Project Blue Book file, part 1

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

line. I also hooked in my local AFB Commanding Officer and my Unit (AFC5 Communications Squadron) Commander on my switchboard. And there could have been others hooked in also that I was not aware of. I repeated all the facts known to this point and continued to give a detailed report on the target's movements and location. The target made several changes in location, always in a straight line, always at about 600 mph and always from a standing or stationary point to his next stop at constant speed - no build-up in speed at all - these changes in location varied from 8 miles to 20 miles in length - no set pattern at any time. Time spent stationary between movements also varied from 30 or 4 minutes to 5 or 6 minutes (possibly even longer as I was busy answering questions - listening to theories, guesses, etc. that the conference line people were saying. This continued for some time. After I imagine about 30 to 45 minutes, it was decided to scramble two RAF interceptors to investigate. This was done I believe by 3rd Air Force calling the RAF and, after hearing what the score was, they scrambled one aircraft. [The second got off after as I will mention later.]

The interceptor aircraft took off from an RAF Station near London and approached Lakenheath from the southwest. Radio and radar contact was established with the RAF intercept aircraft at a point about 30 to 35 miles southwest of Lakenheath inbound to Lakenheath. On initial contact we gave the interceptor pilot all the background information on the UFO, his (the Interceptor) present distance and bearing from Lakenheath, the UFO's (which was stationary at the time) distance and bearing from Lakenheath. We explained we did not know the altitude of the UFO but we could assume his altitude was above 1,500 feet and below 20,000 feet, due to the operational characteristics of the radar (CP$=5 type radar, I believe). Also we mentioned the report from the C47 over Sculthorpe that relayed the story about the light which passed below him. His altitude was 5,600 feet.

We immediately issued headings to the interceptor to guide him to the UFO. The UFO remained stationary throughout. This vectoring of the intercept aircraft continued. We continually gave the intercept aircraft his heading to the UFO and his distance from the UFO at approximately 1 to 2 mile intervals. Shortly after we told the intercept aircraft he was one-half mile from the UFO and it was twelve-o'clock from his position, he said. "Roger, Lakenheath, I've got my guns locked on him." Then he paused and said, "Where did he go? Do you still have him?" We replied, "Roger, it appeared he got behind you and he's still there. [There were now two targets; one behind the other, same speed, very close, but two separate distinct targets.

The first movement by the UFO was so swift (circling behind theInterceptor). I missed it entirely, but it was seen by the other controllers. However, the fact that this had occurred was confirmed by the pilot of the interceptor. The pilot of the interceptor told us he would try to shake the UFO and would try it again. He tried everything - he climbed, dived, circled, etc., but the UFO acted like it was glued right behind him, always the same distance, very close, but we always had two distinct targets. [Note: Target resolution on our radar at the range they were from the antenna [about 10 to 30 miles, all in the southerly sectors from Lakenheath] would be between 200 and 600 feet probably. Closer than that we would have got one target from both aircraft and UFO. Most specifications say 500 feet is the minimum, but I