Blue Book MISC-PBB1 565-576 (PDF)

Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.

Description of Incident

At 1551Z, a radar track appeared 20 miles NNW of W-P AFB. The course was 240° at 400 knots. Two P-66's under GCI control were then located ten miles SW of that position. The fighters were vectored and made visual contact at 1555Z. Fighters stayed with the object until 1613Z.

Interrogation of sources, an AP major and lieutenant, reveal the following:

a. The F-86's climbed to 48,000', fell off, and then made a second climb to 48,000'. The major made a camera run the second time and received a weak return on his radar gunsight. The lieutenant's sight was "caged" so he received no return. The major estimated the object at 12,000-20,000' above his altitude of 48,000'. This estimate was substantiated by the range capability of the radar gunsight. The object's size, accepting source's estimate of distance, was 24-40' in diameter and source said his optical sight just covered the object. The films were not sufficiently clear. The object appeared as a fuzzy, small image in the upper right hand corner with discernable motion to lower left.

b. The AO&W Squadron established two important facts: Re-affirmation that the UFO moved at 400 knots and indication that the two F-86's and UFO appeared simultaneously on the OCI scope. It is obvious that all eyes and antennas were fixed on the same object.

## Comments

The object was not a balloon, since the speed was too fast. A rawinsonde was released at 1500Z and moved off to the east. The object moved against the wind. The blip size was that of a normal aircraft. The object was not a known aircraft because the altitude was too high. The object was not astronomical as dual radar returns eliminate this. Electronic or visual mirage of meteorological phenomenon is out of the question as the radar set was on high beaz, and both would not occur simultaneously in the same place. The sighting occurred above the weather".

## Conclusion

Unknown