ACUFO:

FEB. 1944. Time 2.30 a.m.

Sighting by T.R.H. Royal of Scarborough Queensland.

Mr. Royal was a bomber pilot travelling over Bass Strait (Victoria) when this dark shadow appeared alongside and kept pace for about 18-20 minutes. This object appeared to have a flickering light, and belched flame from the rear end.

Altitude was 4,500 ft,. and only part of the object was visible was the rear end which was about fifteen ft. owing to the reflection of light of the exhaust, It kept a distance of 100 - 150 ft. from the bomber and then accelerated to approx three times the speed of the Beaufort speed which was 235 m.p.h.

This incident was reported to the base upon the return, but the whole incident was laughed at.

A factor which hold interest, is that during the sighting all radio and direction finding equipment refused to function.

AUSTRALIAN A. F. UFO

By BILL CHALKER
APRO Representative for Australia

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My research indJcates that extraordinary violations of our national airspace, beyond known enemy activity, were apparently occurring before even the RAAF started its own study. The following two accounts were reported to civilian sources.

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At about 2:30 am, one night during February 1944, a Beaufort bomber flying at about 235 mph (375 kph), at 4500 feet (1350 metres), over Bass Strait, gained a most unusual aerial companion. A "dark shadow" appeared alongside the plane and kept pace with it, at a distance of only some 100 to 150 feet (about 50 metres). The object appeared to have a flickering light and flame belching from its rear end. Only about 15 feet (5 metres) of the rear end of the "shadow" was visible to the bomber crew, apparently due to "reflection of light from exhaust".

The strange object stayed with the bomber for some 18 to 20 minutes, during which time all radio and direction-finding instruments refused to function. It finally accelerated away from the plane, at approximately three times the speed of the bomber. Upon landing the pilot reported the incident to his base superiors, but he claimed he was only laughed at. This alleged reaction seems extraordinary in retrospect, since Beauforts figured heavily in the large number of military planes that went "missing" (presumed lost) in Bass Straight (8 out of 17) during the war years. No enemy action was apparently ever confirmed in Bass Strait during World War II.

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During february 1944, at 2:30 am, the crew of a RAAF Beaufort bomber flying at about 1,400 meters above Bass Strait gained a most unusual companion. A "dark shadow" appeared alongside the plane and kept pace with it, at a distance of only 35 meters. The Beaufort was travelling at at about 400 kilometers per hour. The object appeared to have a flickering light and flame belching from its rear end. Only about four and a half meters of the rear end of the UFO was visible to the bomber crew, apparently due to reflection of light from the exhaust. The strange object stayed with the bomber for some 20 minutes, during which time all radio and direction finding instruments refused to function. It finally accelerated away from the plane at approximately three times the speed of the bomber.

1944 Feb/Victoria, Australia/FSM (1957 n. 27), Story

A dark shadow appeared along side of the airplane for 18-20 min. as it flickered and belched flames. It accelerated to thr.ee times the speed of the airplane at an altitude of 4,500 ft. The airplane's radio and directional instruments failed in the presence of the object.

1944, February

AUSTRALIA, Bass strait (Victoria)

The pilot of an RAAF Beaufort bomber flying at 4,500 feet saw a black shadow flying alongside him, only 100 to 150 feet away. Flames were coming from the end of this thing. For 18 to 20 minutes the bomber's radio and other onboard instruments refused all service. It ended when the UFO accelerated and disappeared. (Janet and Colin BORD: "Modern Mysteries of the World" - Guild Publishing London 1989, p. 310) [This part in French in the original.]

February, 1944, 2:30 Bass Strait, Australia (39°30 S / 145°50 E) During february 1944, at 2:30 am, the crew of a RAAF Beaufort bomber flying at about 4,500 feet above Bass Strait sighted a "dark shadow" which appeared alongside the plane and kept pace with it, at a distance of only 35 meters. The Bristol Beaufort was travelling at about 235 mph. The object had a flickering light and flame belching from its rear end. The strange object stayed with the bomber for some 20 minutes, during which time all radio and direction-finding instruments refused to function. It finally accelerated away from the plane at approximately three times the speed of the bomber. (Sources: The OZ files, Bill Chalker, 1996 p.35; Beyond Top Secret, Timothy Good, 1998, p.152) [This part in English in the original.]

In 1944 a Beaufort bomber crew reported a "dark shadow" flying within 100 feet of their plane for 18 to 20 minutes, causing radio and ADF malfunction before zooming away at three times the speed of the bomber.

490: 1944/02/00 02:30 20 145:40:00 E 39:40:00 S 3313 OCN AUS VCT 8:9
BASS STRAIT,AUSTR:OBJ SUIT BONBARDIER/20min:INSTRUMs EME:PART/700mph:/APRO v30#10
Ref#174 CHALKER,BILL: The OZ FILES. Page No. 35: EN-VOL

The final item on the above list is one of the few recorded during World War Two, and is worth describing in a little detail to illustrate a report of that era. The case was recorded in the 1957 UFO magazine, “Australian Saucer Review” 3(1):16 from an original report form.

