PROJECT BLUE BOOK

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PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

12. CONCLUSIONS

1. DATE 2. LOCATION
O Wos Ualloon
10 Mar 61 RAF Station, Upper Heyfore . |Q Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION a Coen warn
Locel__ 2100 0 Ground- Vi sual 3 Ground-Radar a Srabahly Rarer
GmMT__102100Z C Air Vi sual © Air-Intereept Radar | Possibly Aircraft |
5. 'P Os RCE O Wes Astronomical MACS
O Yes Fe Probobly Astronomical
No Militar 0 Possibly Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE ps Orher Rapa (wedryex) _ |
10 min---ground observers 2 cee Dete for Evaluation

Y DMin---ground rada

10, BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Very bright white or
yellowish, circular objt, size described

anywhere fr orange size to basketball size.
Objt appeared to be at about a 45° angle in

entire period. Ground observers say objt

appeared stationary; radar observer said
objt was moving very slowly.

ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP $2)

Fe ee ee ee ,

11. COMMENTSDirection of movement was not

reported for visual observation. Planet
Mars and a number of bright stars were

at elevation reported for objt, to SW ark W.

relation to ground and remained there during | Visual sighting possibly a celestial body.

Radar return probably caused by radar bdun- |
cing off clouds.

DEPARTMENT OF THE AR FORCE ©
STAFF MESSAGE DIVISION
a UNCLASSIFIED MESSAGS

| | | INCOMING

AF IN : 53152 (21 Mar 61) G/riks

ACTION : CIN-14 |

INFO : OOP-2, OOP-CP=1,'SAFS-3 (21)
sais i

DE RJDXGO 11

ZNR

R 2016052

FM CSGP 3918 UPPER HEYFORD. ENG

TO RUWFAL/ ADC ENT AFB COLORADO

RJEDSQ/AIR TECH
INT CENTER WPAFB OHIO

RJEZHQ/HEDUSAF WASH DC
RJEZHQ/SEC USAF WASH DC

RJDXGW/7AD, HIGP WYCOMBE ENG

BT

UNCLAS FROM BDOI 6576. SECTION I OF II SECTIONS. UFO. ATTN: AFCIN &
SAFIS HQ USAF AND DIO 7AD.

THE FOLLOWING IS AN INITIAL REPORT
OF AN UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT (UFO) IN THE VICINITY OF RAF STATION
UPPER HEYFORD ON 10 MARCH 1961 .« ?

A. DESCRIPTION OF OBJECT:

1. SHAPE WAS CIRCULAR.

2. SIZE IS DESCRIBED AS BEING ANYWHERE FROM AN ORANGE SIZE TO

BASKETBALL SIZE.
3. THE COLOR WAS WHITE OR YELLOWISH AND VERY BRIGHT,

", NUMBER OF OBJECT WAS ONE,
3. NO FORMATION.

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE:
STAFF MESSAGE DIVISION

INCOMING

AF IN : 53152 (21 Mar 61) Pg 2 of 5

PAGE TWO RJDXGO 11
6. NO DISCERNABLE FEATURES OR DETAILS.

7e NO TAIL, TRAIN, OR EXHAUST WAS SEEN.

8. NO SOUND WAS HEARD.
9. NO PERTINENT OR UNUSUAL FEATURES WERE OBSERVED.

B.U DESCRIPTION OF COURSE OF OBJECT.
1. THE TOWER OPERATOR WAS THE FIRST TO SEE THE OBJECT. HE THEN

NOTIFIED THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND ALL OTHER OBSERVANCES WERE AS

A RESULT OF HIS CALL;
2- THE OBJECT APPEARED TO BE AT ABOUT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE IN

RELATION TO THE GROUND.
3. THE OBJECT REMAINED AT THE SAME RELATIVE ANGLE DURING THE

ENTIRE PERIOD.
4. ALL THE GROUND OBSERVERS INDICATE THAT THE OBJECT SEEMED TO BE

STATIONARY. THE RADAR OBSERVER SAID THE OBJECT WAS MOVING VERY

SLOWLY. THE INITIAL CONTACT INDICATED THE OBJECT WAS MOVING DUE EAST,

THE SECOND CONTACT HAD THE OBJECT MOVING AT A HEADING OF @5@ DEGREES
/
FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES. THE OBJECT THEN TURNED TO 198 DEGREES AND WAS

