Between 1952 and 1970 the US Air Force investigated over 12,000 reported sightings of UFOs. The program was code-named Project Blue Book. A new drama series on the History Channel is based loosely on the history and case-files of Project Blue Book. Loosely, because the cases are embellished with some dramatic details and also the idea of government cover-up and conspiracy is pushed.
In the first episode “The Fuller Dogfight”, Dr. Allen Hynek is recruited by the Air Force into their top-secret UFO investigation program, to investigate the case of a military pilot who survived a dogfight with an alien craft.
The astronomer Dr. A. Hynek was a consultant for Project Sign, a UFO investigation group established by the Air Force after the UFO phenomena became popular in 1947. In 1948 the project was replaced by Project Grudge and Hynek was not called back to consult. After a wave of UFOs sightings in 1952, the Air Force replaced Grudge with Project Blue Book and once again enlisted Hynek as a consultant. In 1953 it was concluded that UFOs did not pose a threat to the United States and Project Blue Book was closed in 1969. Hynek continued his work as UFO investigator, and published a series of books on the subject. Even if controversial in some aspects, he never labelled himself as true believer or just debunker, he is considered one of the fathers of modern ufology.
The title and pilot are based on the case of George Gorman, a 25 years old WWII veteran. On the night of October 1, 1948, on a cross-country flight with a P-51 Mustang, the sky appeared to be clear, when Gorman noticed a blinking light with no obvious form over his plane. For 20 minute he tried to catch the ball of light, but apparently, the UFO outmaneuvered him with higher speed.
Curiously also a Geiger-counter on board detected a high rate of radioactive radiation. The object was spotted also by other planes. However, the true facts of the case are less unexplained. The other pilots didn’t note any movements of the object, as reported by Gorman. The measured radioactivity can be explained by natural radiation, stronger in the upper atmospheric layers. No physical evidence or damage on the plane was ever found. As for the UFO, later investigations discovered that a weather balloon was released that night, and the wind at the time should have brought it right around where Gorman had his encounter. As Gorman was the only who allegedly noted the object/balloon move, it is likely that this was an optical effect, as he had no frame of reference in the empty sky. As he approached the object, it seemed to quickly vanish as the plane was maneuvering.
