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Appendix IV
MARCH AIR FORCE BASE - 23 September 1951
I. DISCUSSION OF THE INCIDENT The first report of this incident, which appeared in Status Report No. 1, proved to be incomplete and misleading. Further investigation has corrected the discrepancies and the following account of the incident is considered to be accurate. At approximately 0700 PDST, two F-86 aircraft were scrambled from George Air force Base, California, on a routine mission. The flight was vectored to 118°40'W - 33°50'N by CGI. (See inclosed overlay.) the flight orbitted the position and took up a heading towards Long Beach Radio. At approximately 0755 PDST the flight reported to GCI that they observed an unidentified object high at 12 o'clock. The flight was 30 seconds out of Long Beach radio at this time. the object appeared to be in a left orbit at about 50,000 ft. The object could not be picked up by ground radar. however, visual contact was maintained. The object continued a left orbit and passed over the two aircraft. Attempts were made by the F-86's to indentify the object but they were unsuccesful due to the altitude of the object and a fuel shortage. At approximately 0810 or 0815 the flight was released by the ground controller and they returned to George Air Force Base. The object appeared to be an aircraft with 45° swept wing and bright silver in color. When last seen the object was in a left orbit, or circling to the left. The pilot's opinion was that it was a swept wing type aircraft. At approximately 0800 PDST four additional F-86 aircraft were scrambled from George AFB to relieve the two above-mentioned F-86's. The four aircraft split in two, two ship elements, denoted as flight 2-A and 2-B on the inclosed overlay. Flight 2-A was vectored to a position at 177°30'W and 30°20'N. They arrived at this position at approximately 0810 and sighted the object high at 12 o'clock at what appeared to be over Muroc AFB. A steady climb was made to 43,000 ft. and the object was found to be near March AFB. The object appeared to be in a controlled orbit to the right and left at 50,000 to 55,000 ft. The two aircraft stayed in the area for 10-15 minutes before breaking off the intercept due to a fuel shortage and landed at 0845 PDST. The object appeared to be a swept wing aircraft. The second element of the group, noted as Flight 2-B on the overlay, observed the object soon after take-off. The object appeared to be going south. The flight made a series of climbing turns under the object as they climbed to 43,000 ft. The object was in a wide right turn. At approximately 0925 PDST the aircraft broke off the attempted intercept and returned to their base. This flight reported that the object appeared to be round and silver. No more intercepts were attempted. At no time was the object observed on the radar screen nor was it reported to be observed visually from the ground. The F-86's, however, were continually tracked by radar. |
