Australian UFO Bulletin - 1992 09 - September

Magazine Overview

This issue of The Australian U.F.O. Bulletin, dated September 1992, is published by V.U.F.O.R.S. (Victorian U.F.O. Research Society) and is identified by Publication No. VBH122. The cover features a dramatic illustration of a space shuttle and two UFOs in space, with the headline "THE AUSTRALIAN U.F.O. BULLETIN" and the date "Sept 92".

Editorial

The editorial section highlights the importance of attending discussion nights, mentioning a surprise guest speaker, Mr. Ken Llewelyn, RAAF Senior Public Relations Officer, who spoke about his book "FLIGHT INTO THE AGES". It also recalls the visit of retired USAF Major Dewey Fournet and his wife Win, who were involved in UFO investigations in the early 1950s, particularly concerning the violation of airspace over Washington D.C. The editorial also corrects a previous mistake regarding the date of the Endeavour Hills Video.

Contents

The table of contents outlines various articles, including an editorial, "On the Trail" by Paul Norman, press cuttings about UFO buzzes, a book review on "Crop Circles - Conclusive Evidence?", international UFO news, and reports on UFO research in Iran, Ufology in Eire, and sightings in Tasmania and Australia.

On the UFO Trail

This extensive section, authored by Paul Norman, details numerous UFO sighting reports from various periods and locations. It begins by discussing cases where smaller objects are seen operating with larger, often cigar-shaped, parent objects. Historical incidents from 1944, 1951, 1952, and 1954 are recounted, involving objects described as discs, cigar-shaped craft, and luminous balls emitting smaller craft. The section also covers the case of Rev. Lionel Browning in Cressy, Tasmania, who, along with his wife, witnessed a cigar-shaped airship with five smaller craft in 1960. This event was later investigated by Professor James McDonald and Dr. J. Allen Hynek. The article notes the similarity between Rev. Browning's sketch and a George Adamski photograph. Further reports include sightings in Minjaland, near Black Point, during NATO maneuvers in 1952, and over Pine Gap in 1973. A significant portion is dedicated to the disappearance of Frederick Valentich on October 21, 1978, over Bass Strait, discussing the lack of wreckage and the possibility of UFO involvement. The article also touches upon other disappearances in Bass Strait and mentions the 'Nullabor Plain' and Aboriginal legends of 'min min' lights, linking them to UFOs. The section also includes a report on a UFO sighting near Burra Creek, Canberra, in 1989, and a letter from a lady who witnessed UFOs on October 20th, the day before Valentich's disappearance. Sightings in Northern Victoria are also noted, with a mention of 'L'-shaped light beams and orange lights in a triangle formation. The "Leitchville incident" in Victoria, involving a four-hour observation of a mothership and three smaller objects on December 13-14, 1977, is detailed, along with a mysterious circular patch found in a paddock. International reports include sightings in Argentina, described as the "Argentine Triangle," and an object seen floating around the Mir space station, filmed by the Soviet-British crew.

UFO Buzzes Pilots

This section presents two news reports. The first, from The Guardian (London, April 28, 1992), describes a Britannia Airlines 737 almost making alien contact over Sussex skies when its First Officer spotted a black lozenge-shaped object. The Civil Aviation Authority admitted it was a mystery. The second report, from The SUN (London, April 27, 1992), details how two pilots claimed their Boeing 737 was "buzzed" by a "black lozenge-like object" that missed a wing by only 30 feet as it flew past at 400 mph.

Excerpts From FLIGHT INTO THE AGES

This section features excerpts from Ken Llewelyn's book, focusing on the mystery of Frederick Valentich. Llewelyn, who was the RAAF's Support Command Public Relations Officer in Melbourne at the time, recounts the media frenzy surrounding Valentich's disappearance. He notes the lack of wreckage and the speculation about Valentich's motives, including the possibility of a UFO encounter. Llewelyn also mentions his prior contact with members of the Victorian UFO Research Society, Paul Norman and Judith Magee, and their access to 'UAS' (Unusual Aerial Sighting) reports.

Book Review: CROP CIRCLES - CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE?

This review discusses Pat Delgado's book on crop circle formations. It notes that while Australia has not experienced pictograms like those in England, similar circular swirls are observed. The review mentions color changes in crops, animal reactions, and the possibility of mathematical patterns like the "MANDELBROT SET" being an indication of intelligent communication, either earth-bound or non-human.

