag. When the
drum is removed from the clock mechanism, and the
pen lifter released, the stylus points should
touch the clock housing lightly.
(d) Smoke the drum. A very thin, fine-grained carbon
film should be deposited on the aluminum foil.
The best result will be obtained by use of a
bright yellow gas flame, although a kerosene flame
gives a satisfactory coating. Solid or liquid
-66-[FIGURE 36 — Photograph/scan labeled:
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
FLIGHT 58
Barograph Record
Released at Alamogordo, NM May 10-1948 2033 MST, Recovered at
Val D'or, Quebec, Canada
(Orifice Ballast-Leak 300gm/hour)
Duration 24½ hours
Figure 36
CAL 48 [label on barograph record image]
FLIGHT 58 [label on barograph record image]
Pressure contour markings visible: 30, 50, 100, 150, 200 and other values]
-67-fuels usually give a coating which is too coarse
grained and heavy. In smoking the drum a long
rod is used as a rotating axis. The drum is ro-
tated rapidly in the flame so as to prevent
overheating and oxidizing of the foil. The car-
bon should not be so thick as to obscure the
metallic appearance of the aluminum foil.
(e) Calibrate the barograph for pressure. The in-
strument is placed in a bell jar and the air
evacuated. The pressure is kept constant at a
number of pressures so that as the drum turns a
step, record is made on the smoked foil. Pressure
recording starts at about 500 millibars so the
first level in the calibration should be at that
value. At each level the pressure should be kept
constant for three to five minutes in order to
obtain a measurable line. Great care and consid-
erable practise are required to control the valves
of the vacuum system so that the pressure does
not change noticeably during each step.
The pressure steps at which the barograph is cali-
brated may be either at regular pressure intervals
or at the pressure values corresponding to regular
height intervals according to the standard at-
mosphere figures. The recommended steps are
listed below. If the balloon is not expected to
go to the higher altitudes, the calibration may
be stopped at correspondingly higher pressures.
Pressures Standard Atmosphere Heights
500 mb 466 mb corresponding to 20,000 ft.
400 mb 300 mb " " 30,000 ft.
300 mb 188.5 mb " " 40,000 ft.
200 mb 117 mb " " 50,000 ft.
150 mb 72.8 mb " " 60,000 ft.
100 mb 45.3 mb " " 70,000 ft.
50 mb 28.2 mb " " 80,000 ft.
10 mb 17.5 mb " " 90,000 ft.
10.9 mb " " 100,000 ft.
The temperature calibration may be made by recording
two widely spaced temperatures, such as room tem-
perature and the temperature of dry ice (-78°C).
This calibration will be approximately a straight
line and, therefore, two points are sufficient
to plot the curve.
-68-Immediately before the balloon release, when
the clock is wound and the pens lowered against
the drum, the pressure and temperature pens
should be tapped lightly so as to make short
marks and the time noted.
When the barograph is recovered the smoked foil
should be treated to preserve the record. A
solution of clear shellac diluted with about ten
times its volume of alcohol may be used. The
drum is immersed in the shellac and allowed to
dry thoroughly before further handling.
(f) Evaluation of the record. In evaluating, the re-
cord heights of significant points are measured
vertically from the reference line. The pres-
sure calibration steps are measured first and plotted
on graph paper, vertical distance versus pressure
or altitude. Each significant point on the
flight trace is then measured and the corresponding
altitude determined from the calibration curve.
The same procedure is followed in evaluating the
temperature record, measuring from the reference
line.
The curvature of the record due to the motion
of the pens must be corrected for. Since the tem-
perature record covers a short vertical range, the
time correction may be neglected. Corrections
for curvature of the pressure record may be read
directly from Figure 37, which gives the correction
in inches as a function of the distance of the
point in question from the center of the record.
The final time correction is made to correlate
the temperature and pressure records. This may
be done by measuring the horizontal distance be-
tween the temperature and pressure marks as made
before release and correcting this amount for
vertical position. The rotation of the drum
is once in 12 hours and, therefore, the time-distance
relation may be computed by noting the total
length of record obtained in one revolution.
-69-[FIGURE 37 — Graph labeled:
Mean Time Scale
Correction Curve
FOR LANGE U-48 BAROGRAPHS
C 48-26A
LHM
L-1-49
FIG. 37
X-axis: VERTICAL DISTANCE - Inches (scale 0 to +2.0, with +1.0 marked)
Y-axis: HORIZONTAL CORRECTION - Inches (scale 0 to 0.3, with 0.1 and 0.2 marked)
CENTER LINE marked at top left
A curve runs from upper left (0,0) sweeping down to lower right]
-70-VIII. ANALYSIS
During and following the flight it is customary to analyze the
behavior of the balloon. Two curves are usually drawn when
data is available for their preparation. The first of these
is a time-height curve which gives the altitude of the balloon
at all times with respect to sea level. On this curve also
it is customary to plot the temperature data and ballast flow
data when such has been recorded. In some cases it has been
found useful to plot a profile of the terrain over which the
balloon is passing. The second diagram usually prepared is
the trajectory of the balloon, and again it may be prepared
with respect to the terrain over which the balloon was passing.
That is to say, it is plotted on an aircraft map of the area,
with positions and heights plotted every ten minutes. Fig-
ures 38 and 39 show sample plots.
IX. GENERAL MILLS 7-, 30-, AND 70-FOOT BALLOONS
The altitudes reached and loads which may be carried by the
General Mills balloons other than the 20-foot cell are shown
in Table 4, Appendix II. Graph 3, Appendix II may be used
for interpolation of the tabulated values to give the re-
lationship between floating altitude and gross load, and Graph 4
shows the altitude sensitivity at various heights. It has
been assumed that helium is the lifting gas. Graph 1, Ap-
pendix II is useable for all of these balloons to determine
the amount of free lift which is needed to give a desired rate
of rise.
To launch a 7-foot balloon, it is not necessary to utilize
the elaborate technique of the larger balloons. A can of sand
is made to weigh the same amount as the required gross lift
(equipment weight plus free lift), and attached to the load
ring. Inflation from a single tank may be made inside any
building with relatively large doors and when the balloon just
lifts the inflation weights it may be attached to the equip-
ment line, carried outdoors and released. In light winds the
equipment may be released with a hand-over-hand paying out of
the line. If there is too much wind for this method, the
equipment is laid out downwind and the balloon released so as
to pass over the pieces of gear and pick them up while rising.
A 7-foot balloon being inflated is seen in Figure 40. The
appendix which is shown is made of a flattened 2-foot length
of inflation tube, from a 20-foot balloon, without stiffeners.
Such a balloon has been sustained with a fixed ballast leak
-71-[FIGURE 38 — Chart labeled:
NYU BALLOON PROJECT
FLIGHT NO. 11
Released at Alamogordo, New Mexico
July 7, 1947 0500 MST
(Numerals in Circles: Minutes After
Release)
FIG. 38
Left panel: Height-Distance curve
X-axis: DISTANCE (Miles from Alamogordo AAF) (scale 0 to 100)
Y-axis: ALTITUDE (Thousands of Feet Above MSL) (scale 5 to 20)
Terrain profile shown with labeled locations: Tularosa, White Sands, Sacramento Mts, Cloudcroft, Mescalero, Alamogordo (shown in hatched area)
Flight path curve with time markers (circled numbers)
Right panel: Trajectory
Scale: 0 5 10 (Miles)
Trajectory path with time markers including values: 50, 75, 142, 165, 194, 21, 322, 341, 375, 432, 337
Roswell AAF marked at right edge]
-72-[FIGURE 39 — Map labeled:
NYU BALLOON PROJECT FLIGHT 58
ESTIMATED TRAJECTORY
ALAMOGORDO, N.M.
2033 MST
10 MAY 1948
Estimated Duration - 24 1/2 Hours
FIG. 39
Large aeronautical/weather map of North America showing trajectory line from Alamogordo, NM running northeast to:
VAL D'OR
QUEBEC
Annotation: Last Observed Balloon Position
Scale bar: 0 100 200 300 400 500 MILES
0 100 200 300 400 500 KM
LHM notation in upper right]
-73-[FIGURE 40 — Photograph labeled:
Figure 40
General Mills 7 foot
balloon being inflated.
