AREA 51 - Unsolved History

Discovery Channel - Original Air Date: 2002-5

This show looks at the history of the most famous military site that officially doesn't exist, Area 51 -- a.k.a. Groom Lake in Nevada, USA.  The program traces the history of the site from its post-WWII.  It then proceeds to the base's use in spy plane missions, starting with the U2, going on through the SR-71, and up to the stealth aircraft testing of the present.  Bob Lazare claimed to have worked there and seen otherworldly craft -- which were being back-engineered to create better US aircraft.  There seems to be little evidence for his claims, though some continue to believe him.  (Ironically, for me, Stanton Friedman is not one of his supporters; which puts me and Stanton on the same side for once.)  There seems little doubt that the base continues to test top-secret aircraft to this day.  And this, perhaps, explains the many UFO-type sightings surrounding the area.

The show also briefly investigates Kecksburg, and whether a Cosmos-style Soviet satellite or the falling engine from an SR-71 could help explain the supposed UFO crash.  They insert artist renditions of these possibilities to Kecksburg eyewitnesses.  Two eyewitnesses pick the satellite pieces as being very similar to what they saw, which seems to rule out the SR-71, Area 51 connection.  The show then speculates about whether new stealth technologies -- including a chameleon-like cloaking device -- are still being tested in Area 51.  UFO reports, it further speculates, might be a good cover for military tests.  Until the veil of government secrecy is lifted from the base, we may never know the truth.