CENAP - REPORT

Magazine Overview

Title: CENAP - REPORT
Issue: Nr. 85
Volume: 8. Jahrgang / H3
Date: March 1983
Publisher: CENAP (centrales erforschungsnetz außergewöhnlicher phänomene)
Country: Germany
Language: German

This issue of CENAP-REPORT focuses on the UFO wave in Norway, particularly detailing numerous sightings and investigations in the Hessdalen region during early 1982. It compiles witness testimonies, including those of journalists and ordinary citizens, and discusses the involvement of the Norwegian research group NIVFO and the Norwegian Air Force.

UFOs over Norway?

The report begins by referencing previous issues (CR-Nr.83+84) that covered UFO photos from Arendal, Norway. This issue shifts focus to observations in Hessdalen and the surrounding area, documented by the Norwegian research group NIVFO.

Hessdalen Sightings

On February 11, 1982, an object with flashing yellow, green, blue, and red lights was observed over Hessdalen around 19:36. It moved northwest at helicopter speed. Witnesses included journalist Arne Wisth from Oslo. One witness noted the lights rotated, while another saw a separate, stationary object that moved west. It was noted that stationary objects had been observed previously in conjunction with usual sightings.

Appearance and Disappearance:

In one instance, a luminous object approached the photographer, stopped over a mountain as if aware of being observed, and then vanished. The method of disappearance was unclear – whether it accelerated rapidly or simply turned off its lights. One witness described it as if a "blind was lowered."
A journalist visiting Hessdalen described a "star" approaching rapidly towards the Rohovde peak, which then transformed into an intense glowing light source. It stopped abruptly over the peak and descended. The witness photographed it, describing it as large and oval, moving and then stopping. The object vanished suddenly, like a curtain being drawn.

Skepticism and Personal Experience

Hans Almas, initially skeptical, recounted a family experience where a "silent" object hovered over their house. They clearly saw lights at the front and rear. The object maneuvered in various directions, emitting a thin cloud before disappearing. Almas reported seeing the object multiple times afterward, and an employee, Martin Holden, claimed to have been pursued by a flying object, stating it was not a conventional aircraft.

Metallic Silver Color:

On March 8, 1982, a UFO was observed. The object's outline resembled a "pistol bullet," tapering at the front and rear. Despite strong winds and swirling snow, the object remained stationary. It then descended towards the mountains. Later that evening, Torbjorn Dragmyrhaug and his family observed a light moving up and down in the sky, which then appeared closer. The object reflected moonlight and had a metallic silver color. It was described as the size of a private car, tapering at the front and flatter at the rear. It moved silently like a "ghostly aircraft." Torbjorn Dragmyrhaug believes it came from another world.

Photos for Investigation

During NIVFO's visit to Hessdalen, an object was observed moving in a distinct zig-zag pattern. Photos were taken with various exposure times, and a film showed a jagged, ascending movement. NIVFO investigated the film, and a definitive result was promised.

Defense and Investigation

NIVFO was the first instance informed about the Hessdalen incidents. The phenomena were deemed not to be misinterpretations of conventional events. The possibility of sending up an aircraft with special instruments was considered. The High Command decided to investigate. Reports of luminous, low-flying objects from Hessdalen and Alen continued. NIVFO contacted the air defense station in Grakallen, which reported no unusual radar observations, possibly because the objects flew too low to be detected or because the station was reluctant to share radar data with civilian entities. The High Command has not yet provided a statement.

Media Coverage

On January 18, 1982, the newspaper "Adresseavisen" published a correct and serious description of the events. "Verdens Gang" featured a front-page story on February 1, 1982. "Dagbladet" reported on March 19, and the local Roros newspaper "Arbeidets Rett" provided a full report. Media coverage was generally positive, and a TV program was expected.

Observations in Holtalen

On February 15, 1982, Lars Lillevold observed a light over Hessdalen that appeared as a halo around an object with a distinct metallic surface, colored like "corrugated iron." The object was estimated to be 100 meters away, with a size of 50-60 meters based on its angular size. The witness stated the object exactly covered a toilet 6 meters long, indicating its significant size.

