Whiteman AFB, MissouriMay 1963

Insufficient Data

Summary

On May 6, 1963 (about dusk by Greenwich time of May 7), Air Force tower operators at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, reported a circular white or light orange light. It was first seen at about 15 degrees above the horizon and was watched through 7 by 50 binoculars. The sighting lasted about 6 minutes.

The light climbed toward the south, rising to about 60 degrees above the horizon. A T-33 aircraft in the area was notified, and its pilot and passenger observed the same object. Their description matched the tower operators' account. There was a temperature inversion at about 5,000 feet.

The pilot and passenger believed the object was either a cloud or a balloon. The Air Force, in its Project 10073 record, said the object had all the characteristics of a balloon sighting and evaluated the case as a balloon.

Reported location

Whiteman AFB, Missouri

Date of incident

May 1963

State / country

MO / US

Page count

5 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 47

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 5

View transcribed text

- PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
{ § 1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
; ‘ ; 3 : 5 O Was Balloon
5 6 May 1963 Whiteman AFB, Missouri Probably Balloon
i 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION He FaBAtHE9\con
E | OF pe ree CR HKGround- Visual O Ground-Radar a Botan here
§ CM Oi Zip Ze nie ni AXKAir Visual DO Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aircraft
# 5. PHOTOS 8. SOURCE O Was Astronomical
E 0 Yes 0 Probably Astronomical
£ 3KNeo Military O Possibly Astronomical |
i 7. LENGTH OF OBSERYATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE 0) CO her EE RE
I rising 2 ert Data for Evaluation
i 6 minutes one Southerly
#3 Ee Te ———————
i 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
B y Brads? 1 ” ahi 2 :
 ; Circular white or orange light observedghject has all characteristics
i at 15 dgr elevation 280 dgr azimuth associated with a balloon sighting
4 climbing to South in 6 minutes to a po-{p_33 pilot & passanger considered
& siton estimated at 60 dgr elevation this a plausible Ext AdE tion i
£ . 120 dgr azimuth. Observatior by tower person- °° evaluated as Bada at
I | n21 through 7x50 BX. Rise very fast. One Sichting
Id T-33 in area, Iaversion at 5,000 feet, i Fly
i Observation reported to a/c and pilot
i : passaunger peligcved that it was either
EE a. cloud or balloon, |
i |
E ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
3
4
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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 29000775