UFOs - scientific research

Amazing 1942 Bass Strait aircraft encounter case

2012-02-12T14:21:00.002+10:30

Hi all

One of my ongoing research projects is looking for pre-1947 Australian UFO reports. I have previously reported on my research on the 26 February 1942 Timor Sea event ( click here for post) describing a large aluminium disc reported over the Dutch cruiser "Tromp', and the February 1944 aircraft encounter over Bass Strait (click here for details.)

There is another case, reported in a 1955 book, said to have taken place over Bass Strait in the summer of 1942. It was reported by Wilkins, H.T., in the 1955 book, "Flying Saucers Uncensored" pp 215-216.

"In the summer of 1942 a fantastic incident occurred in the waters of Tasmania, a large island off the South Australian coast. My informant is a major in the Australian R.A.F. whom I will call Brennan. He is now stationed at the secret weapons and long-range missiles experimental desert station of Woomera.

"The whole yarn is so odd that I must ask you not to give my name if you write of it. We had orders not long after the Japanese attack on Darwin to patrol the bass Strait where fishermen had reported seeing mysterious lights on the sea at night.

" At 5.50pm, of a lovely, sunny evening, we were flying some miles east of the Tasman Peninsular, when, on a sudden, there came out of a cloud bank, a singular airfoil of glistening bronze color. I'd say it was around 150 feet long and about fifty feet in diameter. It had a sort of beak at its prow, and the surface seemed burled or rippled, or fluted. On its upper surface was a dome, or cupola, from which I seemed to see reflected flashes as the sun struck something, which might or might not have been a helmet worn by something inside.

"The other end of the airfoil fined out, into a sort of fin. Every now and then there came from its keel greenish-blue flashes. It turned at a small angle towards us and I was amazed to see, framed in a white circle on the front of the dome, an image of a large, grinning Cheshire cat!

" The damm thing flew parallel to us for some minutes, and then it abruptly turned away and, as it do so, it showed four things like fins on its belly-side. It went off at a hell of a pace, turned and dived straight down into the Pacific and went under, throwing up a regular whirlpool of waves. Just as if it had been a submarine. No, the Japs had nothing on the amphibian line like that mysterious bird."

Alice Springs - 1954 encounter

2012-02-07T10:26:00.003+10:30

Hi all

In a recent post (click here) I discussed the January 1954 Mount Gillen, Northern Territory, photographic case. I have since located another report from the same era and area, just two months later. I vaguely recall hearing of it before, but for example I have no details in my national level UFO catalogue I recently completed. So, I will document it here.

Centralian Advocate article:

It was reported in an article in the "Centralian Advocate" newspaper, published in Alice Springs, dated Friday 2 April 1954, page 1. The headline was "Claims Natives terrified by Flying Saucer 50 miles from Alice." The article, in part, reads:

"A terrified aborigine has told a story of being nearly knocked from his horse when riding over a ridge, by a strange thing which flew close to him."

"The native, Sonny, told Mr Pope that as he rode up over a ridge a ball shaped thing with a tail coming from the opposite direction flew straight towards him, but suddenly veered away and lifted sharply."

"Sonny claims that he could feel a heavy wind when the thing went up."

"Mr Pope was informed that others saw the object. Descriptions are consistent. They claim it had a glassy appearance, was travelling very fast and four trails of smoke came from each side. A report was heard when the machine lifted into the sky from its low altitude. When this occurred, according to the stories, a large cloud of smoke was seen to appear "like a large thunder cloud.""

To read the entire article (click here.)

"Fireballs, skyquakes and hums" - new book alert

2012-02-03T11:16:00.003+10:30

Dear readers

Adelaide is now into the last month of our summer, with February traditionally our hottest month.
My preferred manner of getting through it, after work, is to find a nice cool spot in my place, and settle in with a nice glass of South Australian wine (the best in the world), and a good book (on UFOs or intelligence agencies of course!)

My latest find (again courtesy of my local library - one day I must thank them for all the UFO books they get in) is called "Fireballs, Skyquakes and Hums: probing the Mysteries of Light and Sound." The author is Antony Milne (published in 2011 by Robert Hale. London. ISBN 978-0-7090 -9278 -0)

This book covers many fascinating topics, of relevance to the UFO researcher. There are sections on fireballs, balls of light, lights in the sky, mysterious explosions and mystery hums, drawing on a wealth of data and case studies. It is a mix of straight science reporting, and speculation; together with a mix of conventional explanations and posing way-out ideas.

Australia 1993:

The book starts off in Australia and takes a look at what is known about the May/June 1993 South-West Australia series of "...loud rumbles and explosions..." together with "...a regularly returning 'meteor fireball'..." (p.17.) (For more on this click here.) Suggestions as to causes ranged from meteors, to earthquakes, and UFOs. Other examples of such unusual phenomena have led to suggestions of mini-black holes, anti-matter collisions and other esoteric ideas.

Celestial missiles:

Asteroids are one example of objects which the Earth periodically encounters, but "Trying to account for the number and type of fiery rocks and boulders falling from the skies has been compounded during the last century by similar unexplained occurrences, usually described as Fortean." (p.41.) Milne gives examples of such things as falling ice blocks, pebbles, plastic pellets and other items.

UFOs:

"There was growing alarm that many glowing objects seen in the skies did not 'stack up' as genuine space missiles, and there is no escaping the fact that the entire subject of 'fireballs' is wrapped up with the mystery regarding UFOs." (p.46.)

Unusual electrical blackouts:

Coronal Mass Ejections from the Sun are believed responsible for some large-scale electrical blackouts on earth. However, the author suggests that lights in the sky seen near power stations may be natural or unnatural.

Lightning and other atmospheric phenomena:

Milne explains the subject of lightning, red sprites and blue jets; halos; sundogs; noctilucent and lenticular clouds; all known phenomenon. However he then introduces observations which tend to the UFO category.

Balls of light:

In chapter six a variety of observations of 'balls of light' are described and explanations put forward which range from "...electrical pollution from human sources" (p.94); plasma balls; earthlights; and earthquake lights. Milne covers a lot of ground here, citing Jack O'Lanterns; spectral lights; spook lights, describing examples from around the world.

Mirages:

Accounts of unusual images in the sky, caused by variations in air density in the atmosphere abound, and Milne cites examples from a number of localities, in chapter seven. Also covered here are lights seen at sea; "Phantom fogs;" phantom submarines and rockets.

Chapter ten covers the subject of experiments which beam electrical energy into the atmosphere, and the effect this has. Nikola Tesla's work; beam weapons; the HAARP project and other experiments are mentioned.

Back to fireballs:

Chapter eleven, "Man-made fireballs" looks at the large number of satellites and rockets which re-enter the atmosphere, causing reports of 'fireballs.' The US Operation Moondust is described (click here for a previous post on this ) in some detail, but the author incorrectly states it was set up in 1967, whereas it originated as early as 1961.

Mystery sounds:

The author then switches to the topic of "Unidentified pulsating, humming, throbbing and hissing noises..." He covers examples of such things from a number of countries and time frames. Conventional explanations given are military activities; supersonic aircraft; long range Loran transmissions; industrial sources and earth movements.

Chapter thirteen "Imprints of the past" could have been found in a book dealing with paranormal phenomenon research , as it covers poltergeists; "battlefield ghosts;" "phantom aircraft;" "phantom ships;" "phantom tapes and messages."

Taking UFOs seriously:

The title of chapter fourteen brings us to the topic of UFOs, in some detail. "Fearful speculations runs rife throughout the subject of UFOs. The entire gamut of 'LITS', 'UAPs;' and 'BOLs' offer a wide range of interpretations." (p.209.) "Optical; illusions and varying misperceptions of eyewitnesses play a crucial role in many UFO sightings..." (p.210.) "Many South American sightings are still attributed to space debris." (p.211.)

"A common explanation for very large UFOs is that they are dirigibles or experimental lighter-than-air craft." (p.212.) "There has always been a mainstream, and commendable approach to explain UFO sightings within the known Western scientific canon. Yet it is taken too far." (p.213.) "The positive puzzlement over the new 'flying saucer' saucers in the USA, with their mooted link with secret weapons, plus the lack of scientific expertise in judging UAP and space debris phenomenon, has had a significant impact on defence and security organizations." (p.214.)

Chapter 15 "The worldwide enigma" notes the global nature of the UFO phenomenon. Unfortunately it starts off with an incorrect fact, stating that NICAP was "...an official US agency..." whereas actually it was a private research group. (p.223.) Citing cases from Turkey, Iran, the USA, Brazil and numerous other countries, the author demonstrates that UFO reports are made world-wide.

"The Europeans take UFOs seriously, and are prepared to be open-minded and even publicity-minded- about the phenomenon." (p227.) "The Italians, unlike the British, have regarded UFOs as a military threat." (p.217.) "The French regarded UFOs originally as a metaphysical problem, and were on the whole sceptical." (p.227.) In the UK "...the Airprox Board...the Civil Aviation Authority's Joint Agency Working Group...little success at arriving at definite identification of the flying objects." (p.281.)

Again another error arises when he author states that "...like Project Condigm of the 1970s..." when Condigm was conducted in the mid 1990's.

Are UFOs alien?

After reviewing dozens of UFO cases, in chapter sixteen, the author poses the question "Are UFO Aliens?" and opens the chapter with "Many experts, ufologists and even scientists believe that UFOs are aliens themselves, or are a projection of aliens, or are robots made by aliens, or are vehicles that actually house aliens from outer space." (p.234.)

Reviewing the connection with the paranormal , Milne writes "Many UFOs are surreal in character, singing absurd songs, or throwing objects such as potatoes at people." (p.235.) "...bear in mind the rather strange, poltergeist nature of UFOs..." (p.243.)

Speculation enters into Milne's work on such statements as "We can perhaps only understand UFOs by relating them to quantum effects and other weird aspects of the atom and its innards." (p.245.) and "Intelligent BOLs could be using the voltage potential of the Earth's massive electrical field by liberating the energy from it." (p.245.) "Is it possible, we could ask that UFOs have actually developed some kind of 'invisible cloak?" (p.255.)

Conclusion:

In looking to summarise Milne's views on UFOs and the paranormal, I turned back to the book's "Introduction." Here he suggests that there are many conventional explanations for UFOs. However, he suggest that "The 'orb' mystery has still not been explained." (p.11.) "Visions of ancient phantom armies trampling across the countryside are clearly evidence of the paranormal..." (p.13.) "UFOs, of course, represent the most obvious clash between straight science and the paranormal, in that they embrace the entire gamut of unidentified aerial phenomena." (p.14.)

"Many theories about UFOs seem wide of the mark - largely because even ufologists are reluctant to believe that these fleeting, erratic objects, changing their shapes and colours, are earthbound paranormal entities with an insect-like awareness of their surroundings. They are more like poltergeists than aliens..." (p.14.)

"We must simply admit that we are limited. It will be a longtime before humans gain a real understanding of UFOs because we have no real knowledge of the nature of reality. UFOs remain a mystery because fireballs remain a mystery." (p.15.)

Operation 'Flying Saucer.'

2012-01-30T11:07:00.001+10:30

Hi all

Did you know that the Australian Department of Air conducted Operation "Flying Saucer" in 1953?

I was browsing files at the National Archives of Australia website, when I came across file series A705 control symbol 153/1/1637, titled "Operation 'Flying Saucer'"owned by the Department of Air.

Operation Order No 5/53 - Operation "Flying Saucer" told the story.

"In time of war, No 22 (City of Sydney) (F) Squadron and No 23 (City of Brisbane) (F) Squadron may be called upon to defend vulnerable points in our coastal cities against air attack."

An exercise to test Sydney's air defences was conducted on 20 and 21 Jun 1953. The attacking forces were from No 82 (B) Wing and No 32 (T/T) Squadron. "The code name of this Operation is 'Flying Saucer.'"

After reading the file, I couldn't find any reason for the choice of the code name "Flying Saucer."

I checked the National Library of Australia's digitised newspapers, which did carry several articles about this air defence exercise. They all mentioned that the Operation was code named "Flying Saucer" but again, no reason was given for this choice.

More speculation on Westall

2012-01-27T11:52:00.002+10:30

Dear readers

In a recent post (click here) I researched the possibility of a US secret Corona spy program satellite photographic re-entry module being the cause of the Westall incident. My research rejected this possibility.

After the post was published, a girl friend of mine in Perth continued to look for any other secret US driven operations that would cause the Australian government to cover up such an operation, such that a record would never appear in official Australian government files.

The most extreme case that she could think of was the accidental dropping of a US nuclear bomb from a USAF aircraft. This would certainly have been immediately swept under the official carpet. However, when she raised this possibility with me I thought that this would have been an impossible scenario, that it could never have happened, until I was reading a part of Annie Jacobs' book "Area 51."

"On the morning of January 17 1966, a real-life dirty bomb crisis occurred over Palomares, Spain. A Strategic Air Command bomber flying with four armed hydrogen bombs - with yields between 70 kilotons and 1.45 megatons - collided midair with a refueling tanker over the Spanish countryside." (p.297.) Note the years was 1966, the same year as Westall.

"But when the two bombs without parachutes hit the earth, their explosive charges detonated, breaking open the nuclear cores. Nuclear material was released at Palomares in the form of aerosol sized plutonium which then spread out across 650 acres of Spanish farmland." (p.298.)

"The nuclear accidents did not stop there. Two years and four days later there was another airplane crash involving a Strategic Air Command Bomber and four nuclear bombs. On January 21, 1968, an uncontrollable fire started on board a B-52G bomber during a secret mission over Greenland...In November of 2008, a BBC News investigation found that the Pentagon ultimately abandoned that fourth nuclear weapon after it became lost." (p.300.)

Westall:

Is is at all conceivable that something along these lines happened at Westall? Were there USAF aircraft in Australia in April 1966? Were there any US nuclear weapons in Australia in 1966? Did any of the Westall witnesses recall seeing military personnel using Geiger counters?

How to start researching this scenario?

"TRUE UFO accounts from the vaults of Fate magazine"

2012-01-27T11:21:00.002+10:30

Dear readers,

Another new UFO book came my way the other day, courtesy of my local library."True UFO Accounts from the Vaults of Fate Magazine." Published in 2011. Compiled by David Godwin, it is published by Llewellyn Publications, Woodbury, Minnesota. ISBN 978-0-7387-2575-8. David Godwin is a journalist and the current managing director of FATE magazine.

Introduction:

"In the summer of 1948, the first issue of FATE magazine was published. On the cover was a painting of Arnold's plane and a huge flying saucer. Inside was Arnold's own account of the incident." (p.1.)

Prehistory:

Pages 7 to 74 reproduce articles by J D Haines about the alleged UFO crash of 1865; J A Danelek's "The Airships of 1897;" Kevin D Randle's "Aurora, Texas, and the Great Airship of 1897;" Kenneth Arnold's "Phantom Lights in Nevada;" Ray Palmer's "Spaceships,Flying Saucers and Clean Noses'" and William Bathlot's "Phantom Lights in Oklahoma."

Roswell:

Chapter two is devoted solely to the topic of Roswell. Here you will find "The Real Roswell Story" by Stanton T Friedman; "Roswell's Last Gasp" by John A Keel; and James McWilliams' "UFO Chronicles."

Chapter three:

This opens with Gray Barker's account of the 1952 Flatwoods 'Monster' case in "The Monster and the Saucer." Coral Lorenzen in "UFO lands in New Mexico" covers the 1964 Socorro event; while John C Ross provides details of the 1959 Boianai, Papua CE3 case. George Adamski authors a piece in "I photographed spaceships."

The chapter continues with a piece by French researcher Aime Michel , "Meeting with the Martians" which covers the 10 Sep 1954 Mazaud affair. Scott Nicholson's "ET's Phone Here" concerns the saga of Lori Cordini, a contactee/abductee whose journey started in 1947. Jason Offutt in "Is this a piece of an Extraterrestrial craft?" examines the 1985 finding of a metallic object and efforts to determine just what it was. Another contactee, Rita Milios presents her personal experiences in "Accepting my ET Heritage."

Speculation:

"Since at least the early 1950's, conventional wisdom has decided that UFOs are either (1) delusions and fakes or (2) space vehicles from another world. But this is a false dichotomy; there could be any number of other explanations." (p.173.)

Brad Steiger opens up the chapter by posing the question "Are UFOs Alive?" based on the experiences of Fay Clark. Virgina M Tilly's "Do UFOs share a Metaphysical Aspect?" explores areas such as the ability of UFOs to materialize and dematerialize. Scott Corrales explores reports of "The Watchers" in "Angels or Aliens?" The Mysterious Biblical Struggles of Angels and Men."

English researcher Nigel Watson's "Broomsticks, Sharmans and UFOs" looks at the association of the UFO phenomenon with witchcraft and shamanism. The chapter is rounded off with "UFOs:3-D or 4-D?" by Karl T Pflock and James Moseley.

You make the call:

"Here are a few articles from recent years that reflect contemporary 21st-century thinking on the subject in some cases or offer new insights into old happenings." (p.227.)

"Shadowcraft and the UFO phenomenon" by Curt Sutherly discusses stealth technology and advanced terrestrial aircraft. Preston Dennett's "Is there an Underwater UFO Base off the Southern California coast?" is self-explanatory.

"The Invasion was Televised" by Kenn Thomas provides details on the incident of one Fred Lee Crisman who features as far back as 1947.

The closing essay is by long time researcher Brad Steiger. "60 Years of UFO Research" gives us an overview of our thinking on the origins of the UFO phenomenon. "After 60 years of serious investigation, we UFO researchers can't even agree among ourselves if the enigma originates from outer space or within ourselves - or if it is some metaphysical combination of the two." (p.262.)

Comments:

This is the second compilation by various authors, on the UFO phenomenon that I have read in recent times (click here for my post on the new book "UFOs and Aliens.")

This current compilation of essays covered the period 1948 to 2009 and provided me with some old ground and some new material. In part, it shows me how our old thinking, eg about contactees of the 1950's, has moved on. In other parts, it provides pause for much thought.

I most enjoyed reading Brad Steiger's travels through the various levels of his personal thinking in "60 Years of UFO Research." He writes "When I wrote Strangers from the Skies," I was as 'nuts and bolts' an advocate of physical craft and crews visiting our planet from an extraterrestrial source as any of the other researchers and writers of that era of UFO investigations." (p.263.)

"By the early 1970's, I had reached the conclusion that UFOs, ghosts, poltergeists, revelatory experiences and even seemingly misplaced archaeological anomalies were all facets of some larger intelligent, teaching mechanism." (p.265.)

"I have now authored or co-authored 22 books on a wide range of UFO phenomena Today I answer interviewers' questions regarding my conclusion about the UFO enigma by stating that I believe in the reality of the phenomenon, but I have 17 theories as to what the UFOs might be..." (p.271.)

Soviet overflights of the USA - UFO reports?

2012-01-22T14:16:00.001+10:30

Dear reader

Adelaide has just entered a week of predicted maximum temperatures over 33 degrees C, a rather hot time. So, its book time - time to read; chill out with a nice ice cold South Australian white wine, and do some more thinking.

US overflights of USSR:

Much has been written about the United State's covert surveillance of the former Soviet Union ( e.g. click here.) The story of balloon (click here ) , U-2 ( click here ) and SR71 ( click here) aircraft overflights are well known. A question which arose in my mind, was, did the Soviet Union undertake similar covert overflights of the USA?

There are certainly numerous accounts of incursions around the boundaries of US territory (as recently as 2008 click here) , but are there instances where a Soviet device penetrated further into the USA? I did some research on the Internet and found the following: 1. Report of a TU-95 over Langley AFB in 1980. 2. Report of TU-16s over Shymia AFB in 1969. (Click here.)

What of Soviet balloons?

Annie Jacobssen's 2011 book "Area 51" (click here) (UK edition published by Orion. London. ISBN 978-1-4091-4112-9 pp 248-250) tells an interesting story.

Colonel Kenneth B Collins ( see photograph) was one of the A-13 Oxcart pilots for the CIA, based at Area 51 in the 1960's. He relates being woken one morning to fly an unplanned A-12 mission. "...the pentagon had called to say that a Russian reconnaissance balloon was flying across the United States, floating with the prevailing winds in a westerly direction. Collins was to find the Soviet balloon - fast."

Collins had "...direct orders by the Pentagon to "hunt and find" the Soviet weather balloon visually and using radar."

"Flying somewhere over the middle of the continent, Collins briefly identified an object on radar about 350 miles away...he never saw the balloon with his own eyes."

"After Collins returned to base, engineers scrambled to read the information on the data recorder. The incident has never been declassified. Admitting that the Soviets invaded U.S. airspace whether in a craft or by balloon - is not something any U.S. official had ever done. Collins never asked any follow-up questions."

If anyone on the ground had been able to observer the Soviet balloon and reported it as a UFO, then no-one apart from the pentagon would have been able to identify it for what it really was.

Interestingly, an Internet search for information about Soviet balloons over the USA turned up no references.

Important RAAF UFO file released by Archives

2012-01-20T11:16:00.001+10:30

Hi all

File series A9755 control symbol 4, titled [RAAF Headquarters Support Command, Victoria Barracks Victoria] UFO [Unidentified flying Object] reports [UAS - Unusual Aerial Sightings] has just been examined and digitised by the National Archives of Australia, at my request.

It is an RAAF UFO file, formely numbered 5/6/1/Air Part 8 titled simply "UFO Reports." The file cover is stamped "Retain permanently" and there is a hand written note "Held by CINTO" which I take to mean Command Intelligence Officer."

There is then a NAA blue mask indicating that one folio on the file dated 1989 has been withheld from the digitised copy as it is not in the 30 year open access period.

A typed file note indicates that folios 3 and 53 are unlocated. Another note says "This file progresses logically to Folio 63 then consists of numerous "Initial Unusual Aerial Reports" all of which are un-numbered.
Another hand written note says "Valentich incident. Reports summarised at 5/6/1/Air Part 8 (53.)"

Finally there is a note which explains the un-numbered folios. "Please file these UAS reports on 5/6/1/Air Part 8 (closed.) They were kept apart from the file during the inquiry into the Valentich incident and never replaced. Folio numbering is unimportant."

What inquiry?

The RAAF has always maintained that it did not investigate the Valentich case. So, the question here, is what 'inquiry?" From other papers on the file it would appear to refer to the Department of Transport accident investigation inquiry.

Newspaper clippings:

A number of newspaper clippings appear on the file. They are from "The Age" 23 Oct 78; "The Sun News-Pictorial" 23 Oct 1978; an unsourced clipping; "The Sun News-Pictorial" 24 Oct 1978 and "The Age" 24 Oct 1978.

RAAF UFO report forms:

There are numerous completed "Initial Unusual Aerial Sightings Report" from individuals. These are dated between 8 Jan and 24 Dec 1978, and are from a variety of Victorian and interstate locations. A number cluster in October 1978.

Other interesting folios;

Page 49 of the digital copy is a letter dated 27 Nov 1978 from the Federal Department of Transport to the Command Intelligence Officer, HQ Sqd Ldr T Filing. It is headed "Missing Aircraft: Cessna 182 VH DSJ on 21.10.78"

"A recent letter to you (V116/783/1047 of 23.11.78 refers) concerning missing aircraft VH-DSJ and other matters, was dispatched without the mentioned attachments. These attachments are included with this letter for your attention." The next documents on the file are further "Reports of Unusual Aerial Sightings: dated 21.10.78, which may be the documents referred to in the DOT's letter.

Digital image 92 is a "Summary of UAS sightings for the period 18-23 Oct 78." It lists 21 reports, and someone has handwritten on the list between two entries "Valentich 1913hrs SAT 21 Oct." There is another hand written note that says " Copy to DOT investigator."

Kidnapping?

Digital image 134 is a minute dated 26 Oct 78 signed by a G F Boileau, LtCol, SO1 (Int.) to Sdr Ldr Filing, subject "More fantasies" and says "More details on UFOs as per our minute of 12 Oct 78. Both were received prior to the kidnapping of a light aircraft over Bass Strait recently." The enclosure is a hand written letter speculating about UFOs seen over the River Murray.

All in all ,this is a fascinating file to have been released. The 21 UFO reports between 18-23 Oct 78 make fascinating reading and deserve a detailed study to see if they can contribute to the existing knowledge of Valentich's disappearance.

Accident investigation file:

The file, Vic 116/783/1047 is the Department of Transport's accident investigation file into Valentich's missing aircraft. I requested access to this file after discovering last October that it was actually filed with the National Archives of Australia, and not destroyed as suggested by the Department of Transport in 2004, when I submitted an FOI request for it. I am still awaiting advice from the NAA as to whether the file will be made available, or at least the papers dated 1978-1981 which are outside the 30 year rule.

More National Archive Australian UFO files released

2012-01-19T11:43:00.001+10:30

Hi all

It pays to periodically visit the National Archives of Australia website, and take a look for any new Australian government UFO files which have been released by the Archives.

Recently, I found details of five new files which haven't previously appeared in the Archives' RecordSearch database.

They are:

1. File series A9755 control symbol 4 titled [RAAF Headquarters Support Command, Victoria Barracks, Victoria] UFO [Unidentified Flying Object] reports [UAS - Unusual Aerial Sightings] 1978-1989.

2. File series A9755 control symbol 8 titled [Headquarters RAAF base Williamtown] Exercise Close Encounters [UAS - Unusual Aerial Sightings] [UFO - Unidentified Flying Object] 1983-1983.

3. File series A9755 control symbol 11 [RAAF Headquarters Support command, Victoria Barracks, Victoria] Information and photographs relating to unexplained aerial sightings [UAS - Unusual Aerial Sightings] [UFO - Unidentified Flying Object] 1983-1994.

4. File series A9755 control symbol 15 titled [RAAF Headquarters Amberley Base, Queensland] Unusual Aerial Sightings [UAS] [UFO - Unidentified Flying Object] 1982-1985.

5. File series A9755 control symbol 22 [RAAF AF Intelligence and Security, Canberra] UFOs [Unidentified Flying Object] enquiries from members of the public and civilian research organisation [UAS - Unusual Aerial Sighting] 1982-1994.

Don't rush off to the archives!

Unfortunately, A9755 control symbols 8, 11, 15 and 22 are marked with a status "Not yet Examined" which means Archives staff have not yet determined if they will be open for public inspection. In fact when you take a look at the date range of these files you will see that they range from 1982-1994, meaning that none of the papers on the files will be open to view them until 2013 at the earliest. So, knowing of the existence of these four files is of little value!

The only file presently marked with a status "Open with exception" is files control symbol 4.

Disclosure Australia Project:

All is not lost. Members of the Disclosure Australia Project had an opportunity to view some of these files in August 2004 at the RAAF Base Edinburgh. Details are available at http://disclosureaustralia.freewebpages.org/ in Project newsletter number 15.

Airships

2012-01-15T13:25:00.000+10:30

Hi all

Previously, I looked at the details of the 25 October 1910, Minderoo Station, Western Australia, "airship" sighting and found it remained mysterious after a re-examination of the known details (click here).

Since that post, I recalled the great "airship" wave of 1896-1897 in the USA. There were literally hundreds of reported sightings during that wave, reported in hundreds, if not thousands of newspaper articles.

Folklorist Thomas E Bullard, and others, spent much time locating and examining newspaper article on this wave. What did Bullard make of them? Are they evidence for UFOs before 1947?

Bullard:

In his book "The Myths and Mystery of UFOs", published in 2010 by the University Press of Kansas, Laurence, Kansas. ISBN 978-0-7006-1729-6, Bullard writes:

"The great airship wave of 1896-1897 makes a striking impression on anyone who reads the newspaper reports as they unfold from day to day, but a disappointment lurks beneath the surface, not one of the thousand or so reports seems to describe a genuine UFO. Most accounts say nothing more than "...the airship was seen last night," while sightings reported at greater depth resolve into accurate descriptions of conventional phenomena or spectacular appearances due to hoaxes." (p.111.)

