02 · LORE
551 FILES·LAST 1D AGO
Oceania1953-08-23civilian claim

Tom Drury Film

On August 23, 1953, Tom Drury, Deputy Director of Civil Aviation for Papua New Guinea, filmed a silver dart-shaped object emerging from a cloud over Port Moresby on 8mm color film. The footage was sent to the United States for analysis; when returned, the best frames had been removed. A 1966 RAAF summary could not account for the missing frames.

On August 23, 1953, Tom Drury, Deputy Director of Civil Aviation for Papua New Guinea, filmed a silver dart-shaped object emerging from a cloud over Port Moresby on 8mm color film.

Brief

On August 23, 1953, Tom Drury, Deputy Director of Civil Aviation for Papua New Guinea, filmed a silver dart-shaped object emerging from a cloud over Port Moresby on 8mm color film. The footage was sent to the United States for analysis; when returned, the best frames had been removed. A 1966 RAAF summary could not account for the missing frames. Drury's initial report is held in RAAF file series MP1279/1, control symbol 99/1/478. USAF Project Blue Book file 2689 contains scant documentation. A RAAF technical analysis concluded the film showed 'a blur of light' without further identification. An ASIO document dated January 15, 1973 confirms film copies were provided to the USAF and RAF. The remaining footage by 1994 was approximately four seconds long.

Metadata

Date
1953-08-23
Year
1953
Location
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Region
Oceania
Status
confirmed
Tag
civilian claim
Primary
Cold Case Review of the 23 August 1953 Port Moresby Visual Sighting and Colour Movie Film
Source type
catalogue
Sources
2

Key Points

  • On August 23, 1953, Tom Drury, Deputy Director of Civil Aviation for Papua New Guinea, filmed a silver dart-shaped object emerging from a cloud over Port Moresby on 8mm color film.
  • The footage was sent to the United States for analysis; when returned, the best frames had been removed.
  • A 1966 RAAF summary could not account for the missing frames.
  • Drury's initial report is held in RAAF file series MP1279/1, control symbol 99/1/478.

Most Interesting

  • An ASIO document dated January 15, 1973 confirms film copies were provided to the USAF and RAF.
  • On August 23, 1953, Tom Drury, Deputy Director of Civil Aviation for Papua New Guinea, filmed a silver dart-shaped object emerging from a cloud over Port Moresby on 8mm color film.
  • Drury's initial report is held in RAAF file series MP1279/1, control symbol 99/1/478.

Timeline

  1. 1953-08-23 · Encounter

    On August 23, 1953, Tom Drury, Deputy Director of Civil Aviation for Papua New Guinea, filmed a silver dart-shaped object emerging from a cloud over Port Moresby on 8mm color film.

  2. 2017 · Source record

    Cold Case Review of the 23 August 1953 Port Moresby Visual Sighting and Colour Movie Film is the preferred source material attached to this encounter.

Sources

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