Australian UFO Bulletin - 1982 03 - March

Magazine Overview

This issue of The Australian U.F.O. Bulletin, dated March 1982, is published by the Victorian U.F.O. Research Society. The cover features a prominent headline "U.F.O'S ARE 'ROUND" and a circular logo associated with the society. The publication focuses on UFO sightings, investigations, and related topics within Australia and internationally.

Contents

The table of contents lists several articles and reports:

• Humanoids on the Murray.
• UFO over Darwin.
• Continuation of the Auchettl film report.
• On the UFO Trail.
• Book Review
• Citizens Against UFO Secrecy.
• U.F.O.R.U.M.
• Tasmanian Report.
• Overseas Reports.

Editorial

The editorial section substitutes its usual content with excerpts from a paper by Colin A. Phillips presented at a meeting in Adelaide in October 1981. Phillips argues that 30 years after the initial 'UFO invasion,' the battle of the mind has been lost due to ridicule and character assassination of those who speak about it. He criticizes those who focus on creating a science out of UFOs by sifting through degraded facts, suggesting that the real work for UFO groups should be to inform governments and citizens about the significance of UFO events for future civilization. The editorial also touches upon government and military secrecy surrounding UFOs and space programs, suggesting that this secrecy is purposeful to dampen public curiosity and may be changing with technological advancements.

Key Articles and Reports

Humanoids on the Murray

This article, by Judith Magee, details a Close Encounter III case investigated by V.U.F.O.R.S. On January 11th, 1974, a witness named M.D. reported seeing an object with two lights performing a sweeping action over the Murray River in Northern Victoria. Later, the object moved to a position northwest and hovered. The witness then saw the object again, closer to the ground, and observed two human-like entities in the cabin, dressed in dark green uniforms. The object's underside had two beams of bluish light resembling concrete columns. The witness described the object's dimensions and noted a low humming noise.

UFO Over Darwin

Authored by W. Wyatt (Ex. R.A.A.F.), this report describes an incident in February 1943 at Darwin, Australia. During night flying practice, RAAF aircraft personnel observed a bright light approaching like a plane but without sound. The light moved over the landing strip and disappeared. The fear was due to the Luftwaffe tactic of joining Allied aircraft landings to strafe them. The commanding officer put planes on readiness, but nothing further happened. Guards also reported seeing similar lights on other nights.

Was the U.C. A Drone?

This section, by John V. Auchettl, investigates the possibility that a UFO (referred to as U.C.) seen over Melbourne was a drone. Auchettl addressed letters to several organizations, including the Department of Defence, Royal Australian Navy, and Department of Transport. It was established that only one drone, the JINDIVIK TARGET AIRCRAFT, operated in Australian airspace. Replies from the Department of Defence indicated that the Jindivik is operated by the Navy, Air Force, and Army as a target aircraft, primarily at Jervis Bay, and is not permitted to fly over Melbourne or inhabited residential areas. The conclusion is that the U.C. seen over Melbourne "WAS NOT A DRONE OR AN AIRCRAFT KNOWN TO AUSTRALIA."

On the UFO Trail

By Paul Hormait, this report discusses an investigation into the disappearance of four German tourists in a light aircraft over Lake Eildon in Victoria in October 1981. While some journalists misconstrued a camper's statement about a metallic object, the investigation found no evidence that UFOs were involved in the incident. The object reported was thought to be the wrecked aircraft.

UFOs and Professor James E. McDonald

This section includes a quote from Professor James E. McDonald, who, in a lecture to the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute on March 12, 1968, stated that UFOs represent "the greatest international scientific problem of our times." He argued that the extraterrestrial origin hypothesis is the most satisfactory explanation for the accumulated observational evidence. The article notes that McDonald is rarely quoted by Australian research groups despite his access to his works since the 1976 Mt. Gambier UFO Conference.

