llO. lU (ir"O'JP ---- Plft "l'u; ----. :;KJ~J'Ctn:!i '1'. &Ufl{u.nt>y A'l'IG lt'ona j 'l'Yt"' fW nn~.f.'tVA'I'I<;H Report of residents bein~ awaKened by a loud explosion which shook oeveral buildinc Several observers ~..,ported seeing a bric:;ht the explosions the general ~"" opiraion seems to be that it was a meteorite. l. !tle of U. uldt.ltled obJect\ le not. arpt7 deftnacl, !bla bluaed appearance haft been Ofttalecl b7 oaaera mo..-.s, 1ubjeot. ~:~CWer.!en\ or \he ca;alra not. toouHCl aoe\ll'a\el.J on \he objeot.. ra ~--nt. ie not, e'fldenced beoau the Sa~ee or t.he branobe1 1D the torecrounci are Dot. blurred . Subject. ~ent. 11 not. probable becauM t,be object. 11 at. a erect. distance and photographer atat.e1 that the photozraph wa taken at. a b18t apeed. .'!.X&"'1'1at.1on or t.hct til.Dl indlcat.ea that. a et.::ndard OraPllO or Oratlu cut. til:a Holder waa uaed, !be haYe a lbu\t.er epeecl ot l/1000 ot a eecond. '1'he depth ot tleld of thll photogra~ extonc1a frca the yegat,at.ion ill the Co reground to the .ountalns in Ule back,~roum. Therefore, tJn7 object. between t.h~se t .. ~a s:-ointa would be focused criticalq b7 the len. The blurred area. or tho n\!~ativtt, reported to be an u.~iden\ltlocl aircraft, ie not focueecl &I orl t.icalq by the lens. For the blurred \o be formed b7 tbe lena, the object would have to be cloaor to the tban the Teaet.at1on in the forep-ow. 2. fte report 1\at. t.ha\ t.be object wa 8hln7 ancl attracted the attention . ot tbo obaener, t.here'-7 irxl1cating that the object. waa bri.;bter than the IW'I"oundiag *' area. The report aleo str.tea the unde1aide or tbo so-called aircratt waa 1n badov. Froa these condl tiona, the image abould be ot greater denait7 at. the top ancl of lese denB\\7 at the bottoa than the aurroWl<1ing sky, 'l'bere 1 no indication of greater clenait7 in the ge ot tbe unlclentifie<l object than that Of the SUZ'IOUDC1ins llq ). lbe photographic technique displqecl b7 tbie negative is poor. The negatiTe 1 light struck or togged b7 ext.raneoua light probabq cau3ed b7 light leaks in the camera or cut film holder. (r..xh1bit 1, arrow l) At. the end of the Degative opposite the coding notch the edge of the fila icb is covered by the holding edge ot the cuttilll holder is togaed 1nd.lcat.1ng the film was tossed during proceaa1ng or wa out of date. (Exhibit 1, arrow 2) The surface ot thr. negat1Ye 1 pock-marked with JNMroua bli shea which 'l1JI3' have been caueect b7 cont.~ted. procee:~ing bathe or higher tban recommended processing temperature. (F.x'nibit 1, arrow .3) The 'age mq haTe been cauaed b)" foreign material 1n the developin6 80lut.ion lGioh adhered to the surface ot the fila and 1ocall7 retrded S1lcb toreiiJl Mter1al have belft a piece of paper traa a tilmpacK. 4. Because of the rea eons 1tatecl ln parugrapha 1, 2, and 3, it i not possible to contil"'l this negutive as being a photograph ot an unconvWltional type ot aircrurt nor 11 it poaaib1e to contira that the on the negative vas tomocl photouaphicall b7 the caara. DOWNGRADED AT S YRAR J~1'El'V'Af DECJ,ASSJFIED AFTER 1 rE.A!~. l , llNQf..r, ._ :r :.~tl lt.r tr 3415\ll teala fnl WI, LowJ7 AFI, Colo t.o CQ AIIC, 29 lOY 50, ot 1Dto oa UDOGIIftnt, ionel Aot\" \-Pat.t.er10a ArB, Dqt,oft JCWA-la/ .J.nt/r-1 1 Direot.or ot AU WaabinltoD as, D. c. , Aft'lh APOlc-cc-1, 1. At.t.aobed tor JOUI' 1nforut.1on le a OOP7 ot in anal7aia ot t.be pbot.opaph acle b7 phot.osraphio ana qat. a at. th 1a Cclllaand. 2. It. la untort.unate t.bat. the ujorit., ot em1b1t.a aublitted aa phot-oarapha ot uncoftftfttiooal aircratt are ot auch notabJ.T poor ' Ill addit.lon, lt la rea80na~ t.o aaauM that aHn aa. \JP8 of pbenoJMna it be went t,o the t-rout-u: tbe HoweYer, based on the fact proaented, it ie evident t.h~ no finite ooncluaione can be ude. POR THE COHKAXDIIJ GINERAL 1 Added 2 1Dcla . (2 prSnta) 3. Anal71a ot attaobed Phot..o (ill dup) LD E. WA'l'SOIJ Colonel , USAF Chiet, Intelligence Department DOWNGRADED AT 3 YE.AR IN'rn'R , . \ r DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 1 i.: .