Revealed: How Area 51 Hid Secret Craft

A lot of Cold War-era Area 51 documents have been declassified and National Geographic has discovered a rather low-tech method the US Military used to fool the Russians. It involved cardboard, the occasional heater and infrared satellites.

The CIA created Area 51 in 1955 to test and develop top secret U.S. military projects in the remote Nevada desert. More than 50 years later, the base still doesn't officially exist and appears on no public U.S. government maps. In the 1950s and '60s, Area 51 was the epicenter of the OXCART project, intended to create the successor for the U-2 spy plane. The OXCART plane was expected to be undetectable in the air as it flew surveillance and information-gathering missions over the Soviet Union. But Area 51 personnel soon found it necessary to conceal the craft from the Soviets eyes even when it was still being tested on the ground.

Area51

reply to post by solid007


This article is based on a NatGeo show or documentary that came out a month or so ago (like this article), definitely worth a watch. However all of the people interviewed are still under oath to say whatever the government has come up with, it may be the truth it may not be.

The NG programme was aired again a couple of weeks ago. I think it may be one of a series with the title, " I was there" I think it left a little room still, to speculate on the UFO stuff.

To add, I found a link,

natgeotv.com...

Its too bad Nat Geo did not get more things right. The CIA and Lockeed developed Area 51 to test their own aircraft, not to test military aircraft, since the U-2 at the time was not a USAF project.

And the operating location there has been admitted to officially. This idea that it never officially existed, is urban legend and not true.

reply to post by firepilot


Good valid points. What bugs me is just where are these new declassified CIA documents. I don't know exactly what deal NatGeo or the Roadrunners worked out with the CIA. but they could at least upload some of the documents.

The CIA handles declassified documents in two manners. Some they upload on their own servers for internet viewing. Others are on the CREST server at the National Archives. Other than taking a very simple test regarding NARA rules, anyone can see the CREST documents, but the CIA doesn't see fit to put them on the internet. The server is in a locked cage on the floor and they spy on you with overhead cameras, but still the documents are there for the printing. I fail to see the logic in this.

Case in point are the Stargate files. They are on the CREST server. Some company scanned them and sells CDs of the documents. So again, if the documents are out in the public, just put them on a public server.

I saw that documentary and somehow still doubt if Area 51 really exist since they don't show any pictures. would have been nice if there were indeed photos just to clarify things.