"In other cases where people saw multiple lights or structured features, a fire balloon or a kite bearing a paper lantern was the likely culprit." (p.112.)

"With questions overshadowing this remainder of quality reports, the authenticity of even one phantom airship seems doubtful." (P.113.)

Comment:

For an excellent review of Australian "airships" take a look at at this link (click here.) (Thanks to Bill Chalker for pointing out this web site's articles.)

Cold case - Kingman, Arizona - 1953

2012-01-14T14:49:00.001+10:30

Dear readers

My co-blogger, Keith Basterfield, has posted an excellent series of "cold cases" re-examining Australian UFO cases in the light of information available today.

I thought I might occasionally, conduct a few "cold case" investigations of my own. This post concerns the Kingman, Arizona, USA 'crash' case of May 1953.

Kevin D Randle:

In his excellent 2010 book "Crash: When UFOs Fall From the Sky" (published by New Page Books, Franklin Lakes, NJ. ISBN 978-1-60163-100-8,) author Kevin D Randle (click here) presents the following information on Kingman.

1971: Researchers Young and Chetham (click here) interview a source. ('Fritz Werner' later said to be Arthur Stancil.) The source tells them of a UFO, "...12 feet long and fairly intact." There was an associated creature "...dark brown, two eyes, nostrils and ears..." (p.163.) "It was also clothed in a silvery, metallic suit and wore a skullcap." (p.131.) The crash site was said to be 25 miles from Phoenix.

1976: Research Raymond Fowler (click here) interviews the same source getting "...a slightly different version of the story." (p.163.) There, the "...object was disk shaped, 30 feet in diameter, and about 20 feet from top to bottom." (p.166.)

1978: Researcher Len Stringfield (click here) cites researcher Charles Wilhelm's (click here) source 'Major Daly.' April 1953. Daly reports examining "...the remains of a crashed flying saucer...25 to 30 feet in diameter..." (p.170.)However, the location of the crash was unknown. Stringfield also reports "...on a man...who claimed that he saw the delivery of three bodies from a crash site in Arizona in 1953 "...4 feet tall...brownish skin..." (p.170.)

1994: Stringfield cites a further source - JLD - who reports on "...two crashes in Arizona. He also told him three bodies, one sverely burnt, and parts of the wrecked craft, were delivered to the base." (pp170-171.)

Schmitt's source:

Don Schmitt, (click here) came across a source Judie Woolcott (click here). Her story was that in 1965 her husband, serving in Vietnam had written her about a 1953 incident at Kingman, Arizona. This involved a crashed object and bodies. (pp172-173.) Further research seemed to discredit this source.

New book:

A chapter in a new book titled "UFOs and Aliens:Is There Anybody Out There?" edited by Michael Pye and Kirsten Dalley (published by New Page Books. 2011. Pompton Plains, NJ. ISBN 978-1-60163-173-2) throws new light on the 1953 Kingman, case.

Pages 121 to 136 are a chapter titled "The Kingman Affair" written by Nick Redfern. Nick covers the Young and Chatham material; Raymond Fowler's investigation, and those claims by source JLD, plus Judy Woolcott's account; although Redfern provides the original source's real name as "Arthur Stansel." (p.128.)

2009:

A source "Marion Shaw" (click here) emerged claiming "...to have typed a lengthy classified report on the Kingman crash and body recovery..." (p.129.)

Redfern also covers the contactee Truman Bethurum, who in 1952 near Kingman, Arizona claims to have encountered an object, and olive skinned, 5 feet tall, creatures wearing uniforms and caps.

2011:

Redfern used FOI requests to unearth material from USAF files "...showing that in the same precise time frame of the Kingman crash - specifically during the Atomic Energy Commission's Upshot-Knothole tests that Arthur Stansel played a role in the military was secretly test-flying drone aircraft in the Nevada/Arizona area, with monkeys on board." (p131.) The monkeys were "...dressed in various types of protective clothing and wore skullcaps." (p.132.) For more on the tests (click here. )

Redfern goes on to write "Albert Barker, who formerly worked in the US Army's Psychological Warfare Center, has shown me copies of additional documentation that refers to the secret recovery of one such drone aircraft that went wildly off course and crashed approximately 33 miles outside of Kingman in May of 1953. According to these documents, the recovery of the device and the bodies of the dead monkeys was the subject of stringent security because the crash was tied to the Upshot-Knothole atomic tests undertaken in Nevada." (p.132.)

As a final note, "..recall that Stansel was informed by his superiors that the Kingman craft was a secret experimental vehicle of the US military." (p.134.)

Comment:

This new information obtained by Redfern, suggests that the 1953 Kingman crash had a terrestrial origin.

UFOs and aliens - new book alert

2012-01-13T14:45:00.001+10:30

Dear readers

I've been ploughing my way through books in my "waiting to be read" pile by my bedside and it was the turn for a new UFO book. It seems that a librarian at my local library must have an interest in the UFO phenomenon, as the library gets a lot of the new UFO books. The latest offering from the library is "UFOs & Aliens. Is There Anybody Out There?" edited by Michael Pye and Kirsten Dalley. It is published by New Page Books. 2011. Pompton Plains, NJ. ISBN 978-1-60163-173-2. The book consists of a series of 13 essays. For those who haven't come across this new book and would like to see if any of the essays would make good reading in full, I will post some details.

1. A Cosmic Watergate: UFO Secrecy. Stanton T Friedman. (Click here.)

Friedman argues that governments can keep secrets from the general public, and provides examples such as the Manhattan Engineering District; the U-2 aircraft; and the Corona spy satellite program. "In sum, it is very clear that various agencies of the United States government had and and continue to have the capability of keeping secrets, and have intentionally and consistently withheld facts and information regarding - and even actual wreckage of - alien spacecraft." (p.24.)

2. The Real X-Files. Nick Pope. (Click here.)

Pope recounts the story of the release of the UK government's UFO files, highlights some interesting cases, such as the 1957 Milton Torres interception; the 1991 Al Italia aircraft near-miss; the Bentwaters 1980 incident and the 1993 Cosford event. "These are exciting times. As of this writing, numerous countries are releasing their UFO files." (p.45.)

3. Doubt Beyond reason. Gordon Chism. (Click here.)

Chism details a personal observation of an unusual object, in 1958 in Nevada. he then explores three factors which he believes steer people away from acceptance of the UFO phenomenon. "I believe that all of these things - our fear of losing status, our tendency to follow the group consensus, and our use of faith and denial to override logic - have enabled us to reject the existence of aliens and UFOs." (p.56.)

4. An Alien Intervention. Jim Moroney. (Click here.)

Jim had a personal abduction encounter in 1987 which he describes, along with details of an abduction in the Yukon, and the 1994 Rawa, Zimbabwe event. "It is no longer of question of when extraterrestrials will confront us, but rather the much more difficult question of how they will interact with us." (p.79.)

5. Alien Abduction: Fact or Fiction? Kathleen Marden. (Click here.)

Marden reviews a range of non-terrestrial explanations for the UFO abduction phenomenon. Using the details of a number of well known abduction cases, she argues that these appear to be more than of psychological origin. "Clearly, alien abduction investigation is firmly planted on the frontiers of science. As in any science, the careful, methodical collection and evaluation of credible evidence over an extended period of time, along with political change, might bring about a paradigm shift. But until then, the controversy will rage on. " (p.102.)

6. Cosmic Peeping Toms: UFOs and Invisibility. Micah Hanks. (Click here.)

Using case studies, Hanks suggests that "...extraterrestrial craft might be lingering in our aerospace without our knowledge, thanks to an advanced technology that renders them invisible to the naked eye, and perhaps even to advanced radar equipment as well." (p.108.)

7. The Kingman Affair. Nick Redfern. (Click here.)

Something crashed near a place named Kingman, Nevada in May 1953. Redfern examines and discusses the known facts, and interestingly comes down on the side of a non-extraterrestrial explanation. namely, that the object was a military drone aircraft with monkeys on board.

8. Roswell in Perspective: The Human response to an Extraordinary Event. Donald R Schmitt. (Click here.)

Schmitt, a long time Roswell researcher asks us to "...ignore the minutia and instead to focus on the human aspect of this story." (p.138.) The basic core story is outlined, arguing the words of the witnesses who have come forward should be heard.

9. Star Travel: How Realistic is it? Stanton T Friedman.

Friedman's second essay in this book shows that some experts in the past have been proven wrong in their statements. Discussing the possible role of nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. Fission propulsion systems have been tested in the past. "Given our own technological progress, which shows no signs of slowing or abating, the stars may soon be within our reach..." (p.165.)

10. The UFO Problem: Toward a Theory of Everything? John White. (Click here.)

White argues that "...based on the evidence, it seems clear that no single explanation can cover every experience and event..." (p.168.) White sees that three solutions could contribute to an overall conclusion. These are the extraterrestrial; terrestrial and the metaterrestrial - (outside ordinary space time.)

11. Killing the Roswell Story. Thomas J Carey. (Click here.)

This essay focuses on an aspect of the Roswell story, namely "...the killing of the original flying saucer story by the Air Force." (p.190.) Cary presents his findings, including the testimony of Brigadier General Arthur Exon.

12. Identity Crisis: When is a UFO not a UFO? Marie D Jones and Larry Flaxman. (Click here and here.)

The authors first explore a range of things which generate false UFO reports. then they go on to look at the alternate universe theory; the inter dimensional hypothesis, and visions and altered states of consciousness.

13. Hybrids: Memories of the Future. Erich von Daniken. (Click here.)

Taking a look at what geneticists are doing these days, the author suggest that "What is being attempted today - and will one day succeed - already exists millennium ago," (p.231.)

Comments:

As with any collection of essays on a theme, the quality ranges from the average to the excellent. In general, I enjoyed this collection and the thinking it required me to do.

Cold case - the Mount Gillen photograph - Alice Springs - 1954

2012-01-12T10:56:00.005+10:30

Hi all

One entry in my catalogue of Australian photographic cases (click here) is the following:

15 Jan 1954 Alice Springs NT

A person was taking pictures of Mount Gillen (click here) when suddenly an enormous round object appeared from behind it. It went high, then dropped low. A picture was taken, and then suddenly it gained speed and shot off at high speed to the west. (Source: Hervey, M. "UFOs Over the Southern Hemisphere." 1969. Sydney. Horowitz. p.96.)

Recently, when looking at the digitised newspaper collection of the National library of Australia, I came across the original newspaper article about the event, which made interesting reading. I doubt that many people have had access to the original account, so I reproduce part of the text.

"Unknown" Claims Snapped Flying Saucer Over Alice:

"Men from Venus, secret flying machines from Russia, meteorites, optical allusions (sic) or just plain fakes and lies - what are these "flying saucers" reported to have been seen in many parts of the world, including Alice Springs?

Below we have published a photograph claimed to be that of a "flying saucer." With the picture, the following note was pushed under the door of the "Advocate" office.

'For several reasons, one of which is because I can hardly believe it myself I refuse at this stage to come forward and allow my name to be used. But study this picture of a flying saucer yourself.

'I was taking a picture of Mount Gillen on the day that a number of Alice Springs people said they heard something strange pass over the town (Friday January 15). Suddenly an enormous round looking object appeared from behind Gillen. It went high then dropped to come down quite between the mountain and the town - it was not travelling fast at this stage - in fact it appeared to be almost hovering. That was when I took this picture - almost automatically. I focused and clicked the camera. It would have been possible to take more shots but I just looked, then suddenly the thing moved off very fast - it gained speed until it must have been travelling at terrific pace going high to the west.

'I did not hear much of a whistling sound. The saucer looked to have been anything up to 150 feet across - I don't know, maybe Adamski had something about those men from Venus.'

The only comment that the "Advocate" is prepared to make at this stage is that the picture could easily be a fake - on the other hand it one would have to go to considerable trouble to make it up. If genuine, the saucer looks to be a very large affair, although distance would make all the difference in this."

The account then goes on to speak of Adamski, hoaxes and stories from other places.

The above quote is from the Centralian Advocate (Alice Springs, NT: 1947-1954) Friday 5 Feb 1954 pages 1-2.

The photograph:

The black and white photograph shows a scene which includes a mountain recognisable as Mount Gillen, scrub country in the foreground, and some sky. At the two o'clock position from the centre of the picture, in the sky, is a circular object of quite large angular size. It has a circle in its centre, about one quarter to one third the diameter of the whole thing. From the edge of the inner circle, six "spokes" radiate out to touch the outer circle at the 2,3,4, 7,9 and 10 o'clock positions. The object is in clear focus while the landscape looks a little out of focus.

The date of the sighting:

The date of the photograph is given by the photographer as Friday 15 Jan 1954, and is said to be the same day as "...a number of Alice Springs people said they heard something strange pass over the town...I did not hear much of a whistling sound..."

Harts Range flying saucer:

Is there any documentation on the audio event? I found an item in the Centralian Advocate dated Friday 15 Jan 1954, page 1.

"Flying Saucer at Harts Range:

Something streaked across the sky in the Harts Range area very early one morning recently with a strange high pitched noise. Some who have heard the report believe that Central Australia has been visited by a "flying saucer."

The report is the first of any kind in the NT and is suggestive of the current "flying saucer" stories. They have been "seen" in Australia recently, but this is the nearest we have come to having our own "saucer."

Four Aborigines were witnesses to the strange sound. It was about 5am in the morning and the sky was clouded over, so that whatever past (sic) overhead was not seen.

Very uneasy about the incident the four men immediately went to the camp of Mr Mark Mitchell and his wife to report. They said the sound was not that of a plane, and they have heard many planes. Apart from sound, the object was travelling too fast. The natives claim that whatever it was, and it sounded to be just above the low cloud, it shot across at tremendous speed, but they heard it coming and going for several minutes.

Mr Mitchell stresses that he did not hear the sound, but is positive that the men heard something strange, because they are reliable unemotional types. They were plainly intrigued and their first thought had been to go to some one who may be able to tell them what it was.

The "Advocate" checked to see if the sound could possibly have been a jet aircraft, but no aircraft passed that way at this time, or during the week of the incident."

My comments:

1. The date of 15 Jan 1954, for this case, given in my catalogue appears incorrect. The photographer in their note to the paper gave the photo date as 15 Jan. However, they also wrote that the photo was taken on the same day as "...a number of Alice Springs people said they heard something strange pass over the town..." (Centralian Advocate 5 Feb1954.)

However, the Centralian Advocate of 15 Jan 1954, which refers to a report of a strange sound, states that this audio event occurred "...very early one morning recently..." i.e. prior to 15 Jan 1954 but not actually 15 Jan 1954. This discepancy casts doubt on this aspect of the photographer's claims.

The 15 Jan date for the photo is also cited in articles in "The Mail" (Adelaide, SA: 1912-1954) Saturday 6 Feb 1954 p.12, and "The Mercury" (Hobart, TAS:1860-1954) Saturday 6 Feb 1954 p.27.

2. To my knowledge, the Mount Gillen photographer has never to this day, been identified. It therefore remains an anonymously sourced photograph.

3. What did local people think about the photograph? The "Northern Standard" (Darwin, NT: 1920-1955) Thursday 11 Feb 54 p.3 provided some responses:

"...there are theories about the object in the sky between Mount Gillen and the town, ranging from a washing machine agitator, to a button, some folk believe it is the wheel of a toy car, others that it is an inflated rubber cushion. Still others believe it is in fact a "flying saucer"..."

4. My own impressions of this photographic case are that:

(a) There is doubt about the link between the audio event and the photograph, and the date given by the photographer.

(b) The photographer is anonymous and no details of the camera and film, are available, and no copies of photographs either side of the flying saucer one.

(c) The image of the object appears sharper than the scenery, suggestive of the object being closer to the camera than the scenery.

5. I conclude that this photographic case is of little value to us. Take a look at the photograph for yourself (click here.)

Interaction between the RAAF and USAF - Project Bluebook

2012-01-09T10:37:00.001+10:30

Hi all

In a recent post (click here) I wrote about the 1953 interaction between the USAF and RAAF, and pondered whether the RAAF participated in the USAF Project Blue Book by passing on early Australian flying saucer reports to the USAF. After browsing the Project Blue Book archives (click here) I can now report further.

George A Uhrich:

Uhrich was the Assistant Air Attache at the American Embassy in Australia in 1953. In that year, in May, he visited the offices of the Directorate of Air Force Intelligence (RAAF) to discuss Australian reports of flying saucers.

The Project Blue Book archives indicates as follows. Blue Book references are shown first - you can look up these documents for yourself on their website.

MAXW-PBB8-1010
Dated 17 July 1953 it is a copy of a report from Condamine, Queensland sent to Blue Book by Uhrich.

MAXW-PBB8-1011 to 1013
This is the report from Condamine, titled "Report on Unidentified aircraft" of 2 Feb 1951. It was prepared by the RAAF Intelligence Officer, Amberley RAAF base, and forwarded to blue Book by Uhrich. I have never seen this document in any RAAF file that the Disclosure Australia project reviewed.

MAXW-PBB10-403
A Blue Book index card recording details of the 3 May 1952, Kew, Melbourne, Victoria sighting.

MAXW-PBB10-104
This document from Uhrich to Blue Book is dated 20 Jul 1953 and encloses a copy of the Kew report.

MAXW-PBB10-405
A copy of the RAAF's report, dated 15 may 1952 on the Kew, Melbourne report of 3 May 1952.

MAXW-PBB10-406
A memo from Uhrich, dated 20 Jul 1953 encloses a report from Sydney, Australia.

MAXW-PBB10-407 to 411
A copy of the RAAF's internal report on the 3 May 1952 sightings over Sydney.

RAAF file:

For those interested in reading the RAAF's own file on the 3 May 1952 Sydney sightings take a look in the National Archives of Australia website at file series A11066 control symbol 5/1/27 Part B titled "Eastern Area Headquarters Intelligence Report on Unusual Sightings 3/5/1952."

Evidence:

Here then, is the direct evidence, that the RAAF had supplied the USAF with information on sightings from Australia in the early 1950's.

Lost file:

SEC CD2/2 is a file reference which appears in some early RAAF files. It is believed to be a file which held their prior to 1953 internal UFO reports. It may hold further information about the early interaction between the USAF and RAAF. However, although searches have been undertaken to locate this file, it has never been located. Indeed suggestions are that it has been "lost."

Cold case - April 1954 - Western/South Australia

2012-01-05T10:54:00.003+10:30

Hi all

I have been spending some time in the State Library of South Australia looking through all the issues of the "Australian Saucer Record" (ASR) a magazine formerly produced here in Adelaide, South Australia. I have extracted quite a few South Australian UFO reports from the 1950's and incorporated summaries in my South Australian reports catalogue.

One interesting report which I have always known about, but had never seen the original source material before, was detailed in ASR Volume 5 Number 3 of 1959, page 13.

A reported fantastic photographic case:

"The following story was related to us by one of the men involved in it who gave without hesitation all the facts, including the names of the other witnesses, for reasons of diplomacy all names are withheld from the publication, but we do not doubt the veracity of the witnesses.

The date Easter 1954 Place Near border of South Australia and West Australia

The story. Three young men were travelling to South Australia in an Austin A70 car. They had passed through a town 17 miles from the West Australian border, and five miles on the West Australian side a saucer began to follow the car. It continued following them for about 50 miles up to within five miles of the next town.

It was very low at times enough for them to see portholes in the object and they took various photos of it with their cameras, and becoming a little concerned they decided to inform the police at the next town. The saucer having now left them. The police upon receiving this information immediately rang the Air Control at Salisbury. The young men were detained and a helicopter soon appeared from the Edinburgh Air field (Distance approx 200 miles.)

Two Air Force officers got out of the copter, but oddly enough, although in uniform, they wore no rank badges, but they did have on service ribbons. They asked the young men innumerable questions and demanded the five cameras which had been used to take photos with which there were three 35mm cameras with one containing a colour film, and two black and white. All told they had 92 exposures of the object. As well there were two Rolleicords each with 12 exposures of black and white.

The cameras were seized by the officials and the men warned not to discuss the matter with anyone. The officers then left and the young men continued on their way a little scared. Two weeks later their cameras were returned to them through registered post with letters to each man again warning them not to tell anyone of their experiences.

Later through other means one of the party was able to secure one of the photos, but it was in his opinion the worst of the series taken. This young man in now in England where we are trying to locate him and secure the photo or a copy.

According to our witness the saucer followed about 100 yards away from the car, and mostly about fifty feet above them, until they turned the car round to face it. It was then the saucer came and hovered over them and they were able to take most excellent photos of the object, some very good close-ups being among them showing the underside with a three ball landing type gear. Out of all these photos (over 100) what has happened top the others including those very good close-ups? Why have they never been released to the public?"

My comments:

1. "They passed through a town 17 miles from the West Australian border." There is only one road they could have been on, the main highway between Perth and Adelaide. An examination of a map of the area shows there is no "town" at this location. The locality of Eucla is 13 km or 8 miles West of the border.

2. "It continued following them for about 50 miles up to within five miles of the next town." This places the "next town" at 50 miles East of the border. Another look at a map shows there is no "town" at this location. It is an extremely desolate part of Australia. the next "town" is Penong which is some 400kms or 250 miles East of the border.

3. "They decided to inform the police at the next town." See my comments at 2 above.

4. "A helicopter soon appeared from the Edinburgh Air Field (Distance approx 200 miles.)" Even if they did stop in Penong, then the 200 miles is incorrect. Penong is some 600kms or 370 miles from Edinburgh Air Field (the old name for the current Edinburgh RAAF Base) in a straight line (not road distance which is greater.)

Just what helicopters did the RAAF have in 1954?

According to a website (click here) the RAAF had two types of helicopters in use in 1954. These were:

1. The Sikorsky S-51 Dragonfly.
2. The Bristol Sycamore.

Another website (click here) says there were only three such helicopters in RAAF service between 1947-1964. However, two had crashed before 1954 and only the remaining one, helicopter A80-374, operated with Number 22 Squadron until 21 June 1955. A further RAAF website (click here) indicates that the total range for this helicopter was 579 miles. Number 22 Squadron was however, based at Richmond, New South Wales and not at Edinburgh Air Field. It therefore appears that none of these type of copter was based at Ediburgh Air Field.

What of the Bristol Sycamore? Again the list of RAAF aircraft indicates that the RAAF had only two of these helicopters in the period 1951-1965. One of the previously mentioned websites (click here) shows that these copters were based at the Woomera rocket range and used almost exclusively there. It had a total range of 431kms. There is no evidence on any of the websites which I consulted that these helicopters were ever based at the Edinburgh Air Field. In addition their operational range is insufficient to have travelled to the area indicated in the UFO story.

In summary, It would appear difficult to match the known RAAF helicopters of the day, with the details indicated in the ASR account.

5. "Letters to each man again warning them not to tell anyone." One would reasonably expect the ASR informant to have been able to produce such a letter to back up their testimony. The ASR is silent on this point but I think it reasonable to say that if the ASR had sighted such a letter they would have mentioned it.

6. To my knowledge, none of the alleged photographs ever saw the light of day and I have seen nothing in the UFO literature to say they did.

7. On the off chance that there may have been an account of the event in the 1954 newspapers, I checked the digital newspaper collection of the National Library of Australia. I found nothing about the account.

In conclusion:

In my opinion, the problems with details of the event, as recorded in the ASR article, leave doubts in my mind, as to the veracity of the informant, and hence the event as described.

I'd like to hear from readers who may have further information or documentation on this event.

Corona spy satellites and Westall - a link?

2012-01-01T12:50:00.002+10:30

Dear readers

Happy New Year from Adelaide, South Australia! What a start to 2012, with our maximum temperature today climbing to 41 degrees C. I'm settling down with a glass of cold Queen Adelaide wine, and reading a copy of the new book "UFOs and Aliens" (details below.)

Hot weather and a lazy day always gets my brain pondering UFO cases; strange but true. While reading a passage in this book, my thoughts turned to the 1966 Westall case (click here .)

Westall:

At about 11am on 6 April 1966, something travelled through the air over the Westall High School, in the Melbourne suburb of Clayton, Victoria. It is said that military personnel, possibly RAAF, Army, USAF, and Commonwealth Police attended the scene, some in so short a time as to appear that the authorities knew about the aerial object beforehand.

Conventional explanations:

Some researchers have suggested that there is a conventional explanation for the event (e.g. click here.)

While sipping my wine, and reading "UFOs and Aliens" I thought that if you were looking for a conventional explanation, you would need to find some secret project, which was operational in 1966 over Australia; which had something known to be in the Melbourne area, and something which the USAF were involved with.

In earlier blog posts, my co-blogger, Keith Basterfield explored the possibility of a link between Westall and the USAF Australian U-2 program, Operation Crowflight (click here and here.) Ultimately, after studying previously unpublished Australian Government files, he concluded that there appeared to be no link.

So, now to that passage from "UFOs and Aliens," edited by Michael Pye and Kirsten Dalley (New Page Books. 2011. Pompton Plains, NJ. ISBN 978-1-66163-173-2.) In a chapter titled "A Cosmic Watergate: UFO Secrecy," UFOlogist Stanton T Friedman writes about the formerly secret CIA Corona spy satellite program. These American satellites were in use between June 1959 and May 1972, and certainly around in 1966 the time of the Westall event. They photographed various parts of the world and "The de-orbited film containers were snatched out of the sky and captured, usually away from populated areas (over the Pacific Ocean or the deserts of Australia, for example.)" (p.12.)
The program remained secret until 1995.

So, here came my line of thinking. A secret program, in operation in 1966; involving USAF personnel in which something came down from orbit at a known date and time, which sometimes occurred over "the deserts of Australia." Suppose something went wrong with one of these descending film containers and it veered over Melbourne?

Corona:

In this scenario, the question of course, is, was there a Corona spy satellite in orbit and de-orbiting a film container at 11 am on 6 April 1966?

I located a NASA website (click here) which listed each of the Corona program satellites (the KH range). KH 7-26 (NSSDC ID 1966-022B) is shown as being launched 18 March 1966 and decaying on 23 March 1966. KH 7-27 (NSSDC ID 1966-032A) was launched 19 April 1966 and decayed 26 April 1966. Thus according to this source, there was no Corona program satellite in orbit on 6 April 1966.

However, I then located another website (click here) which also had a list of launches. Here, we find:

Mission number 1030
NSSDC Id 1966-018A
Launched 9 Mar 1966
Decayed 29 Mar 1966.

Mission number 1031
NSSDC Id 1966-029A
Launched 7 April 1966
Decayed 26 April 1966.

A check back with the NSSDC catalogue shows that these two missions were also apparently Corona program satellites. Again, though none was in orbit on 6 April 1966 (even allowing for time differences between locations on Earth.)

In conclusion:

Like the U-2 program which involved USAF personnel, the Corona spy satellite program appears to have no link to the Westall event.

For those readers now intrigued to read more on the Corona program please take a look at the CIA History Staff, Center for the Study of Intelligence, book on Corona edited by Kevin C Ruffner (click here to read a copy.)

UFO crash lore:

Interestingly, this secret program may have contributed to "UFO crash" lore, e.g. on page 33 one reads that Corona mission 1005 was launched on 27 April 1964. On 26 May 1964 observers in Venezuela saw five burning objects in the sky. On 7 July 1964 workers found a "battered golden object" on the ground on a farm near La Fria, Tachira state. "A team of CORONA officers, ostensibly representing the USAF, flew to Caracas to recover the remains." "...CORONA officers...quietly dismissed the event as an unimportant NASA space experiment gone awry." (p.33.)

I found a very informative website with an excellent report on the Venezuela incident (click here.)

Have any readers come across Corona related "UFO crashes?"

Scientific UFOlogy

2011-12-30T16:41:00.000+10:30

Dear readers

Time to get out those books from my "waiting to be read pile" as Adelaide heads for maximums of 37, 39 and 36 degrees C over the next few days.

In this post I want to further explore the subject area of two previous posts, namely the one dealing with pseudoscience (click here) and a systematic science of UFOs (click here.) The former took a look at the question of "What is pseudoscience?" and the latter, just what a scientific look at UFOs would need to achieve. These posts led me to thinking just what is "scientific UFOlogy?"

