Pre-1947 UFO Bulletin

Magazine Overview

Title: Pre-1947 UFO Bulletin
Issue: No. I
Date: February 1981

This is the inaugural issue of the "Pre-1947 UFO Bulletin," a publication dedicated to addressing the growing interest in early UFO sightings. The editor, Nigel Watson, notes that useful articles and publications on this subject are often out of print and difficult to locate. The bulletin aims to rectify this by publicizing and reviewing factual and fictional material related to pre-1947 UFO sightings. While the scope is broad, the current focus is on 'mystery airship' sightings from around the turn of the century.

Content Highlights

'Horror of the Heights' by Arthur Conan Doyle

To launch the bulletin, a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle, titled 'Horror of the Heights,' is featured. This story, which first appeared in The Strand Magazine in November 1913, is presented as a reminder that both fictional and factual material can inform UFO studies. The narrative revolves around a tattered and bloodstained manuscript discovered near the wreckage of a crashed monoplane. The owner and pilot of the aircraft, identified as Mr. Joyce-Armstrong, had apparently vanished from the face of the planet.

The manuscript, referred to as the Joyce-Armstrong Fragment, details the author's suspicions about 'jungles of the upper air' inhabited by dangerous entities. These fears were heightened by the discovery of crashed aircraft without their pilots, including an instance of Lieutenant Myrtle, R.N., found dead in his wrecked machine after attempting a height record. Joyce-Armstrong theorized that these 'aerial jungles' existed high above regions like Pau-Biarritz (France), Wiltshire (England), and Homburg-Wiesladen (Germany).

To investigate, Joyce-Armstrong, armed with a shotgun, flew into the suspected 'jungle' above Wiltshire. At an altitude of 41,300 feet, he observed a massive, bell-shaped object resembling a 'jelly-fish,' described as being light pink with green veining and pulsating with a regular rhythm. From this object, two long, drooping green tentacles extended. This 'gorgeous vision' drifted past, followed by a fleet of hundreds of similar, smaller objects.

The story then introduces the more terrifying 'serpents of the outer air.' These were described as long, thin, fantastic coils of vapor-like material, moving at high speed and twisting rapidly. They were approximately 20 to 30 feet long, with two shadowy circular plates on either side and a solid white projection resembling a vulture's beak. One of these serpents paced Joyce-Armstrong's aircraft and attacked with its tentacles, but he managed to ward it off with his shotgun and return safely.

Despite his survival, Joyce-Armstrong later attempted to gather samples of these creatures by venturing into the upper atmosphere again. This second mission failed, leaving only the manuscript fragment and the wreckage of his aircraft as evidence.

The bulletin suggests that at the time of Doyle's story, some people may have genuinely believed such monsters had been observed by aviators, and Doyle might have drawn inspiration from these legends. The editor plans to write a more detailed article on this theme in the future.

Editorial and Contributions

Nigel Watson, the editor, expresses his intention to compile listings of 'airship' articles from journals like FSR and Magonia. He invites readers who possess complete runs of UFO journals to assist with compiling similar listings or to supply any other contributions to the bulletin. He states that he would be very pleased to hear from anyone willing to help.

Contact Information

All communications regarding the bulletin should be addressed to Nigel Watson at Westfield Cottage, Crowle Bank Road, Althorpe, South Humberside, DN17 3HZ.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme of this issue is the exploration of pre-1947 UFO phenomena, with a specific emphasis on 'mystery airship' sightings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The editorial stance is one of archival and research-oriented inquiry, aiming to consolidate scattered information and encourage further investigation into historical UFO cases. The inclusion of a fictional story highlights the potential overlap and influence between folklore, fiction, and actual reported sightings.