Flying Saucer Review - No 07 - 1953 01

Magazine Overview

This issue of FLYING SAUCER REVIEW, identified as #7 and dated January 1953, was printed on October 14, 1953. It is published by E. Rockmore, with a policy to study authentic reports on the factual basis that they are caused by craft of one or more extra-terrestrial races, excluding impractical theories. The magazine is based in Brooklyn, NY, USA, and is in English. The cover headline is "Something in the Skies' Bewilders Viewers Here," and it features a sketch of a flying object.

Contents and Editorial Stance

The issue outlines its content structure into four sections: 1) Chronological listing of reports with comments, 2) Special features of photos and interesting reports, 3) Breakdown of reports for possible patterns of behavior, and 4) Crediting research contributors. A section on "PERFORMANCE OF CONVENTIONAL OBJECTS (FOR REFERENCE ONLY)" contrasts flying saucers with aircraft, balloons, meteors, and missiles, noting their distinct characteristics.

The editorial stance is clearly stated in the "POLICY" section: "Theories of Aircraft, Balloons, Littlemen, Meteors, Mirages, Moonbeams, Radar Air Inversions, and similar impractical ideas will not be employed, other than to remove such reports from the authentic reports. The authentic reports will be studied on the factual basis that they are caused by craft of one or more extra-terrestrial races." The review focuses on newspaper reports, but welcomes eyewitness accounts.

Section 1: Flying Saucer Reports (January 1953)

This section details numerous sightings from January 1953, providing date, time, location (with coordinates), and a description of the object and its behavior. Each report includes a "Comment" section offering analysis or comparison to known phenomena.

