West Freugh radar tracking
- Date
- 4 Apr 1957
- Place
- Luce Bay and the RAF West Freugh bombing range, Wigtownshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Record
- Curated case
- Assessment
- Unexplained
- Evidence strength
What was reported
On the morning of 4 April 1957, radar units serving the RAF West Freugh bombing range on Luce Bay tracked a large, at first stationary echo at roughly 50,000 to 70,000 feet north of Stranraer that later moved off, followed by several smaller echoes near 14,000 feet; tracking lasted about 36 minutes and nothing was seen visually. The Air Ministry's technical intelligence report, 'Unidentified Objects at West Freugh' (National Archives AIR 20/9320), concluded the returns came from five reflecting objects of unidentified type and origin and judged them unlikely to be aircraft, meteorological balloons or charged clouds. Public statements at the time were guarded, and secondary accounts disagree on the speeds and climb rates.
What officials concluded
Unresolved
Air Ministry DDI (Tech): five reflecting objects of unidentified type and origin, unlikely to be aircraft, balloons or charged clouds
Strongest ordinary reading
none established
Evidence profile
- No: Visual
- No: Infrared
- Yes: Radar
- No: Video
- No: Photo
- No: Film
- No: Audio
- No: Night vision
- No: Other sensor
- No: Civilian
- No: Military aircrew
- No: Military ground
- No: Airline crew
- Yes: Sensor operator
- No: Law enforcement
- No: Scientist
- No: Astronaut
- No: Intelligence official
- No: Other
- No: Light only
- No: Orb or sphere
- No: Disc
- No: Triangle
- No: Cylinder
- No: Cube
- No: Other shape
- No: Physiological
- No: Physical trace
- No: Electromagnetic
- No: Sound
- No: Silent
Outside sources
- David Clarke: top 10 UFO documents at The National Archivesdrdavidclarke.co.uk
- Patrick Gross: West Freugh 1957 case fileufologie.patrickgross.org
On the map
54.85° N, 4.95° W, plotted at the centre of the region named in the record
Show on the map