UFO

Magazine Overview

This issue of "UFO" magazine, identified as issue number 107 and part of Volume XXII, was published in Italy between July and December 1987. Its cover prominently features the headline "UNA REPLICA DEL CASO ARNOLD" (A Replica of the Arnold Case), indicating a focus on the famous 1947 sighting. The cover also highlights "QUARANTA ANNI DOPO" (Forty Years After) in relation to the 1987 Italian sighting, suggesting a comparative analysis.

The Arnold Case and its Crosia Replica

The lead article, "UNA REPLICA DEL CASO ARNOLD," delves into the enduring mystery of Kenneth Arnold's 1947 sighting. The magazine posits that a recent event in Crosia, Calabria, on May 30, 1987, at 22:00, might be a modern echo of Arnold's experience. A video, captured by barber Pasquale Campana, documented a luminous object performing "incredible maneuvers" for over four minutes. The analysis of this footage, conducted by the Centro Ufologico Nazionale (CUN) and its director, Dr. Corrado Malanga, revealed that the object was disc-shaped with a central, non-circular, star-shaped hole (eight points), a characteristic also noted in other UFO cases, including Arnold's and a photographic case from Phoenix, Arizona, taken by W. Rhodes just 15 days later. The magazine suggests this feature points to a specific, variable structure of these UFOs, possibly referred to by Anglo-Saxon colleagues as 'delta-wings.'

Journalist Anna Maria Turi, who had previously reported on the Crosia event for the newspaper "IL TEMPO," collaborated with the CUN on-site. The CUN sees this case as an opportunity to employ more adequate means for investigating such exceptional phenomena. The findings are expected to benefit the field of ufology.

The film from Crosia was acquired by RAI for a segment on the television program "Incredibile," hosted by Maria Rosaria Omaggio, with R. Pinotti serving as a consultant. This collaboration marks a significant step for the CUN in handling such cases.

Precedents in Crosia?

Another article, "CROSIA: PRECEDENTI?" by Roberto Pinotti, further analyzes the Crosia sighting. Computer analysis of the original photographs confirms the object's compact and notable thickness, as well as its star-shaped central hole, described by witnesses as "the star of the Madonna." Pinotti notes that this characteristic, observed in other cases like K. Arnold's and W. Rhodes's Phoenix photos (though Rhodes's object had a more rounded, non-serrated edge), suggests a precise, functional, "variable structure" of the UFO's hull. He questions whether this structure could be opened and closed, referencing a diagram illustrating five phases of maneuver.

Pinotti asserts that the Crosia UFO is a familiar entity, citing foreign cases and, more importantly, Italian ones. He recalls the "flying beetle" of Naples in 1973, preceded by a similar sighting in Palermo just days earlier, documented by Carabinieri and Police. Among the Palermo witnesses was Police Commissioner Boris Giuliano, who described the object as metallic, with a hull similar to "hammered copper," akin to the Arnold case description. Digitalization of the Crosia images by Dr. Corrado Malanga for the CUN reportedly excludes any trickery, confirming the "incredible carousel" observed in Crosia.

Other UFO Cases and Features

The magazine also includes sections on other UFO-related topics:

• "PIATTAFORME SPAZIALI" (Space Platforms): This section details sightings of giant discs from which smaller discs emerged and entered. Cases cited include:
• Cincinnati, USA, from August 19, 1949, to March 10, 1950.
• A B-29 bomber crew in the Gulf of Mexico on December 1, 1952, detecting a large radar anomaly and twenty smaller objects.
• A sighting over Hawaii on August 6, 1953, by the crew of a Stratocruiser "Centaurus," described as a giant platform moving at similar speeds.
• A similar sighting on June 29, 1954, during a New York to London flight, where eleven crew members and twelve passengers observed a large platform. The article includes illustrations of the platform, suggesting it could appear triangular, arrow-like, or like a horizontal telephone receiver, and presents two reconstruction hypotheses: triangular or round with a transparent dome.

• Historical Photographs: The issue features photographs from various UFO incidents:
• The Crosia UFO (May 30, 1987).
• UFO photographs taken by Carabinieri and Police in Palermo and Naples in December 1978.
• The William A. Rhodes photograph from Phoenix, Arizona (July 9, 1947), described as a "flying saucer" that zipped through the sky.
• Images from the Arizona Republic, July 9, 1947, showing the Rhodes photograph.
• Images from "The Arizona Republic" dated July 9, 1947, depicting the William A. Rhodes photograph.
• Images labeled "1987" and "1978" showing UFOs over Crosia, Palermo, and Naples.

• Other Articles: The cover also lists other articles such as "THE TRUTH ABOUT THE FLYING SAUCERS" by Kenneth Arnold, "MARK TWAIN AND HALLEY'S COMET" by Harold M. Sherman, "INVISIBLE BEINGS WALK THE EARTH" by R. J. Crescenzi, and "TWENTY MILLION MANIACS" by Q. H. Irwint, suggesting a broader scope of ufological and related topics.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine "UFO" positions itself as a technical journal for ufology, emphasizing rigorous analysis and documentation. The recurring theme in this issue is the comparison of historical UFO cases with contemporary sightings, particularly highlighting the 1947 Kenneth Arnold case as a benchmark. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious investigation into unexplained aerial phenomena, seeking to present evidence, analyze photographs, and connect seemingly disparate events across time and geography. The involvement of official bodies like the CUN, Carabinieri, and Polizia, as well as media outlets like RAI, underscores the magazine's commitment to credible reporting. The issue also touches upon the historical context of UFO research, referencing earlier publications and authors in the field.