Australian UFO Bulletin - 1971 10 - October

Magazine Overview

This issue of the Australian U.F.O. Bulletin, published by the Victorian U.F.O. Research Society in October 1971, is presented as a "NEWSLETTER" under "Category B" for periodical posting. It is priced at 20 cents and features a cover headline highlighting the publication itself.

Key Articles and Content

Lecture Notes for Lecture About Flying Saucers (1954) by Professor Hermann Oberth

This section begins with the "personal 'Lecture Notes'" of Professor Hermann Oberth, a renowned scientist who was co-designer of the V2 Rocket and taught rocketry to Wernher von Braun. Oberth is presented as one of the first top scientists to recognize the UFO riddle. His lecture, delivered in 1954, discusses historical observations of "strange, shining objects in the sky," dating back to Plinius and Seneca, referred to as "Shining Shields." He notes approximately 50 observations before World War II, with a significant increase in appearances afterward, leading to speculation about secret weapons between the Allies and Germans. By 1953, English Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding had reportedly received 10,000 reports. Oberth describes common object shapes as disks, balls, or ellipsoids, sometimes forming cigar-shaped objects that fly at high speeds. He details how these disks appear to operate with their drive acting perpendicular to their plane, maintaining a horizontal orientation when suspended and tilting when flying rapidly. In sunlight, they appear glittering like metal, while at night they can be dark orange or cherry red, becoming brighter (yellow, green, or white) with increased power or speed. Some objects are noted to suddenly blink or extinguish. Oberth also mentions measurements of speeds up to 19 km/sec and accelerations so high that a human could not withstand them, citing over 50 such radar measurements that he found difficult to doubt.

"Science in Default": 22 Years of Inadequate UFO Investigations - by the late Professor James E. McDonald

This section continues from a previous issue and presents "ILLUSTRATIVE CASES" from the Condon Report and the 1947-69 Air Force UFO program. The author's principal conclusions are that scientific inadequacies in past UFO investigations have not been remedied and that significant unsolved problems remain. The investigative and evaluative deficiencies seen in the four detailed cases are paralleled in many other cases from the approximately 90 UFO cases in the Condon Report. The endorsement of the Condon Report's conclusions by the National Academy of Sciences is questioned, suggesting it was based on a superficial examination.

#### CASE 1. USAF RB-47, Gulf Coast Area, September 19-20, 1957

This case involves an Air Force RB-47, equipped with Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) gear and manned by six officers, which was followed for over 600 miles and more than an hour. The UFO was seen visually as an intense white or red light, tracked by ground radar, and detected by the aircraft's ECM monitoring gear. The report highlights the simultaneous appearance and disappearance on these three distinct "channels" as particularly intriguing. The incident is classified as Case 5 in the Condon Report and is acknowledged as unexplained, though the full details are reportedly not presented in that report.

The RB-47 was on a composite mission including gunnery, navigation, and ECM exercises. The crew consisted of three electronic warfare officers manning the ECM gear. A key aspect is that electromagnetic signals, similar to radar, appeared to be emitted by the UFO, yet it displayed performance characteristics that ruled out conventional or secret aircraft. The author interviewed all six crew members: Lewis D. Chase (Pilot), James H. McCoid (Co-pilot), Thomas H. Hanley (Navigator), John J. Provenzano (No.1 Monitor), Frank B. McClure (No.2 Monitor), and Walter A. Tuchscherer (No.3 Monitor). The Condon project investigators reportedly only spoke with Chase, McCoid, and McClure. The author notes that the case is complex and may still have points not clarified.

The incident began near Gulfport, Mississippi, when McClure detected a signal at his 5 o'clock position, appearing to be a ground-radar signal but located out in the Gulf. This signal, initially thought to have 180-degree ambiguity, continued to move upscope, confirming it was not a typical ground radar. The signal was at 2800 megacycles, a common frequency for S-band search radar. After the lobe swung dead ahead, the hypothesis of ambiguity was abandoned as it continued downscope on the port side. This anomalous "orbit" was seen on the ALA-6 equipment.

