RADCAT Case Directory
  Category 9, RADAR  
 
  Preliminary Rating: 5  

                                   
     

RADCAT is a revitalized special project now being conducted jointly by NICAP & Project 1947 with the help and cooperation of the original compiler of RADCAT, Martin Shough, to create a comprehensive listing of radar cases with detailed documentation from all previous catalogues, including UFOCAT and original RADCAT.

Several Incidents of R/V at Bentwaters
Aug. 13, 1956
Lakenheath/RAF Bentwaters, England

Francis Ridge:
44 documents. This is undoubtedly one of the most important UFO events in the Blue Book files, but was not listed among the official "unknowns". The case impressed Dr. James E. McDonald and Dr. J. Allen Hynek, and even more notably, the Condon Committee. This is another intercept mission where a pilot, faced with an unknown form of reality, was very frightened by his nocturnal encounter.

The Condon Report:
"... this is the most puzzling and unusual case in the radar-visual files. The apparently rational, intelligent behavior of the UFO suggests a mechanical device of unknown origin as the most probable explanation of this sighting. However, in view of the inevitable fallibility of witnesses, more conventional explanations of this report cannot be entirely ruled out."

Brad Sparks:
Aug. 13, 1956;  RAF Bentwaters, England, UK (BBU)
9:55 p.m. Extremely high speed radar-visual approximately 18,000 mph E-W radar track of brilliant white light, from about 30 miles E to 30 miles W passing directly over the radar site, "streaked under"  C-47 at 4,000 ft near base. Radar track provides height-finding data confirming extremely low altitude, roughly 2,000 ft, also estimated by ground visual observers. 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Radar-visual of hovering-darting objects that outmaneuvered Venom NF-3 jet interceptor beginning at 12:01 a.m. Later attempted intercepts at about 2-3 a.m. were unsuccessful. (Sparks)

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