Vandalia, Ill, August 1951August 1951

Insufficient Data

Summary

On August 27, 1951, near Vandalia, Illinois, at least five people reported a bright object in the evening sky. A local pilot first noticed a big orange light of blinding intensity over the southwest corner of the airport, between about 2:00 and 2:20. The light moved off to the west.

The pilot said that after he took off, the light approached his plane, circled it twice, then moved toward a nearby town and back. He reported the object had a small red light on top and appeared to have a 10 to 12 inch lens. A transport pilot passing over the area at about 6,000 feet also said he saw it. Because the duration, speed, and other details were unknown, the Air Force evaluated the case as insufficient data.

Reported location

Vandalia, Ill, August 1951

Date of incident

August 1951

State / country

? / XX

Page count

6 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 8

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 6

View transcribed text

1 g PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
EE EE i A A eat ce En nS mn. Spgs eee ert. cops ee = A ~~ PP rwet ———— | —————————tn S—————- rr —— —— r=
4 . DATE 2. JCATION . CONCLUSIONS
O Was Boll
[27 Aug 1951 Vandalia, I11 © Probobly Balloon
~ |'3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION 0 Possibly Belioon
tout 0n = B00 XXGround-Vi suel DO Ground-Roder 8 Probelly Aerts
j cmt Lbfe lee Ek Air Visvel O Air-Intercept Rodar |D Possibly Aircreft
5. PHOTOS 0 Was Astronomical
; O Yes OD Probably Astronemicol
XX Ne Newspaper Rpt O Possibly Astronomicel
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE COE SC a hc
: 3 Insvificient Dote for Eveluotion
Unk one West D Unknown
~ [10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
3 Big orange light with blinding intensity had Duration, speed, etc unknown therefore
. |r=2d light on top. Viewed in southwest with case evduated as Insufficient Data.
.  |course of West.
4 ATIC FORM 329 (RPV 26 SEP $2)

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28939471