Australian UFO Bulletin - 1992 06 - June

Magazine Overview

This issue of The Australian U.F.O. Bulletin, dated June 1992, is published by the Victorian U.F.O. Research Society (V.U.F.O.R.S.). The cover features a graphic of a NASA space shuttle and two flying saucers against a starry background, with the headline 'Discovery'. The publication aims to investigate unusual phenomena and disseminate information to its members and the public.

Editorial

The editorial section critiques the media's tendency towards speculation rather than investigation, using the Endeavour Hills video incident as an example. It also criticizes the 'Society of Sceptics' for distracting from genuine incidents. The editorial highlights that VUFORS receives most reports directly and mentions Judith Magee's request to have the Endeavour Hills video analyzed. It dismisses a story about a 'dubious prophet' as unreliable. The editorial concludes by looking forward to further significant developments.

Blue Book Pearls: Seven Islands, Labrador

This article by Dr. Willy Smith analyzes a UFO sighting case from Project Blue Book, involving a BOAC Stratocruiser crew near Sept Isles, Quebec, in June 1954. The case was officially evaluated as 'Mars' by Blue Book, based on a report by Gordon D. Thayer. However, Dr. Smith meticulously debunks this explanation, pointing out discrepancies in the date and time recorded in the Blue Book files. He argues that Thayer failed to verify the 'Mars hypothesis' and that meteorological conditions did not support a mirage. Smith suggests that Thayer was frustrated by the inability to confirm the official explanation and resorted to a vague conclusion about a rare natural phenomenon. The article also compares this case to a similar one in North Bay, Ontario, noting that while both had similar characteristics, the Shreveport case was labeled 'possibly balloon' while the North Bay case was 'unidentified', questioning the consistency of Blue Book's methodology.

Blue Book Pearls: Shreveport, LA

Continuing the analysis of Blue Book cases, this section details an incident in Shreveport, Louisiana, on April 16, 1952. The main witness, an Air Force captain, reported a bright circular object that reversed direction at high speed. The report was handled by Major Jesse H. Tessier, who evaluated the source as reliable (A) but the information as probably true (2), a coding that the author argues should have been A-1 due to a second witness. The article highlights Tessier's cautious approach, attributing it to the witness's high rank and experience, which made him difficult to dismiss. The author questions the Blue Book conclusion of 'possibly balloon' and contrasts it with the North Bay case, suggesting a potential bias or lack of thoroughness in the Air Force's investigations.

On The UFO Trail

This section by Paul Norman discusses the upcoming book 'Crop Circles Conclusive Evidence' by Pat Delgardo, an engineer who brought international attention to crop circles in England. The book features aerial photos of crop circles and details an investigation near High Wycombe and Weyhill. It also mentions reports of six circles near White Cliffs, NSW, where soil samples and photos disappeared. The article notes that 82 previously photographed circles remained unexplained, with some disappearing between flights. Norman explores the possibility of a link between circular objects and water phenomena, citing cases where objects drew water from ponds and catchment areas.

UFO-Norway News

This section reports on UFO activity in Norway during 1991. It details a 'wave' of sightings near Bergen and in Southern Norway, particularly around Trengereid, from January to February 1991. Witnesses described soundless, illuminated objects with blinking lights. While many sightings were attributed to airplanes, a residue of unexplained phenomena was noted. The article also covers a possible landing case at Haukeli in March 1991, where witnesses reported a luminous object descending and leaving spiral-shaped markings in the snow. Microbiological tests on samples from the marked area showed reduced bacteria. The section also includes a report of a strange aerial phenomenon over Masfjorden in March 1991 and a historical account from Zimbabwe about a travelling light with unusual after-effects near Mazowe Dam in 1968.

News From Africa: Afrinews

This section includes a report from George B. about a 'travelling light' incident near Mazowe Dam in 1968. He describes a bright white light that emerged from over the hills, changed color to orange and red, and then accelerated and vanished. Shortly after, a large circle of light appeared in the center of the lake, illuminating the water from underneath. The report notes that the light was not easily described but was a glowing, undefined shape.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the investigation of UFO sightings, the analysis of official case files (particularly from Project Blue Book), and the presentation of witness testimony. The editorial stance clearly favors rigorous investigation and critical analysis over mere speculation or dismissal. The magazine highlights discrepancies in official reports and encourages a deeper examination of unexplained phenomena. There is a consistent emphasis on the importance of reliable witnesses and the challenges faced in obtaining objective evaluations of UFO incidents. The publication also touches upon the role of media in reporting these events and the potential for psychological or conventional explanations, while leaving room for the possibility of genuine, unknown phenomena.