Other Reports and Mentions

• Tinamba Circles: A photo of crop circles discovered on April 16th, 1981, is shown, with a mention of a witness who reported seeing a silver object lit by a yellow light on its dome at the same spot the previous night.
• Auchettl Film: Computerized photo printouts from the Auchettl film are presented, including one of an object that reportedly passed under a commercial airliner in 1976, causing excitement and a disturbing effect.
• Overseas Reports: Mentions of overseas reports are included, with a note that they are by courtesy of Lucius farish, UFO Newsclipping Service, Arkansas, USA.

Book Review

Mark E. Sawyers reviews Stanton T. Friedman's "Flying Saucers: Four Scientific Papers." Sawyers highly recommends the publication, describing Friedman as a nuclear physicist and the only space scientist devoting full time to UFO study. The review details the four papers: 'Science Fiction, Science, and UFOs,' 'Fiction, Fact, and Flying Saucers,' 'A Scientific Approach to Flying Saucer Behavior,' and 'The Case for the Extraterrestrial Origin of Flying Saucers.' Sawyers emphasizes Friedman's thorough reasoning and his ability to explain complex topics in plain English.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

Recurring themes in this issue include the persistent nature of UFO sightings, the challenges faced by researchers in gaining official recognition, and the ongoing debate about the extraterrestrial hypothesis. The editorial stance, as presented through the excerpts, advocates for a more informed public and a serious scientific approach to UFO phenomena, moving beyond ridicule and skepticism to understand the potential significance of these events for civilization. There is a clear emphasis on the need for governments and citizens to be prepared for potential future UFO events, and a critique of deliberate secrecy surrounding the topic.

This issue of UFO Magazine, dated October 1981, focuses on UFO-related news and investigations from around the world. The cover story by Mark E. Sawyers details the 'Citizens Against UFO Secrecy' movement's legal battle in the United States. The magazine also includes reports on historical sightings, government investigations, and international UFO phenomena.

'Citizens Against UFO Secrecy' Report

Mark E. Sawyers reports on the outcome of a court hearing for the 'Citizens Against UFO Secrecy' movement, which took place on October 28th, 1981. Unfortunately, the court ruled against the movement's cause in a remarkably short time of 5 days. Dr. Bruce Macabee suggested that an appeal to the Supreme Court might have a reasonable chance of success. The movement received its first donation from an overseas organization.

UFORUM: Historical Sightings

In response to a reader's query, UFORUM addresses the first known UFO-related disappearance of an aircraft over Bass Strait. This occurred on October 19, 1934, with a De Havilland 86 aircraft that vanished without a trace. Witnesses reported the engines stopping, but no wreckage was found. The article also mentions another DH 86 disappearing over Bass Strait less than a year later, with some wreckage recovered but no clear reason given for the crash. The disappearance of the 'Miss Hobart' in 1934 is highlighted as particularly mysterious and possibly a UFO encounter.

Landing in Huonville?

A report from the Tasmanian U.F.O. Research Society (TUFOIC) details an incident in Huonville in September 1978. Mr. R., a former Navy man, was awakened by dogs barking incessantly. He observed a grey, boomerang-shaped object with windows in a nearby paddock. His dog refused to approach it, convincing him of its reality. The object was estimated to be 10 meters long and 2 meters deep, with a diffused light grey color. Despite a thorough search the next morning, no trace or marks of the object were found. The report notes that the following month saw a rash of cases, including the Valentich incident.

1979: Year of the Tiny UFOs?

An article from the 'Malaysian UFO Bulletin' discusses the unusual number of reports in 1979 concerning very small UFOs, typically less than 4 feet in diameter. A list of nine known reports from 1979 is provided, with sightings occurring in Finland, Malaysia, the USA, and England. The article suggests that 1979 was unique for the prevalence of these tiny UFOs.

UFO Reports from the Victorian Press

Ray Fischer and Les Bristol compiled UFO reports from the Victorian Press, focusing on the year 1954, which they describe as a period when the press and public seemed to discover the flying saucer. This compilation was assisted by Michael McNamara, Guy Richards, and Agnes Briggs.