Haltdalen Sportplatz Sighting:

On March 8, 1982, at 03:15, Frau Rune Hagensen was awakened by light and saw an oval, luminous object with a shadow-like feature. It initially hovered, then moved south, changed direction, returned, and disappeared. The observation lasted over 15 minutes.

Hessdalskjolen Sighting:

On March 8, 1982, at 22:50, Torbjorn Dragmyrhaug observed a light approaching rapidly. Using binoculars, he identified it as a flying object, pointed at the front and thicker at the rear, comparable to a pistol bullet. It had two vertical rear lights and a reddish front light. The object was silver-colored and silent. The distance was estimated at 350m, and the altitude at 80-90 meters. He noted its angular size was similar to a "Femkrone" (a 5 DM coin) at arm's length. The object moved from south to north and disappeared over a forest.

Cottage in Oyongen:

On March 16, 1982, a shiny object descended through a cloud layer in a spiral motion, then maintained altitude and continued the spiral before disappearing behind a rock formation.

Gildset-Farm/Haltdalen Sighting:

On March 23, 1982, at 22:40, Aud Ronning described an object as "half an ellipse" with a reddish halo of lights. It appeared to come from the right side of the road, then became round as it moved over the road. It illuminated orange-yellow and approached the witness's car, hovering 3-4 meters above the ground. At a distance of 10-15 meters, it ascended rapidly and disappeared. Simultaneously, the car's engine stalled but restarted with reduced power. The witness estimated the object's size to be slightly larger than her Saab 99 car and noted a distinct separation between the object and its "corona."

New Sightings over Hessdalen

On March 25, 1982, between 21:15-21:30 and 22:15-22:30, witnesses Per and Inga Moen, Bjarne and Lars Lillevold, and Artur Gjerdsvold reported sightings.

At 21:15, an object was stationary over Rosta-Berg, described as a weak, glowing, oval ball. Per Moen tried to observe it with binoculars but it vanished.

At 21:30, a light was stationary over "Odden-Rücken." It began to pulsate and moved rapidly south for 500-1000 meters before stopping again. Three more lights appeared.

At 22:15, after the initial light disappeared, Per Moen and Artur Gjerdsvold observed three objects gliding in formation, which then stopped. A fourth object descended from above and positioned itself under the southernmost light. The lights moved slightly and stopped again. Aircraft noises were heard. The four luminous objects then vanished. The witness could not determine where they went.

Defense and Hessdalen Observation:

Rorosvidda, a plateau, is described as being populated by UFO enthusiasts. Automatic cameras and instruments for measuring electrical voltage and radioactivity are set up to study the night sky. On the night of March 23, 1982, UFO hunters traveled from Oslo to study the sky. The air defense also monitored the situation. The interest from the air defense is focused on the Hessdalen area, where luminous objects have been observed since 1944, with a resurgence in recent years. Captain Arne Nyland and Leutnant Peter Reymert from VAERNES AIR BASE reported seeing no UFOs but observed 30 meteors, satellites, and 6-7 aircraft, along with numerous UFO hunters. A representative from the air defense was sent to register UFOs, marking the first time such an action was taken. Captain Nyland stated that people in Hessdalen have observed luminous objects since 1944, and despite the long intervals, the reports are credible and should be taken seriously, acknowledging "many inexplicable things between heaven and earth."

Martin Holden, speaking to 'Verdens Gang', stated he had personally seen the phenomenon and had no credible explanation.

Another View

Major-General Eyvind Schibbye, Air Commodore for Southern Norway, sent two officers to investigate. He stated that credible reports of inexplicable objects were received and must be taken seriously. However, the Major-General himself does not believe in UFOs, suggesting natural explanations exist but can be difficult to identify. He cited a case in Ostfold where a man was seen descending by parachute without any aircraft present, which was later attributed to a youth launching a model aircraft. Schibbye suggested that atmospheric reflections, ball lightning, or other meteorological phenomena might explain the Hessdalen events.

