Sighting of Unconventional Aircraft at Denver, Colorado, on 20 August 1949

This document is a comprehensive Air Intelligence Information Report regarding a sighting of an unconventional aircraft in Denver, Colorado, on 20 August 1949. The report, filed under Project 10073, details the account of a witness, identified as a former Armament Officer at Lowry Air Force Base, who observed an object in the vicinity of southwest Denver at 1630 Mountain Time. The witness described the object as having the appearance of a flying wing, approximately 85 feet in diameter, with a metallic, aluminum-like finish. He noted that heat waves were emanating from the trailing edge, which gave the object an oval appearance. The object was estimated to be at an altitude of 40,000 feet, traveling west at a speed of 1700 miles per hour, and remained in view for approximately 20 seconds before fading from sight. The report includes extensive supporting documentation from various military and weather agencies to verify the conditions at the time of the sighting. Investigations conducted by the 14th District Office of Special Investigations and the 3415th Technical Training Wing included checks of radar logs, weather balloon releases, and local flight schedules. The radar equipment at the Denver Bomb Plot was confirmed to be inoperative during the time of the sighting, and radar observations conducted at 1500 and 1700 reported nothing unusual. Meteorological data indicated scattered cumulus clouds and excellent visibility, with no prominent celestial phenomena. The report concludes that the witness was a reliable and qualified observer, yet the investigation found no corroborating evidence of an unconventional craft. The final assessment categorized the object as an aircraft, likely jet-propelled, though the specific nature of the craft remained unidentified. The document includes multiple enclosures, such as weather reports and radio logs, which were used to rule out conventional explanations for the sighting. The report was forwarded to the Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for further evaluation, reflecting the standard procedure for handling reports of unconventional aerial phenomena during this period.