"Mr T R H Royal was piloting a Beaufort bomber over Bass Strait when a dark "shadow" appeared alongside and kept pace for eighteen to twenty minutes. The object seemed to have a flickering light, and belched flames from its rear end. It maintained a distance of thirty to fifty metres from the aircraft before accelerating away. During the event all radio and direction-finding equipment is said to have malfunctioned."

It was therefore with some interest, that a deeper search of NAA electronic records revealed ten files held by the Australian War Memorial which might contain relevant material. The files cover the period 1942-1944.

[No information related to this case followed.]

1944 Bass Strait

Mr T. R. H. Royal was piloting a Beaufort bomber over Bass Strait when a dark "shadow" appeared alongside and kept pace for eighteen to twenty minutes. The object seemed to have a flickering light, and belched flames from its rear end. It maintained a distance of thirty to fifty meters from the aircraft before accelerating away. During the event all radio and direction finding equipment is said to have malfunctioned. (The Australian Saucer Record. 1957. 3(1):16.)

The Disclosure Australia Project’s researcher in Canberra went to the National Archives and obtained permission to inspect Mr Royal’s personal service records. These records indicated that he was with No 1 O.T.U. (Operational Training Unit) in early February 1944. However, there was no record of his name in the Squadron Dairies or any indication that he had flown over Bass Straight. He was a Non Commissioned Officer Pilot.

The only mention of his name was when he was with No. 8 SQN in September 1945 where he flew his first sortie on the 30 September 1945 on an unarmed reconnaissance mission over the Sepic River area in Papua New Guinea. This information came from the RAAF Historical Records, Russell Offices in Canberra. (Disclosure Australia Project Newswletter 12 April 2004.)

Case 31

February, 1944

Bass Strait, Australia (39°30 S / 145° 50 E)

During february 1944, at 2:30 am, the crew of a RAAF Beaufort bomber flying at about 4,500 feet above Bass Strait sighted a "dark shadow " which appeared alongside the plane and kept pace with it, at a distance of only 35 meters. The Bristol Beaufort was travelling at about 235 mph. The object had a flickering light and flame belching from its rear end. The strange object stayed with the bomber for some 20 minutes, during which time all radio and direction-finding instruments refused to function. It finally accelerated away from the plane at approximately three times the speed of the bomber.

Sources: "A preliminary Study of Fifty Seven Pilot Sighting Reports involving Alleged Electro-Magnetic Effects on Aircraft Systems", Preliminary repott, Haines Richard F. et Weinstein, Dominique F., NARCAP, 200 I / Above top secret, Timothy Good / The OZ Files, Bill Chalker / MUFON International Symposium 1987.

[1944] February, 1944; Bass Strait, Australia

At 2:30 a.m. A bomber crew at 4,500 feet altitude saw a dark shape pull alongside the plane and pace it at a distance of about 100 feet for about 18-20 minutes. A flickering light was visible at its trailing end, which illuminated the rear portion of the object. While the object was alongside all radio and direction-finding instruments on the plane malfunctioned. Finally the object accelerated and sped away. (Ref. 3; Bill Chalker, The Oz Files, 1996, pp. 35-36.)

February 1944 Bass Strait Royal

Mr T. R. H. Royal was piloting a Beaufort bomber over Bass Strait when a dark "shadow" appeared alongside and kept pace for eighteen to twenty minutes. The object seemed to have a flickering light, and belched flames from its rear end. It maintained a distance of thirty to fifty meters from the aircraft before accelerating away. During the event all radio and direction finding equipment is said to have malfunctioned.

Source: The Australian Saucer Record. (ASR) 1957. 3(1):16.) A search of NAA files suggests Royal was not a pilot at the time the incident is said to have occurred, which casts doubt on the account. In addition no contemporary account has ever been located.

Date: Feb. 1944

Location: Bass Strait, Australia

Time: 2:30 a.m.

Summary: At 2:30 a.m. A bomber crew at 4,500 feet altitude saw a dark shape pull alongside the plane and pace it at a distance of about 100 feet for about 18-20 minutes. A flickering light was visible at its trailing end, which illuminated the rear portion of the object. While the object was alongside all radio and direction-finding instruments on the plane malfunctioned. Finally the object accelerated and sped away.

Ref. 3; Bill Chalker, The Oz Files, 1996, pp. 35-36

1944

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February

2:30 a.m. An Australian Beaufort bomber is flying at 4,500 feet over Bass Strait, Australia, when it is joined by an object like a “dark shadow” with a flickering flame coming out of its rear. It appears only 100 – 150 feetaway and stays with the bomber for 18 – 20 minutes, during which time its radio and direction-finding instrumentsfail. It shoots away at 700 mph.

(Bill Chalker, "Australian A.F. UFO Report Files", APRO Bulletin 30, no. 10 (October 1982): 7)

[... other cases...]