Misc U.S. pilot was ordered to shoot down UFO

Frankie · 10-20-2008, 09:41 AM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081020/...itain_ufo#full

U.S. pilot was ordered to shoot down UFO
By Peter Griffiths Peter Griffiths

LONDON (Reuters) – Two U.S. fighter planes were scrambled and ordered to shoot down an unidentified flying object (UFO) over the English countryside during the Cold War, according to secret files made public on Monday.

One pilot said he was seconds away from firing 24 rockets at the object, which moved erratically and gave a radar reading like "a flying aircraft carrier."

The pilot, Milton Torres, now 77 and living in Miami, said it spent periods motionless in the sky before reaching estimated speeds of more than 7,600 mph (12,000 kph).

After the alert, a shadowy figure told Torres he must never talk about the incident and he duly kept silent for more than 30 years.

His story was among dozens of UFO sightings in defence ministry files released at the National Archives in London.

In a written account, Torres described how he scrambled his F-86 D Sabre jet in calm weather from the Royal Air Force base at Manston, Kent in May 1957.

"I was only a lieutenant and very much aware of the gravity of the situation. I felt very much like a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest," he said.

"The order came to fire a salvo of rockets at the UFO. The authentication was valid and I selected 24 rockets.

"I had a lock-on that had the proportions of a flying aircraft carrier," he added. "The larger the airplane, the easier the lock-on. This blip almost locked itself."

At the last moment, the object disappeared from the radar screen and the high-speed chase was called off.

He returned to base and was debriefed the next day by an unnamed man who "looked like a well-dressed IBM salesman."

"He threatened me with a national security breach if I breathed a word about it to anyone," he said.

The documents contain no official explanation for the incident, which came at a time of heightened tension between the West and the Soviet Union. Planes were on constant stand-by at British bases for a possible Soviet attack.

The files blame other UFO sightings on weather balloons, clouds or normal aircraft. Torres said he had been waiting 50 years for an explanation.

"I shall never forget it," he told the Times. "On that night I was ordered to open fire even before I had taken off. That had never happened before."

UFO expert David Clarke said the sighting may have been part of a secret U.S. project to create phantom aircraft on radar screens to test Soviet air defences.

"Perhaps what this pilot had seen was some kind of experiment in electronic warfare or maybe it was a UFO," he said. "Something very unusual happened."

The files are online at:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ufos

Hammock Parties · 10-20-2008, 09:44 AM

No wonder the aliens don't like us...we want to shoot them down.

DJJasonp · 10-20-2008, 09:45 AM

"I was only a lieutenant and very much aware of the gravity of the situation. I felt very much like a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest," he said.

Never heard that before.....but that's funny right there!!

Ultra Peanut · 10-21-2008, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJJasonp

"I was only a lieutenant and very much aware of the gravity of the situation. I felt very much like a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest," he said.

Never heard that before.....but that's funny right there!!

triple · 10-20-2008, 09:58 AM

is it any wonder the people reporting these sightings are usually 75+ years old, or spend most of their time in a trailer park?

Swazey · 10-20-2008, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by triple

is it any wonder the people reporting these sightings are usually 75+ years old, or spend most of their time in a trailer park?

ohhhhh ZING!! You're right... jet pilots are soooo incompetent.... BELIEVE.

Frankie · 10-20-2008, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swazey

ohhhhh ZING!! You're right... jet pilots are soooo incompetent.... BELIEVE.

They can be. One of'em is running for President right now.

DT58HOF · 10-21-2008, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankie

They can be. One of'em is running for President right now.

Yep an ex American soldier vs a Arab smooth talking man that hates the USA so much he wouldn't stand for the National Anthem until the past few months!!

Simply Red · 10-20-2008, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swazey

ohhhhh ZING!! You're right... jet pilots are soooo incompetent.... BELIEVE.

Are you satan?

Frankie · 10-20-2008, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by triple

is it any wonder the people reporting these sightings are usually 75+ years old, or spend most of their time in a trailer park?

Maybe when they are that old they are no longer scared of losing their lives over outing a secret.

triple · 10-20-2008, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankie

Maybe when they are that old they are no longer scared of losing their lives over outing a secret.

or they're old and senile.

hey did you hear about how they found bigfoot's corpse?

