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This Project Blue Book case file covers the 7 January 1948 incident at Godman Field, Fort Knox, Kentucky, which the file itself calls the famous "Mantell case." It holds control tower witness statements describing a large, bright object and the three P-51s sent to pursue it, whose flight leader, Mantell, stopped answering after climbing past 15,000 feet. It also includes weather data and Air Materiel Command correspondence. One analysis concludes that the object was not Venus and that the sighting must be considered unexplained.
“Spencer”2 pages
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At approx 1300 hrs State Police reported flying object near Elizabethtown. Ten minutes later sighted near Madisonville. A third call reported it over Lexington. (all south of Codman) Tower then alerted. Tower sighted object at 1445 and notified Col Hix who went immediately to tower where he observed the object thru 8-power binocs. Object also lined up with sighting bar. Three P-51 planes were already pursuing the thing on a course of 215°. (One pilot reported the thing to be traveling at 180 MPH) Col Hix reported the object appeared to the south and near the sun. "It was very white and looked like an umbrella," he stated. "I thought it was a celestial body but I can't account for the fact it didn't move." "I just don't know what it was." Appeared about 1/4 size of full moon and white in color. Thru the binocs it appeared to have a red border at the bottom at times and a red border at the top at times. It remained stationary (seemingly) for 1-1/2 hours. RELIABILITY: CO of Godman Fld. Obj chased by National Guard planes and followed from the ground by State Highway patrolman. See corroborating accounts.
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