AAF TECHNICAL REPORTS: Where to find?

[Capt. Vick]

Brothers,

I have been seeing a bunch of the following reports (see below) listed on eBay for ridiculous prices. It strikes me that these should be available from some US government agency for much cheaper, if not free, and I intend to track them down if possible.

With that in mind, would anyone know exactly where they are available, or can point me in a likely direction?

Thank you in advance for any help you might be able to provide.

 

[bogdan]

You might try "The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, the world's largest military aviation museum. "
I visited there in the '90s and was allowed to go through their file cabinets of photos and manuals. Later, I emailed them requesting information on the He162 and a new clerk there accidentally sent me the original copy of a report on the study of that aircraft, PUCKER TIME when their supervisor found out! I made a copy and sent the original back to them !
The other recommendation is the NARA Catalogue online although, I think, the good old days of readily and easily asking and getting copies are long gone ! Seems you need to hire an outside researcher to go there and search for what you want.
It's been a long time, pre pandemic, pre 9-11, pre Y2K since I've done any of that so maybe somebody else can help,
Best wishes,
Bill

 

[wrenchedmyspanner]

You might also try the Air Force Historical Research Agency: https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/

They have an information request from you can fill out. Hopefully it's something that will have a quick turnaround time.

There is also the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC): https://discover.dtic.mil/

There is a ton of interesting stuff buried in DTICs.

Best of luck! I hope you're able to locate them.

 

[wrenchedmyspanner]

I visited there in the '90s and was allowed to go through their file cabinets of photos and manuals.

I have been to that exact same room! If the room is still accessible it's no longer in the same location. I was disappointed the the last time I looked for it.

 

[MiTasol]

An index of what AFHRA has is available at Air Force History Index

You could also try History Hub I have never had much luck there but know a couple of people who say it is the best by a long shot. They say I must have worded my queries badly.

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

Apart from AFHRA another option is to try and contact the Air Material Command Historians. https://www.afmc.af.mil/History/

Having the files on microfilm should mean AFHRA have originals, which will require a visit to copy. Microfilm quality can be variable.

IRISNUM 01005979 REEL 30703 T FINAL REPORT OF THE PROCUREMENT INSPECTION TESTING AND ACCEPTANCE OF LOCKHEED XP-49 AIRPLANE. PHOTOGRAPHS INCLUDED. AAF TECHNICAL REPORT 5271.

IRISNUM 00142070 REEL 3832 Document contains historical summary of, and other material pertaining to, XP-58 aircraft project. Aircraft, designed and manufactured by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Burbank CA, and similar in design to P-38 aircraft, was heavily armed with numerous high velocity cannon

IRISNUM 01005984 REEL 0000030703 FINAL REPORT ON THE XP-67 AIRPLANE. PHOTOGRAPHS INCLUDED. AAF TECHNICAL REPORT 5412.

IRISNUM 00142072 REEL 3833 DOCUMENT CONTAINS HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF, AND OTHER MATERIAL PERTAINING TO, XP-67 AIRCRAFT PROJECT. AIRCRAFT, DESIGNED AND BUILT BY MCDONNELL AIRCRAFT, WAS TWIN ENGINE, LONG RANGE INTERCEPTOR. ORIGINAL AIRCRAFT DESTROYED BY FIRE AND PROJECT TERMINATED.

IRISNUM 01005986 REEL 0000030703 FINAL REPORT ON THE PROCUREMENT, INSPECTION, TESTING, AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE GENERAL MOTORS FISHER BODY DIVISION XP-75 AIRPLANE

IRISNUM 00142035 REEL 3828 CASE HISTORY OF XP-75 AND P-75 AIRCRAFT PROJECT AAF TECHNICAL REPORT 5505.
IRISNUM 00142036 REEL 3828 SUPPLEMENT TO CASE HISTORY OF XP-75 AND P-75 AIRCRAFT PROJECT IN MONOGRAPH FORM, NARRATIVE OF XP-75 AND P-75 AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
IRISNUM 00142037 REEL 3828 SUPPLEMENT TO CASE HISTORY OF XP-75 AND P-75 AIRCRAFT PROJECT (SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS)

XP-79B no results, you will need to ask via [email protected]

Hop to https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/Portals/16/documents/home/AFHRA_EDRForm.pdf and fill in the form, reels are the key, you can order 10 at a time, then wait until they are available for download, get them, then you can order up to 10 more. The above are reels 3828, 3832, 3833, 30703 (the latter includes XP-82, XP-51F, G and J)