UFO Research in Iran

Authored by Darush Bagheri, this article details UFO sightings in Iran. It recounts an incident on September 18, 1976, in Tehran, where an unidentified, bright object was observed by citizens and a patrolling F4 fighter plane. The object changed position, speed, and color before landing in the desert. Another report from February 1977 describes an object moving north of Tehran, detected by a commercial pilot. The article also notes that before the Islamic Revolution, UFOs were reported in newspapers, but investigations were limited. After the revolution, the subject was largely dismissed by the government as untrue, with a TV broadcast on Channel 1 in 1988 stating that research was a waste of time and accusing groups promoting UFO research of making propaganda for the USA and USSR. The author expresses frustration with the lack of information and the prevailing negative attitude towards UFOs in Iran, attributing it partly to the country's religious and educational climate.

INTERNATIONAL U.F.O. NEWS BULLETIN

This section provides brief international reports. "HIGH STRANGENESS AND NUMEROUS SIGHTINGS IN THE 'ARGENTINE TRIANGLE'" details sightings in Victoria, Argentina, including craft and extraterrestrials. "'OBJECT' SEEN FLOATING AROUND MIR" reports on a strange object filmed by the Soviet-British crew on the Mir space station.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around UFO sightings, pilot encounters, government investigations (or lack thereof), and the historical documentation of unexplained aerial phenomena. The publication clearly aims to present a serious platform for UFO research, encouraging member contributions and disseminating information from various sources, both domestic and international. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, acknowledging the need for rigorous investigation while also highlighting the persistent nature of unexplained sightings and the challenges faced by researchers in gaining official recognition or access to data.

This issue of The Australian U.F.O. Bulletin, identified as Issue #42 and Part 1 of the 'APRIL-MAY SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND FLAP', was published by THE AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR UFO STUDIES and compiled by Phillip R Prola. The cover headline highlights 'THE STRANGE EVENTS SURROUNDING MOUNT WALKER'. The publication date is inferred as April-May 1992.

The East Queensland Flap

The issue details several unusual events and sightings in Queensland. Peter Pasini, Co-ordinator of the Ipswich Branch, organized a nightwatch on Mount Walker on Friday, April 24th. Three attendees observed unusual sounds that circled and swooped, and an orange object that was bright enough to be seen with the naked eye, resembling lights seen at Wivenhoe. The object's bearing was between 280 and 300 degrees of north in the WNW horizon, and it appeared to pulsate.

Another significant event was the 'MYSTERIOUS BLUISH-WHITE FLASH ON FRIDAY 1ST OF MAY'. Witnesses reported a violent flash of light, followed by a second, less intense flash, which illuminated the sky. The sound system crackled with the first flash, indicating a possible electromagnetic effect. Greg, from Loganholme, witnessed a similar flash while attending an Astrocamp at Mt Barney with the Southern Astronomical Society. William also saw the flash while driving along Daisy Hill Road. Adrian of Windaroo reported a large flash to his right that caused his radio to go dead for about 10 seconds and street lighting to fail for seven minutes. Further inquiries with SEQEB about power loss were met with denials.

On Saturday, May 2nd, reports emerged of 'ORANGE LIGHTS' appearing over Loganholme. A man taking his children to the Logan Hyperdome saw two orange-yellow lights in the sky. Len, fishing at the Logan River, reported seeing four objects in the north-west. Darrell and his girlfriend Cail witnessed four bright orange lights moving to the south-west, which seemed to follow them before fading out. Kerry also reported observing lights that moved, changed shape, and eventually faded.

Ufology in Eire: A Status Report

This section, authored by Pat Delaney and Anne Griffin, details the state of ufology in Ireland. They explain their motivation for setting up the first BUFORA Branch outside the UK mainland. After becoming members of BUFORA in July 1989, they sought to increase their knowledge of UFOs. Finding no officially recognized UFO organization in Ireland, they were inspired by Jenny Randles' book and BUFORA's address. They became provisional BUFORA Accredited Investigators for Ireland and successfully investigated their first case, a UFO sighting in Dublin from a year prior to their joining.

Over two years, they investigated three UFO cases. They note that witnesses are often afraid to talk about their sightings due to fear of ridicule. They highlight the difficulty in getting media attention, citing an instance where a newspaper printed a story about UFOs over Dublin but refused to provide further information, stating they were 'busy printing rubbish'. They express frustration with the media's lack of cooperation.

