Within Secret Aircraft
Why Nevada's U 2 Flights Looked Like UFOs
High-altitude U-2 flights could remain sunlit after dusk, creating bright, silent-looking objects above normal air traffic.
On this page
- How altitude and sunset created strange lights
- Why airline pilots found the sightings credible
- What official reviews can and cannot prove
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Introduction
One of the strongest aviation-based explanations for many Nevada UFO reports is surprisingly simple: people were seeing real aircraft, but aircraft operating far beyond the performance limits known to the public. During the 1950s, secret U-2 reconnaissance flights from Groom Lake flew at altitudes that ordinary commercial and military aircraft could not reach. To observers on the ground and even to experienced airline crews, these flights could appear impossible.[National Security Archive]nsarchive2.gwu.eduNational Security Archive The Secret History of the U-2National Security ArchiveThe Secret History of the U-2 - and Area 5115 Aug 2013 — CIA history reveals newly declassified material on U-2…
The effect was especially striking around sunset. A U-2 cruising above 60,000 feet could remain brightly illuminated by the Sun long after aircraft at normal cruising altitudes had entered darkness. What looked like a glowing object hanging high above Nevada, moving silently and seemingly beyond the capabilities of known aviation, often had a mundane explanation hidden behind Cold War secrecy.[defenseone.com]defenseone.comarea 51 has been hiding u 2 spy planes not ufosDefense OneArea 51 Has Been Hiding U-2 Spy Planes, Not UFOs19 Aug 2013 — According to the CIA report, in the evenings the U-2's silver wi…
How Altitude and Sunset Created Strange Lights
The key to understanding these sightings is altitude. In the mid-1950s, most commercial airliners typically flew between about 10,000 and 20,000 feet, while many military aircraft operated below 40,000 feet. The U-2 routinely flew above 60,000 feet, a height that many pilots and air-traffic personnel rarely encountered and that the public often regarded as beyond the reach of conventional aircraft.[nprillinois.org]nprillinois.orgNPR Illinois Did You Know?Area 51 Nearly Killed 4 Important Visitors16 Aug 2013 — Consequently, once U-2s started flying at altitudes above 60,000 feet, air-traffi…
This created a powerful visual illusion at dusk.
When the Sun dropped below the horizon for observers on the ground or for airline crews flying lower, the U-2 could still be in direct sunlight. Its large wings and reflective surfaces caught the sunlight and stood out against a darkening sky. Rather than appearing as a recognisable aeroplane, it could look like a brilliant point of light, an elongated glowing object, or even a fiery shape moving across the horizon.[defenseone.com]defenseone.comarea 51 has been hiding u 2 spy planes not ufosDefense OneArea 51 Has Been Hiding U-2 Spy Planes, Not UFOs19 Aug 2013 — According to the CIA report, in the evenings the U-2's silver wi…
Several factors combined to make the sight unusual:
- Extreme height: The aircraft appeared far above any traffic witnesses expected to see.
- Persistent illumination: It remained brightly lit after sunset for everyone below.
- Distance: Details such as wings, tail and fuselage became impossible to distinguish.
- Apparent silence: Sound from an aircraft tens of thousands of feet overhead would not be noticeable to most observers.
- Unfamiliar performance: Witnesses often assumed no aeroplane could operate where the object appeared to be.[cia.gov]cia.govU-2S, UFOS, AND OPERATION BLUE BOOKConsequently, once U-2s started flying at altitudes above 60,000 feet, air-traffic con- trollers be…
For someone watching from rural Nevada, the result could seem genuinely extraordinary. The object was real, visible and moving, yet it did not behave like any aircraft they knew.
Why Airline Pilots Found the Sightings Credible
A common misconception is that U-2-related UFO reports came mainly from casual observers. In fact, many reports that puzzled investigators originated from airline crews and air-traffic personnel. These witnesses were often highly trained and familiar with ordinary aircraft operations.[U.S. Department of War]media.defense.govDOPSR 2024 0263 AARO HISTORICAL RECORD REPORT VOLUMEU.S. Department of WarAARO Historical Record Report Volume 18 Mar 2024 — More than half of the UFO reports investigated in the 1950s and…
That expertise actually made the mystery stronger.
An airline pilot in the 1950s understood the appearance, altitude and lighting characteristics of conventional aircraft. If a bright object appeared well above normal traffic levels and remained illuminated after sunset, it did not fit established expectations. Because the U-2 programme was classified, even experienced aviators lacked the information needed to identify what they were seeing.[CIA]cia.govU-2S, UFOS, AND OPERATION BLUE BOOKConsequently, once U-2s started flying at altitudes above 60,000 feet, air-traffic con- trollers be…
CIA and military histories later noted that reports increased once U-2 operations began. Air-traffic controllers received growing numbers of observations from pilots who were reporting what they honestly believed were unidentified aerial objects. These reports were not necessarily the product of poor observation. They often reflected a lack of access to secret information.[cia.gov]cia.govU-2S, UFOS, AND OPERATION BLUE BOOKConsequently, once U-2s started flying at altitudes above 60,000 feet, air-traffic con- trollers be…
This distinction matters in Nevada’s UFO history. A sighting can be sincere, detailed and made by a credible witness while still having a conventional explanation that was unknown at the time.
