Para Info - No 5 - 11 1977

Magazine Overview

Title: DER PARA INFO
Issue: Nr. 5
Volume: 77
Date: November 1977
Publisher: A.G.O. Aktions-Gruppe-Oberhausen
Country: Germany
Language: German
Cover Headline: UFO-PSI Forschung

Introduction and Editorial Stance

The issue begins with a table of contents listing "EINLEITUNG" (Introduction) by the editorial staff, "ERDLANDEFÄHRE von einem anderen Planeten" (Landing Craft from Another Planet) by M. Appel, and "BEGEGNUNGEN und UNFÄLLE mit UFOs" (Encounters and Accidents with UFOs) by F. Jürgen.

The editorial, titled "Werte Leser," addresses the late publication of the issue, stating it was "better late than never." The editors explain that the previous price of one Mark was insufficient to cover costs, let alone the work involved. They note that many readers were unwilling to pay even this small amount, suggesting the magazine should be free. To continue publication, they appeal for reader contributions in the form of articles, opinions, theories, observations, and press clippings, promising that future issues will be free if readers participate. The editorial concludes by emphasizing that the timing of the next issue depends entirely on reader involvement.

The editorial staff's address is provided as A.G.O. Redaktion, Postfach 120343, 4200 Oberhausen, with a contact number for Norbert Bürgers.

Article 1: 'Erdlandefähre' von einem anderen Planeten (Landing Craft from Another Planet)

This article, by M. Appel, recounts an incident involving Karl Barlow, a truck driver, on November 6, 1967. While driving on the A 338 near Fordingbridge, England, Barlow reported seeing a bright object approaching his truck. As it neared, his headlights and radio failed, though the diesel engine continued to run. Barlow stopped his truck about 45 feet from where the object landed on the road surface. He observed a vacuum cleaner-like tube emerge from the machine, with a box containing four short tubes at its end. Barlow heard a high-pitched hum as the device operated. The article states that this device was used to search both sides of the road, apparently sucking up grass, gravel, and other materials. After this maneuver, the UFO retracted its extensions and disappeared in the direction it came from. Barlow estimated the egg-shaped object's size at 15 feet and described its color as an "unreal green." The article references I. Brand and A. Schneider's work, "Ungewöhnliche Gravitationsphänomene" (Unusual Gravitational Phenomena), MUFON-CES, 1976.

The author then draws a parallel between this incident and the maneuvers of the Mars probes 'Viking 1' and 'Viking 2' after their landings, noting that these probes also collected rock samples, footage of which was shown on television. The article questions whether these televised recordings were genuine and uncensored, and whether footage showing observers like those described in the Barlow incident would be released to the public. It questions NASA's assertion that there are no human-like life forms on Mars and speculates whether extraterrestrial civilizations might have already established bases on Mars or the Moon. The author expresses skepticism about the information provided by scientists and finds it highly suspicious that a Russian spacecraft, operating concurrently with the troubled Viking missions on Mars, was reportedly en route to the Moon but had to turn back due to technical malfunctions. The article points out that such projects involve billions of dollars and are heavily secured against errors, making repeated technical failures in Soviet space missions particularly questionable.

Article 2: Begegnungen und Unfälle mit UFOs (Encounters and Accidents with UFOs)

This article, by F. Jürgen, compiles several reports of UFO encounters and related incidents:

• September 22, 1976: The press reported a "UFO-air combat over Persia." Airport control personnel in Teheran sighted an unknown flying object. Two Phantom jets from the Iranian Air Force pursued it. According to the pilots, the UFO flew at an altitude of 1800 meters with multiple times the speed of sound. When the jets approached, the UFO changed course and began chasing the Phantoms. The pilots attempted to fire, but a sudden disturbance caused their entire electronic system and radio to fail, making a shot impossible.

• September 23, 1976: A near-collision between a UFO and a Portuguese airliner was reported in Lisbon. A Boeing 707, shortly after takeoff for Johannesburg, sighted a UFO directly in its flight path. The flight captain and co-pilot described a huge, blue-glowing object surrounded by red and white blinking lights. The pilot swerved the aircraft sharply to the right, and the UFO suddenly disappeared to the left. Two air traffic controllers reported seeing a blue disc, but colleagues monitoring radar could not detect anything.

