UNCLASSIFIED
A. V. Roe, Limited, of Toronto, Canada, have indicated that they are interested in developing a supersonic type of aircraft. This has not progressed to more than a sketch stage of development, and would probably not be ready for the drawing board until two or three years from this time.
Numerous articles have appeared in the Canadian press regarding the subject that have given little new information. However, the most puzzling information came through USAF channels. The USAF has been informed by a confidential source that a Canadian engineer, the designer of a Canadian all-weather interceptor, is the designer of this "saucer". The source states that RCAF officers have visited the A. V. Roe factory where he works and have seen a demonstration of a model. The subject engineer claimed that he has flown this model which is 12 inches to 18 inches in diameter from Malton Airfield. Considering the report from the Air Attache and the conflicting report by the confidential source concerning the unconventional aircraft, the veracity of the designer and/or the "confidential source" are open to some question in the opinion of Project Blue Book. The Canadian press has given the subject wide publicity and many of the resulting "facts" may be the result of wishful speculation on the part of the newspapers.
However, Project Blue Book is continuing an active interest in this matter and is making every effort to get the true facts.
III. THE AIR COMMAND BRIEFING TOUR
In the fall of 1952 ATIC and Hq ADC agreed upon a plan whereby ATIC'a Project Blue Book would brief all interested units in ADC on its operations. On 9 March 1953 the Western Air Defense Force was briefed; on 18 April 1953 the Central Air Defense Force was briefed; and on 8 May 1953 a Project Blue Book briefing was given to the Eastern Air Defense Force.
A survey of all FLYOBRPTS received by ATIC in 1952 revealed that the Air Defense Command was responsible for J+0 percent of all reports received. In the light of this, it vas felt highly desirable to acquaint the units of the Air Defense Command with the following two points:
- Project Blue Book's general background, objectives, and progress.
- How the ADC intelligence officer could assist Blue Book by submitting more detailed and accurate reports, stressing the points needed for analyzing a sighting.
In a general evaluation of the effect of the ADC briefing tour, it is "believed that it was extremely successful in accomplishing,the above objectives. Project Blue Book feels that intelligence officers in ADC are now better equipped to handle problems concerning aerial phenomena. Interrogation forms covering ground observations, as well as electronic detections, were distributed to each division visited.
It was found that many of the reports submitted to each of the Forces were from GOC personnel and although a certain percentage of these reports would be classified by ATIC as "good", the majority of them involved reporting known
phenomena by an inexperienced source. GOC officers were told to institute
UNCLASSIFIED