Why Officials Could Not Give the Real Answer
The secrecy surrounding Groom Lake and the U-2 programme created an unusual problem for investigators. Even when government officials suspected that a report involved a classified aircraft, they could not openly disclose that fact.[Naval History and Heritage Command]history.navy.milDefinitions of terms: BLUE BOOKNaval History and Heritage CommandU-2s, UFOs, and Operation Blue BookU-2 and later OXCART flights accounted for more than one-half of all…
Project Blue Book, the Air Force programme that investigated UFO reports, sometimes checked sightings against classified flight information. According to later historical accounts, investigators could eliminate many reports by consulting personnel connected with the U-2 programme. However, witnesses were generally not told that a secret reconnaissance aircraft had caused the sighting.[Naval History and Heritage Command]history.navy.milDefinitions of terms: BLUE BOOKNaval History and Heritage CommandU-2s, UFOs, and Operation Blue BookU-2 and later OXCART flights accounted for more than one-half of all…
As a result, some reports remained publicly unresolved even when classified channels offered a likely explanation. This helped create the perception that authorities were withholding information, a belief that became deeply connected to Nevada’s reputation for UFO secrecy.[CIA]cia.govask molly what really went on at area 51ask molly what really went on at area 51
What Official Reviews Can and Cannot Prove
Modern government reviews frequently cite the U-2 as a major contributor to Cold War-era UFO reports. CIA histories, Navy historical material and the Pentagon’s 2024 All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) report all state that U-2 and later OXCART flights accounted for a large share of UFO sightings investigated during the late 1950s and much of the 1960s.[Naval History and Heritage Command]history.navy.milu2s ufos and operation blue booku2s ufos and operation blue book
However, these assessments have limits.
They do not provide a complete, publicly available, case-by-case audit of every Nevada sighting. Nor do they prove that every UFO report near Groom Lake or elsewhere in the state was caused by a U-2. Some reports lack enough information for firm identification, while others may have involved astronomical objects, atmospheric effects, ordinary aircraft or entirely different circumstances.[U.S. Department of War]media.defense.govDOPSR 2024 0263 AARO HISTORICAL RECORD REPORT VOLUMEU.S. Department of WarAARO Historical Record Report Volume 18 Mar 2024 — More than half of the UFO reports investigated in the 1950s and…
What the evidence does show is narrower but important. Secret U-2 operations created exactly the sort of visual conditions that could produce convincing UFO reports: unfamiliar aircraft, unprecedented altitudes, unusual lighting effects and observers who had no way of knowing what they were actually seeing. In Nevada, where those flights were tested and refined, that combination became one of the most influential mechanisms behind the state’s enduring UFO reputation.[gwu.edu]nsarchive2.gwu.eduNational Security Archive The Secret History of the U-2National Security ArchiveThe Secret History of the U-2 - and Area 5115 Aug 2013 — CIA history reveals newly declassified material on U-2…
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Endnotes
1.
Source: cia.gov
Link:https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP80B01676R004000110001-7.pdf
Source snippet
U-2S, UFOS, AND OPERATION BLUE BOOKConsequently, once U-2s started flying at altitudes above 60,000 feet, air-traffic con- trollers be...
2.
Source: universetoday.com
Title: the cia cheekily blames itself for 1950s ufo sightings
Link:https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-cia-cheekily-blames-itself-for-1950s-ufo-sightings
Source snippet
High-altitude testing of the U-2 soon led to an unexpected...Read more...
3.
Source: media.defense.gov
Title: DOPSR 2024 0263 AARO HISTORICAL RECORD REPORT VOLUME 1 2024
Link:https://media.defense.gov/2024/Mar/08/2003409233/-1/-1/0/DOPSR-2024-0263-AARO-HISTORICAL-RECORD-REPORT-VOLUME-1-2024.PDF
Source snippet
U.S. Department of WarAARO Historical Record Report Volume 18 Mar 2024 — More than half of the UFO reports investigated in the 1950s and...
4.
Source: history.navy.mil
Title: Definitions of terms: BLUE BOOK
Link:https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/u/u2s-ufos-and-operation-blue-book.html
Source snippet
Naval History and Heritage CommandU-2s, UFOs, and Operation Blue BookU-2 and later OXCART flights accounted for more than one-half of all...
5.
Source: cia.gov
Title: ask molly what really went on at [area 51]({{ ‘area-51/’ | relative_url }})
Link:https://www.cia.gov/stories/story/ask-molly-what-really-went-on-at-area-51/
6.
Source: history.navy.mil
Title: u2s ufos and operation blue book
Link:https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/disasters-and-phenomena/u2s-ufos-and-operation-blue-book.html
7.
