Norsk UFO-Tidsskrift - 1970 No 2

Magazine Overview

Title: NORSK UFO-TIDSSKRIFT
Issue: NR. 2.
Volume: 1. ÅRGANG
Year: 1970
Publisher: Norske UFO-Foreninger
Country: Norway
Language: Norwegian
Cover Headline: Uidentifiserte Flygende Objekter (Unidentified Flying Objects)

This issue of Norsk UFO-Tidsskrift, the second issue of its first volume from 1970, is published by the Norwegian UFO Associations. The cover features a dramatic illustration of a ringed UFO in space. The magazine's stated goal is to critically examine UFO phenomena, presenting material without bias and avoiding premature conclusions.

Editorial Stance and Mission

The editorial section, "Om Norsk UFO-Tidsskrift" by Arne Børcke, introduces the magazine as a long-held wish among Norwegian UFO enthusiasts finally realized. It highlights the need for a Norwegian organ to address UFO issues, noting that previously, enthusiasts relied on foreign-language literature. The editorial team, comprising members from UFO-INFORMASJON NORGE in Oslo and TRONDHEIM UFO-FORENING, aims to foster broader collaboration. The magazine's "ideological line" is to present material as it is, without coloring it, and to create a journal that most groups can accept. Its motto is to "to the best of its ability, provide a mirror image of what is happening on the UFO front at home and abroad." The magazine emphasizes that submitted contributions do not necessarily reflect the editorial opinion. It also states that UFO phenomena are to be considered "Unidentified," with a capital 'U'.

Key Articles and Reports

Thor Heyerdahl's Strange Object Sighting

A news report from San Juan, dated June 30, 1970, details an observation made by Thor Heyerdahl and his crew aboard the 'Ra 2' expedition ship, as well as the crew of the 'Calamara' and thousands of inhabitants on St. Thomas, St. Croix, and other Caribbean islands. At 2:45 AM on the night of Tuesday, June 30th, they reportedly observed an unidentified flying object. The first report came from a navigator aboard 'Ra 2', Norman Baker, who saw the object as flat, round, and illuminated. Heyerdahl and Mexican anthropologist Dr. Santiago Genoves also observed it for ten minutes. The 'Calamara' also reported seeing the object. The report notes that numerous radio and television stations on Caribbean islands received hundreds of calls from people who had also witnessed the object, with many fishermen also reporting sightings.

N-UFO-T COMMENT: The editorial board acknowledges this as a potentially very significant observation involving thousands of witnesses. They draw parallels to the famous Trinidade observations and state their intention to gather more details.

Report from Finland

A brief note indicates that a promised report on a significant observation from Finland will be postponed to the next issue, as the investigation is not yet concluded.

Review of the Condon Report

John A. Keel provides a critical review of the final report from Dr. Edward Condon's project on unidentified flying objects. Keel admits to being a biased critic due to his extensive involvement in UFO research over the past several years. He notes that the Condon Report attacks many of his previous articles. Keel criticizes the report for its lack of objectivity, its inclusion of what he calls "fluff" (billig fyllekalk), and its apparent personal animosity towards UFO researchers like Major Donald Keyhoe and NICAP. He points out that the report's conclusions are based on a limited number of cases (59) and that much of the material is recycled from older sources. Keel argues that the report fails to provide a comprehensive analysis of the data and that its high cost ($600,000) is not justified by its findings. He questions the project's fundamental integrity, the methods used, and the qualifications of the personnel involved. He specifically criticizes the handling of the Maury Island "joke" and the alleged UFO crash in Waleswille, N.Y., as well as the analysis of the "Tulli Papyrus." Keel also notes that the report dismisses the extraterrestrial hypothesis without adequately establishing the existence of the phenomenon itself. He concludes that the report raises more questions than it answers and questions the value of the expenditure, suggesting that a significant portion of the work could have been done for a much lower cost.