Bullard:

For one view I turned to Eddie Bullard's 2010 book "The Myth and Mystery of UFOs." University Press of Kansas. Lawrence, KS. ISBN 978-0-7006-1729-6. Among a list of categories of people who study UFOs, which includes "activists" and "skeptics" are "scientific ufologists." Bullard writes:

"For this group UFOs are a phenomenon accessible to rational inquiry. These people pursue in-depth case investigations, critical examination of evidence, comparison of collected data, and rigorous research projects to determine if any UFO reports describe an unknown phenomenon. Scientific ufology aims to prove or disprove an evidential basis for the UFO phenomenon rather than to find meanings in it. Exemplified by Hynek and McDonald, professed by the leading UFO organisations, this scientific approach represents ufology in the purest sense of a scientific or scholarly discipline." (p.15.)

Popular ufology:

Contrasting with 'scientific ufology', Bullard speaks of 'popular ufology', which "...identified a normative expression of "what ufologists believe" based on an ideas that have attracted widespread attention and enthusiasm." (p.20.) Bullard notes that "Scientific and popular ufology often stand in opposition, the one dedicated to an objective understanding of the phenomenon, the other concerned with subjective understanding of what UFOs mean." (p.20.)

Comments:

Long term readers of this blog will know of my interest in all aspects of intelligence agencies and in particular, their involvement in the UFO phenomenon. The intelligence process of collection, collation, interpretation and dissemination of data, has always struck me as a useful way to tackle the UFO phenomenon. You collect data, collate it to draw out patterns; you provide an interpretation as to the usefulness of the data; then you disseminate your findings for peer review.

Bullard, in my opinion, has accurately described what I would regard as 'scientific ufology' when he states case studies; analysis of data; and research projects are the elements involved. His end result of determining if any UFO reports "...describe an unknown phenomenon" to me, however, doesn't go far enough. If you find that some reports describe an unknown phenomenon, then I see no reason why you shouldn't then go on to test various hypotheses, such as the extraterrestrial hypothesis, against the data.

Australian pilot reports flying saucer in South Korea - 1952

2011-12-30T11:18:00.003+10:30

Hi all

Jan Aldrich of Project 1947 (click here) recently asked if I had come across a report from Korea in 1952, involving an Australian pilot named Smith. I had not.

I searched the TROVE digitised newspapers held by the National Library of Australia, using keywords such as "Smith," "Korea," "1952" but drew a blank.

Jan mentioned that he would try the digitised Project Blue Book Archive website (click here.)

As it turned out I was already researching this website myself, looking for references to Australian reports. Entering keywords, I located a document which described the sighting which Jan had come across.

MAXW-PBB10-1134:

The document ( click here) was referenced MAXW-PBB10-1134 and is page 12 of a 16 page "Air Intelligence Information Report." There is a hand written date of 6 June and the document refers to 7 Jun 1952.

"First ever flying saucer ever reported over South Korea was watched for four minutes today by Sargeant Ken Smith of Chapman Street, New Mile End, Adelaide.

"It was fifty or sixty feet with a depth of about 1/10 its diameter...I judged its size from its apparent height about ten thousand feet, behind and above a Sabre Jet flying over the airstrip. It was whirling and tumbling, and twinkling as the sun struck its smooth silvery surface. At the same time it was travelling laterally at about 350 knots. Suddenly it stopped in its course, stopped tumbling and flashed straight up in a few seconds to about thirty thousand feet. It hovered for a moment then shot away on a new course at right angles to the old one. It stopped again and then went at tremendous speed across the sun and I lost it."

"Smith, an experienced pilot who flew his 100th mission later in the day, called Sargeant Ken Towner of Bankston, veteran of nearly 200 missions. Together they saw the saucer reappear, whirling and twinkling before, it finally vanished."

Missing in action:

With the above information, I revisited the digitised newspaper collection of the National Library of Australia. I eventually located an article in the Adelaide Advertiser of Friday 11 July 1952 on page 1 (click here). Sadly, it reported:

"Flt Sgt Kenneth Dudley Smith, 25 of Chapman Street, New Mile End, who has been reported missing, believed killed in air operations over Korea, had completed 125 missions from February until late in June." The article includes a photograph of Flt Sgt Smith.

"Alien invasion"

2011-12-19T10:34:00.004+10:30

Dear readers

At the weekend, Adelaide experienced a very unusual Summer severe thunderstorm, with torrential rain.

Today's post:

The other day, a most unusual book turned up at my local library. Titled "Alien Invasion: How to Defend Earth" it is written by Travis S Taylor ( click here) and Bob Boan (click here) and published by Baen Books of Riverdale, NY. 2011. ISBN 978-1-4391-3442-9. (See Amazon click here.)

It is a serious look at the likelihood of an alien attack on Earth; their possible motivation in doing so, and the likely end results. The discussion is laced with calculations and deeply thought out debate.

Section 5.1, titled "How we Handled ET in the Past" was of interest to me. "The reactions of the Earth's governments to reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) or "flying saucers," may give us an indication of how those governments would respond to the reconnaissance phase of an invasion from space..." (p.141.)

The authors pose three questions:

"1.Was it reasonable to think that the report had 'defence significance' (to use a favourite term of the British Ministry of Defence)?

2. If so, did the military and government authorities in possession of the report recognize this significance?

3. If they did, did they take appropriate action?" (p.142.)

The authors conclude:

"...we gave examples from Projects Sign, Grudge, Blue Book, and others as to how not to handle such things. The known public information about the UFO investigation programs conducted by the US government in the past were not motivated by a best response to the potential ET threat rather than some sort of public appeasement agenda. Whatever the agenda of those programs, they were not handled in a way that seems best for a real alien threat." (pp.153-154.)

Comment:

If you have never given serious thought to the possibility of alien invasion, then this book is guaranteed to get you thinking.

Early interaction between the RAAF and the USAF

2011-12-18T16:47:00.003+10:30

Hi all

One of the things which has always intrigued me is the interaction between the RAAF and USAF, regarding the early flying saucer phenomenon. I wondered what early connections there were between the two? The earliest one is able to go back in official Australian government UFO files is to 1951,

In the USA, in the early 1950's, the USAF was running Project Blue Book under Captain Edward J Ruppelt. "In January 1953 a CIA-sponsored group of scientists known as the Robertson panel concluded that flying saucers probably did no represent any form of foreign technology and posed no threat to national security." (Bullard, T E. 2010. The Myth and Mystery of UFOs. University Press of Kansas. Lawrence KS. p.57.) Ruppelt left Blue Book in 1953. See also click here.

With the above in mind:

You would think that the USAF in 1953, would therefore not be interested at all in collecting reports from foreign countries such as Australia. However, in the National Archives of Australia (NAA) on file series A703 control symbol 554/1/30 Part 1, digital version pages 299-300, I found a two page memo from Lt. Col. George A Uhrich, Assistant Air Attache of the US embassy, to the Directorate of Air Force Intelligence (DAFI-Australia) dated 20 July 1953. (As an aside, the NAA holds a file at file series A1838 control symbol 1500/1/1/36 "Diplomatic Representatives - USA Uhrich, G. A. Assistant Air Attache 1951-1954.")

In summary, the memo, which is labelled "confidential" and referenced as AA-120-53 and addressed to Wing Commander R.A. G. Ellen, is a request for Australian flying saucer sightings to be forwarded to the USA. Dated 20 July 1953, it discloses that there was a previous correspondence from DAFI (not located by me) dated 6 July 1953. It shows that Uhrich visited the Wing Commander in person on 18 May at DAFI and that "...my headquarters is very interested in receiving reports of all unusual sightings not only in this area, but all over the world." There then follows a very lengthy list of the data points which they would like. The memo closes "Any help you can give me in making this information available to my headquarters will be sincerely appreciated and will be treated in strict accordance with the security classification you attach to it."

Did DAFI forward any reports?

File 554/1/30 Part 1 is silent on this question. However, other sources reveal that at least three reports turned up in the USA.

(1) 22/23 Nov 1953 Woomera ,Sth Aust. RAAF papers located in US Project Blue Book files ref 8/110/2/WRA - courtesy of Jan Aldrich of Project 1947.

(2) 15 Jan 1954 Mallala, Sth Aust. USAF Project Blue Book card - courtesy of Jan Aldrich of Project 1947.

(3) 17 Jan 1954 St Morris, Adelaide, Sth Aust. USAF Project Blue Book card - courtesy of Jan Aldrich of Project 1947.

So, it does appear that DAFI did forward some 1953 and 1954 Australia UFO reports to the US which ended up in Project Blue Book files.

Officialdom and the Katoomba lights of 1957

2011-12-13T12:14:00.003+10:30

Hi all

Official government files do not tell the whole story of the involvement of government agencies in the UFO phenomenon. I was reminded of this yet again, when Jan Aldrich of Project 1947 recently sent me a batch of newspaper clippings from Australian newspapers dated 1953-1957.

A series of articles from 1957 caught my eye. They told a story of hundreds of people seeing unusual lights in the sky, and the involvement of the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) , the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO.)

The story:

One of the headlines of the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper of 17 Jul 1957 read "Sky mystery at Katoomba." The story, from Tuesday evening 16 July followed. " A lighted object in the sky, resembling a flying saucer, was reported to Katoomba police..." A Mr Hickey reported a hovering object which sent three "...four bright blue rays into the sky," at 8.30pm. He had been inside, heard a noise like an aeroplane, went outside and saw a bright object approaching Katoomba from Falconbridge (10 miles ESE of Katoomba.) Mr Hickey said it hovered for six minutes, and "...then loud sounds echoed from it..." The sound resembled that of an aeroplane. The light faded after 15 minutes but was still visible in the sky. Police who were called, also sighted the object.

The Sun newspaper of 17 Jul 1957 quoted one Jack Kunst, "...a prominent member of the Unidentified Flying Objects Investigating Committee..." as saying that the sighting "...strengthened evidence of a flying saucer base in the Blue Mountains."

Next day, the Sydney Morning Herald dated 18 Jul 1957 reported that "Mysterious lighted objects were seen in the sky again last night over Katoomba...and Ashfield, a western suburb of Sydney."

At 9.10pm a Katoomba police constable reported seeing "...alighted object in the sky." In addition, "scores of people drove to Echo Point lookout at Katoomba to watch the object...It was visible for about an hour." Among the witnesses was the secretary of the Katoomba branch of the Unidentified Flying Objects Research Committee." Mr Body said he had heard a noise, went outside and saw the object hovering overhead." It had a vapour trail like a jet. It seemed to be flashing red, green and white lights...it was difficult to estimate its size, but it seemed to be oval in shape...It was very bright - about 400-500 times the brilliance of an ordinary star."

Third night:

Reports were made on a third night, Thursday 18 Jul 1957, according to the Sydney morning Herald of 19 Jul 1957, from Katoomba and Sydney's Western suburbs. In Katoomba, at 4.45pm three boys reported seeing an oval shaped object from Echo Point, "...hovering and drifting above the floor of the Jamieson Valley..."

Later, at 7.45pm, 25 miles West of Katoomba came a report of a "...brilliant flashing red, green and white light to the south west." It disappeared about 8.20pm. Thirty people at Echo Point "saw the same object."

At 9.50pm "...a strong red flashing light..." travelled across the sky at high speed."

RAAF:

The Sun, dated 19 Jul 1957 reported that a "RAAF Meteor Jet will stand by tonight ready to investigate the mystery lights over the Blue Mountains..." Interestingly, the plane would be launched at the request of Col. N Strachan, OIC of the Blue mountains Civil Defence, not the RAAF. The paper also reported that the CSIRO would be requested to attend and view the object.

The Sydney Morning Herald dated 20 Jul 1957 carried more information.

Official viewpoints:

On Friday evening 19 Jul 1957 reports of mysterious lights flowed in not only from Katoomba but across and around Sydney. Also enter the CSIRO, who sent "An officer of the radio-physics division... Dr C S Gunn" who watched the skies from Narrowneck Lookout, Katoomba from 8-10pm on Thursday 18 July and 6.30-9.30pm on Friday 19 July. He reported seeing nothing unusual, only stars setting, while changing colour due to the atmosphere.

The RAAF also sent an observer, Flt Lt N J Hurley who "...identified Katoomba's flying saucer as a star...probably Canopus" according to the 20 Jul 1957 Daily telegraph newspaper.

Official files:

With the involvement of RAAF and the CSIRO one would imagine that the Katoomba sightings would make it into official files, however, apparently not so.

I first checked the RAAF's main reports file, series A703 control symbol 580/1/1 part 1. However, there is no mention of these July 1957 reports.

The CSIRO had a UFO files which covered the period. File series C273/227 control symbol 1957-619 part 1. Again, no mention of Dr Gunn';s involvement, nor indeed anything about the July sightings.

I also checked the file covering the period, held by the Department of Civil Aviation, who are quoted in various newspapers as giving advice on aircraft movements. File series A9778 control symbol M1/F/31, has nothing on these reports.

My comments:

It was interesting to me to see the involvement of local police, the Civil Defence, the RAAF, the CSIRO and DCA, plus the comments by UFOIC the local UFO group.

The descriptions of the main Katoomba objects do seem to favour an astronomical explanation. However, there are no data concerning angular size, elevation, or compass directions to many of the reported sightings. This unfortunately, is all too common of newspaper reports, so the definitive explanation remains elusive.

All in all, an interesting insight into official reaction to sightings in 1957 Australia.

Cold case - Canberra - 1965 - new information found

2011-12-11T15:42:00.001+10:30

Hi all

In a previous post (click here to read) I suggested that the 15 July 1965 Canberra UFO sighting might have been explainable as a daylight observation of the planet Venus. A RAAF document I located on file series A703 control symbol 580/1/1 Part 4 folio 83, dated 16 July 1965, also suggested Venus as the cause.

Recently, while reviewing one of the RAAF's old policy files, series A703 control symbol 554/1/30 Part 2 pages 71,72 and 74, dated 1970, I found three more relevant papers on this case, which I hadn't noticed before.

Three documents:

The first document (page 74 of the digitised file) is a letter dated 6 Jun 1970 from students at Lincoln College, North Adelaide who wrote to the RAAF inquiring about the 15 July 1965 event.

Page 71 (folio 50A) is a Minute dated 3 Jul 1970, addressed to PR2, and signed by C R Hickey, Squadron Leader, DAFI AI-1. "All reports relating to this sighting have been checked, and there is no evidence to substantiate the two questions in the letter. The object was reported as a "white spherical object." Attached is a statement issued by the then Minister for Air, Mr Howson on the sighting. Perhaps it could be included in your reply to Mr Evans and company."

Page 72 (folio50A) is a Ministerial Press release dated Friday 30th July 1965 (reference RAAF PR/S/3907/65.) It is headed "Statement by the Honourable Peter Howson, MP, Minister for Air. RAAF report on sighting of flying object."

"The RAAF today released the following information on the reported sighting of a flying object in the Canberra area on 15th July last.

" The sighting was made by a number of people, including Department of Civil Aviation officials, who were on duty at RAAF base, Fairbairn.

"The RAAF said that while the sighting could not positively be identified, its investigation believed there were several possible explanations.

" Firstly, the sighting could have been cause by the non-persistent condensation trail of a high-flying jet aircraft.

" Alternatively, the sighting could have been caused by the planet Venus which is clearly visible during the day under some conditions and whose position approximated the direction of the sighting at the time.

" A third possible explanation offered was that the sighting could have been caused by a high altitude radar reflector meteorological balloon used in wind forecasting and prediction.

" These balloons which are hydrogen filled, are sent to a high altitude and are clearly visible from long distances due to the reflecting sunlight.

" Furthermore due to the varying moisture content in the air close to the ground, they often appear very furry, or have 'halo-like' appearance giving a very distorted effect. They may also change colour. These balloons are in use by the meteorological authorities in the general area and a number are periodically released from Wagga NSW. On occasions under the influence of strong winds, they have been known to travel considerable distances.

"The visibility at the time of the reported sighting was extremely clear, no cloud, and the fact that the phenomenon suddenly disappeared, could be explained by the fact that these meteorological balloons normally burst at varying altitudes.

" The RAAF said that as announced previously the service received a considerable number of reports of unidentified objects from all sections of the community and all these reports are investigated.

" On many occasions they have turned out to be weather balloons, high-flying aircraft, satellites, stars and meteors to mention a few, and over the last few years, only three or four percent of sightings could not be satisfactorily explained."

My comments:

Given that on the 16 Jul 1965 the RAAF was positive the cause was Venus, and that by the 30 Jul 1965 it had backed off this explanation to offer two others, seems to me to imply that some pressure was brought to bear for the RAAF to conduct a deeper investigation than the 16 Jul documents suggests had previously occurred.

I have not been able to locate other documents (other than the ones cited above and in my previous post) on this event. There are certainly no statements by DCA and RAAF staff that I have come across.

Have any readers uncovered any other material on this event?

Britain's X-files

2011-12-10T10:25:00.001+10:30

Dear readers

A refreshing cool change swept through Adelaide overnight, after a few days of warmer weather.

The subject of today's post, comes from issue 280, November 2011 of the English Fortean Times magazine.

In an article about the latest release of UK Ministry of Defence UFO files, containing 8600 pages, David Clarke takes a look at some of the contents which interested him.

DI55:

In a document dated July 1995, and written by a desk officer of the Ministry's scientific intelligence area, Clarke writes:

"In what I believe to be the most important revelation so far, an intelligence officer reveals that '...lack of funding and higher priorities' had prevented any detailed study of the thousands of reports they had received since the end of world war II." This was just one year before the Ministry conducted Project Condign (click here for details.)

RAAF Lakenheath:

"...it is worth noting that the new files contain details of a more recent incident involving RAAF Lakenheath that occurred in January 2007. In this case an unusual object was detected by the pilot of a USAF F-15 on his airborne radar during a routine exercise...When the captain of the F-15 took a closer look he found the "UFO" was actually the size of a soccer ball and was drifting in the wind at between 17-18,000 feet..." For a look at details known prior to the release of these new files click here.

Balloons:

"Balloons were also responsible for a type of UFO sighting that spread like a virus across the British isles from the summer of 2006. These are the ubiquitous orange lights in the sky that drift slowly across the night sky in formation that resembles fleets of flying saucers... Chinese lanterns..."

Comments:

The continuing release of thousands of papers from the UK's UFO files, reveals more about the background interest of intelligence agencies, in the UFO phenomenon. The official line is that intelligence areas of the British Ministry of Defence; the Australian Department of Defence and the New Zealand state in summary that some UFOs are not explainable in conventional terms; that they are scientifically interesting but are of no defence threat. See a previous post on just this topic (click here.)

For more material by David Clarke on these files, click here.

Cold case - Minderoo Station - 25 Oct 1910

2011-12-09T14:26:00.001+10:30

Hi all

One of the long term research projects I am undertaking, is looking for pre-1947 Australian accounts which are suggestive of the UFO phenomenon. I have reported on a number of these pre-1947 cases in previous posts on this blog, e.g. click here.

One of the pre-1947 Australian events which is frequently cited in the UFO literature is said to have occurred on 25 October 1909 at Minderoo Station, near Onslow, Western Australia (Chalker, Bill. "The Oz Files." 1996. Duffy & Snellgrove. Potts Point. NSW. p.32; or http://www.rense.com/ufo5/histoz.htm citing the source as Robin Northover.

1909 may be the incorrect year:

While looking through digitised newspapers in the National Library of Australia, I came across about a dozen papers (e.g. Barrier Miner (Broken Hill) 7 December 1910 p.7; Sunday Times, Perth, 4 December 1910 p.1; The Western Australian, Perth, 5 December 1910 p.5.) which carried stories about this sighting. It therefore appears that the actual date of the event was 25 October 1910, not 1909 as previously believed.

I quote from the Barrier Miner (Broken Hill). The witness is given as a Mrs A J Roe, of Minderoo Station, 22 miles out of Onslow, Western Australia (1386 kms north of Perth, the capital of Western Australia) who gave the following statement.

"'At 5.30pm on October 25, when at the Minderoo homestead, my attention was directed by a native to a big object in the air several miles away. The object was travelling from us in an easterly direction. It looked compact like a dirigible balloon, but appeared to be square, more like an aeroplane. The sun shone on it, and flashes came from it as though reflected from something revolving, or off metal work. The color of the object was dark brown or black. It was too far away to distinguish its exact nature and size, or whether any persons were in it. There was no mirage at the time and not on any account could such an object be taken for a bird.' Mrs Roe stated that she is positive it was an airship of some kind...A couple of white men, station hands, and a civilised native, also saw the aerial object from the shearing shed, which is a mile from the homestead."

My comments:

1. Is the sighting reliable? The West Australian newspaper dated 5 December 1910 p.5 states that Mrs Roe was interviewed (on November 12) by the Sub-Collector of Customs from Onslow, a Mr Timperly. He forwarded the report (on Novermber 16) to the Minister for customs, a Mr Tudor, who is said to be forwarding the report to the Minister of Defence. Mr Timperly believed the sighting to have been authentic.

2. Mr Timperly, according to the West Australian, thought the object was "an airship." Possibly a WA inventor or a foreign vessel. However, the West Australian reported that "No information has reached that department of any Australian invention being sufficiently complete to accomplish such a flight as is described."

3. A check with two sky charts reveals that the Sun was up, elevation 12 deg and azimuth (Nth =0) 261 deg (slightly south of West). The Moon had set. There was nothing unusual in the eastern sky.

4. Regarding weather details. I obtained this from the West Australian dated 26 and 27th October 1910. For Onslow - maximum temperature 95 deg F; minimum temperature 70 deg F; barometer 29.7 ins; wind from the WNW, moderate. If the wind was from the WNW then any windborne object would have been travelling to the ESE. Note that the Minderoo object was indeed "travelling from us in an easterly direction."

5. Can we say exactly what the object was based on the above data? I believe not.

Over to readers for comments.

Unidentified submarine objects

2011-12-08T20:52:00.001+10:30

Dear readers

Another item from the November issue (issue 280) of the Fortean Times magazine, pages 18 and 19. This may, or may not, relate to the UFO phenomenon, depending on your point of view.

The article starts off by noting that "There were more than 4,000 reported detections of foreign submarines in Swedish waters in 1982-1992..." The article goes on to note that "There was a great USO (unidentified submarine objects) 'flap' in 1983 and Swedish ships regularly dropped depth charges into Baltic waters..."

"Some regard the USOs as extraterrestrial; perhaps travellers from a watery planet were exploring the seabed for intelligent life..."

Mostly though it was human submarines, from the former USSR though "A number of the intrusions into Swedish waters in the 1980s were allegedly carried out by the US and the UK, partly to train submarine crews, partly to keep Swedish defence forces on their toes, and partly as a psychological operation."

Comments:

Sightings continue right up to 2011, e.g. (click here.)

For an indepth look at USOs in Norwegian and Swedish waters click here.

Meteotsunamis and UFOs

2011-12-06T10:13:00.001+10:30

Dear readers

Greetings from Adelaide, South Australia, where our summer is starting off slowly. Only 30 degrees C today, lovely blue skies and cool nights. Great for star gazing. Venus and Jupiter are very prominent in our night skies at the moment, and the summer constellation of Orion is rising in the early evenings to the north-east.

The subject of today's post is meteotsunamis (click here) and their possible relationship to UFOs. I must say that I hadn't heard of meteotsunamis before I read the article by English ufologist Jenny Randles in issue number 280, November 2011, of the Fortean Times magazine (pages 30-31.)

These are unusual waves which appear to be generated by "...pressure changes in the ocean surface from a passing weather front" (p.30.) The waves so generated can be up to 6m high.

Jenny notes that "...close observers in southern Cornwall felt sudden pressure changes and their hair stand on end as the waves arrived." (click here.) She then re-examines a number of unusual incidents in the light of this new knowledge. There was the SS Mohican (click here) which in July 1904 off the eastern coast of the USA encountered a strange grey mist, static electricity, and an unusual calmness and silence.

Cases:

Jenny poses a question " ... whether similar effects might occur inland as well as out to sea, with recognisably similar consequences -mistakenly assumed to be UFOs." Jenny cites the following cases in support of her hypothesis:

1. Nov 1953 Lake Gjersjoen, Norway (click here)
Car surrounded by green mist. Man's body tingles. Watch magnetised. All rust on car removed.

2. 24 Feb 1975 Sizewell, Suffolk (click here)
Green/yellow mass floated on to sand. Man's skin tingled. Air ionised. Locals report static on TV.

3. 26 Sep 1973 Minehead, Somerset
Woman sees misty shape. her skin prickled. Hair stood on end. Floating mass. buzzing/humming sound.

4. 1966 Kent.
Misty shape floated towards witness over a river. Abnormally quiet. Numbness. heavy feeling.

Jenny writes: "With so many cases where witnesses have tried to describe unusual physical sensations experienced while seeing what is tacitly assumed to be a UFO, I tend to suspect that an atmospheric event of some kind might unify these disparate stories."

"We may face a wider phenomenon in which frontal systems under certain conditions can not hist trigger unusual surge waves in the ocean (or rivers or lakes) but UFO encounters that are interpreted in the guise of our modern space mythology."

Comments:

As always, Jenny is on the look out for novel interpretations of the data. I love her thinking patterns and the fact that she has a great knowledge of English UFO reports and merges them into big, broad hypotheses.

Have any readers come across hypotheses suggesting weather frontal systems may generate some UFO reports?

When did the UK government become interested in flying saucers?

2011-12-05T10:25:00.001+10:30

Hi all

In a previous post (28 November) I mentioned that it appeared that the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Director of Air Force Intelligence's files on flying saucers, began in 1950, three years after the modern birth of the subject.

I wondered when official interest in the subject, commenced in the United Kingdom? To answer this question I turned to David Clarke's excellent work "The UFO files." 2009. The National Archives. Kew, Surrey. ISBN 978-1-905615-506. Clarke worked with the National Archives and has an encyclopedic knowledge of the UK government's UFO files. On page 40 of this book I found:

"Flying Saucers were regarded as largely an American phenomenon until 1950, when British newspapers began to take an interest in the growing mystery." Clarke goes on to mention books on flying saucers by Keyhoe. "His books and those of others who followed led a number of senior figures in the British military establishment to treat the subject seriously for the first time." (Clarke p.41.)

Among those interested was Sir Henry Tizard who became Chief Scientific Advisor to the ministry of Defence. "It was as a direct result of his influence that the British government was persuaded to set up a small working party to investigate the mystery, reporting to the directorate of Scientific Intelligence/Joint Technical Intelligence Committee (DSI/JTIC) part of the Ministry of defence." (p.41.) in August 1950.

So, it would appear that both the UK and Australian government's "official" interest in flying saucers, started in 1950.

When did the RAAF start investigating 'flying saucers'?

2011-11-28T14:06:00.001+10:30

Hi all

You could be forgiven for thinking that to answer this question, all you would have to do would be to look at the official Australian government UFO files and find the date of the earliest material.

The two earliest files related to 'flying saucers' as UFOs were called, in those days, discovered by the Disclosure Australia Project were:

(1) File series B5758 control symbol 5/6/Air Part 1 - dated from 21 Aug 1950. RAAF HQ Training Command.
(2) File series PP474/1 control symbol 5/5/Air - dated 29 Oct 1951. RAAF base Pearce, Western Australia.

So, we know that the RAAF had begun collecting material on 'flying saucers' at least from 21 Aug 1950.

In addition, in 1954 when he was preparing a report on flying saucers for the RAAF, Melbourne University physicist, Harry Turner (file series A703 control symbol 554/1/30 part 1) was given two files belonging to the Director of Air Force Intelligence. The date of the earliest report mentioned in Turner's report was from 1950.

It therefore came as a surprise when looking through digitised newspapers in the Trove collection of the National Library of Australia to come across the following:

"Melbourne - The RAAF has been investigating flying saucer reports since 1947, a high ranking officer revealed..." (Barries Miner (Broken Hill) Saturday 9 January 1954 page 5.)

