Pegasus - 1985 January-February

Magazine Overview

Title: PEGASUS
Issue: January February
Date: 1985
Publisher: SURREY INVESTIGATION GROUP ON AERIAL PHENOMENA
Country: United Kingdom

This issue of PEGASUS, the journal of the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena, addresses the persistent theme of UFO cover-ups, alongside astronomical news regarding Halley's Comet and reports on group activities.

Editorial and Contents

The editorial notes difficulties in regular publication due to the industrial recession but expresses hope for a return to regularity. It also announces the departure of group secretary Mike Prewett and welcomes Mrs. Deana Fowler as his replacement. The contents include articles on a purported UFO food drop in Ethiopia, a SIGAP meeting feature, a meeting report, a BBC TV newsletter on Halley's Comet, and a piece titled 'The Big UFO Cover Up,' along with 'Secret Documents (now released).'

A lecture by Timothy Good on the Mr. Burtoo case is also announced.

UFO Cover Up

Omar Fowler's article, 'The Big UFO Cover Up,' investigates claims of government censorship regarding UFO incidents, particularly in the UK and USA. Leveraging the American 'Freedom of Information Act,' the article presents copies of memos and telexes related to UFO investigations. While not revealing 'earth shattering' information, the documents reportedly show the initial reactions of US government bodies and the continued classification of information as 'too delicate.' An appeal to the Supreme Court for full release was denied by the CIA.

The article highlights a specific incident from July 1948, detailed in a document from page 8, where the pilot and co-pilot of an American Eastern Airlines aircraft flying over Montgomery, Alabama, reported a craft described as a 'rocket ship' emerging from a thunderhead cloud. This craft was estimated to travel at 2,700 m.p.h. and was noted to be of a conventional type without wings, and significantly larger than the Eastern Airlines plane. The mysterious craft narrowly avoided a collision.

Further documents, including one from page 9, express CIA concern that 'unidentified Flying Objects' might interfere with early warning radar systems. Page 10 exemplifies heavy censorship in many of the documents. The magazine promises more examples in its next issue, including investigations into tapping energy from the Earth's magnetic field.

UFO Sightings and Investigations

US Government Memorandum (January 31, 1949): A scanned memorandum from the FBI (page 9) discusses recent intelligence conferences concerning 'Unidentified Aircraft' or 'Unidentified Aerial Phenomena,' commonly referred to as 'Flying Discs,' 'Flying Saucers,' and 'Balls of Fire.' This matter is considered 'top secret.' The memo notes reports from Sweden and suggests a possible Russian origin for some sightings. It also references sightings of unidentified aircraft by an Eastern Airlines pilot and co-pilot over Montgomery, Alabama, in July 1948, describing a 'rocket ship' type craft with no wings, traveling at high speed. Additionally, it mentions a concentration of sightings near the Los Alamos, New Mexico installation during December 1946, observed by various personnel including military pilots and security inspectors. A meteorologist is attempting to characterize these phenomena.

CIA Memorandum (undated, but referencing 1947 onwards): A memorandum to the Executive Secretary, National Security Council, from Walter B. Smith, Director of the CIA (page 10), reviews the current situation concerning unidentified flying objects. It states that the Air Force has been responsible for investigations, receiving approximately 2,000 official reports since 1947, with about 20% remaining unexplained. The CIA Director views the situation as having implications for national security that transcend a single service, recommending a coordinated effort to develop a scientific understanding of these phenomena and ensure they do not impede Cold War efforts or the warning system.

SIGAP Group Meeting: The magazine reports on a SIGAP Group meeting where Mr. Albert Burtoo, a witness to an alleged UFO encounter (previously featured in Pegasus Jan/Feb 1984), was questioned. The meeting on March 16th in Guildford included David Daines, a new SIGAP member and airline pilot. Mr. Burtoo's account remained consistent, baffling attendees. Bill Fishwick from the School of Aviation Medicine found the incident inexplicable. Brian Maguire, known for developing tracking equipment, was also present and has been working on a mobile van with sophisticated tracking gear.

Witness Account: Mrs. R. Kimber of Aldershot reported seeing a 'huge brilliant thing in the sky' two weeks after an article about Mr. Burtoo's sighting. She described it as identical in shape to a UFO picture and saw it pass over houses and trees.

Russian UFO Reports: A brief note from the Daily Telegraph (July 13, 1984) states that Russians have been given an address to submit reports of Unidentified Flying Objects, with Pavel Popovich heading a commission.