Specific Criticisms of the Condon Report:

• Content: Described as "fluff" consisting of selectively chosen Air Force documents and scientific treatises on meteorological phenomena, often found in other UFO books.
• Objectivity: Lacks scientific objectivity and appears to be a hasty, disinterested work.
• Personnel: Many contributors were incorporated late, and most original participants had left by early 1968.
• Methodology: Fails to correlate cases with specific phenomena or provide a comprehensive analysis of quantitative and qualitative data.
• Cost: The $600,000 cost is deemed excessive for the report's limited findings.
• Personal Attacks: The report repeatedly criticizes UFO researchers like Major Donald Keyhoe and NICAP.
• Limited Scope: Only 59 cases form the basis of the study, many of which are rehashes of older incidents.
• Appendix V: Includes a lengthy reprint of an essay by R.V. Jones on "The Natural Philosophy of Flying Saucers," which Keel finds entertaining but not essential to the report.
• Chapter 1, Section V: Samuel Rosenberg's historical overview is criticized for its naivete and amateurish attempts to compare the "Tulli Papyrus" with biblical accounts.
• Astronaut Sightings: Section III's chapter on astronaut sightings is criticized for downplaying inexplicable observations, such as those made by Jim Lovell and Ed Aldrin during Gemini 12.

Other Sections

• "GJØR N-UFO-T KJENT !" (Make N-UFO-T Known!): An appeal for new subscribers to help balance the budget and enable a move to book printing.
• "SERIEN NORSKE UFO-FORENINGER" (Series on Norwegian UFO Associations): The presentation of UFO-INFORMASJON, OSLO, is postponed.
• "VISSTE DE AT" (Did You Know): A trivia fact about stars in the universe.
• "PROJECT INTERNATIONAL PETITION": An announcement about an ongoing international UFO petition to the UN, urging Norwegian support.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the critical examination of UFO phenomena and the evaluation of official reports, particularly the Condon Report. The editorial stance is one of skepticism towards unsubstantiated claims but an open-minded approach to the phenomenon itself, emphasizing the need for rigorous, objective investigation. The magazine positions itself as a platform for presenting diverse viewpoints and encouraging critical analysis, aiming to be a reliable source for Norwegian UFO enthusiasts. There is a strong emphasis on the scientific method and the importance of evidence-based research, while also acknowledging the limitations and potential biases in official investigations.

This issue of the magazine 'UFO' (dated March 3, 1970, with a cover date of 1970) focuses heavily on the Condon Report and its perceived shortcomings, alongside several detailed UFO sighting reports. The magazine's stance is critical of the official scientific approach to UFOs, advocating for a more open and serious investigation.

Criticism of the Condon Report

The lead article by Arvid Dahle, titled 'NEI til Condon - JA til UFO!', strongly criticizes the Condon Report. Dahle argues that the scientists involved lacked the necessary training and objectivity to investigate UFO phenomena, being too confined by their own disciplines. He suggests that their personal biases and preconceived notions prevented a thorough and unbiased examination of the evidence. The article points out that the report did not even indicate that systematic efforts were made to collect all available data. Dahle agrees with some points made by Condon, such as the ETI hypothesis not being applicable to all sightings and the 'government secrecy' being more myth than reality, but ultimately concludes that the Condon Report was a colossal waste of money.

The article also delves into the internal conflicts within the Condon committee, particularly highlighting the role of Dr. David R. Saunders. Saunders, a Co-Principal Investigator with a background in chemistry, physics, and psychology, reportedly expressed skepticism about the committee's objective approach from the outset. His memorandum of August 9, 1966, is cited as evidence of this. The article notes that Saunders and his colleagues, Norman E. Levine and Mary Louise Armstrong, were dismissed from the project in February 1968, leading to the book 'UFOs? Yes!' by Saunders and R. Roger Harkins, which details the committee's breakdown.

Saunders is presented as a respected UFO researcher who questioned the suitability of Dr. Condon and Robert J. Low for the project. Low's European tour, which was supposed to involve meeting prominent ufologists like Charles Bowen and Aime Michel, is criticized for instead focusing on Loch Ness, which Saunders found irrelevant to UFOs.

