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

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'•
1st Itld
Basic ltr fr Hq USAF, 3 Nov 48 to CG, AMC, "Flying Object Incidents in
tne United States~
s. Although explanation of many of the incidents can be obtained from
the investigations described abOV'e, there remains a certain number of re­
ports for which no reasonable everyday explanation is available. So far,
no physical evidence of 'the existence of the unidentified sightings has
been obtained. Prominent scientists, including Dr. Irving Langmuir of the
General Electric· Company, have been interviewed to determine whether they
could advance any reasonable explanation for characteristics exhibited by
the objects sighted. In an early interview, Dr. Langmuir indicated that
these incidents could be expl&ined, but insufficient data were available
at that time on which to base definite conclusions. It is planned to have
another interview with Dr. Langmuir in the near future to review all the
data now available, and it is hoped that he will be able to present some
opinion as to the nature of many of the unidentified objects, particularly
those described as "balls of light."
7 • All information that has been made available to this Headquarters
indicates that the discs, the cigar shaped objects, and the "balls of light"
are not of domestic origin. Engineering investigation indicates that disc
or wingless aircraft could support themselves in fli1?11t by aerodynamic means.
It is probable that the problems of stability and control could also be
solved for such aircraft. However, according to current aerodynamic theory
in this country, aircraft with such configurations would hl.ve relatively
poor climb, altitude and range characteristics with power plants now in
use.
a.
The possibility that the reported objects are vehicles from another
planet has not been ignored. However, tangible evidence to support con­
clusions about such a possibility are completely lacking.
The occurrence
of inoidents ill relation to the approach to the earth of the planets Mercury,
Venus and Mars have been plotted. A periodic variation in the frequency of
incidents, which appears to have some relation to 'the planet approach curves,
is noted, but it may be purely a coincidence•
9. Reference is made to "The Books of Charles Fort" with an introduc­
tion. by Tiffany Thayer, published 1941, by Henry Holt & Co., New York, N. Y.
It appears that simular phenomena have been noted and reported for the past
century or more.
10. In view of the above, the following conclusions are drawn,
a. In the majority of cases reported, observers have actually
sighted son-, type of flying object which they cannot classify as en air­
craft within the limits of their personal experience.
T-73017