ACUFO:

ACUFO is my comprehensive catalog of cases of encounters between aircraft and UFOs, whether they are "explained" or "unexplained".

The ACUFO catalog is made of case files with a case number, summary, quantitative information (date, location, number of witnesses...), classifications, all sources mentioning the case with their references, a discussion of the case in order to evaluate its causes, and a history of the changes made to the file.

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Trieste, Italy, in March 1945:

Case number:

ACUFO-1945-03-00-TRIESTE-1

Summary:

In the 2000's, US ufologist Jan Aldrich noted a case he said was reported by a witness to U-K. ufologist Andy Roberts, the latter having an impressive collection of Royal Air Force airmen reports of unidentified flying objects during WWII.

Aldrich indicated that in March 1945, after midnight, West of Trieste, Italy, the pilot and two crew members of a RAF Boston Bomber of 55th Squadron, 232nd Wing, observed six spheres three times the apparent size of the moon that looked like red-hot metal, which followed the bomber to the southeast over the Adriatic Sea. When they appeared to move toward the aircraft, the pilot took evasive action.

Data:

Temporal data:

Date:	March 1945
Time:	After midnight.
Duration:	?
First known report date:	Circa 1990
Reporting delay:	5 decades.

Geographical data:

Country:	Italy
State/Department:	Friuli-Venezia Giulia
City:	Trieste

Witnesses data:

Number of alleged witnesses:	3
Number of known witnesses:	1
Number of named witnesses:	0

Ufology data:

Reporting channel:	Report od a witness to ufologist Andy Roberts.
Visibility conditions:	Night.
UFO observed:	Yes.
UFO arrival observed:	?
UFO departure observed:	?
UFO action:	Follow plane, then go towards plane.
Witnesses action:
Photographs:	No.
Sketch(s) by witness(es):	No.
Sketch(es) approved by witness(es):	No.
Witness(es) feelings:	?
Witnesses interpretation:	?

Classifications:

Sensors:	[X] Visual: 3 [ ] Airborne radar: [ ] Directional ground radar: [ ] Height finder ground radar: [ ] Photo: [ ] Film/video: [ ] EM Effects: [ ] Failures: [ ] Damages:
Hynek:	NL
Armed / unarmed:	Armed, 12,7 mm Browning M2 machine guns.
Reliability 1-3:	2
Strangeness 1-3:	3
ACUFO:	Possible extraterrestrial craft.

Sources:

[Ref. prt4:] JAN ALDRICH - "PROJECT 1947":

N - 1945.03.--- After Midnight, Northeast Italy west of Trieste

RAF Boston Bomber, 55 Squadron, 232 Wing, Pilot and 2 other crew members, 6 Spheres 3 time the apparent size of the moon that were like red-hot metal followed the bomber to the southeast over the Adriatic. When they appeared to move toward the aircraft, pilot took evasive action. (Letter and report Form, Andy Robert's collection)

[Ref. gvo1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

1945, March,

ITALY, west of Trier

The pilot and two members of the crew of an RAF Boston bomber observed around midnight six spheres resembling red-hot metal following the aircraft (PROJECT ACUFOE, Catalog 1999, Dominique Weinstein)

[Ref. dwn1:] DOMINIQUE WEINSTEIN:

March, 1945

West of Trieste, Italy

After midnight, the pilot and two crew members of a RAF Boston Bomber (55th Squadron, 232nd wing) observed six spheres three times the apparent size of the moon that looked like red-hot metal which followed the bomber to the southeast over the Adriatic Sea. When they appeared to move toward the aircraft, the pilot took evasive action.

Sources: Project 1947, Jan Aldrich / Letter and report form, Andy Roberts' Collection

[Ref. dwn2:] DOMINIQUE WEINSTEIN:

Case 101

March, 1945

West of Trieste, Italy

After midnight, the pilot and two crew members of a RAF Boston Bomber (55th Squadron, 232nd wing observed six spheres three times the apparent size of the moon that looked like red-hot metal which followed the bomber to the southeast over the Adriatic Sea. When they appeared to move toward the aircraft, the pilot took evasive action.

Sources: Project 1947, Jan Aldrich / Letter and report form, Andy Roberts' Collection

Aircraft information:

The Douglas A-20 "Havoc", also known as "DB-7", also nicknamed "Boston" by the British for the bombing version (photo below), was a US aircraft of attack, light bombing and night fighter of World War II that was used in the USSR under the nickname "Box", as well as by the Royal Air Force, US Army Air Forces, and others. Douglas Aircraft Company had built 7,267 of them.

Discussion:

In my opinion, this is an extraordinary case, due to the angular size of the objects; it is a shame I could not find more information.

Evaluation:

Possible extraterrestrial craft.

Sources references:

* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.

[ars1] ? Letter and report form, British ufologist Andy Roberts' collection.
[prt4] * "ACUFOE in World War II", catalogue by Jan Aldrich, Project 1947, USA, October 9, 1999, at http://www.project1947.com/47cats/acupdt.htm
[gvo1] * "Chronologie OVNI", electronic catalogue compiled by Godelieve Van Overmeire, Belgium, circa 1999.
[dwn1] * "Appendix 1 - Catalog of Unconventional Aerial Phenomena - reported by Allied pilots (1942-1945)", catalogue by Dominique F. Weinstein, France, June 20, 2005.
[dwn2] * "The Foofighters Files (1) - Catalogue of Unconventional Aerial Phenomena Reported by Allied pilots during WW II (1943-1945)", catalogue by Dominique F. Weinstein, France, October 2009.

File history:

Authoring:

Main author:	Patrick Gross
Contributors:	None
Reviewers:	None
Editor:	Patrick Gross

Changes history:

Version:	Create/changed by:	Date:	Description:
0.1	Patrick Gross	December 17, 2023	Creation, [prt4], [gvo1], [dwn1], [dwn2].
1.0	Patrick Gross	December 17, 2023	First published.

This page was last updated on December 17, 2023.