Rapportnytt - 1977 no 5

Magazine Overview

This issue of Rapportnytt, the journal of the Norsk UFO Center (NUFOC), is dated 1977 and identified as issue number 5. The cover features a striking illustration of multiple disc-shaped UFOs in flight against a textured blue background, with the magazine's title prominently displayed. The publication is dedicated to the study of UFO phenomena.

Editorial and Subscription Information

The magazine is published by Norsk UFO Center and is based in Norway. The editorial team includes Finn W. Halvik as Editor-in-Chief and Egon Nielsen as part of the editorial staff. The editorial address is Armauer Hansensvei 11, 5030 Landås, with a contact telephone number of (05) 28 01 26. The Rapportcentral, also managed by Egon Nielsen, is located at the same address.

Norsk UFO Center has several regional departments, including Sørlandet (led by Alf Thomassen), Østlandet (led by Eldbjørg Fjeldberg), Vestlandet (led by Finn W. Kalvik), and Trondheim (organization leader K. Stenødegård). There are also specialized sections for marine/land investigations (Tønsberg and Moss) and research (Drammen).

Rapportnytt is published five times a year, with a subscription price of 30 Norwegian Kroner. The issue also includes a payment slip for the 1978 subscription, with the price remaining the same. The magazine expresses hope that readers will continue their support, allowing them to improve the publication.

Contents of This Issue

• This issue features a variety of articles and reports:
• Norske observasjoner med bl. a. mystiske avtrykk i Svelvik, og landingen i Åsbygda: Norwegian observations, including mysterious imprints in Svelvik and the landing in Åsbygda (pages 4-14).
• UFO-bølge over England: A UFO wave over England (pages 15-16).
• UFO med hurtig tidszone i Chile: A UFO with rapid time zone crossing in Chile (pages 16-17).
• Gigantisk UFO observert i 8 timer: A giant UFO observed for 8 hours (page 18).
• Landet luftfartøy lammet vitne: A landed aircraft stunned a witness (page 19).
• Landingen i Socorro 1964: The landing in Socorro in 1964 (pages 20-26).

Key Reports and Investigations

Steinkjer Incident (030477/T): A truck driver near Steinkjer observed three strong lights that appeared to be searching for a landing site. The lights illuminated the ground in a 500-meter radius. The object, estimated to be 12 meters in diameter and 200 meters high, moved at high speed before disappearing. The witness reported seeing an exhaust flame similar to a jet plane. The observation lasted 5 minutes.

Eggevammen, Steinkjer Incident (120677/IV): On the night of June 12th, between 02:30 and 02:45, multiple witnesses observed five luminous spherical objects moving at high speed in the sky over Eggevammen. The objects maintained a formation for 10-15 minutes. Air traffic control at Værnes registered nothing unusual. The witness, Jon Inge Nordal, described the objects as having an oval shape without sharp edges and moving at incredible speeds with sharp turns.

Otta Incident (060877/1): A switchman observed a blank metallic light ascending at an angle of approximately 50 degrees near Stampen, Otta. The object was described as resembling two rockets joined tip-to-tip and lasted for about two minutes. The witness estimated the distance to be 10-12 km.

Steinkjer Incident (070877/T): Bjørg Holien reported observing a luminous object near Sjøhakk, Egge, Steinkjer. The object ascended rapidly to the zenith and then descended, vibrating strongly. The observation lasted 15 minutes. The object was described as star-yellow and silent.

Mysterious Imprints in Svelvik (130877/1): A 57-year-old witness discovered unusual imprints in his lawn at a location called 'Grunden', about 1 km outside Svelvik. The imprints were discovered on Saturday, August 13th. The witness had previously been skeptical about UFO connections. Field researchers from the Drammen section of NUFOC investigated and took photographs and infra-red images. The grass was pressed down evenly in the tracks, indicating a heavy object. The imprints are estimated to have been made between midnight and Saturday morning. No magnetic anomalies were detected. The object is estimated to have weighed approximately 200 kg.

