RAF West Freugh Radar Case (1957).

documentedclose_encounterRendlesham Forest (RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge)

On 4 April 1957, three Ministry of Supply Bombing Trials Unit radar sets at two sites (Balscalloch, Ardwell) near Luce Bay, Wigtownshire, simultaneously tracked large, solid, near-stationary then high-speed manoeuvring echoes over the Irish Sea for ~36 minutes. Up to five objects, echoes 'nearer the size of a ship', performing an 'impossible' sharp turn. No visual sighting (1000ft cloud ceiling).

Significant because of multi-station radar confirmation across separate sites with no optical component to dismiss. Questions were raised in Parliament; the Air Ministry publicly floated balloon/spy-plane/private-aircraft explanations but declassified internal files show technical intelligence never seriously accepted these and concluded the targets were not conventional aircraft.

Connected entities

Anomalous propagation / temperature-inversion radar explanation.Lakenheath-Bentwaters radar-visual case (13-14 Aug 1956).United Kingdom Report Cluster.