TRACKED FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES BEFORE CONTACT WAS LOST. RAF STATION

GAYDON WAS CONTACTED BUT THEY COULD NOT PICK UP THE OBJECT AS IT TRACKED

TOWARDS THEIR STTN. LATER, GAYDON DID PICK UP A RETURN ABOUT
8 NM NORTH TF UPPEJ HEYFORD AND TRACKED IT FOR AWHILE. ABOUT TWO

DEPARTMENT OF THE ATR FORCE
STAFF MESSAGE DIVISION
UNCLASSIFIED MESSAG?

INCOMING

AF IN : 53152 (21 Mar 61) Pg 3 of 5

PAGE THREE RJDXGO 11
HOURS AFTER THE INITIAL SIGHTING, MIDLAND RADAR CONTROL VECTORED

AN AIRCRAFT TO THE OBJECT ON THE SCOPE, BUT THE AIRCRAFT COULD SEE

NOTHING. AT THE TIME, THE AIRCRAFT REPORTED HE WAS AT 6000 FEET
AND ON TOP OF THE CLOUDS WITH NO CLOUDS ABOVE HIM. ALL CONVERSATIONS |

BY THE MIDLAND TRAFFIC CONTROL ARE ON TAPE AT THE TRAFFIC CONTROL

CENTER.
5. THE OBJECT SEEMED TO DISAPPEAR AND THEN REAPPEAR GRADUALLY. NONE

OF THE OBSERVERS ARE SURE WHEN THE OBJECT FINALLY DISAPPEARED.
6.. THE OBJECT WAS VISIBLE FOR FROM ONE MINUTE TO TEN MINUTES BY THE
GROUND OBSERVERS. RADAR HAD THE OBJECT FOR ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES,

C. MANNER OF OBSERVATION
1. GROUND-VISUAL SIGHTING AND GROUND-ELECTRONIC SIGHTING. THE RADAR

WAS AN APS 8 ENROUTE SURVEILANCE RADAR.
2- NO OPTICAL AIDS WERE. USED EXCEPT BY THE CONTROL TOWER OPERATORS,

AND THE BINOCULARS OFFERED NO HELP IN IDENTIFICATION,

Se NA.
D. TIME AND DATE OF SIGHTING.

le 10/21902 MAR |

2. NIGHT.
E. LOCATION OF OBSERVERS. THE OBSERVERS WERE ALL ON RAF UPPER HEYFORD,

SIGHTINGS WERE FROM THE CONTROL TOWER, AIR POLICE OPERATIONS BUIL-=

—— so . “== oe <=

o_o oe

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE -
STAFF MESSAGE DIVISION

INCOMING

AF IN : 53152 (21 Mar 61) Pg 4 of 5

PAGE FOUR RJDXGO 11
DING, CENTRAL SECURITY BUILDING, AND NEAR THE WEST END OF THE RUNWAY.
F, IDENTIFYING INFORMATION ON OBSERVERS.

1. NONE.
2- CLARENCE W. COCKRAN, TSGT, 1268 AACS SQ, MIDLANDS CONTROL. JOHN

C. GORDON, SSGT, 3918 OPRON, AIR POLICE "B” FLIGHT COMMANDER. JAMES
E. SCHAFFER, SSGT, 3918 OPRON, AIR POLICE PASS AND REGISTRATION
SECTION. CLINTON HOWARD, A2C, 3918 OPRON, SECURITY SECTION AIR
POLICE. BENNY Me WELLS, A2C, DETACHMENT 17, 28TH WEATHER SQ, WEATHER
OBSERVER. LOWELL J. DEAL, A2C, 1268 AACS SQ, CONTROL TOWER OPERATOR.
G. WEATHER AND WINDS-ALOFT CONDITIONS AT TIME AND PLACE SIGHTING.

