Richard Rankin Bakersfield aircraft sighting
Document coverPage 1 of 65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_Section_1 · View original on war.gov
Experienced pilot Richard Rankin observed ten objects flying in V-formation at approximately 8,500 feet and 350 mph on June 14, 1947, from his home in Bakersfield, California, which he initially believed to be Navy test aircraft resembling the XF5U-1 Flying Flapjack.
“At approximately 1200 noon on the 14 of June I was lying in the front yard of my home. There was a lad mowing the lawn at the time. I looked up into the sky and saw ten articles flying from the South to th North at what I would judge to be 8500 ft. The objects were flying at approximately what I would judge to be 350 miles per hour.”
Verbatim from 65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_Section_1 · View original on war.gov
Case details
- Date
- 1947-06-14
- Precision
- day
- Location
- 1806 South M Street, Bakersfield, California
- Country
- United States
- Region
- California
- Branch
- FBI
- Unit
- San Francisco Field Office
- Sensors
- eyewitness
- Shape
- resembled pictures of XF5U-1 Flying Flapjack; almost round
- Altitude
- 8500 ft
Source document
Agency: FBI
File: 65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_Section_1
Case ID: 1947-FBI-EDD9A7
View original on war.gov →Extracted via LLM. Verbatim excerpt validated.