HUNGNAM, NORTH KOREA, October 1952October 1952

Insufficient Data

Summary

On October 12, 1952, about 9:00 p.m. local time, the pilot and radar observer of an F7U Marine aircraft flying escort over the water off Hungnam, North Korea, reported a reddish-orange ball of light. They were at about 8,000 feet at 160 knots on a heading of about 030 degrees, then made a left turn to about 230 degrees. During the turn, the radar observer saw the light at about the 4 o'clock position at about 7,500 feet, and the pilot also saw it.

The light appeared to be about six to eight inches in diameter. The pilot turned to intercept and increased speed to about 220 knots, and the radar observer tried to track it on radar with no return. There was no exhaust trail or visible means of propulsion, and no aerodynamic features. As they turned back, the light was seen again about eight to ten miles away, moving at about twice the aircraft's speed. It appeared to descend and fade away to the north and burned for about five minutes.

Weather was clear with good visibility. The crew said they had seen flares in the area on earlier missions but none on this flight, and that ground lights they saw did not resemble the object. Intelligence comments noted the size, distance, and altitude estimates were vague, and that a jet tail glow could have been visible, but the object could have been outside the radar cone. The record card lists the conclusion as unknown.

Reported location

HUNGNAM, NORTH KOREA, October 1952

Date of incident

October 1952

State / country

? / XX

Page count

6 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 15

Al ; PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD : : : FE EaeeR (Tp wERwes | 12 00t 52 | HUNGHAY, NORTH KOREA |Z Probably Buileon a 3. DATETIME GAOUP © | & TYPE OF casgnvation aims onacy : - Local Be ial ni C Ground: Visual GC Geovnd-Rada; : a or rg RR ] i ¢ CT BR nee Nl NRA A, ‘Bt Ain Visual 3 Ar-tatarcopt Radar (TF Posubly Aireralt | 3 EE DE ON BRE TTT Te vee Asesewsicdl Ek. Q Yas : 0 Prabably Astronoa cal L =! tio : AF Pilot and radar observer TREE. | IE 7. LENGTH OF CRSFRYAT'SN 9 ouire OF JMECT: %. COURSE &% Grtar.. gSiRt: I ; ; : "3 'neubiic eer Deta ine Evaluation | b : J idnknown i E. © nin ono a 19, BEET SUVMARY OF SIGHTING Gig gE Te SR ER LR R: Source flying at approx £000' at speed 160 | : knots made : left turn. During turn the : } RO visually observed a reddish-orange ball of : i light. Pilot spceded up for intercept. } Light appeared vo descend, fade away to the N: i E at speed twice as fast as afc. Radar return i 3 was negative, | | 3 | | | E eb ts cs si eA aie ae sm stamases «1 TR 3 ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 S2P $2) 5 ; iA i E