Merseyside UFO Bulletin - Vol 6 No 4 - 1974

Magazine Overview

MUFOB (Merseyside UFO Bulletin), Volume 6, Number 4, dated April 1974, is an informal journal devoted to ufology. The issue features an editorial, a letter to the editor with a response, a detailed catalogue of UFO reports, and an obituary. The cover prominently displays "THE PHANTOM HELICOPTER" in a hand-drawn style, indicating this as a key theme.

Editorial: Wait and See

The editorial briefly comments on an article in 'Flying Saucer Review' concerning Uri Geller's claim to be working on teleporting a camera back from the Moon. The editors express skepticism, stating they will only take Geller seriously if his feat is accomplished and authenticated by NASA.

Letter to the Editor: Dr Ron Westrum

Dr. Ron Westrum responds to a previous issue (MUFOB 5:2) containing proposals for UFO research by Peter Rogerson. Westrum finds Rogerson's proposals ambivalent regarding social control of research. He suggests that Rogerson's ideas do not go far enough and proposes:

1. Real-time communication system: A national system to report UFO happenings, enabling faster dispatch of investigators to 'Type I' cases.
2. Satellite surveillance: Utilizing US 'close look' satellites for surveillance of identified areas.
3. Radar surveillance: Employing US radar systems, particularly NORAD, to track UFO trajectories, referencing a past proposal by J. Allen Hynek.
4. Air-mobile sensor vehicles: Developing specialized vehicles equipped with TV, cameras, infra-red, acoustic, and other sensors to investigate UFO events and residual ionisation quickly.

Westrum argues that good sensor data is more valuable than eyewitness accounts and that his suggestions reflect a 'Yankee' love of technology.

Peter Rogerson Replies to Ronald Westrum

Peter Rogerson replies to Dr. Westrum's points:

1. Dictatorial proposals: Rogerson clarifies that his proposals were labeled as 'suggestions for discussion' and aimed to encourage alternative viewpoints.
2. Journals: He quotes Carl Grove on the difference between UFO and scientific magazines, highlighting the editor's role. Rogerson agrees that UFO study shouldn't be limited to physical scientists but suggests 'scholarly community' might be a better term. He acknowledges that his earlier views (1972) on scientific qualifications were stricter than his current ones.
3. UFO groups: Rogerson doubts the value of bureaucratic UFO groups and criticizes organizations like BUFORA for potentially limiting membership to 'believers' in the ET theory, contrasting this with the Society for Psychical Research's respectability due to its non-dictatorial policy.
4. Westrum's proposals: Rogerson finds Westrum's proposals impractical, requiring budgets that would dwarf the Condon enquiry and likely only organizable by official agencies. He questions how such expenditure could be justified to Congress.
5. Need for investigation: He argues that such massive, expensive, and potentially fruitless operations are not warranted without pressing need or substantial scientific benefit.
6. Assumed answers: Rogerson believes Westrum's proposals, like many other UFO investigation schemes, assume the answers (e.g., misidentifications) before asking questions, citing the Condon report's predetermined conclusion.
7. Instrumental data: Rogerson accepts the importance of instrumental data over eyewitness testimony. His own research focuses on temporal and spatial distribution of reports, avoiding 'identi-kits' of UFO shapes. He supports low-cost instrumental studies in alleged 'flap' areas by multi-disciplinary teams.
8. Holistic approach: He argues against isolating the UFO problem and favors treating UFO phenomena alongside other 'ostensible spontaneous anomalistic phenomena' due to shared characteristics like transitory nature, lack of hard data, eyewitness reliance, paradigm violations, and surrounding speculation. He advocates for a multi-disciplinary study of the scientific and philosophical implications.

International Catalogue of Type 1 UFO Reports - Part 6

Compiled by Peter Rogerson, this section details numerous UFO sightings, primarily from September 1954:

