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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.
“United Press”10 pages
# ing Saucer' Reported Hawera Men HAVERA, Today.—The second "flying saucer" to be reported in South Taranaki within a month was seen by three Hawera men returning from whitebait fishing at the mouth of the Manawapou River about 8 o'clock last night. The men, Messrs. G. Rowlands, K. Frampton, and J. R. Mortlock, all agreed that when they first saw the object they thought it was a star until they noticed it was moving upwards and in an easterly direction. They watched it for five minutes until it moved out of sight. Mr. Mortlock's description of the saucer was that it was round and reddish. He said it could not possibly have been a star because, of its colour and movement. The round body of the object became elongated with each sideways movement. Mr. Mortlock says there were four or five antennae-like balls above the main body of the saucer and that these balls were of a shade lighter colour. "The thing moved in a spinning, swinging sort of motion well above the outline of the hills. It was going in an easterly direction. I don't believe in flying saucers., and I wouldn't have told anyone about this one if I'd seen it when I was on my own, but there were two others with me and they saw it, too," said Mr. Mortlock. He added that the movement of the object could be likened to a top which wobbled as it spun round. As they watched it it would grow in intensity and then fade.—(PA).
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