PROJECT BLUE BOOK

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

12. CONCLUSIONS )

1. DATE 2. LOCATION

Was Balloon
Probably Balloon

at
Possibly Balloon

Jy. DATE-TIN2 GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION
Local O Ground- Vi suol ‘0 Ground-Rodor

eee Redor
5. PHOTOS . 5 - -
0 Yes |

O.Ne

I

a ooo scoc ooo

Was Aircraft
Probably Aircraft
Poasibly Aircraft

Wes Astronomical
Probably seamen fl

ibl
row WnhsHaner 8th URNS

Other__- =
mo sa ent Data for Evaluation
nk nown

EO sea >_—- as

LENGTH OP O8SZRVATION §. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9% COURSE

: 24 orl
VourivcCu

nn

~ — ss oP he ga 11. COMMENTS
sual ting of objects. Bright ag peaiilmeapneeD
} sth «round and mr radar.
with no ceiling, wind 10
_ “altitude on 18st object at 9,000
et, Ground radar contact fm 921.7% and
final con act at 00482 by a/c. Al]
returns indic ate solid object & some
object rather than interference due to
WX or anomalous prop. see Case file for
detail movements and contact data im
aircraft.

|

—_——

ATIC FORM 329 (RZV 25 SEP 52)

DSULgn.

AEA @

Countrys. Libya SECRET
Subjects “UFOB's Detected Near Wheelus AB on ATIC #: 303680 °

17/18 October, 1956 _ eae ERM FS AF #: 10430\1 !
Sources 633d AC&W Squadron and u3jlst Fighter Rpte #3: IR-1-56

Interesptor Scuadron x Agency: 7272d Air Base Wing Combat

Operations Canter‘
Set 1/1, Cara 1/5 DeRes October 29, 1956
meres coe Delos October 17-18, 195
Eval: Be2

On 17/18 October 1956 within a three (3) hour period, commencing at 17/22172Z,
two (2) different tracks of unidentified slow flying objects were carried by the 633d
AC&W Squadron, Wheelus Air Base Libya. F=-06D aircraft made radar contact with the
objects and made repeated intercepts with the E- weapons system through all phases
to Splash without any visual contact being made by the F-86D pilots. No satisfactory
explanation of these occurrances could be determined. This incident is considered
important because of the positive and repeated radar indications of an object in the
air. f

1. Descriptions

i. Objects were never sighted vibuslly. Both gave a bright return on

ground and airborne radar. Classification Coicelted

(or ch: ged io ) ; 4 son
ath De ee
' By GTN, fe eps
MEE. =< Fie 2

» le Ws _* e ¢ ‘* -* ‘ 7 ‘se ~
INGRAMEWSAT 3 YESR ITER eA

BR Dis é200. 10°

ae .. J, eee

Pg ite acd UNVCLASSIEIED

Set 1/1, Card 2/6 . ATIC #: 303680
2e Description of course of objects;
ad. Flight description and maneuvers:

(1) The first object was picked up on the ground radar scope at 17/
22172 October, 1956, at NJPD 507 » The object maintained an approximate altitude of
9,000 feet and hald a héading of 210° mnatil 23032 at which time, and at NJPD 2805,
the heading was changed to 170°. Ground radar contact was lost once just prior to
the change of heading and final centact was lost at 2303Z.

(2) The second object was picked up on the ground radar scope at 17/

. 23172 October at NJQD 0739. The obdject’s initial altitude was 5,400 ft. Altitude

at disappearance was approximately 3,800 feet.

7. Weather:
ae Pilots stated that there was no ceiling, a visibility of ten (10)

_.Mautical miles and a ten (10) knot wind from the North.
8. During this season migratory birds are flying South across the

Mediterranean.
9. Interception and Identification action taken:

a» Two (2) F~86D aircraft were diverted to location of first object.
_ Both aircraft made radar contact with the object with the E-); weapons system and

B9OWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR ea Tee UNCLISSIIED

spammeet ie SS AFT ER 12 YEARS.

———<— = oe ere 6 ee rere ee ee + —oe eee ene ee 8 eee

aye eee

a “ : i} ; 4 SSIFIED ‘ : . << - .
Irs - ? ;

Set V1, Card 34 Libya ATIC #2: 303680
Rpte #2: ITR=1=56

proceeded through to Splash with no visual contact at anytime. When the unknown object
made its heading change to 170, grovnd radar contact was lost momentarily.

