Albuquerque, New MexicoMarch 1952

Unidentified

Summary

On March 25, 1952, at Kirtland Air Force Base near Albuquerque, New Mexico, an officer reported sighting a balloon launched from the base at 9:30 a.m., about 30 minutes before the observation. The object appeared as a large flat item with an aluminum color and a flat oval shape. It moved horizontally and vertically, then left the observer's field of vision. The object was estimated at 8 to 9 feet long and at 10,000 feet altitude, moving horizontally, with vertical stopping and starting. Compass bearing was 230 degrees. Speed was apparently not noted. The Air Force evaluation was unidentified.

Reported location

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Date of incident

March 1952

State / country

NM / US

Page count

1 scanned page

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 9

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 1

View transcribed text

1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
25 Mar 52 Albuquerque, New Mexico Was Balloon
Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME ORBSX 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION Possibly Balloon
Local____1030 [illegible] Telphone-Visual Was Aircraft
G.V.T. /X 2530 _______ Air Visual Ground-Radar Probably Aircraft
Air-Visual Air-Intercept Radar Possibly Aircraft
5. PHOTOS 6. SOURCE Was Astronomical!
Yes AO Officer 0 lst LG Probably Astronomical!
No Possibly Astronomical!
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS 9. COURSE Other__________
5 minutes 1 Insufficient Data for Evaluation
Unknown
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
Balloon is launched from Kirtland AFB at Large flat object size of 8-9 feet
0900 or 30 min prior to sighting. large at 10,000' moved horizontally,
Tall metal - aluminum color. Flat oval vertically stopping at each point.
shape. Moved horizontally and vertically Was on bearing of 230 degrees &
then left area of vision. 35 deg 03' N - 106 deg 37' W.
Speed apparently not noted.

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28940893