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The 1954 French flap:

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October 27, 1954, Mailly-le-Camp, Aube:

Reference for this case: 27-Oct-54-Mailly-le-Camp.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Reports:

[Ref. air1:] SECRETARY OF THE AIR:

Scan.

SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE AIR
Observation report
of Mysterious Celestial Object

Names &: Firstnames: []

Rank or Prof: Colonel

Address: E.M.P. at the S. Dir. (room 623)

Signature

Classific(1) 6
Air Regiment: 624
Formation

When and where did you observe the object

1 Day: 27 Month: October Year: 54

2 Hour: 17 Minutes: 45 local (as accurate as possible)

3 Place of observation: Camp of Mailly Sunset according to the directory Se. L. 16:38 G.M.T. 17:38

Elements of observations concerning the object.

Angular estimates can be made in degrees, widths of hand or, for height, as a function of the distance "zenith-horizon" (sketch on the back)

4 Direction of Arrival: Slightly north of the sunset.

5 Departure Direction:

6 Duration of onset; 10 to 15 "motionless [?] 25 to 30 sec.

7 Angular height above the horizon: 45 ° to 20 °

8 Value of the horizontal displacement as a function of time:

9 Number of items: 1

Aspect of the object

10 Apparent size (pea - nail - coin of ... francs, seen at arm's length) Sky object ....
10' to 15' 1/3, and 1/2 moon diameter.

11 Form: Segment [?]

12 Comparative brightness: sun - star - moon - luminescent tube - shiny metal - opaque - transparent - dark - scintillating ...

13 Color: [] to have lighting in the [?]

14 Trail or Wake:

15 Other features:

(1) Do not enter anything in these textboxes.

Scan.

Circumstance and appearance of the sky at the time of observation

16 Dawn - sunrise - day - sunset - dusk - clear night (moon) - dark starry night - dark night without stars

Pure sky at sunset - wind a few moments after observation (1 or 2 minutes)

17 Clouds: high sail end - moon halo - sun halo.
Medium layer: low density - dense - very dense - low clouds on the horizon.

18 Wind: Estimated direction.

Additional detailed information with photo attached if possible

19. - Sketch and plan of the place of observation, Mention the orientation of the sketch, the direction of the observation and the landmarks to find the location.

20. - Sketch of the sky and landscape in front of the observation, tracing the apparent shape of the trajectory, including if possible landmarks taken either in the landscape or in the sky (sun, moon, stars, constellations)

Scan.

21. - Behavior of the object when you moved.

22. - Sketch as precise as possible of the object itself, indicate the colored areas if necessary.

A very bright segment standing out against the blue green of the pure sky.

[?] 30°

[?] Move 2° relative to 1 landmark of the "bus"

Very suddenly punctual on the spot

Bright spot duration 3" and a bit more

23.- Other information deemed useful:

24.- Other observers having seen the same phenomenon:

Name: []
Addresses: Société nationale de [Nord?]

25.- Observations (1)

Probably plane lighted from below

[] Assumed of 30 m of span:

Estimate for 20 ° angular height

D = 30,000 mm * 1 m / 3 mm = 10 Km

H = 3,400 m.

Scan.

ADVICE FOR THE OBSERVATION OF M.O.C. [Mystérieux Objet Céleste, i.e. Mysterious Sky Object]

1°/ - If possible, have other witnesses check what you see.

2°/ - Note in your memory (or, if you can, in writing) the maximum details, for a precise report.

3°/ - If you are on the ground, try to position yourself so that you can do exactly what you were doing when you first saw the object, but examine the effect of your movements on the apparent position of the object. If you are flying, do all the maneuvers necessary for a good observation of the craft and photograph it if possible. In all cases, on the ground or in flight, beware of reflections and refraction of luminous objects: observe, if possible, only through air.

4°/ - Estimate the dimensions, height and displacement of the machine only in angular values (any other estimate is likely to be impossible or erroneous). If there is no instrument, use your hand or a specific object held at arm's length.

5°/ - If you cannot check your watch, you will have a proper estimate of the time in seconds counting: and one, and two, and three .. etc ...

6°/ - Record at the best the weather conditions or have them established by your local weather station using the exact hour.

7°/ - Fill in the observation report as soon as possible.

[Ref. gal1:] CHARLES GARREAU AND RAYMOND LAVIER:

The two authors indicate that in the Camp of Mailly in the Aube, at the end of October 1954, a sighting occurred, whose details were communicated to Charles Garreau by the Scientific Office of the Ministry for the Air.

The witnesses all belonged to the special services of the Air Force. Among them, colonel Decker, chief engineer of the S.C.A.N. (National Company of Aeronautical Engineerings of the North), and former head of the guided missiles section within the Ministry for the Air.

Mr. Decker and several other technicians, among those the colonel who, thereafter, wrote the report transmitted to the scientific Office, were on the point of leaving the camp of Mailly, where they had just carried out tests of radio-controlled anti-tank devices, when suddenly, slightly in the north compared to the setting sun, something appeared in the sky.

