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The Lakenheath-Bentwaters Incident was a series of radar and visual contacts with Unidentified Flying Objects that took place over airbases in eastern England on the night of 13–14 August 1956, involving both RAF and USAF personnel. The incident has since gained some prominence in the literature of ufology and the popular media.〔See for example Ridpath, I. ''The UFO Conspiracy'', ''The Sunday Times'', 19 March 1978〕 The final Report of the Condon Committee, which otherwise concluded that UFOs were simple misidentifications of natural phenomena or aircraft, took an unusual position on the case: "In conclusion, although conventional or natural explanations certainly cannot be ruled out, the probability of such seems low in this case and the probability that at least one genuine UFO was involved appears to be fairly high".〔(Condon Report, Case 2 ), p.387〕 It has, however, also been argued that the incidents can be explained by false radar returns and misidentification of astronomical phenomena.〔Klass, P. J. ''UFOs Explained'', Random House 1974, ISBN 978-0-394-49215-5, pp.214-5〕 ==The incident== The commonly cited sequence of events is that recorded in the original Project Blue Book file by the US Air Force, subsequently analysed by the Condon Committee's report and by atmospheric physicist James E. McDonald. The incident began at the USAF-tenanted RAF Bentwaters, Suffolk, on the evening of 13 August 1956. This was a dry, largely clear night with, observers noted, an unusually large number of shooting stars, associated with the Perseid meteor shower. At 21:30, Radar operators at the base tracked a target, appearing similar to a normal aircraft return, approaching the base from the sea at an apparent speed of several thousand miles per hour. They also tracked a group of targets moving slowly to the north-east which merged into a single very large return (several times the strength of that from a B-36) before moving off the scope to the north, as well as a further rapid target proceeding east-west.〔McDonald, J ''Science in Default'', paper given to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, December 1969〕 A T-33 trainer from the 512th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, crewed by 1st Lieutenants Charles Metz and Andrew Rowe, was directed to investigate the radar contacts, but saw nothing. No visual sightings of the objects were made from Bentwaters in this period with the exception of a single amber star-like object which was subsequently identified as probably being Mars, then low in the south-east.〔Research by Dr David Clarke has since revealed that personnel at Bentwaters were during the surrounding weeks experiencing a degree of panic over "strange things flying around the runways" (see (correspondence from Raymond Thomas to David Clarke ), Lakenheath Collaboration).〕 At 22:55, a target was detected approaching Bentwaters from the east at a speed estimated around 2000–4000 mph. It faded from the scope as it passed over the base (possibly suggesting anomalous propagation as a source for the target, although ground-based radars almost always have a blind spot overhead), reappearing to the west. However, as it passed overhead a rapidly moving white light was observed from the ground, while the pilot of a C-47 at 4000 feet over Bentwaters reported that a similar light had passed beneath his aircraft. At this point, Bentwaters alerted the US-tenanted RAF Lakenheath base, 40 miles to the north-west, to look out for the targets.〔McDonald, ''Science in Default''〕 Ground personnel at Lakenheath made visual sightings of several luminous objects, including two which arrived, made a sharp change in course, and appeared to merge before moving off. The angular size of these objects was compared to that of a golf ball at arms length, and they were stated to dwindle to pinpoint size as they moved away, an observation which seemed to rule out a bolide or bright meteor.〔McDonald, ''Science in Default''〕 The final phase of the incident was described in some detail by T/Sgt Forrest Perkins, who was the Watch Supervisor in the Lakenheath Radar Air Traffic Control centre, and who wrote directly to the Condon Committee in 1968. Perkins claimed that two RAF De Havilland Venom interceptors were scrambled and directed towards a radar target near Lakenheath. The pilot of the first Venom achieved contact, but then found that the target manoeuvred behind him and chased the aircraft for a period of around 10 minutes despite the latter’s taking violent evasive action; Perkins characterised the pilot as "getting worried, excited and also pretty scared".〔Perkins, (Letter to Condon Committee, February 1968 ), Lakenheath Collaboration〕 The second Venom was forced to return to its home station due to engine problems; Perkins stated that the target remained on their screens for a short period before leaving on a northerly heading. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Lakenheath-Bentwaters incident」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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