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Magazine Overview

This issue of "Historique des Objets Volants Non Identifiés" (History of Unidentified Flying Objects) delves into a series of historical UFO sightings and encounters, primarily focusing on events from the 1960s. The magazine presents detailed accounts, witness testimonies, and some analysis of these phenomena.

Key Incidents and Reports

The Socorro Incident (April 24, 1964)

The issue begins with a detailed account of the encounter by police officer Lonnie Zamora in Socorro, New Mexico. While pursuing a speeding car, Zamora heard a roaring sound and saw a blue, orange-tinged flame. He then observed a silver ovoid object, approximately 3.5 to 4.5 meters in size, resting on four legs. Two small, white-clad humanoid beings were seen working beneath it. Upon noticing Zamora, they entered the craft, which then ascended with a roar, leaving behind strong imprints and a carbonized area where bushes had been. Spectroscopic analysis of the burnt fragments indicated radiation rather than exhaust gases. Dr. Allen J. Hynek considered this report to be one of the most troubling in the UFO dossier.

Tioga City Encounter (April 24, 1964)

On the same day, Gary T. Wilcox, a 26-year-old dairy farmer in Tioga City, New York, reported seeing a whitish object resembling a dropped fuel tank, about 6 meters long and 4.5 meters wide. Two humanoid beings emerged, carrying a tray of roots and leaves. They spoke English, inquiring about Wilcox's activities and stating that Mars and Earth would communicate in the future. They showed interest in agriculture before departing in their vehicle, which then ascended with a hiss.

Ohio Sightings (May 17, 1964)

In Ohio, a flamboyant object was observed maneuvering at low altitude, exhibiting erratic and noisy flight patterns, and changing color. It interfered with police radio communications and descended northwest, appearing to prepare for landing. Abnormal radioactivity was detected near Massillon.

July 7th Incident

Nine people witnessed TV interference, followed by a flying object approaching their house at tree height. The object hovered silently over a neighbor's garden.

Wavenay Girvan's Death

The magazine notes the premature death of Wavenay Girvan, director of the Flying Saucer Review, from cancer, and the subsequent disappearance of her case files.

Reverend Reyna's Observation (November 14, 1964)

Reverend Father Benito Reyna, observing the passage of the Echo II satellite from the Adhara Observatory in Argentina, witnessed an object intercepting the satellite's path and performing evasive maneuvers.

Warminster Phenomena (Starting December 25, 1964)

Warminster, Great Britain, became the site of a series of unusual events, including strange noises described as crackling, buzzing, and thunderous, earning the appellation "The Warminster Thing." Pigeons were seen falling from the sky, and rats were reportedly found with holes in their bodies. The postmaster recorded sounds of objects falling on rooftops. The Reverend Graham Philips reported seeing a cigar-shaped UFO, and photographs were taken, often depicting oblong luminous shapes. Dr. John Cleary-Baker of the British UFO Association believed extraterrestrial beings had visited Warminster.

1965: The Year of the Flying Saucer

The year 1965 is highlighted as a peak year for UFO observations, with the Blue Book commission recording 886 reports. The issue mentions the establishment of the Volunteer Flight Officer Network by Herbert Roth, supported by United Airlines, to report aerial observations.

U.S. Air Force Transparency Concerns (January 1965)

An article in True Magazine by Major Keyhoe criticized the U.S. Air Force's handling of UFO information. John Mc Cormack, President of the House of Representatives, expressed his belief that the Air Force was not disclosing all it knew about unidentified flying objects.

Washington D.C. Sighting (January 11, 1965)

Twelve to fifteen white, ovoid objects were sighted over Washington D.C., pursued by ground forces aircraft. The military reportedly denied seeing anything.

Chalac, Argentina Sighting (February 21, 1965)

Indigenous Toba people and police officers witnessed three small, luminous men emerging from an object. The object then illuminated and took off.

Japanese Pilot's Report (March 21, 1965)

A Japanese bimotor aircraft was accompanied by a UFO for about 90 km. The pilot reported that the automatic direction finder and onboard radio were significantly affected by the UFO's presence.

George Adamski's Death

The death of George Adamski at age 74 is noted, with his funeral expenses covered by the state.

Jacques Vallée's "Anatomy of a Phenomenon"

Jacques Vallée's book is discussed for its scientific approach to UFOs, challenging the dismissive attitude of military investigations and suggesting that UFO phenomena are real and can be classified into distinct types.

Astronauts' UFO Sighting (June 4, 1965)

Astronauts James McDivitt and Edward White reportedly photographed a UFO with extensions while in orbit.

Valensole, France Incident (July 1, 1965)

Maurice Masse, a farmer in Valensole, observed an ovoid object with four legs, from which two small beings appeared to be collecting plant samples. The object departed, leaving behind complex star-shaped traces.

Aische-en-Refail Landing (January 24, 1973)

This section details a close encounter by a witness, Mme N. D., who reported her car stalling as a red object, approximately one meter in diameter and half a meter high, landed near her. The object had distinct sections: a wide, matte white lower part with round dots, a similarly shaped middle section of yellow, and a red upper dome. The object performed brief ascents and descents before departing. The witness's car then inexplicably restarted. An investigation found no geological anomalies or radioactivity.