Photograph shows a large white balloon inflated inside a building/hangar, with a person standing nearby for scale and gas cylinders visible in the background]
-74-of 170 grams per hour. A balloon of this type with no alti-
tude control stayed aloft for more than two hours and after
reaching ceiling, the altitude did not vary by more than
1500 feet while the balloon was within range of the observing
station.
The preparation and launching techniques discussed for the
20-foot balloon apply also to the 30-foot cell. No further
discussion is required for the 30-foot balloon.
The 70-foot balloon seen in Figures 41 and 42 is launched in
the same manner as the 20-foot cell. A much larger amount
of gas is required and since it is valved rapidly into the
balloon, it has been found necessary to pass the gas through
a heating coil to prevent it from reaching the balloon so
adiabatically cooled as to be incapable of lifting the
load. This heater is shown in Figure 43. Due to the large
lift and area exposed to the wind at launching, the large
cell may be dangerous if personnel attempt to hold the gear
or act as anchors. If possible, all gear should be laid out
downwind to be picked up from the ground by the balloon. The
anchor should be a winch mounted on a truck which can move
around the balloon so as to be downwind at launching.
Since the altitudes where the 70-foot balloons normally float
are high in the stratosphere, the natural stability of the bal-
loon in the temperature inversion keeps these cells up for
a long period of time without ballast or other controls. One
such flight fell slowly during a period of 75 hours and was
still above 65,000 feet when the barograph record ended.
-75-Figure 41 Inflation of 70 foot diameter General Mills balloon. -76-
Figure 42 General Mills 70 foot balloon being launched in a 5 knot wind. -77-
ASBESTOS CLOTH DOUBLE COIL MADE OF 5/8" O.D. COPPER TUBE 13 3/16" COIL ASSEMBLY (SECTION) 5 5/8" METAL HOSE TO TANKS HEATING COIL ASSEMBLY *DIAL THERMOMETER DEFLECTOR PLATE WEED BURNER ON ALUMINUM SLED SCALE 1:4 FIG. 43 ADAPTER 6" 4" 10" 23 1/2" 10 1/2" 3" BAFFLES 6" 1 5/8" 1" STANDARD BRASS PIPING FLAME DEFLECTOR PLATE (TO BE HOOKED ON FRAME) TOTAL WIDTH 6 3/4" 8" (SHEET METAL) BRASS FITTING FRAME MADE OF 4 3/4 STEELSTRAP FOR THERMO- METER SUPPORTING FRAME 7" 4" 16" 4" 7" DATE 7-22-48 NYU BALLOON PROJECT HELIUM HEATER ED48-71 -78-
GLOSSARY
Altitude Sensitivity: The altitude gained by a balloon when its
load is reduced by one kilogram.
Balloon Inflation: Gas inflation to be given the balloon in
terms of initial lift of the balloon
(equals weight of equipment load plus free
lift plus allowance for gas losses before
launching).
Ceiling: The locus of pressure altitudes at which a
non-extensible balloon will float when gas
losses are slightly over-compensated for
by ballast losses.
Equipment Load: Weight of all equipment, rigging, and ballast
hung from the balloon shrouds not including
balloon or its integral parts.
Floor: The locus of altitudes at which a balloon will
float when lift losses are exactly compensated
for on a demand basis by ballast dropping.
In practice, this is determined by the opera-
tion of the automatic ballast release and
is some altitude below the ceiling.
Free Lift: Net lift of the balloon with the equipment
load attached.
Gross Lift: Lift of all of the gas in the balloon at re-
lease (equals weight of the balloon, equip-
ment load plus the free lift).
Gross Load: Load on the gas at release (balloon plus
equipment load weight).
Pressure Altitude: The altitude at which a non-extensible bal-
loon becomes fully inflated.
Pressure Height: The height above mean sea level as determined
from pressure measurements used in this work
with the N. A. C. A. Standard Atmosphere.
-79-Appendix I Table Number Page Number Table 1: Equipment List. . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Table 2: Flight Forms. . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 -81-
Table 1
BASIC EQUIPMENT FOR FIELD TRIPS
LAUNCHING OF 20' BALLOONS
WITH SIMPLE CONTROL GEAR
NYU Balloon Pro-
ject Drawing No. or
GROUND EQUIPMENT: Figure No. in Opera-
tions Manual
1 ea. Set instructions (Operations Manual)
2 ea. Elliptical shot bags (each filled with
100 # of shot) ED-48-62
2 ea. 40 # Sand bags ED-48-122A
4 ea. 40 # Sand bags
1 ea. 40' x 6' Ground Cloth
4 ea. Sheets polyethylene, .001" to
.004", 4' x 4'
1 ea. 5 Tank manifold with pressure gages
and valve Figure 26
1 ea. Rubber hose, 1" I.D., 10' long
1 ea. Gas diffuser ED-48-76A
2 ea. Rubber tubing 1/2" bore, 1/8" wall,
8' long
2 ea. Hose clamps, aeroseal, 1 1/4" I.D.
3 ea. Hose ends for helium tanks ED-48-80
1 ea. Box white chalk
1 ea. Solution balance Fisher #2-100
1 ea. Inflation nozzle, ML-196
3 ea. Weems plotters
1 ea. Set aircraft maps of area
1 ea. Tool kit complete with 2 sheath knives,
50' cloth measuring tape, brass wire, 1" Mystic
tape, volt ohmmeter, pliers, screwdrivers, infla-
tion tools, flashlights, crescent wrenches,
-83-NYU Balloon Pro-
ject Drawing No. or
Figure No. in Opera-
tions Manual
(Tool kit, cont'd.) soldering iron,
compass, 2 open-end wrenches 1-1/8"
x 1-1/4" openings, 14" pipe wrench,
spanner for helium tank valves
2 ea. Theodolite ML-247 with tripod ML-78
2 ea. Recorder, Brush oscillograph or
other
2 ea. Standby power units
2 ea. SCR-658 Radio direction finder
or
2 ea. Hammerlund Super-Pro receiver
2 ea. Kytoon with spare bladders
for antenna support
2 ea. Captive balloon, Dewey & Almy N4
4 ea. Chronometers
4 ea. Clip boards
2 ea. Complete set of communication equip-
ment
Telephone account
Wind screen, 30' x 20', Y-shaped,
equipped with flood lights and
anemometer ED-49-3
FLIGHT GEAR:
2 to 5 Tanks helium
1 ea. General Mills 20' balloon (or other
balloon to be used) plus spare
24 ea. Rolls acetate fiber scotch tape
3 ea. Appendix stiffeners (if appendix is
to be used) ED-48-95A
1 ea. 200' 500 # Test nylon line
1 ea. 100' 75 # Test linen twine
2 ea. 350 Gram balloon ML-131A (for wind
sock)
5 to 10 Toggles or hooks
-84-NYU Balloon Pro-
ject Drawing No. or
Figure No. in Opera-
tions Manual
2 ea. Parachutes ML-132
1 ea. Banner, 3' x 6' ED-48-56
4 ea. Data sheets
4 ea. Weight sheets
4 ea. Reward tags (English, Spanish or other
language) Figure 21
2 ea. "Danger Fire" tags Figure 20
2 ea. Other Danger tags as required
If Flight Termination gear is to be used:
1 ea. Flight termination switch ED-48-70A
1 ea. Set rip rigging ED-48-68A
2 ea. Cannons ED-49-5
2 ea. Squibs Du Pont S-64 (treated for
high altitude)
If fixed rate ballast release is to be used:
1 ea. Orifice spinnerette, to give ballast
flow of 250 gm/hr (.008" D.) ED-48-75A
1 Gallon ballast, compass fluid AN-C-116
1 ea. Ballast reservoir (1 gallon capacity) ED-48-79A
1 ea. Filter 3" diameter, 325 x 325, phosphor
bronze mesh ED-48-54A
4 feet Tubing (Tygon) 1/2" bore
6 inches Tubing (Tygon) 3/16" bore
Metal beakers or rimless 1 qt. tin cans
Metal funnel
-85-Table 2
WEIGHT SHEET
Flight No._______________ Date_______________
Time_______________
Balloon Manufacturer_______________Weight_______________
Number_______________
Appendix or valve _______________ _______________
Shrouds . . . . . . . . ._______________
Total Balloon Weight . . . . . . . . . . ._______________
_______________________________________________
Launching Remnant . . . . . . . _______________
Line Length . . . . . . . . . _______________
1st Unit. Serial No._______________
description _______________ _______________
Line length _______________ _______________
2nd Unit. Serial No._______________
description _______________
Line length _______________ _______________
3d Unit. Serial No._______________
description _______________ _______________
Line length _______________ _______________
4th Unit. Serial No._______________
description_______________
Drag chute _______________
Banner description _______________ _______________
Ballast assembly - description _______________
_______________
_______________ ___
_______________
Ballast . . . . . . . . . _______________
Total Equipment Weight . . . . . . . . . . ._______________
Gross Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._______________
-86-RATE OF RISE AND MAXIMUM ALTITUDE COMPUTATIONS
Flight No._____________________ Date_______________
Time_______________
BALLOON INFLATION
Desired Rate of Rise . . . ._____________________ft./min.
