Davis-Monthan AFB, ArizonaMay 1952

Unidentified

Summary

On May 1, 1952, a crew flying a B-36 bomber (a long-range aircraft used during the Cold War) observed two unidentified objects near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. The objects were shiny and metallic in color, circular in shape, and appeared over the aircraft at an estimated altitude of more than 20,000 feet. According to the crew's account, the objects overtook the B-36 at roughly two to three times the speed of the bomber, which was traveling at approximately 300 miles per hour.

The two objects approached from the northeast and maneuvered near the aircraft. One of them came close enough that crew members could see it positioned between the fuselage and the starboard (right) wing. After several minutes of pacing the B-36, one object executed a sharp 70-to-30 degree turn and moved away toward the horizon. The other object then shrank in size, descended without forward motion, and disappeared. The crew reported no sound from either object, and no contrail or exhaust trail was visible. After the encounter ended, the B-36 radioed the base and requested immediate landing permission.

An Air Intelligence officer at Davis-Monthan who was on the ground during the incident also observed the objects, as did an airman standing nearby and several other base personnel at scattered locations. The officer's account, documented in official reports, provided additional detail about the objects' behavior and size relative to the aircraft. Weather conditions at the time were clear, with excellent visibility. The Air Force evaluated this case as unidentified.

The full case file, held by the National Archives as microfilm T1206, Roll 9, is reproduced below across 11 pages.

Reported location

Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona

Date of incident

May 1952

State / country

AZ / US

Page count

11 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 9

a > ' \ Vd $4 bx PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD ! J FI JP ps— TD Cane © SE SE ISS Samana res EE SSIS. SM, Su nS eih, . UATE | 2 LOCATION 1 ee CONCLUSIONS | | 1 May 52 ! Davis-Monthan AB, Arizona 0 Was Balloon 1 H I uscd, As ARIE 19 1s St Re) Probably Bolloon | A. DATE-TIVE GROUP pe TYPE OF OBSERVATION BS! 8 rbd one ne cin ls) 6m ID Wos Aircraft Locol J. 9920 MOT XK Ground- Visual O Ground-Radar to Probobly Aircraft | CMT. 6/ CT REAR i 0 Air- Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar j=» Possibly Aircraft 1 5. PHOTOS 16. SOURCE 100 Was Astronomica! O Yes : | » M/5+t° . 0 Probubly Astroncmica!l | : = No ba i i Bi : dd | 0 Possibly Astronomicol 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION { 8. NUMBFR OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE jo crit ATPL TCCT— | 5 O Insufficient Dato for Evaluation | ’ : | 3 Unknown | ib ei i 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING pr COMMENTS Shiny-netal color. Circular shaped. Overtook B-36 at 3x B-30 speed. : Seemed to close on B-36 then made sharp : Fovered near B-30 then disappeared by turns. getting smaller, (ight have been fighters however des- : ription precludes this. Too bad altitude ol B-36 is unknown. ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52) ji ’ ; : “a 4