• #1 Guilford, Conn. (Jan. 1, 1953): A green flare followed by a heavy explosion shook the town. Police and Coast Guard could not locate the source or wreckage. The comment notes that while meteors can rumble, they don't rise into the sky.
• #2 Washington, D.C. (Jan. 1, 1953): A green fireball, basketball-sized with an orange tail, crossed the sky over the Pentagon. The comment suggests it was rare for a meteor of this size and that it was unexplainable as such.
• #3 San Francisco, Cal. (Jan. 2, 1953): A brilliant fireball lit up the countryside, disappeared at sea, followed by explosions and earth tremblors. The comment notes it was likely a fireball meteor but one report mentioned a 'reddish-white' object.
• #4 Geelong, Australia (Jan. 3, 1953): A brilliant light resembling a flare with a yellow tail crossed the sky, observed by residents. A similar light was observed 19 days later.
• #5 Haifa, Israel (Jan. 4, 1953): A cigar-shaped object with lights on its nose, tail, and center, crossed the sky at high speed. The comment suggests it might have been a saucer seen edge-wise or a rare Swedish "ghost-rocket."
• #6 White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. (Jan. 5, 1953): A large bluish-white, triangular object hovered for an hour. The comment notes this long duration supports it being a craft rather than a balloon.
• #7 Dallas, Texas (Jan. 6, 1953): A reddish object observed by CAA and Weather Bureau personnel moved in a 90-degree arc, then upward, changing colors and shape. Pilots estimated speeds up to 2,000 mph. The comment suggests it might be a rare "color-changing saucer" or "Signal Saucer."
• #8A Te Kuiti, New Zealand (Jan. 6, 1953): A brilliant orange light with a reddish tail moved east.
• #8B Auckland, New Zealand (Jan. 6, 1953): A bright luminous cigar-shaped object with an orange trailing flame was observed.
• #8C Whangarei, New Zealand (Jan. 6, 1953): A brilliant light emitted a burst of flame, accelerated, made a U-turn, and disappeared.
• #9 Karori, New Zealand (Jan. 6, 1953): Two discs, one green and one blue, hovered. The comment notes the close timing of the first three reports suggests they might be related.
• #10 Mosgiel, New Zealand (Jan. 8, 1953): A brilliant reddish-glowing, triangular object with a white light rose, fell, and hovered for 10 minutes.
• #11 Kenya, Africa (Jan. 8, 1953): A silvery ball-like object hovered stationary in the sky, observed by hunters and columnist Robert Ruark.
• #12 Kerrville, Texas (Jan. 9, 1953): A reddish-orange oval-shaped object with two fins emitted red and green flames, made a buzzing sound, and circled the city at high speed. It caused unusual radio interference.
• #13 Christchurch, New Zealand (Jan. 9, 1953): A dull yellow-orange disc of light hovered for 30 minutes, observed through a telescope.
• #14 Hokkaido, Japan (Jan. 9, 1953): A rotating cluster of brilliant lights, changing from red to green to white, was observed over an air base and detected by radar.
• #15 Baldwyn, Miss. (Jan. 11, 1953): A spherical or teardrop-shaped object with lights crossed the sky and was chased by a plane. It appeared to be at 40,000 feet and caused TV interference.
• #16 Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (Jan. 11, 1953): A photographer observed and photographed a white elliptical object, described as irregular on the edges and made of light white streaks.
• #17 Winslow, Arizona (Jan. 13, 1953): A large 6-engine airplane was observed, and a bright, shining circular rotating object was seen 20,000 feet above it, moving erratically.
• #18 Otago Province, New Zealand (Jan. 14, 1952): A blue light with a reddish gold rim crossed the sky at high speed and shot upwards.
• #19 Langley Prairie, Br. Columbia (Jan. 15, 1953): A small bright light that pulsated crossed the sky at an even speed and disappeared.
• #20 Coquille, Oregon (Jan. 17, 1953): A dark saucer silhouetted against clouds came from the north, swept wide, and disappeared east.
• #21 Monroe, Louisiana (Jan. 18, 1953): A cigar-shaped or oblong object flying low suddenly disappeared, leaving a vapor trail. It was observed by motorists.
• #22 Sockburn, England (Jan. 18, 1953): A bright yellow object resembling a sting ray with flames shooting from its rear crossed the sky.
• #23 Oshawa, Ontario (Jan. 20, 1953): A long thin vapor trail formed in the northern sky, extending from west to east.
• #24 Galveston, Texas (Jan. 21, 1953): A bright object was seen over Galveston by thousands, appearing bluish-white and turning orange. It remained motionless for 20 minutes before moving east.
• #25 Geelong, Australia (Jan. 22, 1953): A bright white light appeared, turned yellow and grew in size, then disappeared and reappeared, leaving a phosphorescent light.
• #26 Peshawar, Pakistan (Jan. 24, 1953): A brightly shining rotating object crossed the sky at high speed towards Afghanistan.
• #27 Mt. Baldy, Calif. (Jan. 25, 1953): A silvery, shining, elliptical object hovered motionless, then fluttered and moved towards the desert.
• #28 Buellton, California (Jan. 25, 1953): A pinkish flying saucer at great altitude crossed the sky.
• #29 Fort Worth, Texas (Jan. 25, 1953): A long silvery, cigar-shaped object moving slowly suddenly sped up and disappeared. It changed color several times.
• #30 Sandusky, Michigan (Jan. 25, 1953): A hovering light revolving counter-clockwise descended and vanished.
• #31 Grand Rapids, Michigan (Jan. 25, 1953): Several lights observed in the sky slowly changed colors.
• #32 Petoskey, Michigan (Jan. 25, 1953): Unidentified lights observed hovering in the sky.
• #33 Grand Rapids, Michigan (Jan. 26, 1953): The same lights observed previously were seen again, changing color.
• #34 Gulf of Mexico (Jan. 28, 1953): A 'rather large' airplane or unknown object crashed into the sea, observed by seamen. No wreckage was found, but an oil slick was reported.
• #35 Foley, Alabama (Jan. 28, 1953): A bright light resembling a star pulsated and changed colors for 45 minutes, then turned brilliant green and headed toward Mobile at high speed.
• #36A Corona, California (Jan. 28, 1953): A brilliant amber explosion was observed at high altitude.
• #36B Long Beach, California (Jan. 28, 1953): An "eerie orange flame" was observed at low altitude, heading east at high speed.
• #36C El Toro, California (Jan. 28, 1953): A large disc-shaped object was observed flying near the field and followed by a jet pilot. It appeared to be amber-colored and flew in horizontal and vertical positions.
• #37A Copper Cliff, Ont. (Jan. 29, 1953): Two torpedo-shaped objects at great height moved slowly and noiselessly across the sky.
• #37B Sudbury, Ontario (Jan. 29, 1953): Two noiseless objects were observed shining in the sun. The report notes it's unlikely to be balloons due to their synchronized movement.
• #37C Lake Ramsay, Ontario (Jan. 29, 1953): Two swiftly moving objects, estimated at 200 mph, crossed the sky heading north.
• #38 Chatsworth, California (Jan. 29, 1953): A box-like formation of four silvery, round flying saucers was observed by three pilots. The CAA suggested they were aircraft.
• #39 Conway, South Carolina (Jan. 29, 1953): A light grayish object, lit up inside and making a humming noise, drifted towards a farmer at low altitude.
• #40 Fontaine-du-Genie, Algeria (Jan. 29, 1953): Three luminous saucer-like objects crossed the sky and disappeared quickly.
• #41 Capetown, South Africa (Jan. 29, 1953): A bright object with flashing lights remained stationary for 14 minutes.
• #42 Flagstaff, Arizona (Jan. 30, 1953): A brilliant white light appeared, stopped, and then appeared to break into two pieces, one heading south and the other southeast.

