British flying saucer hoax
- Date
- 4 Sep 1967
- Place
- Six sites along the 51st parallel from the Isle of Sheppey to Clevedon, southern England, United Kingdom
- Record
- Curated case
- Assessment
- Explained
- Evidence strength
What was reported
On 4 September 1967 six 'flying saucers' about 1.4 m long were found along a line from the Isle of Sheppey through Bromley, Winkfield, Welford and Chippenham to Clevedon; some emitted electronic noises and leaked a foul-smelling paste. Police cordoned them off and army bomb disposal units, RAF helicopters and the Ministry of Defence responded. The same day apprentices from the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough revealed the hoax, a rag-week stunt: fibreglass shells containing batteries, amplifiers and flour-and-water paste. No charges were brought; the case shows how quickly a coordinated official response can be triggered by staged physical evidence.
What officials concluded
Resolved
Hoax by Royal Aircraft Establishment apprentices
Strongest ordinary reading
Hoax: fibreglass models planted for a charity rag week
Evidence profile
- No: Visual
- No: Infrared
- No: Radar
- No: Video
- Yes: Photo
- No: Film
- No: Audio
- No: Night vision
- No: Other sensor
- Yes: Civilian
- No: Military aircrew
- Yes: Military ground
- No: Airline crew
- No: Sensor operator
- Yes: Law enforcement
- No: Scientist
- No: Astronaut
- No: Intelligence official
- No: Other
- No: Light only
- No: Orb or sphere
- Yes: Disc
- No: Triangle
- No: Cylinder
- No: Cube
- No: Other shape
- No: Physiological
- No: Physical trace
- No: Electromagnetic
- Yes: Sound
- No: Silent
Outside sources
- Wikipedia: 1967 British flying saucer hoaxen.wikipedia.org
On the map
51.40° N, 1.50° W, plotted at the centre of the region named in the record
Show on the map