IRISNUM 00485415 REEL 15466 INFORMATION ON DEVELOPMENTAL FIGHTER AIRCRAFT FROM XP-81 THROUGH XF-99 AND DEVELOPMENTAL BOMBER AND CARGO/TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT INITIATED IN PERIOD 1 JUL 45 TO APR 57. SPECIFICALLY DISCUSSES XP-81, XP-83, XP-85, XP-87, XP-88, XP-90, XP-91, XP-92, YF-93A, XC-99, XC-120, YC-122, XC-123D, YC-123E, YC-125, XB-35, XB-42, XB-42A, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, YB-49, YB-60, XB-51.

IRISNUM 01121726 REEL 48059 B-49 AND B-52 BOMBERS REMAIN THE MOST WELL-RECOGNIZED FLYING WING AIRCRAFT PRODUCED. OTHER ALL-WING AIRCRAFT FOR THE UNITED STATES MILITARY WERE DEVELOPED. ALL-WING DESIGN OFFERED MANY ADVANTAGES OVER CONVENTIONAL DESIGN AIRCRAFT UNTIL THE ADVENT OF COMPUTED-ASSISTED FLIGHT. AND ALL-WING AIRPLANE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FLOURISHED, ONLY TO BE ABANDONED WHEN BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS FORCED THE AIR FORCE TO CUT BACK ON AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT AND PROCUREMENT. SECOND GENERATION FLYING WING, STEALTH TECHNOLOGY, REPRESENTED A LEAP IN COMBAT AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT. BUDGETARY RETRENCHMENT, CHANGES IN THE NATURE OF THE THREAT FACING THE UNITED STATES, AND CONTRACTOR MISMANAGEMENT LIMITED ALL-WING AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION. STEALTH AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT PRESSED ON. DNOTES PAMPHLET INCLUDES CHARACTERISTICS AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF N-1M, N-9M, XB-35, B-49 MEDIUM BOMBER, YRB-49A, XB-36, B-29B, HORTEN HO-9 V1, NORTHROP XP-56, NORTHROP MX-334 UNPOWERED GLIDER, NORTHROP MX-324 ROCKET-ASSISTED GLIDER, NORTHROP XP- 79B, LOCKHEED SR-71, HAVE GLUE F-117 PROTOTYPE, LOCKHEED F-117A, MCHONNELL DOUGLAS/GENERAL DYNAMICS A-12, LOCKHEED YF-22, NORTHROP YF-23, BOEING YB-52 PROTOTYPE, CONVAIR B-58A, NORTH AMERICAN SB-70, ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL B-1B, AND NORTHROP B-2 AIRCRAFT.

IRISNUM 01116906 REEL 47539 AIR FORCE MATERIEL COMMAND (AFMC) HISTORICAL STUDY NUMBER 4 INCLUDES SECTIONS ON: THE WORLD WAR II (WW II) ERA ALL-WING BOMBERS; THE WW II ERA ALL- PURSUIT AIRCRAFT; MODERN STEALTH AIRCRAFT; THE B-2 STEALTH BOMBER. DNOTES APPENDICES INCLUDE: ORGANIZATIONAL CHRONOLOGY; EARLY FLYING WING BOMBER AIRCRAFT DESIGNATION AND FINAL DISPOSITION; AIRCRAFT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE XB- 35, YB- 35/YB-35A, YB-35B, YB-49, YRB-49, XP-56, XP-79B, F-117A, YF-22A, AND B- 2. PHOTOGRAPHS OF VARIOUS AIRCRAFT.

IRISNUM 01057068 REEL 0000038100 INCLUDES HISTORY OF XB-42, XB-42A, XB-43, XB-46, XB-35/YB-49, XB-48, XB-51, XF-85, XF-87, F-88, XF-92, XP-81, XP-83, XF-90, XF-91, YF-93A, XC-99, XC-120, YC-122, XC-123D, AND XC-123E AIRCRAFT. HISTORICAL DATA ON AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED BUT NOT PRODUCED, 1945 THROUGH PRESENT, BOMBERS, MAR 57 HISTORICAL DATA ON AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED BUT NOT PRODUCED, 1945 THROUGH PRESENT, FIGHTERS, MAR 57 HISTORICAL DATA ON AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED BUT NOT PRODUCED, 1945 THROUGH PRESENT, CARGOS, MAR 57