, Bo Two (2) F-A6D aircrait were diverted to the sacond object. At 23572
F/Blue 1, flying at 5,000 faet, made radar contact on a heading of 050°. F/Blue 1 |
was two (2) nautical miles from the target at the time of the initial contact. At
23582 F/Blue.1 got a Judy on a headiag of CSC’ one mile from target. At 2359Z F/Blue
1 got a Splash. At this time tha object and fighter were 35 nautical miles from the
ground radar.on a bearing of O49°. F/Blue 1 did not. get a Tally-ho.
"e Ey. F/Blus.2, flying at 5,000 feet, got a radar contact at 23592 on
a heading of at a distance of four (iL) nautical miles bearing 012° at 32 miles
from ground radar. F/Blue 2 had a Judy when he was 32 nautical miles from the ground
radar at O47°, a Splash 3h nautical miles at 050° from the ground radar. He did not

have a T

(3) The last two intercepts were as follows: F/Blue 1 got a contact
at 00462 two miles from target on a heading of 085°, (bearing from ground radar 029°

at 28 nautical miles} a Judy one (1) mile from target on a heading of 085°, (bearing
from ground radar 030° at 29 nautical miles) and a Splash at 007Z (bearing from
"

V0 ova UNCLASSIFIED
bon bi iad “gm ee eae

BVOUWSGRADED AT 3 Vea twee:

5 eee : fe ies 9

Set 1/1, Card 4/5 Libya — ATIC #: 303680

: Rpte #2 TR=1-56
sround radar 035° at 30 nautical miles). F/Blue 2 got a contact two (2) miles from
the target on a bearing of 090 (bearing from ground radar 029° at 28 nautical miles)
and a Splash at 00462 (bearing from ground radar 035° at 30 nautical miles). ‘this
Solash was the last radar contact with tne object by any type radar. The altitude
of both fighters on these two (2) passes was 3,800 feet. Neither fighter achieved
a Tally-ho. Due to low fuel conditions doth aircraft were released for landing.

(4) B/Blue 1 stated that just before each Splash the fighter air-
craft would be just above, just below, or between clouds, but never in a cloud. The
fighter scope return was described as very bright. No evasive action was taken by
either of the objects at any time...

10. There was no other air traffic in the area.
lle Comments of Preparing Officers
ae In view of the available data, no definite explanation for these
cojects can be made. One possible explanation is that the objects are flocks of
migratory birds. However, it is considered unlikely, in view of the 9,000 foot
altitude of one of the objects plus the probability that repeated passes of the
fighter aircraft would be likely to change the course of the flock or disrupt it

altogether. Too, the likelihood of the E-4 system maintaining lock all the way

WNGPANEYD AT. 3 YEAR St PGab de
Motrin cee DEC ASS

ee Oe ea, 2irizeD AF

eee: Se Len Dik sz00.10- (3h a a

des o ‘ - eee ee

- - cea eA A am A nN Read ch we a he AP bd Lae

Set 1/1, Card 5/5 ATIC #3: 303680
Rpte #3 TR-1-56

through to a Splash signal on a target of this nature is considered improbable.
Db. Because of speed of movenent and weather conditions a temperature
inversion is not considered probabls cause of indicationse

BW/maf

‘Extract of a 5 page document. 3
| February 6, 1957

yNGRADED AT S CER ARS. et UNCLASSIF IED

ere" Se
4+
sive %

5U ” e <* tt Ae $ + eof ' ° ‘
DECLASSIE® oat ™ 5 }, 19
sO CIE
4 | es pao ana aee By Pp =

HEADQUARTERS ae )
FOREIGN TECHNOLOGY DIVISION <e it
AIR FORCE SYSTEMS COMMAND ) x ees |
UMITED STATES AIR FORCE 1 f eae i \.
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OHIO ) as %
REPLY TO Via ae”
attw of: = TDD oy
suasect: Whoelus AB, Libya, 18 Oct 56 Ll Feb 65

ro: TDEN/Sgt Moody

qe fact that the visibility was 10 miles and the pilot sew

nothing (visually) when he had closed to less than a mile is

an in@ication that there was no material target; it scems most

likely that some sudden change in the atmospheric characteristics -

not necessarily temperature inversion as such - may have caused

the return. Birds can give radar returns, but we concur tiat birds would
be unlikely to maintain a given course, ( or remain inthe vicinity of
sireraft) for so long e period of time.

VINCENT D BRYANT
TDELD
ELECTRONICS ENGINEER

r\

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