May 2, 1957. Edwards AFB, Calif. (BBU 4715)
6:55-7:20 a.m. (PDT). James D. Bittick and John R. Gettys, Jr., civilian phototheodolite operators, were driving by truck to Askania Site #4 when they sighted an object above them about 500 yards away. They radioed a report to their supervisor Frank Baker who told them to set up the camera and try to film the object, which they did after about 10 mins. They photographed what they described as a golden luminous domed-saucer shaped object with holes or ports around the dome about 100 ft in diameter about 1 mile in the distance to the N headed E (photos show multiple? objects). Available phototheodolite frames 614, 620 and 651 (609 too blurred, cutoff) show azimuth 10°28' elevation 2°24' shifting E to azimuth 40°30' elevation 1°0'. Disappeared at about 5 miles. Possible jet fighter interception. [Possible weather balloon with slow leak, explanation denied by Edwards AFB Colonel Klein (sp?) analyzing actual tracking of balloon and wind direction.] (Tom Tulien; Jan Aldrich; McDonald 1968 pp. 75, 85; Loren Gross Mar-May 1957 pp. 67-68; IUR Oct 2005) 25 mins 2 witnesses 8 Full Moons? photo-theodolite

Fran Ridge:
This is McDonald case #41 and BB case # 4715. The implications of what Cooper has said on camera is very compelling, if true (See YouTubes below). In 1957, when Cooper was 30 and a captain, he was assigned to Fighter Section of the Experimental Flight Test Engineering Division at Edwards Air Force Base in California. He acted as a test pilot and project manager. On May 2 of that year, he had a crew setting up an Askania cinetheodolite precision landing system on a dry lake bed.  (read more).