Article: "Something in the Skies' Bewilders Viewers Here" by Werner Renberg

This article from The Dallas News details an observation on January 7, 1953, by three competent individuals: two from the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) control tower at Love Field and one from the U.S. Weather Bureau. The object was described as a "thing" that moved in a 90-degree arc for about three minutes, then climbed upward for about twenty minutes. It was estimated to be at an altitude of 2,500 feet initially and fifty miles away. The object was observed in various colors and was thought to have a triangular shape, possibly a Boeing B-47 or a delta-wing plane, but the colors did not fit. Speculations included it being a meteor, comet, or a heavenly phenomenon, but its erratic movement was noted. A Navy officer suggested it could be the rising sun's light refracted by moisture, but the Weather Bureau refuted this due to the early hour and moderate humidity. The article also mentions a radar unit in Oklahoma City observing something at a higher altitude, and Dallas radar units seeing nothing.

Article: "4 Saucers Reported in Formation; Jet Pilot Chases Fifth" (Jan. 30, 1953)

This report details a jet fighter plane from El Toro Marine Air Base chasing a fiery disk-shaped object. Simultaneously, the crew of a Northrop Aviation Corp. plane reported sighting four flying saucers in formation over Chatsworth. The jet pilot, Capt. Harvey Patton, chased the object from Newport Beach to Long Beach, describing it as an "eerie orange flame." The four saucers were described as box-like formations, two above and two below, and were observed by pilots in an airplane. The CAA officials suggested they might be aircraft.

Article: "Guilford Shaken By Unexplained Blast Near Shore"

This article reports on a mysterious explosion that shook Guilford, Connecticut, on January 1, 1953, at approximately 9:25 PM. Hundreds of residents called the switchboard. Patrolman Harry Sohlberg stated the blast occurred at that time, but the exact location was unclear. The Coast Guard received no report of distress or fires.

Article: "Spring Tonic" by Robert C. Ruark (May 19, 1953)

This is a brief, anecdotal piece where columnist Robert C. Ruark mentions seeing flying saucers in Africa in January. He describes a "silver ball, stationary" observed by himself and others, which he states was not a plane or a bird, but a "proper flying saucer."

Overall Patterns and Conclusions

The final section of the magazine analyzes the collected reports from January 1953. It discusses the "Quality of Activity Pattern," noting the difficulty in classifying objects due to short observation periods and varying conditions. Shapes like spheres can appear as discs, and vice versa. The classifications are based on shape for daytime reports and color of light for night reports.