CENAP - UAP - MEETING - 1983

This section announces the 3rd CENAP-UAP-MEETING to be held in Mannheim, Germany, from September 9th to 11th, 1983. The meeting will include an informal get-together on Friday evening, the main meeting on Saturday starting at 9:00 AM, and an open slide presentation on Sunday evening. Interested participants are invited to contact CENAP-Mannheim if they wish to present their own talks. Participation is open to all, regardless of CENAP or GEP membership.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently reports on UFO sightings with a tone that acknowledges the unexplained nature of the phenomena while also presenting official perspectives, including those from the military, which often lean towards natural explanations. There is a clear effort to document witness accounts and present them as credible, even when official investigations are inconclusive or suggest conventional causes. The publication also serves as a platform for announcing and organizing UFO-related events, such as the CENAP UAP Meeting. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into anomalous aerial phenomena, encouraging the collection and dissemination of information from various sources.

This issue of CENAP (presumably a UFO research organization) features an article titled "Die Luft ist raus... oder: das Rätsel der Luftschiffe von 1896-97 ist gelöst!" (The Air is Out... or: The Riddle of the Airships of 1896-97 is Solved!) by Werner Walter, CENAP-Staff. The article aims to debunk the notion that the mysterious 'Airship' sightings of 1896-97 were evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence in the pre-UFO era.

The 'Airship' Wave of 1896-97

The author begins by recalling the 'Airship' mystery, comparing it to other historical unexplained aerial phenomena like the 'Ghost Rockets' of 1946 and 'Foo Fighters' of World War II. While CENAP's primary focus has been on UFOs since 1947, this article delves into the 'Wild West' era of the late 19th century. The author's interest was piqued by a translation from the Swiss AESV-Bulletin concerning a report by Yves Bosson about a 1980 conference in Monlucon. At this conference, Josiane and Jean d'Aigure presented a theory that the 1896-97 wave was caused by numerous balloons flying in the USA at that time. However, Jean Sider reportedly criticized this explanation, arguing that it didn't account for the Zeppelin-like shapes of many reported craft.

Further investigation led the author to a translation of the Belgian SOBEPS publication INFORESPACE from May 1980, which provided more information. The article posits that the 1896-97 wave, while providing intriguing testimonies, ultimately complicates the UFO mystery rather than solving it.

The Wave of 1896/1897---As It Really Was

The article emphasizes that the primary source of information for this wave comes from newspaper articles. It highlights the French wave of 1954 as an example of the discrepancy between reality and journalistic reporting, urging caution when studying historical newspapers. The author then proceeds to analyze several specific incidents:

• Michigan Incident (April 14, 1897): A balloon-shaped object landed near Reynolds, Michigan, and a tall, nearly naked being emerged, injuring a witness. This report appeared in the "Saginaw Courier Herald" and was later repeated in the "Lansing State Republican" with altered details (location and witnesses), suggesting journalistic manipulation.
• Aurora, Texas Incident (April 17, 1897): An 'Airship' allegedly crashed into a windmill, and the pilot's remains were found, along with a logbook in an unknown script. However, an investigation by ufologist Donald Hanlon revealed that a local resident, E.E. Haydon, had fabricated the story to attract attention to the town. Furthermore, there was no windmill at Richter Proctor's property, nor an anonymous grave on the local cemetery.
• Hoax by Bauer Hamilton: The article mentions a "huge joke" perpetrated by Bauer Hamilton, which will be discussed further.
• Misidentified Natural Phenomena: The article argues that most UFO sightings, both historically and currently, can be attributed to misidentified natural phenomena. Examples include astronomical bodies like the Moon and Venus, or meteorological events. A Kansas City Times report from April 1, 1897, described a mysterious light observed by thousands, likely a spotlight from an airship, which was in cloud height and appeared the size of a streetlamp.

The 'Airship' and American Aeronautics

The article explores the technological context of the era, noting that the 'Airship' was not just noise but a focal point of public interest, widely reported by the press. The author questions whether the sightings represented an alien intelligence attempting to copy human aerostatic efforts or simply dreams materializing. The study aims to place the wave in its true context.

Descriptions of the 'Airship' often depicted a large, spindle-shaped object, 30-50 meters long, flying horizontally, with a cabin underneath and sometimes large wings. The key argument of ufologists is that there were no 'Zeppelins' in the American sky at that time, implying non-human origin. However, the article refutes this, stating that the claim "There were no balloons in the American sky at that time!" is far from the truth.

