Flying Saucer Digest - No 211 - 2016

Magazine Overview

Title: FLYING SAUCER DIGEST
Issue: NO. 211
Date: WINTER 2016
Publisher: R. Hilberg Publications
Location: Berea, Ohio, USA

This issue of Flying Saucer Digest, published quarterly, features a cover illustration by Ronald J. Pelger titled "The Element of Surprise," which depicts an astronaut encountering an alien creature in space. The magazine is preparing for its 50th anniversary in 2017 and highlights the work of its founding co-editor and illustrator, Ron Pelger.

Mystery Spheres Fall in Spain

On November 14, 2015, a series of black spheres began falling from the sky in the Murcia region of Spain. This incident deepened the mystery as yet another sphere fell, bringing the total to three in less than two weeks. The area was quarantined by the Civil Guard, and the first two objects were sent to a lab in Cartagena for analysis. Mayor Jose Velez of Calasparra expressed concern, stating that citizens deserve an explanation. Speculation ranged from pressurized gas containers to alien sources, with some noting a resemblance to the IT-O Interrogator droid from Star Wars. The sporadic nature of the falls and their pinpoint accuracy in hitting the same small area raised further questions.

Cylinder-Shaped UFOs Near Washington, D.C.

On December 4, 2015, in Alexandria, Virginia, a witness reported seeing two large, slow-moving, long silver cylinders. The sighting occurred around 12:15-12:20 p.m. as the witness was in their kitchen. The craft were described as having no wings or tail rudders, with a flash of red on the lower craft. Their speed was estimated between 25-35 mph, and they flew at a height of less than half a mile. They made a sharp U-turn westward and a bright light was seen from the rear of the lower craft before they disappeared. The front ends were rounded, and they appeared to be of the same make and size.

Return of a "Classic"

Flying Saucer Digest is celebrating its upcoming 50th anniversary by reprinting classic UFO cases. The first of these is a reprint of "Flying Saucer Classics" from 1968, which contains 21 classic UFO cases illustrated by Ron Pelger. The publication is available for $7.00, including shipping and postage, payable to Rick Hilberg.

Red UFO and Aliens in India

On October 1, 2015, villagers in Kanagal, India, reported witnessing a UFO land and a "humanoid figure" emerge from a red spacecraft. Agricultural workers saw the UFO around 2 p.m. The spacecraft reportedly descended from the clouds, landed briefly, and then took off amidst flashes and sparks. Nigel Watson, author of the UFO Investigations Manual, noted that sightings of flying people are not uncommon. T. A. Manjuntha, an enthusiast, stated that the women who saw the event could not have mistaken it for something else and had no prior knowledge of aliens. The report mentioned the spaceship descended to about 500 feet, and the figures were spotted. The sighting was described as a "red spacecraft which has flashes and sparks around it," and the humanoid figures took photographs before re-entering the craft. India has a history of UFO sightings, including a 1957 incident where a saucer-shaped object was seen by 800 people, and a 2014 sighting in Mumbai of brightly-lit orbs.

October – UFOs Swarm in Oklahoma

October 2015 saw a surge in UFO sightings reported to the National UFO Reporting Center. Reports include:

• Sallisaw: On October 3rd, a witness saw a brilliant, emerald green object shaped like a disco ball with small mirrors.
• Broken Arrow: On October 9th, witnesses saw a "black triangle UFO" with three white lights and one central red light, hovering silently before accelerating rapidly.
• Bartlesville: On October 12th, a "huge boomerang craft" was observed heading south at an altitude of 10-20,000 feet, estimated to be at least a quarter-mile in length.
• Owasso: A "shiny, metallic orb" was seen for a few seconds.
• Oklahoma City: On October 17th, a triangle-shaped object, described as an "orb-like ship" with "spinning lights" and "white fluorescent lights," was seen in a grass field.
• Langley: For a week and a half, multiple UFOs with red, green, and white flashing lights were seen in the sky nightly, best observed at certain times near the Grand Lake Dam.

These sightings are noted as being near the mysterious 94 degrees west longitude. The issue also mentions historical UFO sightings in the Grand Lake area, including a 2002 sighting involving a UFO and "balls of light" and a 2013 report of strange lights fading and reappearing.

Ohio Disk Appeared to Land

On November 8, 2015, a witness in London, Ohio, reported seeing a disk-shaped UFO land in a nearby field. The object, initially mistaken for an airplane, illuminated itself with colorful lights on the bottom before its dark, dome disk shape became visible. It then moved across the street, and the witness lost track of it. The witness expressed regret for not attempting to get a picture due to shock and a strange feeling.

Fortean Flashes

This section covers miscellaneous unusual events:

• Florida Ice Fall: On December 27th, a man and his dogs in North Naples, Florida, were nearly hit when a huge block of ice, estimated at 25 to 30 pounds, crashed through their roof.
• Transparent Creature Spotted in Pennsylvania: On November 23, 2015, a husband and wife in Ligonier Valley, Pennsylvania, reported seeing a transparent, four-legged creature, about 18-24 inches long with a tail, that had a "smoky veil shape" and appeared to be an "energy pattern."
• Buffalo Herd Mysteriously Appears in Canada: On December 11, 2015, a herd of nearly 100 buffalo mysteriously appeared in Saskatchewan, Canada, 150 years after they were nearly extinct. Officials were unsure of their origin, as they were not from local farms or the known wild herd located over 500 kilometers away.
• Fortran Retro: In 1949, residents of Thorntown, Indiana, reported seeing a strange creature weighing 250 pounds with brown hair and protruding teeth.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings across various countries and regions, including detailed reports from Spain, India, and multiple locations within the USA. There is a consistent focus on unexplained aerial phenomena, with descriptions of various craft shapes, sizes, and behaviors. The magazine also touches upon other Fortean phenomena, such as unusual animal sightings and unexplained physical events like the ice fall. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these phenomena, presenting witness accounts and seeking explanations, while also acknowledging historical cases and the magazine's long-standing commitment to the topic of UFOs, as evidenced by its upcoming 50th anniversary.