Hog's Gone Fishin · 10-20-2008, 10:02 AM

Thats no big deal, happens to me All the time!

Frankie · 10-20-2008, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

Thats no big deal, happens to me All the time!

Flushing down Unidentified Floating Objects is not the same.

CHIEF4EVER · 10-20-2008, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

Thats no big deal, happens to me All the time!

crazycoffey · 10-20-2008, 10:17 AM

I tend to not believe articles written by a cartoon character....

10-20-2008, 09:41 AM	Topic Starter
Frankie Banned Join Date: Jul 2001 Casino cash: $10004900	U.S. pilot was ordered to shoot down UFO http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081020/...itain_ufo#full U.S. pilot was ordered to shoot down UFO By Peter Griffiths Peter Griffiths LONDON (Reuters) – Two U.S. fighter planes were scrambled and ordered to shoot down an unidentified flying object (UFO) over the English countryside during the Cold War, according to secret files made public on Monday. One pilot said he was seconds away from firing 24 rockets at the object, which moved erratically and gave a radar reading like "a flying aircraft carrier." The pilot, Milton Torres, now 77 and living in Miami, said it spent periods motionless in the sky before reaching estimated speeds of more than 7,600 mph (12,000 kph). After the alert, a shadowy figure told Torres he must never talk about the incident and he duly kept silent for more than 30 years. His story was among dozens of UFO sightings in defence ministry files released at the National Archives in London. In a written account, Torres described how he scrambled his F-86 D Sabre jet in calm weather from the Royal Air Force base at Manston, Kent in May 1957. "I was only a lieutenant and very much aware of the gravity of the situation. I felt very much like a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest," he said. "The order came to fire a salvo of rockets at the UFO. The authentication was valid and I selected 24 rockets. "I had a lock-on that had the proportions of a flying aircraft carrier," he added. "The larger the airplane, the easier the lock-on. This blip almost locked itself." At the last moment, the object disappeared from the radar screen and the high-speed chase was called off. He returned to base and was debriefed the next day by an unnamed man who "looked like a well-dressed IBM salesman." "He threatened me with a national security breach if I breathed a word about it to anyone," he said. The documents contain no official explanation for the incident, which came at a time of heightened tension between the West and the Soviet Union. Planes were on constant stand-by at British bases for a possible Soviet attack. The files blame other UFO sightings on weather balloons, clouds or normal aircraft. Torres said he had been waiting 50 years for an explanation. "I shall never forget it," he told the Times. "On that night I was ordered to open fire even before I had taken off. That had never happened before." UFO expert David Clarke said the sighting may have been part of a secret U.S. project to create phantom aircraft on radar screens to test Soviet air defences. "Perhaps what this pilot had seen was some kind of experiment in electronic warfare or maybe it was a UFO," he said. "Something very unusual happened." The files are online at: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ufos
Posts: 26,959

10-20-2008, 09:44 AM	#2
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $840478	No wonder the aliens don't like us...we want to shoot them down. __________________ Chiefs game films
Posts: 297,313

10-20-2008, 09:45 AM	#3
DJJasonp My work speaks for itself!!! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: So Cal Casino cash: $-1854800	"I was only a lieutenant and very much aware of the gravity of the situation. I felt very much like a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest," he said. Never heard that before.....but that's funny right there!! __________________ Its easier to fool a man, than to convince a man he's been fooled.
Posts: 13,965

10-20-2008, 09:58 AM	#5
triple Stop saying &quot;This.&quot; Join Date: Aug 2008 Casino cash: $10004900	is it any wonder the people reporting these sightings are usually 75+ years old, or spend most of their time in a trailer park? __________________
Posts: 2,110

10-20-2008, 10:02 AM	#12
Hog's Gone Fishin Fish are scared of me Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $-1529523	Thats no big deal, happens to me All the time!
Posts: 40,647

10-20-2008, 10:17 AM	#15
crazycoffey .......... Join Date: Dec 2006 Casino cash: $4157901	I tend to not believe articles written by a cartoon character....
Posts: 28,392