• Daytime Report Classifications:
• Saucer-like: 20%
• Cone-like: 2.5%
• Spherical: 5%
• Cigar-like: 15%
• Falling Plane: 2.5%
• Balloons: 5%
• Vaportrail: 2.5%

• Night Report Classifications:
• Yellow to Orange: 12%
• Blue to Green: 10%
• No Color Given: 15%
• Color Changing: 12.5%
• Meteor?: 2%

Amount of Activity Pattern: The activity was concentrated in the southern U.S., with some in the northern midwest, but little in the NE and NW. Foreign reports were excluded due to incomplete coverage.

Periods of Activity Pattern: Two small increases in activity were noted: January 6-11 and January 25-29.

Conclusions and Possible Future Activity: The month showed a fairly ordinary number of reports, with many color-changing night lights or "signal saucers." A significant increase in reports is not expected until around May 1954, near the next Mars Approach. The article mentions a possible Navy release in January, as noted by Keyhoe in a Look article.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout the issue is the systematic collection and analysis of unexplained aerial phenomena, with a strong bias towards the hypothesis that these objects are of extra-terrestrial origin. The editorial stance is critical of conventional explanations and prioritizes factual observation over speculation, aiming to identify patterns and potential origins of these phenomena. The magazine emphasizes the importance of rigorous study and the exclusion of non-factual theories.

This issue of the Daily Graphic Sky Mystery (Part 2), published by the Herald American on Friday, November 2, 1951, focuses on unexplained aerial phenomena, particularly flying saucers. The cover features a prominent, albeit grainy, photograph of a disc-shaped object in the sky, accompanied by the question "What Is It?". The issue delves into eyewitness accounts and attempts to analyze the characteristics and potential explanations for these sightings.

Key Articles and Features

"Graphic Sky Mystery - What Is It?"

The cover story presents a photograph taken by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Greenwood during a vacation near Cody, Wyoming. The image, discovered after the film was developed, shows an unidentified object in the sky. The Greenwoods reported hearing no unusual sounds and noticing nothing out of the ordinary at the time of the photograph. The accompanying comment from 'The Review' expresses doubt about the photo's clarity due to the nature of its photography but includes it due to a slight resemblance to a previous report from Dallas, Texas.

"Flying Saucer 'Takes'"

This section details a report from Mrs. Flora Rogers, a ranch woman from Martin County, Texas, who observed a flying saucer on August 4th near Garden City. She described the object as being shaped like a turtle, about 20 feet in the air and not over 20 feet away. She noted it had a camouflage resembling olive drab, with a crack or slit all around it, and that the top overhung the bottom. Paddle-like objects, described as resembling boat oars, protruded from its sides and moved in a smooth motion. Mrs. Rogers also mentioned a spout sticking out of the back, resembling a tail-pipe, and a blue flame coming from it. She initially thought it was an airplane falling but realized it was not. She stated there were no windows or doors visible and no sound was emitted. The object ascended rapidly, out of sight in seconds. Mrs. Rogers expressed fear and drove back to Garden City, where she reported the sighting to the sheriff. The article notes that the sheriff sent out a search party and that Goodfellow Air Force Base also sent up planes. The object was estimated to be about fifteen feet wide and three feet thick in the middle.

"'Saucer' in Front of Car"

This feature details a report from Herbert Long, a 29-year-old insurance salesman and Army Medical Corps veteran from Kutztown, Pennsylvania. On August 26, 1952, Long reported seeing a flying saucer about 30 feet in front of his automobile off the Allentown pike near Maxatawny. He described the object as a large saucer-like craft, approximately 25 feet in diameter, resembling "a large serving tray with a cover." It remained motionless above the earth for five minutes before ascending skyward with a tremendous burst of speed. Long stated he was "too darned scared to approach it any closer." The object had windows and portholes in the crown and showed signs of activity within. An "antenna-like" object extended from the top of the dome. The report also mentions that two local girls, Carol Hauch (15) and Mary Kerr (17), working at a swimming pool, saw a flying saucer in the same vicinity around 1 PM the previous day. They described it as a flattened, aluminum-colored sphere that made no noise while hovering but emitted a loud "Whoosh!" when it took off.

