The 1954 French flap:

Saturday, October 2, 1954.

PILOT: [Name censored]

PLANE: NORD 1203 F-BEMV.

54700454

10/02/1954

I. - Vertical of FAVERGES, Haute-Savoie, altitude of 2000 meters, heading 250°, speed 220 KMS hour, 4:20 p.m. local time, W wind, speed 8 knots?

2. - Observation to starboard of a circular craft moving on the same heading with a higher altitude of about 6,000 feet and a distance of 10 kms. Its trajectory was an ascending curve before disappearing on the horizon. This disc in my sight, had a tilt on its axis of about 30 to 40 degrees, a phosphorescent glow fringed the rear edge of the craft.

Comparing to the wingspan of an F.84 or a Vampire and the same distance, it seems to me that this craft must have a diameter of 3 to 4 meters.

3. - The duration of the observation was 1 minutes 10 seconds.

[] is a specialist of the flight in the Alps; which he knows inside out. He has some 10,000 flight hours.

Yours faithfully.

signed: []

A wave of strange "objects" sweeps over France

Martians amateur
of darkness play
hide and seek

But all those who have
seen "saucers"
are not dreamers

By Gabriel Heres

An invasion of a flying saucer and other mysterious craft is sweeping over Europe, and the number of recorded testimonies shows that France seems to be particularly targeted. It has hardly been daylight for weeks that several of these demonstrations have not been reported from Vendée to Moselle and Quiévrain to Bidassoa.

The abundance of these strange appearances is such that fear eventually reigns.

In Limousin, in particular, where a farmer was embraced, on September 10, by a yet very peaceful stranger, terror installed, especially in the region of Roches (Creuse), where children no longer dare to go to school alone and where the shepherds no longer want to keep their flocks since a disturbing shadow has been reported hiding in the thickets. We fear that the amiable Martians have embarked leaving one of his companions on earth.

In Diges (Yonne), two women saw, each on herr side, a cigar placed in a meadow and its pilot leaning over, on what may have been its engine. The "being" was of normal height, dressed in khaki and wearing a cap, but they were so afraid that, by an identical reflex, they fled and locked themselves up.

The flying saucers
disturbed the Sunday rest
a certain number of French people

Chamonix. -- The chronicle of flying saucers and other "cigars" continues to be abundantly provided. During the last weekend, the witnesses who have, in fact, seen mysterious craft are no longer counted.

It seems that Chamonix should be given priority, given that, at the same time, High mountain school officers, gendarmes and the Guiron pilot who was flying over the region saw for more than an hour a brilliant craft moving between Mount Lachat and Mount Blanc.

Pilot Guiron indicated that flying about 2000 meters above Faverges, he saw a craft which, he said, had no resemblance to a normal aircraft. In addition, the direction followed at high speed by this craft excluded the hypothesis of a weather balloon.

In Corbigny (Nièvre), several inhabitants saw a luminous orange disc which moved in the sky and disappeared vertically after have changed altitude several times.

In Breuil-Chaussée, in the Deux-Sèvres, Mr. Girardeau, 55, was on his way to work when, on a detour from the road, he noticed a circular craft "near which there was a being who appeared to him like dressed in a sort of diving suit." The "being" went towards him and Mr. Girardeau fled, frightened. Shortly after, the circular craft set off again at high speed!

"It looked like a haystack"

It is also a weird craft around which hovered two strange individuals who is said to have been seen by two young people of Vron (Somme). "We approached, they told the gendarmes. It looked like a haystack. Suddenly the craft took off."

In the Indre, both in Levroux and in Vatan, about fifteen people followed the moves of a luminous yellowish ball which rose and fell in the sky and could have been three meters in diameter.

Eisenhower and Malenkov
shaking hands
around a "saucer" ...

A pseudo-literator, on the contrary very happy that these fantastic beings come to join his philosophical ramblings, likens the "anti-saucers" to troublemakers

[Image caption:] The United States is preparing to build a flying saucer, the design of which was drawn up by a British engineer, Mr. John C. M. FROST. The craft, represented above by an American designer, would be able to take off vertically and reach a speed of 3000 kilometers per hour. The pilot is installed in the center. To take off, it triggers 180 thrusters placed all around the saucer. Once it is at the desired height, to move forward he simply operates the thrusters placed at the rear of the craft. The flying saucer is inspired by the experiments made in 1930 by the French Henri LOANDA [sic, Coanda].

A STRANGE CRAFT MOVES ABOVE MONT-BLANC FOR MORE THAN ONE HOUR

CHAMONIX. -- A very large number of people, among whom were officers from the High Mountain School, gendarmes from Chamonix and pilot Guiron, a specialist in high mountain flying who flew over the area at that time, said to have seen for more than one hour a craft move between Mount Lachat and Mont Blanc.

Pilot Guiron reported that flying about 2,000 meters above Faverges, he saw a craft which, he said, bore no resemblance to a normal aircraft. In addition the direction followed at high speed by this craft excluded the hypothesis of a sounding balloon.

