By Michael Rhodes
Last year, the National Declassification Center released, scanned, and posted several pages from declassified U.S. Air Force reports. Digital copies of those same documents are now available, in full, on the National Archives Archival Research Catalog (ARC) [http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/]
Project 1794 Final Development Summary Report, 06/1956 [ARC ID 6920770]
Program Planning Report, Project 1794 Extension Program, 04/1957 [ARC ID 6981836]
The Air Force declassified these records in June 2001. The NDC processed and released them in 2012.
Source: RG 342: Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations, Entry UD-UP 138, Research and Development Project Files, compiled 01/01/1952 – 12/31/1969 (ARC Identifier 6919785)
In case anyone was wondering what exactly Project 1794 was – it was the Air Force’s effort to build a “flying saucer.” Within these files you will find diagrams and drawings of their attempt. I believe they were able to build a prototype; but the project was cancelled after only a few years. Michael: Is there anything interesting or illlustrative in these records beyond what was released in the early 2000’s?
USAF Project 1794 is just one of many subjects documented in this collection: Research and Development Project Files (1952-1969). There are files related to design, flight and other tests of experimental aircraft – of which the X-15 and the Avrocar are just two examples. Another subject represented in the series is weapon systems, including guided and ballistic missiles. There are a total of 100 record cartons in this series. All have been declassified and are now available to the public. Unfortunately, resources are limited preventing a more detailed description of the contents at this time.
The records featured in this blog post are now the subject of a cover story in Popular Mechanics. The article may be found here: Declassified: America’s Secret Flying Saucer
Thanks for the additional descriptive information. Of course, the greater level of archival processing, the easier the information is to discover.