Historical Context of Aerostatics

The article provides a brief historical overview of ballooning in the USA. It mentions the failed French project of Petin in 1851, who attempted to launch a large apparatus in Paris but was denied permission. Petin then went to England and later to America, where his first ascent in New York ended with him being drifted towards the Atlantic. He continued his attempts in New Orleans, but his ascent ended in Lake Pontchartrain, and another attempt in Mexico saw his aerostat destroyed by lightning. Despite these setbacks, Petin's project was widely reported in 1851, informing the American public about aerostatic machines.

From 1850 to 1890, the American sky was traversed by numerous free balloons. By 1859, American 'aerostats' were planning to cross the Atlantic. The article notes that experiments were conducted to send balloons from West to East coast, with some success. In 1873, American journals reported on J. Wise's attempt to cross the continent by balloon in 60 hours.

This historical context is used to explain a sighting on January 24, 1878, by Farmer John Martin in Texas. Martin observed a dark object that appeared to be the size of an orange and then much larger, moving rapidly. The article suggests this was likely a balloon, which, when viewed from below, can appear round like a saucer, especially given the presence of many balloons in the sky at that time.

The 'Airship' and American Aeronautics

The 'Airship' wave in California in November 1896 involved sightings of objects described as 45 meters long with four flashing rotors. A drawing published in the 'San Francisco Call' depicted an 'Airship' that closely resembled an 1843 aerostatic project by W.S. Henson and J. Stringfellow called the "Aerial Steam Carriage." This suggests that early reports might have been influenced by existing designs.

Several witnesses reported 'Airships' with multiple wings. An incident on April 19, 1897, in Beaumont, Texas, involved J.R. Ligon and his son interacting with an 'Airship' pilot. The craft was described as being propelled by four large wings, similar to pilotless aircraft designs being experimented with by people like Pierpout Langley, who had demonstrated his designs to Graham Bell.

Simple Mechanics and Energy Sources

The article delves into the mechanics and potential energy sources of the 'Airships.' It notes that terms like 'propeller,' 'turbine,' and 'flying machine' were common in witness descriptions. For energy, some reports suggested 'highly condensed electricity' as the power source, referencing early experiments with electric motors in balloons by Tissandier and Krebs/Renare in the 1880s. Other possibilities included steam engines powered by furnaces in hydrogen-filled balloons, a method used by Giffard in 1852 and potentially by Marriott. The article also mentions the use of gasoline-steam engines (Langley), gas engines (Haenlein), and explosion motors (Schwartz).

Crew of the 'Airships'

The article briefly touches upon the occupants of the 'Airships,' stating that most reports described crews with human forms, dressed similarly to the inhabitants of the time, and speaking the same language. The author suggests that seeing anything unusual in this description would require a "very bad spirit."

However, one exception is mentioned: an incident on April 17, 1897, in Waxahachie, Texas, where witnesses Richter Lowe and his friend Beatty saw a strange machine in the woods with five men inside, dressed warmly and claiming to be from "Wordpol," a supposedly inhabited land. The author speculates that this might be a fabrication or a misinterpretation, possibly influenced by the widely publicized expedition of Swedish engineer Salomon Auguste Andrée attempting to reach the North Pole by balloon.

CENAP Archive Sale

The latter part of the magazine announces a sale of parts of the CENAP archive due to space constraints. This includes 1000 dias (slides) of American Blue Book material, radar images, UFO landing traces, debris photos, and UFO effects. Additionally, space flight archive material, including HASA series of ZEISS-Werke photos of Gemini, Apollo 11, and Skylab, as well as Apollo 14+15 photos from EHAPA-Verlag, are being offered.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout the article is the critical examination of historical UFO cases, specifically the 1896-97 'Airship' wave. The editorial stance is clearly skeptical of extraterrestrial explanations, favoring terrestrial explanations such as misidentified natural phenomena, existing technology, and human hoaxes. The article emphasizes the importance of historical context and critical analysis of media reports, particularly newspaper accounts, to understand these historical mysteries. It aims to demystify the 'Airship' wave by providing a rational, grounded perspective, contrasting with the more sensationalist interpretations often found in ufology.