A Saucers Invasion

Moreover, one continues - jokes, hallucinations or trustworthy testimonies - to report everywhere the manifestation in the sky of saucers or other cigars.

VIC-SUR-CERE. -- Several people have said that they have seen a cigar-shaped craft heading south, with a slight smoke plume.

NEVERS. -- A representative of an insurance company in Clamecy, as well as several residents of Corbigny, said they saw an orange luminous disc moving in the sky and which, after having several times changed altitude, disappeared vertically.

BRESSUIRE. -- Slaughter center employee, Mr. Angelo Girardeau, 55-year-old, residing in Breuil-Chaussée (Deux Sèvres), said he had seen Sunday morning, on his way to work, a circular machine near which was a being who appeared to him dressed in a kind of scuba. That character went to Mr. Girardeau who, frightened, fled. Shortly after the circular craft departed at very high speed.

ABBEVILLE. -- Two young men from Vron (Somme) said they saw on the national road, between Crécy and Ligescourt, a curious craft around which bizarre individuals roamed. They approached the craft, who, they say, looked like a haystack, but it took off. The two young people told their adventure to the gendarmes.

CHATEAUROUX. -- Mrs widow Janiki, residing at the Bourg du Ceris1er, commune of Levroux (Indre), told the police that she had seen in the sky a luminous craft of a diameter of about 8 meters and which was at the level of buildings. Mrs. widow Lacotte, who lives about 800 meters from Mrs. Janiki, said she witnessed the same phenomenon.

(See more on page 5)

A strange craft is moving...

(Continued from the first page.)

CHATEAUROUX. -- Mrs. Baron, living in Vatan (Indre), said she saw a luminous ball in the sky Sunday evening. She alerted her husband and about fifteen people from her neighborhood who, all, saw moving, at a very high altitude, the greenish yellow machine that went up and down in the sky.

An official report

Whereas these different appearances can make the skeptics smile, the information coming from Africa appears more serious. Because, probably not wanting to disdain any continent, flying saucers were seen in Côte d'Ivoire. The news came from an official report to the governor of Côte d'Ivoire by Mr. Vernhet, chief administrator of the Danane subdivision, a town 500 kilometers northwest of Abijan. The facts date back to September 19, but have only been made official today through specific inquiries and investigations.

In addition to the population, the head of the gendarmerie station, the chief medical officer of the medical center, the Reverend Father Vyard, of the Lyon missions, head of the subdivision, and his wife, gathered in the courtyard of the residence, and saw on September 19, from 8:30 p.m. zo 9:05 p.m., a craft exactly corresponding to those observed in France, but which did not land.

It was a luminous dot, surrounded by a halo that first grew rapidly, moving closer to or away from the horizon. The witnesses saw the craft light a powerful headlight, sometimes directed upwards, sometimes downwards. The craft, of ovoid shape, was surmounted by a dome and luminous beams seemed to be detached on each side.

When it disappeared, after having moved for half an hour, the witnesses saw very clearly two luminous halos of oval shape, to be formed on the presumed location of the craft. The latter moved without any noise. Administrator Vernhet has attached to his report a detailed sketch of the different phases observed, as well as of the shape of the craft.

On the same day, in Soubre, 250 kilometers north-west of Abidjan, and in the same direction, similar phenomena were observed. The head of the subdivision of Soubre confirmed the existence of the phenomenon he attended.

"The Uranids"

Moreover, the scientists who until now had remained silent on the flying saucers affairs, will they leave their prudent reserve?

"Flying saucers exist and account for at least ten percent of the craft observed in the sky," said Professor Oberth, German rocket scientist and honorary president of the "German Astronautical Society", during a conference in Hamburg.

Professor Oberth added that it is possible, in his opinion, that these craft contain crews of creatures similar to humans, and proposed, to designate these unknown beings, the term "URANIDS". The Uranids, the German scholar continued, are probably thousands of years ahead of our time.

To explain why no "flying saucer" crashed on Earth so far, Professor Oberth suggests that pilots may have perfect control of their craft and that, for some reason that human intelligence cannot imagine, they may not desire any contact with terrestrial creatures.

Looking at another possibility, Professor Oberth recalled that the saucers observed could be considered as a perfecting of the V7, German rockets of the end of World War II, of which several prototypes would have fallen, according to the scientist, in Russian hands in 1945.

From a German rocket specialist

"FLYING SAUCERS WOULD BE MOUNTED BY URANIDS"

Flying saucers exist and account for at least ten percent of the craft observed in the sky, said Professor Hermann Oberth, German rocket scientist and honorary president of the German company Astronautics, during a lecture delivered in Hamburg. Professor Oberth adds that it is possible, in his opinion, that these machines contain creatures similar to humans and proposed the term "Uranides" to designate these unknown beings. The Uranids, continued the German specialist, are probably several thousand years ahead of our time. To explain why no flying saucer crashed yet on Earth, Professor Oberth suggests that pilots may have perfect control of their machines and that for some reason human intelligence can not imagine, they may not desire no contact with terrestrial creatures.

