DEPARTMENT OF AIR ARCHIVAL ACTION REFERRED TD FOLIO DATE ACTIONED ATIENTION REFERRED BY INITIALS REFERRED TO FOLIO DATE ACTIONED ATIENTION REFERRED BY INITIALS OA-t:-rc;. $-uMH/-11<.."-f Or gtc;rr-rtJc ..S /flo~ lfiy VK.. fC/7J-allJ A.7MAR.M PA jA ;t,~11rr Arl!.dilr( fb:lm.J 71/- p~J W6tR ,j,t. BtJJ&JL ~ H ~MIL.:~J ,, r6Jlt u.lA l~l~rriA tt Allt~ l_ C OJ MaJ/J 10u!<Ltt N;,.J ~Yr fl ur./-;-Q;~a If- r:J v,)('fAPo~vlioj ~5Co1? rUr-J :J. ::J Uflo,J f:),~l't h'nr fJ rR. wt At\., I!Mttfl.. 7~J. ~lft...CA'i'f'";J viA D. ({ . .:fl1a<.SiJ I{MdRA lh A.c.A.AYr ~ttPK cJA f, Cot-t-tNS, tfttMR;y J7MM~.7+ CA-rrtA y A~r'G (3AyJ,kfft'(#.. WA i.ltn~ti, 7f IJR~It wll /l .H~y~"'-I{Mifi/J R. 6. &ut~S l~tAf<)f fli&JJ"A~]'+ .l.Sr P J~ An attached slip must be forwarded through file movement channels when file is passed by hand DEPT. OF AIR-ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE A FILE TRANSFER SLIP A ATTACHED FILES ATTACHED FILES ATTACHED FILES ATTACHED FILES I MOVEMENT RECORDED IN REGISTRY BY I MOVEMENT RECORDED IN REGISTRY BY I MOVEMENT RECORDED IN REGISTRY BY I MOVEMENT RECORDED IN REGISTRY BY ES BEARING ON THIS SUBJECT (AIR FORCE OFFICE) MINUTE PAPER DEFAIR 580/1/1 Suliject: RECLASSIFif"!ATION OF FILES Refer ence: A. DI(AF)AAP 810 para 3 26. In accordance \vi th Reference A, all folios parts of Department of Air File series 580/1/1 are reclassified 'UNCLASSIFIED' with effect 7 May 82. .A. PERSKE) . .oJAFIS _ t;;vJtJJJ,LLC..F_L{ _ 8. c;_, #tv s Royal Australien Air Force A273 -MEMORANDUM R EFERENCES APPOINTMENT Ilr B. C. Davies, :5 D von Street, TOuNSVILLE, nLD. 4810. Your report of an unusual oeriol sighting on 23rd February, 1974 cas boen received and the inveotigatinc team considers thnt two aepnrnte light sources vere sighted. The ini tiel oighting woe probably the star Rigel r ndeurus which woe visibl with a magnitude of 0 nt on elevation of about 60 on 8 bearing of about 165. The second eightins was probably the planet Venus vns visible with a mngnitud of -4 at an el vation of bout 20 on a bearing of about 95. Two factors are considered to } av caused the apparent c.ovement of the light sources. Firstly, whilst tr vclling in 8 car, the relative position of the lights, because of ir distance from you, not change when co pared with much closer objects, thus cr sting the illusion of movement. Secondly phenocenon known as atmospheric scintillation, caused by changes in atmospheric d nsity, can produce apparent r pid movement of stare and planets, and cen cleo cause increased magnitud of such li8ht The dieeppenranoo of th two lights was probably du to oith~r cloud or natural objects obscuring them from view. regret the delay in r plying and trust that thio explanation is sati factory. f ittfully, (G. J. ODGERS} Director of Public Rel tiona ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE Telephoae: 79-5666 IIQTVL 5/ltO/Air( 79) Headquarter 'l'QlNSVILLE QLD 4810 28th J'ebraar7 1974 DepartaeDt of Defoce (Air Office) (AtteDtiODZ DAFI-D) For hfoNatioD: lleaclquartwa OperatiODal C: 'Dd (Attention: CIO) 1. EDcloaed i.e a report of u 11Duual aerial aightiDg iD the Tenarille- A71' area of Queuland OD Satvda1 23rd J'ebrua17 1974. lDYeatisatips Officer' c ... eata 2. The four wi tneNea to tbia allepd a1ghtiag were iDtei'Yiewed collectiTel7 at the hoae of oDe of the