Photo Analysis of UFO Photography

This memorandum, dated 17 February 1967, details the results of a photo analysis conducted by the National Photographic Interpretation Center in response to Project Number 66120-7. The analysis concerned photographs of an alleged UFO submitted by the Aerial Phenomena Office of FTD (TDET/UFO) at Wright-Patterson AFB. The photographic package included several enlargements and a photograph of a helicopter for comparison. The analyst reported that the image quality was poor, consisting of second-generation negatives and prints that were not suitable for precise mensural analysis. Furthermore, the original photographs were taken with a Polaroid Swinger, which limited the ability to establish meaningful data. Major R.W. Nyls of the USAF provided additional photographs and measurement sketches from the site at Lake St. Clair, Michigan, where he attempted to replicate the camera position. The analyst was forced to make several major assumptions, including the distance of the UFO from the camera (0.25 miles) and the orientation of the object. The report concludes that the analysis is inconclusive. The analyst highlighted that the degraded quality of the imagery, the lack of original prints, and the reliance on assumptions prevented a definitive assessment. Specifically, the analyst noted that the crispness of the edge gradient on the UFO, when compared to the distance, and the fact that the tail section of the UFO was photographed with the same cross-section in each instance, raised suspicions regarding the authenticity of the imagery. Ultimately, the report states that there is no definite evidence that the photography is a hoax, but there are too many unanswered questions to determine the nature of the object.