Source: cia.gov
Link:https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/cia-rdp80b01676r004000110001-7
8.
Source: war.gov
Link:https://www.war.gov/medialink/ufo/061226/release_03/documents/CIA-UAP-003-THE_CENTRAL_INTELLIGENCE_AGENCY_AND_OVERHEAD_RECONNAISSANCE-THE_U-2_AND_OXCART_PROGRAMS_1954-1974.pdf
9.
Source: war.gov
Link:https://www.war.gov/medialink/ufo/061226/release_03/documents/CIA-UAP-015-Project_Blue_Book_Special_Report_No_14.pdf
10.
Source: universetoday.com
Title: cias declassified documents reveals secrets about area 51 and ufos
Link:https://www.universetoday.com/articles/cias-declassified-documents-reveals-secrets-about-area-51-and-ufos
11.
Source: nsarchive2.gwu.edu
Title: National Security Archive The Secret History of the U-2
Link:https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB434/
Source snippet
National Security ArchiveThe Secret History of the U-2 - and Area 5115 Aug 2013 — CIA history reveals newly declassified material on U-2...
12.
Source: defenseone.com
Title: area 51 has been hiding u 2 spy planes not ufos
Link:https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2013/08/area-51-has-been-hiding-u-2-spy-planes-not-ufos/68951/
Source snippet
Defense OneArea 51 Has Been Hiding U-2 Spy Planes, Not UFOs19 Aug 2013 — According to the CIA report, in the evenings the U-2's silver wi...
13.
Source: nprillinois.org
Title: NPR Illinois Did You Know?
Link:https://www.nprillinois.org/2013-08-16/did-you-know-area-51-nearly-killed-4-important-visitors
Source snippet
Area 51 Nearly Killed 4 Important Visitors16 Aug 2013 — Consequently, once U-2s started flying at altitudes above 60,000 feet, air-traffi...
14.
Source: abc.net.au
Title: area 51 was landing site for u2 planes not ufos
Link:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-17/area-51-was-landing-site-for-u2-planes-not-ufos/4894038
Source snippet
ABC NewsArea 51 was site for U2 planes, not UFOs17 Aug 2013 — The U2 planes flew at above 60,000 feet, and reports of unidentified flying...
15.
Source: nsarchive.gwu.edu
Title: area 51 file secret aircraft soviet migs
Link:https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/intelligence/2013-10-29/area-51-file-secret-aircraft-soviet-migs
16.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Project Blue Book
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Blue_Book
17.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Area 51
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51
18.
Source: mtpr.org
Title: did you know area 51 nearly killed 4 important visitors
Link:https://www.mtpr.org/2013-08-16/did-you-know-area-51-nearly-killed-4-important-visitors
19.
Source: abcnews.com
Link:https://abcnews.com/US/area-51-revealed-cia-spy-plane-documents/story?id=19977635
20.
Source: en.wikisource.org
Title: Volume 1
Link:https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Report_on_the_Historical_Record_of_U.S._Government_Involvement_with_Unidentified_Anomalous_Phenomena/Volume_1
Additional References
21.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Angels in Paradise: The Development of the U-2 at Area 51
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQnBJrj_-l8
Source snippet
Aviation Historian Peter Merlin talks about the U-2 Spy Planes at AREA 51...
22.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Aviation Historian Peter Merlin talks about the U-2 Spy Planes at AREA 51
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlniwEwGHeE
Source snippet
The Truth About Area 51: UFOs or Spy Planes?...
23.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Area 51’s First Secret: Forging the U-2 Spy Plane
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV7jcLrM4CE
Source snippet
Angels in Paradise: The Development of the U-2 at Area 51...
24.
Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/reel/DU3GRe7jgiF/?hl=en
25.
Source: facebook.com
Title: just in a newly released pentagon review of decades of us government investigati
Link:https://www.facebook.com/ABCNews/posts/just-in-a-newly-released-pentagon-review-of-decades-of-us-government-investigati/801330021853880/
26.
Source: reddit.com
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/1rer5ni/the_cias_claim_that_half_of_ufos_in_the_50s_and/
27.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/SkyNewsAustralia/posts/the-pentagon-has-released-a-report-addressing-the-increase-in-ufo-sightings-duri/809695761188024/
28.
Source: sofrep.com
Link:https://sofrep.com/news/is-that-a-ufo-nearly-60000-ufo-sightings-compiled-since-1995-shows-correlation-between-sightings-and-military-bases/
29.
Source: facebook.com
Title: u2 or uap mid 1950s most commercial airliners flew between 10000 20000ft and mil
Link:https://www.facebook.com/USNHistory/posts/u2-or-uap-mid-1950s-most-commercial-airliners-flew-between-10000-20000ft-and-mil/828100946024661/
30.
Source: goodmorningamerica.com
Title: ufos storage findings alien technology exhaustive pentagon review 107899910
Link:https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/ufos-storage-findings-alien-technology-exhaustive-pentagon-review-107899910