witu ... a, Mr Barl7 DAVIIS, 1A tile preMDOe of hU parents. Mr DAVIIS Sar atfil'lled that the were iD the area deaoribed., earl7 tile 231"4 Febnarf 1974. }. lD oa.pUiDc the report the wi tu ... aareed on t1ae jor point a of tbe aiptillc with reprcl to relatiYe aise, colov, briptu .. , clireotioD of aoTent, but did aot ap-ee with oDe wi tDeN who belieTed he a .. tallio retleotiq IIQI'face behiDil the lipt ao11r0e. !he apeecl of the li&ht ud ita aotual llaape, apart tr. beiq rOUDcliah, were jor it .. of ooattioD. The drawiq aupplied tha, M:J aot be a tral7 accurate representation of the abape, ftt the deacriptioD aDd dvatiOD of the obawn.tiOD ftSP&ta that the relatift apeed wu approxiaaatel7 that of the oar in which the witDeaaea were traTeUiq 4. It waa ~ible dviJic tM oevM of tbe illterriew to ..U a.a .... _ent of the ritaeaMa'cretibilit7, but aneral.l7, repliea to the questienvtre were giftD iDa M.UJII17 pD1liM aDDer. Sightiag Repert Stat .. eDt b7 eae of the witneaaea Drari.Dg b7 eDe ef the ri tDeaMa night L~eJtte , fer Offi(Jer C1~ " REPORT ON UNUSUAL AERIAL SIGHTING PART 1 -Report by Observer ANNEX B TO HQQC 5/15/Air(36) DATED 27JUL72 (As a preliminary to completing this form, the observer is invited to describe the sighting in his or her own manner, using either separate sheets or the back of this form). Occupation of observer ~q~JPJ? .. ( /-.f/1-~ ..... YJ.'If:t.:-."f~f !1~ Date and time of start of observation :/J F./f!l:?.'f: ..... 4-:-:.S:. f!t:f. .... How certain is the date? How fami11ar 1s ~("~erver w1 th th1s local1 t/? ........ Weather conditions at time of observation ff.lf~.eJ ... d.~-t~.e.\ ...... . Describe any aids/equipment used in the observation ~Q~ ..... Where was object first obsel!ved: Relative to your surroundings !/.b~{ .. ~J .. If ... &..~J~.~; ..... . . 151J -liD~" tit What first attracted observer's attention? .J? .. t:~:f~17.~Jr~ If there was more than one light/object: in what formation 12. What was the colour of the light or object? t.Y~J:~ .................... . What was the brightness? (compare with full moon or common light source at a stated distance, eg, ordinary street light at 100 yards) What was the apparent-fize at nearest approach: relative to Venus or relative dimensions in inches at arm's length ~out 20 inches What were the bearing and elevation angles at nearest approach and how Describe any sound heard, including changes in pitch and intensity What was the maximum and minimum angle of elevation (or h~i~ht, if an What was the maximum and minimum angular velocity (or speed, if an estimate can be justified)? If necessary, compare with the movement of familiar objectf': at stated distances ~#:!-:f.~ ................... . Give duration of any stationary phases (.l?.~.~ . ............... . . Describe any deviations or manoeuvres 22. Describe any trail ot exhaust, vapour Q~cli~ &&i n /(,C,t~ 1(6f.fr;rul.v~.s 23 . Wher e wa s object last obser ved: elative to your surroundi ngs .1}/.t.u.~. ~. ;tk.~j.f ... tl:::fl! k:J ..... 24. What was t he manner of its disappear a nce? ]!':-:T . 4#..t. ~:':"!. ~ 25. Do you know of a ny associated physical evidence (such as f r agments, graphs, scorching, ground indentati ons, residual magnetism 26. State any t r a i ni ng which enables obs er ver to be reasonably certain of his/her a bility t o estimate angles and angular velocity 28. Do you know of witnesses to similar sightings in the area? Afo ......... . 