Åsbygda Landing (251077/1a): Two 14-year-old boys, Johnny Myhr and Frank Sverre Mandt, witnessed a UFO landing in a freshly plowed field near Alm school in Åsbygda on October 25th, 1977, at 17:30. The object was light green, had visible vents, and appeared to have a figure inside. It landed on three support legs, leaving imprints approximately 6.60 meters apart, with a diameter of 6.60 meters and a depth of 10-15 cm. A witness from the school also observed a brightly lit object shortly after.

Åsbygda Incident (251077/1): This report details the Åsbygda landing further, including measurements of the imprints (length 36.0 cm, width 14.5 cm, depth 7.5-10.0 cm) and a plaster cast showing a weak U-shape. The object's diameter is estimated at 12 meters with a cabin height of 6.5 meters. Soil samples taken from the imprints showed a lower pH value (4.7-4.9) compared to the surrounding area (5.0-5.3), suggesting a foreign object. This incident received significant media coverage, including reports from the military and television.

Ulsteinvik Incident (231077/1): On Sunday, October 23rd, Jan Kåre Brandal and three other witnesses observed an intense light in the sky over Ulsteinvik. The object, described as faintly elliptical with a dark spot in the center, hovered silently at an altitude of about 200 meters and a distance of 2 km. It had two intensely bright lights on each side. The object suddenly accelerated upwards and the lights extinguished as a commercial airliner passed overhead. Brandal, an electrician, stated that the light emitted was unlike anything produced on Earth. The object was observed for 3 minutes and estimated to be 30-40 meters in diameter. The incident was covered by local newspapers.

Svelvik Incident (231077/I): Four witnesses reported seeing a luminous object over Svelvik on the evening of Tuesday, October 23rd, while on a boat. The object moved eastward at high speed, then returned, becoming fainter until it disappeared. One witness compared its speed to that of a jet plane, noting it was larger and brighter than any aircraft they had seen.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, physical traces of landings (imprints), and witness testimonies. The magazine adopts a serious, investigative stance, presenting detailed reports, measurements, and analysis of evidence. The editorial team and field researchers are actively involved in documenting and investigating these phenomena. There is a clear effort to provide factual accounts and encourage further reporting from the public. The publication also highlights the growing interest from the military and media in these events, suggesting a shift towards official acknowledgment of unidentified aerial phenomena.

This issue of UFO-Aspekt, dated July/August 1977, focuses on UFO sightings and encounters from various locations, including Norway, Spain, Sweden, Chile, Mexico, and the UK. The magazine presents a collection of witness testimonies, reports, and analyses of these phenomena.

Åsbygda, Norway Sightings

The issue begins with drawings by children in Åsbygda, Norway, depicting their perception of a UFO. The article notes a striking similarity between these drawings and a similar object that landed in Puerto de Herrera, Spain, on August 16, 1970. The Spanish UFO reportedly had a transparent dome and a ring of lights, while the Åsbygda children's drawings also featured a dome and what they perceived as vents or lights on a ring. The report references a previous article in RN, issue 3/76, for more details on the Spanish incident.

Further reports from Åsbygda confirm that several people saw mysterious objects in the sky on the evening of Saturday, November 5th. Witnesses, including attorney Willy Ruud and engineer Steinar Dalbu, who are familiar with aircraft, assert that the objects were not planes. Dalbu, initially skeptical of UFOs, became convinced after observing four objects in formation through binoculars, describing them as small spheres with domes. These objects were observed for about half an hour before disappearing over the hills.

Another witness, Øyvind Torp from Vesetrud, Åsbygda, reported seeing a strong, shining light moving rapidly from south to north on Tuesday afternoon. The speed was so great that it appeared as a long, luminous tail. The phenomenon vanished within seconds, but illuminated the entire hillside.

Reports from Alm skole mention 14-year-olds seeing a UFO land. The craft then took off and continued south. About 10 minutes later, a school employee observed a round object emitting a strong light moving from north to south. It is speculated that this might have been the same UFO returning.

Unni Gundhus reported seeing an intensely sharp light hovering over Åsbygda on Wednesday, October 26th, around 5:30 PM, exactly one day after the sighting near Alm skole.

