Events today may remove some Area 51 mystery
Area 51. Groom Lake. Spy planes. The CIA.
If any of these subjects sounds intriguing, then the places to be today are the Atomic Testing Museum and UNLV.
Both institutions are holding events that will put some of the people behind the development of U-2, SR-71 and A-12 spy planes in touch with the public to talk about the declassified aspects of the government's black projects that gave the United States an edge in the Cold War.
The activities kick off at 9 a.m. at the Atomic Testing Museum, 755 E. Flamingo Road, where Roadrunners Internationale historian Peter Merlin will discuss the history of the secret installation on the Groom Dry Lake bed, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Admission is $20 per person. The program, "Area 51: Secret Projects," launches the countdown to the March opening of the first museum exhibit on Area 51.
Other talks are "The Blackbird Engine Challenge" at 10 a.m.; "Autopilot and Guidance Systems for the A-12, 11 a.m.; "Flying the U-2 and A-12" by Tony Bevacqua and Frank Murray, noon; "Rainbow to Gusto: Stealth and the Design of the Lockheed Blackbird," 1 p.m.; Merlin revisiting Area 51 history at 2 p.m.; and former CIA radar expert T.D. Barnes talking about "The MiGs of Area 51" at 3 p.m.
Barnes and colleagues then will head over to UNLV to augment a free program at 7:30 p.m. in the Science and Engineering Building Auditorium. The program, "Archangel: CIA's Supersonic A-12 Reconnaissance Aircraft," features CIA historian David Robarge.
The program is part of the Dean's Conversation Series sponsored by industry leaders Tronox and Timet Inc., the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering and the UNLV History Department.
Local aerospace pioneer Roger Andersen, who served as the CIA-Air Force support pilot and operations officer, will be available to answer questions.
Contact reporter Keith Rogers at krogers@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0308.
