Seen by R.A.F. Officers and men
"FLYING SAUCER" JOINS IN "MAINBRACE"
A Flying saucer entered exercise Mainbrace today following a report from the RAF station
at Topcliffe (York's), of a white object having been seen, which accelerated at a speed in
excess of a shooting star.
RAF officers at the Mainbrace headquarters at Pitreavie (Fifeshire) would not state what view
was being taken of the report.
A RAF spokesman refused to comment himself whether the report was regarded as a serious one. He
added "It is being investigated."
The report led to a NAAFI saucer being placed on the plot of the exercise. The saucer,
fastened with ribbons, was placed on the plot alongside the name Topcliffe, and the RAF duty
controller at Pitreavie open up a new signal file, headed "SAUCER SIGHTINGS AND MOVEMENTS,"
where he could file further sightings of the object.
FIVE MILES ASTERN
The object was seen by about 10 RAF officers and men, the crews of Shackleton aircraft
operating from Topcliffe. The signal reporting what they had seen was passed by the
intelligence officer at Topcliffe to the maritime headquarters at Pitreavie and to
coastal command headquarters at Northwood, Middlesex. The signal said that the object
was seen at 10:53 am yesterday, when a Meteor aircraft was flying at 5000 ft and was
descending. A white object was seen five miles astern of the aircraft at approximately 15,900 ft.
SILVER IN COLOUR
It was moving at a comparatively slow speed on a course similar to that of the aircraft.
The object was silver in colour and circular. It maintained a slow forward speed before
beginning to descend, swinging like a pendulum.
NOT A PARACHUTE
It was thought by those who saw it to be a parachute or cowling from a meteor, but an RAF
spokesman said today that no cowling or parachute had fallen in the vicinity of the station.
The signal reported that the aircraft turned towards Dishforth and the object, while still
descending appeared to follow.
INCREDIBLE SPEED
It then began a rotary motion about its own axis, but it suddenly accelerated at incredible
speed in a westerly direction, then turned to a south-easterly course.
Those who saw it stated that its movements were not identifiable with anything they had seen
in the air and that the acceleration was in excess of that of a shooting star.
The duration of the incident was between 15 and 20 seconds. The object was seen by Flt.-Lt.
Kilburn and Flt.-Lt. Cybulski, both captains of aircraft, by FO Paris, Master Signaller
Thompson, and by about 6 other aircrew members.
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