• May 13, 1977: In London, flight captain Denis Wood (with 20 years of experience) and his crew reported an incident. While flying from London to Portugal, Lisbon air traffic control asked them to watch for an unknown flying object. They observed a white, glowing round object, and two large cigar-shaped objects materialized nearby. These UFOs were also sighted on radar and by other aircraft. On the return flight to London, Wood saw the two large objects again before they disappeared, also from radar.

• April 1, 1959: The last radio transmission from a C-118 (a military version of the DC-6) that crashed near Sumner, Washington, stated, "Something invisible has rammed us." All occupants of the four-engine propeller plane died.

• May 2, 1953: A British jet crashed shortly after takeoff in Calcutta, India. The aircraft's speed was 500 mph, and its debris was scattered over a wide area. The British Ministry of Aviation determined that the plane was not struck by lightning or another aircraft, concluding it must have collided with a "heavy, unknown object."

• Late 1972: Three fighter jets from the Canon Air Force Base were on a training flight near Clovis when a radar station west of Pueblo, Colorado, detected a UFO on a collision course with the jets. Reports also came from Kirtland Air Force Base and from Utah and Nevada. The pilots were ordered to intercept. A refueling aircraft sighted the UFO visually, and radio contact was made with the jets. The UFO accelerated and disappeared into a cloud as the interceptors arrived. Seconds later, the jets also disappeared into the cloud. Radar echoes of the three aircraft vanished from the screens of four independent ground stations. The UFO's signal, moving at high speed, was tracked optically by the refueling aircraft, but the three jets and their crews were gone.

• March 1974: A machine from the 150th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the national air defense in New Mexico was on a night training flight. As it approached Stallion Site, near the northern end of the White Sands Missile Range, the pilot was informed by radar control about a UFO. The object was flying from southeast to northwest at approximately 425 mph. The UFO suddenly changed course and, to the surprise of the radar controllers, headed towards the jet. The two radar echoes merged into a single point seconds later, moving away at high speed. Subsequent radio calls to the pilot went unanswered, and search efforts were unsuccessful.

• Undated Incident: A transport aircraft with 26 people on board was being tracked by radar and radio. A foreign signal suddenly appeared on the radar screen, and the observer informed the pilot of an approaching UFO. According to a sergeant, the UFO flew at a speed of 2500 mph. It moved erratically on the radar screen, then unexpectedly changed course directly towards the transport plane. Both radar signals, the UFO and the transport, merged into a single light point that sped away at an uncanny speed. A search operation found no wreckage or other traces, only a general's wallet.

• June 1953: Shortly after dark, flight captain Suggs and radar officer Barkoff took off from Otis Air Force Base in an F-94C, heading west. At an altitude of about 500 meters, the turbine and the entire electrical system failed. As the aircraft was about to crash, the canopy was jettisoned, and the pilot ejected without waiting for the radar observer. The pilot landed uninjured in a garden. He excitedly called for his colleague, but the homeowner had heard nothing unusual. For three months, a search was conducted for any traces, but nothing was found except the jettisoned canopy.

The article concludes by stating that the frequency of such tragically ending incidents during UFO pursuits is difficult to reconcile with the US Air Force's appeasement policy. Official statements have repeatedly claimed that UFOs do not pose a national threat. However, pilots have been ordered to maintain a distance of at least 16 kilometers from such objects while still being required to film them. The author expresses hope that one day some of the "abducted" will return to share their experiences, which would then solve the mysteries of UFO phenomena.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, alleged UFO-related accidents and encounters, and speculation about extraterrestrial life and technology. The publication appears to be skeptical of official explanations and government secrecy regarding UFO phenomena. The editorial stance is one of open inquiry, encouraging reader participation and questioning official narratives, particularly concerning space exploration and potential extraterrestrial contact. The financial struggles of the publication and its reliance on reader contributions highlight its independent and grassroots nature.