Joint U.S.-Canadian Aviation Projects and UFO Sighting Reports, 1954-1955

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SECRET

AFOIN-2C1

Mr Bollum/erh/55867

1 October 1954

MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD

PROBLEM:

1. To make a final report on a special project assigned to Mr. C. W. Bollum, Sr., for the purpose of investigating possible Soviet capabilities for developing and producing a Vertical Take-Off Aircraft which might be similar in appearance to a "Flying Saucer".

FACTS AND DISCUSSION:

2. In the Magazine Section of the Washington Post, dated 13 December 1953, there appeared an article which reported the development of a flying saucer by the A.V. Roe Canada, Limited of Toronto. The article stated that Lt. Gen. Donald L. Putt, Director of ARDC, had visited this company and had viewed this flying saucer. Other information given in the article impressed Mr. Bollum with the thought that here was the first factual evidence that it was possible to build a flying saucer. If it was possible for Canada to build a flying saucer, then it was also possible for the Soviets to build one. Mr. Bollum requested that he be authorized to initiate a special project for the purpose of determining Soviet capabilities in this field. Such permission was granted by Col. T. W. Wolfe, Chief of the Future Estimates Branch.

3. With the aid and assistance of Squadron Leader George C. Wainwright, RAF, the project was launched by going to the U.S. Patent Office and reading a patent filed by the A.V. Roe people on a device entitled "A Gas-Turbine Engine Aircraft". The patent application for this device was first filed in the U.K. on 21 August 1952. This patent pointed out the feasibility of the project. Bollum and Wainwright then traveled to Baltimore to discuss the project with personnel of ARDC. It was on this visit that Lt. Col. V. L. Gossick first disclosed the information regarding the application of the Coanda Effect to the Project "Y" design. Several more visits were made to ARDC and after discussing the project with several engineers and officers, Mr. Bollum and Squadron Leader Wainwright decided that there was little doubt that a "state of the art" capability did, in fact, exist, and that their next step was to investigate the possibility that the Soviets already had possession of such information.

4. Through contacts with intelligence officers in the Office of the Director of Air Intelligence, Ottawa, Canada, Squadron Leader Wainwright learned of the existence of intelligence information concerning possible German Flying Saucer projects. These were rumored to have existed at the end of World War II. TDY was authorized for Bollum and Wainwright to travel to Ottawa to discuss the subject with the Air Intelligence personnel. As a result of this trip copies of the pertinent information were forwarded to Mr. Bollum from D.A.I. Ottawa. In brief, there is information on our Germans.

SECRET

DS SS-0523-3

NW 91198 Ddld 134745775

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