Project Blue Book: The RB-47 UFO Incident — July 17, 1957

December 9, 2021

On July 17, 1957, an encounter took place that remains one of the most well-documented and scientifically interesting in UFO lore. The incident involved an RB-47H, a reconnaissance variant of the B-47 Stratojet, from the United States Air Force, and an unidentified flying object over the Southern United States. This event stands out due to the high credibility of the witnesses, the quality of the technical data gathered, and the fact that it remains unexplained by conventional means.

The RB-47H, tail number 53-4299, was operated by the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing from Forbes AFB. The crew was composed of six trained Air Force personnel who were on a training mission from Forbes AFB in Kansas, across the Gulf of Mexico. They were testing electronic countermeasures (ECM) equipment, designed to detect, identify, and locate enemy radar sources.

Around 4:00 AM, while flying over Mississippi, the crew detected an unidentified radar return. The navigator, Captain John J. Provenzano, and the electronic warfare officers (EWOs), detected a signal that was similar to ground-based radar but appeared to be airborne and moving.

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Over the next hour and a half, the crew detected the object on multiple occasions, on various equipment, suggesting it was not a malfunction. They visually observed a bright light moving in ways that matched the radar data, confirming an unidentified aircraft’s presence.

The RB-47H then followed the object across Texas and Oklahoma before losing contact near Oklahoma City. The crew made several attempts to shake the object, including changes in speed and altitude, but they were unsuccessful. The UFO seemed to demonstrate extraordinary maneuverability and speed, outpacing the RB-47H with ease.

Some have argued that the object was a commercial airliner, while others remain unconvinced of that theory.

The entire case file is below.