29. What natural phenomenon (or phenomena) would be nearest to explaini ng 30. What are your main reasons for excluding this explanation? Please sketch the light/object with all details. If appropriate, sketch positi on and/or movement of object in relation to your surroundings. Use back of form if needed. OTH/l ""ITNESS5 S'1PNciJ WH'jNG llf011111~ - II ~#IJLE ST Hnlmll f'/J/21( 1VL If( y Tl5 $70/lf!,.,li iJ "'HcO "lfiii'7Ei"l 7HOn1 -~ PII'I-7()N S'l /1/()flTH vnRD 1VL 1~'/(lr 1:/'1-IN~'?nlJitlt-STVDnvt Part 2 -Unit Evaluati on following military aircraft were in the vicinity of the reported UFO position at the time : The following civil air craft were in the vicinity of the reported UFO positi on at the time: Give location of nearest ATD or ATA. ser ver's Location: Give bearing and elevation of any planets and major stars that wer e in that portion of the sky at that time . By day, give A meteor ol ogical baloon was released f rom ';TO.L~ti.S .t.L.~ f. ................. . ..Radie s onde */battery u ( ** delete as requi red) -General wind The first significant temperature inversion was of /.~ C at ft Any r emarks on satellites, rockets, research balloons, comets, meteorites etc. relevant to the sigh~,ing N/4. .. fJjJ. if. .t.'-~? e:!. !'::'; r~. 39. When an aircraft is a possible identification, include radar trace if available, and ascertain which of the aircraft lights The cause (or likel y cause) of the sighting~/cannot be deter mined. The object reported probably was/may have been (delete as requi r ed) CIJtevt..rlrt:P ;.JT fJI2 w s '-c-ru~' H . LttJ-HT 5..{)v{l_c. t? r~s , r jl (? l't:71 J2 cO w t-1 e-rJ rt p P /1 fZ E"N 1" L 'f 57/fTI()rl rir2'( OrJ 6-rl.tJvi'IP 5/e/ci f:J tJit~ &jiLt wr!Jt.e5~ 125 --!o -t#e b~ k./}_ -lo dejft,t$jl)n of ll;L r - Nt<.<-tJ~ C~r wtn~(ow s- tf?rvt.-s/lfoj~, (79) Royal Australien A ir Force A273 -MEMORANDUM REFERENCES APPOINTMENT PHONE NO Hr R. D .. Billings, 38 ront Victor Road, Your reports of unusual aerial sigbtines on 12th ond 16th Jmmary 1974 have been received tho investi{pting toao conoiders thzlt the most probable cause on both ocCll.Sions :as a Slltellite or other space associated equip!lent. Of the 30'37 nan ca.do objects currently in space, sight:lng predictioiUJ are issued only for long lived ootel.li tea of particular scientific or commercial interest, and of opttcum visible oacnitude, over oajor centreo of population. In our case predictions nrc evnilo.blo for 12 such satellites over I!Uljor Auatmlio.n cities. Althoueh none of those satellites ~rere visible over 1 olbourne at the tine of the cich~. the objects observed could hllve been :rocket stages or short-lived satellites. difference in vieui.na ttt.c con be explained by tho f ct that e. satellite tdth a lou o.pogoe and perigee i . e . about 400 l::lloeotroo, orbits the Enrth appro:rli:Io.toly ovory 90 minutes and a oatellitc rith n hie;h apogee a.r..d perigee i . o. frot1 3000-4000 ld..looetres, tcl:oo })out three hours to orbit the Earth. The lorer satellite vould, therefore, traverse tho ground observers' field of viou more quickly thlln the higher satellite. f.:ny apparent deviation or UilUC'U.lll. finches observed could be due