The U.F.O. Investigator (NICAP), Vol. IV, No. 4, January-February 1968, pages 4-5: The British “flying cross” sighting, reported
briefly in the last issue (IV-3), has assumed new significance because of
the extensive aviation background of the observer and new details he has now
supplied. The witness in the “flying cross” case was Mr.
Angus Brooks, for years a flying officer of the British Overseas Airline Corporation.
In World War II, Mr. Brooks was a military photographic interpreter.
Prior to this, he attended art school, acquiring experience which fortunately
enable him to make several precise sketches of the strange-looking device,
as shown below. The flying-cross sighting occurred on Oct. 26,
1967. It was a clear, sunny day, and Mr. Brooks was walking near the
south coast of England, accompanied by his two dogs. The aviation expert
noticed a vapor trail high in the sky. The trail vanished and a strange-looking
craft appeared from the same area, descending at great speed until it was
200-300 feet above the ground and approximately one-fourth of a mile distant. Mr. Brooks’ description was as follows: “The shape of the ‘craft’ prior to leveling out
to ‘hover’ position was of a central circular chamber (estimated 25 feet in
diameter, 12 feet high) with a leading fuselage in the front and three separate
fuselages together at the rear. (Each of the four was 75 feet long,
7 feet high, 8 feet wide.) “On slowing to hover position, the two outer fuselages
at the rear moved to position at side of craft to form four fuselages at equidistant
position around the centre chamber. There were no visible power units
and no noise of applied power for reverse thrust, movement of fuselages or
for ‘hovering.’ On attaining ‘hover,’ the ‘craft’ rotated 90 degrees
clockwise and then remained motionless, unaffected by very strong wind. “From my position, the ‘craft’s’ construction
was of a translucent material—the color of the ‘craft’ took on the color of
the sky above it and changed with clouds passing over it. There could
have been a clear material at the top of the fuselages and center chamber.
There were dark centre shadows along the bases of the fuselages and centre
chamber. No movement was observed at any time of the operators—no portholes
or crew viewing windscreens at nose of fuselages. The nose cones of
the fuselages were the reverse to our conventional types—the groove fins along
the bases of the fuselages did not open or close.” The scene of the sighting was equidistant between
Winfrith Atomic Station and the Portland Underwater Defense Station, and about
a mile from a U.S. Air Force Communications Unit at Ringstead Bay. During the UFO’s descent and the period of hovering,
Mr. Brooks’ two dogs were extremely agitated. The “flying cross” UFO
hovered in the same position for 22 minutes before it prepared to take off. “Two of the fuselages moved around to line up
with a centre third,” reported Mr. Brooks, “and the ‘craft’ climbed with speed
increasing . . . . The lead fuselage on departure was a different on
to the arrival ‘lead.’” (The report stated that one of the dogs, a large
Alsatian, died a few weeks later, but there was no implication that this was
connected with the UFO.) Since the British Royal Observation is investigating
UFO reports, probably it will thoroughly evaluate this unusual case.
We shall attempt to secure their evaluation through Mr. Julian Hennessey,
NICAP’s special investigator in England, who secured the original report from
Mr. Brooks, at Owermoigne, Dorset. As stated in the previous issue, five other “flying
cross” UFOs were sighted over the British Isles in October, 1967. Over
a period of years, there have been a few similar reports mostly without details
or unconfirmed, and usually put down as errors or optical illusions. But the six cases in October revived the question,
and now with this detailed report from an unusually experienced and reputable
observer, it appears that “flying cross” UFOs actually exist. From an aerodynamic standpoint, it would not be
difficult to construct a craft such as the aviation expert describes.
We already have aircraft with movable wings which can be swung back toward
the fuselage to decrease air resistance and thus increase speed. The
movable sections described by Mr. Brooks, however, do not appear to have this
primary purpose, since they remained extended while the craft hovered. Any discussion of the purpose must be pure guesswork.
We might speculate that the movable sections, or “fuselages” as Mr. Brooks
terms them, contained unusual observational equipment. It might be designed
to secure scientific information about the atomic station; it could be photographic
equipment, or electronic devices to monitor or record communications.
Or there could be some motive beyond our present understanding. Regardless, we shall now carefully reexamine recent
and earlier “flying cross” reports for clues to the purpose and operation
of this unusual type of UFO. If any members know of such reports, new
or old, we shall appreciate receiving the information. We are indebted to Mr. Hennessey for his prompt
and efficient investigation of this sighting, as well as other important reports
from the British Isles and also the European continent. |