For some fun on a Friday afternoon, I thought I'd post this and see if we could get a lively conversation going. An FBI field report of a mystery disc. This was posted on "the other site" a long time back. It has always intrigued me, as the report looks to be authentic. Someone found it during a FOI search. Here is the original (attached), and for clarity of read, I retyped it as close as possible to the original. I was able to find a fluorescent starter with "Made In USA" stamped into the aluminum cover. Not all have this marking, but since I have a collection accumulated over a lifetime, only about 5% of them have this marking on the top. FYI A fluorescent starter is an interesting device in itself, basically a two terminal device, consisting of a glow tube with an ionizable gas (like a neon bulb), and a thermo switch insde the glow tube. It basically a little thermal oscillator, as both devices are in parallel. The glow tube incorporates a switch which is normally open. When power is applied a glow discharge takes place which heats a bimetal contact. A second or so later, the contacts close providing current to the fluorescent filaments. Since the glow is extinguished, there is no longer any heating of the bimetal and the contacts open. The inductive kick generated at the instant of opening triggers the main discharge in the fluorescent tube. There is also a small capacitor across the device for noise suppression. OK starter aside, the two coils 2" dia. x 4" long on a 16 inch aluminum disc is also interesting. Here is the retyped text: (I left the misspelling "as is" from the original scan. Note the date) ============================================================= FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
TELETYPE
FBI NEW ORLEANS 7-7-47
DIRECTOR FBI V E R Y U R G E N T
FLYING DISCS, MISCELLANEOUS.
(blacked out name) SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA ADVISES HE OBSERVED A CIRCULAR DISC AT
SIX FIVE PM THIS DATE COMING FROM NW DIRECTION. DISC LANDED IN FIFTEEN
HUNDRED BLOCK OF TEXAS AVENUE. (blacked out name) PICKED UP DISC AT FIFTEEN
FIFTY FOUR TEXAS AVENUE. DISC WHIRLING WHEN SEEN IN AIR AND FIRE SEEN
SPOUTING FROM SIDES. FIRE WENT OUT ON LANDING AND SMOKE ISSUED FEW
SECONDS AFTER FIRE WENT OUT. DISC PICKED UP AND NOT HOT. (blacked out name)
NOTIFIED G-2 BARKSDALE IMMEDIATLY AND THEY TOOK DISC BEFORE SA ARRIVED.
DISC DESCRIPTION-- THIN ALUMINUM DISC SIXTEEN INCHES IN DIAMETER. HAS
SMALL COILS TWO INCHES IN DIAMETER AND FOUR INCHES LONG AT THE ENDS OF
THE DIAMETER. COILS CONNECTED BY TWO COPPER WIRES TO TWO TERMINALS ON
EACH COIL AND THESE WIRES ARE CONNECTED AT THE CROSSING IN THE CENTER OF
THE DISC TO AN OBJECT ONE INCH IN DIAMETER BY TWO INCHES LONG, SIMILIAR
TO STARTER OF FLOURESCENT LIGHT. CENTER OBJECT HAD ON UPPER END -
(blacked out) --MADE IN USA--MADE SOUND LIKE A POLICEMAN-S WHISTLE
AND SMOOTH SIDE TOWARD EARTH IN FLIGHT. BARKSDALE FIELD AGREED IF NOT
HARMFUL WOULD TURN OVER TO FBI IF WE WANT IT SUBJECT TO SUPERIOR
INSTRUCTIONS. NAMES OF ALL PERSONS WHO HANDLED DISC BEFORE ARRIVAL OF
AGENT SECURED. (blacked out name) BARKSDALE FIELD MAKING PHOTOS. WILL SECURE
AND FORWARD PHOTOS TO BUREAU.
BELIEVED PRESS AWARE OF INCIDENT. ============================================================== Hoax or real? What are your thoughts?
« Last Edit: 2010-11-12, 21:33:13 by ION »
---------------------------
"Secrecy, secret societies and secret groups have always been repugnant to a free and open society"......John F Kennedy
|
feature is available which provides a place all members can chat, either publicly or privately.
Author
Topic: Strange Magnetic Disc Report (Read 34259 times)