Gross Load . . .______________grams
Free Lift - from Rise chart______________grams
Free Lift = V/412 2G2/3______________grams
Equipment Weight__________________grams
Desired Balloon Inflation = Free Lift + Equipment Total____________grams
Allowance for Leakage @ ______________gm/hr., ______hrs. waiting____________grams
Actual balloon lift . . . . . . . . .______________ "
AActual gross lift (Balloon lift & balloon wt.) . . . .______________ "
Number Helium tanks required at____kg lift/full tank . . __________tanks
Length balloon above shot bag . . . . . . . . .__________feet
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE
Balloon Volume . . . . . . . cu. ft.
Helium 11.1 kg/mol
Gas Lift/mol . . . . . . . . Hydrogen 12.0 kg/mol
Molar Volume = Balloon volume x gas lift/mol
gross load
________________cu. ft.
Maximum Altitude . . . . . . .________________ft. m.s.l.
Altitude Sensitivity . . . . . .________________ft./kg.
-87-BALLAST COMPUTATIONS FLIGHT #_______________
Balloon Surface Diffusion {measured } gm/hr. o/o Inflation______________o/o
{estimated}
Full balloon surface diffusion - balloon surface diffusion
(o/o Inflation) 2/3______________gm/hr.
Estimated full Balloon ceilin diffusion - F. B. Surface Diffusion
x Coiling Pr.
Surface Pr. ______________gr/hr.
Description of Ballast Unit: (components, serial nos. Dimensions)
Amount of Ballast __________________gm.
Initial flow, maximum head__________________gm./min.
Maximum flow, maximum head__________________gm./min.
Estimated Ballast duration Amount of ballast
Full balloon ceiling diffusion______________hrs.
Size Orifice used____________in. Waiting time before release______min.
Size Limiting Orifice used____________in.
Size filter used______________in.
Initial Head to valve or orifice____________in.
Final " " " " "______________ins.
-88-New York University
Research Division
Balloon Project
Supplementary Information for Flight No. _______________
Release: Site_____________________ date ______________ time______________
Encoded Sounding Data:
_______________________________________________________________________________
Encoded Upper Winds
_______________________________________________________________________________
Release Weather
_______________ _______________ _______________ _______________
In-Flight Hourly Weather
_______________________________________________________________________________
Train Sketch in Folder_____________________Films Sent Out_______________
List Flight Records in Folder:
_______________________________________________________________________________
Remarks
Checked by ___________________________
-89-Transmitter Performance for Flight No._______________________________________________
Release: Date__________ Time_____________________ Site__________________________
Transmitter Type and Serial No.____________________________________________________
Batteries: Type and Number _______________________________________________________
Open Circuit Voltages:
Voltages Under Load:
Description of Pressure Unit
Description of Special Equipment
Reception at Station #2
Reception at Station #3
Critique
-90-Appendix II Table Number Page Number Table 1: N. A. C. A. Pressure-Altitude. . . . . . . 96 Table 2: N. A. C. A. Temperature-Altitude . . . . .103 Table 3: Ballast Flow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 Table 4: Balloon Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 Graph Number Graph 1: Free Lift vs. Rate of Rise . . . . . . . .106 Graph 2: Gross Lift vs. Bubble Length . . . . . . .107 Graph 3: Buoyancy vs. Altitude . . . . . . . . . .108 Graph 4: Gross Load vs. Altitude Sensitivity. . . .109 -91-
PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE
IN THE N.A.C.A. STANDARD ATMOSPHERE
December 1948
Prepared by
Irwin Brill
Research Assistant
Balloon Project
Research Division
New York University
Under Contract W28-099-ac-241 with
Watson Laboratories, A.M.C., U.S. Air Forces
-93-Source Pressure from surface (0 feet) to 65,000 feet:
taken from National Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics Report #538, and corrected as
noted below.
Pressure from 65,000 feet to 163,538 feet:
taken from National Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics Report #1200.
Temperatures at 1000-foot intervals, taken
from National Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics Reports #538 and 1200.
Geopotential
Assumptions for pressure corrections:
0 feet to 30,000 feet based upon assumed
constant geopotential.
30,000 feet to 65,000 feet corrected for
geopotential, by approximate correction
factors. (Taken from extrapolated curve
of difference in feet, from 65,000 to
100,000 feet, between N.A.C.A. table #538
(uncorrected) and N.A.C.A. Technical Note
#1200 (corrected).
35,000 feet to 163,538 feet, corrected for
geopotential by National Advisory Committee
for Aeronautics, Note #1200.
Accuracy Surface to 30,000 feet = 15 feet, assuming
constant geopotential.
30,000 feet to 65,000 feet ± 30 feet
65,000 feet to 100,000 feet ± 50 feet
100,000 feet to 120,000 feet ± 100 feet
120,000 feet to 135,000 feet ± 150 feet
135,000 feet to 163,538 feet ± 250 feet
-95-Table 1
PRESSURE (MB) VERSUS HEIGHT (FEET)
MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF.
