23857122-0457-180273-0384

OCR Text

Senne.) Bw ar AL Engineering Divisio Memorandum Report Noe MC REXD=(9] 18D 2& April 1919 and were frequently seen for less than a minute. First of all, it is obvious that it would usually be impossible for observers to make reliable estimates of the speed, distance, or size of such stimmlus objects. It is not possible to estimate accurately € the distance of smll bright objects viewed against a clear sky, unless the object is identified first. If you know beforehand that an object is a weather balloon, an FSO, or a dirigible you oan estimate its speed and distance with some degree of accuracye In such situations distance is judged on the basis of known size, and speed on the basis of an estimate of distance plus the angular change in position. It must be concluded, therefore, thst most of the statements of speed, distance, altitude and size are entirely unreliable and should be disregarded, This is doubly true of observations made at night. The objects seen may actually have been at very great distances, or they may have been relatively close by. In the latter case, of course, they a could also have been quite small. Secondly, it is probable ,that individuals who saw objects in daylipht were in many cases observing either the reflection of the sun on a shiny surface or else looking directly at a light source of high intensity. Aircraft themselves, when viewed against a clear sky, are seen as dark objects against a lighter background unless they are reflecting the sun's rays directly. This fact was recognized during the recent war by camouflage experts who placed bright lights on the leading edges of the wings of aircraft on anti-submarine patrol in order to conceal then from the eyes of submarine lookoutse If €) observers, during daylight hours, were actually seeing lights, or reflections of the sun, this would acgount in large measure for their inability to identify the objects. On the other hand, if they were actually seeing enemy missiles, for example, the majority of reports CONPBIDENTIAL Declassification Authority: NND 57565