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This Project Blue Book case file, digitized by the Internet Archive, covers Incident 144: two Eastern Airlines pilots reported that a wingless, cigar-shaped object with a flaming exhaust passed their DC-3 about 20 miles southwest of Montgomery, Alabama, on 24 July 1948. The file includes an OSI interview with a Robins Air Force Base employee who saw a similar object, negative aircraft traffic reports from many bases, and later correspondence. A December 1948 intelligence report found fairly consistent descriptions across four related sightings.
“The Wash”11 pages
SUBJECT: Project "SIGN" CHARACTER: Special Investigation DATE: 9 Sep 1948 FILE NO: 333.5 (24-1) DETAILS: (Cont'd) Q. 7. Approximately what was the height and altitude of this object? A.7. Three thousand feet - it could be lower or higher, at night it is difficult to judge distance. Q. 8. What was the size and shape in comparison to the trail of fire? A. 8. The trail of fire was longer than the cylindrical shape of the object. Q. 9. Was the entire object illuminated? Describe its shape. A. 9. I noticed a faint glow on the belly of the wingless object a phosphorescent glow. Q. 10. Are you familiar with shooting stars? A. 10. Yes Sir. I thought at first it was a shooting star or a meteor, but a shooting star falls perpendicular. This object was on a straight and level plane. When it disappeared it disappeared from sight due to distance rather than drop. Q. 11. How did it differ from a shooting star or meteor in size and shape? A.11. I have only seen one or two meteors and they appear to be round or more or less ball-shaped and this object was long and cylindrical in shape. Q. 12. What was the color of the light? A. 12. It was a trailing faint blue flame. Q. 13. Was there any moonlight at this time? 4. 13. I didn't pay too much attention to the moonlight. I wouldn't say for sure whether there was a moon. Q. 24. Where did the light that illuminated the shape of the object seen to come from? 4. 24. It looked like it was close to the bottom deck. Q. 15. Did it give you the impression that there were windows or holes and did the decks appear to be divided into sections? A. 15. I am not sure. It would be hard to tell if there were windows and a divided deck could not be recognized from the ground.
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