.015 -47 27 969 1228 28 922 2593 29 875 4002 31
.014 -20 27 968 1256 28 921 2622 29 874 4033 31
1013.25 0 27 967 1284 28 920 2651 29 873 4064 31
1013 7 27 966 1312 28 919 2680 29 872 4095 31
1012 34 27 965 1340 28 918 2709 29 871 4126 31
1011 61 27 964 1368 28 917 2738 29 870 4157 31
1010 88 27 963 1396 28 916 2767 29 869 4188 31
1009 115 27 962 1424 28 915 2796 29 868 4219 31
1008 142 27 961 1452 28 914 2825 29 867 4250 31
1007 169 27 960 1481 29 913 2854 29 866 4281 31
1006 198 27 959 1510 29 912 2883 29 865 4312 31
1005 223 27 958 1539 29 911 2912 29 864 4343 31
1004 250 27 957 1548 29 910 2942 30 863 4374 31
1003 277 27 956 1597 29 909 2972 30 862 4405 31
1002 304 27 955 1626 29 908 3002 30 861 4436 31
1001 332 28 954 1655 29 907 3032 30 860 4467 31
1000 360 28 953 1684 29 906 3062 30 859 4498 31
999 388 28 952 1713 29 905 3092 30 858 4529 31
998 416 28 951 1742 29 904 3122 30 857 4560 31
997 444 28 950 1741 29 903 3152 30 856 4591 31
996 472 28 949 1790 29 902 3182 30 855 4622 31
995 500 28 948 1829 29 901 3212 30 854 4653 31
994 528 28 947 1858 29 900 3242 30 853 4684 31
993 556 28 946 1887 29 899 3272 30 852 4715 31
992 584 28 945 1916 29 898 3302 30 851 4746 31
991 612 28 944 1945 29 897 3332 30 850 4777 31
990 640 28 943 1974 29 896 3362 30 849 4808 31
989 668 28 942 2003 29 895 3392 30 848 4840 32
988 696 28 941 2032 29 894 3422 30 847 4872 32
987 724 28 940 2061 29 893 3452 30 846 4904 32
986 752 28 939 2090 29 892 3482 30 845 4936 32
985 780 28 938 2129 29 891 3512 30 844 4968 32
984 808 28 937 2158 29 890 3542 30 843 5000 32
983 836 28 936 2187 29 889 3572 30 842 5032 32
982 864 28 935 2216 29 888 3602 30 841 5064 32
981 892 28 934 2245 29 887 3632 30 840 5096 32
980 920 28 933 2274 29 886 3662 30 839 5128 32
979 948 28 932 2303 29 885 3692 30 838 5160 32
978 976 28 931 2332 29 884 3723 31 837 5192 32
977 1004 28 930 2361 29 883 3754 31 836 5224 32
976 1032 28 929 2390 29 882 3785 31 835 5256 32
975 1060 28 928 2419 29 881 3816 31 834 5288 32
974 1088 28 927 2448 29 880 3847 31 833 5320 32
973 1116 28 926 2477 29 879 3878 31 832 5352 32
972 1144 28 925 2506 29 878 3909 31 831 5384 32
971 1172 28 924 2535 29 877 3940 31 830 5416 32
970 1200 28 923 2564 29 876 3971 31 829 5448 32
-96-MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. 828 5480 32 781 7026 34 734 8648 35 687 10358 37 827 5512 32 780 7060 34 733 8683 35 686 10395 37 826 5544 32 779 7094 34 732 8718 35 685 10433 38 825 5576 32 778 7128 34 731 8754 36 684 10471 38 824 5608 32 777 7162 34 730 8790 36 683 10509 38 823 5640 32 776 7196 34 729 8826 36 682 10547 38 822 5672 32 775 7230 34 728 8862 36 681 10585 38 821 5704 32 774 7264 34 727 8898 36 680 10623 38 820 5736 32 773 7298 34 726 8934 36 679 10661 38 819 5768 32 772 7332 34 725 8970 36 678 10699 38 818 5800 32 771 7366 34 724 9006 36 677 10737 38 817 5833 33 770 7400 34 723 9042 36 676 10775 38 816 5866 33 769 7434 34 722 9078 36 675 10813 38 815 5909 33 768 7468 34 721 9114 36 674 10851 38 814 5932 33 767 7502 34 720 9150 36 673 10889 38 813 5965 33 766 7536 34 719 9186 36 672 10927 38 812 5998 33 765 7570 34 718 9222 36 671 10965 38 811 6031 33 764 7604 34 717 9258 36 670 11003 38 810 6064 33 763 7638 34 716 9294 36 669 11041 38 809 6097 33 762 7672 34 715 9330 36 668 11079 38 808 6130 33 761 7706 34 714 9366 36 667 11117 38 807 6163 33 760 7740 34 713 9402 36 666 11155 38 806 6196 33 759 7774 34 712 9438 36 665 11193 38 805 6229 33 758 7808 34 711 9474 36 664 11231 38 804 6262 33 757 7843 35 710 9510 36 663 11270 39 803 6295 33 756 7878 35 709 9546 36 662 11309 39 802 6328 33 755 7913 35 708 9582 36 661 11348 39 801 6361 33 754 7948 35 707 9618 36 660 11387 39 800 6394 33 753 7983 35 706 9655 37 659 11426 39 799 6427 33 752 8018 35 705 9692 37 658 11465 39 798 6460 33 751 8053 35 704 9729 37 657 11504 39 797 6493 33 750 8088 35 703 9766 37 656 11543 39 796 6526 33 749 8123 35 702 9803 37 655 11582 39 795 6559 33 748 8158 35 701 9840 37 654 11621 39 794 6592 33 747 8193 35 700 9877 37 653 11660 39 793 6625 33 746 8228 35 699 9914 37 652 11699 39 792 6658 33 745 8263 35 698 9951 37 651 11738 39 791 6691 33 744 8298 35 697 9988 37 650 11777 39 790 6724 33 743 8333 35 696 10025 37 649 11816 39 789 6757 33 742 8368 35 695 10062 37 648 11855 39 788 6790 33 741 8403 35 694 10099 37 647 11894 39 787 6823 33 740 8438 35 693 10136 37 646 11933 39 786 6856 33 739 8473 35 692 10173 37 645 11972 39 785 6890 33 738 8508 35 691 10210 37 644 12011 39 784 6924 34 737 8543 35 690 10247 37 643 12051 40 783 6958 34 736 8578 35 689 10284 37 642 12091 40 782 6992 34 735 8613 35 688 10321 37 641 12131 40 -97-
MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF.
640 12171 40 592 14130 42 543 16270 45 494 18574 49
639 12211 40 591 14172 42 542 16315 45 493 18623 49
638 12251 40 590 14214 42 541 16360 45 492 18672 49
637 12291 40 589 14256 42 540 16405 45 491 18721 49
636 12331 40 588 14298 42 539 16451 46 490 18770 49
635 12371 40 587 14341 43 538 16497 46 489 18819 49
634 12411 40 586 14384 43 537 16543 46 488 18868 49
633 12451 40 585 14427 43 536 16589 46 487 18917 49
632 12491 40 584 14470 43 535 16635 46 486 18966 49
631 12531 40 583 14513 43 534 16681 46 485 19015 49
630 12571 40 582 14556 43 533 16727 46 484 19065 50
629 12611 40 581 14599 43 532 16773 46 483 19115 50
628 12651 40 580 14642 43 531 16819 46 482 19165 50
627 12691 40 579 14685 43 530 16865 46 481 19215 50
626 12731 40 578 14728 43 529 16911 46 480 19265 50
625 12771 40 577 14771 43 528 16957 46 479 19315 50
624 12811 40 576 14814 43 527 17003 46 478 19365 50
623 12851 40 575 14857 43 526 17049 46 477 19415 50
622 12891 40 574 14900 43 525 17095 46 476 19465 50
621 12931 40 573 14943 43 524 17141 46 475 19515 50
620 12971 40 572 14986 43 523 17188 47 474 19565 50
619 13012 40 571 15029 43 522 17235 47 473 19616 51
618 13053 41 570 15072 43 521 17282 47 472 19667 51
617 13094 41 569 15115 43 520 17329 47 471 19718 51
616 13135 41 568 15158 43 519 17376 47 470 19769 51
615 13176 41 567 15202 44 518 17423 47 469 19820 51
614 13217 41 566 15246 44 517 17470 47 468 19871 51
613 13258 41 565 15290 44 516 17517 47 467 19922 51
612 13299 41 564 15334 44 515 17564 47 466 19973 51
611 13340 41 563 15378 44 514 17611 47 465 20024 51
610 13381 41 562 15422 44 513 17658 47 464 20075 51
609 13422 41 561 15466 44 512 17705 47 463 20127 52
608 13463 41 560 15510 44 511 17752 47 462 20179 52
607 13504 41 559 15554 44 510 17800 48 461 20231 52
606 13545 41 558 15598 44 509 17848 48 460 20283 52
605 13586 41 557 15642 44 508 17896 48 459 20335 52
604 13627 41 556 15686 44 507 17944 48 458 20387 52
603 13668 41 555 15730 45 506 17992 48 457 20439 52
602 13710 42 554 15775 45 505 18040 48 456 20491 52
601 13752 42 553 15820 45 504 18088 48 455 20543 52