" In Melbourne yesterday, a high ranking RAAF officer said that he personally believed 'objects seen in the sky over Melbourne have an interplanetary source.' The officer revealed that the RAAF had been thoroughly investigating flying saucer reports since 1947." (The Argus, Melbourne, Saturday 9 January 1954 page 5.)

So, did the RAAF commence investigating flying saucer reports as early as 1947, as the newspaper articles state? All we can say for certain is that none of the thousands of pages of RAAF or other government agency flying saucer/UFO files, supports a 1947 start date. That is not to say that the newspaper articles are incorrect, merely that the date of 1947 cannot be independently corroborated.

The Men in Black

2011-11-27T16:23:00.001+10:30

Dear readers

A beautiful spring day here in Adelaide. Blues skies and mid 20's C.

I always look forward to reading a new book by Nick Redfern. I thoroughly enjoyed his work "Contactees" and recently reviewed "The NASA conspiracies." Part of the pleasure comes from his use of Freedom of Information requests to uncover delicious titbits of information that no one else has found.

Another 2011 new book by Nick is titled "The Real Men in Black-Evidence, famous cases and True Stories of these Mysterious Men and their Connection to UFO phenomena." Published by New Page Books. Pompton Plains, NJ. ISBN 978-1-60163-157-2.

The book is divided into two parts; case files, and various theories about the MIB.

Case files:

I was aware that the concept of the MIB started with a man named Albert Bender, but Redfern's chapter on Bender revealed much of which I wasn't aware. As Redfern states, "It was Bender, in fact, who almost singlehandely ushered in the plague of the Men in Black..." (p.23.)

I didn't for example know that Bender's paranormal interests started with the 5 December 1945 vanishing aircraft squadron of flight 19. Nor was I aware of his obsessive-compulsive-disorder symptoms. Redfern paints a detailed picture of Bender's UFO life, which came to an end in 1953 following a visit by three men in dark clothes. He closed his International Flying Saucer Bureau.

Another player, Gray Barker, in his 1956 book "They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers" indicated that Bender's visitations were actually from FBI agents. Redfern discusses this possibility, then notes that "The FBI subsequently noted that its files contained 'no information pertaining to the hush-up of Bender.' (FBI 1958.) This official, internal statement specifically denying any FBI involvement in the silencing of Bender strongly seems to imply that whoever Bender's mysterious visitors were back in 1953, they were not agents of the FBI..." (p.45.)

From here, we encounter Brad Steiger; Tim Beckley; John Keel and their accounts of UFOs, poltergeist activity and MIB tales.

Redfern traces MIB accounts through the 1970's where we read of a former FBI employee, who after a UFO sighting, was warned "You will stop investigating flying saucers." (p.73.) The classic MIB visit in 1976 to Dr Herbert Hopkins is related in detail.

Into the 1980's we hear of Colin Bennett's observation of a green light which transformed into a stationary Lancaster bomber then into a triangular shaped object. This bizarre sighting was followed by a visit from a man in a "Smartly cut jet-black suit with neat black tie and white shirt." (p.98.)

What I didn't realise was that MIB accounts continued through the 90's an 00's. Redfern outlines MIB like reports from researchers Peter Hough and Irene Bott of the UK; author Marie Jones in the USA, and Oregon based researchers Regan Lee.

Chapter 12 "Women in Black" reveals that there are a few accounts around of visits by females. In this case, not in the field of UFOs, but legends involving King Arthur. The woman who arrived at a researcher's house knew many details of his research, although he had actually kept most of his research to himself.

The theories:

What are we to make with the MIB? Surprisingly, there are far more ideas about their origins than I ever knew. In part two of the book, Redfern covers the possibilities of hallucinations, hoaxes, Tulpas and vampires, tricksters, civilian investigators, G-men, time travellers, and demons and the occult. Quite a roundup of possibilities.

In the G-men chapter we learn that a 1960 Grand Blanc, Michigan incident involving "...two mysterious, dark-suited men..." (p.197) turned out, thanks to access to declassified FBI files, to really have been a visit by FBI agents. In the UK, declassified files revealed a 1962 visitor was an employee of the "British Royal Air Force's elite Provost and Security Services." (p.206.)

Conclusion:

In his concluding chapter, after acknowledging the existence of mistaken identities and hoaxes, Redfern writes;

"But for the most part, when it comes to the Men in Black we are dealing with phenomena that are far, far stranger and much more terrifying than any government agent come to silence witnesses." (p.235.)

"As we have seen, there may well be several points of origin for the Men in Black. Some MIB, such as those experienced by Albert Bender, may have been borne out of nothing stranger than repeated misfirings of the man's brain...But out of the sheer potency of this MIB imagery a horrific birth was given to Tulpas of three shadowy men...(p.236.)

Redfern then suggests that "...it seems safe to conclude that their link with the occult is also a valid area of research." (p.236.)

Finally, that "...some of the Men in Black may originate from a point far in our own future..." (p236.)

Redfern concludes his work with a warning. "If you decide to pursue the MIB and you one day receive that dreaded slow knocking on your front door...let it remain firmly locked and unopened..." (p.237.)

"The NASA conspiracies"

2011-11-20T12:07:00.001+10:30

Dear readers

My local library has quite a good range of books on the UFO phenomenon. A recent addition is Nick Redfern's "The NASA conspiracies." The Career Press. 2011. Pompton Plains, NJ. ISBN 978-1-60163-67949.

Astronauts:

Redfern initially takes a look at the views held by a number of US astronauts, e.g. Gordon Cooper. "...Cooper claimed profound UFO encounters of his own, expressed a solid acceptance that aliens from outside of our solar system were among us, and even delivered noteworthy statements on the UFO controversy to prime and influential movers..." (p.22.)

Kecksburg:

One suggested explanation for the 1965 "crash" near Kecksburg, Pennsylvania was satellite debris. NASA released Kecksburg-based material in 2003. This was followed, in 2007, by legal action against NASA looking for all records they held on Kecksburg. However, the result was "NASA's curiously absent documentation on Kecksburg." (p.41.) The parallels with the total absence of official documentation on the Australian 1966 Westall case are obvious.

Area 51:

Chapter 5 relates the account of an alleged ex US intelligence contract worker, given the name "John," who claimed to have worked at Area 51. John is said to have been "...given an initial briefing by three men, all displaying official NASA credentials." (p.60.) His role was to maintain historical UFO files, which, of course, he read.

Later chapters:

Then follows chapters which concern "...research into specific rumours that NASA had undertaken classified research into potentially lethal alien viruses" (chapter 6); "Firm evidence of the fact that NASA personnel during the early to mid 1970's, were deeply interested in seemingly bona fide UFO encounters" (chapter 7); and the fact that NASA was the recipient of US State Department telegrams on an object which 'landed' in Bolivia (chapter 10.)

Further chapters relate to "...a woman named Sharon, who presently works in a secretarial position at NASA's Kennedy Space Center" and who "...claimed multiple encounters with the Grays (chapter 12); "...a number of official reports that NASA has on file, which relate directly to the UFO controversy tell startling and illuminating stories - particularly those that occurred in the mid to late 1980's and mid 1990's. (chapter 14.) Edgar Mitchell's view "...that the evidence for alien contacts was without doubt overwhelming." (chapter 15.)

Finally, the account of British hacker Gary McKinnon's foray into a NASA "...top-secret space based program in place about which the public and the media know absolutely nothing at all." (chapter 17.)

Conclusions:

Redfern's conclusions include an acceptance that the Apollo moon landings "...did go ahead just as NASA has always claimed." (p.203._

"On certain other out-of-this-world controversies however NASA might not be so in the clear as it would undoubtedly prefer to be: the Kecksburg, Pennsylvania affair of 1965, the Bolivian event of 1978, the Roswell-connected words of Apollo astronaut Dr Edgar Mitchell, the issue of lethal alien viruses, and the strange saga of NASA and the chupacabra, some would argue are all prime evidence that NASA may know far more about UFOs and extraterrestrial activity than it cares to publicly admit." (pp203-204.

Comments:

While I suspect that some of the accounts advanced by some of Redfern's informants, do not hold water; I do like the fact that a lot of his documentation is sourced to files located under FOI.

Who were the "security police" who investigated early Australia flying saucer reports?

2011-11-19T14:03:00.001+10:30

Hi all

During the early days of investigations into "flying saucer" reports within Australia, one of the puzzling activities of the authorities of the day, was reported in The Melbourne Argus newspaper dated 6 May 1952. An article, in part, read:

"A Security Police spokesman said they were investigating certain reports. A Civil Aviation Department request to set-up a special section to collate facts on 'flying saucers' was refused. Mr R M Seymour, Superintendent of Air Traffic Control said yesterday that he had been told: "It is a matter for the Security Police."

The Barrier Miner newspaper, of Broken Hill, dated 6 May 1952, advised "Melbourne- Commonwealth Defence and Security Officers will investigate reports of flying saucers over South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. They are making a file of newspaper reports and when it is complete they may interview some of the eye-witnesses."

The Cairns Post newspaper of 6 May 1952, provided a date for these reports, speaking of them being at the weekend, i.e. Saturday 3 May and Sunday 4 May.

Disclosure Australia:

At the time of the Disclosure Australia Project, it was unclear just what these reports from the three states were. However, now with the digitising of newspapers by the National Library of Australia, it is possible to deduce just what these reports were.

3 May 1952

1. Sydney, NSW - 23 people reported an object at about 6am. "It appeared to have no wings, was cigar shaped, many times the size of an aeroplane, and had two sets of very bright lights at each end." It flew into clouds and disappeared. (The Argus Melbourne. 5 May 1952 page1.)

2. Sydney, NSW - A silent, cigar shaped object, with lights on, travelling very fast was reported by multiple people between 6 and 6.17am. (The Sunday-Herald 4 May 1952 p1.)

3. Sydney, NSW - At about 6am, eleven people saw a cigar shaped object, much larger than an aircraft leaving a blue trail. (The Canberra Times 5 May 19521.)

4. Parkes, NSW - A white object, flat at one end and pointed at the other flew over at 6am. It was silent, and seen for two minutes. It disappeared into clouds. (The Sydney Herald 4 May 1952 p1.)

5. Berowa, NSW - An object was seen at 6.17am travelling due south at a high speed. It was well lit and sparks were seen at its rear. (The Sunday Herald 4 May 1952 p1.)

6. Benalla, Victoria - At 3am two people reported an object which had rows of lights on each side, travelling at high speed. (The Canberra Times 5 May 1952 p1.)

4 May 1952

1. Nowra, NSW - A bright glittering object shaped like a cigar was reported by a motor cyclist. (The Canberra Times 5 May 1952 p1.)

2. Canberra, ACT - The Chief Assistant Astronomer "sighted a bright meteor with a persistent trail at 5.15am. (The Adelaide Advertiser 6 May 1952 p3.)

3. Adelaide, South Australia- An engineering student saw "a small dead-white disc over the city at 12.16pm. It quickly went southwards. (The Argus Melbourne 5 May 1962 p3.)

Now we have dates for the reports, did any of the Australian government UFO files located and examined by the Disclosure Australia Project relate to the events of this weekend, and could they throw some light on who the security police were?

One file did. File series A11066, control symbol 5/1/27 part b, is a file titled "Eastern Area Headquarters Intelligence Report on Unusual Sightings 3/5/1952."

The file consists of 17 pages. There are numerous newspaper clippings of sightings for that date. However, the main item on the file is a report of interviews conducted by Flt Area Intelligence Officers and Squadron Assistant Provost Marshalls. The conclusion of the report was that the 6am silent fast cigar was a meteor.

It would therefore appear that the 'security police' mentioned in the newspaper reports were in fact from the RAAF's own internal police force, being Provost Marshall staff, and that the "Commonwealth Defence" officers were RAAF Area Intelligence Officers.

Review panel on physical evidence

2011-11-14T18:41:00.001+10:30

Dear readers

In a previous post (click here) ) I wrote of Wendt and Duvall's thoughts on a systematic science of UFOs. One of the three things they thought such a science needed was a focus on collecting objective physical evidence.

I am currently re-reading "A Tale of Two Sciences: Memoirs of a Dissident Scientist" by Peter A Sturrock (click here). (2009. Exoscience. Palo Alto, CA. ISBN 978-0-9842-6140-6.

On page 115 Sturrock writes that in 1996 he was asked to meet with a group led by Laurance S Rockefeller. "It was and is my position that we will make little progress until we can get the attention and interest of the scientific community and that, in order to get that attention, it will be necessary (but not sufficient) to demonstrate the existence of physical evidence. Hence, my proposal was for a review of such evidence."

Sturrock therefore organised a review panel approach which took place at the Pocantico conference centre in New York. A group of UFO researchers presented "...evidence on physical properties and effects related to UFO events..." to a group of scientists "...with the relevant expertise for assessing this information." (p.116.)

"The charge of the panel would be simply to determine whether further investigation of such physical evidence would be likely to lead to improved understanding of the UFO problem." (p.116.)

The review:

What types of physical evidence were reviewed? Richard Haines looked at photographic; Jacques Vallee covered both optical luminosity and physical traces.; while Jean-Jacques Velasco (GEPAN/SEPRA) covered ground traces; and Illobrand Von Ludwiger, radar cases. Mark Rodeghier examined electromagnetic effects; Richard Haines also tackled pilot observations. Michael Swords presented reports apparently broaching our understanding of gravity and inertia. Finally, John F Schuessler detailed physiological effects on witnesses.

Outcomes:

Sturrock writes "The panel considered that a few reported incidents might have involved rare but significant phenomena such as electrical activity high above thunderstorms (eg sprites) or rare cases of radar ducting, and that a few cases might have their origins in secret military activities, but the panel was not convinced that any of the evidence involved currently unknown physical processes or pointed to the involvement of extraterrestrial intelligence." (p.135.)

However, they also stated "It may therefore be valuable to carefully evaluate UFO reports to extract information about unusual phenomena currently unknown to science. However, to be credible to the scientific community, such evaluations must take place with a spirit of objectivity and a willingness to evaluate rival hypotheses." (pp135-136.)

Like Wendt and Duvall, the panel suggested an emphasis on examining new cases, rather than older cases, in order to gather new data. (p.136.)

It also noted that "The GEPAN/SEPRA project...[has] provided a valuable model for a modest, but effective organisation for collecting and analyzing UFO observations and related data." (p.137.)

In summary, the panel "...did present...the view that further investigation of physical evidence would be likely to lead to improved understanding of the UFO problem." (p.138.)

Comments:

It has now been 14 years since he review panel. Richard Haines, in the interim went on to create Narcap ( click here) to focus on aviation related UAP reports. Mark Rodeghier continues to lead CUFOS (click here) . GEPAN/SEPRA made its UFO database publicly available. Jacques Vallee has continued to contribute important work. However, despite all this, science as a whole has continued to ignore the UFO phenomenon. Perhaps one exception has been in the area of abduction reports, where a number of academic articles have been published. Sturrock and others founded the Society for Scientific Exploration (click here) in 1981, which continues today.

A couple of questions arise in my mind.

Wendt and Duvall thought that looking at individual case studies was not particularly useful, especially older cases. The review panel also emphasised examining new cases. I know that my co-blogger, Keith Basterfield, is of the view that re-examining old cases is useful, particularly if a diligent review adds new data, which can either strengthen or weaken a particular view as to the cause of that case. So, my first question to readers, is "Are individual case studies of value?"

My other question concerns methodology. Wendt and Duvall suggest looking for patterns in large number of reports. However, if you do not examine individual cases to decide if they are IFO or UFO, is there any meaning in the patterns you would detect in large volumes of cases?

"Destroyed" Frederick Valentich file turns up in National Archives

2011-10-28T21:12:00.001+10:30

Hi all

In 2004, in response to a Freedom of Information request which I submitted to the federal government Department of Transport, I was advised that the air safety investigation report on Frederick Valentich had been destroyed.

In fact, it is actually in the National Archives of Australia. For details see http://anomalies-australiancomments.blogspot.com/2011/10/destroyed-frederick-valentich-file.html

Does the multiverse really exist?

2011-10-27T14:49:00.001+10:30

Dear readers,

I have mentioned in previous posts, that some UFO researchers suggest that the origins of the UFO phenomenon lie in the concept of a 'multiverse.' This is the idea that there is more than one universe in existence.

I came across an article by George F R Ellis in the August 2011 issue of Scientific American (pages 18-23), put it aside to read later, and have only just come across it again.

Ellis argues that there are in fact two types of multiverse being discussed, which he calls level 1 and level 2.

Level 1. "The most straightforward assumption is that our volume of space is a representative sample of the whole. Distant alien beings see different volumes, but all of these look basically alike, apart from random variations in the distribution of matter. Together, these regions, seen and unseen, form the basic type of multiverse."

Level 2. "Many cosmologists go further and speculate that, sufficiently far away, things look quite different from what we see. Our environs may be one of many bubbles floating in an otherwise empty background. The laws of physics would differ from bubble to bubble leading to an almost inconceivable variety of outcomes. These other bubbles may be impossible to observe even in principle. The author and other sceptics feel dubious about this type of multiverse."

Ellis provides examples of a range of multiverse thinking.

1. "They may be sitting in regions of space far beyond our own." (Guth, Linde and others.) The chaotic inflation model.

2. "They might exist at different epochs of time." (Steinhardt and Turok.)

3. "They might exist in the same space as we do but in a different branch of the quantum wave function." (Deutsch.)

4. "They might not have a location, being completely disconnected from our spacetime." (Tegmark and Sciama.)

"For a cosmologist, the basic problems with all multiverse proposals is the presence of a cosmic visual horizon. The horizon is the limit to how far away we can see, because signals travelling toward us at the speed of light (which is finite) have not had time since the beginning of the universe to reach us from further out."

"All the parallel universes lie outside our horizon and remain beyond our capacity to see...That is why none of the claims made by multiverse enthusiasts can be directly substantiated."

Ellis concludes that "All in all, the case for the multiverse is inconclusive. The basic reason is the extreme flexibility of the proposal..."

"As skeptical as I am, I think the contemplation of the multiverse is an excellent opportunity to reflect on the nature of science and on the ultimate nature of existence: why we are here."

"A systematic science of UFOs"

2011-10-27T14:28:00.001+10:30

Dear readers

A delightful Spring day in Adelaide today, mild temperatures and blue skies.

Following my recent post asking if the study of UFOs was a pseudoscience, I was re-reading part of Leslie Kean's book "UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go on the Record." (Harmony Books. New York. 2010. ISBN 978-0-307-71684-2.)

Chapter 27 is titled "Militant Agnosticism and the UFO Taboo" written by Dr Alexander Wendt and Dr Raymond Duvall. In this chapter, among other things, they discuss, the need for a 'systematic science of UFOs' )p.280.)

"To go beyond the minimal scientific research that has already been done and make new breakthroughs, such a science will have to do three things.

"First, it will need to focus on aggregate patterns rather than individual cases. Given our inability to manipulate or predict UFO phenomena, there are inherent limits to what case studies can show.

"Second, a science of UFOs will need to focus on finding new reports rather than analyzing old ones. This is because existing high-quality reports are relatively few in number and were collected by accident and through a variety of means, making it almost impossible to find patterns.

"Finally, a science will need to focus on collecting objective, physical evidence rather than subjective eyewitness accounts, for only the former will convince the authorities that UFOs 'exist'..."

Wendt and Duvall go on to say "Any serious attempt to satisfy these requirements will require considerable technological infrastructure...and large amounts of money." (p.281.)

Kean herself argues for the need for a new US government agency to study UFOs. "With the launching of a new US government agency and the liberation of new resources, science could talk to its rightful place in the study of UFOs by claiming the subject as its own and beginning a new inquiry." (p.285.)

Comments:

Given the experiences of non-US government agencies which have studied the UFO phenomenon, Kean's argument for a new US UFO agency seems to me to be naive. Despite the vast numbers who debate the UFO topic on the Internet, many within the US, there has been no sign to date of significant political will from any US source, to study UFOs. No political will, equates to no state funding of any proposed US UFO agency.

My own view, based on my reading of various material, is that funding for a new US government UFO agency will not be forthcoming.

Anomalous sea sighting - Jenny Randles

2011-10-17T10:51:00.001+10:30

Jenny Randles' "UFO Casebook" column in issue 278, September 2011, of the Fortean Times magazine (p.29) looks at a report coming from a commercial vessel off the west coast of Scotland.

On 22 October 2010 at 1945hrs two crew members noted an object "...over the water, glowing bright but moving in an extraordinary manner - diagonally to them at speed...Its speed was equal to the fastest aeroplane but more maneuverable than a helicopter. In total it was "...present for about ten minutes before vanishing."

In looking first for a conventional explanation to account for the sighting, Jenny found that a Royal Navy submarine HMS Astute was stranded on shingle banks off the West coast of Scotland at the time of the UFO sighting. "The sub had secret stealth technology aboard which was under sea trail." "Any surveillance craft - either from our own military or from some foreign power - would have had good reason to be crossing this part of the ocean heading for the location of the stricken sub."

What is pseudoscience?

2011-10-17T10:43:00.000+10:30

Science as a whole, often states that UFOlogy is a "pseudoscience."

An article in the September 2011 issue of Scientific American (Volume 305 number 3 p.77) about this topic, caught my eye. Written by Michael Shermer (click here) , it looks at the question of pseudoscience. It opens with "Climate deniers are accused of practicing pseudoscience, as are intelligent design creationists, astrologers, UFOlogists..."

Shermer notes that in Massimo Pigliucci's (click here) 2010 book 'Nonsense on stilts' (click here) he writes "...the boundaries separating science, nonscience and pseudoscience are much fuzzier and more permeable than Popper (or, for that matter, most scientists) would have us believe." Popper (click here) famously declared 'falsifiability' as the ultimate criterion of demarcation."

"The problem is that many sciences are nonfalsifible such as...the extraterrestrial hypothesis (click here) On the last short of searching every planet around every star in every galaxy int he cosmos, can we ever say with certainty that ET's do not exist?"

"Sherman suggests a new test? "...does the revolutionary new idea generate any interest on the part of working scientists for adoption in their research programs, produce any new idea of research, lead to any new discoveries, or influence any existing hypotheses, models, paradigms or worldviews. If not, chances are its a pseudoscience."

Do reader's think that UFOlogy is a pseudoscience?

Faster than light?

2011-10-17T10:25:00.002+10:30

Dear readers

A delightful spring day in Adelaide. Down to 8 degrees C overnight, and a lovely forecast maximum of 23 degrees today, with blue skies and fluffy cumulus clouds.

Today's post is about the possibility that we have discovered something which travels faster than light (click here for information on the speed of light.)

With UFO skeptics pointing out that it is impossible for a physical object to travel faster than the speed of light, the latest science news about possible faster than light neutrinos is intriguing.

"On 23 September, physicists with the OPERA (click here) experiment in Italy said they had caught neutrinos arriving from the CERN (click here) particle physics lab in Switzerland 60 nanoseconds sooner than light. That seemed to violate Einstein's theory of special relativity." (New Scientists no 2833 8 Oct 2011 p.10.)

The article continues by noting that numerous papers have been submitted "...suggesting numerous ways to account for the extraordinary claim...As well as several proposing short cuts through extra dimensions, explanations include neutrinos that move faster through the earth than through space, the notion that neutrinos might slice through dark matter while photons of light are slowed by the interaction, and the idea that a neutrino's speed depends on its direction and the time of day.

All in all, a fascinating possibility, which time will elaborate upon.

Cold case investigation - further comments on the 10 January 1954 Morgan event

2011-10-11T15:14:00.001+10:30

Hi

For some reason all my comments failed to be published in my last post on the 10 January 1954 event. Here are a few more;

5. The Sun set to the WSW.

6. Unlike Zanthus, there was only one object reported.

7. Morgan is located some 150 kms NE of Adelaide.

8. The aircraft would have been heading roughly SW at the time.

9. As shown in The Advertiser date 11 January 1954, the weather details for the 10 January were:

There was a high pressure south of Adelaide at the time.
The Adelaide temperature readings for 10 January were a maximum of 73.6 F; minimum 57.5 F.
The Adelaide barometer readings were 30.14 inches at 3pm and 30.21 inches at 9pm on the 10th.
The Adelaide relative humidity readings were 38% at 3pm and 67% at 9pm. on the 10th.
It was stated that the state was rainless on the 10th.
Winds were light and from the South to South-east over the Morgan area on the 10th.

What do readers think about a possible mirage explanation for the observation?

Cold case investigation - 10 January 1954 - Morgan, South Australia

2011-10-11T14:27:00.002+10:30

Hi all

After studying the details of the Zanthus 1968 case and the 1954 BOAC case, I was pleasantly surprised to come across a local 1954 newspaper article, involving another aircraft, which seems to me, suggestive of a possible mirage explanation.

Plane crew sees sky object.

The article appeared in The Advertiser (Adelaide, South Australia) dated Monday 11 January 1954, on page 1. The headline was "Plane crew sees sky object." The text reads:

"The crew of an ANA airliner reported last night having seen what appeared to be a strange object in the sky about 15 miles north of Morgan.

Captain W Booth, pilot of a DC3 which left Broken Hill for Adelaide at 6.25pm, said the object appeared on and off for about six minutes.

His co-pilot, First Officer Furness said the object seemed to move back and forth across their line of flight as though circling, but they could not catch up with it.

Both the men said the object must have been an optical illusion but could not explain how it occurred.

Capt. Booth said he probably would not have noticed the object at all had he not been watching out for a north-bound plane which was due to pass at 7.40pm.

At exactly that time he saw an object which he first thought was the other aircraft, but as it appeared to manoeuvre he thought it might be an RAAF plane.

The Sun had just set and the object which was practically dead ahead of the DC3 appeared to move quite fast from side to side and slightly from east to west.

Capt. Booth then learned from the Parafield control room that there were no other aircraft in the area and assumed that the sight was caused by refraction rays from the Sun.

After about six minutes it became too dark to see the object.

Capt. Booth said he had been flying for 14 years but had never seen a similar sight before.

First officer Furness said the object remained in view for about 10 minutes. It appeared to be circling slowly and resembled the silhouette of an aircraft at a distance of 40-50 miles.

"We sighted it at about 7.40pm 15 miles north of Morgan when we were flying at 8000 ft," he said.

:At first I thought it was another aircraft and wondered that it was flying at the same altitude as we were.

"We spoke to Parafield and were told that the nearest aircraft was a DC4 at Tailem Bend.

"I thought that it was an eagle flying unusually high, but we didn't seem to get any closer to it.

"It disappeared several times in the haze and cloud layer while it was circling."

First officer Furness said he felt the object must have been an optical illusion of some sort but he could not explain how it might have occurred."

My comments:

1. Interestingly, as with Zanthus, the Morgan observation was from an aircraft flying at 8000 feet altitude.

2. As with Zanthus, a check revealed there were no other aircraft in the area at the time.

3. As with Zanthus, the Sun had just set. A check with an astronomical software program confirmed this.

4. As with Zanthus, the object appeared to be at the same altitude as the aircraft,

Comments on the Zanthus case from Martin Shough

2011-09-30T21:33:00.001+09:30

Hi

A technical glitch somewhere along the line meant that two comments by Martin Shough didn't arrive at the Blog. I therefore reproduce them below, by re-typing from emails from Martin.

"Hello Keith

Thanks for posting this interesting follow-up. It's a pity that it was left to you to do this job now when ideally it would have been done 40 years ago, as you say.

If I could just comment on the comments:

Yes it would be very interesting to see radiosonde profiles for that day. I wish you luck in getting hold of them. Hopefully your request will focus if possible on balloon localities to the NW of the sighting area, in the sighting direction, which could be more significant than conditions in the immediate vicinity of the plane because the ray paths might be passing for long distances through an hypothetical optical duct extending over a wide area far from the plane.