Later, while flying westward over Jackson, Mississippi, Chase observed a single bright white light that rapidly changed direction and speed, moving from their 11 o'clock to 2 o'clock position before blinking out. Following this, McClure recalled the unusual 2800 MHz signal and set his no.2 monitor to scan at that frequency. A strong signal was detected from the 2 o'clock position, where the object had disappeared. Provenzano confirmed that the no.2 monitor was checked and appeared to be functioning correctly, and his no.1 monitor also received a signal from the same bearing.

As the RB-47 continued westward at 500 kts, the relative bearing of the 2800 MHz source did not change, indicating it was keeping pace with the aircraft. This led the crew to focus on the matter. Carswell AFB GCI (Ground Controlled Intercept) unit reported another aircraft about 10 miles away at their 2 o'clock position. This information made the crew uneasy. McClure stated that the signal was in all respects comparable to a typical ground radar, which baffled him.

The incident is described as inadequately detailed in the Condon Report, with omissions regarding its duration and distance covered. The report mentions meteorological data for Fort Worth, creating a misleading impression. The author emphasizes that the unknown airborne object stayed with the RB-47 for over 600 miles and lasted well over an hour, an omission he finds difficult to justify.

The ECM gear used in 1957 is described: the no.2 monitor involved an ALA-6 direction-finder with antennas scanning in azimuth, processing signals through an APR-9 radar receiver and ALA-5 pulse analyzer. The no.1 monitor used an APD-4 direction-finding system. The signal characteristics read out on the ALA-5 were normal, but its intensity was so strong that it would have required an antenna larger than a bomber. The upscope-downscope sweep of the lobe implied the source had circled the RB-47 at 30-35,000 ft while the aircraft flew at 500 kts.

Shortly after Carswell GCI began tracking the targets, the unknown object moved to the 12 o'clock position. Chase and McCoid then saw a bright red glow, described as "bigger than a house," precisely at that bearing, which was also indicated on the GCI scope. This convergence of evidence from human eyes, ground radar, and aircraft direction-finding systems is highlighted.

UFO Occupants Seen Near Hospital (Reprint from Canadian UFO Report)

This section reprints an account from Canadian UFO Report about an incident involving "UFO Occupants Seen Near Hospital." The account details observations made by Mrs. Wilson and Miss Kendall. Miss Kendall saw a "great big light" over the patio outside the children's ward, estimated to be larger than a car and spanning about 50 feet in diameter. It was circular, moving slowly, and appeared tremendously bright. Some suggested it was a plastic bag with candles, but the brightness was too intense. Miss Kendall also described seeing "necklace" of lights and possibly human-like figures inside the object.

Mrs. Wilson, arriving later, saw the craft circling and then moving away. She was conscious only of the light and motion, and could not see inside. The difference in their observations is discussed, with Miss Kendall suggesting Mrs. Wilson arrived too late to see the interior details. The article speculates that the object's brightness may have increased with motion, obscuring details for Mrs. Wilson, similar to staring at car headlights.

It is noted that while Miss Kendall felt no fear, Mrs. Wilson felt alarm. The article suggests that UFOs can sometimes exert a calming influence, but in this case, the "peaceful manner" of the occupants may have dispelled fear for Miss Kendall. Two other nurses, Mrs. Clackson and Mrs. Appleby, saw a "bright light" receding. The object had moved behind trees by the time other nurses looked out.

The sighting was not publicized by the witnesses, but was reported through a connection with another nurse at the hospital.

Australian U.F.O. Symposium

This section announces an upcoming symposium on UFOs organized by the South Australian Division of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science Inc. (ANZAAS) at the University of Adelaide on October 30th, 1971. Tapes of the proceedings and a paper from the late Professor McDonald are to be made available after the event for $2.50, with orders to be sent to ANZAAS in Adelaide.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the historical and contemporary study of UFOs, with a strong emphasis on scientific investigation and the critique of official reports and programs. The publication appears to advocate for a more rigorous and open approach to UFO research, highlighting cases that challenge conventional explanations and questioning the adequacy of existing investigations. The inclusion of lectures from prominent scientists like Oberth and the detailed analysis of the RB-47 case suggest a stance that takes UFO phenomena seriously and seeks to uncover the truth behind them, despite perceived inadequacies in official handling.