Magonia Supplement - No 36 - 2001 06 30

Magazine Overview

Title: MAGONIA Supplement
Issue: No. 36
Date: 30 June 2001
Publisher: Magonia
Country: UK
Language: English

This issue of Magonia Supplement delves into significant UFO cases and historical aspects of ufology, featuring articles by Martin S. Kottmeyer, Gareth J. Medway, and a review by Christopher D. Allan, alongside notes from Nigel Watson and an editorial.

CHILES-WHITTED: BURN, BABY, BURN by Martin S. Kottmeyer

This article meticulously details the encounter on 24 July 1948, involving a DC-3 piloted by Captain Clarence S. Chiles and co-pilot John B. Whitted. While cruising at 5,000 feet, they observed an aircraft approaching from their right and slightly above. They described it as a new Army jet job, but upon closer inspection, noted it had no wings and emitted a flame from its rear, approximately fifty feet long. The object had two rows of windows from which a bright light glowed, and a blue glow underneath. It passed them at an estimated speed of 700 mph, flying straight and level about half a mile away, at an altitude of approximately 5,500 feet. The object was described as cigar-shaped, about a hundred feet in length, with a fuselage circumference three times that of a B-29. The windows were large and square, emitting a white light. Chiles perceived a nozzle from which flame emerged, extending deeper and increasing in intensity as the object ascended into clouds. Whitted confirmed the general description but did not perceive the nozzle, though he noted the increased flame length as the object 'pulled up'.

After the initial surprise, a passenger was awakened to witness the object, by then described as 'no physical shape -- only a streak of flame moving in a straight line'. Newspaper reports sensationalized the event, suggesting prop-wash or jet-wash rocked their DC-3, a claim the pilots denied. The ATIC (Air Technical Intelligence Center) was reportedly shaken by this case, as it involved two reliable sources having a close encounter. This incident led ATIC to conclude that the phenomenon was 'interplanetary'.

The article then explores skeptical explanations, including Donald Menzel's suggestion of meteors, specifically the Aquarid or Perseid streams. However, the date of the sighting (24 July) is considered borderline for the Aquarids and too early for the Perseids, making a meteor explanation dubious. Kevin Randle's experiment, which suggested people do not normally imagine square windows on a streak of light, is also discussed as a challenge to the meteor theory.

Kottmeyer also considers the possibility of Navy pilots practicing intercepting enemy bombers by using afterburners to create a flame plume, potentially explaining the visual characteristics without invoking extraterrestrial origins. He questions whether such cases truly support the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (ETH) and suggests that ufologists need to provide better explanations for these phenomena.

UFO CRASHES: AN EMERGENT PATTERN by Gareth J. Medway

Medway examines the phenomenon of UFO crash stories, arguing that while individual reports may be inconclusive, a collective analysis might reveal patterns. He begins with the Roswell incident of 14 June 1947, where farmer William Brazel found silvery wreckage. Initially dismissed as a balloon, persistent rumors in California suggested a crashed saucer with dead occupants, citing a memo by Meade Layne.

The article details the Barney Barnett story from Socorro, New Mexico, who claimed to have found a crashed metallic disc with dead humanoids. This became a template for subsequent stories. Silas Newton's testimony, used in Frank Scully's book 'Behind the Flying Saucers', described a saucer crash in Aztec, New Mexico, in 1948, with dead occupants. Newton and his partner, Dr. Gee, were later arrested for fraud related to a magnetic device.

Another account comes from Bill Devlin, who heard from a soldier about transporting the remains of a saucer and sixteen small bodies from Aztec to Fort Riley, Kansas. The article notes that this story is consistent with Scully's book, but its independence is questionable.

Meade Layne also received a letter in 1954 from Gerald Light, claiming President Eisenhower secretly visited Edwards Air Force Base to view a crashed flying saucer. The article mentions various alleged crash sites across the globe, including a four-foot saucer on Silpho Moor, Yorkshire.

Leonard Stringfield later coined the term 'retrievals of the third kind' to categorize these incidents. Anecdotes include preserved humanoids in Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry and at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The article also touches upon the story of photographer Nicholas von Poppen photographing a saucer with four dead aliens at an airfield near Los Alamos.

Medway highlights the inconsistencies in these accounts regarding crash sites, the number of bodies, and storage locations. He notes that Jesse Marcel, involved in the Roswell incident, later believed the object was extraterrestrial. The article points out that while the dates of crashes vary, there is a pattern in the dates when these stories first emerged.