Connected with that, I'd point out that the (equally hypothetical) target(s) of this mirage - silhouetted peaks, or clouds etc -might conceivably lie at a distance of hundreds of miles from the plane, so the topography and weather of the immediate Zanthus area is possibly not so relevant.

Note a point made in my report on the Captain Howard case (possibly notes 83, or thereby 11RC) - that the radio signal loss during the Zanthus sighting could be consistent with a strong temperature inversion causing an optical duct. In dry air such as might be the situation at altitude in reportedly very clear blue skies over a region like this, radio and optical ducting onset would be much closer in time than would typically be the case (radio wavelengths normally being affected disproportionately by the relative humidity.) It could happen that radio waves were being refracted and prevented from entering the optical duct. When the duct broke down, or the plane emerged from it, radio and optical propagation might return almost simultaneously to normal.

Re Captain Gardin's late recollections of details which indicate vertical angular displacements that seems to possibly conflict with a mirage explanation - the 45 degree final ascent, and merging of the satellite objects from underneath - I am reluctant to place as much weight on material information recalled 43 years later that was not mentioned at the time. Capt Smith's account (I agree with you) did give the impression - not explicitly, but by (I would say) conspicuous omission - that observed motions were confined to a horizontal plane.

It may not be irrelevant that these new details tend to increase the strangeness of the event. No doubt Gardin encountered attempts by various people to explain the sighting - possibly including mirage-type theories, of which the original story was at least somewhat suggestive, it would be natural to want to defend a contrary opinion in which the witness may have invested some public and personal capital over the years (as possibly also hinted at by the 'psychic' revelations.) A similar temptation appears to have influenced Captain Howard (BOAC case 1954) in similar circumstances a decade or more after the event, as proven by detailed documentary evidence in my report on that case.

In respect of memory, I note that Captain Gardin now recalls that "the Sun was above the horizon" and sky conditions in the sighting direction was "clear blue sky." However your own findings are as follows.

'A check of the astronomical sky using a software program indicated that at 0940 GMT (1740 local) the Sun had set and was about 4 degrees below the ground horizon, some 20 degrees to the right of the aircraft's track.'

I look forward to your further work on this interesting case. Perhaps contemporary evidence will emerge that convincingly disproves the mirage theory."

Second comment on the finding of a contemporary newspaper clipping.

"Thanks for sharing this discovery. As usual with newspaper reporters we have to be cautious about the account. It quotes Smith: "He said that a big white object had flown on a collision course with their Piper Navijo (sic) aircraft for 20 minutes" but if we are to credit Smith's own words in his own report of the RAAF file, this is utter garbage. The object(s) was/were not white, but dark grey or black. The objects were not at any time on a collision course, but on an apparent pacing course maintaining station. And the sighting lasted not 20 minutes, but 10 minutes. Not exactly ace journalism!"

Cold case - Canberra, Australia - 15 July 1965

2011-09-29T17:01:00.002+09:30

Some internet UFO sources carry an item about a sighting on 15 July 1965, at Canberra, Australia. These accounts usually mention a UFO was sighted from Canberra airport for some time, before mysteriously vanishing.

I recently looked through my Disclosure Australia project material to see what I could find on this case.

Firstly, I located a copy of the RAAF's summaries of aerial sightings, and for 1965 found an entry:

"15 Jul 65 White spherical object, Canberra, ACT (Possible cause) astronomical."

Then, on file series A703, control symbol 580/1/1 part 4 folio 83, there was a one page telex, dated 16 July 1965. The sender was Headquarters Operations Command. The recipient was the Department of Air. It read:

"Restricted. AI32/CINTELLO for DAFI. UFO sighting Canberra airport 15 Jul. This headquarters has concluded that object was planet Venus. No further action will be taken."

So, the RAAF's conclusion was that the observation was of the planet Venus.

I tried to find a detailed investigation report from a civilian UFO group about the case, but turned up nothing. Some UFO newsletters did mention the event but referenced a newspaper article in The Australian dated 16 July 1965. On a visit to the South Australian State Library, I found the article.

(Source: The Australian newspaper number 313 Friday 16 July 1965, page 16.)

"While Earth was looking at Mars, somebody from out there could have been looking at us.

"An unidentified flying object was sighted over Canberra airport yesterday morning. And that put it in a position to eavesdrop Tidbinbilla.

"It was described as a metallic silvery object, hovering in the sky to the north-east at an elevation of between 20 and 30 degrees.

"Air traffic control staff in the main control tower spotted the visitor about 11am.

"The officer-in-charge of Civil Aviation at the airport, Mr A B Lindeman saw it too.

"So did Flight-Lieutenant Weston, the RAAF base operations officer. But the first was an air-traffic controller Mr Tom Lindsey. He was scanning the sky to the north-east looking for a light aircraft due from Bankstown.

"Another controller, Mr A F Frodsham said it hung in the sky for about 40 minutes. He said it could have been a reflection from an aircraft. But there were no planes departing from Canberra at the time nor was there any record of other aircraft in the area.

"Mr Lindsey said there were definitely no civil aircraft in the area at the time. "I don't know what it was - your guess is as good as mine."

"Said Flight Lieutenant Weston "It's hard to say whether it was stationary. At one time it seemed to be approaching us but I'm not sure."

"He had never seriously thought about flying saucers before but he supposed they were possible. "There must be a reasonable explanation for it, but I wouldn't like to hazard a guess."

Mars paying a return visit perhaps."

The mention of Mars is in reference to Mariner 4's visit to the red planet. Tidbinbilla tracking station was the receiving point for the second picture to be beamed back from Mars.

My comments:

1. Based on the newspaper article the mystery object was located at about 20-30 degrees angular elevation in the north-eastern sky.

2. It was seen over a time span of 40 minutes.

3. It was reported as a "metallic silvery object."

4. It "hung" in the sky, and seemed to be stationary.

5. Could it have been the planet Venus? Venus is sometimes visible in broad daylight. I have seen it around noon in clear skies myself. On these occasions it does look like a silver star in the sky. The question then is, where was Venus at 11am on 15 July 1965? Was it even above the horizon?

6. A check with an astronomical software program showed me that Venus was above the horizon. It was due north-east, at an angular elevation of 23 degrees. It was very bright, at magnitude -3.8.

7. So, Venus was in the specific location mentioned by all the observers in the newspaper article. Venus as the 'UFO' fits all the details given. Over a 40 minute period it would have moved roughly northwards, through an angle of some 10 degrees, which may not have been enough for ground observers to think, during a discontinuous observation (it would appear no one watched it continuously for the whole 40 minutes,) it was other than north-east at between 20-30 degrees elevation.

8. It is therefore reasonable, to suggest that this 'UFO' was in fact the planet Venus.

Zanthus sighting newspaper article located

2011-09-29T12:48:00.002+09:30

During my interview with Walter Gardin, one of the pilot witnesses to the 22 August 1968, Zanthus, Western Australia, aircraft encounter, he mentioned he thought that there had been press coverage of the sighting. This morning, I visited the South Australian State Library newspaper collection to see if I could locate any press coverage. In fact, I found an article.

It appeared in The West Australian newspaper, Saturday 24 August 1968 on page 13. It was headed "Check on sighting." The text reads:

"The sighting of an unidentified flying object by two commercial pilots near Kalgoorlie on Thursday will be investigated by the R.A.A.F.

Mr Gordon Smith of Tuart Hill and Mr Walter Gardin of South Perth, made full reports of the sighting to Department of Aviation officials in Kalgoorlie.

Mr Smith said yesterday that he retained an open mind on what he had seen. He was sure it was not an aircraft or a satellite.

He said that a big white object had flown on a collision course with their Piper Navijo aircraft for 20 minutes before speeding out of sight. It appeared to emit several big-dish-like objects which kept within a few miles of the main object then merged with it again."

I have never seen this newspaper article cited in any UFO literature in connection with the Zanthus event. So, you read it here for the first time in 43 years.

Surveillance technology and mini-ufos

2011-09-26T20:01:00.001+09:30

Dear readers

Jenny Randles from the UK has a very interesting article in Fortean Times issue 277 (August 2011 p.31.)

The article is about Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs.) "Going back to the days when these craft were first tested - one might think in a more liberal environment than today's War on Terror - we find decade's worth of UFO sightings that would make more sense if interpreted in the context of UAV technology."

Jenny reports on a sighting on 4 May 2011 by 17 year old Laurance Baker of Widnes, Cheshire. "What made this story different was that the small oval 'craft' flew very low above the art design student's head and was - he insists - a structural device that he suspected to be 'stealth aircraft technology." He based his argument on the craft's unusual design. Modest in size but covered in black cell-like structures similar to scales and with an antenna at the rear that projected over the curved surface pointing forward in the direction the object was travelling."

Jenny then takes a look at other cases which might fit the UAV scenario.

27 August 1979. Two men flying in a Cessna aircraft in Surrey, went into a steep dive to avoid "a small dough-nut shaped object as it crossed their path. This object then travelled around the Cessna as if inspecting them...the description...includes reference to a honeycomb of small cells making up the outer structure, which rotated...Another pilot...had a more distinct view of the min-ufo the next day...it was heading for nearby Farnborough, the home of experimental aircraft design..."

April 1984. A medical research scientist saw "...a hovering object made from a series of 'grid' structures...near the Lakenheath military base in East Anglia. I later discovered...that she had probably seen a UAV that had temporarily gone out of control..."

"I have many other cases in my files and their locations cluster around military or BAE locations such as Warton in Lancashire."

Jenny notes "In 2007, a new hovering spy camera was unveiled that was even likened to a flying saucer at the launch...This device was based on a mini-helicopter with multiple rotors...including an antenna and a surface area made up of small, black, scale-like tiles."

"Moreover, some trade sources suggest that similar devices, have been sold to UK special forces recently for highly covert surveillance activities, that, needless to say, is not going to be discussed openly."

For information on BAE Australia click here. For an article on the use of UAVs by the Australian Army and RAAF click here.

Have readers come across any cases which might have been due to UAVs?

Zanthus - a paranormal connection

2011-09-22T10:29:00.001+09:30

Dear readers

It's a warm and gusty day here in Adelaide, so I am taking a day off and visiting my local library to read science magazines. The subject of this post is the 22 August 1968, Zanthus case, which my co-blogger, Keith Basterfield has recently posted about.

I was reading Keith's posts, and although all the details were great to see, one aspect completely surprised me.

Walter Gardin revealed that during the event, and for six months afterwards, he felt that he was under the control of something/someone who was gathering information on people on Earth. This is an extremely unusual aspect to the whole event; which has never been revealed before. It took an interview 43 years after the event to uncover it.

Mentally digesting this revelation, I then recalled some information I'd read in Jacques Vallee's "Forbidden Science - Volume two." Documatica Research, LLC. San Francisco. ISBN 978-0-615-24974-2.

(1) In November 1974 (p273) Vallee reviewed the Herb Schirmer, 1967 abduction case. "There are several interesting things to note in connection with the case. First, there had been a knock on Schirmer's door at 10.45am that day. The dog rushed to the door and Schirmer opened it: there was no one there. In another curious detail, he never felt his body after the green flash." (One humanoid held a box which emitted a green flash.)

(2) In September 1977 (p397.) Vallee was talking to Father Gill (Papua, 1959 observation of occupants on a UFO) about his events. Over coffee, Vallee asked Gill "Do you ever dream about the 1959 incident?" then when Gill responded "Yes." Vallee further asked "Anything unusual about those dreams?"

"Funny you should ask that. Few people inquire about these details. I dream about something that happened an hour after the object flew away."

"He heard an explosion just outside the Mission building, in Boainai: his hair stood up. That's the moment, that always comes back in his dreams, he told me, rather than the sighting itself."

(3) In November 1978 (p447) Vallee had a discussion with Lieutenant-Colonel Larry Coyne (pilot in the Mansfield, Ohio helicopter event.) "After his sighting he remained 72 hours unable to sleep. A week later he had the experience of floating out of his body. And he began some personal psychic experiments."

The point that Vallee makes about these three cases is "So now we have a series of cases in which UFO observations have combined with paranormal effects that are never mentioned in the literature: Crutwell, Father Gill, Schirmer, and now Coyne." (p447.)

Comment:

Could this mean that had we inquired of the witnesses in the 1966 Tully "nest" affair, or the 1980 Rosedale CE2 case, or any other Australian close encounter, that paranormal associations would have emerged?

Are readers aware of any other early (say 1950's-mid 1970's) Australian cases where paranormal events are part and parcel of the published event? If so, please share.

One of the witnesses to the 22 Aug 1968 Zanthus case located and interviewed

2011-09-17T22:14:00.001+09:30

So far, I have posted the details of the 22 Aug 1968, Zanthus, Western Australia case, as recorded in the RAAF's UFO files. However, upon reading those documents there were a few questions which arose in my mind, which I wanted to resolve. What was the size comparison of the small to large objects? How far to the left and right of the large object did the small objects travel? Were any radar observations made?

I was fortunate enough, the other day to be able to locate and interview, by phone, one of the pilots involved in this event. Walter Gardin is now aged 77, being 34 when the event transpired. He was kind enough to answer my questions. Here then are my interview notes, which provide some interesting new details which have not seen the light of day in 43 years.

Interview notes with Walter Gardin 15 Sep 2011:

Q1 What first drew your attention to the formation?

We had heard that a balloon was to be flown from Western Australia to Sydney. I was flying the aircraft at the time, when I suddenly noticed an object out of the cockpit window. I looked again but nothing was there. I was reading a newspaper at the time. On looking up once again, the object was now present. Later I learnt that the balloon in questions had not flown on that day. So, the answer to your question is that I first thought it was a balloon I was seeing.

Q2 The statement said the formation was at the same level as the aircraft. Does this mean that you looked straight at it, as opposed to needing to look up or down from the aircraft's horizon?

Yes.

Q3 There was one larger object and several smaller ones. If the length of the larger object was one unit, what was the length of a smaller object?

1/10th to 1/5th of a unit.

Q4 For the whole ten minutes of viewing, the formation maintained the same distance. Does this mean that the angular size of both the larger and smaller objects remained constant?

Yes.

Additional information:

Walter was supposed to provide a position report to DCA Kalgoorlie, during the time they were out of radio contact with DCA Kalgoorlie. When Kalgoorlie failed to receive this report they were concerned that the aircraft may have crashed.

Q5 The statement reads "the smaller aircraft then flew out left and right." If the length of the larger object was one unit, how many units to left and right did the smaller objects travel?

About 30 degrees. Two smaller objects went to the right and four to the left.

Q6 "At 0950GMT the whole formation joined together." Does this mean that they became one, and only one object, which diminished in angular size?

Yes, they all merged. The smaller objects merged with the larger one by going in to it from underneath. The one object then departed by going upwards at a 45 degree angle from the aircraft's horizon. It diminished in size as if receding.

Q7 Was the Sun above the horizon at the time?

Yes.

Q8 Was the Moon or any other object visible in the sky?

No. It was a clear blue sky in the direction of the formation.

Q9 The statement said the weather was fine. Does this equate to clear sky in the direction of the objects?

Yes. The weather was fine in that direction. Clear blue sky.

Q10 Was there any air turbulence at the time?

No.

Further information:

When they arrived at Kalgoorlie, the police were present, as DCA thought that the aircraft may have crashed. Walter did not talk to them about his observations. He understood that Gordon may have appeared later, on TV or in the paper.

Q11 Kalgoorlie told you that there was no traffic in the area, when you asked them. Would this have been based on their radar observation?

Walter and I discussed this point and came to the conclusion that Kalgoorlie relied on aircraft identifying themselves as being in the area, rather than radar observations from Kalgoorlie.

Q12 Did your aircraft have radar onboard.

No.

Q13 To your knowledge, was Kaloorlie in receipt of any other observations of unidentified traffic?

No.

Q14 Did any RAAF personnel ever speak to you or Gordon about the observations?

RAAF did. Walter recalls someone telling them about a case involving the US Dewline and of a building in the US where they looked into UFOs.

Q15 Prior to 22 Aug 1968 what was your opinion of UFOs?

UFOs were "bull," ( that is he didn't believe in them.)

Q16 Did you change your opinion as a result of the 22 Aug 1968 observation?

Yes. After this episode I formed the opinion that there are other inhabited planets out there.

Additional information:

While looking at the formation, Walter had a strange sensation, which lasted for the next six months. He had the feeling that he was "in the control of people gathering information on people on the earth."

Q17 What radios were onboard the aircraft?

Two UHF and one VHF.

Q17 How many times did the cycle of smaller objects going outwards and inwards occur?

I saw it three times. Gordon twice.

Q18 Do you know if Gordon Smith is still alive?

I don't know. The last I heard of him he was at a flying school in Perth.

My comments:

Some very interesting information has emerged from this interview.

1. That the single, united object left at a 45 degree upwards direction. I had thought, from the statement given to the RAAF that the one final object had simply gone out of sight still on the aircraft's horizon.

2. That the smaller objects, when moving left and right of the main object had travelled through about 30 degrees away from the main object. This is a large angular distance. I double checked this fact with Walter.

3. The smaller objects were 1/10th to 1/5th the angular size of the larger object.

4. The smaller objects merged with the larger one by going into it from underneath. I had thought from the original statement that the smaller objects came in from left and right, i.e. along the same plane as the aircraft's horizon.

Given all the data, from both from the original 1968 documentation, and this interview, albeit it is 43 years later (why did no one follow this case up at the time?) I don't believe that the mirage hypothesis is valid.

In my opinion, this event represents an excellent example of the "core" UFO phenomenon, and deserved a scientific investigation at the time.

What do readers think?

Cold case - Zanthus 22 August 1968 - Part three

2011-09-13T20:08:00.000+09:30

What the RAAF did with this case:

Captain's Smith's statement was attached to a memo from RAAF Headquarter Pearce, Western Australia to the Department of Air, Canberra, dated 12 November 1968. This memo stated that Smith's account was received by Pearce on 11 November 1968.

The Department of Air sent a "message form" to Pearce (Flt Lt Martin) and asked Pearce to contact the Department of Civil Aviation in Perth "on whether UFO report filed with any DCA agency in this event. In particular did Smith or Gardin report facts to DCA. Request check Kalgoorlie on whether pilots radio reported on UFO on 22 Aug."

A telex passed from HQ Pearce to DOA dated 25 Nov 1968 stated "Ref UFO sighting on 22 Aug 1968. Enquiries with DCA Perth do not show any reports received. Am now making enquiries with DCA Kalgoorlie on sighting."

On 9 Dec 1968 a memo went from the DAFI to Flt Lt Martin at Pearce asking for a follow up on the DCA Kalgoorlie angle.

The response from Pearce came in the form of a telex and stated that DCA Kalgoorlie confirmed "that aircraft VH-RTO on 22 Aug at approx 0940GMT enquired from APKG if there were any known traffic Zanthus area. On being informed there was none the aircraft reported sighting of a UFO in company with six small disc like objects approximately ten miles north of track FT80 KAL on the same heading and keeping pace with them. The pilots of VH-RTO confirmed this on arrival APKG at 1038GMT. Before departing for Perth at 1138 they were advised to make a full report to RAAF Pearce."

My comments/analysis:

1. A check of the RAAF's own published annual summary of UFO reports received by them, fails to locate this case.

2. To my knowledge, no additional information has ever come forward, either in the form of official documents, or further comments by the pilots concerned in the UFO literature.

3. I cannot find any record of any UFO group conducting an investigation.

4. Smith's report states that the initial observation point was 130nm East of Kalgoorlie. This puts the plane near Zanthus, a locality on the East-West transcontinental railway line. An atlas puts Zanthus at latitude 31 deg 02 min latitude south and 123 deg 34 min longitude east.

5. The final observation point's location is not given. However, at a speed of 195kts and a duration of 10 minutes, the final point would have been approximately 100nm east of Kalgoorlie.

6. The aircraft was tracking 270 deg(m) and the bearing to the "UFO" was approximately 320 deg (m.) Smith's observation that "the whole formation maintained the same distance and bearing from our aircraft during the whole time of the sighting " implies that the "formation" was travelling at 195kts tracking 270 deg paralleling the aircraft's track at some unknown distance away.

7. A check of the astronomical sky using a software program indicated that at 0940GMT the Sun had set and was about 4 degrees below the ground horizon, some 20 degrees to the right of the aircraft's track. The Moon had set, and was some 23 degrees below the horizon. The planet Venus was 13 degrees above the horizon at a bearing some 15 degrees to the right of the aircraft's track. There was nothing astronomical at 50 degrees to the right of the aircraft's track.

8. I located one potential explanation for the event (click here.) In an article by Martin Shough about the classic 29 June 1954 BOAC Labrador sighting of a large object and several smaller ones, a possible cause was suggested of an unusual mirage. He lists a number of other similar sightings which includes the Zanthus event and comments.

"As with the BOAC Labrador case, the lateral movements of the smaller objects occurred in a very narrow band ("without actually turning like a normal aeroplane would have to.") Interestingly, this happened at the same time the "main ship split into two sections" which might suggest that the inversion layer became thicker at that point allowing more objects to enter the mirage duct."

9. I did locate a photograph of the actual aircraft involved. Click here.

In conclusion:

This is a particularly interesting case, whether it was an unusual mirage as posited by Shough, or a "true" UFO.

The RAAF, which was the official body charged with looking into UFO reports, did not follow it up according to the official documents, despite the excellent witnesses.

Here was an excellent example of a "UFO" which deserved, but did not receive a proper scientific examination.

Cold case - Zanthus 22 August 1968 - Part two

2011-09-13T19:11:00.001+09:30

Continuing on from the previous post - what the two aircraft captains thought they had seen.

The two page statement by Captain Smith continued:

"Notes on UFO

1. The distance from our aircraft of the UFO would be impossible to gauge, because the prerequisite to establishing distance is to know size, and the size of these objects are unknown. However, for comparison size, the main ship compared to that of Boeing 707from about 10 miles.

2. Immediately after the departure of the UFO radio communications were restored.

3. Neither Walter or myself had the presence of mind to check if any deviation existed in our magnetic compass or automatic direction finding equipment whilst in the presence of the UFOs.

4. The whole formation maintained the same distance and bearing from our aircraft during the whole time of the sighting.

Captain Gardin and myself discussed the sighting at length during and after and came to these conclusions:

Whether the UFOs were:
(a) Balloons.
(b) Gases.
(c) Trick of lights.
(d) Aircraft.

(a) If the sightings were balloons we considered it impossible to see these balloons from 30 miles, because this would have been the distance covered by the aircraft from the first sighting to the disappearance.

The UFO maintained the same distance throughout, whereas a free balloon would have a closure rate with us of 195kts our true airspeed and would have at least passed us.

(b) The same argument as above.

(c) If it were a trick of light, the colour of the UFO should have changed at somewhere or other, because the Sun had had a considerable traverse, coupled with our westward travel during this time. Also due to the last two facts any refracted light would have changed form dramatically, whereas the UFO had very little change of shape or colour.

(d) We concluded that the UFOs were in fact aircraft with the solidarity of aircraft except perhaps for the fact of the larger UFO ability to split and change shape slightly."

So, the two witnesses concluded that what they had seen were in fact aircraft, despite the lack of known traffic in the area.

In the next post I will outline just what the RAAF did with this sighting.

Cold case - Zanthus 22 August 1968 - Part one

2011-09-13T18:54:00.001+09:30

Hi all

Whilst re-reading Leslie Keane's 2010 book "UFOs" (Harmony Books, New York) I came across reference to the 22 August 1968 Australian, Zanthus case which involved an aircraft. There are many references in the UFO literature to this event. The usual summary they provide goes something like this:

"Captains Smith and Gardin were flying near Zanthus, Western Australia when they spotted "a formation of aircraft," which appeared to be keeping station with their plane. There was one large object and several smaller ones. Local air traffic control advised the pilots that there was no known traffic in the area. For several minutes the aircraft was unable to communicate with air traffic control. During this time the larger object split into two, and the smaller objects seemed to move around. Finally, the whole formation joined together and departed at tremendous speed."

RAAF documentation:

Few people are aware of the full details of this intriguing event. I found a two page report written by Captain Smith on file series A703, control symbol 580/1/1 part 10 pages 145, 160 and 218-223. This was a RAAF Department of Defence file. The Captain's statement reads as follows.

"Captain Walter Gardin and myself were returning from Adelaide to Perth on a charter flight. The aircraft was an 8 place Piper Navajo, registration VH-RTO, and were returning empty from Adelaide. At the first sighting I was asleep in the cabin, Walter was at the controls. We were cruising at 8000' with a true airspeed of 190-195kts, tracking 270 degrees magnetic.

"At 0940GMT (1740WST) Walter abruptly woke me up in great excitement and asked me to come into the cockpit quickly. I did so, and he asked me if I could see what he was looking at. At first I didn't because I was still suffering from the effect of sleep, however after about 30 seconds I could see what he was excited about. Some distance ahead at the same level and about 50 degrees to my right (I was in the right seat) I saw a formation of aircraft. In the middle was a larger aircraft, and formatted to the right and left and above were 4 or 5 smaller aircraft. We were on a track of 270 degrees (M) and these aircraft appeared to be maintaining station with us.

"Because we hadn't been notified of this traffic I radioed Kalgoorlie D.C.A. communications centre asking them what traffic they or RAAF had in our area. The answer was none. So I then notified Kalgoorlie that we had this formation in sight, and they in turn notified some eastbound traffic of the danger of unidentified traffic 130nm East of Kalgoorlie.

"At about this time we lost communications with Kalgoorlie on all frequencies. We were getting Kalgoorlie carrier wave with no voice propagation, only a hash and static.

"In the next ten minutes I transmitted about 7 times and I believe Walter did about 6 times with no results. Also at about this time we noticed that the main ship split into two sections still maintaining the same level, and the smaller aircraft then flew out left and right, but staying at the same level, and coming back to the two main halves of the bigger ship. At this time there appeared to be about 6 smaller aircraft taking turns of going out and coming back and formatting on the two halves. Sometimes the two halves joined and split, and the whol cycle continued for ten minutes.

"The shape of the main ship seemed to have the ability to change, not dramatically, but a change from say, spherical to a slightly elongated form with the colour maintaining a constant dark grey to black. However, the smaller craft had a constant cigar shape, and were of a very dark colour. Their travel out and back had a peculiarity not associated with normal aircraft in fact they appeared to travel out and come back without actually turning like a normal aeroplane would have to.

"At 0950GMT the whole formation joined together as if at a single command, then departed at a tremendous speed. Not disappeared as say, gas would, but departed in about 3 or 4 seconds, diminishing in size till out of sight.

"The weather at the time of sighting was fine, with no haze above 6000' and about 2/8 altostratus cloud to the south of us and the other aircraft."

In the next post I will outline what the two pilots thought they had seen.

Steig Larsson's UFO reference

2011-09-12T17:29:00.002+09:30

Dear readers,

Recently, someone asked me whether I read books on topics, other than intelligence agencies and UFOs. Well, yes, I do.

At the moment I am making my way through Steig Larsson's "The Girl Who Played With Fire." Maclehose Press. London. 2009. It is a delightful, if somewhat dark, read. However, even in the most unexpected of books you cannot escape the UFO phenomenon!

Ten pages into the 569 page work, one of the lead characters, Salander, visits the island of Grenada, and behold "The gist of it was that Bishop was a popular folk leader who had deposed an insane dictator, a U.F.O. nutcase who had devoted part of the meagre national budget to chasing flying saucers."

The reference to Grenada and UFOs shows Larsson's attention to detail. Indeed, on the 28 November 1978, Sir Eric Gairy, the Prime Minister of the island of Grenada spoke to the United nations about studying UFOs. (Click here for a photograph and more details of one of the meetings.)

Other speakers included Allen Hynek, Jacques Vallee, Colonel Larry Coyne; followed by a video by Lee Spiegal.

All did not go well, and the UN decided not to pursue Gairy's request.

Jacques Vallee has a telling comment in volume 2 of his diaries. "If the video hadn't ruined the meeting, the press conference that followed wrecked it completely. Eric Gairy launched into a garbled apology full of esoteric mumbo-jumbo, adding that he had once seen a flying saucer as he came out of a night club!" (Vallee p448.)

