36deg40N 130deg50E FAREAST radar-visual unidentified-object report — January 2, 1951

Adair Major, USAF Chief, Electronics Section Technical Analysis Division CTG 96.2 COMNAVFE 1 CDR SQUADRON ELECTRONICS OFFICER IN PATRON 12 MARINER SAM ENROUTE ASP MISSION FOR CTE 93-11 OBSERVED AND TRACKED HIGH SPEED AIR TARGET AT 090525: POSIT 34-05 129-31: TARGET INITIALLY OBSERVED BEARING 320 TRUE 15 TO 17 MILES IN APPROX 270 TRACK RANGED AT 55 MILES IN APPROX 60 SECS BEFORE DISAPPEARING AT 45 MILE RANGE AND TRUE BEARING 075: TARGET COURSE APPEARED SLIGHTLY CURVED AND GENERALLY EASTERLY: CALCULATED SPEED APPROX 3330 MPH: SIGNAL ELONGATED TO ABOUT 3/8 INCH: NO TARGETS EMANATED FROM SCOPE CENTER: RADAR FUNCTIONING NORMALLY: PLUS 3 DEGREES TILT: OTHER TARGETS SMALL CRAFT SHORE LAND: IDENTICAL 2ND TARGETS OBSERVED FOR APPROX 10 SECS AT 090530: BEARING 085 TRUE AT 25-30 MILE RANGE SAME COURSE VAPOR OVERCAST AT 3000 FEET: TARGETS VERIFIED BY NAVIGATOR. The following information is requested concerning radar detection of airborne targets making passes on Guadalupe (AD-32): (a) What type radar detected the targets? (b) Frequency of radar. (c) Pulse width. (d) Type modulator (hard tube, spark gap). (e) Altitude of aircraft when targets were detected. (f) Were target blips steady while observed or were they spotty and of unequal amplitude? (g) What is meant by radar blips elongating to 3/8 inch and 1/8 inch? Is this elongation in range or azimuth? (h) How did the target size compare in range and azimuth with that of conventional aircraft? (i) Were any radar sets operational on the Guadalupe and what were their target status during the time the airborne radar detected targets? (j) Is there any other information that can be added to this report? UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED ORAP Item 2, TT-023-AIR, 15 MARCH 51 It is suggested that substantially the following action be taken to the subject: "Information contained in ORAP Item 2, TT-023-AIR, 15 MARCH 51 indicates that the unknown object referred therein reported having been observed under conditions towards 0-3000 at a very high rate, than actually the maximum speed observed was actually condition conditions may appear. HARRINGTON CHIEF, ELECTRONICS SECTION TECHNICAL ANALYSIS DIVISION INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT UNCLASSIFIED Using OCR (Optical Character Recognition), the text in the document is as follows: IT EM 1 AUG FROM J J RODGERS MCIAKA-1 TO TCS INFORMATION CONTAINED IN CSAF ITEM 2A TT-031-AR 12 MAR 51 INDICATES THAT THE UNUSUAL RADAR TARGETS REPORTED DID NOT POSSIBLY CAUSED BY ABNORMAL WEATHER CONDITIONS HOWEVER EXPERTS HAVE INDICATED THAT ABNORMAL WEATHER CONDITIONS MAY CAUSE TARGETS TO APPEAR TO MOVE AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED THAN ACTUALLY THE MOVEMENT IS CAUSED BY FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH GENERAL AREA- THESE WEATHER TARGETS ARE USUALLY NOT SHARPLY DEFINED AS AIRCRAFT SHIPS ETC TARGETS AND INDICATION OF THIS IS CONTAINED IN THE SHARP DEGREE AS FOLLOWS VISUAL MORE DETAILS REGARDING THE SUBJECT RADAR OBSERVATIONS BECOME AVAILABLE THIS OFFICE WOULD APPRECIATE RECEIVING A COPY THEREOF FOR INCLUSION IN PERTINENT PROJECT FILE. END ITEM 1 AUG UNCLASSIFIED REFERENCE RADNOTS 1951-1-7006098: EVALUATION OF UNKNOWN AIRCRAFT OR TARGETS REPORTED WITHOUT COMPLETE DATA AVAILABLE. THIS IS AN EVALUATION OF UNKNOWN AIRCRAFT OR TARGETS REPORTED WITHOUT COMPLETE DATA AVAILABLE. WHAT TYPES RADAR DETECTED THE TARGETS. ALTITUDE OF AIRCRAFT WHEN TARGETS STEADY WERE OBSERVED OR WHEN THEY WERE UNSTEADY OF UNEQUAL AMPLITUDE. NUMBER AND LOCATION OF THE TARGETS DETECTED AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS. REGULAR RADAR DETECTS ON TRANSIENT TARGETS DETECTED DURING THE TIME OF DETECTION OF UNKNOWN TARGETS. UNCLASSIFIED NAVAL MESSAGE UNCLASSIFIED FROM: COMFAIRJAP RELEASED BY: DATE: 29 JAN 1951 TO: CODE ROOM 00452/29 ENCODED BY: LONG DATD BY: WAHLENS ROUTED BY: DUROY COMIN FROM CINCPAGHT ADMIN ATTN CW FEAF/TAR/A/29+ SAY PILOT COMDR SMALL SQUADRON ELECTRONICS OFFICER CRE AND REGULAR PLANE RADAR OPERATOR OBSERVED AIRBORNE RADAR TARGETS FROM 261405I TO 261420I AT LAT 36-40 N 130-50 E MADE ONE PASS ON GUADALUPE (AG-32) AND 8 ON OR OVER OWN AIRRAFT.