NZDF declassified RNZAF UFO files

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.

Awakened at 2.45am by a soft high pitched metalic sound, Mr & Mrs J.P. Burke were amazed to see the object sketched above surrounded by greemish phosphorescent light. Mr. Burke a pilot of eight years experience watched the strange craft shaped like drummers Cymbal with a seperate elongated section underneath, climbing steadily away to disappear after 20 min. a star-like dot in the sky. First seen at 3.600 ft. speed approx. 300mph. sky 10/10ths cloud.