Gairy died in 1997 (click here for further details.)

Further Australian Aboriginal accounts

2011-09-10T13:34:00.001+09:30

Dear readers

Following on from my recent posts about Australian Aboriginal UFO reports, I checked my copies of Keith Basterfield's 1997 book "UFOs," and Bill Chalker's 1996 book "The Oz Files," to see if they contained more information about UFO reports made by Australian Aboriginal people.

A reported 1951 encounter:

Keith's catalogue of Australian reports, includes details of a reported 1951 encounter in Central Australia. "Members of the Unmatjera tribe of Aborigines reported seeing two shiny circular objects on the ground, some nine to fifteen metres across. A very small man-like creature with a bulbous head, wearing a shiny suit, is said to have transferred from one object to the other. Both objects then took off, making a buzzing sound." (For more on the Unmatjera click here.)

The source cited for this account is Edwards, Frank. 1966. "Flying Saucers: Serious Business." Mayflower. London. Page 169. Edwards' book fails to cite an original source for the event. Although many sources cite this case (e.g. click here) I have been unable to locate any original sources for this case.

Bill's book:

Bill writes "Aboriginal myths incorporate the idea of 'sky-beings,' with the Wandjina being among the most interesting to consider." (p17.) (Click here for more on the Wandjina connection.)

A 1933 account from Discovery Well, via the researcher Rex Gilroy, told of an Aboriginal woman's abduction by grey-skinned man-like creatures. (p.20.)

Western Australian researcher John Kernott is cited (p.21) as providing accounts from Aboriginal women in the Great Sandy Desert and the Central Desert, about "...spirits having sex with them, about having babies when no baby ever comes."

Chalker continues "Some of the above-events might suggest a literal extraterrestrial explanation, but one should be careful not to uproot such tales from the cultural setting they emerged from and stamp them with western cultural ideas... (p.22.)

Comment:

I would welcome comments from readers who know of other references to UFO encounters by indigenous Australians. I may be contacted at scullydana49@yahoo.com.au or via this blog.

Linda Moulton-Howe and the Malmstrom case

2011-09-10T13:07:00.000+09:30

Dear readers

A rainy day in Adelaide, South Australia sees me re-reading part of the book "The Myth and Mystery of UFOs" authored by Thomas E Bullard, published by the University Press of Kansa, and recalling that Linda Moulton-Howe was in Adelaide in July of this year.

The part of the book which this post concerns, is where Bullard is commenting about the reported 1975 Malmstrom case in the USA.

"Whatever else about the Malmstrom story dangles in uncertainty, there is no mistaking the glaring contrast between the documentary version and the version in the UFO literature. No documents report that a security team balked before a UFO the size of a football field or that radar tracked anything to 200,000 feet. Nowhere do we read of interference with Minuteman missiles. Where do these sensational additions come from?

"The answer lies with filmaker Linda Moulton-Howe, whose research on cattle mutilations led to a prize-winning documentary, A Strange harvest, first broadcast in 1980. She had no interest in mutilations in 1975, but one night her brother phoned her with some intriguing UFO hearsay from Malmstrom.

"He said that a huge UFO shone a light 'brighter than daylight' on one of the missile silos; security guards refused to approach the object; jets attempted to intercept it, but it blinked out until they departed; and targeting information of a missile computer had changed. She later recognised the possible significance of these claims in connection with the concurrent cattle mutilation epidemic in Montana." (Bullard page 34 citing Linda Moulton-Howe. An Alien Harvest. Littleton, CO. Linda Moulton-Howe profuctions. 1989. pp23-24.)

Bullard continues "Lawrence Fawcett and Barry J Greenwood, two pioneer FOIA researchers who published their findings in Clear Intent (1984), began their Chapter on Malmstrom with the story told by Linda Howe but identified her as the source and then supplemented the account from recovered documents. Howe readily admitted that her information was hearsay." (Bullard page 35.)

"Close encounters in Aboriginal culture" Part two.

2011-09-07T18:40:00.000+09:30

This post continues a look at Eirik Saethre's 2007 paper "Close encounters: UFO beliefs in a remote Australian Aboriginal community."

Non-Aboriginal community members:

The forty non-Aboriginal residents "...often engaged in discussions regarding UFOs, sharing their own beliefs and experiences..." (p908.) Their own observations (from four people) matched those of the Warlpiri in terms of their UFOs being large, disc-shaped and fast moving.

Abductions:

"Aboriginal people stated that while the aliens never harmed them, UFOs could abduct 'white' people..." (p908.) Saethre was warned of this danger on a number of occasions. "Although non-Aboriginal people recounted anecdotes of UFO sightings, they never circulated tales of alien abductions. Instead it was Warlpiri residents who related these stories." (p909.)

"When I asked why non-Aboriginal people were invariably the victims of abductions, I was told that the aliens were able to recognise Aboriginal people as belonging in the area." (p909.)

Not isolated:

Although the community was geographically isolated, the community as a whole was aware of and watched television programs such as The X-files; Stargate; Star Trek and movies such as Independence Day. "Narratives of Warlpiri ideas on UFOs were drawn from TV but also incorporated involvement with the environment, local cosmological themes..." (p910.)

"For instance, visits to water holes can be punctuated with stories of both their formation by ancestral forces and their depletion by the aliens." (p910.)

Conclusions:

"Warlpiri narratives of aliens from outer space are not simply a faithful restatement of ideas gleaned from Hollywood movies but are situated in, and reflect the close encounters between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people." (p912.)

Comments:

This is a fascinating piece of anthropological research, and reveals some new pieces of data re Aboriginal beliefs on UFOs - at least from the point of view of one remote locality.

Are readers familiar with any other academic studies of this nature?

"Close encounters in Aboriginal Culture" Part one

2011-09-06T12:33:00.001+09:30

Dear readers

Spring is in the air in Adelaide. On my drive to work yesterday I passed row upon row of trees in blossom; white, purple, pink colours abound. Flowers are also putting on a glorious display. I almost forgot to think about the UFO phenomenon, but only for a moment.

In my next moment of free thought, I wondered about UFO sightings in the Australian Aboriginal culture. So, I looked around, and to my pleasant surprise I found an academic article on the topic, from 2007.

It appeared in the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute (N.S.) 13, 901-915, was authored by Eirik Saethre of the University of Pretoria, and titled "Close encounters: UFO beliefs in a remote Australian Aboriginal community."

Introduction:

Saethre spent the period between 1996 and 1999 conducting PhD fieldwork in Central Australia, in an Aboriginal community of 750 individuals, located 500 kilometres from any population centre.

"I discovered that residents of a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory also possess detailed and unique beliefs regarding UFOs." (p902.)

"Although the sightings were brief and the inhabitants were never seen, Warlpiri people asserted that UFOs were spaceships piloted by extraterrestrial beings. The aliens were thought to search for and procure water from the desert." (p902.)

Saethre found that during the playing of card games, "...one topic of conversation was often recent sightings of UFOs." (p903.) Saethre recorded details of reports from 18 eyewitnesses and several more secondhand . "...everyone with whom I spoke "...acknowledged that people regularly professed to have encountered UFOs in and around the community." (p904.)

Warlpiri people said that people living in other communities rarely encountered UFOs. "...most of the residents with who I spoke did not refer to UFOs as either a recent or ancient occurrence. Consequently, it was impossible to establish accurately when community residents first began to have encounters with the aliens." (p904.)

What was seen?

"Witnesses uniformly described UFOs as similar to most television and film portrayals of flying saucers: large, disc-shaped, brightly lit objects that fly through the sky." (p904.)

"In most instances, people reported nothing more than seeing a UFO fly overhead quickly...none involved sustained or close contact...residents uniformly assumed that UFOs were spaceships. These ships were thought to be from outer space..." (p905.)

Water:

"...the aliens were thought to be able to impact upon the physical environment of the Tanami desert. Aboriginal residents asserted that the aliens were capable of finding and removing large quantities of water from rivers, rock pools, and in some instances, rain clouds." (p905.)

"As a result, alien spacecraft were considered to be more prevalent in specific geographical areas and at specific time of the year." (p.906.)

Giant coloured snakes:

Interestingly, giant multi-coloured snakes called Warnayarra are also said to be associated with the presence of water by the Aboriginal community. These snakes are referred to by the anthropological literature as "rainbow serpents." "Warnayarra were not believed to punish the UFOs or in any way harm them...Likewise the aliens were not thought to remove the Warnayarra with the water that they procured. Furthermore, I was never told of the aliens having any interaction with the ancestral spirits that guarded country...I have never heard any one state that the phenomenon referred to as UFOs originated in or was part of the Dreaming." (p907-8.)

To be continued in the next post.

Australian 'flying saucer' reports - pre-1951 - analysis

2011-09-05T17:06:00.003+09:30

This is the fifth in a series of posts which have documented mostly previously unknown pre-1951 Australian newspaper reports about 'flying saucers.' I'd now like to make a few comments about this collection of material from the years 1947 to 1950, which predates the official Australian government interest which did not start until mid 1950.

It will be seen from the details of these newspaper accounts, that there were indeed Australian 'flying saucer' reports prior to 1951. Even from the minimal details given in some accounts, many appear to have mundane explanations, such as meteors. Indeed, "the authorities" suggested explanations ranging from "a comet" (10 July 1947); "a low shooting star" (2 January 1949); "a meteor" (29 November 1950) and "aurora borealis" (13 August 1950.)

Readers will note, that unlike reports coming out of other countries at this time, Australian newspaper articles feature no dramatic aircraft encounters; no reported close encounters; and no reports of objects on the ground.

Of particular note are the two February 1947 reports from my home state of South Australia, which predate the Kenneth Arnold sighting, by four months, which do appear "unknowns."

In summary, Australian reports of 'flying saucers' pre-1951 do exist; are mainly mundane in nature; and most have not been previously documented by Australian UFO researchers.

Australian 'flying saucer' reports 1950 Jul to Dec

2011-09-05T16:53:00.000+09:30

This is the fourth of my recent posts looking at mostly previously unknown Australian newspaper articles about 'flying saucers' which I located in digitised newspapers held in the collection of the National Library of Australia. It covers the second half of the year 1950.

July 1950 Avoca,Victoria
A young farmer, Alexanda Holland, aged 23, reported seeing seven shining discs, each "slightly larger than the full Moon," travel across the night sky. He firstly noted a bright light, then saw "a shiny disc rise from the southern horizon, flew high overhead-at terrific speed and at a great height-and disappeared in the east." Six similar objects followed in rapid succession. "They all travelled in the same direction, except one, which turned sharply and returned where it came from." (The Argus, Melbourne, Sat 15 Jul 1950 p3.)

July 1950 Hobart,Tasmania
At 1.55am a witness saw an object which "flew at a terrific speed and at very low altitude, shooting out bright blue flames." (The Mercury, Hobart, Wed 5 Jul 1950 p3.)

8 July 1950 Launceston, Tasmania
Two men saw a bright light in the northern sky. It was blinking on and off rapidly, and disappeared after five minutes. First seen at 12.40pm. (Examiner, Launceston Mon 10 Jul 1950 p3.)

9 July 1950 Launceston, Tasmania
One man reported seeing a bright blinking light at 12.40pm. It disappeared after five minutes to the north. (Examiner, Launceston Mon 10 Jul 1950 p3.)

13 August 1950 Seaspray, Victoria
Mysterious beams of light, were seen to the north-east and out to sea between 8-11pm. One witness thought it was a searchlight. However, both the RAAF and Navy said they had no units in the vicinity. Astronomers said they thought the phenomenon was due to the aurora borealis. (Morning Bulletin, Rockhampton Mon 14 Jul 1950 p1.)

14 August 1950 St Kilda, Victoria
Three young men "saw a flying saucer travelling at terrific speed at a height of about 40,000 feet." It left a green trail and had what looked like cabin light ahead of the tail." (Morning Bulletin, Rockhampton Mon 14 Aug 1950 p1.)

29 November 1950 Southern Queensland and Northern NSW
Many observers saw "an object emitting a bright light streak" cross the sky. Times ranged from 7-7.30pm and durations were between 3-5 seconds. Airline pilot Herman said it was a greenish-blue colour, travelled horizontally and suddenly went out. (Townsville Daily Bulletin Fri 1 Dec 1950 p1.)

14 December 1950 Sydney, NSW
Mr Soult saw a "brilliant disc-like object" flash across the sky and disappear in a northerly direction." It was bright blue and had no tail. Duration 3-4 seconds. (Cairns Post Thu 14 Dec 1950 p5.)

16 December 1950 Burnie, Tasmania
Mr Russell of Cooee and his son reported seeing a "dazzling object moving eastward at a terrific speed." It was zig-zagging and diving about. At one stage it hovered for a short while then floated off again. About sunset. Seen for one minute. (The Mercury, Hobart Mon 18 Dec 1950 p2.)

18 December 1950 Mildura, NSW
"Something which looked like a 'flying saucer' was seen high in the sky." Two men on a fishing trip at 2.15pm saw a small, round, noiseless, whitish object travelling swiftly north. It as seen for one minutes before being lost behind trees. ( The Mercury, Hobart Mon 18 Dec 1950 p2.)

25 December 1950 Invermay, Tasmania
Mr Murray about 4pm saw two very bright objects in the sky. "They looked like shiny balls of fire." They followed one another and disappeared in a few seconds. (Examiner, Launceston Thu 28 Dec 1950 p2.)

Australian 'flying saucer' reports 1950 Jan to Jun

2011-09-02T17:11:00.002+09:30

The third part in my look at newspaper reports of pre-1951 reports.

The year 1950 brought numerous accounts, far more than the period 1947 to 1949. Here is what I found.

Scarborough, Western Australia 5 April 1950
About 5.50pm three men saw an object in the sky for about four seconds. It travelled east-west, "fairly large circle or ball, pale blue in colour, with a tail." (The West Australian, Perth 19 Apr 1950 p2.)

Perth, Western Australia 18 April 1950
Two residents reported a large, bright orange-red ball, flying at high speed. It was seen for two minutes and travelled west to east. (The Mercury, Hobart 19 Apr 1950 p2.)

Nedlands, Perth, Western Australia 18 April 1950
A Mr Vincent was at home when he noticed an orange light approach from Como and pass over his house. It was high up and travelling very fast. (The West Australian, Perth, 19 Apr 1950 p2.)

Fremantle, Western Australia 18 April 1950
A Mr Martin saw an object at 1000 feet. It appeared to be 20 feet in diameter, orange in colour and was "going round and round." Duration three minutes. (The West Australian Perth 19 Apr 1950 p2.)

Prospect, Adelaide, South Australia 22 April 1950
A woman reported seeing a white object, moving fast, cross the sky. (The Advertiser 29 Apr 1950 p1.)

Gilberton, Adelaide, South Australia 27 April 1950
A "pale golden disc" travelled rapidly across the sky, going east and rising as it went. "It was followed by a tail like a comet." "The disc finally rose steeply and curved," then disappeared. The Government astronomer said it did not tally with an astronomical phenomenon. (The Advertiser, Adelaide 29 Apr 1950 p1.)

Mt Gambier, South Australia 23 May 1950
Four men said they saw a flying saucer at 12.55pm, flying south-east "probably five or six miles high, travelling very fast in a straight course." (The Advertiser, Adelaide 31 may 1950 p12.)

Canberra, ACT 25 May 1950
TAA pilots Savage and Hestilow were piloting a TAA freighter aircraft and reported seeing "what they thought might be a flying saucer." However, "Both are convinced it was the planet Venus." (The Mail, Adelaide 27 May 1950 p3.)

Lilydale, Tasmania 26 June 1950
A Mr Campbell reported "a flying saucer." (The Mercury, Hobart 28 Jun 1950 p5.)

Ringareeman, Tasmania 27 June 1950
Mr and Mrs Jacobs saw "a very bright moving object in the western sky." "It was moving towards the south and was the size of a large star...It was throwing off red, blue and green flashes and was visible for 15 minutes." (The Mercury, Hobart 28 Jun 1950 p5.)

Australian 'flying saucer' reports 1948 and 1949

2011-09-02T15:04:00.000+09:30

Continuing my exploration of pre-1951 'flying saucer' reports from Australia.

After discovering several previously unknown newspaper reports from 1947, I turned to the years1948 and 1949, and found:

Canberra, ACT 25 November 1948
Several residents reported 'flying saucers' in the south-eastern sky at about 7.45pm. "Two star-like objects, in the shape of saucers, moving in an easterly direction at an incredible speed." The aerodrome at Fairborn said planes were engaged in night manoeuvres "and two planes took off almost together at approximately 7.45pm and flew in a westerly direction." (The Canberra Times 26 Nov 1948 p2.)

Port Augusta, South Australia 16 November 1948
A trail of thick white cloud appeared across the sky and persisted for 15 minutes. Some residents thought it was caused by an aircraft. The Government astronomer said he believed it had been left by the passage of a meteor. (The Advertiser, Adelaide 17 Nov 1948 p1.)

Perth, Western Australia 2 January 1949
At least 45 people reported to police that they had seen a flashing object "which moved across the eastern sky." Suggestions as to its cause included "a V-bomb, a rocket or flying saucer." Constable F Jager "finally decided that it was most probably a low shooting star." (The West Australian 4 Jan 1949 p4.)

Sydney, New South Wales 23 February 1949
The Army warned residents that about 100 met balloons were going to be launched. "Sydney people are asked not to panic into a belief that they may be "flying saucers." (The Canberra Times 22 Feb 1949 p2.)

To be continued.

Australian 'flying saucer' reports from 1947

2011-09-02T14:50:00.000+09:30

Hi all

The official history of the Australian 'flying saucer'/UFO phenomenon, according to the file holdings of the Australian government, as found by the Disclosure Australia Project, did not commence until mid 1950.

I wondered how to find out about any Australian reports pre 1951, and decided to take a look at the digitised newspaper collection held by the National Library of Australia. Here is what I found for 1947.

Lock, South Australia 5 February 1947
A man saw five strange objects between 7 and 8am. They were oblong with narrow points. They seemed to be floating in the air from north-west to south-east and caused a shadow. (Adelaide Advertiser 17 Feb 1947 p2.)

Port Augusta, South Australia 5 February 1947
Three workers saw five strange objects in formation pass across the sky from north to south at 9am. They appeared to be 'quivering' and cast shadows. They were travelling at speed and lost to sight within seconds. (Adelaide Advertiser 7 Feb 1947 p1.)

Sydney, New South Wales 8 July 1947
At 11pm a man stated he saw a 'flying saucer' "as big as a tennis ball and yellowish dipping up and down in a curve. It disappeared after three seconds. At 11.30pm the same man said he saw a second object. It was larger, oval in shape and white in colour. It fell towards Taronga Park. (The Sydney Morning Herald 9 Jul 1947 p1.)

Melbourne, Victoria 9 July 1947
Two leather workers reported they had seen a "dazzling white sphere" float across the sky, about noon. At 2pm an 18 year old girl reported seeing a "dark oval shape." (Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton) 10 Jul 1947 p1.)

Brisbane 10 July 1947
Several people reported seeing a "comet" in the sky "and was at first thought to be a flying saucer." It was orange in colour, and seen at 4.05pm. A Brisbane astronomer said "the object was certainly a comet, but must have been particularly bright to have been seen in daylight." (Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton) 11 Jul 1947 p6.)

To be continued.

Looking through old newspapers

2011-08-28T14:49:00.003+09:30

Hi all

Long-term readers of this blog will be aware that one of my current projects is the examination of "cold cases" e.g. Port Augusta, South Australia 1947 (click here.)

This project has been aided in recent times by the availability of digitised newspapers in the Trove collection of the National library of Australia (click here.)

I have been able to locate some 20 reports of "flying saucers" reported in old South Australian newspapers dated between 1950 and 1954, of which I was previously unaware. Details of these have been added to the catalogue of South Australian UFO reports which I have been compiling for several years.

In addition, I have been searching earlier South Australian newspapers, using the keyword "meteor" as that was the only description for unusual sky phenomenon prior to 1947. Between 1861 and 1950 I have found about 50 newspaper accounts of meteors, some daylight, some extremely bright nocturnal ones. Almost all of these accounts are readily identifiable as meteors. However, there are some oddities such as a 1932 report.

On 22 December 1932 a man named Harvey was driving a harvester at 3.30pm. He looked up into the cloudless sky and saw "...a comet shaped mass of brilliant flame apparently falling away from the Sun...this huge ball of electric-like fire rushing towards the earth at a terrific pace...about 200 feet from the earth it suddenly broke into shower of fragments and disappeared." (Source: The Adelaide Advertiser newspaper Monday 26 Dec 1932 page 10.)

The Clare 'window' area part two

2011-08-26T16:18:00.002+09:30

The June 2011 bedroom event (see previous post) immediately reminded both Kathy Dickmann and I of an earlier event from Clare.

At 5.40am on 10 July 1989 Stephen and Fiona Longman of Clare, awoke to see a one metre diameter very bright, yellow-white light, hovering 10 metres away in their lounge, above a sofa. The light was self-contained and did not illuminate its surroundings.

Strangely, although their feet were covered by a sheet, two blankets and a thin quilt, the top five or six centimetres of both their feet were "glowing." Like an x-ray, it was possible to see individual toes.

While looking at the ball, suddenly, as if a light switch had been pressed, the ball of light simply disappeared from their view. It was no longer there.

The total duration of the event was three minutes. Despite the very unusual nature of what had just happened, both of them simply fell back asleep.

The Clare "window":

In the late 1960's and early 1970's the Clare region of South Australia saw large numbers of UFO reports coming forward. A number of colleagues and I spent our weekends interviewing witnesses, and conducting sky watches in the hope of seeing something ourselves.

There were reports of unusual red lights floating over isolated hilltops. I recall one puzzled farmer I interviewed who told me he had been inside a shed when a voice in his head told him to look at the sky. Going outside, in broad daylight, he saw a pearl shaped, shiny object travelling slowly across the sky.

In addition to the visual elements, there were reports of strange underground noises coming from a disused mine, and vibrations felt inside a house which according to the nearby Seven Hills seismic station were not earth tremors.

My colleagues and I also experienced some odd events on the Camel's Hump, a range of hills outside Clare. On one occasion a ball of light was seen rolling down a hillside from below. However it was not visible from the top of the hills where I was. There was also a column of warm air on a cold hillside, which we were able to walk back and forth through.

Just as quickly as reports started occurring, they died down. The area settled back to generating the average number of reports which could come from any part of the state.

So, the June 2011 light inside a bedroom made me wonder if the Clare "window" is opening up again? Only time will tell.

The Clare 'window' area part one

2011-08-26T16:10:00.002+09:30

Hi all

The other day a colleague from the Australian UFO Research Association, Kathy Dickmann, told me details of an event from Clare, South Australia, which she had obtained in a recent interview with the witness.

In mid-June 2011 a woman was woken at about 2am by a high pitched sound, which she had never heard before. It was this sound which had woken her up. After hearing it at this point, she did not hear it again.

Immediately upon waking, she saw an intense white light on the ceiling of her bedroom. The width of the light was about half a metre, and the length was about twice the length of a large fluorescent tube. The illumination seemed to be similar to the light which remains after a fluorescent tube is switched off. She could see the outline of the object but nothing else.

After watching for some time she fell back asleep.

One after effect which she noticed involved her watch. It had been keeping good time but after this event it continually ran slow.

Recently (August 2011) the woman noticed that her husband had been getting out of bed in the middle of the night, opening the curtains and looking out of the window for a while before returning to bed.

When she asked him about this behaviour, he had nor recollection of the incident.

"Beyond the Matrix" part four

2011-08-22T14:06:00.002+09:30

Dear readers,

This is the last of four posts, being selected interviews from the 2010 book "Beyond the Matrix" by Patricia Cori. The reason I have written these notes from the book is that they represent first hand interviews with relevant experts in their fields. The last post is from the interview with Andy Thomas re crop formations.

Andy Thomas is said to be "a ...researcher of unexplained mysteries and founder of Changing Times." (p157.) (click here for more on Changing Times. )

On crop formations:

"Their origin and purpose remain a complete mystery. Despite attempts to dismiss them as the work of human artists, some believe the evidence points to a much stranger explanation." (p158.)

"Certain formations have appeared within very short periods of time and the geometrical calculations and construction required for some simply could not be carried out in one night." (p159.)

"Laboratory evidence on circle-affected crops has identified biological changes taking place at a cellular level, suggesting the partial involvement of microwave energy." (p159.)

"I would have to ask how anybody could possibly know that all crop circles are man-made, because that view, I believe, can only be an opinion." (p160)

On why most appear in England:

"One factor that has been clearly identified is that they seem to cluster in areas of geographical strata that hold a lot of water." (p161.)

On explanations:

"Even after an involvement with crop circles for nearly twenty years now, I have to say that I don't yet see absolute evidence in any one direction to support a specific viewpoint... one of the observations that can be made is that the complexity of at least some of the designs seems to suggest some level of intelligence at work. What level of intelligence we are talking about, and whether it is extra-dimensional, extraterrestrial or indeed human consciousness...at work is a big question." (p.165.)

"Beyond the Matrix" part three

2011-08-19T10:44:00.003+09:30

Continuing my notes from reading the 2010 book "Beyond the Matrix" by Patricia Cori.

Stephen Bassett:

Bassett calls for "...ending the sixty-two year, government imposed Truth Embargo regarding the extraterrestrial presence on Earth." (p.131.)

He argues, that from 1947 the US government's intentions were "...at some point, was to eventually let the people know." By US government he means "...the military: the people inside our government that had to deal with our national security." (pp132-133.) However, the Cold War, and the military's relationship with a variety of US presidents meant it has not yet been revealed.

"What am I saying here? This is what most people need to know: most of the people in government today, people in high positions, know there is an extraterrestrial presence." (p.137.)

On disclosure. "I happen to believe that there is reason why disclosure has to happen now. It has to happen pretty soon, and it's very possible the ETs feel the same way. If we continue to drag our feet and find excuses to put it off, they may be forced to do something dramatic." (pp148-149.)

When asked why it has to happen now, Bassett responded "Yes, I have an idea but I can't specifically say what. We are up against the wall in a lot of areas. I can't point at one of them and say, we have to disclose by a certain time." (p.149.)

Comment:

This to me, is not a very satisfactory answer. At best, it is a personal opinion of Bassett's.

Later, Bassett is asked about ET concern over the Earth. "Yes, they are completely concerned about earth events. The evidence for that is fairly overwhelming." (p.151.)

Comment:

Bassett does not provide examples of this evidence. Is it, for example, based on the testimony of abductees?

Asked about crop circles, Bassett states: "The one message that I get from crop circles (and it's an extremely important message) is that this is the most dramatic and compelling evidence that we can look to for the ultimate outcome of this which help us realize it is not going to be bad... that we will be relatively pleased with the post-disclosure reality, and even with formal contact." (p.152.)

To be continued.

"Beyond the Matrix" part two

2011-08-18T13:36:00.002+09:30

This post continues my notes from the 2010 book "Beyond the Matrix" by Patricia Cori.

Thomas J Carey:

Since 1991, Carey has specifically looked at the Roswell incident. Asked about witness' accounts, Carey responded: "Many of them couldn't talk years ago because they did feel constrained by the menace and threats to their families' welfare - especially military personnel, who felt they were under some sort of security oath. Now, with the passage of time, many of the principals or the participants have passed away, and their children no longer feel such a threat to their families."

Questioned about whether anyone found and kept a piece of debris, Carey answered: "...civilians got to both sites first. We talked to a number of witnesses who saw the wreckage, who actually handled the wreckage, and we know that, at one time, some of them had some pieces, but they all denied having them. The military came out and ransacked ranches looking for pieces of the metallic objects." (p.119.) "...there are still pieces in the possession of civilians. We know that for sure." (p.120.)

Comment:

Why doesn't someone offer US$1million for a piece? That would probably draw someone out.

