Rex Heflin Photographs
On August 3, 1965, highway inspector Rex Heflin took three Polaroid photographs of a hat-shaped object near Santa Ana, California, which became some of the most studied UFO images of the era.
Background
On August 3, 1965, Rex Heflin, a highway maintenance engineer for the Orange County Road Department, observed a metallic, hat-shaped craft hovering silently near Myford Road in Santa Ana, California during a routine inspection. He captured four photographs using his Polaroid camera: three of the object and one showing a dark ring of smoke it allegedly left behind.
The Incident
Heflin's observations:
- Metallic, hat-shaped craft hovering silently nearby
- Captured three photographs of the object
- Captured one photograph of a dark smoke ring allegedly left behind
- Used a Polaroid camera for documentation
Investigation and Analysis
The images were analyzed by multiple organizations, including the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station and NICAP (National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena). Project Blue Book classified the case as unresolved.
Notably, the original Polaroid prints were confiscated by men who identified themselves as representatives of NORAD, though NORAD later denied any involvement.
Later Re-examination
The photographs were re-examined by computer analysis in the 1990s using techniques unavailable in the 1960s. Analysts found no evidence of strings, support structures, or other signs of hoax.
Significance
The case remains one of the best-documented photographic UFO encounters of the Project Blue Book era.