600 13794 42 552 15865 45 503 18136 48 454 20595 52
599 13836 42 551 15910 45 502 18184 48 453 20647 52
598 13878 42 550 15955 45 501 18232 48 452 20699 52
597 13920 42 549 16000 45 500 18280 48 451 20751 52
596 13962 42 548 16045 45 499 18329 49 450 20803 52
595 14004 42 547 16090 45 498 18378 49 449 20856 53
594 14046 42 546 16135 45 497 18427 49 448 20909 53
593 14088 42 545 16180 45 496 18476 49 447 20962 53
544 16225 45 495 18525 49 446 21015 53
-98-MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. MB. ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. 445 20543 53 397 23741 58 349 26684 64 301 29989 74 444 21122 54 396 23799 58 348 26748 64 300 30061 74 443 21176 54 395 23857 58 347 26812 64 299 30139 76 442 21230 54 394 23915 58 346 26878 66 298 30217 76 441 21284 54 393 23973 58 345 26944 66 297 30295 76 440 21338 54 392 24031 58 344 27010 66 296 30373 76 439 21392 54 391 24090 60 343 27076 66 295 30451 76 438 21446 54 390 24150 60 342 27142 66 294 30529 78 437 21500 54 389 24210 60 341 27208 66 293 30607 78 436 21554 54 388 24270 60 340 27274 66 292 30685 78 435 21608 54 387 24330 60 339 27340 66 291 30763 78 434 21662 54 386 24390 60 338 27406 66 290 30841 78 433 21716 54 385 24450 60 337 27472 66 289 30919 78 432 21770 54 384 24510 60 336 27538 66 288 30977 78 431 21824 54 383 24570 60 335 27604 66 287 31075 78 430 21878 54 382 24630 60 334 27670 68 286 31153 78 429 21932 54 381 24690 60 333 27738 68 285 31231 78 428 21986 54 380 24750 60 332 27806 68 284 31309 78 427 22040 54 379 24810 60 331 27874 68 283 31387 78 426 22095 55 378 24870 60 330 27942 68 282 31465 78 425 22151 56 377 24930 60 329 28010 68 281 31544 80 424 22207 56 376 24990 60 328 28078 68 280 31624 80 423 22263 56 375 25050 62 327 28146 68 279 31704 80 422 22319 56 374 25112 62 326 28214 68 278 31784 80 421 22375 56 373 25174 62 325 28282 68 277 31864 80 420 22431 56 372 25236 62 324 28350 68 276 31944 80 419 22487 56 371 25298 62 323 28418 68 275 32024 80 418 22543 56 370 25360 62 322 28487 69 274 32104 80 417 22599 56 369 25422 62 321 28557 70 273 32184 80 416 22655 56 368 25484 62 320 28627 70 272 32264 80 415 22711 56 367 25546 62 319 28697 70 271 32344 80 414 22767 56 366 25608 62 318 28767 70 270 32424 80 413 22823 56 365 25670 62 317 28837 70 269 32504 80 412 22879 56 364 25732 62 316 28909 72 268 32584 80 411 22935 56 363 25794 62 315 28981 72 267 32264 80 410 22991 56 362 25856 62 314 29053 72 266 32744 80 409 23047 56 361 25918 62 313 29125 72 265 32824 80 408 23103 56 360 25980 62 312 29197 72 264 32904 80 407 23161 58 359 26044 64 311 29269 72 263 32984 80 406 23219 58 358 26108 64 310 29341 72 262 33064 80 405 23277 58 357 26172 64 309 29413 72 261 33144 80 404 23335 58 356 26236 64 308 29485 72 260 33226 80 403 23393 58 355 26300 64 307 29557 74 259 33308 82 402 23451 58 354 26364 64 306 29629 74 258 33390 82 401 23509 58 353 26428 64 305 29701 74 257 33472 82 400 23567 58 352 26492 64 304 29773 74 256 33554 82 399 23625 58 351 26556 64 303 29845 74 255 33638 84 398 23683 58 350 26620 64 302 29917 74 254 33722 84 -99-
MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. 253 33806 84 204 38338 102 155 44110 136 106 52099 196 252 33890 84 203 38440 102 154 44246 136 105 52299 200 251 33974 84 202 38544 104 153 44382 136 104 52499 200 250 34060 86 201 38648 104 152 44520 138 103 52701 204 249 34146 86 200 38752 104 151 44660 140 102 52905 204 248 34232 86 199 38858 106 150 44800 140 100 53316 208 247 34318 86 198 38964 106 149 44940 140 △ MB=.50 246 34404 86 197 39070 106 148 45081 142 99.50 53421 105 245 34490 86 196 39178 108 147 45225 144 99.00 53526 105 244 34576 86 195 39286 108 146 45369 144 98.50 53631 105 243 34662 86 194 39394 108 145 45513 144 98.00 53741 110 242 34749 88 193 39502 108 144 45657 144 97.50 53851 110 241 34837 88 192 39612 110 143 45804 146 97.00 53961 110 240 34925 88 191 39721 110 142 45952 148 96.50 54071 110 239 35013 88 190 39832 112 141 46100 148 96.00 54181 110 238 35101 88 189 39944 112 140 46248 148 95.50 54291 110 237 35189 88 188 40056 112 139 46400 150 95.00 54401 110 236 35277 88 187 40168 112 138 46552 152 94.50 54511 110 235 35367 90 186 40280 112 137 46704 152 94.00 54621 110 234 35457 90 185 40392 112 136 46856 152 93.50 54733 115 233 35547 90 184 40506 116 135 47012 156 93.00 54848 115 232 35637 90 183 40622 116 134 47168 156 92.50 54963 115 231 35727 90 182 40738 116 133 47324 156 92.00 55078 115 230 35819 90 181 40854 116 132 47484 160 91.50 55433 115 229 35911 92 180 40970 116 131 47644 160 90.00 55548 115 228 36003 92 179 41086 116 130 47804 160 89.50 55653 115 227 36095 92 178 41202 118 129 47968 164 89.00 55770 120 226 36187 92 177 41321 120 128 48132 164 88.50 55890 120 225 36281 94 176 41441 120 127 48296 164 88.00 56010 120 224 36375 94 175 41561 120 126 48464 168 87.50 56130 120 223 36469 94 174 41681 120 125 48632 168 87.00 56250 120 222 36563 94 173 41801 120 124 48800 168 86.50 56370 120 221 36658 96 172 41921 120 123 48969 172 86.00 56491 120 220 36754 96 171 42044 124 122 49141 172 85.50 56616 125 219 36850 96 170 42168 124 121 49313 172 85.00 56741 125 218 36946 96 169 42292 124 120 49488 176 84.50 56866 125 217 37042 96 168 42416 124 119 49664 176 84.00 56991 125 216 37138 98 167 42541 128 118 49840 176 83.50 57116 125 215 37236 98 166 42669 128 117 50018 180 83.00 57241 125 214 37334 98 165 42797 128 116 50198 180 82.50 57366 125 213 37432 98 164 42925 128 115 50381 184 82.00 57495 130 212 37530 98 163 43053 128 114 50565 184 81.50 57625 130 211 37630 100 162 43181 128 113 50752 188 81.00 57755 130 210 37730 100 161 43311 132 112 50940 188 80.50 57885 130 209 37830 100 160 43443 132 111 51129 190 80.00 58015 130 208 37930 100 159 43575 132 110 51321 192 79.50 58145 130 207 38032 100 158 43707 132 109 51513 192 79.00 58279 135 206 38134 102 157 43839 132 108 51707 196 78.50 58414 135 205 38236 102 156 43974 134 107 51903 196 78.00 58549 135 -100-
MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF 77.50 58684 135 52.50 66884 200 27.50 80502 380 20.60 86606 102 77.00 58819 135 52.00 67086 205 27.00 80892 390 20.50 86708 102 76.50 58959 140 51.50 67291 205 26.50 81284 400 20.40 86812 104 76.00 59099 140 51.00 67499 210 26.00 81684 410 20.30 86916 104 75.50 59239 140 50.50 67709 210 25.50 82090 420 20.20 87020 104 75.00 59379 140 50.00 67922 215 △ P = .1mb 20.10 87124 104 74.50 59519 140 49.50 68137 215 25.00 82510 84 20.00 87228 104 74.00 59659 140 49.00 68352 215 24.90 82596 86 19.90 87334 106 73.50 59799 140 48.50 68567 215 24.80 82682 86 19.80 87440 106 73.00 59943 145 48.00 68782 215 24.70 82768 86 19.70 87546 106 72.50 60088 145 47.50 68997 220 24.60 82854 86 19.60 87654 108 72.00 60233 145 47.00 69207 220 24.50 82940 86 19.50 87762 108 71.50 60378 145 46.50 69432 225 24.40 83026 86 19.40 87870 108 71.00 60527 150 46.00 69669 230 24.30 83112 86 19.30 87978 108 70.50 60677 150 45.50 69899 230 24.20 83200 88 19.20 88088 110 70.00 60827 150 45.00 70132 235 24.10 83288 88 19.10 88198 110 69.50 60977 150 44.50 70367 240 24.00 83376 88 19.00 88308 110 69.00 61131 155 44.00 70607 240 23.90 83464 88 18.90 88418 110 68.50 61286 155 43.50 70848 245 23.80 83552 88 18.80 88532 114 68.00 61441 155 43.00 71093 245 23.70 83640 88 18.70 88646 114 67.50 61596 155 42.50 71338 250 23.60 83730 90 18.60 88760 114 67.00 61751 155 42.00 71585 250 23.50 83820 90 18.50 88874 114 66.50 61908 160 41.50 71835 255 23.40 83910 90 18.40 88988 114 66.00 62068 160 41.00 72087 255 23.30 84000 90 18.30 89102 114 65.50 62228 160 40.50 72346 260 23.20 84092 92 18.20 89216 114 65.00 62388 160 40.00 72608 265 23.10 84184 92 18.10 89330 114 64.50 62551 165 39.50 72873 270 23.00 84276 92 18.00 89448 118 64.00 62716 165 39.00 73141 270 22.90 84368 92 17.90 89566 118 63.50 62861 165 38.50 73411 275 22.80 84462 94 17.80 89684 118 63.00 63047 170 38.00 73685 275 22.70 84556 94 17.70 89802 118 62.50 63217 170 37.50 73966 280 22.60 84650 94 17.60 89920 118 62.00 63387 170 37.00 74243 285 22.50 84744 94 17.50 90039 118 61.50 63557 170 36.50 74531 290 22.40 84838 94 17.40 90160 122 61.00 63727 170 36.00 74823 295 22.30 84932 94 17.30 90282 122 60.50 63899 175 35.50 75120 300 22.20 84028 96 17.20 90404 122 60.00 64074 175 35.00 75420 305 22.10 84124 96 17.10 90526 122 59.50 64249 175 34.50 75725 310 22.00 85220 96 17.00 90648 122 59.00 64429 180 34.00 76032 310 21.90 85316 96 16.90 90774 126 58.50 64609 180 33.50 76344 315 21.80 85412 96 16.80 90900 126 58.00 64789 180 33.00 76660 320 21.70 85508 96 16.70 91026 126 57.50 64970 185 32.50 76980 325 21.60 85606 98 16.60 91152 126 57.00 65155 185 32.00 77304 330 21.50 85704 98 16.50 91278 126 56.50 65340 185 31.50 77634 335 21.40 85802 98 16.40 91408 130 56.00 65525 190 31.00 77972 340 21.30 85900 98 16.30 91538 130 55.50 65715 190 30.50 78314 350 21.20 86000 100 16.20 91668 130 55.00 65905 190 30.00 78664 360 21.10 86100 100 16.10 91798 130 54.50 66095 195 29.50 79022 360 21.00 86200 100 16.00 91928 130 54.00 66290 195 29.00 79382 365 20.90 86300 100 15.90 92064 136 53.50 66485 200 28.50 79748 370 20.80 86402 102 15.80 92200 136 53.00 66684 200 28.00 80122 380 20.70 86504 102 15.70 92336 136 -101-
MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. MB ALT. DIF. 15.60 92472 136 10.60 100634 198 5.60 114578 432 15.50 92608 136 10.50 100832 198 5.50 115010 432 15.40 92744 136 10.40 101030 198 5.40 115442 432 15.30 92886 142 10.30 101240 210 5.30 115874 432 15.20 93028 142 10.20 101450 210 5.20 116338 464 15.10 93170 142 10.10 101660 210 5.10 116802 464 15.00 93312 142 10.00 101870 210 5.00 117266 464 14.90 93454 142 9.90 102080 210 4.90 117730 464 14.80 93596 142 9.80 102304 224 4.80 118194 464 14.70 93738 142 9.70 102528 224 4.70 118724 530 14.60 93880 142 9.60 102752 224 4.60 119254 530 14.50 94022 142 9.50 102976 224 4.50 119784 530 14.40 94164 142 9.40 103200 224 4.40 120352 568 14.30 94306 142 9.30 103424 224 4.30 120920 568 14.20 94454 148 9.20 103648 224 4.20 121488 568 14.10 94602 148 9.10 103872 224 4.10 122056 568 14.00 94750 148 9.00 104096 224 4.00 122696 640 13.90 94898 148 8.90 104342 246 3.90 123336 640 13.80 95046 148 8.80 104588 246 3.80 123976 640 13.70 95200 154 8.70 104834 246 3.70 124672 696 13.60 95380 160 8.60 105080 246 3.60 125368 696 13.50 95520 160 8.50 105326 246 3.50 126064 696 13.40 95680 160 8.40 105572 246 3.40 126858 794 13.30 95840 160 8.30 105818 246 3.30 127652 794 13.20 96000 160 8.20 106064 246 3.20 128464 812 13.10 96160 160 8.10 106339 275 3.10 129276 812 13.00 96320 160 8.00 106614 275 3.00 130088 812 12.90 96480 160 7.90 106889 275 2.90 131032 944 12.80 96648 168 7.80 107164 275 2.80 131976 944 12.70 96816 168 7.70 107439 275 2.70 132984 1008 12.60 96984 168 7.60 107714 275 2.60 133992 1008 12.50 97152 168 7.50 107989 275 2.50 135074 1082 12.40 97320 168 7.40 108296 307 2.40 136156 1082 12.30 97498 178 7.30 108603 307 2.30 137438 1282 12.20 97676 178 7.20 108910 307 2.20 138720 1282 12.10 97854 178 7.10 109217 307 2.10 140002 1282 12.00 98032 178 7.00 109524 307 2.00 141462 1460 11.90 98210 178 6.90 109831 307 1.90 142922 1460 11.80 98388 178 6.80 110138 307 1.80 144382 1460 11.70 98566 178 6.70 110482 344 1.70 146182 1800 11.60 98744 178 6.60 110828 346 1.60 148062 1880 11.50 98922 178 6.50 111174 346 1.50 150040 1978 11.40 99100 178 6.40 111520 346 1.40 152178 2138 11.30 99288 188 6.30 111866 346 1.30 154384 2208 11.20 99476 188 6.20 112246 380 1.20 156792 2408 11.10 99664 188 6.10 112626 380 1.10 160040 3248 11.00 99852 188 6.00 113006 380 1.00 163538 3498 10.90 100040 188 5.90 113386 380 10.80 100238 198 5.80 113766 380 10.70 100436 198 5.70 114146 380 -102-
Table 2 TEMPERATURE IN N.A.C.A. STANDARD ATMOSPHERE Altitude Temp.(°C) Altitude Temp.(°C) Altitude Temp.(°C) 0 15 1,000 13 48,000 -55 96,000 -55 2,000 11 49,000 -55 97,000 -55 3,000 9.1 50,000 -55 98,000 -55 4,000 7.1 51,000 -55 99,000 -55 5,000 5.1 52,000 -55 100,000 -55 6,000 3.1 53,000 -55 102,000 -55 7,000 1.1 54,000 -55 104,000 -55 8,000 - 0.8 55,000 -55 104,987 -55 9,000 - 2.8 56,000 -55 106,000 -52.9 10,000 - 4.8 57,000 -55 108,000 -48.5 11,000 - 6.8 58,000 -55 110,000 -43.9 12,000 - 8.8 59,000 -55 112,000 -39.5 13,000 -10.8 60,000 -55 114,000 -35.0 14,000 -12.7 61,000 -55 116,000 -30.6 15,000 -14.7 62,000 -55 118,000 -26.1 16,000 -16.7 63,000 -55 120,000 -21.6 17,000 -18.7 64,000 -55 122,000 -17.1 18,000 -20.7 65,000 -55 124,000 -12.7 19,000 -22.6 66,000 -55 126,000 - 8.2 20,000 -24.6 67,000 -55 128,000 - 3.7 21,000 -26.6 68,000 -55 130,000 + .72 22,000 -28.6 69,000 -55 132,000 + 5.2 23,000 -30.6 70,000 -55 134,000 + 9.7 24,000 -32.5 71,000 -55 136,000 +14.2 25,000 -34.5 72,000 -55 138,000 +18.6 26,000 -36.5 73,000 -55 140,000 +23.1 27,000 -38.5 74,000 -55 142,000 +27.6 28,000 -40.5 75,000 -55 144,000 +32.1 29,000 -42.5 76,000 -55 146,000 +36.5 30,000 -44.4 77,000 -55 148,000 +41.0 31,000 -46.4 78,000 -55 150,000 +45.5 32,000 -48.4 79,000 -55 152,000 +50.0 33,000 -50.4 80,000 -55 154,000 +54.4 34,000 -52.4 81,000 -55 156,000 +58.9 35,000 -54.3 82,000 -55 158,000 +63.4 35,332 -55 83,000 -55 160,000 +67.8 36,000 -55 84,000 -55 162,000 +72.3 37,000 -55 85,000 -55 164,000 +76.8 38,000 -55 86,000 -55 39,000 -55 87,000 -55 40,000 -55 88,000 -55 41,000 -55 89,000 -55 42,000 -55 90,000 -55 43,000 -55 91,000 -55 44,000 -55 92,000 -55 45,000 -55 93,000 -55 46,000 -55 94,000 -55 47,000 -55 95,000 -55 -103-
Table 3
Table of flows in gm/hr. from "Spinnerette Orifices"
dia. Q (actual) in gm/hr.