Other Norwegian Sightings

The magazine also covers sightings in other parts of Norway. Ringerikes Blad reported on a flying object seen from Vikersund on Tuesday evening, described as resembling a moving lamp that 'shaved' a neighbor's rooftop 50 meters away. The yellow, round light moved silently from Tyrifjorden towards Røyse. Three witnesses observed this strange light for about a minute.

In Grue and the Oslo area, a strange flying object was reported on October 29th. Thorstein Nesseter described seeing a long object hovering 2-3 meters above a road, with a red light at one end and a normal light at the other. He also noted it appeared round and luminous like the moon.

Two women from Brandval reported seeing a green object moving from east to west in the sky on Tuesday afternoon, shortly after the UFO landing incident in Åsbygda.

UK Sightings (Wales)

England experienced a UFO wave in 1977, with hundreds of reports, following similar patterns observed in 1947, 1957, and 1967. The southwest of Wales reported a particularly high number of incidents.

On February 4th, 15 schoolchildren in Broad Haven, Dyfed, Wales, witnessed a UFO landing near their school. They described it as cigar-shaped with a silvery sheen. It was observed multiple times, with the last sighting at 3:35 PM. Some witnesses saw a man dressed in a silvery suit, matching descriptions from other British sightings.

In Little Haven, a farmer's family reported three UFO experiences. Fru Pauline Coombs and her children saw a yellow light, about the size of a football, approaching their car. It followed their car for nearly two kilometers before disappearing. Later, Fru Coombs and her husband saw a giant figure outside their window for about 10 minutes. The figure was described as too large and wide to be human.

Fru Coombs' 11-year-old nephew reported seeing a red glow in the sky, followed by a figure in a silvery diving suit with a large helmet appearing in the field. The boy was terrified.

From Pembroke, Wales, a schoolboy reported observing a disc-shaped object on February 9th. The object had yellowish-green lights on the side and a gray, rotating top that shifted to white. It hovered silently and rotated on its axis for about 45 seconds.

Another report from Pembroke on March 13th described a pear-shaped object emitting an orange light. Stephen Taylor saw a large, black shadow, approximately 6x10 meters, with a faint glow underneath. He also saw a figure, nearly two meters tall, wearing a transparent suit with high cheekbones and unusual eyes. The figure spoke cryptically before disappearing.

Chilean Incident

A remarkable incident occurred in Chile involving Corporal Armando Valdes. While investigating a strong violet light, he reportedly lost five days of his life in a quarter-hour. Upon his return, his watch showed five days had passed, and he had a five-day-old beard. Valdes stated he heard a voice and experienced an 'inner communication' with the light. The military government has forbidden further interviews, but The National Enquirer obtained special permission to investigate. The incident occurred near a secret military post on April 25, 1977. The oval object was about 500 meters away, 75 meters in circumference, and emitted a violet light. Two red discs were visible at each end. The object reportedly said, "You don't know who we are or where we come from, but we will soon return!"

Mexican Incident (Socorro)

The issue details the famous "Socorro incident" in New Mexico, USA, on April 24, 1964, based on Ray Stanford's book. Policeman Lonnie Zamora reported seeing an egg-shaped object with an aluminum or magnesium side land about 50-75 meters away. The object, described as slightly longer than his car, descended to about 3 meters above the ground and passed over his car. The area around the landing site was found to be highly radioactive shortly after the object disappeared. Stanford's research suggests military and intelligence agencies attempted to censor and conceal information about this event.

Swedish Sighting

In Sweden, on New Year's Eve 1965, Valter and Aino Sjøman, along with Lars Segersvärd, Åke and Greta Andersson, observed a gigantic craft hovering over Ervalla church near Örebro for approximately 8 hours. Valter Sjøman described it as a large, tilted tube with a pulsing light in red, green, violet, and yellow. The object moved slightly but remained stationary over the church. It was divided into four sections and had no visible windows. The craft eventually moved southeast and disappeared over the horizon. This experience changed the observer's skeptical view of UFOs.

