International UFO Reporter, Vol. 3, No. 12, Dec. 1978

This document is the December 1978 issue of the International UFO Reporter, which provides a comprehensive review of the disappearance of Australian pilot Fred Valentich. Valentich, a 20-year-old pilot with the RAAF Air Training Corps, vanished on October 21, 1978, while flying a Cessna 182L across the Bass Strait. During his flight, he radioed the Melbourne Flight Service to report an unidentified aircraft hovering above him, describing it as a long, shiny, metallic object with a green light. The transmission ended with a strange metallic sound. The issue details the subsequent search efforts, which included an RAAF Orion aircraft that identified an oil slick, though it was later determined to be a weak mix and likely not from the Cessna. The report explores various theories regarding the incident, including the possibility of a hoax, pilot disorientation, or an actual UFO encounter. It also includes a personal profile of Valentich, highlighting his interest in aviation and his character as described by his family and instructors. Additionally, the document contains a section on UFO sightings in Brazil, including reports of objects interacting with vehicles, and a technical appendix on UFO photography techniques, emphasizing the importance of documenting sightings with both color and black-and-white film.