(in inches) at 24 Hd. at 22" Hd. at 20" Hd. at 18" Hd.
.003 35 33.5 32 30.5
.004 62.8 60 57 54.5
.005 97.5 93.5 88.8 84.5
.006 141 134 128 122
.007 192 184 175 166
.008 251 241 229 217
.009 317 303 289 274
.010 392 375 358 340
.011 474 453 433 410
.012 564 540 515 488
Q (actual) gm/hr. = C_d (dia.")^2 (hd.")^(1/2)
x 1.003 x 10^6
(C_d varies from .78 to .82)
C_d (mean) = .80 (used above)
Q_1 = ( hd._1 )^(1/2)
Q_2 ( hd._2 )
-104-Table 4
BALLOON DATA
General Mills Actual Balloon Estimated Gross Altitude
Nominal Diameter Volume Weight Load Limit Range
ft. cu.ft. kg. kg. ft.
7 200 0.6 1.5 to 5 38,000 to
0
20 4300 3.8 to 7 to 36 68,000 to
5.0 37,000
30 12,700 8.9 12 to 60 82,000 to
50,000
70 200,000 41 to 54 50 to 175 110,000 to
84,000
-105-NYU BALLOON PROJECT Free Lift vs. Rate of Rise Of Balloons Rate Of Rise For Various Gross Loads C49-2 1/21/49 Gross Loads in Kilograms A - 1 B - 2 C - 5 D - 10 E - 20 F - 50 G - 50 H - 100 I - 150 J - 135 K - 50 Rate Of Rise - ft/min [Y-axis, ranging from 40 to 1000] Free Lift - Percent Of Gross Weight [X-axis, ranging from 0.1 to 10] [Graph showing diagonal lines for each gross load value] -106-
MINIMUM LENGTH OF GM BALLOON ABOVE SHOT BAG IN FEET [X-axis, ranging from 10 to 60] GROSS LIFT TO BE GIVEN BALLOON (Kilograms) [Y-axis, ranging from 1 to K] Graph 2 A - No Bead - 30°C-B-75mb Sea Level (30°C-C-1015mb) Gross Lift vs. Position of Shot Bags June 17 - 1848C C49-2C NOTE: Add 1 foot to minimum Measure on balloon minimum Wind Effect: Distance to minimize K=50 to minimize distance to minimize -107-
[GRAPH — NYU BALLOON PROJECT BUOYANCY VS. ALTITUDE] Title box (lower right): NYU BALLOON PROJECT Buoyancy Vs. Altitude C49-4 2m/49 Line Top x-axis label: MOLAR VOLUME — Thousands Of Cubic Feet Bottom x-axis label: ALTITUDE — Thousands Of Feet Left y-axis label: BUOYANCY— In Kilograms (Helium) Right y-axis label: BUOYANCY— In Pounds (Helium) Diagonal line labels (visible): 10' Dia - 354 cu ft 12.5' Dia - 1023 cu ft 15' Dia - 1787 cu ft GM 20' Dia - 4300 cu ft 17.5' Dia - 2908 cu ft 22' Dia - 2908 cu ft 27.5' Dia - 6500 cu ft 32.5' Dia - 13,374 cu ft GM 30' Dia - 12,500 cu ft 40' Dia - 13,174 cu ft 35' Dia - 22,449 cu ft 46' Dia - 49,321 cu ft 35' Dia - 57,124 cu ft 60' Dia - 115,097 cu ft 85' Dia - 143,[ILLEGIBLE] cu ft GM 70 Dia - 205,000 cu ft Graph 3 -108-
[GRAPH — GROSS LOAD VS. ALTITUDE SENSITIVITY] Title box (center): Gross Load Vs Altitude Sensitivity C49-3 JAN 24, 1949 LHM Y-axis label: Load In kg Y-axis scale (log): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 100 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1000 X-axis label: Altitude Sensitivity (A) ft/kg X-axis scale (log): 100 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1000 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10,000 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 100,000 Line labels (on plot): A = 3/100% 10-100,000 ft A = B1/032/L (40,000-105,000 ft) Graph 4 -109-
Note: On flights made in February, 1949, spring bow appendix closers were used successfully with rates of rise exceeding 1000 feet per minute. Of those described on page 10, this type of appendix stiffener is now recommended.
25
Combined History [Selected Pages]
509th Bomb Group and Roswell
Army Airfield
September 1947UNCLASSIFIED
RESTRICTED
COMBINED HISTORY
509TH BOMB GROUP
AND
ROSWELL ARMY AIRFIELD
1 SEPTEMBER 1947 THROUGH 30 SEPTEMBER 1947
[Aerial photograph]
[Classification stamp box]:
RESTRICTED
Auth: [ILLEGIBLE]
March [ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE][REDACTED]
CHAPTER XIII
VISITORS
and
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
3 September 1947 - Colonel Blanchard and Lt. [ILLEGIBLE] went to Artesia where
Colonel Blanchard was guest speaker at the Artesia
Woman's Club luncheon
3 September 1947 - Colonel Pelham D. Glasford, Eighth Air Force Air
Inspector's Office and Lt. Colonel John A. Roberts,
Assistant Chief of Staff, arrived for general
familiarization with various activities on the field
as pertains to their respective jobs.
3 September 1947 - Col. John D. Ryan, A-3; Lt. Colonel Calvin W. Fite,
Jr., Lt. Colonel Carl V. Ekstrand, Lt.Colonel Ray C.
Milton, Major Leroy S. English, Captain Floyd R.
Creasman, Captain James W. Brady, all from Headquarters
Eighth Air Force, arrived here for a conference and
inspecting and coordination with various sections on
the base. Lt. Colonels Harman and Ord arrived from
Alburquerque for the conference.
4 September 1947 - The above-named group departed for Forth Worth and
Tucson.
5 September 1947 - Mr. Lawrence A. Deason, Sr., liason representative
from San Antonio, called on Colonel Blanchard.
10 September 1947 - Mr. Peoples, Mr.Hackman and First Lieutenant Thompson
from Air Material Command arrived on the field to
inspect Air Material Command installations and to
confer with Lt. Colonel Briley.
11 September 1947 - Captain J. F. Morgan, from Headquarters Eighth Air
Force, was here to confer with the Engineering Officer,
Captain Peterson, in regard to the de-icer boot on
C-54 aircraft.
12 September 1947 - Inspection teams from this Base inspected various
Base activities, organizations, and installations.
15 September 1947 - Troops from Roswell Army Airfield marched in a
parade in the City of Roswell at 1030 for the benefit
of the Chavez County Memorial Youth Center.
15 September 1947 - A meeting of S-1, S-2, S-3, S-4, DOC, Executive,
Air Inspector, Adjutant and Commanding Officers of
the 393rd, 830th, and 715th Bomb Squadrons was held
in the Control Room to discuss the reorganization.
