Air Materiel Command Report on Unidentified Flying Objects, 1947-1948

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"ANALYSIS OF 'FLYING DISC' REPORTS"

1. Summary of Information

a. During the past six months reports from several areas of the world have indicated that unidentified flying objects, variously identified in flying discs, lights, smoke trails, etc., have been observed by separate and unrelated sources.

b. Sightings of "flying discs" in the United States occurred principally in the far west. Observers have been indicated to be reliable and in some instances several observers have corroborated separate observations of the same phenomenon at the same time.

c. Outside the continental United States, an object and its trail were seen over Newfoundland; a light which had the appearance of a twin ram-jet was observed near Necker Island from an aircraft en route between Midway and Honolulu; a flying disc reputedly larger than a DC-3 was sighted near Bethel, Alaska.

d. In the Far East, three radar intercepts of rapidly moving, unidentified objects were made by United States radars operating in Japan.

e. No connection has been indicated between the "ghost rocket" sightings in Sweden, some of which conceivably might have been the result of guided missile operations, and the unidentified flying objects sighted in the United States and Pacific areas.

2. Discussion of Reports

a. Study of the various reports describing unidentified flying objects, lights, and smoke trails discloses that certain features are common to many of the observations as follows:

(1) In shape the objects are a thin disc, rounded on top and flat on the bottom, perhaps approximating a C-54 in size. The front half of the disc is often circular, sweeping back to a square tail across the full width.

(2) The surface is described as metallic or light reflecting.

(3) Extreme maneuverability, coupled with high lateral stability, is noted. Speed is high, with a snaking motion or a lateral oscillation. A few reports indicate an ability to hover; to appear suddenly as if from a dive; to disintegrate or to disappear, perhaps by

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