Eglin AFB, FloridaApril 1957

Unidentified

Summary

On April 15, 1957, two civilian technical representatives near Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, reported a single object around noon. The case was logged under Project 10073, the Air Force's official record for unidentified flying object reports. The object was an elliptical, egg shape with a dull, drab aluminum color and little reflectivity. It showed no markings or flat surfaces.

The witnesses were driving back to the base when they saw a B-47 coming in to land and noticed an object at the same azimuth and elevation. They first thought it was a drag parachute, then a weather balloon since it was stationary. The object then began to accelerate, slowly at first and then very fast, appearing to reach at least Mach 2 or 3 along an arc like a sweeping searchlight. It moved from about 45 degrees elevation to about 60 degrees, then out of sight. The whole event lasted about 15 seconds, with the rapid maneuver lasting about three seconds. The sky was clear.

The preparing officer found the two witnesses mature and reliable but could offer no explanation. Because the time was so brief, he believed the object was not of any particular significance. The card concluded the report was an optical phenomenon, a mirage tied to the turbulence following the B-47.

Reported location

Eglin AFB, Florida

Date of incident

April 1957

State / country

FL / US

Page count

4 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 27

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 4

View transcribed text

E
| ye PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD |
; 1. DATE 3 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS aes)
| 4 og SR : bali Ay 3 ; 0 Wos Balloon
15 April #1907 Eglin AFB, Florida 0 Probably Balloon
| | 3 DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION 0 ReRsinly Balloon
i a Vi 3 O Was Aircraft
Local — 3:Ground- Visual DO Ground-Rodar 0 Probobly Aircrafs
CM 15/18007 0 Air Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aircroft
5, pss : 6. SOURCE O Was Astronomical
0 Yes a Hav 0 Probably Astronomical
XB No Civilian (Tech Rpts) O Possibly Astronomical
: 7. LENGTH OF.OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE KXOther_ Mirage
O Insufficient Data for Evaluotion
1 fifteen seconds one SE to E @ Unknown
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS |
3 One dull drab aluminum colored obj Cause of this report attributed
] with little reflectivity. Obj moved to optical phenomena associated
y rather erratically, moving ef one with the turbulance following
3 time, "at least Mach 2 or 3J' Obj was B-47. Sighting at noon. Obj
: seen visually for fifteen seconds, definitely following or ossociated :
with the. a/c. y
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
i |

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28969611