Swedish Landing Incident

Another Swedish report from July 1976 describes Gunnar Bengtson, a 60-year-old man from Falkenberg, witnessing a UFO land on a large, open grass lawn about 30-40 meters in front of him. He described the craft as nearly circular, about 5-6 meters in diameter, thick in the middle and tapering towards the sides, with a grayish metallic color. It lacked wings and windows. When Bengtson attempted to call for witnesses, he found himself paralyzed and unable to move. As the craft ascended and moved away, the paralysis subsided. Bengtson, known for his calm and credible demeanor, passed away a few months after this event.

Other International Reports

A report from Karelia, between the Soviet Union and Finland, mentions a strange light phenomenon observed on the night of September 13th. Scientists described the object as moving slowly and resembling a jellyfish with numerous thin light beams extending to the earth.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the widespread nature of UFO sightings across different continents and the consistent descriptions of craft and phenomena across various witness accounts. The magazine appears to present these reports with a degree of seriousness, highlighting the investigative efforts and the challenges in obtaining and verifying information, often suggesting government cover-ups. The editorial stance leans towards acknowledging the reality of these phenomena and encouraging further investigation, as evidenced by the quote from Owen Gingerich: "Asking whether life exists on other planets is not a scientific question. It is scientific to try to find out. And this is the first century where it is possible to try."

This issue of Rapportnytt, published by Norsk UFO Center, details the 1964 Lonnie Zamora UFO incident near Socorro, New Mexico. The magazine presents a thorough account of the event, witness testimonies, and the subsequent investigations and analyses.

The Lonnie Zamora Incident

The article begins by recounting the initial sighting by a man who observed a hovering object that descended and stopped for approximately 30 seconds. He noted a police car approaching and mentioned the incident to a service station owner.

The main focus then shifts to Lonnie Zamora, a policeman in Socorro, who was on patrol in his 1974-model Pontiac. At approximately 17:50 on April 24, he began pursuing a speeding Chevrolet. During the pursuit, he heard a whistling sound and saw a bright, cone-shaped blue flame low in the southwest, about 750 meters away. Believing there might be an explosion from a nearby dynamite storage, he swerved to get behind a rise for cover, driving towards the sound and flame for about 20 seconds. The flame was described as bluish and very bright, with orange edges and bottom, appearing stationary but diminishing.

Zamora then attempted to drive up a small hill on a gravel road. On the third attempt, he succeeded, and the whistling sound ceased, seemingly sinking in frequency. At 17:50:10, upon reaching the top, the sound was gone. Ten seconds later, around 17:50:30, Zamora noticed a white, metallic object in a depression in the ground to the southwest, positioned northeast of the landing site.

Two Beings in White Overalls

Approximately 50 meters away, Zamora saw two beings standing near the object, dressed in what appeared to be white overalls. They were close to the object's northwest side, between it and a greasewood bush. The closest being seemed to turn as if it heard the car approach. Zamora noted that their heads barely reached the lowest branch of the bush. A mist briefly hovered over the landing site, which Zamora attributed to wind or the landing itself.

He then turned away to call the sheriff's office and report a possible accident involving a car. Realizing it was not a car, he requested Police Sergeant Samuel Chavez to come to the scene, wanting a reliable witness. He then drove further southwest, gaining a better view of the object, now about 15-20 meters away. It was 17:52.

The Object Lifts Off

As Zamora reached for his fallen microphone, he heard a metallic sound from the object. He exited his car and turned towards it. Suddenly, the object began to lift off with a deafening noise and emitted bright blue flames from its underside. Zamora, believing it might explode, scrambled back onto the ground and ran, falling and losing his glasses in his haste. He got up and ran further.

The noise and flames from the underside of the object, which had risen to about 6 meters, were between Zamora and the object. He had run 6-7 meters since falling. He stopped and turned, using one arm to shield his head in case of an explosion. The flames and noise ceased, and Zamora heard a high-pitched whine that decreased in frequency and disappeared after one second. At 17:52:21, the object accelerated southwest, completely silent and horizontal at a low altitude of approximately 1.5 km. After a while, it changed direction upwards and disappeared quickly.

