Johnson AB, Japan, February 1951February 1951

Insufficient Data

Summary

On February 1, 1951, near Johnson Air Base, Japan, the crew of an F-82 aircraft reported a strange light at about 1710 (5:10 p.m.). About one mile south of the base, at 6,000 feet, the pilot and radar observer saw an amber light, larger than a wing tip light, off to their left.

The aircraft made three or four 360-degree turns, and the light seemed to stay off the left wing. Then it shifted to the upper right while the plane was still turning. After the F-82 leveled off, the light grew smaller, appeared ahead, then seemed to head toward the plane and rise slowly until it was too small to see.

A weather balloon had been released nearby at 1815 (6:15 p.m.) and rose to 11,000 feet. Investigators believed part of the sighting may have come from the balloon, internal reflections, or a bright star. The Air Force recorded the case in Project 10073, its official file for unidentified flying object reports. The conclusion listed both a balloon (rising portion) and unidentified.

Reported location

Johnson AB, Japan, February 1951

Date of incident

February 1951

State / country

? / XX

Page count

4 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 8

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 4

View transcribed text

Ep —— ee
PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
eR ES SE ER RR RAG A
| 1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
7 Vas Bolloon
1 Feb 1951 Johnson AB, Jepan 47 2 15 Probobly Balioon
3. DATETIME GROUP ~~ T'4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION ~~ TT |@ Possibly Balleon
ET Se NR AR 0 Ground- Visual 0 Ground-Radar = dl Rests
CMT 01/17102 CL Air- Visual a Air-Intsrcept Radar 0 Possibly Aircraft
5. PHOTOS Ft ID 60 Bao ih O Was Astronomical
QO Yes | 00 Probobly Astronomical
sa 0 Possibly Astronomical
CL No BESSA aed mw 4
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 18. NUMBER OF OBJE 9. .CQURSE Lo other WMNIDMITIFIED
hg —— Tr DO Rising =} insufficient Dato for Evaluation
| . | Yot Reported 1 or (2 or more) | Rss onary n -. 41%, 8 a
10. CRIE? SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 111. COMMENTS Po ——
% AQ noticed amber light off wing tip. Made 3 Posgibility of internal reflections as
360 deg turns and light maintained position, object ramainted off wing tip through 3
| then object moved to upper right while a/c 360 deg turns, Balloon in area, Astro
: stil) in turn, A/C then leveled off and light | bodies visible could account for porticns
E got smaller, Appeared directly ahead of a/c of sighting. 1, Balloon (Rising portien)
at this time, Then object headed toward A/C 2, UNIDENTIFIED. Object,
rising slowly until it became too small to seel,
Personnel watching balloon did not observe A/
in Area of Balloon,
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 BE? 52)

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28939038