1. OBSERVERS WERE CONSISTENT IN DESCRIBING THE WEATHER AS CLEAR
GENERALLY WITH SOME HAZE AND GROUND FOG.

2. SURFACE - 288/83 6,000" - 210/203; 10,000" - 210/10; 16,000" -
250/103 20,000" - 270/15; 30,000" - 300/25; 50,000" - 280/20;
80,000" - UNAVAILABLE.

3. CEILING PARTIALLY OBSCURE, 4/10 FOG.

4. VISIBILITY WAS 8 TO 10 NM, FOG AND HAZE,

5. CLOUD COVER WAS 8/19TH.

6. NO THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA.

7. TEMPERATURE WAS 47 DEGREES F.

DEPARTMENT OF THE ATR FORCE:
STAFF MESSAGE DIVISION

| ee UNCLASSIFIED JAESSAGS
AF IN : 53152 (21 Mar 61) LP oD Mi ING

PAGE FIVE RJDXGO 11
He NOTHING UNUSUAL THAT CAN ACCOUNT FOR THE SIGHTING,

I. NO INTERCEPTION ACTION TAKEN.
Je -THERE WAS NO AIR TRAFFIC OR KNOWN BALLOON RELEASE IN THE VICINITY

TO: ACCOUNT FOR THE SIGHTING.
Ke THE BASE INTELLIGENCE OFFICER, RAF UPPER HEYFORD IS THE PRE-

PARING OFFICER OF THIS REPORT. THE REPORTING OFFICER DID NOT
WITNESS THE UFO. THE ONLY THEORY THAT HAS THUS FAR BEEN ADVANCED >

IS THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A TEMPERATURE INVERSION CAUSING SOLID
SECTIONS OF CLOUD DRIFTING WITH THE WIND. THIS MIGHT ACCOUNT FOR THE
RADAR RETURN. THE BRIGHT LIGHT CANNOT BE SO EASILY ACCOUNTER FOR. AS
ALL THE OBSERVERS INDICATE THAT THE LIGHT WAS VERY BRIGHT, THIS WOULD
SEEM TO NEGATE ANY THEORY OF REFLECTION. THE HEADINGS OF THE OBJECT,
AS TRACKED BY RADAR WERE MORE OR LESS CONSISTENT WITH THE WIND DIR
-ECTIONS AT THE TIME. THE REPORTING OFFICER CAN OFFER NO LOGICAL EX
-PLANATION FOR THE SIGHTING, THERE WERE NO AIRCRAFT OR BALLOONS IN
THE AREA THAT COULD ACCOUNT FOR THE SIGHTING AND INVESTIGATION HAS
TURNED UP NO INDICATIONS OF BALLOONS IN THE VICINITY. AIRCRAFT —

| TRAFFIC WAS NONEXISTANT AT-THE TIME OF SIGHTING, THE MIDLANDS RADAR

CONTROL HAD NO AIRCRAFT TRAFFIC FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS AFTER

21/8525Z

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DE RJDXGO 21 m
ZNR
23/ 16252

FM CSGP 3918 UPPER HEYFORD ENG

TO RJWFAL/ADC ENT AFB COLORADO

RJEDSQ/AIR TECH INT CENTER WPAFB OHIO

RJEZHQ/HEDUSAF WASH DC

RJEZHQ/SEC USAF WASH DC

RJDXGW/7AD HIGH WYCOMBE ENG

BT

UNCLAS FROM BDOI 6576. FINAL SECTION OF II SECTIONS,

THE SIGHTING,

L. THERE IS NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AVAILABLE. THE MIDLANDS RADAR IS
NOT EQUIPPED WITH A CAMERA FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS. THE ONLY PHYSICAL
EVIDENCE WOULD BE THE TAPE RECORDINGS AT MIDLANDS CONTROL.

BT

22/1639Z MAR RJDXGO