UFOs over Dublin

This article features Jorge Alberto Zulhuushi, an Argentinian former athletics champion living in Cabra, who claims to have photographed UFOs over Pearse Street in Dublin in February 1987. He describes the formation as symmetrical and typical of UFO patterns. Jorge, who moved to Dublin after meeting his wife at a UFO conference in Majorca, has a collection of UFO sightings from around the world. He believes there is spiritual significance to these visitations and is willing to hear from interested Irish people.

Fort Itaipu (Brazil) Incident

Authored by Jim Melesciuc, this piece recounts the Fort Itaipu incident on November 3, 1957. Two sentries on duty at the army garrison in Itaipu, Brazil, witnessed a bright orange light that traveled towards them at high speed over the ocean. The object, described as a huge round bulk cast in an eerie orange glow, reduced speed and drifted down. It was larger than a DC-3's wingspan, disc-shaped, and encircled by an orange glow. The object emitted a steady hum and scorching heat, causing the sentries to suffer second and third-degree burns. The fort's lights went out, and emergency power failed. Intelligence officers reportedly took charge to silence discussion of the incident.

Dr. Fontes, an M.D. and APRO representative, was contacted by an army officer about the incident. Dr. Fontes' research indicated that UFOs possess the capability to create powerful secondary currents in ignition systems, disrupt synchronization, and interfere with electrical circuits, causing phenomena such as paralysis, heat sensation, and engine stalls.

Sighting Reports

This section compiles various UFO sighting reports from 1991 and 1992. In 1991, reports included an erratic white light near King Island, a round orange-to-yellow light near Lefroy, and a complex series of orange lights observed over Bruny Island. A sighting in Hobart involved flashing green, red, and orange lights with a central red light and a beam. In 1992, reports from Berkeley Vale, NSW, described ten glowing yellow objects with red rings in formation. A motorist near Whittlesea saw a flashing object and two more glowing lights, with the object's base described as egg-shaped. Another motorist reported a large starfish-shaped object with four points that changed colors. A sighting near Narre Warren involved an orange light making 'small loops'. A pulsating light near Tooradin was described as egg-shaped.

Society News and Membership

Several sections provide information about UFO organizations and their activities. The 'SOCIETY NEWS' section includes details on membership fees and subscriptions for VUFORS (Victorian U.F.O. Research Society), outlining rates for full, associate, overseas, and non-members. It also lists dates for 'DISCUSSION NIGHTS'.

'The Knowles Report', a 306-page publication investigated by VUFORS, is advertised.

Information is provided for TUFOIC (Tasmanian UFO Investigation Centre) and ACUFOS (Australian Centre for UFO Studies), including their addresses and objectives.

The 'UFO TIMES' lists Mike Wootten as Editor. The 'International UFO Library Magazine' is also mentioned, with an offer to purchase Paul Norman's article 'Australia's Greatest Aviation Mystery'.

The 'UFO NEWSCLIPPING SERVICE' offers monthly reports on UFO newsclippings from the US, Canada, and foreign countries, including 'Fortean' clippings.

'AZTLAN MAIL ORDER BOOKS' lists various books and videos related to UFOs and mysteries.

A new book, 'Flight Into The Ages' by Ken Llewelyn, is available from VUFORS, detailing mysteries of pilots and aircraft disappearances, and UFO activity witnessed by RAAF officers.

Society History

The 'SOCIETY 1957 HISTORY' section provides a brief history of the Victorian U.F.O. Research Society (VUFORS). It traces its origins back to the early 1950s with groups like the 'Australian Flying Saucer Bureau' and the 'Australian Flying Saucer Research Society'. The Victorian Branch was formed in 1957 and later became the 'Victorian U.F.O. Research Society'. The society has published papers, including the 'Australian Flying Saucer Review' and the 'Australian U.F.O. Bulletin', and has maintained a large UFO library.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include detailed accounts of UFO sightings and encounters, investigations into these phenomena, and the history of UFO research organizations in Australia and Ireland. There is a consistent effort to document and analyze reports, often highlighting the lack of official recognition and media interest in the subject. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious investigation and a desire to inform the public about UFO phenomena, while acknowledging the challenges posed by skepticism and a lack of cooperation from authorities and media outlets. The publication also serves as a platform for membership drives and information dissemination for various UFO research groups.