\ 1 tS~ . l1NC[J\SSIFJED IICOIDS IIC. AGO ... I tit. fit Jl If,_ LdJI , ..,.... W IIU ... CLJtf liE. Ifill. i n \-! te clear II I ftt I Cal.,!'ac.c, lo:zs: r.:r Air i-'orce cc:~.,-oo th~ s:t::c o t:1o :~r.::u-de<1 iti:'::ccitu tel.v. . ~GRADED 'AT s YBA'R INT'r:~:V A! DOW y .u:tc:IFIED AFI'ER 12 YEA~S DOWNGRADED 3 YEAR INTEr.' ' . DECI,ASSJFIED AFTER 12 YEA. ._...., ' ltPH.s ,t}(lJ Ccs QA<. C o/6--Lee c~c Dfi'.CI'SSIFJED AFrER 12 YEAH~. keport, No. R-646-50 Count.r:ra Nort.hem Rhodeala Subjects Bls lxploaion ln Northem Rhodesia Mq Have Been Meteorite OANA, Et.hiopia EYaluat.iona Date of Informations October 1950 Date of Report a 10 Nov 50 Preparttd b71 Leo J. Quer:r, Lt. Col. Sources East African Standard Newspaper Reaidente in the Masabuka district were awakened at 4&15 a.m. on Thursday moming b,r a loud explosion which shnok several buildings. At firsdit was feared that a dynamite truck in the railW87 goode 7ard had exploded but after a tho~ough search of the area no trace was touhd or anything which could explain the explosion. Reports were received from seve~l Africans who said that the7 had seen a bright flash in the sky just before the explosion took place. Reverberation lasted tor about 15 seconds and the noise or the explosion was heard at Katue fift7 miles awa7. An official at the meteorological station said that i~ may have been a large meteor- ite which disintegrated before reaching the ground. There may have been many instances of meteorites breaking up in flight and leaving no trace. ~teorites vary in size and the larger variety, often as big in diameter as a table top, can be heard up to a radius of fifty miles. Other sources claim j_t was a comet but the general opinion seems to accept, that the explosion was in fact caused by a meteorite of fiarly substantial size THE FOREIGN SERVICE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNCLASS\F\ED ICTa Informat~n on Unconvtntional Aircraft. ma Coaandina G411eral Air Materiel Air Attache, BaYana, Cuba 8 loYeber 19SO ttereon Air Force Base, D~on, Chio. 1. In accordance w1 th the instructions contained. in A.FOIC-cc-1, Confidential. Letter Head~e U.S.A.F., dated 8 Septeaber 19SO, nbjeot as abcwe, the tollowina i .ubmittech 2a A cirotllar cbject estimated. to 1'&3Ve been elilfl tl.7 1 arger than a DC-3 aircraft, highly polished, aluminum color wi tb a oone shaped blue nee protruding from the reer tor a distance of from 8 to 10 times the diameter ot the object. The name was described as similar to the the flame trca an acetylene torch, and bavina a redish tint on the outer bor~ot the . 3e 'l'b1a object was sighted. bJ llr. a prominent end wii\1. thJ' CQban, who was piloting hU om Beechcratt Bonanza between b1a supr properties 1n Camaguq province { CCI1tral)CUba. With :Ur. aa passengers ere Ur. ROT Carver, an engl.neer, and. pilotJ and two aM1 ttfnal. Cu.ban m cP.neera. All tour ot these reliable mc saw the object VWJ ClietinotJ.y, in tact. it passed their r1sht wing, slightly above their cnislns a1. tl tude of S, SOO teet and. proceeded at terrific speed (estimated. taste? thin speed. ot sound) and disappellred 1n a cloud formation 1n ap- tel7 3 seconds tiM. The object as posi t1 vel;y trave]J.ng horizontu- q 011 course of approximatel;y 900 The object was er Umated b;y the tour observers to be circllar in shape with a diameter of approx1mate:cy 70 to 80 teet. Tbe u. ot aiahtins was 203SZ hours on .}1 Ocwber 12zO, at Lat. 78P3o, Lona 2106'. Ia. !be obeerYer were ot the opinion that the object was not a teor because ot tbe fact that it wu travelin& borisontall7. S. There is attached (4) copies of the ~sh translation of a signed aade b7 the tour observers. .UNCLASSIFIID il a ol.oee tflead ot Lt. il reliable. I with llr. 1bere ia DO do\lbt. in IV but . tat tbeae ._ object 4oribed. . Siinecl Sta teMDt in h copies (translation) OCt Dtreot9r ot Intellismce, UNCLASSIFIED 0D 31 October, l tlS , a BoMnsa CUH eel b7 lfr. Palla eo had ae paeaenaera lnllneer tbo ls aleo a :p:a.J~ou-.; and Jr., approxt a tel7 looatell at S llilea W.1t of c~tral Najasa, Pronnce ot Camaguq, flying at S500' altitude and CCIIJ)&s direct.ion of 120 Central Andre1ta Finl 1D the dlrection ot Central San , the pilot and thl-ee occupants of the plane noticed a circular object that OO"'d be described as ., alu- alma d1ek, hi&b~ polished. The object 1fiUI first sl)lhted toward the bade of the tip ot tho richt wina ot our