Go go go go go massive UFO*… More from those UK Government Files.

You may recall some time back a piece on the CLR which dealt with recently released files from the British government on UFO’s. As a complete sucker for UFO’s (which I hasten to add I’m also a complete sceptic about) and for archives, what happier combination could there be? One story in particular was of striking issue, which dealt with… well, I’ll requote the relevant sections of the post…

Then what of omissions? File DEFE-24/1940/1 on Page 114 details photographs taken of a UFO in Scotland in August 1990. Apparently ‘six colour photographs of a diamond shaped UFO and a Harrier jet were taken by two men. The pictures were given to the Scottish Daily Record who passed them to the MoD.’

Spookily… ‘however, the file does not contain the photographs’.

As interesting is the accompanying text of a ‘Loose Minute’ cc’d to the head of Sec, DD GE/AEW, DDPR (RAF).

1. ….Such stories are not normally drawn to the attention of Minsters and the MoD press office invariably responds to questions along well-established lines emphasising our limited interest in the UFO phenomenon and explaining that we do not have the resources to undertake any in-depth investigations into particular sightings. On this occasion however, the MoD has been provided with six photographic negatives of an alleged UFO by the Scottish Daily Record and has been asked for comments almost certainly for inclusion in a forthcoming story. For this reason it is felt that US of S(AF) should be made aware of the background and the line adopted by the DDPR (RAF) in responding to the newspaper.

2. The photographs, which were received on 10 Sept, are alleged to have been taken near the A9 road at Clavine, north of Pitlochrie on the evening of 4 August. They show a large stationery, diamond-shaped object past which, it appears, a small jet aircraft is flying. The negatives have been considered by the relevant staffs who have established that the jet aircraft is a Harrier (and also identified a barely visible second aircraft, again probably a Harrier) but have reached no definite conclusion regarding the large object. It has also been confirmed that there is no record of Harriers operating in the area at the time at which the photographs are alleged to have been taken. The negatives have now been returned to the Scottish Daily Record.

it continues:

3. In consultation with DDPR (RAF) it has been agreed that the attached lines to take should be used in responding to the Scottish Daily Record. These are consistent with the position adopted in the replies to the many public and occasionally parliamentary enquiries on the subject of UFOs.

And this instruction on lines it transpires is on a typewritten sheet with the following on it…

SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD – PHOTOGRAPHS OF UFO

DEFENSIVE LINES TO TAKE:

– Have looked a photographs, no definite conclusions reached regarding large diamond shaped object.
– confident that jet aircraft is a Harrier
– Have no record of Harriers operating in location at stated time/date.
– No other reports received by MoD of unusual air activity or sightings at location/date/time.

IF PRESSED

Who in MoD studied pictures?

– All sighting reports (including on occasion photographs/drawings etc) received by MoD are referred to the staff in the departments which are responsible for air defence of UK who examine them as part of their normal duties.

Other reports of UFOs from Scotland?

– UFO reports from Scotland are rare.

Sort of begs a fair few questions – doesn’t it? For example, if confident that the jet is a Harrier, does that imply that the photograph is ‘real’? Or that the diamond-shaped object is ‘real’. And what of the non sequiter about “UFO reports from Scotland are rare”. So what? But it’s the incuriosity about the sighting which is so odd. Do they take it seriously or not? Was it a photographer who mocked up in a cusp of Photoshop age some Harriers and a fake UFO? Or what?

…………

But lo! Strangers things on earth and the heavens… etc. The photograph has been released in the latest tranche. Or at least a photograph.

You can find it here.

and the file location is here.

And here it is.

In the precis of the files it’s noted by the following:

p37 – 38
Image (poor quality photocopy) of a large diamond-shaped UFO hovering over Calvine (Scotland) and what was later identified as a Harrier.

That latter surely has to be a masterpiece of understatement… “…later identified as a Harrier”.

Is that really a Harrier in front of the image. How big is the original photograph? How much has this been blown up in size? What of other aspects of the background that aren’t visible in the image as shown here? Whatever the truth I’m certain that this is all rather more prosaic than interstellar or interdimensional travellers.

There’s been a fair bit of talk that many sightings could be of covert US surveillance aircraft, and in particular the long-rumoured Aurora hypersonic aircraft which – so it is said – has been operational for decades now. And in this instance the almost blase attitude is remarkable. Which makes the notes reproduced in the file of the continuing investigation into the sighting all the more intriguing when they suggest that the…

“…sensitivity of material suggests very special handling”.

You’ve got to love that.

* Apologies to the Golden Horde for rewording their lyrics.