Carey recites research undertaken by Anthony Bragalia (click here) who located details of a contract between USAF and Batelle Memorial institute to re-engineer "memory metal" suggesting that the "nitinol" we invented was based on the knowledge of the Roswell "memory metal." (pp120-121.)

Carey quotes receiving an email from a "...fellow who was in one of the Batelle labs working on this stuff," and later of receiving a photograph of an alleged piece of the original Roswell debris.

Comment:

I wonder, if by now, this Batelle (click here) person has been investigated and if he now has turned over the piece of debris to Carey? Do any readers have an update on this?

"Beyond the Matrix" part one

2011-08-16T10:15:00.003+09:30

Dear readers,

After a delightful weekend, visiting a number of art venues here in Adelaide as part of the South Australian Living Artists program, and indulging a little too much in the excellent wines, we have here in South Australia, it is back to the blog.

Patricia Cori hosts an Internet radio talk show (click here ) titled "Beyond the Matrix" and last year published a book of the same title. It was published by North Atlantic Books. Berkeley. ISBN 978-1-55643-893-6. I missed the book when it came out, but recently had the opportunity to read it, courtesy of my local library.

The book is a series of interviews with individuals such as Dr Michio Kaku; Dr Edgar Mitchell; Dr Mario Beauregard and many others. Five of the interviews specifically appealed to me and I thought I would make myself some notes here of points I found of interest.

Dr Edgar Mitchell:

On the way back from the Moon, astronaut Mitchell experienced a state "...the ecstasy of bliss." After returning to Earth he researched the subject and the closest he could find in the literature was Savikalpa Samadhi (click here .) This transformational experience led Mitchell to form the Institute of Noetic Sciences (click here ) in 1975. "I was working and interested in so called "parapsychological phenomenon," although I don't like the term 'para.'" (p.65.)

Asked about life beyond Earth, Mitchell notes "We have been visited; I have no doubts about that. The evidence, my knowledge, my research are there, and I have been well briefed. In fact, by what I call the 'old timers' who were involved in the Roswell incident - both in military and intelligence circles...From what I have been given from the old-timers who were involved with the Roswell incident sixty years ago, I know that was a real visitation and there have been many since then." (p.72.)

Stanton T Friedman:

Asked "What do you think will happen when we have global contact "Friedman responded "...I don't think they are going to send fleets over our cities..." (p.99.)

Turning to the government, "I know it may come as a shock, but there have been occasions when the government has lied about UFOs." Later, "Most media people, in my acquaintance anyway, are totally unaware of this vast amount of information that has yet to be released." (p.102.)

Continued in part two.

Crop formations and physics

2011-08-11T15:29:00.005+09:30

Dear readers

In December 1973, Adelaide based researchers Keith Basterfield and Garry Little investigated seven, circular, flattened, swirled areas in an oat paddock near Bordertown in South Australia. The sizes of the marks ranged from 2.1 to 4.6 metres in diameter. The oats had been swirled in an anti-clockwise direction. No explanation put forward, satisfactorily explained the marks. However, Keith noted that a real-life, rare tornado had passed through the area some two weeks before the farmer found the circles, suggesting that, perhaps, there was a meteorological explanation. This was years before English researcher Terence Meaden raised the meteorological possibility for UK crop circles.

Move forward to 2011 and once again science is taking a look at the subject of crop circles. The 4 August 2011 issue of physics world.com carried an article covering the research of Richard Taylor of the University of Oregon, in the USA.

After providing a brief history of pre-1980's circles; Taylor outlines the meteorological approach of Terence Meaden, which evolved into electromagnetic-hydrodynamic 'plasma vortexes.'

Taylor goes on to relate the 1991 work of astronomer Gerard Hawkins, who, after analysing 25 crop formations believed he had uncovered 'construction lines.'

Noting that recent crop circles are extremely complex, Taylor automatically assumes they are man made. He poses the question "...how do you imprint patterns in crops that are a challenge even to draw on paper?"

"One such team is known as the circlemakers, and when - in a rare breach of security - it allowed BBC filmmakers to document its construction of a 100 circle roulette pattern in 1998, team members were observed physically implanting circles at the remarkable rate of one every minute."

Taylor then goes on to say that "There are further signs that traditional imprinting techniques are reaching their limits."

"If artists want to maintain the movement's secrecy and anonymity it is clear that they will need to exploit more efficient construction methods."

Taylor moves on to 'Biophysical speculations,' covering the work of Eltjo Haselhoff, "a medical physicist' and William Levengood, a biophysicist. "Levengood interpreted his results as evidence of Meaden's plasma vortex theory, while Haselhoff proposed that the sources of radiation were the mysterious balls of light that some observers have reported hovering over formation sites.

Then Taylor poses a question. "Might some artists therefore be supplementing physical implantation with mircowaves?" Intriguingly, he says, a group of crop circle enthusiasts called the BLT Research team claims to be able to replicate the observed changes to crop pulvini using 30s exposures to microwaves generated by magnetrons from readily available microwave ovens."

Taylor's full article may be read at (click here - you will need to register on the site.)

Aerospace companies and UFO research

2011-08-11T14:12:00.002+09:30

Dear readers,

It seems to me, only logical that aerospace companies would conduct research into the UFO phenomenon.

I previously posted on this subject (click here, here, and here ). In summary, I was aware of three studies of UFOs undertaken by aerospace companies:

1. McDonnell Douglas study 1966-1970. (Source: MUFON Journal Oct 2008 - article by Dr Robert M Wood.)

2. Douglas Aircraft study 1955. (Source: Vallee, J. 2008. Forbidden Science Volume 2. Documatica Research, LLC. p.335.)

3. McDonnell Douglas study 1974-1978. (Source: Vallee, J. 2008. Forbidden Science Volume 2. Documatica Research, LLC. p.277.)

Recently, when re-reading Vallee's book Forbidden Science volume 1, page 286, I came across mention of yet another study, in a diary entry dated 30 Jun 1967.

"Now I am reading a letter to ATIC signed by A. H. Rochlen, public relations vice-president, summarizing an independent analysis that was done by the Douglas Aircraft Corporation 'within the framework of a study...having to do with unconventional propulsion methods.' The study was headed up by Dr W B Klemperer, chief engineer of their missile division. The report was distributed to R. M. Baker and A.M. Chop, the same man who was in touch with Keyhoe in the early years and eventually became the spokesman for Project Blue Book. What was he doing on the staff of Douglas and what was this study of 'unconventional propulsion?"

Have readers come across any other aerospace study of UFOs?

Where did Allen Hynek's interest come from?

2011-08-11T14:01:00.003+09:30

Dear readers

Adelaide has just been through 6 days in a row where it rained - a bit of a winter record for us.

In a recent post about Jacques Vallee on Peter Sturrock, I noted that both Vallee and Sturrock, had early on in their lives, seen a UFO. I also noted that I didn't know where J Allen Hynek's interests came from.

Upon re-reading Vallee's book "Forbidden Science-Volume 1" I came across a diary entry dated 13 Nov 1966 which might answer my question (p.227.)

Hynek says to Vallee "Did I ever tell you how I became interested in science?"

"Wasn't your mother a schoolteacher? You told me she once gave you a book about astronomy that fascinated you."

"That's not what made me decide to take up science as a profession. So many people get into science looking for power, or for a chance to make some big discovery that will put their name into history books...For me the challenge was to find at the very limits of science, the place where it broke down, the phenomena it didn't explain."

"Had you studied the paranormal before you decided to become an astronomer?"

"I had spent a great deal of time reading about esoteric subjects...as a student I read everything I could find about the Rosicrucians and the hermetic philosophers...I never cease to be fascinated by the limitations of our science...Now we are about to see how it handles this phenomenon of UFOs that has become so familiar to you and me..."

Vallee on Sturrock - part three

2011-08-04T12:40:00.003+09:30

On an October 1972 visit to the offices of NICAP, Vallee met John L Acuff. "Acuff had a letter from Sturrock on his desk, so he asked if I knew him, which showed how uninformed he was. I urged him to cooperate with Peter's project." (p.159.)

Feb 1973. "Over lunch with Sturrock and Harder on Thursday I was finally able to see and touch the famous sample of tungsten silicate that got Allen so excited he wanted to start a new company." (p.180.)

March 1974 saw a joint meeting of the AIAA's UFO sub-committee and Cufos. Present was Peter Sturrock. "Sturrock suggested organizing a workshop of academics at Aspen. We spoke of international cooperation. " (p.241.)

Aug 1974. "A symposium on UFOs and radio astronomy organized at Stanford University by Peter Sturrock and Ron Bracewell has gathered a select group of specialists for the last three days." (p.265.)

Jan 1976. "Peter Sturrock, who came over to our house for breakfast, is preparing a UFO questionnaire aimed at scientists. Cufos proposed to publish it. Peter wisely prefers his independence. 'There is a need to separate this research from Cufos, which promotes a belief in UFOs,' he said. He argues that professional scientists are more likely to respond to a questionnaire from Stanford." (p.324.)

Apr 1976. "Peter Sturrock, who is quietly setting up a real scientific group as a committee of the AIAA, sought my advice about the agenda. I said I would stress physical effect cases and avoid pointless quarrels with Menzel and Klass. " (p.332.)

Comment:

Although the last three posts may seem old history to some, I find they help me understand where Peter Sturrock was coming from.

Vallee on Sturrock - part two

2011-08-04T12:27:00.002+09:30

In May 1972, famed French researcher Aime Michel visited Vallee. "I introduced him to Peter Sturrock, who started arguing about UFOs. I tried Poher's recent argument on Peter.

"If one assumes that these objects can bring their mass down to zero, don't you think a lot can be explained? No sonic boom, time relativity effects, ionization..." Peter smiled.

"Next Aime tried Plantier's theory. Again, Peter shook his head skeptically. 'You're looking in the wrong direction,' he said softly. 'Antigravity, electromagnetisim, relativity, magneto-hydrodynamics, all that is irrelevant. What's at stake is much more fundamental.'

"'More fundamental than relativity?' asked Aime, looking around him to make sure he was actually speaking to a Stanford professor."

"He seemed reassured by the long shelves loaded with physics publications, the photographs of the solar corona on the walls. 'That may be a shock for your physics colleagues,' he continued. 'It won't be a shock,' Peter said in his restrained English manner, 'only a revolution.'" (p.133.)

Sep 1972. "Peter Sturrock has written a proposal for the evaluation of UFO phenomena. His idea is to gather a team of objective experts and bring before them the serious people who have something to say on the subject."

"I called Allen: 'Will you cooperate?' I asked. 'Peter is serious; his name carries a lot of weight.' 'I have reservations about the whoel approach, Allen answered. 'Sturrock is setting himself up as a referee for the whole field..."

"The truth is that Allen is fearful to see a scientist with greater clout emerge as a focus for the UFO community. This is a petty reaction, but Peter would have been well-advised to anticipate it, and to enlist Allen's help beforehand." (p.152.)

Continued in next post.

Vallee on Sturrock - part one

2011-08-04T11:21:00.003+09:30

Dear readers

Yesterday, Adelaide's maximum temperature for August, our winter, hit an all time record 25 degrees Celsius. Today, however, the usual cold front and rain has reduced it to the more average 17 degrees.

I have just posted a review of Peter Sturrock's excellent book, in which he laments science's inability to come to grips with the UFO phenomenon. The book also mentioned that Sturrock at one time recruited Jacques Vallee as an assistant. I thought I would delve back into Jacques Vallee's "Forbidden Science Volume 2" to see what mentions there are of Sturrock.

In December 1970, Vallee writes "During my visit to Santa Cruz an astronomer told me that professor Peter Sturrock, a Stanford physicist engaged in pulsar research, was looking for computational help. I decided to go see him." (p.61.)

"I have programmed some pulsar computations that Peter Sturrock had requested to test my skills. They revealed an intriguing periodicity in the frequency of three pulsars, and this could lead to determining their diameter. Peter Sturrock will talk about this result at an astronomy conference in Austin. We are thinking of co-authoring a note about this result." (p.62.)

In a diary entry dated 28 Dec 1980 Vallee writes "I have moved to an office in the electronics laboratories, where I am now consulting for Peter Sturrock's Plasma Research Institute." (p.62.)

In November 1971, "Last Tuesday Peter and Marilyn Sturrock came over for dinner with Larry Berman...Peter encourages my work on UFOs...I found out about his private interests when he asked me to computerize an index to his personal collection of reprints. It contained the keyword "ESP" which could have applied to such topics as Elementary Statistical Projection or Electron Spin Potential. When I inquired about the meaning he said 'Extrasensory perception, of course!' It was my turn to tell him of my interests, which led to his requesting a copy of my books." (p.108.)

7 Feb 1972 "When Allen Hynek came over on Wednesday I introduced him to Peter Sturrock. The two men offer an interesting contrast because Peter is intensely focused, a theoretical physicist, a British academic to the top of his fingernails...Allen informs and entertains but he has missed the opportunity to build a consensus among scientists. In contrast, it is precisely such a movement that Peter Sturrock tells me he intends to form, a true scientific society dedicated to frontier topics. " (p.113.)

Continued in next post.

ET life inside black holes?

2011-07-29T13:11:00.006+09:30

Dear readers,

An unusually warm winter's day here in Adelaide, 20 degrees Celsius, with possible light rain, according to the local ABC radio news.

When UFO researchers think of the origin point for ET visitors, they usually consider planets around nearby star systems. Recently, however, some scientists have been considering ET life in far more exotic localities.

An article by Myles Gough, in the Jun/Jul 2011 issue of Cosmos magazine (page 14) considers life beyond the event horizon of a black hole!

"Planets with advanced life could hypothetically exist within the boundaries of spinning super massive black holes. Drawing from previous notions that subatomic particles such as photons have stable orbits inisde black holes, Vyacheslav Dokuchev, a physicist from the Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, states that planets could also find steady orbits near black holes.

"The idea is predicated on planets voyaging through a black hole's event horizon - the imaginary gravitational boundary-line beyond which nothing, even light, can escape. It could explain the paradox that asks ,"If the extraterrestrial civilisation exists, why don't we hear and see them?"

"Inside a rotating black hole, there are two event horizons that a traversing planet would need to pass through before settlingh into a stable periodic orbit.

"According to the theory, the inner-domain of a black hole could also provide sufficient energy to support life, suggesting that advanced civilisations could exist on the inside; invisible to the outside universe.

"Charley Lineweaver, an astrophysicist from the Australian national University in Canberra, said that while these ideas weren't explained in enough detail,there's nothing wrong with far-fetched theories. "There have been a few papers entertaining ideas that we are living in a black hole right now. These ideas may not be completely crazy," he said."

"A tale of two sciences" part three

2011-07-26T10:59:00.002+09:30

Dear readers,

This is the third and last post on Peter A Sturrock's 2009 book "A Tale of Two Sciences."

Part three of the book is titled "Towards a Synthesis." After discussing "scientific" and "non-scientific" topics, Sturrock poses the question "What is science?"

"My view is that science is defined not by the subject matter, nor by the instrumentation that is used, nor by the calculations that are made. Science - in my view - is defined by the relevant thinking process, which - in my opinion - is that known as "scientific inference." (p.148.)

"I have noticed that, when confronted with a new phenomenon - or an apparently new phenomenon - scientists tend to bypass discussion of the evidence in favour of theoretical considerations." (p154.)

In chapter 18, 'Models of reality" Sturrock proposes that x-rays, quasars, pulsars, and UFOs "...have something in common. They all deal with anomalies..." (p.155.)

Sturrock goes on to suggest classifying anomalies into "OK anomaly," "Not OK anomaly" and "sleeping anomalies." (p.156.) Pulsars would be an "OK anomaly." The original history of meteorites, when people denied they fell from the skies would be a "Not OK anomaly." Current "Not OK anomalies" would be UFOs and parapsychology. An example of a "sleeping anomaly" would be continental drift.

Conclusions:

"UFO reports describe objects that, if real, defy the known laws of gravity and inertia." (p.160.)

"Hence a major challenge in the study of phenomena such as those we have met in preceding chapters is to identify the basic assumptions of our current 'Model of Reality'..." (p.161.)

"...UFO reports definitely point towards Extraordinary Physics." (p.167.)

Comments:

This is an invaluable book which examines why science today still does not like to take a look at the UFO phenomenon.

"A tale of two sciences" part two

2011-07-26T10:42:00.005+09:30

Dear readers

This post continues my look at the 2009 book by Peter A Sturrock, "A Tale of Two Sciences."

In 1971, while working on pulsars, Sturrock recruited Jacques Vallee as a research scientist. Sturrock says "It came as a huge surprise to me to learn that Jacques had published three books on the UFO problem..." (pp49-50.)

In reading Vallee's books, Sturrock said to himself "This is intriguing. I should look at some independent and if possible more reliable evidence to see if there really is something to it." (p.50.) He turned to the 1969 "Condon report." (Click here.) However, this report did not turn out to be what he had thought it would be. Sturrock wrote an analysis of the report, but found that he was unable to get it published in a mainstream science journal.

"Part of me remained a reasonably successful scientist...but another part of me was becoming a maverick - even - heretical." (p.57.)

In chapter nine Sturrock describes his involvement in the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA.) In 1968 the AIAA established a UFO sub-committee. Sturrock carried out a survey of the AIAA San Fransisco Chapter; and later in 1975 was involved in "...a special session of an AIAA meeting..." (p.68) which brought together a number of UFO researchers. He also conducted a UFO survey of members of the American Astronomical Society.

Sturrock then organised a "...two day workshop on Extraterrestrial civilization which was held at Stanford...1974..." (p.72.) Three UFO researchers participated.

In 1981 in conjunction with other colleagues, Sturrock founded a new society, Society for Scientific Exploration which is still going today. (Click here.)

1996 brought an opportunity, through Laurance S Rockefeller's interest in the UFO phenomenon to bring together a group of UFO researchers and a panel of scientists, to preset a review of "...evidence on physical properties and effects related to UFO events." (p.116.)

More in the next post.

"A tale of two sciences" part 1

2011-07-26T10:22:00.002+09:30

Dear readers

I have just finished reading a fascinating book, which somehow managed to slip by me, when it was published in 2009.

The book, titled "A Tale of Two Sciences:Memoirs of a Dissident Scientist," authored by Peter A Sturrock, was published by exoscience. 2009. ISBN 978-098-4261-0-6.

His mainstream science career saw him educated at Cambridge University. Following this he spent 1943 to 1946 working on the development of radar "...at that stage of my career I was a normal, smug, conventional scientist..." (p.10.)

In 1946 he then returned to Cambridge where he remained until 1949. However, an unusual sighting had an effect on him. In 1947, while in the English countryside he observed in the sky "A round, bright white object..." travelling in a straight line, seen for less than a minute. (p.1.)

Sturrock says that this observation "...was a profound disturbance to my scientific well-being." (p.3.)

Despite this observation, his career remained that of a mainstream scientist. In 1949 he went to the USA, married and through his wife "...learned of the research on parapsychology going on at Duke University." He also was exposed "...to some of the early literature on UFOs..." (p.19.)

In 1951 he worked at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell, in the UK. 1953-1955 saw him back at Cambridge and in contact with such people as Fred Hoyle.

Sturrock moved to Stanford in the USA in 1955 as a Research Associate. By 1961 he had become a Full Professor of Applied Physics, specialising in plasma physics. For many years he made contributions in the areas of solar flares, quasars, pulsars and solar neutrinos. This then was his conventional science career.

In the next post we will look at his unconventional science career.

"Plane spotting"

2011-07-23T13:15:00.009+09:30

Dear readers

Adelaide is in the grips of a cold spell. Yesterday's minimum of 1 degree Celsius was a three year record.

Today's post concerns an article by English ufologist Jenny Randles which just appeared in the June 2011 issue of the English Fortean Times magazine (issue no 275, page 27.)

In the article Jenny takes a look at two previously unknown pilot encounters from the United Kingdom, which were discovered in the latest batch of UFO files released by the UK Ministry of Defence.

The first was on 28 August 2001 when a light aircraft pilot was flying over Cherry Valley, near Belfast. In clear sky, he reported seeing "...a large, circular white light moving silently and at high speed at an estimated height of 500 feet."

The second pilot encounter took place on 13 Aug 2005 from an Air France aircraft flying at 30,000 feet 10 miles west of Gatwick airport, near London, at 5.11pm. The object was travelling in front of the plane. The pilot adds that this sausage-like object was "...one-two metres long...and shaped like a 'yellow cylinder'."

Jenny then goes on to relate other aircraft observations she had investigated over the years.

Findings:

The 2001 observation was investigated by the Ministry of Defence which concluded"...nothing of any defence significance."

Jenny comments that "This is a useful insight, because it illustrates the futility of chasing major UFO secrets within the official files..."

At the end of the article Jenny writes "...makes us consider just what does or does not get documented when it comes to aviation source. How much more evidence exists 'out there,' but not on the official record?"

Comments:

I was taken, by Jenny's comments about the negative possibility of finding major UFO secrets in government files.

A previous post of mine (click here to view) looked at what the New Zealand, Australian and British government's defence intelligence agencies had said about UFOs. They all said that the UFO phenomenon had no defence implications. However, they also said that the UFO phenomenon deserved scientific study.

Contactee George Adamski in New Zealand and Australian government files

2011-07-12T10:07:00.002+09:30

Hi all

I have been continuing my reading about "contactees." I was surprised to find material about them in both the New Zealand and Australian government UFO files.

George Adamski was a high profile American contactee in the 1950's and 1960's (click here to read about the George Adamski Foundation. )

One of the recently released New Zealand Defence Force UFO files, AIR 39/3/3 Volume 1-Parts 1 and 2 had a document on it about Adamski from 1955. It is titled "75 Questions and Answers asked Geo Adamski by the New Zealand "Adamski Flying Saucer Group" in Timaru. (Click here to read the files.)

Adamski toured New Zealand in 1959 and the American embassy there, sent a "Foreign Service Dispatch" to the US FBI about Adamski's activities in that country. (Source: Redfern, Nick. 2010. "Contactees." The Career Press. Franklin Lakes. NJ. p41.)

Adamski also toured Australia in 1959 (click here to read an item by Bill Chalker on this tour.)

In the National Archives of Australia (NAA), I found a file belonging to the Australian Security Intelligence Agency (ASIO), file series A6122, control symbol 2155, about the Queensland Flying Saucer Research Bureau which mentioned an Australian contactee, Sonjia Ljubicin.

According to the ASIO file, Ljubicin was an Australian national, formerly from Yugoslavia. The file states that she "...was carried away to the extent that she believed she had travelled in space craft to other planets." Ljubicin left Australia on 21 July 1959 "...to join George Adamski..." in the USA.

A check of other NAA files found several titles about Ljubicin, among them files series BP25/1 Ljubicin, S. Alien registration papers. Yugoslavian, arrived Newcastle, on the Amarapoora on 23 April 1950. Also there was file series A12155 control symbol 528. Dept of Immigration. Ljubicin, S. Born 15 August 1926.

Although this is material dealing with things way back in the 1950's I still find it of interest to see what Australian and New Zealand Defence/intelligence files had on them, about the UFO phenomenon.

"The detection of extra-terrestrial life and the consequences for science and society."

2011-07-11T11:36:00.003+09:30

Dear readers

My previous post mentioned the February 2011 issue of the journal, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, and its articles on "The detection of extra-terrestrial life and the consequences for science and society."

I have been to the Royal Society's website (click here) and read the abstracts of all the articles. They make for most interesting reading. Perhaps you might like to take a look?

"Wonders in the sky" - 20 November 1902 - Adelaide, South Australia

2011-07-11T10:23:00.006+09:30

Hi all

In a previous post on 30 Dec 2010, my co-blogger, Pauline, reviewed the book "Wonders in the Skies: Unexplained Aerial Objects from Antiquity to Modern Times," published by Jeremy F Tarcher (Penguin), New York. 2010. ISBN 978-1-58542-820-5. Authored by Jacques Vallee and Chris Aubeck.

This book sent me off searching for Australian pre-1947 events, and saw me joining Aubeck's Magonia Exchange network.

Research findings:

I have already posted my research findings on several such pre-1947 events:

1. 5 Feb 1947 Port Augusta, South Australia (29 Jan 2011.)
2. Feb 1944 Bass Strait (8 Feb 2011.)
3. 12 Apr 1793 New South Wales (17 Mar 2011.)
4. 26 Feb 1942 Off Western Australia (24 Apr 2011.)

This post concerns an unusual observation from the year 1902, from Adelaide, South Australia, my home town.

Ball of light:

"Sir Charles Todd stated that on Thursday morning, at 9.27 o'clock, a remarkable phenomenon was witnessed in the heavens by Messrs Griffiths (the assistant astronomer), Chettle and Dodwell, of the Adelaide Observatory. The two last named were taking weather observations when they noticed a brilliant globular light having a planetary disc. It appeared in the south-south-east at an altitude of about 45 deg. It moved slowly northwards, passing within 15 or 20 degrees of the Sun, and was brightly visible till 9.31 - four minutes in all.

"Mr Griffiths, who observed it for a minute, says it moved over about 20 deg. of an arc in that time. The object appeared like Venus does when it is at its greatest brilliancy, soon after sunset.

"Mr Griffiths lost sight of the meteoric object at an altitude of 45 deg. above the horizon. It therefore travelled at least 90 deg. and was lost sight of in the great glare of the sky.

"Messrs Chettle and Dodwell state that when it was near to the prime vertical it became elongated, and took an elliptical form, the long axis lying south to north."

Source: The Register (Adelaide, South Australia: 1901-1929), Friday 21 November 1902 page 4.

"The myth of the Evil Aliens"

2011-07-11T10:15:00.003+09:30

Dear readers

A while ago, Stephen Hawking argued that we should not be advertising our presence to the Universe.

An article in the June 2011 issue of Scientific American (page 71) by Michael Shermer disagrees.

"With the Allen Telescope Array run by the SETI Institute in northern California, the time is coming when we will encounter an extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI)...What will happen when we do, and how should we respond?

"Such questions, once the province of science fiction, are now being seriously considered in the oldest and one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the world - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A - which devoted 17 scholarly articles to "The Detection of Extra-terrestrial life and the consequences for science and society" in its February issue."

"Ultraterrestrial contact" part two

2011-07-10T13:03:00.005+09:30

Dear readers

My apologies for the last post which mysteriously ended at "Portals." Somehow, even after showing the whole post in "Preview;" when published the last section disappeared! Here it is.

Portals:

"There are several places on Earth that seem to serve as portals to other dimensions adjacent to our own." (p.179.) Imbrogno includes the Hudson River Valley in New York, in this list. "The locations I've mentioned above are not randomly placed; they are in fact located on nodes or twisting points in our planet's magnetic field." (p.179.)

Cover-up?

"Since the 1950's, people with great interest in the UFO phenomenon have thought the US government knows more than it is willing to admit, concealing and suppressing the spread of information." (p.245.)

"I believe that a small part of the government attached to our intelligence agencies does in fact have information about UFOs, hidden from the public, congress, and the military." (p.246.)

Mystery:

Among the 1983 Hudson River Valley UFO observations, came sightings of "mystery aircraft." Imbrogno and others tracked a group of aircraft to Stewart International Airport and a supposedly closed section.

Conclusion:

"The contact phenomenon is very real...The contact phenomenon affects people from all walks of life, from every culture around the world. No particular race, religion, or level of education is immune." (p.287.)

"Ultraterrestrial contact"

2011-07-09T10:19:00.010+09:30

Dear readers

Welcome to another cold, wet, cloudy winter's day here in Adelaide, South Australia. Today's post is about a book I missed out reading, when it came out last year. It is titled "Ultraterrestrial Contact: A Paranormal Investigator's Explorations into the Hidden Abduction Epidemic" by Philip J Imbrogno, published by Llewellyn Publications, Woodbury, Minnesota. ISBN 978-0-7387-1959-7.

I like to read the work of longterm UFO researchers to learn what views they have formed over time. Imbrogno is an American who has looked into UFOs and the paranormal, for thirty plus years.

