The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 17-Oct-54-Préchac.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
According to a ufology catalog of sightings in the Gironde department published in the ufology magazine Ouranos New Series #9, in the 4th quarter of 1973, the Sud Ouest newspaper for October 21, 1954, reported that on October 17, 1954, at 01:30 p.m. in Préchac, Mr. Roger Mothes had seen from the top of his pigeon tower located opposite the Ciron, near La Fue, a tadpole-shaped blue craft, about 2 meters high and 4 meters long. It had a thin curved extension and two white portholes towards the rear.
The craft reportedly landed in a recent cut in the forest while making muffled sounds. Mr. Mothes approached the place but did not see anything anymore.
The catalog mentions that "some details might be reminiscent of a helicopter."
Belgian ufologist Godelieve van Overmeire adds, on her web catalogue that the witness was a gendarme and told his adventure the next day to his colleagues of the brigade of La Fère, but no trace was found on the location.
[Ref. ous1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "OURANOS":
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October 17, 1954 01:30 p.m. Prechac AP V3
Witness: Mr. Roger Mothes from the top of his pigeon tower located opposite Ciron, near La Fue. Blue tadpole-shaped craft, about 2 meters high and 4 long. It had a thin curved extension and two white portholes to the rear. The craft lands in a recent cut in the forest while making muffled sounds. Approaching the place Mr. Mothes saw nothing.
(Some details may suggest a helicopter).
S.O. Oct. 21, 54
[Ref. ufa1:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "UFOLOGIA":
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OCTOBER 17, 1954 1:30 p.m. Prechac AP/V 3
Witness: Mr. Roger MOTHES from the top of his pigeon tower located opposite the CIRON, near the FUE. Tadpole-shaped blue contraption, about 2m high and 4m long. Slight curved extension and two white portholes aft; the craft landed emitting deaf noises. Approaching, Mr. MOTHES saw nothing!
(S.O. October 21, 1954)
Note: "AP" stands for "Close landing"; "V 3" means "observation of medium interest."
[Ref. bbr1:] GERARD BARTHEL AND JACQUES BRUCKER:
The two authors argue that no UFO is an extraterrestrial craft because their shapes are ridiculously varied. As example they indicate a case which they date of October 20, 1954, in Préchac, which they say has been described in the "Sud-Ouest" newspaper of August 11, 1974 as such:
"Mr Mothes, set in his pidgeon tower vis-a-vis Ciron awaits the game. At approximately 01:30 p.m., he is very surprised when the hoped prey has no other aspect than that of a hypertrophic batrachian larva."
"- I saw a kind of bulky machine presenting the form of a huge tadpole of 2 meters in diameter and 4 in length. Two white portholes flanked the back of the body, a bent prolongation was protruding. The machine disappeared in a recent cut in the forest; low noises accompanied its landing. On the location of its impact with the ground I did discovered nothing. -No circulation of Zeppelin or other pisciform airship was announced in the area."
The two authors then suggest as explanation that Mr. Mothes saw certainly a shooting star and made a strange description of it, that one sees melons in Cavaillon [because Cavaillon produces melons] and silly things in Cambrai [because Cambrai produces a pastry called "bêtises de Cambrai", i.e. "silly things"].
[Ref. fru1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:
The two authors indicate that in Préchac in the department of Gironde, on October 17, 1954 at 01:30 p.m., a blue machine in the shape of a tadpole of approximately 2 meters in height and 4 meters length was seen.
The machine had a thin bent protrusion and two white port-holes about the back of the machine. It was stationed in a forest.
The authors note that the summary description which they found for this case and certain details in it made them think it might have been a helicopter.
They note that the source is their personal archive.
[Ref. rlt1:] RENAUD LECLET - "LES MYSTERES DE L'EST":
Renaud Leclet lists cases that he thinks have "similarities with helicopters", including this one:
17/10/54 Prechac (33) à 13h 30: un engin avec deux hublots posé en forêt 17/10/54 Varigney (70) â 20h 30 un objet en forme de dôme rouge vif lumineux ovec des personnes.
[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
4173: 1954/10/17 13:30 1 0:21:00 W 44:24:00 N 3333 WEU FRN GRN 8:6
PRECHAC,FR:4M TADPOLE-OBJ LANDED/FOREST:NOT A HELICOPTER per SECRET DETAILS
Ref# 30 FIGEUT[sic]&RUCHON: OVNI: Le 1er Dossier Page No. 182 : FOREST
[Ref. goe1] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:
Godelieve van Overmeire indicates that on October 17, 1954, in France, in Préchac, in the Gironde, a "gendarme sees at 13:30 a blue craft in the shape of a tadpole, of approximately 2 m height and 4 meters length. Thin protrusion and two white port-holes towards the back of the machine, which is said to have landed in the forest. Short description can make think of a helicopter. He told its adventure the next day to his colleagues of the brigade of La Fère, but no trace was found on the spot."
The source is indicated as Figuet and J.L. Ruchon: "Ovni, premier dossier complet...", Alain Lefeuvre pu. 1979, page 182.
[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:
Luc Chastan indicates that in the Gironde in Préchac on October 17, 1954 at 13:30 hours, "Blue craft in the form of a tadpole of approximately 2 meters in height and 4 meters length. Thin bent protrusion and two white port-holes towards the back of the machine. The craft is said to have landed in the forest. The short description which reached us on this case and certain details can make think of a helicopter. Yes but, the witness is a policeman, could he have mistaken a helicopter with a weird phenomenon. He told his adventure the next day morning, to his colleagues of the gendarmerie squad, but no trace was found on the spot."
Luc Chastan indicates that the source is "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".
[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 17 October 1954 at 13:30, in Prechac, France, there was a sighting.
The source is indicated as "Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002".
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It is quite obvious that the craft was probably a helicopter.
The place is "Préchac", not "Prechac".
We see that whereas Ouranos, Figuet and Ruchon, thought of a helicopter, others, who use these sources, silenced this comment.
No commentis necessary about the Barthel and Brucker explanation...
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Préchac, Gironde, daytime, blue, craft, object, helicopter, tadpole, elongated, portholes, landing, forest
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | September 24, 2005 | First published. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | February 4, 2009 | Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [goe1], [lcn1], [uda1]. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | December 24, 2018 | Additions [ous1], [rlt1], [lhh1], Summary. Explanations changed, were "Not looked for yet." |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | August 24, 2019 | Addition [bbr1]. |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | May 25, 2022 | Addition [ufa1]. |
