PROJECT BLUE BOOK

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PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
1. DATE 2. LOCATION

22 Aug 55 Madrid, Spain

3. ibsatial 9) 8 yal 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION
1443 Day
SiO CON cenninntcnspnbicienietntsncutienitecunseneninis 8 Ground- Vi sual G Ground-Radar

GMT 22/13432Z O Air Visual 0 Air-intercept Radar
5. PHOTOS m

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CONCLUSIONS

Was Balioon

Probably Balloon
Possibly Balloon

Wos Aircraft
Probably Aircroft
Possibly Aircraft

Was Astronomical
Probably Astronomical
Possibly Astronomical

Other —

Insufficient Date for Evaluation
Unknown

O Yes

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7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE

1 min, 15 sec m + 1 SE & up

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10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11, COMMENTS ie Se "

USAF Major in Spain heard Jet sound and upon A check with Spanish WX forecaster
looking up he saw white spherical obj which revealed a balloon released at 1400 hrs
appeared like a wx balloon. The sound faded, | which would have easily drifted over
but the obj remained,moving slowly and some- sight of observation. Check revealed
times hovering. 2 USAF F86's in area at time of

incident accounting for ow und/

ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)

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OFFICE OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS, 1OTH DISTRICT OFFICE, MADRID, SPAIN

Ltr 23 Aug 55 Subj: Unidentified Flying Object Sighted at Madrid, Spain

1443 hours, 22 August 1955

JUSOP=$3 lst Ind

JOINT U.S. MILITARY GROUP (SPAIN), APO 285, New York, N.Y. AUG 2S 155

TOs Director of Intelligence, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.°c.

l. The above sighting of an unidentified flying object is forwarded
in accordance with paragraph 7a(2)(b), AFR 200-2, 12 August 1954.

2- Additional investigation by this headquarters reveals that two
F=-86 aircraft were flying in the Madrid area during the period of the
reported sighting. These aircraft landed Getafe airdrome, Madrid, at
1453 hours local.

FOR THE CHIEF:

Major, USAF
Adjutant

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HEADQUARTERS
UNITED STATES AIR FORCES IN EUROPE

Office of Special Investigations
10th District Offica-Madrid, Spain

APO 285, US Air Force
21,-0 23 Aug 1955

SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Object Sighted at Madrid, Spain,
1443 hours, 22 August 1955

TOs Chief, JUSMG
ATTN: Director of Operations
APO 285, USAF

1. At 1050 hours, 23 August 1955, Major WILLIAM A. BURDICK,
AO-728823, Chief, Procurement Division, Directorate of Procurement
Production, Spain Air Materiel Area (SPAMA), (telephone #344300,
Ext. 310) visited DO #10 to report having sighted an unidentified

flying object.

2. Maj BURDICK stated that at 1/41,3 hours local, 22 August 1955,
while standing in the vicinity of the Generalisimo Building, in the
north central part of the city of Madrid, he heard the sound of a
jet aircraft. He looked up in the direction of the sound, which was
directly overhead, and saw what appeared to be a white spherical ob-
ject, first thought to be a weather balloon. The altitude or size
could not be estimated. However, if the object were the size of a
standard weather balloon (approximately 12 ft. in diameter, accord-
ing to BURDICK), it would have been between 3,000 and 4,000 ft.

While watching the object, the sound of the jet (which was not
seen) moved toward the Southeast. The object, which -then seemed to
be silver in color, appeared to remain in the same relative position
for approximately 15 seconds and then moved slowly toward the South-
east af the same altitude. As it moved, the appearance changed. from
that of a sphere to that of a disc of the same relative size.

The object moved very slowly, appeared to hover for a moment, then
continued moving. The appearance again changed, from disc to sphere to
disc again. The object seemed to gain altitude very rapidly, and rose
out of sight, its appearance being that of a disc, only the edge of
which was visible. Approximately 3 seconds elapsed from the time the

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
(AFR 190-16)

21,-0
SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Object Sighted at Madrid, Spain, 1413
hours, 22 August 1955 (CONT'D)

ooject started to rise until it vanished from sight. The total period
that the object was in sight was from one minute and 15 seconds, to
one minute and 30 seconds.

Regarding weather and visibility at the time of sighting, the
sky was cloudless in the area of the object, the sun was shining
brightly, the sky blue, there was no fog or haze and no relative
Wind at ground, level. Ceiling and visibility were unlimited. There
was noone else the vicinity of Maj BURDICK at the time of the sighting.

3- BURDICK stated that he is a senior pilot with approximately
6,900 hours in multi-engine aircraft. He has been on active duty in
the U. S. Air Force from 1942 - 1945 and from 1951 to date. He is
also a celestial navigator, and was employed as such with Pan-American
World Airways from 1945 to 1951. He stated he had never observed or
reported unidentified flying objects previously.

4. At 1130 hours, M/Sgt JAMES S. UNDERWOOD, AF 15018783, 29-36
Weather Detachment, APO 285, USAF, Weather Forecaster at Madrid -
Getafe, advised that the U. S. Air Force weather station at Getafe
does not send any balloons or other technical equipment aloft.

5. At 1135 hours, MANUEL CASTANS, Spanish Weather Forecaster at
the civilian air terminal at Madrid - Barajas Airport (telephone
#221165), advised that his office had sent a pilot balloon aloft at
1400 hours, 22 August 1955, for the purpose of measuring wind direc-
tion and velocity. The balloon, which was red and one meter in dia-
meter, was kept in sight by weather personnel until 1423 hours, when
it had reached an altitude of 5,200 meters. CASTANS stated it is pos-
sible the balloon passed over the northern part of the city where the
Sighting occurred. He added that at 1,000 meters in altitude, wind
direction and velocity was 160° at 10 knots, and at 1,500 meters, it
was 150° at & knots.

6. The foregoing information is furnished your office for report-
ing, in compliance with the provisions of paragraph 4a and 7, AFR 200-2,
12 August 1954. No further action is contemplated by this District.

ce: SPAMA (info) a paints mee ih "RUSSELL
Maj or, USAF
District Commander

2

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

(ACR 1Orn. th)