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Magazine Overview

This issue of "Historique des Objets Volants Non Identifiés" (History of Unidentified Flying Objects) delves into the early years of UFO phenomena, focusing primarily on events and investigations from 1953 and 1954. The magazine presents a chronological account of sightings, official responses, and scientific inquiries into these unexplained aerial phenomena.

Key Events and Investigations (1953-1954)

The article begins by detailing the USAF's initiative in December 1953 to install spectroscopic cameras on 75 air bases worldwide to photograph and analyze potential UFOs. The US government, particularly the Pentagon and the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC), adopted a cautious stance, aiming to avoid public alarm while investigating the phenomenon. A 1953 communiqué from the USAF stated that unidentified aerial phenomena were not secret weapons or extraterrestrial craft, and no material evidence of extraterrestrial origin had been found.

By the end of 1953, Project Blue Book had released statistics indicating that out of 44,000 reported sightings since 1947, a significant percentage (26.94%) remained unexplained after thorough investigation. The report further broke down explanations, with a substantial portion categorized as 'unexplained,' 'probable,' or 'possible.'

January 1954 saw increased security at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the headquarters for ATIC and Project Blue Book, with journalists barred from seeking UFO-related information. Captain Charles A. Hardin took over leadership of Project Blue Book in 1954, succeeding Max Futch, and led it until 1956.

Several notable sightings are recounted:

• February 15, 1954: In Coniston, Lancashire, UK, 13-year-old Stephen Darbishire and his 8-year-old cousin Adrian Myer photographed a UFO described as translucent, approximately 12 meters long, with windows, a dome, and a door. The resulting photograph was reportedly blurry.
• April 2, 1954: A UFO was sighted over New York State. Radar detection led to the dispatch of a 'Starfire' jet for interception. Upon approaching the object, the jet experienced intense heat, forcing the pilot to eject before the aircraft became engulfed in flames.
• May 13, 1954: Major Donald Keyhoe announced on American radio that two artificial satellites were orbiting Earth, exhibiting irregular orbits that defied known physics. Investigations by White Sands experts suggested these were not man-made craft.
• August 17, 1954: The D.P. agency reported confirmation of Clyde Tombaugh's findings regarding these anomalous satellites.
• May 15, 1954: General Nathan F. Twining, USAF Chief of Staff, declared that the nation's best minds were working on the UFO problem, acknowledging that the Air Force could not explain about 10% of observed phenomena.
• May 25, 1954: In Dallas, Texas, four National Guard pilots pursued sixteen UFOs at high altitude, which easily outdistanced them.
• June 30, 1954: A BOAC Stratocruiser crew reported being accompanied by a large, escorting UFO for ten minutes, observed by 52 passengers.
• July 2, 1954: A UFO was detected by radar near Utica, New York. An interceptor jet dispatched to investigate crashed shortly after takeoff, resulting in fatalities and destruction.
• August 1954: The 'Project Magnet' was inaugurated in Canada, with frequent detections by automatic detectors leading to the temporary closure of the Shirley's Bay base due to UFO sightings over Montreal.
• September 3, 1954: In Souk-el-Khemis, Tunisia, workers witnessed a transparent, plastic-like object that hovered, moved erratically, and then sped away.
• August 22-23, 1954: In Vernon, France, merchant Bernard Miserey observed a series of luminous phenomena, including a large, elongated, vertical object from which a smaller disk detached and descended before disappearing.

Scientific and Technical Aspects

The magazine touches upon the technical challenges of UFO investigation. The 1953 USAF initiative involved spectroscopic cameras and diffraction gratings to analyze light spectra. The difficulty in identifying the nature of the 'artificial satellites' reported by Donald Keyhoe highlights the limitations of then-current technology. The case of Javier Bosque in Logroño, Spain (dated 1972 but included in this historical context), describes a detailed encounter with a luminous object that emitted a beam and caused a transistor radio to dance. The analysis of an audio recording from this event by an electronics professor confirmed its authenticity.

Statistical Data and Analysis

An article by M. J. Victor Soares presents statistics on South American UFO observations from 1946 to 1971. The data, compiled from the ICCS group, focuses on unidentified cases. The analysis reveals cyclical patterns of UFO activity, with peaks in 1947, 1950, 1954, and 1965-1968. The article notes the increasing number of observations over time, suggesting a potential rise in the phenomenon or increased public awareness and reporting.

