ACUFO-1945-01-01-GERMANYFRANCE-1
In 1945, Jo Chamberlin was a U.S. Lieutenant-Colonel and War correspondent. Having visited the airmen of the 415th Night Fighter Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Forces in their base in eastern France, he had heard them talk of mysterious lights following their planes, despite evasive maneuvers and never attacking them. The airmen had called theses lights “Foo-fighters”. In December 1945, Chamberlin published his famous article “The Foo Fighter Mystery” in the European issue of The American Legion Magazine.
One of the cases he described took place in January 1945. One pilot said that three formations of these lights, red and white in color, followed his plane. He suddenly reduced speed and apparently took them off guard. They came on with undiminished speed and then, to avoid any collision, also reduced speed and fell back, though still dogging him.
From the ground radar station came the usual reply: “Nothing up there but your own plane!”
Later sources dated the case January 1, 1945; but the precise day did not appear in Chamberlin's original report.
| Date: | January 1, 1945 |
|---|---|
| Time: | Probable night. |
| Duration: | ? |
| First known report date: | December 1945 |
| Reporting delay: | Hours, weeks. |
| Country: | Germany or France |
|---|---|
| State/Department: | |
| City or place: |
| Number of alleged witnesses: | 1 or 2 |
|---|---|
| Number of known witnesses: | 1 |
| Number of named witnesses: | 0 |
| Reporting channel: | Jo Chamberlain article. |
|---|---|
| Visibility conditions: | Probable night. |
| UFO observed: | Yes. |
| UFO arrival observed: | ? |
| UFO departure observed: | ? |
| UFO action: | Follow, follow through maneuvers. |
| Witnesses action: | Maneuvers. |
| Photographs: | No. |
| Sketch(s) by witness(es): | No. |
| Sketch(es) approved by witness(es): | No. |
| Witness(es) feelings: | ? |
| Witnesses interpretation: | ? |
| Sensors: |
[X] Visual: 1 or 2
[ ] Airborne radar: ? [ ] Directional ground radar: Negative. [ ] Height finder ground radar: [ ] Photo: [ ] Film/video: [ ] EM Effects: [ ] Failures: [ ] Damages: |
|---|---|
| Hynek: | ? |
| Armed / unarmed: | Armed, four 20 mm cannons and 6 7.62 mm machine guns. |
| Reliability 1-3: | 2 |
| Strangeness 1-3: | 2 |
| ACUFO: | Possible extraterrestrial craft, possible double-entry. |
[Ref. jcn1:] JO CHAMBERLIN:
On another occasion [in early 1945], three sets of lights, this time red and white in color, followed a plane [of the 415th NFS], and when the plane suddenly pulled up, the lights continued on in the same direction, as though caught napping, and then sheepishly pulled up to follow.
The pilot checked with ground radar - he was alone in the sky.
>[Ref. hws1:] HAROLD T. WILKINS:
During the closing months of the war our fighters chased weird colored balls of fire that suddenly disappeared.
By Harold T. Wilkins
[...]
Now while the foo fighters were making their appearance in the Far Eastern theater, they were, at about the same time in January, 1945, again sighted by pilots of the U.S. 415th Night Fighter squadron. These pilots reported to U.S. intelligence at the Dijon base, that over Western Germany they had met the blazing balls alone, in pairs, and in formations. One pilot said that three formations of these lights, red and white in color, followed his plane. He suddenly reduced speed and apparently took them off guard. They came on with undiminished speed and then, to avoid any collision, also reduced speed and fell back, though still dogging him.
From ground radar came the usual reply: “Nothing up there but your own plane!”
[...]
[Ref. kap1:] KENNETH ARNOLD AND RAY PALMER:
Now while the foo fighters were making their appearance in the Far Eastern theater, they were, at about the same time in January, 1945, again sighted by pilots of the U.S. 415th Night Fighter squadron. These pilots reported to U.S. intelligence at the Dijon base, that over Western Germany they had met the blazing balls alone, in pairs, and in formations. One pilot said that three formations of these lights, red and white in color, followed his plane. He suddenly reduced speed and apparently took them off guard. They came on with undiminished speed and then, to avoid any collision, also reduced speed and fell back, though still dogging him.
From ground radar came the usual reply: “Nothing up there but your own plane!”
[Ref. hws2:] HAROLD T. WILKINS:
[... as Foo-Fighters were seen] in the Far Eastern theatre of the second World War, they were at about the same time, in January, 1945, again sighted by pilots of the 415th Night Fighter squadron. These pilots reported to U.S. Intelligence at the Dijon base, that they had met the blazing balls solum – alone - or flying in pairs and in formations. One pilot said that three formations of these lights, red and white in color, followed his plane. He suddenly reduced speed and apparently took them off their guard. They came on with undiminished speed, and then, to avoid any collision, also reduced speed and fell back, though still dogging him.
From ground radar came the usual reply: “Nothing up there but your own plane!”
(Ref. nip1:) RICHARD HALL - NICAP:
1/1/1945 Germany
415th Night Fighter Squadron pilot
Plane followed by three red and white lighted objects; UFOs followed plane's evasive maneuvers.
January 1945 - Germany. Another 415th Night Fighter Squadron pilot was followed by three red and white lighted objects over Germany.