plane, tl.Jins at what we later determined to be 9CP on the conapats md approx!M tel7 an al t1 tude ot 1000' at a dietance of abo.at 10 mileet trt'a our plane. The route described b7 th15 f'qins disk tblt of a dlrect line, hor1sontalq, durinJ all the time we could obs_,er...,Ye ... , which ne about 3 (.pproxttel.7J and whm a saw saae disap- behind soae clouds 1n tront ot our plane that is to sq at the intv- eotion of our course. ~ this obseration we tipred thAt the object kept an altitude ot approxtutel7 7000' We also estited thAt it our 11tprea were or lee a correct that the dl.ak 18411led to have diameter ot appri)ld.aately 70 tO 80t, the figures were based on the Iabove mentioned d1atance expressed at 10 IDi.les. The impression received was that the object 1n .queation was sliahtly larger than a 003 Tbe <t.isk did not prellent around 1te edge aey particular light or brilliance nor color in the rest of its bOC\Y, except that f'rona the rear end ot saae th~!re was an inteMf) blue-colored cordns out with a redia~ tint~ on the outer border or the naa,.c, such ae is found 1n m ace\Tlene torch !ike the one~ w.ed to cut naetal wit.h. It bacl a conic shape and a leftl'th of approxi'llately 8 to 10 times the dialleter at the disk. 'lbe speed, calcu.la ted at about over one tbousancl ailes per lone ot the occupants ot the plne, all cgineera, nor the pilot, could wbether this object was a meteor although the course described b7 tbe object it ck)ubtt.ll of this possibill t7. !be facta were repcrtecl 1ed1atel7 b7 radio 'b7 the pilot to the control ot the c.aeaa., airport. A las 3 J 3S m1nutos de la trade del dfa 31 de Octubre encontr4ndose el av1~n Bonanza CUN 2?~ piloteado por el Sr. Alejandro SUero Falla y que llevaba como pasajeros al Ing. Sr. tamb1'n aviad a lo enieros, Srea. oximada- unas S s alO!ste del ntral Najasa, Prov. de Ca- c6ey~ volando a ssoo de altura y con rumbo compas de procedentes del Central Andreita y en direcci6n al Central San Germ4n, fu' divisado por el piloto y sus tres acompaftantes un objeto de r circular que podr!a ser descrito como un disco de aluminio altamente pulido el que fu' primeramente visto un poco hacia atras de la punta del ala derecha de nuestro avi~n, navegando, segun luego pud1mos determiner, a los 900 compas y aproximadamente a una altura de ?000' a unas 10 millas de nuestro avion. El curso descrito en la translac16p del disco volador fr.' dn lfnea recta y horizontal durante todo el tiempo que dur6 la observac16n la que ru' de 3 segundos aproxi- aadamente y basta que lo vimos desaparecer detras de un banco de nubes frente por frente a nuestro avi6n, es de- air, en la intersecc16n de nuestro rumbo. Durante toda la observaci6n pudimos calcular que el obj~to se mantuvo a unos 7000' de altura aproximadamente. Tambi~n pudimos calcular que de ser verdad la comun apreciaci6n nuestra el disco parec!a tener un diametro de aproximadamente unos 70 u ao, calculados sobre la distancia anterior- mente expresada de 10 millas. La impresi6n recibida es de que dicho objeto era algo mayor que un DC-3. El dis- co no presentaba en sus bordes brillantez superior ni color distinto al resto de su cuerpo pero de su parte posterior sal!a una intensa llama de color azul con bordes de un tono rojizo ~imilar ala~que~se observe en una antorcha de acetileno de cortar metales era de forma c6nica y de unas 8 o 10 veces el largo del dia metro del disco. Velocidad, mls de mil millas por hora. Ninguno de los ocupantes del a vi6n, ingenieros todos! ni el piloto pudieron determiner si se trataba o no ae un aerolito aunque la trayectoria descrita por el objeto pone en duda de todos dicha posibilidad. Estos hechos rueron reportados por radio de inme- d1ato por el piloto a la torre de control del aeropuerto de Camagiley UNCLASSlFlEY. STATES GOVERNMENT IICISXO/OSr/aw Mr. lopra, llr. Oa7 S~ DATI1 15 December 1950 lw.luatioo ot Photopphic 1. !hie nbject netiw which sulni:tted a photograph or an un oonwntional aircraft was thoroug~ examined. Sewral characteristics or this tiw will be diecussed. 2. Tbe ge ot the Wlidenti.tiecl object is not sharpq defined. This blurred appearance mA7 haw been caused b,y camera mcrtement subject movement or the oemera not focused accurateq