IMCAT Case Directory
  Category 08, Photographic / Video Images 
 
  Preliminary
Rating: 5  

                                   
     

Santa Ana / Rex Heflin Photos
Aug. 3, 1965
Santa Ana, California


Date: Sun, 28 Dec 1997; updated 1 Nov 2012
Richard Hall:

Aug. 3, 1965; Santa Ana, California (BB)
12:37 p.m. A county highway traffic engineer took three Polaroid photos of domed-disc UFO, and a fourth of a black "smoke ring" the object left behind. Computer enhancement and other analysis was conducted by Robert Nathan at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, working with first-generation prints and copy negatives made by the newspaper. Among other things, the analysis established photographic evidence to confirm the (reported) "light beam" on the underside of the object. The Air Force issued a statement declaring the photographs a hoax, which was strongly disputed by NICAP. In 1993, MUFON photoanalyst Jeffrey Sainio re-examined Spaulding's work and rejected the string hypothesis. 

Fran Ridge:
At this point we are not convinced that some hoaxing was not conducted or by whom. The case and analyses are controversial to say the least. Since the original photos were mysteriously returned in 1997 (after 32 years being missing)  the case probably needs to be re-evaluated in that light. Heflin said that he had turned over three of the four originals to a man (or two men, the stories differ) who claimed that he represented the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD). NORAD denied that they had ever sent out an investigator or indeed that they had the slightest interest in the photos. The letter showing official Air Force concern over the reported impersonations is part of this report. 

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