This issue of the Australian UFO Bulletin, dated 1992 and identified as Volume 18, presents a collection of UFO sighting reports from Australia and discusses various aspects of UFO research and related organizations. The cover headline highlights "Sightings of multi-colored lights continue to silently zig-zag through the sky, by day and night."

UFO Reports 1992

The issue details numerous specific sightings from early 1992:

• February 15, 1992, 10:30 pm: An object, initially thought to be an aircraft, was seen flying south to north at high speed, described as boomerang-shaped or like four 10c pieces.
• February 15, 1992, 11:30 pm: At Werribee, two witnesses observed a cylinder-shaped object with white and red lights, travelling on a low trajectory from south to northeast. It made a humming or whistling noise, and a power failure occurred at the house simultaneously.
• February 21, 1992, 11:30 pm: Two witnesses at an unspecified location saw a light, about the size of a one-cent piece, travel from east to west at a high elevation over 6-7 minutes, appearing not very bright and leaving a trail.
• February 21, 1992, 3:30 pm: At Airport West, an Englishman and friends observed three lights forming an 'L' shape high above. The top light made a circle around the other two, and then all three flew off towards Tullamarine with sudden changes of direction and incredible speeds, leaving no jet stream or smoke.
• February 25, 1992, 9:50 pm: A commercial pilot observed a distant light that appeared to be landing lights on an aircraft. It came from the southeast, described a large arc towards the west, then turned towards Tullamarine airport. It was pinkish, moved at the speed of a small aircraft, and was silent.
• February 25, 1992, 3:10 am: A Lalor resident heard a strange "humming-sucking" sound that disappeared quickly.
• February 26, 1992, 3:07 am: The same Lalor resident saw a shimmering white object with what appeared to be "spikes or jets" sticking out, only 100-150 feet above houses, disappearing towards the west. The next morning at 4:15 am, the resident heard a similar jet-like noise, and observed three brilliant white discs in close formation that increased speed and sped off to the northwest.
• March 22, 1992, 7:40 pm: At Chadstone, an observer noted an object that appeared to be a regular satellite moving west, but it changed course and speed, and its color shifted from normal satellite reflection to bright lime green. The object then stopped, descended extremely rapidly, and made a violent zig-zag movement.
• March 27, 1992: Three witnesses camping at Friendly Beach, Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania, sighted a bright object moving quickly from north to south. It consisted of approximately 6-9 separate bright lights forming a round disc. The lights dimmed and brightened rhythmically.
• March 26, 1992, 9:20 pm: Three observers saw three saucer-shaped objects flying in formation, very high and extremely fast, travelling from west to east. The objects were silver and dark on the bottom with a lighter dome on top.
• March 23, 1992, 9:45 pm: At Phillip Island, witnesses on a cliff noted an oblong shape that "appeared from nowhere." An orange light moved towards them, hovered, and then came closer without noise, eventually moving away over houses.

Letters to the Editor

Paul Delgado writes to thank VUFORS for their March issue and the article from the Barrier Daily Truth, noting the common fear of ridicule that prevents people from reporting sightings. He expresses a belief that society would be further advanced if people felt freer to communicate their experiences. Delgado also shares his view that the Earth's magnetic field is a living, dynamic energy pattern, which explains the variability of magnetometer readings.

Profile on Gordon Creighton

This section provides a detailed biography of Gordon Creighton, Editor of Flying Saucer Review (FSR). It highlights his extensive career as a retired diplomat and intelligence officer, with degrees from Cambridge University and the Ecole Des Sciences Politiques. Creighton served in various diplomatic posts in China, Brazil, and Belgium, and worked for the British Government on geographical names. He was the first to receive warnings about the German attack on Russia and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor from Chinese government sources. His interests include parapsychology, psychical phenomena, and over twenty-five languages. He has a lifelong interest in world religions and has investigated paranormal experiences on five continents. Creighton has been a member of the British Society for Psychical Research and other similar organizations. He has been interested in UFOs since 1941, when he saw one over China. He has contributed to FSR since 1955 and has been its editor since November 1982. He has also participated in numerous TV and radio programs on UFOs and addressed British Peers and MPs on the subject. His translations include Chinese government laws, technical articles, and classical Chinese love poems.