"SIMILARITIES" and "DISSIMILARITIES"

This section provides a comparative analysis of flying saucer reports, likely including the ones detailed in the issue.

• Similarities noted:
• Shape: Hemi-spherical shape, rarely reported in flying saucers (contrasting with generally reported flat discs). The assumption is that dome-shaped objects might accommodate passengers or larger equipment.
• Projections/Antenna: Projections or 'antennas' on the roof dome, noted as uncommon but reported in older cases.
• Rotating Extensions: Rotating extensions around the bottom edge, a common feature in reported saucers, though often hard to discern due to distance.
• Low Altitude and Duration: Flight at very low altitudes (20-30 feet) for long periods (4-5 minutes), which is considered almost unknown in most saucer reports.

• Dissimilarities noted:
• Windows: One object lacked windows, while the other had them. The article speculates that shutters might cover windows at high speeds to protect against air friction, making a windowless craft feasible for high-speed observation.
• Dimensions: The Texas object's dimensions (15' length, 3' thickness) are described as representing a "thick disc," not a turtle or dome shape. However, the article acknowledges that numerical measurements in old saucer reports can be inaccurate.
• Projections on Roof: The roof projections were not similar.
• Rotating Edge: One saucer's rotating edge extended, while the other's was flush, possibly indicating retractable mechanisms.
• Bottom Projections: Dissimilar projections at the bottom edge, one resembling a jet nozzle, the other a propeller. The article discusses the mechanical implications and the possibility of eyewitness error or different craft types.

"CONCLUSIONS"

The conclusion highlights the difficulty in explaining the differences in rotating extensions and windows, suggesting that the reports might involve two different aircraft, despite their general similarities. The magazine states that further study of similar reports and eyewitness sketches may clarify these issues and will be published in future editions. The issue also lists other landing report features planned for future publication, including locations in Pittsburg (Kans.), Palm Beach (Fla.), Hasselbach (Germany), Windsor (Ont.), Belle Glade (Fla.), Bernina Alps (Italy), Conway (N.C.), and Sutton (W.V.).

Supporting Sections

Credit Section

This section acknowledges individuals who have contributed to the magazine's coverage. It includes lists of people who sent in newspaper and eyewitness reports, with a note encouraging those who prefer anonymity. It also thanks individuals for sending in loan of clipping collections, offering to return them with copies of extra magazine articles, photos, and covering postage. The magazine expresses particular interest in reports prior to 1950 and 1946, offering magazine articles or photos in exchange for new information.

Newspaper Permission to Reprint

This section lists newspapers that have granted permission to reprint clippings, including the Dallas Morning News, Philadelphia Inquirer, United Feature Syndicate, Big Springs Weekly News, Stanton Reporter, Miami Daily News, Chicago American, Guilford Journal, Daily Sun, and L.A. Times.

Translated Reports from Europe

The magazine seeks translators for European reports, specifically for Swedish, Finnish, and Spanish. It thanks individuals who have already been helpful in translating foreign reports.

Typing Copy for Review

This section outlines a need for copyists with typewriters to assist in various tasks, including retyping large newspaper reports, typing form letters to editors and eyewitnesses, and retyping written answers for filing. Payment is offered in the form of extra magazine articles.

Back Issues of Review

It is noted that no back issues of the Review are currently available, but a reprint of issues 1 to 6 will be ordered if a large number of requests are received.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme is the investigation and documentation of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) or "flying saucers." The magazine appears to adopt a stance of serious inquiry, presenting eyewitness accounts, detailed descriptions, and attempting to analyze similarities and differences between various reports. While acknowledging the potential for doubt (as with the Greenwood photo), the publication actively seeks information, encourages contributions, and aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the phenomenon. The editorial stance is one of open-minded investigation, seeking to understand these unexplained events through collected evidence and comparative analysis.