'It's Manna from a UFO in the Heavens'

This article, sourced from the Wokingham paper Weekend Post (April 20, 1985), reports on a Japanese UFO research group, the Tokyo based special UFO Research Corps, investigating claims of a UFO dropping food to starving Ethiopian refugees in Sudan. The group, led by engineer Kozo Kawai, is assisted by the UNHCR. The incident, dubbed 'Project Cherry Blossom,' involved a UFO appearing on Christmas Eve and dropping bread. The UFO Research Corps has donated £100,000 to refugee relief organizations for access to camps. Team spokesman Koji Kumura stated that the food 'floated down' and 'defied gravity,' ruling out conventional explanations.

Halley's Comet Newsletter

This special newsletter from BBC TV's 'The Sky at Night' provides a detailed guide to observing Halley's Comet during its 1985-1986 return. It explains the comet's predictable 76-year orbit, tracing its history back to BC 1059. The newsletter includes a diagram of the comet's path and offers specific observational guidance for each month from August 1985 to January 1986, noting magnitude changes, visibility windows, and potential challenges like moonlight. It mentions the involvement of several space probes, including Vega 1 and 2 (USSR), MS-T5 and Planet A (Japan), and Giotto (ESA), with Giotto expected to provide the first direct views of a cometary nucleus. The newsletter reassures readers that there is no danger from the comet, emphasizing that it will not come as close as it did in 1910 and will not produce any effects even if its tail were traversed.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO secrecy and cover-ups, supported by the presentation of declassified documents and witness accounts. The magazine also demonstrates an interest in astronomical phenomena with the detailed coverage of Halley's Comet. The editorial stance appears to be one of open investigation into unexplained aerial phenomena, encouraging the sharing of information and research, while acknowledging the challenges posed by government secrecy and the need for scientific rigor. The group's activities, such as meetings and lectures, are also highlighted, fostering a sense of community among UFO enthusiasts.

This document contains pages from the "Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena" (SIGAP) magazine, specifically issue number 21, with a publication date likely around September 1976, based on internal references. The magazine is published bi-monthly and is primarily intended for SIGAP members, though copies are available for purchase by non-members at a cost of 0.50 per copy.

SIGAP's Mission and Operations

The Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena was established in early 1967 with the primary goal of investigating UFO reports within Surrey and its adjacent counties. The group has since expanded its contributions to studies across many parts of Southern England. SIGAP operates a 'Hot-line' in Guildford (telephone number 235949) which triggers an immediate and structured course of action upon receiving news of a sighting. The group's preliminary inquiry procedure is designed to identify and eliminate conventional explanations, noting that over 80 percent of reported sightings can be attributed to natural phenomena or man-made objects.

When an immediate explanation cannot be found through preliminary inquiries, SIGAP investigators will interview witnesses and, if feasible, visit the location of the observation. The group then leverages the expertise of its own consultants to further analyze the sighting. SIGAP actively collaborates with similar organizations throughout the country and often identifies patterns of activity that are consistent with those reported elsewhere.

Reporting and Collaboration

SIGAP forwards its most significant reports to the Center for UFO Studies, located in Evanston, Illinois, USA. This center is directed by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a Professor of Astronomy at Northwestern University, who previously served as a consultant to the U.S. Air Force on UFO matters for two decades.

Editorial and Contact Information

The magazine includes contact details for key personnel: Omar Fowler serves as the Chairman & Investigation Co-ordinator, based at 45 Burden Way, Guildford, with the telephone number (0483) 235949. Mrs. D. Fowler is the Secretary, and Mr. R. Fierman is the Treasurer. A notice at the end of the page states that all articles are copyrighted and require express permission from SIGAP for reproduction.

Exchange Magazines and Cover Content

The magazine also lists a variety of exchange publications from other UFO research organizations, including "Northern UFOLOGY," "BUFORA Journal," "FSR Quest," "UFO Insight," "SAPRT," "CEFAI" (Portugal), "MAPIT" (Manchester), "UFO Network," "GEP" (Germany), "UFO News Bulletin" (Bristol), "Guernsey UFO Research Gp," "Odyssey" (Yugoslavia), "Archives For UFO Research" (Sweden), and "CUN" (Italy).

The scanned page from the document (page 21) appears to be a memo or report, with a date stamp of "2417162 SEP 76" and a reference to a "PERSONAL REQUEST TO INVESTIGATE UFO SIGHTED MOROCCO." This suggests that the magazine may feature or report on specific investigations, including international ones.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the systematic investigation of UFO phenomena, the importance of rigorous analysis to distinguish genuine anomalies from conventional explanations, and the collaborative nature of ufological research through the exchange of information and reports with other organizations. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious, scientific inquiry, emphasizing data collection, witness interviews, and expert consultation, while acknowledging the high percentage of explained sightings. The mention of Dr. Hynek and the Center for UFO Studies indicates a connection to established ufological research bodies.