MUFOB - New series - No 04

Magazine Overview

This issue of MUFOB, designated New Series 4 and bearing the whole number 38, is dated Autumn 1976. The cover prominently features a striking ink drawing of a winged humanoid figure and the headline "Winged Creatures and other weird beings." The magazine is published by MUFOB, with John Rimmer serving as the Editor and an editorial panel consisting of John Harney, Peter Rogerson, and Roger Sandell. It is an informal journal dedicated to ufology and related subjects, available by subscription or exchange.

Visions of the Night: One Family's Experience of Strange Phenomena

The lead article, "Visions of the Night," by Peter Rogerson & John Rimmer, details a series of remarkable events experienced by a family living in the Manchester conurbation. The primary percipient, Miss Z, aged 21 at the time of the interview in 1973, along with her mother and father, reported multiple encounters. The most significant incident occurred on the night of October 4th-5th, 1968. Miss Z reported being awakened by a "strange feeling" and a "high-pitched whirring sound." She then saw three figures wearing shiny silver suits facing her. These figures had faces covered in lumps with no recognizable features. Two of the figures approached her, and she described them as having a general humanoid shape. They then walked to a "craft" in the corner of the room, which Miss Z described as circular or bell-shaped and made of luminous silver material. Steps led from the craft to the floor. The figures entered the craft, which then vanished. Miss Z was unable to sleep for the rest of the night.

During the interview, Miss Z clarified that the whirring sound was similar to a "cheesecutter" toy. The figures were of normal human height, and their suits seemed to glow. She could not recall seeing arms or legs. The craft appeared too large for the room, and it did not appear to emit light into the darkened bedroom. The beings disappeared into the craft by getting smaller, as if walking down a long corridor, but much faster than normal.

Miss Z reported experiencing occasional unease when going to bed and keeping the bedside light on all night since the experience. She also described "reverse out-of-the-body experiences" where she felt a part of her was away from her.

The second major incident occurred a few months prior to the interview. Miss Z was awakened by a buzzing noise and found herself paralyzed. She then saw the detached face of a young man, described as having blonde hair, frowning with one eye, a longish nose, and large eyes. The face remained for a few seconds before vanishing.

Other family members also reported strange experiences. Miss Z's mother experienced repeating hypnogogic apparitions of very old, wrinkled faces, described as "like photographic slides." Miss Z's father had hypnogogic experiences involving "story book" dwarves with "patchy" faces and tiny horses, and also figures wearing "glittery" silver suits, described as normal-looking human figures. He also woke to find the apparition of his deceased mother-in-law. Miss Z had also "sensed" her grandmother's apparition.

Miss Z's brother reported two curious experiences: a man in a large red or maroon car making enquiries about him and his wife, and overhearing a heated conversation in an unknown language on the phone.

The article discusses the psychological aspects of these experiences, noting that Miss Z had difficulty describing the location of the object and that the incidents occurred during times of family crisis. It categorizes Miss Z's experience as a "Type 2 false-awakening" and discusses its relation to vivid hypnogogic experiences and ecsomatic experiences.

The authors stress that the percipients do not feel the events are connected to the house or locality, and the district is noted for UFO reports. They express hope that their presentation will help remove prejudice and superstition surrounding such accounts. The article concludes by stating that Miss Z has apparently escaped her experiences, and her name and address are being withheld at the family's request.

INTCAT: An International Catalogue of Type I Reports

Compiled by Peter Rogerson, this section presents a detailed list of UFO sightings and encounters, primarily from October 1954. Each entry includes the date, time, location, and a brief description of the event, often involving disc-shaped or cigar-shaped objects, luminous phenomena, and encounters with humanoid figures or "dwarfs." Notable entries include:

