Project 10073 Records - Dayton, Ohio Sightings (July 1966)

This document is a compilation of Project 10073 records and associated correspondence regarding multiple sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena in the Dayton, Ohio area during July 1966. The records include numerous individual sighting questionnaires completed by civilians, as well as internal notes from Air Force personnel investigating these reports. A significant portion of the documentation focuses on identifying the source of these sightings, which were frequently described as lights in the sky. Investigations by the Air Force, led by Major Hector Quintanilla, Jr. of Project Blue Book, determined that many of these sightings were attributable to a 1959 Champion Aircraft operated by Barnes Aerial Advertising. This aircraft was flying in the Dayton area during the period in question, towing an advertising sign for a local car dealership. The aircraft featured a series of lights on its underside, which, when viewed from a distance or from certain angles, appeared as blinking or revolving lights, leading witnesses to report them as UFOs. The correspondence includes letters from Major Quintanilla to various witnesses, requesting that they provide more detailed information via FTD Form 164, as the initial reports were often deemed insufficient for formal evaluation. The document also contains internal notes regarding contacts with local police, airports, and media outlets like WHIO to verify the presence of aircraft in the area. While some reports remained unexplained or were categorized as 'insufficient data,' the consensus among the investigators was that the majority of the sightings were likely conventional aircraft, specifically the advertising plane.