65 HS1-834228961 62-HQ-83894 Section 002

.,J" '
Phoellix file 62-213
WILLIAU ALBERT RHODES, 4333 N. 14th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, owns
and maintains the Panoramic Research Laboratory and Hobby Shop at this address,
and he related the following as occurring on the afternoon of JuJ.y 7, 1947: •
A storm had occurred in Phoenix on the afternoon of Ju1y 7, 1947,
and the clouds were at approximately 5000 feet, the color of which was grey
and they resembled dense cum.uJ.us. A fifteen mile per hour wind was blowing.
At approximately 5 p.m. on that date, Mr. RHODES was walking from his home
to the Hobby Shop and he heard a noise resembling a P-80 aircraft, apparent'.cy
coming in a wester'.cy direction. Upon searching the skies he observed to the
northeast what appeared to be an odd shaped ship. He described this ship as
being possibly 20 to 30 feet in diameter, traveling at an estimated speed of
100 miles per hour. It appeared to be making a spiral in a small radius of
possibly one-half to three quarters of a mile. RHODES stated the sound which
he first heard was no longer audible; that he hurriedzy procured a 120 Brownie
Box Camera from his shop, and as the aircraft completed the first circle he
obtained a photograph. As the ship started on the second turn, it was in a
northwesterly direction from his place and he again snapped a photograph, which
more closely resembled the shape of the ship than photograph #1, this being
designated as Exhibit II, as submi t ted to the Bureau with letter dated August
4, 1947, by the Office of Assistant Chief of Staff A-2 Intelligence, Hamilton
Field, California. RHODES .further described the direction of the ship by
stating that instead of completing the lefthand downward spiral the ship banked
to the right and disappeared into the clouds. He stated that just as it banked,
he had snapped the second photograph, Exhibit II.
At the last point, which was at the time the ship made this turn, Mr.
RHODF.S estimated it to be between 1,000 arrl 2,000 .feet high. He further des
cribed the appearance of this ship as closely resembling a picture which appeared
on the front cover of the May, 194?, issue of the Mechanics Illustrated Magazine,
the only difference noted by Mr. RHODFS being that the ship appeared t o be fly
ing backward •
.Mr. RHODES also related that he did not associate the appearance of
this ship with the numerous reports of flying discs. He related, however, that
after a three minute interview with newspaper repor-ters the story that appeared
in the local papers was "blown up" to the extent that he, RHODES, barely recog
nized the information furnished by him. .Mr. RHODES explained that the afore
mentioned dimensions and distances were only estimated, pointing out, that his
previous experience probably assisted him in making fairly close estimates. He
related that he bad been doing experimental work for the past ten years. He
also stated he was Employed at the Naval Ordnance Laboratory, Washington, D. c.
during the early part of World War II and left there the beginning of 1942.
Upon his return t o Phoenix, he was employed at Falcon Field near Phoenix which
was leased by the British Goverrunent for training purposes. He instructed in
instrument training, aircraft ident ification and gunne l"'J practice. He explained
that his hobbies have to do with science, physics, radio, electronics and astronomy.
He produced a model which he had made of a radio controlled airplane. He related
that most of his work consists of building transfonners, but it is also necessary
for him to depend upan his music ability for his livlihood.