The issue also touches upon the 'Isakower illusion' theory, presented by psychiatrists at Harvard Medical School, which suggests that UFO sightings might be infantile memories of the mother's breast triggered by stress. This is presented as an example of the lengths to which some go to avoid accepting the reality of UFO phenomena.

UFO Sightings and Reports

Swedish Sightings

The magazine features two reports from Sweden. The first, from the Anderberg family near Alingsås, describes an observation on September 1, 1969, of a round, strongly luminous object over Lake Anten. The object, approximately 1/4 the size of the moon, had sharp contours and shifted colors (reddish, blue, green). It emitted bright white lights and had a pulsating, luminous bulge underneath. The object moved rapidly up and down, sometimes stopped, and changed shape from round to disk-like over a period of about 1.5 hours before heading northwest. The family reported a whining sound.

The second Swedish report, from Edsbyn on October 11, 1969, details an observation by several people of a round, strongly luminous object, red to violet in color, with dark spots inside. A smaller, star-like object was seen behind the main one. The witnesses reported no sound, and the observation lasted for two minutes.

South African Sighting

A report from September 16, 1965, describes a UFO sighting near Silverton, Pretoria, South Africa. Two police officers, John Lockem and Koos de Klerk, observed a UFO approximately 9 meters in diameter land on the road. Shortly after, it took off vertically, emitting a powerful beam of light that set the road surface on fire. The incident was reportedly covered up by the authorities.

Australian Sighting

An observation from Melbourne, Australia, on April 14, 1966, describes a UFO that appeared as a solid, physical object. It rotated slowly while moving and then disappeared rapidly to the north. A low hum was heard as it vanished. The observation lasted about six seconds.

Norwegian Sightings

Trondheim Sighting: A report from a 'respectable Trondheim citizen' describes an experience in the autumn of 1960 or 1961. While driving near Trondheim, he saw a burning object, which he initially thought was a plane on fire. It turned out to be a round, low-flying object with tongues of fire emanating from all sides. The object stopped in the air before ascending rapidly and disappearing. The observation lasted about 10 minutes, with no sound heard. The object was estimated to be about 100 meters away and approximately 25 meters in diameter, moving at about 100 km/h.

Nordheim, Tustna Sighting: A similar object was seen three weeks later near Gullsteindalen. The witness, a 63-year-old man, described a cigar-shaped object with zig-zag blue patterns and a red body, approximately 30 meters away. The object was about 3-4 meters long and had a flame-like tail. The witness was initially frightened but later described it as a strange aerial vehicle of unknown origin.

UFO-Realistforeningen Meeting

The magazine reports on a significant UFO event organized by 'Realistforeningen' at Blindern on March 2, 1970. The event featured presentations by UFO enthusiasts Arne Børcke, Hans Kristian Moe, and Andreas Steen. They argued that UFOs are real phenomena that warrant systematic research, distancing themselves from 'little green men' theories and criticizing official explanations from organizations like the US government.

A poll conducted among the approximately 200 science students present showed that while one student thought UFO research was nonsense, twelve were undecided, and the rest were positive about the potential of UFO research. The definition of a UFO by 'UFO INFORMASJON' is provided: 'An unidentified flying object is an external or internal stimulus that occurs sufficiently unconventionally to cause a report of something in the sky or near the ground, and which is assumed to be able to fly.'

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently promotes the idea that UFO phenomena are real and deserve serious scientific investigation, contrary to what it perceives as the dismissive and biased approach of official reports like the Condon Report. It champions the work of independent UFO researchers and organizations like NICAP and APRO. The editorial stance is clearly pro-UFO research, emphasizing the need for an open mind and objective inquiry, while also acknowledging that not all sightings may be extraterrestrial. The magazine aims to inform its readers about credible sightings and the ongoing debate surrounding UFOs, positioning itself as a voice for those who believe the phenomenon is significant and warrants further study.