Imprint on the Ground

Zamora reported the incident over the police radio to Chavez, who arrived later. Zamora, pale and agitated, showed Chavez the original drawing he had made. Several people arrived at the landing site and observed that Zamora was very scared and upset. They discovered four deep, square-shaped imprints in the ground. Photographs were taken of the landing site but later disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Each imprint was about 30-40 cm long, 15-20 cm wide, and 10-15 cm deep. Chavez took a photo of one imprint the following morning.

Keeping Quiet

In the following hours, Zamora was thoroughly interrogated. FBI agent J. Arthur Byrnes Jr., along with several military and civilian officials, arrived. This FBI agent reportedly tried to persuade Zamora to remain silent about the beings he had seen. Zamora only mentioned the beings briefly in private interviews, including with Dr. J. Allen Hynek and Stanford. Hynek investigated the case for "Blue Book," and later adopted a cautious stance in his statements.

Forget the Symbol

Captain Richard T. Holder, a high-ranking official at White Sands, advised Zamora to keep quiet about any symbol he saw on the craft's side before someone else officially investigated it. Later, on April 29, according to Hynek, the Pentagon contacted him, displeased that a high-ranking officer had suggested Zamora not describe the symbol seen on the object's side.

Footprints

Footprint-like imprints were found west of the landing site, approximately where Zamora had seen the beings, suggesting they might belong to them.

Shortly before 17:30 on the day of the landing, Albuquerque TV station received a call from an agitated citizen reporting an oval, egg-shaped UFO at low altitude heading west. It was calculated that an object traveling from Albuquerque to Socorro in 25 minutes would have a speed of 160-170 miles/h (260 km/t), consistent with the witness's account. This was likely the same object that was observed and later landed near Socorro.

Two male witnesses, 1-1.5 km southwest of the object, were driving northwest on Highway 60 towards Socorro when they saw an object followed by flames and a brownish condensation.

Analysis is Done

A bush in the middle of the flames was torn apart, and its branches were burned clean, as were some paper scraps scattered on the ground. Dr. James McDonald informed Stanford that fused sand had been found among the materials sent from Socorro for analysis. The analysis was performed by a woman who was a radiologist chemist at the Public Health Service in Las Vegas in 1968. A bubble-like stone was also found at the landing site. Parts of its surface were bubbled, while others appeared pulverized.

Metal Fragment

Stanford also found a stone that was likely broken by one of the landing legs. Later, Stanford discovered small metal fragments and small, rolled-up metal shavings on the damaged stone, which could have come from the landing gear. Through NICAP, Stanford contacted Dr. Frankel at Goddard in Maryland, described as an honest man, who promised to perform the analysis without revealing the source of the metal, as government employees had to follow certain regulations.

Preliminary Analysis

After a preliminary analysis, Stanford was told that the particles in the metal were not of natural origin. It consisted mainly of zinc and iron, with a trace of other elements. Dr. Frankel stated that this mixture, or alloy, was not produced in any country, not even in the Soviet Union. He promised Stanford a more detailed report in a few days.

Stanford tried to contact him several times, but was told he was unavailable. Eventually, his secretary stated that Dr. Frankel had been given other assignments and could not speak with Stanford about the results.

A representative from a NASA department contacted Stanford, informing him that Dr. Frankel's results were incorrect and that the substance had been identified as SiO2, used in heat shields, among other things.

Significant secrecy surrounding the case prevents Stanford from getting a clear explanation, but the facts remain: an object landed outside Socorro, and beings were seen. Several witnesses saw the object.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around a specific UFO landing incident, witness testimony, the collection and analysis of physical evidence, and the subsequent official investigations and attempts at suppression or obfuscation. The editorial stance appears to be one of presenting the documented facts of the case, highlighting the puzzling nature of the evidence and the conflicting analytical results, while also acknowledging the secrecy and potential cover-up surrounding the event. The inclusion of contact information for ordering a book on the case suggests an intent to inform and engage readers interested in UFO phenomena.