The weirdest craft of all
In its May-June issue the Flying Saucer Review printed a full account of Aimé Michel
's latest discovery in Orthoteny.
He demonstrated that the UFOs appeared along great world circle lines and, on occasion, returned to points along them.
He also disclosed how he had discovered the small village of Vauriat by extending the Bayonne-Vichy line of en (BaVic) until it
crossed the railway line in the Puy-de-Dôme. Michel explained that on August 29, 1962,
in the village of Vauriat... a number of people witnessed... in broad daylight a veritable ballet dance by unknown
craft.
The sighting itself, while not described in detail by Michel, is one of the
most bizarre that have ever been reported and warrants a full recording. The accounts that follows was taken from the
Clermond-Ferrand newspaper La Montagne of August 30, 1962, and appeared in its translated version in
the September-October-November issue of the New Zealand Scientific Space Research (NZSSR) bulletin, which the
Flying Saucer Review gratefully acknowledges.
It was just at 1.45 p.m. on Wednesday, August 29, 1962, when two people on their way back to work from lunch witnessed an extraordinary spectacle. The place of observation was route 50, just in front of the railway station of Vauriat (Puy-de-Dôme).
Indeed, Jean Rouchon, manager of "Pouzzolanes des Dômes", living at Champradet, Clermont-Ferrand, and Marcel Chimène,
bricklayer, resident of Menetrol, were chatting while walking alone the road, when in the direction of
Charbonnières-les-Vieilles they saw mysterious object rising in the air and flying towards them. But let Mr. Rouchon
give the story in his own words: The first impression I had was that of bale of straw, penetrated by pieces of
wood. that might have been carried away by tornado —however, the trees around me were not even stirred by breath of
wind. Suddenly, Mr. Chimène called out and showed me in the same direction three other mysterious machines, smaller
than the first, but of identical shape. The four objects then proceeded to describe fantastic ballet over Vauriat
station, first moving at very reduced speeds, and then at prodigious speeds. During this time, empty cement bags
which were stored in nearby coal yard rose in the air as if sucked in by an extremely powerful breath. M. Laine, man
working for the railways and living at Saint-ours-les-Roches, then noticed the extraordinary spectacle and called
out to us. But already the mysterious machines, after last curve at low altitude (approximately 150 ft.), moved
rapidly in the direction of Puy de Louchadière, behind which they disappeared. The time was then 1.55 p.m.—the
phenomenon had lasted for 10 minutes.
Needless to say, the three witnesses of this Fantastic ballet remained dumbfounded for several minutes, in vain searching for logical explanation of what they had seen. The machine they had observed at closest range was the largest of the four. Completely irrational in design, the object was of greyish colour, its wings were transparent and two tentacles of sort hung from underneath "the front", resembling two legs out of all proportion. It did not resemble any known apparatus at present flying, as far as Mr. Rouchon, who is an experienced pilot of the Auvergne Aero-Club. has been able to determine.
General L. M. Chassin
, previously General, Air Defence
Co-ordinator of the Allied Air Forces (NATO) and now retired, still retains Keen interest in the mystery of the flying
saucers. He personally enquired into the above case by writing to the witness, Rouchon, letter on September 1, 1962:
Rouchon answered the General's letter on September 9. 1962. The reproduction of Rouchon's letter was authorised by
General Chassin. From the additional information Rouchon supplies in his letter (point by
point) the questions asked him by the General are self-evident. We translate from the letter:
- The "machines" did not make any sound. However, after the appearance of the first machine, which hovered at very slight altitude (apparently at less than three hundred metres from the witnesses who observed it) for more than 30 seconds, it was overtaken and—50 it seemed—pursued bv three completely identical machines (in shape, but smaller) which appeared in "smooth lumps" on the horizon, coming from the direction of Pulverières (Puy-de-Dôme) travelling at very great speed, and trailing in their wake all kinds of debris (old empty paper cement bags. grass, straw. ete.) Their acceleration was instantaneous when they arrived in the proximity of the first machine, and it was at this moment that my friend Chimène and heard kind of whistling noise, in all respects similar to that which violent wind would produce in rigging, or in the tops of forest of pine trees. We attributed this whistling to the "machines" displacement of air, ruffled by their passage. Apart from this whistling. which only lasted while, we absolutely did not hear any other noise in the course of the machines? movements which carried on for 10 minutes.