Hudson Valley:

Imbrogno was in the right place to study the mystery of the large, black, triangular UFOs which were observed by hundreds of people in the Hudson River Valley in the USA, in the 1980's and 1990's. Chapter 2 of the book provides example after example of these sightings.

Contact:

Hidden behind the observations of triangles Imbrogno found numerous accounts of contact. "Evidence also indicates the intelligence behind contact phenomena has established communication with thousands of individuals on our tiny planet." (p.61.)

"I believe evidence indicates that in many cases, we are not dealing with a physical phenomenion, per se. It is my belief that many UFO sightings and claims of contact are the product of psychic (and on occasion, physical) communication with an incorporal life form." (p.62.)

"...I believe every close encounter is purposeful, not accidental. My analysis has me convinced that many cases of this type are types of pre-contact experience." (p.65.)

Chapter three:

"The Contact Phenomenon" contains a variety of encounter cases. A typical case was that of "Jane" who on 20 Jun 1992, retired to bed at 11pm. At 3.35am a beam of light shone on her bed. Now awake, she found her body paralyzed. Her husband lay in bed on his back and unresponsive. A figure materialized at the foot of the bed. The being spoke to Jane and told her she would be receiving messages. "...that would help the human race throughout the very hard times approaching in the future." (p.79.)

Abductions:

Chapter four moves into the area of abduction cases. A typical example is "Maria" and "George" in 1992, from, Newburgh, New York.

From childhood, Maria saw "ghosts" and George had unusual dreams and UFO sightings. Once married other things happened. "George feels he has been chosen by an alien intelligence to perform some function in the future." (p.123.) Gray aliens abducted them. Electromagnetic disturbances occurred in their home. Interestingly, "Maria generally has more of a recollection of seeing the beings than George..." (p.125.)

Nocturnal visits:

"My research has shown that the strangest, most bizarre occurrences take place at around three in the morning." (p.139.)

Legends:

Deviating from stories of close encounters, and abductions, chapter six takes a look at fairies, and spirits. Imbrogno relates accounts of sightings of these types of beings in US pre-colonial times.

Portals:

"There are several

Jacobsen, Redfern and an Adelaide informant

2011-07-08T11:59:00.016+09:30

Hi all

An Adelaide informant once told me of his father's apparent knowledge of the Roswell "crash."

Going back in time:

Annie Jacobsen's recent book, "Area 51," in part, recounts an EG&G engineer's account of a Russian aircraft crashing at Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947.

The engineer spoke of bodies, and two still alive people being found in the craft. He stated that these individuals were "...human guinea-pigs...They were grotesquely deformed...They had unusually large heads and abnormally shaped oversize eyes..." (p.368.)

The engineer went on to state that "The Atomic Energy Commission...was put in charge of the Roswell crash remains." (p.368.)

When I read this, it reminded me of stories which featured in Nick Redfern's book "Body Snatchers in the Desert." 2005. Paraview Pocket books. New York. ISBN 0-7434-9753-8. These stories included:

Black widow:

In 2001, the "Black widow" who claimed to have worked at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee related that elements of the United States government conducted high altitude balloon tests with attached gondolas, which contained live test subjects, as well as dead bodies.

These subjects were handicapped humans, including sufferers of Progeria. She speaks of at least three classified balloon flights in May, June and July 1947.

The Colonel:

In 2003, the "Colonel" surfaced and stated that there were no alien crashes and that "...the Roswell and other 1947 events were given a "crashed UFO cover" to hide research that was linked with classified high-altitude balloon experiments..." (p.99.)

This source described crashes in May and July 1947 of two experimental aircraft. On board were handicapped people. "This whole mess in the desert from May to August 1947 with the lifting bodies and the high-altitude balloons..." (p.109.)

Redfern:

Redfern's conclusion was that in May 1947 there was a crash of an experimental aircraft with handicapped people on board; and in early 1947 a second vehicle attached to a balloon array which also crashed with its crew of Japanese. He believes it was these crashes (perhaps with others) which generated the popularly known Roswell legend.

An Adelaide informant:

Months before the publication of Redfern's book, and six years before the release of Jacobsen's work, I heard a similar story, right here in Adelaide, South Australia.

I was interviewed on ABC radio station, 891AM, on Tuesday 11 January 2005 concerning the Disclosure Australia Project being undertaken by the Adelaide based, Australian UFO Research Association.

After the interview, the show's producer relayed the name and contact details for a man who had phoned in while I was on air, who said he'd like to speak to me.

I phoned him back later that day, and based on what he guardedly told me, I made arrangements to visit him at his Adelaide home on 15 January 2005.

The man, whom I will refer to as "Martin" revealed to me the contents of a conversation which had taken place between Martin and his father, some years previously. However, the condition under which he told me this, was that I was not to repeat it to anyone else, without the written permission of Martin, or until his death.

At that time, he was suffering from a critical heart condition and there was some thought in his mind that he might not long survive, and that he wished to tell his story to someone in case his death occurred. It was in this sense a "deathbed confession." I therefore initially kept his confidence.

Enter Body snatchers:

When I read Redfern's book and saw the similarities of the stories contained in this work with what Martin had told me, I told Martin of Redfern's research and conclusions. I asked that Martin release me from my commitment to remain silent. This he did in writing. Then with Martin's consent I told his story to Nick Redfern, who later interviewed Martin by phone from the USA.

Martin's account as told to me:

Martin's father was English and he worked in British Military Intelligence. In about 1959, when Martin was 12 year's old, his father told him a story which he asked Martin not to relate to anyone else until Martin was either very old, or about to die.

Martin's father told Martin that his knowledge came from American military intelligence source, and that the events related to the 1947 time period.

The details which Martin recounted to me, 46 years later included:

The American's were working on getting into space. Their biggest concern was getting back to Earth and landing without killing the people inside the space vehicle. Landing in water was not considered, but a ground landing was the order of the day.

The Americans were experimenting with craft they dropped from 'aircraft' flying in the stratosphere. Also, gigantic balloons were being flown in the stratosphere to drop craft fitted with retrorockets and a drogue shute.

The retrorocket was fitted with an altimeter to fire them close to the ground. Lots of UFO sightings were of these craft. The US released bogus flying saucer sightings and later discredited them.

One night during one of these experiments with one of these craft an incident occurred. They had previously used monkeys and other animals such as pigs on board. Prisoners could volunteer for dangerous missions in return for early release but were not used in these experiments. Two to three live people were needed. The government got people with hydrocephalus-water on the brain- from a facility.

This condition produces people with big heads, tiny bodies, jaundiced colour-one even had no eyes. They put these people in the craft-either the balloon ruptured early or blew off course and came down. Retrorockets went off and set fire to it. It landed and a farmer/rancher saw it and reported it.

One of the humans on board was still alive. The authorities were very concerned that the rancher had hidden souvenirs from the wreckage. The balloons were of chrome plated cellophane to reflect the heat. The experiments were conduced at night so balloons would not explode in the daylight.

The rancher told everyone in town. A medical retrieval came for the "creature." The wreckage was retrieved. They knowingly decided to release a story that little green men had landed and that the Americans had taken them away. This statement was then discredited. Humans had been used and had not given their consent.

This then was the story given to me in January 2005, well before Redfern's book emerged and many years before Jacobsen's Area 51 book.

What do readers think of these similar stories? Was the Roswell vehicle man made or extraterrestrial?

"Inside Pine Gap" - new book alert

2011-07-02T10:03:00.015+09:30

Dear readers

Winter rains have hit Adelaide today, so it's down to my local library to read science magazines.

The subject of today's post is a brand new Australian book titled "Inside Pine Gap" by a former NSA employee, David Rosenberg. Published by Hardie Grant books, Prahan, Victoria, Australia (click here) . ISBN 978-1-742-701-738.

Rosenberg spent 18 years in the operations area of the NSA, and this book is a little bit of dynamite for those of us who love reading about the work of US intelligence agencies. In this case their work at the legendary Pine Gap base ( click here) near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia.

However, this post is not about the book in its entirety. Whenever I read a new book on intelligence agencies I quickly scan through it for anything on UFOs. When I scanned this book I didn't think there would be any material about UFOs, but I was wrong.

What Rosenberg has to say on Pine Gap and UFOs:

"One of the early rumours surrounding the construction of Pine Gap was a headline in 1967 that claimed flying saucers, or UFOs, might be attracted to the new facility that would become known as the Space Base. (The nickname itself likely encouraged the imagination of others to envisage visits by our extraterrestrial neighbours to the remote interior of Australia.)

"This belief was a likely source of the many UFO sightings near Alice Springs reported over the years. It amazes me that many people believe the isolated Pine Gap facility may serve as a friendly landing and resupply site for weary voyagers eager to catch up with their neighbours after travelling billions or trillions of kilometers.

"Obviously the Australians would make prefect hosts, offering a cold beer or a Bundy to our friends from nearby solar systems.

"For some UFO enthusiasts, Pine Gap is a logical choice to serve as the Earth's welcoming committee for our faraway friends. Alice Springs and Pine gap just happen to be relatively close to the "UFO capital of Australia", Wycliffe Well, only 380 kilometers away, where UFO sightings are considered to be so common that only an unlucky overnight tourist would miss out on an experience.

"Despite the countless stories involving UFOs and Pine Gap offered up by the Internet, the aliens must have kept a very low profile during my eighteen-year tenure in Operations, as I, like the unlucky Wycliffe Well tourist, never saw any evidence of aliens at or around Pine Gap." (pages 148-149.)

What's missing?

2011-06-28T20:49:00.004+09:30

The recent media release stating that the defense department here in Australia was unable to locate files on UFO's is a little concerning. But my personal concern was to have a little giggle. You see, according to the news reporter that spoke to me about our work at AURA in uncovering such files, I learned that Fairfax media had in fact sent in an F.O.I. as late as May this year (2011) and at the very least, was returned with an answer after several months of searching that such files could not be located.

In September of 2010, Mary Rodwell was involved in a documentary on SBS in which both Mary and her son Chris, Larraine Cilia (my partner) and myself were invited to take part in one segment of the film taken down in Canberra. I suggested that it would be a good opportunity to visit the archives and 'pull' some files to view.

Knowing that we at AURA had a summary of those files, I looked up several from our AURA catalogue and promptly ordered them to be produced on the day. Sure enough, when we turned up, there they were. This was September mind you, but it does seem a bit strange that we filmed them as late as all this yet now they are 'missing'. All I can say is that the NAA has all of the files we requested for digitising on display on-line. AURA has paper copies and digitial imaging of all else that we found. "So if you have any requests", I told the lady reporter, "just give us a call!"

Dominic, Secretary

UFO-PRSA

Memories of abductions - only a dream?

2011-06-25T10:17:00.007+09:30

Some abductees recall having experiences during the night, but find difficulty in being able to say whether their recollections are dreams or real events. Some recent scientific research may be able to assist.

How memories of dreams are made:

In the 7 May 2011 issue of the "New Scientist" magazine (page 16) there is an article titled "How memory of dreams are made," by Andy Coghlan. The article reads:

"Why do we remember some dreams but not others? It's because the brain mechanism that controls whether we remember or forget things when we are awake is involved.

"So says Luigi De Gennaro at the University of Rome, Italy, and his team, who used an electroencephalogram (EEG) to monitor the brain activity of students as they slept. The team monitored 65 students; 30 who habitually wake up while in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and 35 who usually wake up in stage 2 non-REM sleep. About two thirds of both groups recalled dreams during the study.

"Those who wake during REM sleep and successfully recalled their dreams were more likely to demonstrate a pattern of EEG oscillations called theta waves in frontal and prefrontal cortex areas-the parts of the brain where our most advanced thinking occurs. "The kind of EEG oscillations and the cortical region involved are the same as those important for recalling memory in awake subjects," says De Gennaro.

"In non-REM wakers, those who remembered their dreams had patterns of alpha wave activity in the right temporal lobe - involved in recognising emotional events - that resembled activity known to be key for recall while awake. (Journal of Neuroscience, DOI:10.1523/jneurosci.0412-11-2011.)

"The upshot is that even when we are asleep, the same parts of the brain are on the alert for things to remember. These are often events that are emotionally charged, and that the brain deems important, whether we are awake or not.

"De Gennaro says the results are the first evidence that the physiology by which memories are stored is the same whether we are awake or asleep. "These findings are similar to known EEG patterns in wakeful memory recollection, suggesting a continuum of cerebral processes throughout the sleep-wake cycle," says Michael Czisch, who studies sleep at the Max Planck Institute of psychiatry in Munich, Germany.

My comments:

This is a very interesting article.

In my own work with Australian experiencers who report nocturnal abductions, I like to ask them these couple of questions. One is, what time did you fall asleep the night of the abduction? Do you know what time the abduction event occurred? With the latter question, some people did check their bedside clock, others do not know.

If they do know both times, then I do a calculation to determine the time interval between going to bed (rough time of falling asleep) and the event. We know that we cycle through the stages of sleep at roughly ninety minute intervals. So if we fall asleep at say 11pm and the event happens at 2am, then the time interval is 3 hours or roughly two sleep cycles, and we are likely to be in REM (rapid eye movement) or dream sleep at 2am.

If you are in REM sleep at the time of the event then it is possible that the event is a dream.

Female investigative journalists and UFO research - Annie Jacobsen

2011-06-24T11:32:00.002+09:30

Annie Jacobsen is an investigative reporter, based in Los Angeles, USA. Her mainstream writing has been in the areas of finance, business and terrorism, and has appeared in a wide variety of newspapers and magazines. (Click here.)

A while ago, she became interested in the topic of Area 51 and subsequently published a book in 2011 titled "Area 51:An uncensored history of America's top secret military base." Orion. London. ISBN 978-1-40914-1136. (Click here.)

The book includes accounts of the S-4 Bob Lazar saga; UFO sightings caused by the U-2 and A-12/SR71 then "secret" US aircraft operating out of Area 51, and an engineer with a really different origin for the famous 1947 Roswell crash.

Comments:

It is nice to see women taking a deep interest in the UFO phenomenon, and be willing to risk their mainstream reporting careers to discuss this topic. Well done!

Have any readers come across other female investigative reporters publishing in this field? If so, please share.

Female investigative journalists and UFO research - Linda Moulton Howe

2011-06-24T11:18:00.003+09:30

Based in the USA, Linda Moulton Howe graduated from Stanford University with a Masters degree in Communication and has spent many years as an investigative journalist and reporter.

Science, the environment and medicine have been some of the areas where she has produced stories in film, radio and television.

Her paranormal interests have included studying crop circles; animal mutilations; the Laos "Wildman" and of course, the UFO phenomenon.

Four books have been authored by Linda:

An Alien Harvest. (Click here.)

Glimpses of other realities, Volumes 1 and 2. (Click here.)

Mystery lights and crop circles. (Click here.)

She has extensively lectured throughout the world, and will be visiting Australia for a lecture tour, in July 2011.

Linda currently reports and edits "Earthfiles" (click here.)

Female investigative journalists and UFO research - Leslie Kean

2011-06-24T11:02:00.002+09:30

Leslie Kean is an American investigative journalist whose interest in the UFO phenomenon started in 2000 when she wrote an article for the Boston Globe. She broke the story of the French COMETA report (click here.)

In 2002, she co-founded the Coalition for Freedom of Information (click here) which sought greater openness from the US government on the subject of UFOs.

In 2007 she organised the very successful press conference in Washington DC, which brought together a number of high profile military and other witnesses to openly speak about their own UFO encounters.

2009 saw the launch of the documentary "I know what I saw." (Click here.)

Finally, in 2010, her book "UFOs:Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go on the Record" was published by Harmony Books of New York. ISBN: 978-0-307-71684-2.) It presented first hand testimony of high ranking military officers about their own UFO encounters. It also called for the funding of a UFO Study Agency within the US Government. (Click here.)

Female investigative journalists and UFOs - Paola Harris

2011-06-24T10:46:00.003+09:30

Dear readers,

Today in Adelaide, it's sunny, with that typically Australian deep blue sky.

This post is the start of a series of short posts about the increasing number of female investigative journalists who are studying, and publishing their research into the UFO phenomenon.

"Paola Leopizza Harris is an Italo-American photojournalist and investigative reporter in the field of extraterrestrial related phenomena research." So says her website (click here.)

Paola has a masters degree in education; is the International Liaison Director for the Exopolitics Institute and lives in Rome, Italy and Boulder, Colorado in the USA.

She has published a number of books including:

2003 - "Connecting the Dots - Making Sense of the UFO Phenomenon."

2007 - "Exopolitics: How does one speak to a ball of light?"

2010 - "Exopolitics."

The Australian Department of Defence "loses" UFO files

2011-06-19T15:35:00.004+09:30

Dear readers,

Like my co-blogger, Keith Basterfield, I have been following the saga of the "lost" Australian Department of Defence (DOD) UFO files.

It seems to me that the bottom line, is that the Freedom of Information staff at the DOD are simply not aware of their own Department's previous involvement in the UFO phenomenon.

How is corporate knowledge passed on?

Usually a company's history is passed on through word of mouth and written company history. The passage of 17 years since the DOD's Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) ceased its UFO studies, is time enough for the failure of word of mouth as new staff have been taken on since then.

As for written company history, the RAAF, as the DOD's area charged with the UFO 'problem', had its written history on files. However, these files were transferred to the National Archives of Australia, by, at the latest, 1994. Hence, it is likely that no current DOD FOI staff member has ever read them.

In short, it is no wonder that the DOD's FOI staff did not have knowledge of the material.

The Sydney Morning Herald's (SMH) story was that the DOD had "lost" its UFO files. The story wasn't that the files had been transferred to the National Archives. The SMH reporter with a few key strokes, or a phone call, could have found the UFO files for themselves. A telephone call to any Australian UFO group would also have revealed the true facts.

The story's result was that the DOD had "lost" its UFO files.

A number of people have communicated with the SMH to advise them of the fact that the Adelaide based Australian UFO Research Association (AURA) conducted a major exercise to locate, examine and document the contents of the DOD's UFO files. However, I notice that the SMH has not run this story, i.e. what was in the files. This in itself is another story.

The findings of the AURA Disclosure Australia Project may be read at (click here.)

Element 115 and Bob Lazar

2011-06-19T15:24:00.003+09:30

Dear readers,

An article in the 11 June 2011 edition of "New Scientist" magazine titled "Heaviest elements yet join the periodic table" page 11, advises that new elements have been recognised by science.

The Joint Working Party on Discovery of Elements recognised elements 114 and 116 on the periodic table.

The article states, in part, "The committee also considered discovery claims for elements 113, 115 and 118, but said the evidence was not yet strong enough to add them to the periodic table."

Why is this of interest to UFO researchers?

A while ago, one Bob Lazar said that in 1988 he was interviewed and later offered a job as "senior staff physicist" in a classified research program and worked for a while at S-4, near Area 51 in the USA. There he said he had seen and touched flying discs. While there, he learnt "...that the discs at S-4 propelled themselves via energy generated by a mineral that doesn't occur naturally on Earth. He labels this element "115." (page 71, "Darlington, David. "The Dreamland Chronicles: The Legends of Area 51, America's Most Secret Military Base," Little, Brown and Company, London, 1998. ISBN 0-316-64406-4.)

So, Lazar's claims about element 115 remain unproven.

Australian UFO files "lost"

2011-06-11T11:39:00.003+09:30

Hi all

I have just been looking at various blogs and news sources on the net which have carried the story about the "missing" Australian Department of Defence UFO files.

Unfortunately, most accounts base themselves on the original Sydney Morning Herald newspaper's story. It would seem that almost no one thought to contact credible Australian UFO researchers to find out if the story's main theme, that the DOD's files had been "lost," was in fact true!

A check with people here, would have found that the truth was that many DOD UFO files are safely held by the Australian Government Archives, and that anyone can digitally read them by going to the NAA wesbite at http://www.naa.gov.au/ clicking on Recordsearch and typing in the key words "flying saucers."

The Australian UFO Research Association, of which I am a member, has a list of all the 150 or so Australian Government UFO files (many DOD files) which it located during the five year search for such files. The findings of the project may be seen at http://disclosureaustralia.freewebpages.org

If any reader would like a copy of this list, then simply send me an email at keithbasterfield@yahoo.com.au and I will happily forward you a copy.

Hopefully, this story about the DOD files being lost, will now die.

Adelaide talk by Linda Moulton Howe

2011-06-11T11:17:00.004+09:30

Hi all

The Adelaide, South Australia, based Australian UFO Research Association (AURA) is hosting a talk by investigative journalist and UFO researcher, Linda Moulton Howe. Details are as follows:

Date: Monday 18 July 2011
Venue: Tiffins on the Park, 176 Greenhill Road, Parkside (corner of Hutt Road), Adelaide.
Doors open: 6.30pm
Seats reserved until: 6.45pm
Talk starts: 7pm
Entry fee $20 per person, pay at the door.
Title: "ET's, Time Travelers and Self-Activating machines."
To reserve a seat (no tickets issued) phone 04 222 78 103.

New book alert - Seargent

2011-06-11T10:44:00.005+09:30

Dear readers

I came across a new book the other day which I found of interest. It's title is "Weird Astronomy: Tales of Unusual, Bizarre and Other Hard to Explain Observations." The author is Australian David A J Seargent. Published 2011 by Springer. ISBN 978-1-441-9642-36.

David has been an amateur astronomer for many years, specialising in observations of comets, and is a well known contributor to astronomy magazines. He holds a doctorate degree in Philosophy, but is now a full time writer on science topics.

This book, according to his own words "...is about the weird side of astronomy - anecdotes, oddities, factual trivia, and titillating tales." (p.v11.) Here you will find tales of unusual observations, which at the time challenged the establishment, but now seen from a distance, allow us to see that even these sort of apparently anomalous events can be used to see the bigger picture.

The UFO connection:

I believe this is the same David Seargent who was one of the founders of The Australian Centre for UFO Studies back in 1974, alongside Harry Griesberg, (click here )and who wrote the book "UFOs: A Scientific Enigma" published by Sphere in 1978. This book was one of the first truly scientific Australian UFO books.

Livingston, Scotland UFO encounter revisited

2011-06-11T10:02:00.002+09:30

Dear readers

Well, Adelaide is now in the grips of winter. Minimum temperatures down to 5-7 degrees C and maximum daytime temperatures hovering about 15 degrees. It's a lovely time of the year to be in my favourite pub, sitting by a roaring log fire, with a glass of superb South Australian red wine at hand.

The other day, I was there at the pub, and discussion with my friends turned to what they know is my passion - the UFO phenomenon. I was telling them about an encounter in Scotland, based on a recent piece I had read in the English Fortean Times (FT) magazine (Issue 273, May 2011 page 26.)

The Livingston encounter:

The event took place on the 9 November 1979 near Livingston, Scotland and the witness was Bob Taylor. Here's part of the article from the FT.

"Taylor encountered a large sphere hovering between the forest floor and the tops of the trees...two smaller spheres detached themselves from the object and rolled toward him. Taylor could see the spheres, hear the sound as their spines touched the floor and was conscious of "a strong pungent smell that was overpowering" ...he passed out...'

The article continues: "...David Slater's excellent "Musing on Anomalous Culture" blog has suggested a possible cause for Taylor's bizarre experience. He notes that Deadly Nightshade (Belladonna) is indigenous to the area, the berries of which contain atropine, a poison that can dramatically affect the body's central nervous system in a number of ways, with perceptual distortions and hallucinations being common.

"Is it possible that Taylor naively picked and ate some of the tasty-looking berries or even just touched or crushed them? Slater's theory is highly speculative, but all the elements for it exist in known reality ..."

Slater's full article:

To read Slater's full blog article, click here.

This blog makes "Best 50 UFO blogs" list

2011-06-09T13:17:00.004+09:30

Dear readers

It's nice to be recognised for what we do. This blog just made it to the "Best 50 UFO blogs" as judged by Forensicscience.net (click here for their list.)

Thank you readers for your support.

Australian Department of Defence loses UFO files

2011-06-09T12:26:00.003+09:30

Hi all

Recently, the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) newspaper ran a story that the Australian Department of Defence had "lost" its UFO files. (Click here for the full story.)

Interestingly, the Australian UFO Research Association (AURA) was mentioned in the story.

It was AURA members who spent the period 2003-2008 locating, examining and documenting the contents of about 150 Australian government UFO files. The results of their search may be viewed on the Disclosure Australia website. (Click here for that website.)

As the person who compiled a listing of thes files, I have now sent a copy to the Department of Defence's Freedom of Information section, mentioned in the SMH story, in order that they at least know what files they did have!

Childhood abductions and false memories

2011-06-05T18:36:00.012+09:30

Hi all

Introduction:

During the 1980's and 1990's I undertook a large amount of research into UFO abduction accounts, reported by individuals, both in Australia, and elsewhere in the world. I was the only Australian abduction researcher to present at the global 1992 abduction conference held at MIT.

Like every other abduction researcher I was confronted by adults who recalled childhood abductions, and by children who told of personal encounters.

A Melbourne six year old boy told of little men entering his bedroom; Wayne, aged 35 from Tasmania spoke of recalling events from age 4; a Sydney man related memories of an encounter at age 3 or 4 while in England.

I wondered as to the reliability of adults remembering things from a young age,and I wondered as to the reliability of children's' accounts.

The Grand Delusion:

Recently, I was reading New Scientist magazine (number 2812, p38 dated 14 May 2011)and noted an article by Graham Lawton, titled "The Grand Delusion." Part of it seemed relevant to my wonderings.

"We've known since the 1960's that memory isn't like a video recording - it's reconstructive," says psychologist David Gallo of the University of Chicago." Memory is fallible and suggestible.

"It is probably true that all autobiographical memories are suspect" Kimberley Wade, University of Warwick. Research has shown some of our memories of specific events are false."

The last comment about specific event memories, made me question whether anyone had undertaken research into the possibilities of inducing false memories into children?
I went to the net and found that, not only had someone looked at this very topic, they had done it using a false memory of a UFO abduction! How specific could you get?

Abducted by a UFO:

The article was titled "Abducted by a UFO: Prevalence Information Affects Young Children's False Memories of an Implausible Event."

Authored by Henry Otgaar; Ingrid Candel; Harald Merckelbach and Kimberley Wade it appeared in the Journal "Applied Cognitive Psychology" 2009. 23:115-125.

The article summary reads:

"This study examines whether prevalence information promotes children's false memories for an implausible event. Forty-four 7-8 and forty-seven 11-12 year old children heard a true narrative about their first school day and a false narration about either an implausible event (abducted by a UFO)or a plausible event (almost chocking on a candy.) Moreover, half of the children in each condition received prevalence information in the form of a false newspaper article while listening to the narratives.

Across two interviews, children were asked to report everything they remembered about the event. In both age groups, plausible and implausible events were equally likely to give rise to false memories.

Prevalance information increased the number of false memories in 7-8 year olds, but not in 11-12 year olds at interview 1.

Our findings demonstrate that young children can easily develop false memories of a highly implausible event."

The true narratives were such things as the child's first day at school, verified by their parents.

One false narrative was:

"Abducted by a UFO: Your mother told me that when you were 4 years old, you were abducted by a UFO. This happened when you were alone outside. Your mother was inside the house. The she suddenly saw through the window that a UFO took you."

Findings:

Among the study findings was "A substantial number of children (over 70%) falsely remembered that they were abducted by a UFO. Although previous studies have looked at the cognitive characteristics of individuals who report UFO abductions (Clancy, McNally, Schacter, Lenzenweger & Pitman, 2002; McNally,Lasko, Clancy, Macklin, Pitman and Orr, 2004) this is the first study that succeeded to implant false memories of UFO abductions."

My comments:

While appreciating that this is an academic study, there are some clear implications for UFO abduction research. If it is possible in an academic setting to implant a false memory of a UFO abduction, could UFO researchers either inadvertently or deliberately implant such memories in children, or adults during their investigations?

I encourage readers to add their thoughts.