The authors quote him:

"It was exactly 05:30 p.m.. The sun had just disappeared behind the horizon. The object evolved at an angular height ranging between 20° and 45°. One would have said "a small segment of straight line", advancing with a slope of 30° relative to the vertical."

Prodigiously interested, the technicians followed the progression of the appearance, which continued to advance in this position during 25 to 30 seconds, then rocked around its centre of gravity, and reduced to a point which very quickly disappeared.

The authors indicate that the report is disconcerting because of the qualities of the witnesses, since all can recognize not only ordinary planes in flight but also the prototypes and the majority of the guided missiles.

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Base Nr: 1257

Official investigation done

Place of observation: Mailly le Camp

Department : Aube (10)

Lat. 48.666 Long. +4.216

Date of observation: octobre 1954

Time: 05:38 p.m.

Type of observation: Visual: Distant

Number of witnesses: undetermined number

Towards the end of the month, several people among them a colonel, and an engineer specialized in aeronotics [sic], left the camp of Mailly where they had been testing apparatus, when suddenly slightly in the north compared to the setting sun which had just disappeared behind the horizon, an object evolving with an angular height ranging between 20 and 45° appeared. It resembled a small segment of straightline, advancing with a slope of 30° on the vertical. The object advanced in this position during 25 to 30 seconds, then it rocked around its centre of gravity and reduced to a point which very quickly disappeared.

Number of object: 1

Type of object : Cigar

Color not defined

No indication of luminosity

No weather indication

Physical effects: No

Effects on the witness: No

Presence of entities: No

Sources by **

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 27 October 1954 at 17:45 in Camp.Mailly, France, "Hovered." And: "A hovering object was observed. One object, larger than a star, was observed by one witness for a few seconds."

The sources are indicated as Poher, Claude, Etudes Statistiques Portant sur 1000 Temoignag, Author, undated; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073).

[Ref. gei1:] "GROUPE D'ETUDES ET D'INFORMATIONS SUR LES PHENOMENES AEROSPATIAUX NON IDENTIFIES":

MAILLY-LE-CAMP (10) 27.10.1954
Observed on: 27-10-1954
Region: Champagne-Ardenne
Department: Aube
Class: B
Summary: Observations des évolutions dans le ciel d'un segment brilliant: probable observation d'un avion éclairé par le soleil couchant.
Description:

On Wednesday, October 27, 1954, at the camp of Mailly (commune of Mailly-le-Camp), two people, one of whom a colonel, observed around 05:45 p.m. a very brilliant segment standing out against the blue-green background of the pure sky "slightly north of the sunset" (2 to 3 minutes after sunset). The object is located at an angular height of 45° to 20°, it is described as immobile for 10 to 15 seconds for a total observation time of 25 to 30 seconds. This segment, similar to brilliant metal, is tilted by 30° with respect to the vertical and then becomes abruptly punctual on the spot for 3 seconds before disappearing. Its size is between one third and one half of the diameter of the Moon ie from 10' to 15'.

Only the testimony of the colonel is collected in a report of observation and some explanations of the manuscript report are illegible. The witness thinks he probably saw a plane lighted from below by the setting sun.

This type of observation is frequent nowdays because of the intense air traffic is observable every evening by clear sky shortly after sunset. The GEIPAN classifies this case B: probable observation of an airplane illuminated by the setting sun.

Report: None.

Details of the testimony
Witness
Date of the observation 10/27/1954
Document number
Age Adult (More than 18)
Profession Other Category
Sex Male
Reaction Active Curiosity
Credibility Normal Credibility
Conditions
Environment Others
Weather conditions Not-specified
Hour of the observation Numbered: 4 pm - 6 pm
Reference frame Sky or clouds
Distance between phenomenon and witness Not-specified
Start of the observation Start of observation by witness
End of the observation End of observation par phénomène
Localization
Angle of the site Numbered;Not-specified
Direction of observation North
Heading None
Trajectory Immobile;Not-specified
Nature of the observation Others
Characteristic of the observation Unique
Global shape Square, rectangulaire
Color Luminous (brilliant)
Apparent size Not-specified
Apparent speed Null
Noise Not-specified
Effect on the environment Not-specified/td>
Number: 1

[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":

Case Nr. New case Nr. Investigator Date of observation Zip Place of observation Country of observation Hour of observation Classification Comments Identification
19541027 27.10.1954 Camp Mailly France 17.45

Explanations:

Map.

Probable plane lighted from below by the setting sun.

Keywords:

(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)

Mailly-le-Camp, Aube, anonymous, official, colonel, multiple, line, dot, manoeuvers, object, elongated

Sources:

[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.

Document history:

Version: Created/Changed by: Date: Change Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross April 20, 2006 First published.
1.0 Patrick Gross March 5, 2010 Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version.
1.1 Patrick Gross February 9, 2017 Additions [air1], [gei1], [ubk1]. Explanations changed, were: "Not looked for yet. Possible plane noctilucent contrail or plane noctilucent degassing, or noctilucent cloud."

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This page was last updated on March 5, 2010.