March 1980
The March 1980 issue of the Australian UFO Bulletin. 18 pages. FIRST ISSUE OF THE 1980s. Paul Norman's crashed-saucer investigation (chance meeting en route to US; visit to Leonard Stringfield; VUFORS member's claim of bodies in government building near Washington).
In This Issue
Editorial (Paul Norman)
Retrospective on the past 18 months: Bass Strait flap, Cook Strait flap, Manifold photos, FOIA revelations. “Ufology is fortunate to have a small percentage of scientists who have survived the current epidemic with sufficient residual thinkability.”
Cuban MIG-21 Destroyed by UFO (March 1967)
Pages 3-4
Cuban radar detected a bogey approaching at ~10,000 metres at near Mach speed. Two MIG-21s scrambled.
Spanish Pilot’s Tale of Terror (Captain Javier Lerdo-Tejeda)
Pages 4-5
Caravelle charter jet with 109 passengers and 6 crew, departing Majorca for the Canary Islands. Two very bright red lights kept formation, approaching to within half a mile at 29,000 feet.
On the UFO Trail (Paul Norman) - Crashed Saucer Investigation
Pages 5-6
Norman, travelling across the southwestern US, met a man on a plane who described a late-1940s crash on a ranch managed by his brother-in-law. “The thing crashed on a ranch.” Area cordoned by police; “witnesses at a nearby ranch watched through binoculars as fragments were loaded into a truck by military personnel.”
NZ UFO Film - Maccabee Report Continued (Flight South)
Pages 8-13
Bright Green Light - Tasmanian Ex-Policewoman
Pages 13
Former policewoman (8 years service) driving from Queenstown to North-West Coast at 9.28 p.m. Bright green light appeared in the distance.
General Meeting Announcement
March 27: Quentin Fogarty lecture at Royal Society’s Hall, 5 Victoria Street. "See the New Zealand UFO film, which is attracting world wide interest.
Notable Quotes
“I have never known such danger, and I have been flying for nearly half my life.” Captain Lerdo-Tejeda (Spanish pilot)
“I am prepared now to believe that unidentified flying objects do exist.” Spain’s Minister of Transport
“If you tell of this incident, I’ll deny the statement. No-one will believe you anyway.” Retired USAF officer (to VUFORS member)
“There’s a strong target right in formation with you now… Your target has doubled in size.” Wellington ATC (to Argosy)
“The trip took me an extra 15 minutes and instead of using a third of a tank of petrol, the car was empty.” Tasmanian ex-policewoman