Telepathy and UFOs

A report from Brazil details an encounter by Henrique Schneider Junior, who experienced telepathic communication with entities from a craft. He received answers to his questions about their propulsion and origin, with the entities reportedly coming from a place called MERS.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently presents UFO phenomena as a serious subject worthy of investigation, often highlighting credible witnesses such as police officers, pilots, and scientists. There is an underlying theme that official explanations are often inadequate or deliberately misleading. The publication appears to advocate for a more open and scientific approach to understanding UFOs, suggesting that these are not mere misidentifications but genuine, unexplained phenomena, possibly of extraterrestrial origin. The editorial stance is one of presenting evidence and encouraging further research, while acknowledging the lack of definitive answers.

Title: Inforespace
Issue: 41
Volume: 19
Date: August 1951

This issue of Inforespace, a French publication focused on UFOs and related phenomena, presents a collection of intriguing cases and analyses, with a particular emphasis on photographic evidence and witness testimony.

Case Study: The Schneider Landing

The issue details an extraordinary encounter experienced by M. Schneider, involving a silent, luminous object that landed near his home. The object emitted heat and an odor of burnt oil or kerosene. Upon landing, it created a circular scorched area on the ground, approximately 65 cm in diameter, with a smaller, pressed circle in the center showing a 10 cm depression. The heat or air displacement from the object also caused roof tiles to become dislodged. Witnesses, including Paulo Mertens, Karl Sliva, and Udo Schmidt, later confirmed the lingering smell of kerosene and the visible traces.

Further observations by M. Schneider included what he described as telepathic communication from 'silhouettes' or 'metal plates,' followed by the appearance of a luminous object in the sky. He and neighbors observed multiple objects exhibiting unusual oscillating movements, rapid acceleration, and abrupt stops.

The editorial commentary by Claude Bourtembourg and Jacques Scornaux addresses the concept of telepathy, suggesting that while it may seem fantastical, the existence of parapsychological phenomena is supported by laboratory experiments. They posit that more evolved beings might master these phenomena, potentially creating 'thought-transmission machines.' They also note that the 'shapes' or 'silhouettes' described by Schneider were like 'metal plates,' and their brief, stereotyped responses might suggest an 'automatic answering machine.' The authors commend Carlos Varassin for his investigative work on the case.

The Concorde 001 UFO Photo

The issue discusses a photograph taken on June 30, 1973, at 12:15 UTC, from Concorde 001 while flying over Chad at an altitude of 17,000 meters and a speed of 2300 km/h. The photo, taken during a solar eclipse, captured a luminous point. Initially, the press widely reported on this image, and astronomers were compelled to comment. The luminous point, when enlarged 150 times, appeared as an elliptical shape with a yellow base, a red conical trunk, and a dark cylinder, all surrounded by a faint halo.

Jean Begot, an electronics technician, took the photograph, and astrophysicist Serge Koutchmy of the Paris Institute of Astrophysics analyzed it. The analysis reportedly found no defects in the film or other phenomena that could explain the anomaly. This led to the possibility that the image represented an object with a diameter of about 200 meters at a distance of 15 km.

However, Pierre Guérin, an astrophysicist at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), suggested that the phenomenon was not mysterious and was likely a cloud created by a meteor swarm entering Earth's atmosphere. He noted that on that day, Earth had crossed the path of the Beta Tauridaes meteor stream, whose orbital plane was close to the terrestrial equator and was favorably observable over Africa.

Lubbock, Texas Sighting (August 1951)

This section details an observation made on August 25, 1951, in Lubbock, Texas, by four professors from the city's Technical College: W. L. Ducker, Dr. A.G. Oberg, Dr. W.I. Robinson, and M. George. While discussing micrometeorites, they observed a group of blue-green lights moving rapidly across the sky in a semi-circular formation.

Approximately an hour later, the lights reappeared, no longer in formation. The report also mentions a related observation made about 20 minutes earlier, at 21:00, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. An employee of the Sandia Corporation and his wife witnessed a silent, V-shaped 'flying wing' object, estimated to be about 300 meters above their home, moving rapidly from north to south. The object was described as being one and a half times the size of a B-36 bomber, with black bands along its length and 6 to 8 pairs of faint blue lights at the rear.

Observation from Two Telescopes (March 1973)

This case involves an observation made on March 28, 1973, by MM. Harry Bridges, Gene Major, and Bruce Wingate, astronomy students at the Belknap College Observatory in New Hampshire, USA. They observed a red, luminous object in the sky, described as a dim red fire with a 'flocculent' perimeter, and an oval shape, slightly flattened. A red light, about 1/8 of the disk's diameter, flashed intermittently, suggesting rotation.

Using a 12-inch reflector telescope, Bridges observed a second, similar object to the left of the first, with a smaller angular diameter and luminosity. This object also blinked and disappeared. Bruce Wingate also witnessed this phenomenon. The observers noted the excellent optical quality of their telescopes and the clear weather conditions.

The Passing of Dr. Condon

The issue reports the death of Dr. Edward U. Condon on March 25, at the age of 72, in Boulder, Colorado. Dr. Condon was a prominent physicist who directed the U.S. Air Force-funded study that resulted in the well-known 'Condon Report.' Despite often unfavorable opinions from the ufology community regarding his report, the article acknowledges his significant contributions to contemporary physics, including his work on the Franck-Condon principle and quantum mechanics.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores UFO/UAP sightings, emphasizing witness credibility and the physical evidence left behind. It highlights cases involving scientific observers and photographic documentation, while also acknowledging the skepticism within the scientific community. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting cases for reader consideration and analysis, and suggesting that parapsychological phenomena, including telepathy, warrant serious investigation. The publication aims to bridge the gap between anecdotal reports and scientific scrutiny, presenting a balanced view of the available evidence.