PARADISE RANCH

This morning FOX News’ Megyn Kelly and Bill Hemmer hosted a couple of duffers from the old days at Paradise Ranch (Area 51) known as ‘Roadrunners’ (videmus omnis “We see all.”) who were speaking for the first time of their experiences there. Known as ‘The Grandfather of Stealth’ Ninety-year-old Edward Lovick, (shown here holding a model of the SR-71 Blackbird next to his, what else, Mustang) spoke about the A-12 ‘Oxcart’ aircraft in the context of being mistaken for UFOs. Known as C.I.A. Article #128 (Serial #60-06931), the Oxcart never achieved the operational experiences of the rest of the A-12 Articles, although it was the first operationally outfitted A-12 to reach Mach 3, that is 2,200 m.p.h. at 90,000 feet altitude. Thorton "T.D." Barnes, former CIA electronics expert, said "For many years, we couldn't talk about anything we did. They've taken the lid off it where we can, so while we still can mentally and physically, we're going to get some of the stories out." Stories, indeed.


Lovick was the first radar reduction physicist to work (1957-1990) at the then Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in the SKUNK WORKS facility in of all places Burbank, California, on developing an invisible aircraft, that is, invisible to radar. The A-12 ‘Oxcart’ known as C.I.A. Article #128 (Serial #60-06931) never achieved the operational experiences of the rest of the A-12 Articles. It was the first operationally outfitted A-12 to reach MACH 3. It isn’t for nothing he’s called ‘Radar Man’ which is the title of a book he is co-authoring with Annie Jacobsen. Radar Man claims UFO sightings by commercial and military pilots were attributable to Oxcart's (flying 2,850 missions) highly reflective titanium shell, high altitude and velocity. (Click-on) photo above is of 1997-1998 Aeronautical Chart of New Mexico, published by the New Mexico State Highway and Transportation Department, Aviation Division, bearing a flying saucer glyph above the Corn Ranch north of Roswell and identified as "UFO Crash Site" on the legend at the bottom of the map.

Article 128 being proudly displayed at CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

Members of the International Roadrunners all worked at Groom Lake, better known today as Area 51, where House 6, the Groom Lake barracks that became the bar and poker room at the base was located. Sometimes the men would be gone for weeks at a time prompting jokes about second families. Both Lovick and Barnes were very clear in the FOX news interview that members of their families knew absolutely nothing regarding their respective activities in the military. One may ask "How can this be?" H-m-m-m...Stepford wives syndrome, wouldn't you say?

The roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) is New Mexico's state bird, sometimes called a chaparrel cock or bird. Officially adopted March 16, 1949, in Spanish, it is called "El Correcaminos.” The comical roadrunner prefers running to flying and has been clocked at speeds of fifteen miles per hour. They are approximately twenty-two inches in length and their diet consists of insects, lizards, centipedes, mice and snakes. The roadrunner is quick enough to catch and eat rattlesnakes!

P.S. We love you duffers!