The 1954 French flap:

BALLS ...

Yssingeaux (A.F.P.). A tradesman of Yssingeaux saw, Sunday evening towards 9 p.m., in the sky, a large ball finished by a tail producing sparks. The machine going down at a vertiginous pace, the observer believed that it was a plane falling in flames. But suddenly, it suspended its race, moved away and disappeared. The phenomenon had lasted from 10 to 15 minutes.

... AND FLYING CRESCENTS

Clermont-Ferrand (A.F.P.).
Inhabitants of Lézoux (Puy-de-Dome) saw an orange "crescent" moving without noise in a north-western to south-eastern direction. The phenomenon could be observed half an hour approximately.

A flying saucer carried
the serial number "3 R-X MARS"

BRUSSELS, November 1^st. - A flying saucer from Belgium landed yesterday in Limel, near Maastricht, in Limburg, last night.

It is a small unmanned saucer, about 60 centimeters in diameter, bearing a license plate "3 R-X Mars" and whose structure is of great simplicity, enough for shaming the experts.

It is made up of a wicker circle covered with tinfoil and suspended in the air by four large toy balloons. In a sort of basket, attached to the wicker circle, a Belgian-made flashlight lights up the saucer, giving this machine a disturbing appearance at night.

Flying saucers are sometimes balls...

A merchant of Yssingeaux saw, in the sky, a large ball ending in a tail producing sparks. The craft descended at a dizzying pace, the observer believed that it was a plane falling in flames. But, suddenly, the ball stopped its course, moved away and disappeared.

... sometimes crescents

Residents of Lézeux [sic] (Puy-de-Dôme), saw an orange "crescent" moving noiselessly towards northwest - southeast. The phenomenon could be observed for about half an hour.

THE FLYING SAUCERS
ARE SOMETIMES BALLS...

Yssingeaux, November 1.

A merchant of Yssingeaux saw last night, around 9 p.m., in the sky, a large ball ending in a tail producing sparks.

As the craft descended at a dizzying pace, the observer believed that it was a plane falling in flames. But suddenly it stopped moving, went away and disappeared. The phenomenon lasted 12 to 15 minutes.

Sometimes crescents

Clermont-Ferrand, Nov. 1

Residents of Lezoux (Puy-de-Dôme), saw yesterday, an orange "croissant" moving silently in direction North-West South-East. The phenomenon could be observed for half an hour.

A "saucer" captured at last

The Hague, November 1.

A flying saucer from Belgium landed in Limmel near Maastricht in the Kimburg last night.

It is a small unmanned saucer of about 80 centimeters in diameter carrying a license plate "3 R-X Mars" and whose structure is brilliantly simple, enough for shaming experts.

It is made up of a wicker circle covered with silver paper and suspended in the air by four toy balloons. In a kind of basket, attached to the wicker circle, a Belgian-made flashlight lights up the saucer, giving this craft a disturbing appearance at night.

Balls, crescent or wickerwork circle...

FLYING SAUCERS
NEW MODEL

according to fertile imaginations

Last Friday, around 11 p.m., a resident of Saint-Just busy preparing the midday meal, saw a saucer near the bell tower; calling her children she pointed to the object. But all three soon realized that it was the sun reflecting in a skylight of the church steeple and with the light fog that remained gave the impression of a fireball suspended in the air.

In Yssingeaux, a merchant saw around 9 p.m., in the sky a large ball ending in a tail producing sparks. The craft descending at a dizzying pace, the observer believed that it was a plane falling in flames. But suddenly, it stopped its course, moved away and disappeared. The phenomenon lasted about 15 minutes.

A saucer
"captured"

But Holland is where the tastiest story comes from. Indeed, a flying saucer from Belgium landed in Limmel, near Masstricht [sic, Maastricht], in Limburg, during the last night.

This is a small unmanned saucer of about 80 centimeters in diameter bearing a number plate: "3 RX Mars" and whose structure is brilliantly simple, such as to shame experts.

It actually consists of a wicker circle covered with silver paper and held in suspension in the air by four large toy balloons. In a kind of basket, fixed to the wicker hoop, a Belgian-made flashlight illuminates the saucer, giving this craft a disturbing appearance at night.