A graphical analysis correlates UFO density with population density in South American countries. Surprisingly, for most countries, the density of observations appears to increase with population density, contrary to the expectation that denser populations might lead to fewer unexplained sightings. However, a subset of countries showed a slight inverse correlation.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue consistently highlights the theme of government secrecy and the difficulty in obtaining official confirmation or explanation for UFO phenomena. The repeated denial by authorities that UFOs are extraterrestrial, coupled with the significant percentage of unexplained cases, fuels the narrative of a hidden truth. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious inquiry, presenting witness testimonies and scientific data with a degree of credibility, while acknowledging the challenges and limitations in definitively proving the extraterrestrial hypothesis. The inclusion of detailed case studies and statistical analysis suggests a commitment to exploring the phenomenon from multiple angles, even if definitive answers remain elusive.

Notable Cases and Testimonies

• The 'Moon No. 2' Satellite: The article mentions the US Army's alleged tracking of a satellite dubbed 'Moon No. 2,' described as being very close to Earth with a short orbital period and a diameter of a few kilometers. This was reportedly part of an effort to create the first interplanetary station.
• The 'Lune n° 2' Satellite: Reuter reported in August 1954 that 'Aviation Week' confirmed the existence of two new satellites, described as large 'aeroliths,' orbiting at distances of 600 to 900 km. Specialists concluded they were not man-made.
• The McMinnville Incident (brief mention): A brief note refers to an incident near McMinnville, Oregon, involving a UFO sighting by Mr. and Mrs. Trent, with a photograph taken by Paul Trent.
• Verlaine Landing (Belgium): An account from Verlaine, Belgium, details a farmer's sighting of a luminous phenomenon in the early 1960s. He observed a bright light emanating from a small wood, followed by a luminous sphere that ascended and moved towards a farm. The object was described as larger than the full moon and possibly the size of a small airplane, at an altitude of about 200 meters. No sound or other effects were reported.

Editorial Note

The magazine concludes with a call for collaborators to help identify errors and omissions in their publications, emphasizing the importance of a proofreader in the production of their review.

Title: Chronique des OVNI
Issue Date: September 1972
Content Focus: UFO and anomalous phenomena reports.

Article: Mais qu'a donc vu Casanova ?

This article investigates a strange phenomenon witnessed by the young Giacomo Casanova in 1743, as recounted in his memoirs. The report highlights an excerpt published in the Spanish review "Stendek" from March 1972, which details Casanova's experience.

Girolamo-Giacomo Casanova de Seingalt, at the age of 18 and before gaining his later reputation, was traveling towards Rome to pursue an ecclesiastical career. The incident occurred on the night of August 31st to September 1st, 1743.

Casanova recounts that while walking from Terni to Cirocoli and then by carriage to Castel-Nuovo, he observed a peculiar phenomenon. Approximately one hour after leaving Castel-Nuovo, in calm air and a clear sky, he noticed to his right, about ten paces away, a "pyramidal flame" (flamme pyramidale). This flame was about a cubit high and elevated four to five feet above the ground.

Casanova was struck by this apparition, which seemed to accompany him. When he attempted to approach it, the flame moved away. It stopped when he stopped and reappeared when he moved forward. If the path was bordered by trees, he would lose sight of it, only to find it again when the path cleared. Attempts to retrace his steps resulted in the phenomenon disappearing, only to reappear when he resumed his forward direction towards Rome. This "singular lantern" (singulier fanal) did not leave him until he reached his destination.

The article notes that Casanova was not yet the famous seducer at this time and was seeking material security through the church. The event is situated during his journey to Rome to meet an influential bishop.

The article also references a similar observation by M. Chermanne in Bouffioulx, as detailed in "Dossier photo d'inforespace" n° 5, p. 20. However, Casanova's sighting was reported by a single witness.

The author, Jean-Luc Vertongen, concludes that while it's a single witness account, Casanova's personality lends credibility to the report, which is strange enough to be classified as a UFO case. The observation's trajectory is noted as not corresponding to the direct line of sight from Brétus (Bréda-Athus).

(1) J.G. DOHMEN, A identifier et le cas Adamski, éd. Travox, 1972, p. 29.

Other Report: Observation near Verlaine

A separate report, attributed to Jean-Luc Vertongen, details an observation made near Verlaine. The witness described an object emitting bluish sparks, which was visible for about 25 seconds before disappearing over the horizon. The witness reported no smell or heat, nor any effects on the site of observation. The witness did not deem it necessary to investigate further at the time.

However, a subsequent inspection of the site revealed no particular trace. The ground where the object was observed was noted to be waterlogged. The report mentions that the object's trajectory did not correspond to the line of sight from Brétus (Bréda-Athus).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine appears to focus on historical UFO accounts and contemporary sightings, aiming to document and analyze anomalous phenomena. The editorial stance seems to be one of open inquiry, presenting witness testimonies and historical records for consideration, while acknowledging the challenges of verification, particularly with single-witness accounts. The inclusion of Casanova's experience suggests an interest in historical precursors to modern UFO phenomena.