What Was That Light?
*2 NOV 1955*
Of the several reports in the Post, the puzzle of what it was that pilots and passengers of an NAC airliner saw, brightly, and apparently moving at high speed, in the western sky of North Taranaki on Monday evening, none has produced a solution satisfactory to every one concerned.
It was stated on Saturday that Venus had been declared, officially, but as the explanation, as the planet would have disappeared over the horizon at 8.0pm. The information given in the Post in that regard was incorrect. Calculations made by the Director of the Carter Observatory, Mr. T. L. Thomson, for the N.Z.A.F. show that for a given position along the line of sight and for the height at which the plane was flying, the approximate time of disappearance over the horizon was approximately 8.10 pm. Venus might therefore have been seen from the airliner.
The conviction of Captain Rainbow, pilot of the airliner, that the object, whatever it was, moved rapidly, is one main point which has not been cleared up.
Before leaving Wellington at the weekend, the Minister in Charge of Civil Aviation, Mr. H. H. H. said that he would now ask the Meteorological Service to give its suggestion as to the likelihood of a 10th and 11th answer might be supplied.
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THE LIGHT WAS VENUS, SAYS STAR WITNESS
*4 NOV 1955*
AUCKLAND STAR
The Royal New Zealand Air Force can call its Inspector General, Air Commodore R. Cohen, as a star witness in a jury ordered into the “flying mystery light” case.
The probe follows an NAC crew claim that a fast-moving light followed their main trunk airliner over the North Island on Monday night. The air commodore was on that plane. And he believes the light was Venus—not an errant outer-space visitor.
He slept...
This is his evidence:
“I was asleep when the pilot, Captain Rainbow, shook me awake. He told me he had seen something strange. What was this thing Captain Rainbow described as ‘like a marine beacon revolving with some kind of a porpoising and changing colour—and moving seven times faster than we were’.”
...and slept
I looked out. Air Commodore Cohen said: “I told him it was a flare—and promptly went back to sleep.”
That was the stage at which Captain Rainbow decided not to tell women passengers because the news might alarm them. And it was then, too, that the pilot, First Officer, thought agreed it was not a planet but something “flying alongside them.”
...and slept
The air commodore slept on. When he landed he checked with references and decided positively that what he saw was Venus, low down on the horizon. He is in tune with the meaning of the Minister in charge of Civil Aviation, Mr. H. H. H. and ordered an inquiry. The Acting Minister of Defence, Mr. H. H. H. has directed that the Air Force cooperate.
And Air Force Sergeant H. F. Fulton, at Whenuapai, has promised the support of the Civilian Saucer Investigation group which he leads.
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GREYMOUTH WITNESS SAW STRANGE OBJECTS FLYING
*2 NOV 1955*
Two witnesses in the South Island on the N.Z.A.F. mystery light incident on Monday evening, say they saw the light. Captain Rainbow, pilot of the airliner, was in the air. The light was seen by a “strange object” in the sky.
The light in the direction of the city came from the direction of the “strange object” in the sky.
They reported it as a “wisp of light” a “glowing” object. They said in Grey mouth “the light” was “a light” and “appeared somewhat larger than usual.”
No mention of the incident was made by the airliner, the N.Z.A.F. and the N.Z.A.F. investigation group on the occasion. And they read in the newspaper about the next morning.
The Inspector General of the R.N.Z.A.F., Air Commodore R. Cohen, was among the passengers on the aircraft and he was awakened from sleep by Captain Rainbow and his attention drawn to the object. Air Commodore Cohen, was asked that he is convinced the light seen was the planet Venus.
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“Lighted Object” In Auckland Sky
*5 NOV 1955*
A lighted object in the sky, flying silently at great speed, was seen by Mr D. W. Paul, of Hendon Avenue, Avondale, early yesterday morning. With him at the time was an Auckland taxi driver.
“The taxi driver saw the object first,” said Mr Paul yesterday. “We were going down Hendon Avenue about 1 a.m. and the object was flying parallel with us and to the south.
“At first there was a swishing noise, rather like a jet. It appeared to be a long object with three or four lighted windows, but the windows were much bigger than usual on aircraft.
“It passed us in untanny silence. The most remarkable fact was the absence of any noise. It was visible to us for about four minutes before vanishing into a cloud bank.”
Mr Paul said he stayed outside for some time in the hope of catching another glimpse of the object. A little while later an aircraft (later identified as an R.N.Z.A.F. Sunderland) flew at right angles to the object’s course with its landing lights blinking. He said it was “completely different from the other object.”