Eve's Comments

"Eve" offers her perspective, suggesting that poets might better penetrate reality than physicists who rely solely on mathematical models. She argues that parapsychology and paraphysics do not threaten science because scientific methods are inadequate for studying them. Eve describes experiments involving a young healer named Jim, who reportedly bent spoons and wires, and made a ball-bearing move within a sealed box. She acknowledges that skeptics might call these tricks but emphasizes the unusual preparation of materials and the difficulty of conducting such experiments under skeptical conditions.

Mail Bag

Mrs. B. Cadwallader from Loughborough, Leics., writes to share a drawing of a "something" that flew over her bungalow in November 1990. She describes it as a bright, boomerang-shaped object at an altitude of about 200 ft, travelling away from her with no noise. The editor, G.C., adds a sardonic note about the Ministry of Defence's likely denial.

Book Summaries

The issue includes summaries of several UFO-related books:

• Above Top Secret (The Worldwide UFO Cover-up) by Timothy Good: Praised as the best UFO text available, covering cases from 1943 to the late 1980s globally, including crash/retrievals and government involvement.
• The UFO Report 1990 and The UFO Report 1991, edited by Timothy Good: These compilations feature articles from various UFO researchers, covering sightings, crop circles, and specific cases from around the world.
• The UFO Cover-Up (formerly Clear Intent) by Lawrence Fawcett & Barry J. Greenwood: This book uses hard evidence from government agencies to support claims of a worldwide UFO cover-up, including reports on mystery helicopters, CIA/FBI involvement, and NSA reports.
• Alien Liaison (The Ultimate Secret) by Timothy Good: This book presents evidence that governments believe UFOs exist, monitor them, and engage in a massive cover-up, detailing cattle mutilations, crash/retrievals, and Area 51.
• UFO Crash At Roswell by Kevin D. Randle & Donald R. Schmitt: This book offers more eyewitness accounts and deeper research into the Roswell case than previous works.

MUFON News by Walt Andrus

This section announces the MUFON 1992 International UFO Symposium in Albuquerque, New Mexico, scheduled for July 10-12. It details the theme, venue, accommodation rates, and registration process. It also lists confirmed speakers, including Stanton T. Friedman, Linda Moulton Howe, and Jacques Vallee.

"Tractors of the Gods? Weird Markings Found in N.W. Australia"

This article reports on strange patterns discovered on the ground in North-Western Australia, consisting of spirals, circles, and wavy lines, reminiscent of the Nazca lines. These markings were first noticed by Mr. Dick Smith from the air in June 1988. Investigations by local authorities and engineers have yielded no explanation for their origin.

UFO Book Summary

This section provides brief descriptions and publication details for several UFO-related books, including those mentioned in the "Book Summaries" section and others like "Flight Into The Ages" by Ken Llewelyn.

Society News

• VUFORS Membership Fees and Subscriptions: Due to increased costs, VUFORS has adjusted its membership and subscription fees effective July 1, 1992. Full membership is now $15pa, Associate Membership $10pa, and Overseas Membership $US15pa. Annual General Meeting and Discussion Evening fees are $2.00 for members and $5.00 for non-members.
• New Cover Design: VUFORS is calling on its members to submit designs for a new cover for their A4 size publication.

Society History

This section provides a brief history of the Victorian UFO Research Society (VUFORS). It traces its origins from earlier Australian UFO groups in the early 1950s, including the "Australian Flying Saucer Bureau" and the "Australian Flying Saucer Research Society." The "Victorian Flying Saucer Research Society" was formed in 1957 and later became the "Victorian UFO Research Society." The society has published various papers, including the "Australian Flying Saucer Review" and the "Australian UFO Bulletin," and has maintained the largest UFO library in the Southern Hemisphere. The current executive has maintained a dispassionate attitude towards UFOs, viewing them as a scientific problem.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include detailed eyewitness accounts of UFO sightings, descriptions of various aerial objects and their behaviors, and the ongoing efforts of UFO research organizations like VUFORS and MUFON. There is a clear emphasis on documenting these phenomena and encouraging public reporting, while also acknowledging the fear of ridicule that witnesses may experience. The editorial stance, as seen in the "Letters to the Editor" and "Eve's Comments" sections, suggests an openness to unexplained phenomena and a critical view of purely materialistic or skeptical explanations. The society's history indicates a long-standing commitment to UFO research in Australia with a dispassionate, scientific approach.