R.A.A.F. Interest

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) expressed a serious interest in 'flying saucers'. A spokesman stated that the RAAF would be foolish not to be interested, acknowledging that people are definitely seeing something. They maintained an open mind, neither rejecting nor accepting UFOs as fact. The RAAF had been receiving and investigating saucer reports since the war, with a high-ranking opinion within the Force that saucers do exist. The investigation process involves a detailed questionnaire and cross-referencing with the DCA and meteorological experts. Reports are kept confidential to prevent false sightings. Features of the RAAF data indicated that 10% of reports showed the person had definitely seen something, 75% came from rural districts, and sightings from aircraft in flight had increased. No RAAF machines had reported sightings, with all aerial observations coming from civil aircraft.

Soviet Union's Stance on UFOs

An article from 'News World' by A. Hovni discusses the contradictory official statements from the Soviet Union regarding UFOs over the years. While initially dismissing them as 'Pentagon propaganda' in the 1950s and 60s, a shift occurred in 1967 when Professor Felix Zeigel and Major General P.A. Stolyarov appeared on Soviet TV, encouraging citizens to report unusual objects. However, Pravda later declared the study of UFOs 'unscientific'. The 1967 shift was attributed to the collection of data for a detailed 'statistical analysis' of 256 UFO sightings by the USSR Academy of Sciences Institute of Space Research, released in 1979. This analysis, titled 'Observations of Anomalous Atmospheric Phenomena in the USSR', concluded that UFOs were a specific class of phenomena, not hallucinations or false reports, and warranted further scientific research. Despite this, Soviet press articles often attempt to explain UFOs as natural phenomena like 'chemiluminescence formations', while acknowledging that authorities are investigating 'anomalous atmospheric phenomena'. The article mentions a leaked report from a 1977 lecture by Professor Zeigel, detailing cases such as cars stalling near Moscow due to a hovering UFO and an aviator being paced by a saucer-shaped UFO over Greenland.

Latin America: UFO Reports

Reports from 'The Sunday Globe' and 'The Herald' highlight UFO activity in Latin America. On October 31, 1981, an oval object with brilliant lights was seen in Santiago, Chile, by thousands, and photographed by private pilots. The Chilean Air Force stated they had no planes in the air at the time. The object reportedly traveled northward, entering Peru and veering southeast towards Brazil. Tragically, four Brazilian hunters in Maranhao were reportedly killed by green, orange, red, and yellow rays emitted by the UFO. In Cordoba, Argentina, pilots of two commercial flights sighted a 'bright, round, huge object' with a smaller object inside, which was not visible from the ground due to weather conditions.

UFO Freedom of Information Week

Hal McKenzie reports on the declaration of 'National UFO Freedom of Information Week' by two Washington D.C. area organizations. The week featured a press conference led by Bronx lawyer Peter Gersten and an appeal against the National Security Agency (NSA) for withholding UFO-related documents. Gersten also announced a new suit against the Air Force for documents concerning 1975-76 UFO sightings over sensitive military bases. The NSA lawsuit was justified by the court due to the sensitive nature of the materials, but CAUS appealed. Gersten speculated that 18 documents were sent to the CIA because they had the technical means to evaluate them. CAUS planned to file suit against the Air Force for documents relating to unknown tracks, 'Now you see it, No you don't' phenomena, and the 1975 invasion of unknown objects over Strategic Air Command installations. Gersten, who previously won the release of over 900 UFO documents from the CIA, was accompanied by Dr. Bruce Maccabee (Fund for UFO Research), Stephen Bruce Eichner (US airman), Stanton T. Friedman (nuclear physicist), and William L. Moore (author).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the ongoing efforts to obtain government UFO information through legal means, historical analysis of significant UFO cases, and the international scope of UFO phenomena. The magazine appears to maintain an open-minded but critical stance, presenting reports and investigations without definitive conclusions, encouraging further research and public awareness. The editorial stance seems to favor transparency and the serious investigation of UFO reports by both governmental and scientific bodies.