Orly Airport: Giant UFO tracked on radar

Event Overview On 17 February 1956 at 10:50 p.m., air traffic controllers at Orly Airport, Paris, detected a radar target over Gometz-le-Châtel, Seine-et-Oise, France. The echo was twice as large as conventional planes, performing unusual maneuvers including hovering and rapid acceleration.

Radar Tracking Details The object remained visible for four hours total, initially positioned above the location before shifting 19 miles in 30 seconds, implying speeds near 2,500 mph. It circled, paused, then surged away at extraordinary velocities. A smaller echo from an Air France DC-3 over Les Mureaux military base at 4,500 feet was distinguished, 800 feet below the primary target.

Visual Confirmation Controllers alerted the DC-3 pilot. Radio Officer Beaupertuis spotted it via starboard window: vast, fuzzy-edged, with red illumination in spots. Captain Michel Desavoye and crew observed for 30 seconds, ruling out any standard airliner. Visual contact lasted nearly three hours. The captain later resisted pressure to alter his account.

Significance This case combines radar and pilot testimony, highlighting exceptional performance beyond known aviation. Sources include NICAP reports and period publications, underscoring reliability.