Winchester, MassachusettsJuly 1956

Insufficient Data

Summary

On July 2, 1956, in Winchester, Massachusetts, a civilian reported one object at about 9:20 p.m. local time. It was a ground visual sighting. The object was in view for about 1 minute and 10 seconds.

The object's shape was not clear. It was about the size of a pinhead held at arm's length. Its color varied from off-yellow to white to yellow. When first seen, the object was moving in a very tight circle. After completing four 90 degree turns, it moved to the north-northwest, where an obstruction blocked it at about 30 degrees elevation. Its speed on the straight course was estimated at 700 miles per hour.

The Air Force concluded on its Project 10073 record card, the official record for unidentified flying object reports, that the sighting was possibly caused by a helicopter. The reasoning was the object's adept maneuvering, combined with possible human error in estimating time and speed.

Reported location

Winchester, Massachusetts

Date of incident

July 1956

State / country

MA / US

Page count

2 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 25

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 2

View transcribed text

|
PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD {- |
1. DATE ’ LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
; 00 Wos Balloon
2 July 1956 Winchester, Massachusetts |O Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION 0 Possibly Balloon
QE Be Hpround- Visual O Ground-Radar a sata (EE
emt. 03/0120Z 0 AirVisual 0 Air-Intercept Radar fife Posnikly Alnecats
5. PHOTOS « SOUR 0 Was Astronomical
OD Yes: O Probably Astronomical
XIX No | Civilian O Possibly Astronomicol
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE 0 Oras
: | overhead g {tii em Data for Evaluation
approx 1 min&l0 secs one to NNW
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
One object, shape not discernible Sighting was possibly caused |
size head of pin at arm's length. Color by a helicopter. The basis for
| varied fm off-yellow to white to this explanation is the adept
yellow. When first observed, object maneuvering of the object
was moving in a very tight circle, combined with possible human
After completing four 90 dgr turns, error in estimation of time &
object proceeded in a NNW directior speed.
; where 1t was obscured by an obstruc-
tion at an elevation of 30 dgrs.
Speed of object when on straight RS :
course estimated at 700 MPH, No Report In File
: ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
7 ey AAR TR Ms bic ss dhe ab dl ke Ry % J {

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28966086