Interesting Area 51 documents released

Very quietly last week, the George Washington University National Security Archive released a number of very interesting documents relating to Area 51. These include the Have Doughnut MiG-21 exploitation tests, the Have Drill/Ferry MiG-17 tests, as well as F-117, Tacit Blue, and Bird of Prey.

The F-117 documents include accident reports on two aircraft, a history of the squadron, deployments during Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, and exercise reports.

It also includes documents focusing on the development of stealth, including the mathematical analysis of P. Ya. Ufimtsev, who as Ben Rich put it, was the "Rosetta Stone breakthrough of stealth".

The Have series of tests, were MiG aircraft tested against American aircraft at Area 51, to determine weaknesses, and how to fight them.

I sense an astounding lack of free time in my future. Anyone want to help analyze, and summarize (in as much detail as possible) with me?


GWU National Security Archive

reply to post by Zaphod58


yup. i do

reply to post by boomer135


I figured you would. You wouldn't believe how busy I'm going to be the next few months. I hit a massive treasure trove of documents, both here, and in another thread, as well as agreeing to write the most insanely massive thread I've ever written.

Zaphod58
Very quietly last week, the George Washington University National Security Archive released a number of very interesting documents relating to Area 51. These include the Have Doughnut MiG-21 exploitation tests, the Have Drill/Ferry MiG-17 tests, as well as F-117, Tacit Blue, and Bird of Prey.

The F-117 documents include accident reports on two aircraft, a history of the squadron, deployments during Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, and exercise reports.

It also includes documents focusing on the development of stealth, including the mathematical analysis of P. Ya. Ufimtsev, who as Ben Rich put it, was the "Rosetta Stone breakthrough of stealth".

The Have series of tests, were MiG aircraft tested against American aircraft at Area 51, to determine weaknesses, and how to fight them.

I sense an astounding lack of free time in my future. Anyone want to help analyze, and summarize (in as much detail as possible) with me?


GWU National Security Archive

nothing about the sports model?

Zaphod58
reply to post by boomer135

 

I figured you would. You wouldn't believe how busy I'm going to be the next few months. I hit a massive treasure trove of documents, both here, and in another thread, as well as agreeing to write the most insanely massive thread I've ever written.

How old are you?

Don't you have a job?

are you serious?

I will help too

reply to post by ChesterJohn


Old enough, yes I have a job, yes I'm serious. This is my idea of a great time. I love doing things like this.

That's awesome! I've wondered about the origins of our MiG "fleet". I've read that one came from Iraq, way, way back in the 60's or early 70's. I've assumed that most came via Israel capturing them, etc; Hopefully there'll be some great info in there about them.

I sound like a real slug in context to your OP, but I really look forward to reading about what information you find.

reply to post by boomer135


Which you want to start with?

reply to post by Zaphod58



The Migs of Area 51 are on this web site. There are 5 links on this page to Evaluation/ Technical and Tactical.

Migs at AREA 51

Zaphod58
reply to post by ChesterJohn

 

Old enough, yes I have a job, yes I'm serious. This is my idea of a great time. I love doing things like this.

Old enough would that be over 29yrs of age then?

I love aircraft. so I would love to help if I can. send me some links to read and download

ChesterJohn

Zaphod58
reply to post by ChesterJohn

 

Old enough, yes I have a job, yes I'm serious. This is my idea of a great time. I love doing things like this.

Old enough would that be over 29yrs of age then?

I love aircraft. so I would love to help if I can. send me some links to read and download

www2.gwu.edu...

Scroll down to the very bottom and work your way up

Should be about 64 different PDF's in total

I've had them all now for over a week and found some very interesting goodies. Just curious how many catch those.. Hehe

Zaphod58
It also includes documents focusing on the development of stealth, including the mathematical analysis of P. Ya. Ufimtsev, who as Ben Rich put it, was the "Rosetta Stone breakthrough of stealth".

Hi Zaph,

The original documents of analysis by P. Ya. Ufimtsev are already online in a pdf, a military site I think. I'll see if I can find it again.

Here,
www.dtic.mil...

reply to post by Zaphod58


I have some spare time during work hours while our software does its stuff. Toss some of them at me and I'll see about chewing through them for you.

reply to post by Darkpr0


I'll let you have the HAVE series.

Have Doughnut
Have Drill/Have Ferry 1
Have Drill/Have Ferry 2

reply to post by Zaphod58


I can help you out too, just let me know which ones you would like me to do

reply to post by Zaphod58


Most of these "new" documents have been available for many years. I helped get the Have Doughnut and Have Drill/Ferry documents released. An Air Force historian discovered them as they were being taken to the shredder. He rescued them and got them declassified but couldn't release them publicly until somebody filed a FOIA request. He contacted me and suggested that I put in a FOIA, which I did. That's how I got my copies of the technical and tactical evaluation reports for those programs. About a year or two later I helped the son of one of the test pilots file a FOIA request for the Have Doughnut training film. After these items were released, the Air Force began putting out additional material that included more documents and even public briefings at places like the Oshkosh air show.

A few of the F-117A accident reports were released under FOIA in the late 1980s or 90s. Then Greg Meland got the rest of them released, with the exception of the report for Article 785 (the first production airframe) that crashed on its first takeoff at Groom Lake.

reply to post by Shadowhawk


I had heard some of them were released in the past. This puts them in a "convenient carrying case" and gives us a chance to really tear into them and give them all a convenient place for people to read about them.

reply to post by Stealthbomber


With everything I've got on my plate right now (trust me, it's a hell of a lot right now), go ahead and pick two or three, or however many you're comfortable with, and just let me know.

reply to post by Zaphod58


I'll do the F-117's missions in Desert Storm at first and see how I go Zaph.

reply to post by Stealthbomber


Great, sounds good. You wouldn't believe what I've got on my plate right now. I think I've lost my mind.