Actual AREA 51 aireal shots!

Has anyone ever seen these?

So, I found this narrative report on behalf of a NASA employee, speaking about his time near the area.

What is interesting is he has sat imagry of Area 51 from both the U.S. and the Russians. Very interesting. You'll have to scroll down some in the document to get to it.

The writer also cites:

This Landsat-4 TM image shows that part of the basin complex, the Rainier Mesa on the left, and limestone mountains to its right. The large white patch in the upper right is Groom Lake, a playa near which is the "infamous" Site 51, supposedly where super secret military tests were carried out (I never visited this area but could hear a rocket engine being tested there).

Well, more fodder for the fun!

This document also speaks of the SCHOONER EVENT taking place in AREA 51 on Dec. 8, 1968.

Cursory readings indicate it was a nuclear activity, given the mention of fallout.

Apparently, upon further research, it has something to do with Project Plowshare.

This studyexamined the effects of isotopic fallout ingested by animals, I'm assuming, over time.

The aforementioned "narrative report" seems to have some garbled information. The two pictures identified as Landsat 4 TM (thematic mapper) imagery appear to be the 1988 Russian KVR-1000 images. The first black & white picture (with the B-52 parked on the north ramp) is obviously the USGS aerial photo taken in 1968. At least the last B&W image (showing the Bone Yard, Pistol Range, Fuel Storage Area, and Cement Plant) is actually an IKONOS image. It looks like the one taken in April 2000.

The SCHOONER nuclear shot took place at the extreme northwest corner of Area 20, not in Area 51.

Actual Area 51 aerial shot. May 5, 1978. Left base for 32.

So, are we saying that this report is wrong and those images are not Area 51?

That would beg the question as to why a NASA employee would claim such...in a public document no less...hmmmmmm

behindthescenes, go back and read my last post.

The images are pictures of Area 51, but they are mostly misidentified.

That's in The Shining..





Anyways..

Why do we even bother with this Area 51 stuff? We're never going to find out what goes on in there. No aireal photos are going to give us any clue. It's all just speculation. It could be a donut factory for all we know. Let it go.

Actually, aerial and satellite imagery is a very useful tool to gather data about our favorite place. It shows the continuous evolution and expansion of the facility from its humble beginnings to its current status as a world class flight test facility. It also serves to debunk stories about the base being closed.

While we shouldn't expect to see any exotic aircraft (as they will be inside the hangars since satellite overhead times are known), we can still study the infrastructure and make educated guesses about activities at the site.

DickBinBush, if you don't think this topic is worth discussing, why are you posting to this board? Please take your negativism elsewhere.

Originally posted by johnlear
Actual Area 51 aerial shot. May 5, 1978. Left base for 32.

John do you know where this image came from? In 1978 when you say this was taken the first HAVE BLUE plane was being tested and the base was at its most secret. How did a photo like this make it out?

John took that photo, gfad.

He also took some photos from the edge of the lakebed back in the days when you could just drive right up. Prior to August 1984, the northeast corner of the lakebed was outside the restricted area boundary.

What were you flying, John? You look a little(!) high and far out for left base! Guess it is a little better to be high and long, than low and short...

Originally posted by Willard856

What were you flying, John?

Tell 'em Shadowhawk.

I was aware that some of the lakebed used to be unrestricted, what sort of visibility of the base could you get from there? Even if it wasnt that good you could still get some great sights of aircraft.

Did "the box" of restricted airspace around Groom used to be smaller? Tom Mahoods aerial trip round the base didnt yield photos close to the quality of John Lears, I think this is the best one.

and water contamination study of Groom Lake and the surrounding areas.

When the northeast corner of Groom Lake was still accessible, it provided a fantastic view of the base. The edge of the lakebed is just three miles from the main base.

Remember the great pictures from Freedom Ridge? That was 10 miles from the base.

John got some really nice photos from the edge of the lakebed, including pictures of a MiG-21 in front of one of the hangars.

See it here:
area51specialprojects.com...

Those were arguably the only confirmed civilian photos yet taken of a secret airplane on the ground at Area 51.

Originally posted by Shadowhawk

John got some really nice photos from the edge of the lakebed, including pictures of a MiG-21 in front of one of the hangars.

Then old Ed (forgot this last name, one of the original EG&G pilots) jumps in the T-Bone and flys over for some aerial shots of me getting questioned by security. Those were fun days.

How much time did you spend out there on the lake bed John? I guess not too long if you were being questioned by security and buzzed by EG&G, but did you ever see any other aircraft on the ground or even being tested?

Originally posted by gfad

How much time did you spend out there on the lake bed John?

We were there about 30 minutes before someone discovered us. The only reason we were discovered is that there was a chain between 2 posts blocking the road. A security truck had followed a pickup out to unlock the lock on the chain. After he let the guy and and hooked up the chain he turned to get back in his truck and saw us not 10 feet away from him. He jumped up about 5 feet and said, "What the heck are you guys doing here." I said, "We're not supposed to be here? I didn't see any signs." "Heck no, you're not supposed to be here. Don't move." So he calls on his radio and another truck comes out. Takes about 10 minutes to come from the hangars to the other side of the Lake Bed.

Meanwhile we start telling the first guy about the history of Groom Lake and how my friends Tony LeVier and Fish Salmon found it and were the first guys out there picking up rocks so the planes could land in 1955. We told him about Tony's first flight (accidental first flight) in the U-2. We told him the history of the "Article" and Lou Schalk's first flight. We told him about the beef between the CIA and Air Force about who was going to fly the blackbird and the evolution of the Article into the YF-12A into the SR-71. We told him about the "Big Tail". We told him about "Project Red Light". About that time a black security guy shows up and skids to a halt. He jumps out and starts yelling at us. The first guy we had been talking to goes up to the black guy and says, "Stop. They know everything." The black guy takes our DL# and SS# and we are told to wait. Then the T-Bone flys over. Then about an hour later another guy comes out and says, "We want you to drive back into town. Next week you are going to get a call to go over to an office builiding. When you get to that office you will get a briefing then a debriefing. Now get out of here and don't come back." (Since that time I have been back 5 times. Twice to the new gate and 3 times to White Sides.))

We drove back to Vegas and never heard another word. No debriefing no debriefing. When I got my Q clearance several years later there were a few questions about the incident from my briefing officer.

I guess not too long if you were being questioned by security and buzzed by EG&G, but did you ever see any other aircraft on the ground or even being tested?

We saw only the MiG 21, the DC-6 (used before the 737's) and the T-Bone.

Hahahaha thats a brilliant story John. I can just see the security guard turning round and seeing a group of guys just stood watching him!

Originally posted by Shadowhawk


See it here:
area51specialprojects.com...

Link forbidden dam AOL censoring.