[REDACTED]
7933
"Mensuration Working Paper," with
Photo and Drawing
February 15, 1994Customer Code: 12592
Mensuration Working Paper
TARGET NAME ROSWELL, N.MX.
IMAGE ID FWST(UTA) NEG.ENV. #2026, NEG #1 DATE RETURNED 26-JUL-94
IMAGERY ANALYST LT. MCANDREW DIVISION DOD PHONE 703-693-2013
IMAGERY SCIENTIST
PHONE
COMPARATOR N/A MEASUREMENTS HOURS STEREO [ ]
INTERGRAPH MSB2 MEASUREMENTS 17 HOURS 7 TERRESTRIAL [X]
RUSH JOB [ ]
Q-JOB [ ]
IA ASSISTED [ ]
SIGNATURE DATE CABLE/PUBLICATION ITEM [ ]
MENSURATION RESULTS:
PHOTOGRAPH AND CAMERA INFORMATION:
GROUND PHOTOGRAPHS- FWST(UTA) NEG. ENV. #2026, NEG #1- #4. TAKEN JULY 8,1947.
CAMERA TYPE- SPEED GRAPHIC ( 4" X 5" FORMAT)
NOMINAL FOCAL LENGTHS- 127mm, 135mm and 150mm(MOST COMMON).
THE FOCAL LENGTH CALCULATED FOR THE CAMERA USED TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPH NEG. #1 IS EQUAL TO
121mm.
ASSUMPTIONS:
BROWN WRAPPING PAPER ON FLOOR UNDER OBJECT OF INTEREST IS ASSUMED TO HAVE A WIDTH OF 35.5 ± 3".
RADIATOR ON LEFT SIDE OF THE PHOTOGRAPH IS ASSUMED TO HAVE A TOTAL HEIGHT OF 28 ± 2".
MEASUREMENTS:
STICK MEASUREMENTS:
LENGTH WIDTH
ID. (M) (IN) (M) (IN)
A 0.7 27.6" 0.01 0.4"
B 0.6 23.6" 0.01 0.4"
C 0.9 35.4" 0.02 0.8"
D 0.5 19.7" ---- ----
E 0.5 19.7" 0.02 0.8"
F 0.4 15.7" 0.01 0.4"
G 0.4 15.7" 0.01 0.4"
H 0.6 23.6 ---- ----
BASE BOARD 0.1 3.9" ---- ----
NOTE: THE ACCURACY STATEMENT IS 10% OF THE REPORTED LENGTHS AND WIDTHS.
PAGE NO. 1 of 1[PHOTOGRAPH — black and white] Visible text labels affixed to photograph: Radiator [label pointing to radiator on left side] ---------- Rug Edge [label with dashed line indicating rug edge] Brown Edge [label lower left indicating edge of brown paper] .A [label on stick A] .B [label on stick B] .C [label on stick C] .D [label on stick D] .E [label on stick E] .F [label on stick F] .G [label on stick G] .H [label on stick H] [Two men are seated behind a pile of crumpled metallic/foil debris and sticks spread on a floor. The sticks are labeled A through H. Brown paper is visible beneath the debris.]
2/15/94 MAP VIEW NEG. #1 PHOTOGRAPH [DIAGRAM — top-down schematic of stick positions] Labels on diagram: H G B D F E C A B [second instance, lower position] brown paper [dashed rectangle, lower center-left] rug edge [dashed line at bottom] [Vertical centerline and horizontal dashed baseline are drawn. Sticks A through H are shown as line segments in their measured orientations relative to the brown paper and rug edge.]
PHOTOGRAPH SECTION
[PHOTOGRAPH — black and white portrait of military officer in uniform] Caption: General Carl A. Spaatz, Commanding General, U.S. Army Air Forces, 1947. Gen Spaatz was the Chief of Staff, United States Air Force, 1947–1948. A review of his personal and official documents, including highly classified daily briefings for the summer of 1947, do not in any way suggest that U.S. Army Air Forces recovered a flying saucer or its alien occupants. U.S. Air Force Photo.
[page unreadable; original scan available via the document viewer above]
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Launch of Project MOGUL neoprene balloons, Alamogordo AAF, NM, June 1947. While awaiting the experimental polyethylene balloons, NYU engineers utilized long trains of the smaller neoprene balloons as a stopgap method of placing their acoustic sensors in the upper atmosphere. These balloon trains consisted of a variety of equipment and measured more than 600 feet long (see Atch 25). Photo Collection of Albert P. Crary. Standard 350-gram meteorological weather balloons in the North Hangar at Alamogordo AAF for use by Project MOGUL in June 1947. Although the balloons themselves were common, the remainder of the equipment on the MOGUL trains was experimental or had been recently placed in service (see Atch 25). It would not be unusual for individuals uninvolved in the development of these devices not to recognize them. Photo Courtesy of C.B. Moore.
A New York University launch crew prepares a MOGUL balloon train for flight (Holloman AFB, NM, 1948). The three ML–307C/AP corner reflectors (left) are of the type that W.W. "Mac" Brazel recovered on a ranch near Corona, NM, in June 1947. C.B. Moore, New York University Constant Level Balloon Project Engineer (left and standing), adjusts an AN/FMQ–1 radiosonde receiver/recorder. The absence of this equipment on the first NYU field trip in June 1947 (it was left behind in New York due to space limitations of the B-17 aircraft) prompted Moore to attach additional ML–307C/AP corner reflectors to MOGUL flights. The addition of the oddly constructed reflectors, intended to enhance radar returns, contributed to the confusion when Mogul Flight No. 4 returned to earth and was mistaken for a part of a flying saucer. Moore (right and reaching down) prepares experimental Project MOGUL microphones for launch (Holloman AFB, Alamogor- do, NM, July 1948).
This 15-foot polyethylene balloon (left) and 70-foot polyethylene balloon (above) are representative of the type used exten- sively by Project MOGUL. It is this variety of balloon that caused many UFO sightings due to their flat, spherical appearance when viewed from the ground.
A blimp hangar at Lakehurst Naval Air Station, NJ (left), contains a Project MOGUL balloon during its preparation for flight. Lying on the desert floor near Roswell, NM, in July 1948 (right) is a Project MOGUL balloon. Due to the prevailing westerlies, MOGUL balloons often descended in the vicinity of Roswell after launch from Alamogordo. The unpredictability and hazards to aircraft presented by the balloons prompted the Civil Aviation Administration (now the Federal Aviation Administration) to conduct a hearing addressing safety concerns of balloons landing in the Roswell area (see App 13, pp. 43–44).
Also used during Project MOGUL were balloons developed by Seyfang Laboratories, the inventors of the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons. These balloons were easily mistaken for flying saucers due to their shape and metallic exterior coating.
Project MOGUL balloon train components (above) can be compared with the debris recovered from the Foster ranch and shown at Forth Worth Army Airfield with Maj. Jesse Marcel. Crashed saucer theorists allege that the debris depicted with Major Marcel is not the original debris collected from the Foster ranch. A switch is alleged to have taken place after the material arrived from Roswell AAF. However, detailed analysis and interviews with individuals who viewed and handled the debris verify it to be completely consistent with the materials launched by Project MOGUL and subsequently recovered at the Foster ranch.
[photograph of a military officer crouching on the floor examining scattered debris consisting of metallic foil, sticks, and other light materials spread across the floor of a room with chairs and a radiator visible in the background]
Eiffel Tower PARIS 1056ft Washington Monument WASHINGTON, D.C. 555ft Statue of Liberty NEW YORK HARBOR 305ft Project MOGUL Balloon Train ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO 657ft Relative heights and balloon elements shown are to scale
NEW MEXICO
Santa Fe
Albuquerque
[Route 40]
Vaughn
Corona Foster
Ranch
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Hwy
285
[Route 25]
Rio Grande
Sacramento
Mountains
White
Sands
Proving
Ground
Alamogordo
Alamogordo Army
Air Field
Las Cruces
El Paso
[Route 10]
Clovis
Roswell
✈ Roswell
Army Air Field
Artesia
Pecos