The National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (Nicap)

# Approved For Release 2001/04/02 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010001-0

Hovering and Bobbing UFOs

In 14 cases (35 per cent) the UFOs jumped or "bobbed" around while hovering in one general area of the sky, moving abruptly up and down, side to side. The words "bobbing,"

"erratic," and "jerky" regularly appear in the reports. Sometimes the maneuvers are compared to the bouncing of a pingpong ball. At least one witness said the motion was like the bobbing of a float on a fishline.

VIOLENT AND ERRATIC MANEUVERS

Observer Ratings: A = Scientific or experienced; B = Good; C = Average

Date & Location	Time	Number and Description	Maneuvers	Observer Rating
9-1897	Canada	---	(1) light source	"tacking and veering"	?
4-5-48	White Sands, New Mexico	---	(1) disc, 1/5 size of moon	"streaked...series of violent maneuvers."	A
4-8-49	Los Angeles, Calif.	day	(1) silvery disc	high speed, "zig-zagged"	C
4-9-49	Tucson, Arizona	4-5 p.m.	(1) bright orange light source	hovered, bobbed around arcing back and forth, up and down	B
7-50	Cincinnati, Ohio	1:45 p.m.	(1) cigar-shaped	climbed rapidly, stopped 10 seconds, dived, levelled off, moved away horizontally [Section V.]	A
10-10-51	Croix Falls, Wisc.	10:00 a.m.	(1) glowing cigar-like object	dove, levelled off, sharp left turn, climbed steeply and shot away [Section VI.]	A
5-13-52	San Diego, Calif.	8:55 p.m.	(1) luminous, circular	erratic darting side to side, undulatory course, circled. [Section I.]	A
6-12-52	Le Bourget, France	3:30 p.m.	(1) silver, egg-shaped	hovered, violent jerks up & down, rocked back & forth, darted away	B
7-1-52	Washington, D.C.	noon	(1) gray, shape not specified	hovered 8 minutes, arced back & forth about 150, returning to original position, slowly dropped out of sight	A
7-16-52	Hampton Roads, Virginia	9:00 p.m.	(4) amber light sources	Two spun around each other rapidly, joined by two others, moved jerkily when moving slowly [Section VI.]	A
7-19-52	Quebec, Canada	2:30 to 3:00 p.m.	(2) blue-white light sources	Bobbed up & down, back & forth, maintained 30 separation	C
8-7-52	Kerkrade, Holland	Early a.m.	(2) disc-shaped with flat dome	One swooped down, hovered, zig-zagged & shot away; second hovered, tilted up & shot away. [Section X.]	A
9-28-52	Scandinavia	---	(1) luminous, emitted sparks	Moved with irregular jerks, visible one hour, satellite objects visible at one point.	C
10-17-52	S. France	12:50 p.m.	(About 30), 1 large cylinder and many Saturn-like discs	Discs moved in pairs, zig-zagged ("angel's hair" fell) [Section VIII.]	B
10-27-52	S. France	5:00 p.m.	(17) 1 cigar surrounded by 16 discs with domes	Discs moved in pairs, zig-zagged ("angel's hair" fell) [Section VIII.]	B
8-22-54	Chicago, Ill.	---	(1) half-moon shaped	Hovered, darted erratically in various directions, up & down...	C
9-23-55	Mt. Washington, Ohio	---	(2) red light sources	Stopped near hilltop, began independent motions, jumping up & down; one moved back & forth	C
10-3-55	Denver, Colorado	8:00 p.m.	(1) yellow-orange light source	Rapid pulsation, square turns, sudden stops & spurts of speed	C
11-7-55	Montrose, Calif.	6:30 p.m.	(1) elliptical, lights on each end	circled, hovered, ascended & descended...	B
11-23-55	Spirit Lake, Iowa	5:45 p.m.	(1) vari-colored light source	Moved erratically up & down, hovered 10 minutes...	A
12-12-55	Branford, Conn.	10:30 p.m.	(1) large light source, flare-like flashes	Bobbed around in various directions	C
2-17-56	Paris, France	night	(1) large red light source	Sped into area, hovered, bobbed around sky for several hours; tracked by radar, seen visually. [Section X.]	A