"Flying Saucer" Seen Over Dunedin By Experienced Airman
A "flying saucer" was seen over the suburbs of Dunedin early this morning, flying at about 5000ft in height. And the man who reported sighting the object said this morning that he and his wife watched it for 20 minutes before it disappeared on a north-north-west course.
The "Star's" informant, J.P. Burke, of Glencairn, is an experienced pilot with 20 years' flying to his credit, and a former club captain of the Aero Club.
He was awakened by a ringing metallic noise, and to the noise made by the "flying saucer" had come over with the throttle back. As he was arousing from his slumber, he saw the "flying saucer" through his bedroom window.
It was only a matter of a few seconds before he was out of bed and standing by the window to get a good glimpse of the object.
Mr. Burke said that for fully two or three minutes, as he and his wife stood at the window, the "flying saucer" flew a straight and level course under 6,000ft. Then it began a gradual climb, disappearing out of sight when it reached the cloud base, which he estimated to be 10,000 feet.
The "saucer" looked exactly like an inverted cymbal used by a dance band drummer, said Mr. Burke. It had a raised portion on the upper centre, and directly underneath was an oblong part.
The whole machine, making a ringing metallic noise, was covered with a greenish-blue phosphorescent light, and was about the size of a Douglas Dakota aircraft.
GLOWING MASS
It was travelling at an estimated speed of between 250 and 300 miles an hour as it passed Mr. Burke's house, and it was not long before the sound disappeared and the machine lost its shape to become a glowing mass of light.
Its rate of climb, after it had passed over the suburbs of Mornington and Roslyn, heading towards the peak of Flagstaff, was no greater than the rate of climb for an ordinary aircraft, Mr. Burke said. After 20 minutes the machine disappeared in the distance, emitting a glow very much like a star.
As it reached the cloud base and passed into drifting pockets of cloud underneath, the entire formation of clouds was lit with a very bright glow.
Visibility was extremely good early this morning, and Mr. Burke is positive that although the object he saw was an aircraft, or
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"OBJECTS" IN SKY Further Observations Over City
"Flying saucers" or other weird phenomena floating across the sky at night are still being seen in Dunedin. Shortly after 10.30 last night a Ravensbourne resident telephoned the Daily Times to say that he had seen lights in the sky above Kew.
The lights, he said, appeared to be moving across the sky towards the open sea. They changed colour from red to green while the object was in motion, and finally disappeared about 10.35 p.m. near the Otage Heads.
Immediately afterwards, another call was received from a member of the transmitter staff of 4YA who said that, with several others, he had seen lights in the sky above the city. They were seen a few minutes after 10.30 and appeared to be moving up and down like a kite. The lights moved slowly towards where he was standing with the others, but he had not seen them change colour. They faded away at 10.47 p.m.
Investigations made by a reporter from the roof of the Daily Times Building revealed nothing but inky darkness. There were, however, no stars overhead as the sky was completely overcast.
On returning to the inside of the building, the reporter was once more greeted by the urgent ringing of the telephone. This proved to be a member of the 4YA staff again with the information that the "flying saucer" had now been sighted in the area of Taieri Mouth.
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MORE REPORTS
Strange Objects In Sky Over St. Clair
Several readers have confirmed the reports published in yesterday's Daily Times of strange objects being seen in the sky in the direction of St. Clair at about 10.30 on Sunday night. One man, a resident of Opoho, said that the object he saw "changed colour from the brightest green to the most distinct red." He explained that it was "going up and then coming down" for from six to eight minutes. It appeared to be the size of a soccer ball and "twice as bright as any star."
A Normanby resident informed a reporter that he saw two objects in the sky at 9.15. These remained until about 9.30. At 10.15 he noticed a single object which remained in view for about 15 minutes. He decided to sacrifice an hour or so of sleep to await developments, and his enterprise was rewarded at 12.30 when he saw "something that looked like a mushroom." Hues ranging from red to orange were seen, and there were changes of colours at frequent intervals. All the objects were moving slowly.
A passenger on the express from Christchurch on Sunday night said yesterday that he saw an unusual light in the sky near Oamaru about 4 a.m. He watched it for about a quarter of an hour, in which time the light changed from blood red to yellow.
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*Engling 28/10/52*
*ODT 11.11.52*