UFO'S of UAP'S, ASTRONOMIE, RUIMTEVAART, ARCHEOLOGIE, OUDHEIDKUNDE, SF-SNUFJES EN ANDERE ESOTERISCHE WETENSCHAPPEN

Just recently I wrote an article titled “A factual object of very unusual nature.” It served to demonstrate that, contrary to what some have said, the U.S. Freedom of Information Act has led to the release of genuinely intriguing UFO reports. It’s certainly not the case that all the “good” reports remain hidden behind closed doors. Yes, many probably do remain classified. But, that does not take away the fact that there are some fascinating, once-classified, files on UFOs in the public domain. Today, I’m focusing on some of the files that the British Government declassified back in the 1980s. They too demonstrate – to an amazing degree – that at times government agencies are prepared to reveal to us accounts of a very extraordinary type.

In September 1952, a notable UFO encounter occurred at Royal Air Force Topcliffe, a military base in Yorkshire, England. One of the witnesses, Flight Lieutenant John Kilburn, said of the incident: “Sir, I have the honor to report the following incident which I witnessed on Friday, 19th September, 1952. I was standing with four other aircrew personnel of No. 269 Squadron watching a Meteor fighter gradually descending. The Meteor was at approximately 5000 feet and approaching from the east. [Flight Officer R.N.] Paris suddenly noticed a white object in the sky at a height between ten and twenty thousand feet some five miles astern of the Meteor.”

Raptors

“The object was silver in color and circular in shape, it appeared to be traveling at a much slower speed than the Meteor but was on a similar course. It maintained the slow forward speed for a few seconds before commencing to descend, swinging in a pendular motion during descent similar to a falling sycamore leaf…After a few seconds, the object stopped its pendulous motion and its descent and began to rotate about its own axis.

“Suddenly it accelerated at an incredible speed towards the west turning onto a south-easterly heading before disappearing. All this occurred in a matter of fifteen to twenty seconds. The movements of the object were not identifiable with anything I have seen in the air and the rate of acceleration was unbelievable.”

Five years later, specifically on March 26, 1957, there was yet another amazing encounter. And again the U.K. Government handed over the files to ufologists – and with not a hassle in sight. The document states in part: “A report was received from Royal Air Force Church Lawford on 26th March, 1957 of a sighting of an unusual nature. The object moved at a speed timed at exceeding 1400mph. This in itself was unusual as the object had accelerated to this speed from a stationary position. No explanation has yet been found for this sighting but a supplementary report, including a copy of the radar plot, was requested and has been received from Church Lawford this afternoon.”

A little more than a week later, there was yet another incredible encounter. April 4, 1957 was the date on which an extraordinary wave of UFO activity occurred in Scotland, much of it involving the staff of a military facility called Royal Air Force West Freugh. Nothing less than a squadron of huge, unknown aircraft were recorded flying in the U.K.’s airspace. The Air Ministry ruled out a convention explanation. Instead, as the now-declassified files show, the Air Ministry was of the opinion that…

Typhoon FGR4

“It is deduced from these reports that altogether five objects were detected by the three radars. Nothing can be said of physical construction except that they must have been either of considerable size or else constructed to be especially good reflectors. There were not known to be any aircraft in the vicinity nor were there any meteorological balloons. Even if balloons had been in the area these would not account for the sudden change of direction and the movement at high speed against the prevailing wind.The incident was due to the presence of five reflecting objects of unknown type and origin. It is considered unlikely that they were conventional aircraft, meteorological balloons or charged clouds.”

Of course, this is an extraordinary revelation. And when the files were declassified back in the late 1980s, more than a few U.K. ufologists were surprised by the government’s decision to release them, particularly given the fact that their content practically screamed out that UFOs were real.

If anyone ever tells you that governments always hold back all the “good stuff,” you can tell them they’re wrong.