LITERARY CRITICISM: Review by Christopher D. Allan

Allan reviews "Captain Edward J. Ruppelt: The Summer of the Saucers - 1952" by Michael David Hall and Wendy Ann Connors. The book focuses on the life and work of Edward J. Ruppelt, chief of Project Blue Book from 1951-53. The review praises the book for its detailed use of Ruppelt's private files and interviews with his colleagues and family, making it a valuable resource for UFO students. However, it notes the book's inevitable American bias, with little coverage of UK or foreign ufology. The review mentions Ruppelt's book, 'The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects,' as an early classic.

NOTES AND NEWS from Nigel Watson

Weird Weekend: Watson reports on a talk by ufologist Tim Matthews at the Weird Weekend event in Exeter. Matthews, who is critical of both ET hypothesis believers and skeptics, presented a story about a US four-star General who, after investigating an 'incident' in Canada involving opened graves, requested to be buried 12 feet deep. Matthews accepts the ET hypothesis despite his criticisms.

Rumours: A rumor about Zigmund Adamski's death in 1980 is discussed, suggesting it was a prank by former workmates that went wrong, leading to his accidental death and a cover-up.

Why Are They Here?: This section includes a cartoon by J.-M. Dutuit from the French UFO journal Phénomènes Spatiaux, illustrating possible motivations for ET visitors, with speech balloons in French.

LETTER

This section contains a letter from a reader responding to a previous missive by Hilary Evans. The writer expresses confusion over Evans's critique of American ufologists for using cartoons and his call for a more serious approach, while also seemingly praising John Keel. The letter writer suggests that Evans misunderstands the nature of publications like Jim Moseley's 'Saucer Smear,' which often deals with personalities and the broader culture of ufology, not just serious research.

Editorial

The editorial reiterates a long-standing stance against 'juvenile entertainment' in ufology, contrasting it with 'serious research.' It criticizes the trend of aiming ufology at 'starstruck teenagers' and those who 'never grow up.' The editorial notes the rejection of veteran ufologist Richard Hall's critical comments by MUFON UFO Journal, leading to Hall's resignation. The editor expresses concern over MUFON's policy of choosing speakers for entertainment value, suggesting it's not succeeding as membership is reportedly declining.

MAGONIA Supplement No. 36 - Additional Content

Page 5: Mentions the book "Shockingly Close to the Truth!" by Jim Moseley and the author, promising a mixture of sense and nonsense. It also includes a note from Karl T. Pflock.

Page 5: Discusses the Kinross F-89 radar case, revealing it was due to a disastrous aircraft rather than UFOs.

Page 5: Provides insights into the Battelle Institute study, the CIA sponsored Robertson Panel, and the Washington radar sightings, including a transcript of General Samford's press conference.

Page 5: Details how the Battelle study was suppressed and not released until 1955 as 'Blue Book Special Report No. 14', with the Battelle name omitted. It also notes Ruppelt's dismissal of the study as worthless.

Page 5: Discusses Ruppelt's potential lack of knowledge regarding the Robertson Panel's conclusions and the CIA's involvement.

Page 5: Explains the 'Lubbock Lights' case, initially unexplained but later identified by W.L. Ducker as moths reflecting street lights, with Ruppelt providing a false explanation in a revised edition of his book.

Page 5: Mentions incidents from the post-Ruppelt era, NICAP's rise, and early congressional hearings, noting Ruppelt's disapproval of Congress's involvement with UFOs.

Page 5: Concludes that there was no official pressure on Ruppelt to alter his book, and he remained skeptical of UFO reality.

Page 6: Discusses the new US Star Wars project, framed as a fight against aliens, as presented by ufologist Tim Matthews.

Page 6: Mentions the rumor about Zigmund Adamski's death, offering an alternative explanation to a botched alien abduction.

Page 6: Features a cartoon illustrating possible motivations for ET visitors.

Page 6: Provides contact information for submitting letters and contributions to Magonia Supplement.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include detailed analysis of specific UFO sightings (Chiles-Whitted), historical UFO crash cases (Roswell, Aztec), the ongoing debate between skeptical explanations (meteors) and extraterrestrial hypotheses, and the history of UFO investigation bodies like Project Blue Book. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of serious, evidence-based research, expressing disdain for sensationalism and 'entertainment' in ufology, and critiquing organizations that prioritize spectacle over substance. There is a consistent undercurrent of skepticism towards many UFO claims, while still acknowledging the need for rigorous investigation.