• Case 319 (10 Sep 1954, Quarouble, France): A metal worker witnessed a dark object and two dwarfs who projected an orange light, paralyzing him. Traces of a 30-ton object were noted.
• Case 320 (14 Sep 1954, Coldwater, Kansas, USA): A boy saw a small man fly towards a saucer-shaped craft, enter it, and then the craft disappeared. Strange traces were found.
• Case 321 (15 Sep 1954, Feyzin, France): A witness observed a large dark object emitting a white light and magnesium-like sparks as it flew away.
• Case 322 (17 Sep 1954, Cenon, France): A witness felt an electric shock from an object, from which a small being emerged, touched him, and re-entered the object which then took off.
• Case 323 (18 Sep 1954, Casablanca, Morocco): A small, grey disc flew over a car at high speed, followed by cold air currents.
• Case 324 (19 Sep 1954, Oberdorff, France): A policeman saw a bright object descend, hover, with a figure in front of it, then rise as a red ball.
• Case 325 (20 Sep 1954, Santa Maria Airport, Azores): A guard saw a craft land, a figure emerge, speak unintelligibly, and the machine take off.
• Case 326 (23 Sep 1954, Le Jou, France): A family witnessed a bright object land, emit light, and then follow their car.
• Case 327 (23 Sep 1954, Lencouacq, France): A luminous object descended rapidly, hovered, and then took off very fast.
• Case 328 (24 Sep 1954, Becar, France): Two women independently reported a dark grey disc with a man repairing it.
• Case 329 (24 Sep 1954, Lachassagne Farm, France): A farm worker saw a luminous object dive towards him, hover, and emit a reddish light. Leaves on trees were found dried and curled.
• Case 330 (26 Sep 1954, Chareuil, France): A creature described as a 'child in a plastic bag' entered a circular machine which took off with a soft whistling.
• Case 331 (27 Sep 1954, Foussignargues, France): A reddish object descended and hovered, described as a 'glowing tomato with antennae'.
• Case 332 (27 Sep 1954, Figeac, France): Children saw a 'box' and an 'unknown man' nearby.
• Case 333 (27 Sep 1954, Perpignan, France): A student saw a circular object on the ground, from which 'grotesque little creatures' emerged and re-entered.
• Case 334 (27 Sep 1954, Premanon, France): Children encountered a small, metallic being described as 'like a lump of sugar' and later saw a large, red luminous ball.
• Case 335 (28 Sep 1954, Froncles, France): Witnesses observed a large bright object oscillate, land, change colour, and disappear.
• Case 336 (28 Sep 1954, Bouzais, France): A witness saw a luminous mass fall from the sky, from which three figures emerged, causing paralysis. He lost consciousness.
• Case 337 (28 Sep 1954, Saint Nicolas de Redon, France): Railway engineers saw a dark object take off with a purple glow and follow their train.
• Case 338 (30 Sep 1954, Dearborn, Michigan, USA): An employee saw 15 strange men in uniform and a 4m high craft with flickering lights.
• Case 339 (30 Sep 1954, Marcilly-sur-Vienne, France): A construction worker felt drowsy and saw a man with an opaque helmet and a 'light projector', standing in front of a large shining dome.
• Case 340 (30 Sep 1954, Brest, France): The crew of a tanker observed an object touch the sea surface, take off vertically, and emit a red flame.
• Case 341 (30 Sep 1954, Grand-Couronne, France): A ferry operator saw a large white sphere with a smaller green sphere below hover motionless above the Seine.
• Case 342 (30 Sep 1954, Isle of Re, France): A witness saw a luminous sphere hovering at 1m altitude, turning red, blue, and then taking off.

The Phantom Helicopter by John Harney

This article analyzes the 'phantom helicopter' flap that occurred in North West England in January 1974. Harney notes that initial reports involved Cheshire and Derbyshire police observing a mysterious helicopter. The phenomenon seemed centered around Goostrey, Cheshire. Despite police insistence on the reality of the helicopter and high-level investigations, Harney suggests that early on it was clear no real helicopter was involved, as the reports bore characteristics of a typical UFO flap. He points to the vague and inconsistent nature of the reports, such as sightings only at night but no identification markings. Harney quotes 'The Daily Telegraph' on theories linking the helicopter to smuggling, illegal immigrants, and even a wealthy lover. However, 'The Daily Mail' reported increasing doubts from senior police officers and quoted Professor John Cohen, who suggested the phenomenon might be 'contagious'. The article also mentions a specific sighting near Tarporley on January 18th, which turned out to be a real helicopter belonging to the Ferranti company. The article concludes by stating that after the flap died down, subsequent reports of night-flying helicopters in the Merseyside area were confirmed as military helicopters, which do engage in night flying, unlike civil ones. The author summarizes the event as a typical UFO flap with some real helicopter sightings used to confuse matters.

Obituary: Dr Edward Condon (1902 - 1974)

This section announces the death of Dr. Edward Condon at the age of 72. It details his scientific career, including postdoctoral work in quantum physics, contributions to radar and the atomic bomb during WWII, and his controversial period in the 1950s due to investigations by the House of Representatives Un-American Activities Committee. It mentions his role as president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Physical Society. The obituary highlights his 1966 invitation from the US Air Force to head a project to study UFOs. Condon's quote from the project's report expresses regret at undertaking the study, given the 'emotional commitment' and 'extremes of conduct' of UFO believers.

Merseyside UFO Bulletin Editors

This section lists the editors: John Harney, John A. Rimmer, Peter Rogerson, and Alan W. Sharp, along with their addresses and telephone numbers. It reiterates that MUFOB is an informal journal devoted to ufology and related subjects, with restricted circulation and no subscriptions.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the analysis of UFO 'flaps' (specifically the 'Phantom Helicopter' incident), the cataloguing of historical UFO sightings (Type 1 reports from 1954), and the methodology of UFO research. The editorial stance, particularly in the editorial and the response to Dr. Westrum, leans towards skepticism regarding extraordinary claims (like Uri Geller's) and a preference for rigorous, evidence-based, and multi-disciplinary research approaches, while acknowledging the limitations and biases inherent in both eyewitness testimony and certain research methodologies. The obituary of Dr. Condon reflects a critical perspective on the UFO phenomenon from a prominent scientist involved in a major government study.