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NZDF declassified RNZAF UFO files

NZDF / RNZAF via Internet Archive · 2010-12 · 445 pages · text by GLM-OCR

This is a New Zealand Defence Force public release of RNZAF file AIR 39/3/3, "Flying Saucers," which covers 1952 to 1955 and was declassified in September 2010 under the Official Information Act. It collects sighting reports from the public and military personnel, press clippings, and a table of 1952 sightings. It also holds Carter Observatory opinions attributing some reports to meteors. A large part covers the inquiry into lights seen from National Airways Corporation Flight 108 on 31 October 1955, which the RNZAF could not fully explain as Venus.

  • p. 10 …They passed over Christchurch about 1.30 p.m. As the aircraft moved on, they left…
  • p. 24 25 NOV 1955 # AIR DEPARTMENT. CHRISTCHURCH, N.W.4. 23rd November, 1955. The Director of Civil…
  • p. 25 …2 R.D. , CHRISTCHURCH. The Regional Superintendent, Civil Aviation Administration, CHRISTCHURCH AIRPORT. Dear Sir, The following…
  • p. 36 …12168 0182/50652 90/12165 17/16399 CHRISTCHURCH/AUCKLAND: 67/39485 CA 90/34627 CA WELLINGTON…
  • p. 165 …It was also seen by Palmerston North and Christchurch residents in N.Z. about that time…
  • p. 186 …which he witnessed from his home in Christchurch at 10.21 p.m. on the 20th…
  • p. 211 …The "Star-Sun" reporter and his wife were travelling by car towards Christchurch at 3.46…
  • p. 219 …Coutts Island to the back of the Christchurch Airport and though the cloud bank was about…
  • p. 226 …Carter had reported the incident to the Christchurch, N.Z., Press, and later decided to write…
  • p. 255 …had the pleasure of meeting for the first time, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin Representatives, Branch leaders…
  • p. 266 …It made a whizzing noise like a spinning top, they said. # MYSTERIOUS LIGHT IN SKY CHRISTCHURCH…
  • p. 299 …REPRESENTATIVES Two further representatives have been appointed in two southern cities, Christchurch and Dunedin. Representatives are…
  • p. 307 …Secretary 55 Tedder Avenue Christchurch E.3. ## WAS IT A METEOR? ## PERHAPS ONE DAY WE WILL…
  • p. 312 …received two other reports around this time one from a lady in Christchurch and another from…
  • p. 313 …August 25th Christchurch 6.40 p.m. fast moving strange light horizon tal course, in view…
  • p. 314 ## FLYING SAUCERS PAGE 18 November 17th Christchurch 11p.m. two further observers of fast m ing…
  • p. 332 …8.30 Palmerston North, Wellington, and Christchurch. A bright object, reported by many to be round…
  • p. 333 …March 18, Christchurch. Dr C.D. Ellyet, Senior Lecturer in physics at Canterbury University College, claims…
  • p. 359 …Sam Rix, Tauranga; Miss Ethne Hamber, Christchurch; Miss V.E.J.Allan, Dunedin; Dr.Benjamin D…
  • p. 393 …A passenger on the Express from Christchurch saw an unusual light in the sky near Camara…
  • p. 394 …Southland, North Otago, the West Coast and Christchurch. Some people who said they had seen it…
  • p. 396 …was travelling with his son from Christchurch to Wellington on the Saturday night when they saw…
  • p. 397 …The Christchurch observers given an apparent size of half a crown indicating a height of 6000…
  • p. 398 …Nelson Yellow/White 10.30? Cheviot? Blue Green Christchurch Blue S. Hissing Camara Blue 11.8…
  • p. 400 …9 17 minutes Christchurch/New Brighton 29.10.52 9 p.m. 1 Taradale, Napier 30…
  • p. 412 …Cigar South Nil GREEN LIGHT. Moving swiftly. Christchurch 13.10.52 Nil One 5 secs Starline…
  • p. 413 …minutes Saucer Nil Nil Redlights around lights Christchurch 3.11.52 1115 pm Two one minute…
  • p. 414 …Christchurch 6.12.52 1015 pm One 30 secs Disc South Hissing Blue in colour Ryeburn…
  • p. 418 …Williamson, has written to the "Evening Post" to say that the "flying saucer" seen in Christchurch…
  • p. 421 # BLUE DISC THAT HISSED South-Bound 'Saucer' Seen At Three Points PEOPLE in Christchurch, Kyeburn, and…
  • p. 428 …Otago, from the West Coast and from Christchurch, among others. Some people, who said they had…
  • p. 436 …Auckland astronomers and meter- ## Riccarton Run Confused By CHRISTCHURCH, November unsettled nature of the weather heavy…