On previous occasions, I have written here at Mysterious Universe on the subject of a U.S. Government UFO-themed program of the late 1940s to the early 1950s. It was called Project Twinkle. Its mandate was to investigate reports of strange, brightly lit, green fireballs. They were seen in close proximity to military installations and facilities involved in research concerning atomic energy (largely, but not exclusively, in the southwest of the United States). Many of the staff believed the fireballs were under intelligent control. While the program was ultimately closed and fell into a degree of obscurity, the now-available files offer an intriguing insight into the phenomenon. Take, for example, the following document of October 18, 1948, which tells a fascinating and intriguing story. It is one of many. Here’s how it starts:

“18 Oct 48 – CONFIDENTIAL Gen Holger Toftoy (US Army Ordnance/Rocket) daily log: Conference attended by Cols Toftoy, Roberts & Bainbridge (CC), Maj J.F. Gay & Dr. J. J. Grebe, (Chemical Corps), and Dr. Mugson. Chemical Corps reported analysis of fragments picked up from ‘flying saucer’ which vanished with a brilliant flash and bang near Midland, Michigan. Sand and clinker recovered from the locality contained nuggets of fairly pure silver and some thorium. The thorium was sufficient to give radioactivity approximately 10 times natural background which could possibly be ascribed to thorium coated filaments in electronic equipment, although the quantity seems excessive.”

The document continues: “There was evidence also of magnesium which had been completely oxidized. Dr. Grebe advanced his hypothesis that small missiles of the order of 1 to 3 feet in diameter might be responsible, coming from distant sources. He considered that a rapidly rotating disc of magnesium and /or aluminum might have enough energy if properly utilized to propel the disc several thousand miles, and might be completely destroyed by burning in air. Remaining traces of silver and thorium might be ascribed to electronic control system.”

We are then told: “After discussion, it was agreed that Col Roberts should request the Bur of Standards group to investigate some of the mechanisms which might conceivably propel discs of this general type and TU will keep in close touch with these calculations (CMH). A meeting next Monday, 25 Oct, can be arranged with Dr. Grebe if indications are favorable. Dr. Grebe also briefly described a theory of his that a fish-shaped object with a modified tear-drop cross section would take off along the long axis and change position in flight to fly at an angle more like a flying wing. No wings or other aerodynamic surfaces that produce drag would be required.”

Clearly, a great deal of time and effort went into resolving this matter, regardless of the origins of the fragments. The reference to such fragments possibly having come from a “flying saucer” is interesting. It’s important to note, though, the fact that those two words – “flying” and “saucer” – are contained within quotation marks. This suggests the military was using the term as one which was in popular, widespread use at the time, but not necessarily intended to mean “alien spacecraft.”

Whatever the truth of the affair described above, it’s notable that it was cases like this one which had the Project Twinklepeople more than a bit concerned. Consider the following: Three months later, the Headquarters 4th Army prepared a document titled “Unconventional Aircraft.” It began: “1. The inclosed Summary of Information: subject ‘Unconventional Aircraft’ (Control No. A-1917) dated 13 Jan 49, is forwarded for your information and any action deemed necessary. 2. Agencies in New Mexico are greatly concerned over these phenomena. They are of the opinion that some foreign power is making ‘sensing shots’ with some super-stratospheric device designed to be self-disintegrating. They also believe that when the device is perfected for accuracy, the disintegrating factor will be eliminated in favor of a warhead.”

The military continued: “3. Another theory being advanced as possibly acceptable lies in the belief that the phenomena are the result of radiological warfare experiments by a foreign power, further, that the rays may be lethal or might be attributed to the cause of some of the plane crashes that have occurred recently. 4. Still another belief that is advanced is that, it is highly probable that the United States may be carrying out some top-secret experiments. 5. It is felt that these incidents are of such great importance, especially as they are occurring in the vicinity of sensitive installations, that a scientific board be sent to this locality to study the situation with a view of arriving at a solution of this extraordinary phenomena with the least practicable delay. 6. It is further requested that this headquarters be informed of action taken on this and a previous report in order that reporting agencies may be advised.”

In view of all the above, it’s hardly surprising that, behind closed doors, people were restless. Additional records show that Project Twinkle never did resolve matters to the satisfaction of everyone. The green fireballs vanished into oblivion, leaving more than a few people both puzzled and alarmed as to what the truth really was.