• October 15, 1954 (Italy): Farmers reported a disc-shaped object landing and taking off vertically, leaving a crater and burned trees.
• October 15, 1954 (France): A yellow cigar-shaped object with portholes was observed on the ground.
• October 15, 1954 (England): A silvery, cylindrical, domed object was seen emitting light, causing terror.
• October 16, 1954 (Italy): Two objects were seen, one with a human figure underneath.
• October 16, 1954 (France): An object landed, causing a woman to faint and develop a skin disease.
• October 16, 1954 (France): A luminous sphere landed and emitted lights.
• October 16, 1954 (France): A luminous red object flew towards the sea, followed by another.
• October 16, 1954 (France): A brown object was seen near a road, causing the witness to feel paralyzed.
• October 16, 1954 (France): Four objects flew in formation, one landing and causing electrical shocks and engine failure.
• October 17, 1954 (France): A circular orange craft took off from the ground.
• October 17, 1954 (France): A disc-shaped machine with a domed top emerged a man in coveralls.
• October 17, 1954 (France): A grey object with two helmeted figures emerged.
• October 17, 1954 (France): A bright red luminous object was observed, which rose and approached the witnesses.
• October 18, 1954 (France): An oval object with a dome emitted white light and rose vertically.
• October 18, 1954 (France): A strange craft rose vertically from the ground.
• October 18, 1954 (France): Two discs were seen, one orange and one red, with a luminous bridge between them. Dwarfs emerged from them.
• October 18, 1954 (Italy): A disc landed, and four dwarfs emerged.
• October 18, 1954 (France): A bright red light was seen, and a man with two small black beings crossed the road.
• October 19, 1954 (Italy): Two shining objects landed, emitting smoke, and small, red, monstrous beings chased the witness.
• October 19, 1954 (Italy): A disc landed near a half-inflated balloon.
• October 19, 1954 (Italy): Two men saw a disc-shaped object with violet flashes, and two small robotlike beings descended.
• October 20, 1954 (France): An object landed near a road.
• October 20, 1954 (France): A man wearing a jacket and boots pointed a gun at the witness and asked questions about his location.
• October 20, 1954 (France): Several unknown objects maneuvered, one landing in a pasture.
• October 20, 1954 (France): An oval object emitted intense heat and took off vertically.
• October 20, 1954 (France): A strange object blocked the road, causing the witness to feel paralyzed.
• October 20, 1954 (Belgium): An object with headlights gave off a humming sound and took off at great speed.
• October 20, 1954 (Italy): A strange being covered in a "scaly" luminous suit appeared, aiming a beam that caused paralysis.
• October 21, 1954 (France): An egg-shaped object landed, and two dwarfs emerged.
• October 21, 1954 (Italy): A craft emitted bronze-green rays of light.
• October 21, 1954 (England): A brilliant aluminum-colored disc-shaped craft with a dome hovered, and two men with white skin and long hair were seen.
• October 21, 1954 (France): A large ball of fire flew near a car, causing the battery to die and headlights to burn out.
• October 21, 1954 (France): A strong red light turned orange from an object hovering above the road.
• October 23, 1954 (France): A luminous disc was seen in the sky.
• October 23, 1954 (Italy): An object resting by the road changed its light to red and took off.
• October 23, 1954 (Libya): A flying craft descended to ground level, described as egg-shaped with six wheels.
• October 24, 1954 (Algeria): A small man with strange glowing eyes was seen.
• October 24, 1954 (France): An egg-shaped object took off from the side of the road.
• October 25, 1954 (France): A luminous disc landed in a pasture.

Winged Creatures

Nigel Watson's article "Winged Creatures" explores the prevalence of winged entities in UFO literature and folklore. He references John Keel's work on the "Mothman" and presents a sighting report from Vietnam of a gigantic, bat-like winged woman. The article also touches upon legends of vampires, the symbolic significance of winged beings in various cultures, and Carl Jung's concept of "Philemon" as a bringer of superior insight. It connects these archetypes to UFO contact experiences, citing Mollie Thompson's account of telepathic contact with an entity named Philemon.

Book Reviews

The "Books" section reviews several recent publications:

• "1973: Year of the Humanoids" by David T. Webb: A summary of 40 humanoid reports, praised for its annotations and references, with an enhanced edition planned.
• "Physical Traces Associated with UFO Sightings" by Ted Phillips (Comp.): A catalogue of 561 cases, noted for its statistical analysis but criticized for imprecise references and potential errors.
• "The Edge of Reality: A progress report on UFOs" by J. Allen Hynek & Jacques Vallee: A Socratic dialogue discussing the complexity of UFO research, including cases like the Hills and Pascagoula. The authors are noted for their candid comments on amateur UFO groups.
• "The Invisible College" by Jacques Vallee: Explores "ultra-high-strangeness" UFO experiences and their influence on culture, suggesting UFOs effect a transformation in consciousness. The reviewer finds some parts of the book questionable, particularly historical gaffes.
• "The Unidentified: Notes towards solving the UFO mystery" by Jerome Clarke & Loren Coleman: A "brilliant, provocative analysis" linking UFO phenomena to folklore, parapsychology, and Jungian psychology, concluding that the UFO myth serves as a safety valve for the mystical. It is highly recommended for researchers.
• "Secret of the Ages" by Brinsley Le Poer Trench: Dismissed as a "silly book" for its "Hollow Earth Theory."
• "The UFO Wave of 1896," "The Mystery of the Ghost Rockets," and "Charles Fort, the Fortean Society, and UFOs" by Loren Gross: Praised as "excellent examples of historical UFO research," providing context and analysis of UFO waves and their media influence.
• "Socorro 'Saucer' in a Pentagon Pantry" by Ray Stanford: Criticized for its "unscientific and painfully naive investigation" and "overwhelming desire to believe in complex UFO-officialdom conspiracies," leading to a "largely fictional end-product."

Letters and Notes

Norman Oliver's letter to the editor discusses the "experimental hoax" and the importance of considering the social sciences and the interpretation of experiences by witnesses, investigators, and the media. He suggests that the veracity of witnesses is less important than their capability to interpret their experiences accurately.

The "Notes, Quotes, and Queries" section reports on Reptune Research Organisation's investigation of landing sites in Madoc, Ontario, which found circular areas with pressed soil and scratches on rocks. It also mentions a UFO sighting by Mr. Holmes and his wife. The section also notes the upcoming BUFORA conference in Birmingham and the availability of back issues of MUFOB.

INTCAT News

This section announces a revised French language version of the Catalogue being published in UFO-INFO and the preparation of a computerized index of British INTCAT cases.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently explores the intersection of UFO phenomena with folklore, mythology, and psychological experiences. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into unusual experiences, while also critically examining research methodologies and potential hoaxes. There is a strong emphasis on detailed case reporting, as evidenced by the INTCAT section, and a commitment to providing a platform for researchers and enthusiasts in the field of ufology. The magazine also demonstrates an awareness of the broader cultural impact of UFO beliefs and experiences.