 Category 11 Case Directory SIGHTINGS FROM AIRCRAFT Preliminary Rating: 5 |
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| AVCAT is a special project being conducted
by NICAP, with the help and cooperation of the original compiler of
AIRCAT, Dr. Richard Haines, and other sources, to create a
comprehensive listing of sightings from aircraft with detailed
documentation from these sources, including Projects SIGN, GRUDGE &
BLUE BOOK. |
Object
Triangulated, Observed From F-61C
April 18, 1950
Nr. Memphis, Texas
April 18, 1950
Nr. Memphis, Texas
| 9:00 a.m. CST Duration F-61C United States |
Military 3 observers in a/c No EMI No radar contact |
| Brad Sparks: April 18, 1950; Nr. Memphis, Texas (BBU) 9 a.m.-12:40 p.m. (CST). CAA observers in Clarendon, Texas, saw unidentified object to the SE while observers in Childress about 50 miles SE saw object to NW and triangulated stationary object midway in between near Memphis, for 3+ hrs beginning at 9 a.m., which did not move significantly despite winds aloft. Northrop engineering test pilot Max Stanley and observers Lloyd Balsam and Sam F. West were asked to intercept object as they were about to take off in F-61C (AF 8357) from Amarillo on an MX-775 test (Navaho cruise missile celestial guidance test), and a B-36 also took off from Ft. Worth to intercept. At about 12:20 p.m., F-61C crew reached 20,000 ft near Memphis and saw a translucent silver spherical shaped object to the SE at "considerable distance" at 30,000+ ft with "prominent detents" top and bottom with a dark vertical streak or shadow, and streak tilted occasionally resulting in object moving laterally slowly and briefly, with no visible means of propulsion. Object was visible only when sunlight intermittently reflected on it. Contact with CAA Amarillo Range Station revealed no other aircraft in area at high altitude. Northrop crew flew 10 mins at 200+ mph (150 mph IAS) toward object but could not overtake it though apparently closed distance so that object was better observed, appearing as if possibly a weather balloon, however CAA Amarillo denied the possibility due to winds aloft and extreme length of CAA observation. Object then disappeared behind or into a deck of high altitude cirrus clouds. F-61C continued on SE heading for about 5 mins at 30,000 ft and UFO reappeared slightly to the right and higher, very close to the base of the cirrus cloud deck, and much closer than when it had disappeared. UFO angular size 1/2 of full moon. F-61C made radio contact with B-36 crew at 46,000 ft, above the cloud layer who could not see object. UFO then disappeared again behind or into a cloud [probably after < 1 min], F-61C circled for about 5 mins, then regained object for about 30 secs in a break between 2 clouds before losing sight of it for the last time. F-61C had to descend due to depletion of oxygen supply, 2-3 mins later B-36 broke off attempted intercept too. Detailed reports and documents reports/500418memphis_report.htm (Dan Wilson) |