Tripoli, Lybia, August 1958August 1958

Insufficient Data

Summary

On August 6 and 7, 1958, military observers in Tripoli, Libya, reported unidentified flashes of light between 1815Z and 1830Z. The witnesses lived in adjacent apartments separated by a high wall and saw the events independently. They described a blue to bluish-red flash of light, about 2 feet across, that briefly lit up the area. One observer did not see the object itself but saw bright light reflected on walls. Each flash lasted about 2 seconds and moved south.

There was much local jet traffic, but no sound came with the flashes. A significant temperature inversion was present on each date. One observer compared the light to an exploding electric transformer, but the sighting was above the power lines. The Air Force conclusion on the Project 10073 record card was astronomical, listed as characteristic of a meteor. Project 10073 was the Air Force's official record for unidentified flying object reports.

Reported location

Tripoli, Lybia, August 1958

Date of incident

August 1958

State / country

? / XX

Page count

4 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 33

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 4

View transcribed text

‘ : PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD i Ep |
ps I. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS |
O Was Balloon
: - rivoli, Lvbia 0 Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION O Possibly Balloon |
Local X Ground- Visual O Ground-Radar Q Was Aircraft |
i TB ———— OQ Probably Aircraft |
our 06/1815Z-1830Z Q Ain Visual O Air-Intercept Radar o Possibly Aircraft
3. ‘PHOTOS (X Was Astronomical Mo loor
Q Yes O Probably Astronomical
XX No Military O Possibly Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF.OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE CBE RR
o 146 mob Dete for Evaluation
2 seconds one South Be
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 1). COMMENTS
Blue to bluish-red flash of light, Bluish flash mofing south,
about 2 ft across, which lit up area Object not observed. Only
briefly. reflectkon, Sighting character
istic of meteor, Description
and duration consistent with ;
this analysis.
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52) | i
: E 5 5 ® i dg Cc “ r 5 Is] 5 RE $ooue ih “y : 0 aa) % 3 3 HE 5 : : ; no 5 i ® | |
dT SESE CRE Re RE else Ye Wy Uniusemenamams SBI |
| SPs 9BOZ ET 2 ota * |]
(of ge PN S - 7 Vi 1 5 + id |
Mtl Vi dl * Br Stl de d 2 2 er 4 7a J i Pd ill ® |
| © TEER HEU al |
Ro. hile od 78. Le { eo | =
4 : Time dd Bunn | |
7 HE vp a ” FE
1% £ YY DalaZ Lille ® |
AWK VD PW By. _./ EA. om mmm :
(2s cok bull) TL 3
ZCSQEQPS63Z2CJIYABS2
PP RJEDSQ / / |
(ESL Cl
ZDK 1 |
Kop ® |
PP RJEZHQ RJEDDN RJEDSQ TAH o |
DE RJTOAK 45A 3 A
P 0815007 — | eo |
FM COMDR 7272), ABW WHEELUS AB LIBYA —" : ® i
eo .: : A ds RCE CCRC Ee ER Re Ne bal aa Ee RRR Ep bo ls lB cae a Be fn si De ma ad 4 : A

/ 4

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

Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28979278