New Zealand, Winter 1951Circa 1951

Insufficient Data

Summary

In winter 1951, a New Zealand observer reported seeing a large cloud formation about 500 yards long, 500 yards wide, and 60 yards high to the east of his location. From the northern end of this cloud, a smaller piece suddenly detached itself. The detached portion resembled a whirlwind and traveled north for a short distance, then turned at a right angle and moved easterly. The main cloud remained motionless and was not immediately disturbed by this movement. As the small cloud piece traveled, it gradually formed into a more spherical shape. It eventually disappeared over the sea, about four miles to the east.

The observer submitted photographs of the phenomenon to the U.S. Air Force's Project Blue Book investigators. The Air Technical Intelligence Center analyzed the images and concluded that the object shown was a lenticular cloud, a type of lens-shaped cloud formation that often results from the specific atmospheric conditions the witness had described. The Center thanked the observer for his cooperation and interest in the U.S. Air Force's UFO investigation program, and requested permission to make enlarged prints from his negatives. Those negatives were subsequently returned to him.

The Air Force evaluation marked the case as "probably balloon," though the analysis clearly identified the phenomenon as a lenticular cloud formation resulting from natural atmospheric conditions. The full case file, comprising 16 pages held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.

Reported location

New Zealand, Winter 1951

Date of incident

Circa 1951

State / country

? / XX

Page count

16 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 9

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 16

View transcribed text

‘a
PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
v .
I. DATE { 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
: ¢ 0 Was Boll
Winter 1951 New Zealand D  Probobly Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION 0 Possilly Selioon
11AM 0 Was Alicroft
ON I _......- XSITE. X Ground-Visuel DO Ground-Redar Q Probably Aircraft
OMT eee a Air Visuo! 0 Air-Intsrcept Rodor 0 Possibly Aireraft
5. PHOTOS . SOURCE 0 Was Astronomical
NDVYes D Probably Astronomicel
0 Ne Civilian D Possibly Astronomicol
eee ee ee meee ee ee ee PU SEE . ea pentane ha Tend ~
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBZR OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE B other Lenticular, Cloud
O Insufficient Dota for Evaluation
Not Reported 1 Fast, J. S—
Ee
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SICHTING 11. COMMENTS
Witness observed cloud approximately 500 yds Photograph shows lenticular cloud,
| long, 500 yds wide, 60 yds high to east of
his locabion. From cloud at the north end only
a piece of clocd suddenly detached itself,
Cloud pave appearance cf whirl wind and travel
north for a short distance, Then at right angie
in eazberly direction, The main bulk of the
cloud remain motionless and was noi
immediately disturbed by action of the wind,
The small eloud was not imsediately spherical,
but form so during travel to the N and I,
Dissappeared over the sea, 4 miles to the bast
Ll ———————
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SIP 52)
*

/ 16

Use ← → keys to navigate · scans hosted by the U.S. National Archives

Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28940370