UFO Potpourri No 428

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO POTPOURRI
Issue: No. 428
Date: November 1999
Publisher: John F. Schuessler
Focus: This issue of UFO Potpourri presents a detailed account of a significant radar-visual UFO sighting that occurred in July 1955.

RADAR-VISUAL SIGHTING

The article begins by noting that many researchers have compiled extensive files of UFO reports, often from credible military and civilian personnel, which include eyewitness accounts corroborated by radar data. The featured account is extracted from a report by Captain Laddie Marin of the Air Force Special Security Office, sent to the Director of the National Security Agency on July 18, 1955. This report details a radar-visual incident involving an air-to-air refueling aircraft.

Initial Reports and Context

Captain Marin's report includes a series of radar and visual sightings by RB-47 bomber crews from June 1 through June 8, 1955. The Air Force Northeast Air Command (NEAC) was unable to correlate these sightings with any known activity. The specific incident detailed involved an air-to-air refueling aircraft, identified as 'Archie 29' and 'Archie 91', operating out of Harmon AFB.

The Sighting Incident

The incident began around 0705Z on a clear day, with no clouds above the aircraft but scattered clouds at 1000 ft. The KC-97 aircraft (Archie 91) was at an altitude of 20,000 ft. The pilot of Archie 29, Lt. H. H. Speer, reported sighting an object at the 10 o'clock position, appearing to be hovering. The radar site confirmed the object on scope at 0707Z, maintaining intermittent contact for 49 minutes. Archie 29 was instructed to close on the object, which was initially about 80 miles away at a bearing of 290 degrees.

As Archie 29 closed in, the object began to move slowly northeast (050 degrees True). The object's speed relative to Archie 29 was estimated at 275 knots. Lt. Speer maintained visual contact, radioing direction changes that correlated precisely with radar tracking. The object then began to climb, and Archie 29 lost visual contact when the object reached an estimated altitude of 40-50,000 ft. It then accelerated to an estimated speed of 1600 K and moved off in a northeasterly direction, remaining on radar scopes.

Simultaneously, the radar site was tracking five smaller objects at altitudes between 5-10,000 ft, below the KC-97 and Archie 29. These smaller objects were located 60 miles from the station at a bearing of 300 degrees, moving very fast and changing direction and azimuth, forming a circular pattern.

Radar Operator's Account

The ground control radar operator provided a statement detailing the events. At 0705Z, 'Archie 91' reported an unknown object to their left, slightly above them, moving at very high speeds. Shortly after, 'Archie 29' reported the same object. The object was described as flying an erratic course with sharp direction changes. Both aircraft reported no clouds that could cause a reflection. The radar operator made contact with a target at the reported position around 0707Z, along with several other targets closer to the station. The primary sighted object appeared to be moving slowly and was hovering, while a group of other objects moved very fast, sometimes in a cluster, then in line formation. Due to their speed and course changes, a precise speed check was not available, but the estimate was 1,500 knots. This group was briefly detected on the height finder at 5,000-10,000 ft.

Lt. Speer of Archie 29 agreed to close on the object, which was about 40 miles away and still hovering. As Archie 29 closed to within 18 miles, the object began moving northward, then turned back south, and then moved off northward again, climbing. The radar operator requested permission to 'scramble' a fighter. The request was approved, and a fighter was scrambled. At this time, the object was 80 miles away at a bearing of 330 degrees True.

Shortly after, momentary contact was made with the object on the height finder at 35,000 ft. Archie 29 reported the object was getting higher and fading from view. When the fighter became airborne, the object was 110 miles north of the station. The fighter pilot, 'Shako 56', reported his radar was inoperative. He was asked to continue for visual contact, but by the time he reached Archie 29's position, the object had faded from view. Both aircraft were 150 miles northeast of the station.

Ground Elect. Officer's Report

The Ground Elect. Officer reported that no temperature inversion was involved in the sighting. He stated that radar systems were functioning properly and that all unknown objects sighted were within the capabilities of their radar sets. He noted that periodically, weather inversions had caused radar beams to bend towards the ground, detecting features like the south shore of Labrador and Anticosti Island, but no such phenomenon was noticed at the time of this sighting.

Pilot of Archie 29's Account

Lt. H. H. Speer, pilot of Archie 29, clarified that they were seeing an object, not a star. At 0700Z, while heading towards Harmon, Lt. Schneck reported the object. Speer verified it, noting it was in approximately the same position. 'Enrage' (Control Center) identified both pilots by their call signs and determined Speer was closer. Speer was instructed to give chase. The object was at approximately 25,000 ft, while Speer's altitude was 18,000 ft, about 35 miles away. Upon sighting, the object moved left with a very definite and fast movement, doing this twice. Speer turned to a heading of 080 degrees, putting the object at his 12 o'clock position. While tracking, the object made several turns north and south, verified by 'Enrage'. Speer increased power to close the distance to approximately 18 miles but had to decrease power due to low oil. Indicated air speed was approximately 210 mph. Within 12 miles, the object began a definite climb to an estimated altitude of 35,000 to 40,000 ft. At 0800Z, contact was lost because the sun was directly in front of them. The object was sighted by at least five crew members.

Pilot of Archie 91's Account

Lt. Robert W. Schneck, pilot of Archie 91, verified the sighting. After refueling around 0700Z, they took up a heading for Harmon (125 degrees). 'Enrage' control notified him of an aircraft 7 miles off his left wing, which he visually verified. Shortly after, he noticed a bright light at his 10 o'clock position. After consulting with crew members, they decided the light was moving very rapidly. He called 'Enrage' control, reporting the light at his 10 o'clock position, 15,000 to 20,000 ft altitude, and about 50 miles away, moving very rapidly like flying saucers. Archie 29 then called 'Enrage' and verified his account.

Co-pilot of Archie 29's Account

Lt. David Cueldner, co-pilot of Archie 29, verified the object's movement. After their refueling run around 0700Z, Lt. Schneck reported a bright light moving very fast and erratically. The aircraft commander also saw it. They turned towards the light, and Cueldner noticed movement for the first time. It appeared stationary for a while, then moved northerly or southerly at different times. Each time it moved, they turned the aircraft to keep it at the 12 o'clock position.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue focuses on the phenomenon of radar-visual UFO sightings, emphasizing reports from military personnel and the corroboration provided by radar data. The magazine appears to present these accounts as credible evidence of unidentified aerial phenomena, highlighting the inability of official bodies like NEAC to explain them. The detailed accounts from pilots and radar operators suggest a serious and unexplained event, with the editorial stance leaning towards the acceptance of these sightings as genuine encounters with unknown objects.