Magonia Supplement - No 09 - 1998 11

Magazine Overview

MAGONIA ETH Bulletin, Issue No. 9, November 1998, edited by JOHN HARNEY, presents a critical examination of UFO phenomena, focusing on the alleged Roswell hoax, government secrecy, and unexplained aircraft disappearances. The issue questions the rational basis for believing in a UFO cover-up and scrutinizes the credibility of witness testimony and the interpretations of ufologists.

Editorial: The Hoax Challenge

The editorial section poses a challenge to ufologists to provide a coherent and convincing account of the Walton case as a hoax. While many ufologists believe it was a hoax, they base their arguments on potential inspirations and polygraph results, rather than a detailed explanation of how the hoax was devised and executed. The editor emphasizes that the question is not why it was done, but how, and invites someone to take up this complex challenge.

Secret Saucers: Critiquing the Cover-Up Theory

This section directly addresses the persistent question of why, after fifty years of alleged alien visitation, there is no convincing proof of UFO existence. The author dismisses the common explanation that proof is being concealed by US government agencies as a "silly notion" and an "unnecessary distraction" from serious investigation. The "cover-up theory" is deemed to be unsustainable under critical examination.

The World Picture and US Centricity

The belief in a UFO cover-up is characterized as requiring a "strange world-picture" centered on the USA, where the rest of the world is assumed to be either ignorant of or complicit in concealing UFO evidence. This implies that alien spacecraft activities are confined to US territory, which the author finds absurd. The idea that the US Air Force has covert recovery teams is also presented as unlikely.

Kevin Randle and the Roswell Incident

Kevin Randle's approach is highlighted as an example of how some ufologists attempt to reconcile the lack of proof with their beliefs. Randle's book, "A History of UFO Crashes," catalogs numerous alleged crashes, labeling only a few as "authentic" and conveniently placing them in the USA. This strategy is seen as a way to avoid the problem of explaining away crashes in other parts of the world, thereby reinforcing the belief that saucers crash rarely and only in the US.

The Implausibility of Long-Term Secrecy

The article questions how such secrets could be kept for so long. It references Randle's "Conspiracy of Silence," which suggests that in the current environment, governments no longer need to hide the truth, and people have started to blame the government themselves. The author argues that ufologists maintain the illusion of secrecy by failing to agree on a definitive version of events like the Roswell incident.

Unreliable Witnesses and Discredited Testimony

The text points out that while skeptics like Philip Klass and Kal Korff have critiqued witness accounts, the witnesses championed by ufologists like Randle have also proven unreliable. Frank Kaufmann's changing story and Philip Klass's establishment that Kaufmann was not in the US Army Air Force in 1947 (having left service in 1945 and worked as a civilian) are cited as examples of discredited testimony.

The Mogul Experiment Explanation

Philip Klass's explanation for the Roswell wreckage is presented: it was merely a balloon rig from the Mogul experiments. This mundane explanation is contrasted with the sensational theories that sell books and gain attention at UFO conferences. The author suggests that ufologists are trying to cover up this fact.

The End of the 'Alien Invasion' Threat

ETH proponents are criticized for their past warnings of alien invasion, which have not materialized. After more than 50 years, it is evident that UFOs pose no threat to national security. The article quotes Martin Kottmeyer, who argues that the sense of urgency and fear surrounding UFOs was irrational, and that the Air Force understood the issue as a nuisance, not a life-or-death matter.

A Call for Maturity in Ufology

The issue concludes this section by urging ufologists to abandon the "absurd government-secrecy angle" and "grow up," suggesting that explanations for UFO phenomena should be sought through more rational means rather than unbridled speculation.

Disappearing Planes: Kinross and Valentich Cases

This section examines two notable cases where aircraft disappearances have been attributed to UFO encounters: the Kinross incident of 1953 and the disappearance of Frederick Valentich in 1978.

The Kinross Incident (1953)

Details of the Kinross incident are presented, involving an F-89C interceptor piloted by Lt. Felix Moncla and radar observer Lt. R.R. Wilson, sent to identify an unknown aircraft. Conflicting accounts emerge: the Air Force initially stated the plane crashed into Lake Michigan after radar picked up a phantom echo, then suggested it was a Canadian airliner, and later a Royal Canadian Air Force plane. Canadian authorities denied any flights in the area. The Air Force offered contradictory explanations to Moncla's widow, and attempts to obtain further details have been unsuccessful. The author questions Dr. Menzel's assertion that the aircraft crashed into Lake Michigan, suggesting that the case's accuracy is questionable.

The Valentich Disappearance (1978)

Frederick Valentich's disappearance over the Bass Strait is discussed, noting the numerous theories proposed. Valentich reported encountering a mysterious object before his transmission ceased. While some ufologists suggested abduction by a saucer, suspicious circumstances are highlighted: Valentich's interest in UFOs, his recent viewing of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and his departure for an hour with the result of flying in the dark. He also failed to adjust his Search and Rescue time and arrange for runway lights. Speculation includes disorientation, engine failure, suicide, aircraft hitting a balloon, military weapon experiments, and UFO abduction. The author concludes that focusing on mundane causes is more likely to lead to the truth.

Book Review: Night Siege: The Hudson Valley UFO Sightings

This review examines the second edition of "Night Siege: The Hudson Valley UFO Sightings" by J. Allen Hynek, Philip J. Imbrogno, and Bob Pratt. The book details years of strange light formations witnessed by thousands, with allegedly inadequate explanations from authorities.

A Notable Sighting Example

An example sighting from Bethel, Connecticut, on July 12, 1984, describes a UFO as a circular pattern of lights that flashed red, blue, and green, hovering about 500 feet in the air and approximately 300 feet across. It made no sound and projected a brilliant flash of white light when a spotlight was shone on it.

Challenges in Photography and Witness Testimony

Most attempts to photograph these objects were unsuccessful, though one spectacular sighting on May 26, 1987, resulted in a photograph of a semi-circular pattern of multicoloured lights that disrupted traffic. The authors of the book acknowledge encountering "bizarre incidents" and "high strangeness," including reports of "missing time" and strange dreams, and admit to being influenced by Budd Hopkins' work on alien abduction.

Critiquing Official Explanations

The review highlights the unconvincing nature of official explanations, such as microlight aircraft flying in formation. The authors of "Night Siege" argue that microlights cannot hover silently in tight formation on windy nights, are illegal to fly after dark, and that flying them in such formation would be practically impossible. The review suggests that advertising planes, which cause many spurious UFO reports, are not mentioned as a possible explanation.

Independent Investigation Recommended

The reviewer concludes that the Hudson Valley sightings warrant a second look by persons independent of the original investigators, suggesting that not all possibilities have been considered.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are skepticism towards extraordinary claims in ufology, a critical analysis of witness testimony and ufologist interpretations, and a preference for mundane explanations over speculative ones, particularly concerning government secrecy and alien visitation. The editorial stance is clearly one of debunking unsubstantiated theories and promoting rational investigation, urging ufologists to abandon sensationalism and focus on verifiable facts. The issue advocates for a mature approach to UFO research, moving away from conspiracy theories and towards grounded analysis of phenomena.