- The machines did not emit any perceptible light in full sunshine, in blue early afternoon sky devoid of any cloud. Although they appeared to be of dull colour (dark grey) we did not notice any metallic brightness, as was the case with an airliner that crossed the sky from north to south—just prior to the disappearance of the last machine—and which glittered with vivid silver brightness. We had it in our field of vision at the same time as the last "machine" moved away, and we, therefore, were in position to note the difference between the two moving objects simultaneously. However, my friend Chimène believes that he noticed the transparent wings "enveloping" in some way the "beams" which penetrated the "machines" on all sides. According to him, these transparent "wings" occasionally sparkled in the sun, in the course of the "machines" movements. Personally, I only saw the "beams" of dark colour, and the appendages which I described as "legs" and which hung underneath the "machines" body like ordinary waterpipes, animated bv slow movements. The shape—the apparent lack of inertia of these "machines"—the instantaneous changes in course which characterised them—the absence of all noise in the course of their movements and their fixed points ... all that made us think of absurd objects, not answering to any of the known laws of gravity, inertia and aero-dynamics. Likewise it was impossible to say whether it concerned real machines, incomprehensible objects or fantastic animals. I confess that if I had been the only witness to this startling spectacle, I believe I would not have talked. Likewise, in order to be sure that my eves did deceive me, I made drawing of what I had seen and also took notes of that which I observed as soon as got back in my office, 200 metres away. Ah... how do regret not having had camera at my disposal at that very moment. There is no doubt that the film I could have taken would have proved to be of extraordinary scientific interest!
- The first "machine" seen, at the very moment we observed it, moved at speed of approx. 200/300 km.p.h., while it rose slightly and turned lightly about its own axis, approx. 90 degrees to the left and to the right. It stabilised its ascent at height of approx. 150/200 metres, now motionless, now describing more or less regular circles at an apparent speed varying between 100/300 km.ph. This was the best moment to observe it and to make all kinds of suppositions and comparisons with the "known" in regard to its identification and origin. Suddenly my friend Chimène gripped my arm and said:
Look, Jean... what's coming up on the left!And saw three things identical to the first "machine" but smaller, moving at terrific speed, with no apparent formation between them, making straight for the first "machine" as if they tried to attack it from below. The "target", stationary at the moment of this sudden "attack", dodged by climbing instantaneously at prodigious speed. Next, the four "objects" appeared to play amongst themselves, following course of dodges and instantaneous changes of direction. In order to give vou an idea of the spectacle, think of houseflies pursuing each other, such as one can observe in ray of sunlight penetrating dark room. Suddenly, the first object rose in the sky at an extraordinary climbing speed (one literally saw its mass dissolve in the sky) with the three other objects in pursuit. Before long, this object was not much more than black speck, while the three other smaller pursuers disappeared before our eyes. The latter were not seen again.
On the other hand the small black speck, which we still observed, grew larger and larger at disconcerting speed and, still without noise, stopped all of sudden at height of approx. 300 metres. Next, it slowly rocked little for two or three times and then, still at great speed, moved away in the direction of Clermont-Ferrand, gaining height steadily, like a plane piloted by good captain.
Suddenly, we heard and saw the airliner which, seen from where we were, seemed to have eut the trajectory of the object, The latter continued in the direction of the plane and we were just about expecting them to meet, when we were witness to the rapid ascent of the object which, at an unheard-of speed, disappeared in the blue sky.- The different movements of the "objects" appeared to us co-ordinated as whole, although, taken separately, they would appear disorderly at certain moments (e.g. when the first object—on its own—without apparent reason, described more or less regular circles at speeds varying from moment to moment, while it climbed or descended suddenly). It should be noted that the estimates of height and distance of the objects can only be very approximate, considering that—for start—one does not know the real dimensions of the objects.
Trusting that the above details will be of help, Lam. General. yours sincerely.
(Signed) JEAN ROUCHOX.