Considering another possibility, Professor Oberth recalled that the flying saucers observed could be considered as an improvement of the V-7, German rockets of the end of the war, of which several prototypes would have fallen according to the scientist between the hands of the Russians in 1945.

A strange craft reportedly moved over Mont Blanc

A large number of people, including high mountain school officers, Chamonix gendarmes and pilot Guiron, a specialist in mountain flying, flying over the region at that time, reported seeing a brilliant craft moving between Mount Lachat and Mont Blanc.

Pilot Guiron reported that flying about 2000 meters above Faverges, he saw a craft that had no resemblance to a normal aircraft. In addition, the direction taken at high speed by this aircraft precluded the assumption of a sounding balloon.

Flying saucer in Ivory Coast

Flying saucers were sighted in Ivory Coast. It was, according to the witnesses, a luminous point surrounded by a halo that first grew rapidly, moving closer to or away from the horizon. The witnesses saw the craft light a powerful lighthouse, sometimes drift up, sometimes down.

The ovoid-shaped craft was surmounted by a dome and light rays seemed to come off each side. When it disappeared after having evolved half an hour, the witnesses saw very clearly two light halos, of oval form forming on the presumed place of the machine. It was moving without any noise.

Bright objects in Le Puy sky

Twice yesterday in the night, brilliant objects were seen in the sky of Le Puy without being able to determine exactly their nature. Towards 8:30 pm, several of our fellow citizens saw evolving over the Place du Breuil and Place Michelet a machine that looked like a balloon to which would have been attached to a light. This machine, which was flying substantially in the east - west direction, passed about 15 meters above the court and at about the same height above the newly built Michelet. Its speed could be 7 to 8 kilometers an hour since several people followed for a moment the light machine in its evolutions. A little later, at the exit of the cinema, several Ponots also saw in the sky, another object whose luminous intensity was variable, of apparent diameter smaller than that of a football.

This machine which evolved, it seems, rather quickly at high altitude followed a rectilinear trajectory. Coming from Ronzon's side, this craft disappeared a few minutes later above Mons. This afternoon again around 3 pm Many passers-by on the Boulevard Mal-Fayolle saw above their heads a shiny white object, rising in the sky vertically.

[AERO MIL] FAVERGES (74) 10/02/1954

Observed on:	10/02/1954
Region:	Rhône-Alpes
Department:	Haute-Savoie
Class:	C
Summary:	[AERO MIL] FAVERGES (74) 10/02/1954. Distant observation by a pilot of the move of a circular object: lack of information.
Description:	On October 02, 1954, an experienced pilot (about 10,000 hrs of flight, specialist in flight in the Alps), at the controls of a Nord 1203, flew at a heading of 250°, at 220 km/h and at an altitude of 2000 m. At 4:20 p.m. he observed on his right a "craft" moving on the same heading at an altitude of about 4000 m, located at a distance which he estimated at about 10 km. Its trajectory follows an ascending curve. Its shape is that of a disc tilted on its axis from 30 to 40° whose rear edge presents a phosphorescent glow. Its diameter is estimated at 3-4 m. It disappears on the horizon after 70 s. The pilot makes a brief report of his sighting. No other testimony is collected. The sun (azimuth 245°, site 18°) is in the axis of flight. The craft traveled ~ 4,300 m during the observation period. The object is seen at an elevation of about 11° in an azimuth close to 340° (no astronomical confusion spotted in this area, see sky map). It follows an ascending trajectory then disappears on the horizon indicating that the witness fails to describe the descending part. The witness interprets what he sees as a disc tilted by 30-40° "on its axis" but which axis is it? We can imagine a disc whose front is lower than the rear (or vice versa) or whose left edge is lower than the right (or vice versa). In the latter case, the object would have the shape of an ellipse. Does the witness have objective reasons for describing a "tilted disc" or is this just an interpretation? In addition, the angular size of the object is very small since an object 3-4 m at 10 km distance is viewed from an angle of 1' to 1.4' (0.15 to 0.2 mm at arm's length ), which is the limit of resolution of the eye (in strong contrast and luminance). The pilot flying at heading 250 is almost facing the sun (azimuth 244°, elevation 18°): we cannot exclude a reflection of the sun on a small object much closer (balloon) or even a reflection of the sun on the canopy. GEIPAN classifies this case in C for lack of information and cross-checking.
Report:	None.

Details of the testimony

Aeronautical testimony
Reference of the Rep.	1
Date of the Rep.	10/02/1954
Type of aircraft	Nord 1203
Coming from
Destination
Reaction
Behaviour
Conditions
Estimated position	Faverges (74)
Date and UTC time	10/02/1954 04:20 p.m.
Hour frame	4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Altitude - Type	6500
Altitude - Phase
Cloud	Outside of clouds
Vertical distance of the cloud
Horizontal distance of the cloud
Sun / Moon
Face / Back	0
Visibility	>= 10 km
Localization
Heading	250 - 289
Trajectory
Apparent speed	Fast
Duration	1 mn 10 s
Description
Color	Not specified
Luminance
Size	Other (comparison, landmarks, etc.)
Effect on the environnement
On-board radar detection	No
Ground radar detection	No