Project 10073 Record — Colorado Springs, Colorado, November 1966

This document contains a series of reports and correspondence regarding an Unidentified Flying Object sighting in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in November 1966. The primary witness, Mr. Plumlee of the Thermaflow Corporation, reported observing a silver-colored object, approximately 25 feet in diameter, maneuvering above the ground for 45 minutes. He claimed to have taken photographs of the object. A second witness, Captain James W. Ellstrom, reported seeing an object the following night. The Air Force conducted a formal photo analysis of seven Polaroid prints submitted by the witness. The analysis, conducted by the Foreign Technology Division (FTD), concluded that the photographs were genuine in the sense that they were not double-exposed or retouched. However, the analysts determined that the object captured in the photos did not match the witness's description of a 20-25 foot craft. Instead, the analysis suggested the object was a small, man-made item, likely between one and two feet in diameter, positioned very close to the camera lens. The report notes that at the distance required for the object to appear as it did in the photos, the camera's flash attachment would not have illuminated it, further casting doubt on the witness's account. The official conclusion of the Air Force was that the photographs did not support the witness's description and that the object, if any, was not successfully photographed. The file includes the original sighting report, the formal photo analysis report (NR 67-16), and correspondence between the 4600th Air Base Wing and the FTD regarding the submission of the photographs and negatives.