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

Highlight of the reports come from Mr.J.W.Boyle, of Caulfield, Vice-President of the Victorian branch of the British Astronomical Assoc. Last night Mr Boyle said: At 11 a.m. on Jan 3, I was walking from the Victory Theatre St. Kilda, towards the beach. My son Ian was with me." Suddenly immediately overhead, we saw a strange rectangular object flying in straight and level flight. It resembled a huge sheet of aluminium and was flying from west to east. It was clearly visible for 15 to 20 seconds, but too far away to describe in any detail. Ian saw it too. He called out look at the silver-butterfly." It could of been some unknown type of flying machine". Most of the other eye-witnesses told the Civil Aviation Dept that the objects they had seen had been illuminated. Many described the objects as "Discs".

FILM OF SAUCER TAKEN. Sydney Daily Telegraph Jan 25. A Dept of Civil Aviation employee has photographed on movie film a mysterious flying object. The Minister of Air, said this last night. Mr McMahon said he had the film flown to the United States for enlarging. Mr T.C. Drury a senior Dept officer statiched at Port Moresby took the film. Mr Drury was a form-er member of the R.A...F. He is a reliable creditable person Mr McMahon said. Mr Drury seen a cloud suddenly forming from a dot in the clear blue sky; a silvery object rose out of the cloud. It went higher up into the air and vanished. Mr Drury had telephoto lens on his camera and photographed the object flashing across the sky, on August 20, 1953. Mr McMahon said experts of the R.B.A.F. had examined the film carefully and said that the film definitely showed some-thing in the sky. Mr Drury is the Australian Deputy Reginal Director of Civil Aviation.

UNKNOWN CLAIMS HE SNAPPED FLYING SALUCER OVER ALICE SPRINGS. Such was the headlines in the CENT- TRALIAN ADVOCATE Feb 5 1954. The Advocate has published the photograph left under its office door by the unknown person. This the unknown's story. For several reasons, one of which is because I can hardly believe it myself, I refuse at this stage to come forward and allow my name to be used. But study this picture of a flying saucer for yourselves. I was taking a picture of Mount Gillen on the day that a numb-er of Alice Springs people said they heard something strange pass over. (Jan 15) Suddenly an enormous round looking object appeared from behind Gillen. It went high and then dropped to come quite low between the Mounta-in and the Town -- it was not traveling fast at this stage -- it fact it appeared to be almost hovering; this was when I took the picture-- almost automatically. It would of been possible to take more photos, but I just looked, then suddenly the thing moved off very fast, it gained speed until it must of been travelli-ng at a terrific pace. "I did not hear much of a whistling sound, the saucer looked to have been anything up to 150 ft across. I don't know maybe Adamski had something about those men from Venus.

## 100

Here is a sketch of the photo showing the wheel-like appearance. It is most difficult to determine the authenticity of photos, however you may appreciate the rough sketch for reference. Other reports have come from Central Australia from the aborigines. Four of them said that something sounding frighteningly strange streaked overhead. Another Alice Springs man (White) confirmed that he too had seen and heard the object, that scared the natives.

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Document, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. The text was read from the page images by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word. 445 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.