[Ref. vgs1:] VINCENT GADDIS:
Les Foo Fighters ont continué à apparaître jusqu'en janvier 1945, et des rapports supplémentaires sur leurs pitreries ont passé la censure. Un équipage a observé trois lumières de couleur rouge et blanche qui suivaient leur avion. Lorsque l'avion s'est soudainement arrêté, les lumières ont continué à s'allumer dans la même direction, comme si elles étaient surprises en train de faire une sieste, puis elles ont timidement freiné pour suivre. Le radar au sol a indiqué au pilote qu'il était seul dans le ciel, et Chamberlin déclare: "C'était le cas à chaque fois que des Foo Fighters ont été observés".
[Ref. gld1:] GORDON LORE AND HAROLD DENEAULT:
Another crew reported that “three sets of red and white lights” followed their plane for some distance during January, 1945. When the pilot, in an effort to outmaneuver them, suddenly pulled into a steep climb, the objects overshot. Seconds later, the UFOs pulled up to follow the plane. The pilot radioed ground radar, only to be told that he was alone.
[Ref. mbd1:] MICHEL BOUGARD:
The author indicates that in January 1945, other pilots from the same 415th squadron saw three of these balls, red and white this time, also following their aircraft. The New York Times of January 2, 1945 also reported numerous cases of foo-fighters seen over France for several months.
[Ref. lwr1:] DR. LOUIS WINKLER:
|
1945 Jan/Germany/Lore-Deneault, Arnold-Palmer
Three formations of red and white objects followed and overshot an airplane as the airplane made a steep climb.
[Ref. gvo1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:
1945, January
Germany
At night the pilot of a USAAF night fighter plane (415th NFS) sees three luminous red and white objects following the plane. (PROJECT ACUFOE, Catalog 1999, Dominique Weinstein)
[Ref. kml1:] KEVIN MCCLURE:
This ufologist quotes from the American Legion Magazine article for December 1945, “titled 'The Foo Fighter Mystery', and written by one Jo Chamberlin:”
Through January, 1945, the 415th continued to see the “foo-fighters,” and their conduct became increasingly mysterious. [...] On another occasion, three sets of lights, this time red and white in color, followed a plane, and when the plane suddenly pulled up, the lights continued on in the same direction, as though caught napping, and then sheepishly pulled up to follow. The pilot checked with ground radar – he was alone in the sky. This was true in every instance foo-fighters were observed.
[Ref. dwn1:] DOMINIQUE WEINSTEIN:
A pilot of the 415th NFS was followed by three red and white luminous objects.
Source: The UFO Evidence, Richard Hall, NICAP, 1964 / Lumieres dans la Nuit N° 330
[Ref. dwn2:] DOMINIQUE WEINSTEIN:
A pilot of the 415th NFS was followed by three luminous white and red objects.
Source: The UFO Evidence, Richard Hall, NICAP, 1964 / Lumieres dans la Nuit #330
(Ref. nip2:) "THE NICAP WEBSITE":
Jan. 1945; Germany
Another 415th Night Fighter Squadron pilot was followed by three red and white lighted objects over Germany. (NICAP UFO Evidence, 1964, Hall, III)
[Ref. tai1:] "THINK ABOUT IT" WEBSITE:
Date: Jan. 1945
Location: Germany
Time:
Summary: Another 415th Night Fighter Squadron pilot was followed by three red and white lighted objects over Germany.
Source: NICAP UFO Evidence, 1964, Hall, III
The Bristol Type 156 “Beaufighter“, nicknamed “Beau”, was a British multi-role aircraft developed during WWII. It was originally conceived as a heavy fighter variant of the Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber; it proved to be an effective night fighter, which came into service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Battle of Britain.
Originally, armament consisted of four 20mm cannons and six 0.303-in machine-guns but many variants were built; for example, versions had the ability to additionally carry eight rocket projectiles, some had a Vickers 'K' gun, Beaufighter TF.Mk X was used for anti-shipping operations.
The Beaufighter Mk VIF was fitted with the Mark VIII radar.
Below: Beaufighter Mk VIF of the 415th Night Fighter Squadron.
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The Beaufighters served with the U.S. Army Air Forces until the end of the war, but most were replaced by the P-61 “Black Widow” beginning on March 20, 1945.
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Between November 30, 1944 and March 18, 1945, the 415th Night Fighter Squadron was based on the Ochey airfield in France.
This case reported by Chamberlain is quite similar to the one located in Lunéville, on December 27, 1944. I do not exclude that it is the same one, misdated. Many of these cases of the 415th NFS took place over France whereas sources placed them in Germany.
Possible extraterrestrial craft, possible double-entry.
* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.
| Main author: | Patrick Gross |
|---|---|
| Contributors: | None |
| Reviewers: | None |
| Editor: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Create/changed by: | Date: | Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | April 27, 2024 | Creation, [jcn1], [kap1], [nip1], [gld1], [mbd1], [lwr1], [gvo1], [dwn1], [dwn2], [nip2], [tai1]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | April 27, 2024 | First published. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | June 9, 2024 | Addition [kml1]. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | June 15, 2024 | Addition [vgs1]. |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | August 1, 2024 | Addition [hws2]. |
