Captain Mantell incident

"Impact" Rating = 14

"Credibility" Rating = 13

"Expert" Rating = 8

"Strangeness" Rating = 4

Claims to fame

This incident is Case 6 in Isaac Koi's "Top 100" article, since it was referred to in 179 of the books covered by that article.

Isaac Koi’s “ICES” Rating for this sighting = 5,824 (out of a potential score of 14*14*14*14 i.e. 38,416)

(1) “Impact” Rating of 14 (out of a potential score of 14), because it is Case 6 in Isaac Koi's "Top 100" article.

(2) “Credibility” Rating of 13 (out of a potential score of 14) because an object was reported by several people and Mantell died while attempting to chase it. The debate has centered on what he was actually attempting to chase.

(2) “Expert” Rating of 8 (out of a potential score of 14). It is given this slightly above neutral rating because while (at the time of writing) it has not been included in any of the short lists of the best cases produced by various UFO researchers that have been compiled by Isaac Koi (see the “Best UFO Cases" article at PART 3: Existing lists by various individuals) this incident did come fifth in a survey in 1965 by Jacques Vallee of the opinion of various UFO groups as to the most significant UFO sightings..

(4)“Strangeness” Rating of 4 (out of a potential score of 14). The sighting has a relatively low strangeness rating since there is relatively limited evidence to be explained as to the nature of the object in the sky. That evidence is largely consistent with a large balloon.

Sections below:

1. Web Resources

2. Book References

3. Other material

Project Sign instructions

On 11 February 1948, Project Sign personnel receive instructions, referring to their task as the “Evaluation of Unidentified Flying Objects”.

(Reference: HQ AMC Technical Instruction Number 2185)

Chiles Whitted sighting

"Impact" Rating = 14

"Credibility" Rating = 14

"Expert" Rating = 7

"Strangeness" Rating = 6

This incident is Case 10 in Isaac Koi's "Top 100" article, since it was referred to in 115 of the books covered by that article.

Isaac Koi’s “ICES” Rating for this sighting = 8,190 (out of a potential score of 14*14*14*14 i.e. 38,416)

(1) “Impact” Rating of 14 (out of a potential score of 14), because it is Case 10 in Isaac Koi's "Top 100" article.

(2) “Credibility” Rating of 13 (out of a potential score of 14) because shooting clearly did take place on the relevant night. The debate has centered on what (if anything at all) was actually there to be shot at.

(2) “Expert” Rating of 9 (out of a potential score of 14). It is given this slightly above neutral rating because (at the time of writing) it has been included in a small number of the short lists of the best cases produced by various UFO researchers that have been compiled by Isaac Koi (see the “Best UFO Cases" article at PART 3: Existing lists by various individuals).

(4)“Strangeness” Rating of 5 (out of a potential score of 14). The sighting has a relatively low strangeness rating since several authors (particularly Philip Klass) have plausibly suggested that the object seen was a meteor.

Sections below:

1. Web Resources

2. Book References

3. Other material

Estimate of the Situation

The alleged existence of this document is controversial, as are details such as its alleged date. It is sometimes stated to have been dated 5 August 1948, sometimes the 1 August 1948, usually simply August 1948, sometimes September 1948, occasionally October 1948 and even “in early 1949”.

Gorman dogfight incident

"Impact" Rating = 13

"Credibility" Rating = 11

"Expert" Rating = 7

"Strangeness" Rating = 5

This incident is Case 33 in Isaac Koi's "Top 100" article, since it was referred to in 64 of the books covered by that article.

Isaac Koi’s “ICES” Rating for this sighting = 5,005 (out of a potential score of 14*14*14*14 i.e. 38,416)

(1) “Impact” Rating of 13 (out of a potential score of 14), because it is Case 33 in Isaac Koi's "Top 100" article.

(2) “Credibility” Rating of 11 (out of a potential score of 14) because the sighting report was made by a military witness and the debate has centered on what was actually there.

(2) “Expert” Rating of 7 (out of a potential score of 14). It is given this neutral rating because (at the time of writing) it has not been included in any of the short lists of the best cases produced by various UFO researchers that have been compiled by Isaac Koi (see the “Best UFO Cases" article at PART 3: Existing lists by various individuals), but also is not commonly given by UFO researchers as an example of an incident that can be explained by hoax, misperception or other mundane cause.

(4)“Strangeness” Rating of 5 (out of a potential score of 14). The sighting has a relatively low strangeness rating since there several researchers (particularly Donald Menzel) have plausibly suggested that Gorman saw some form of balloon carrying a candle/light.

Sections below:

1. Web Resources

2. Book References

3. Other material

Top Secret document

(Reference : Telecon Transcript #1524, Item #14 - Records Group 341, Entry 214, General Files, Top Secret Control # 2-5317, National Archives II, College Park, Maryland.)

Lipp report

On 13 December 1948, Dr James E Lipp of the Rand Corporation provides a report addressed to Brigadier General Putt (US Air Force Director of Research and Development).

This report subsequently appeared as Appendix D to the Project Sign Report.