CASE FILE C-14
A "Perfect Flying Saucer" at an RAF Demonstration - CIA Case C-14
2026-09-22 · Declassified UAP records
On 18 December 1952 H. Marshall Chadwell, the CIA's Assistant Director for Scientific Intelligence, wrote a one-page MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD headed "British Activity in the field of 'Unidentified Flying Objects'." It records what a courier just back from Britain reported on 15 December, after talking with R. V. Jones and one other person whose name is the file's only redaction.
According to that account, "The British have had a standing committee created about sixteen months ago on flying saucers," presumably by then under Jones "through inheritance." The memo adds the line "The RAF are action people," and reports the committee's conclusion: "the observations are not enemy aircraft and that none have been over Britain."
It then describes what it calls the Yorkshire incident, which it places "about ten to twelve days ago": "In some RAF field, there was some sort of demonstration to which high officials of the RAF in London had been invited. During the show, a 'perfect flying saucer' was seen by these officials as well as RAF pilots. So many people saw it that many articles appeared in the public press." That publicity is described as "disturbing to Jones" because "the creation of the correction of public opinion is a part of his responsibilities" - the phrasing is exactly as typed.
The memo names no committee, no RAF station, no date for the sighting and no witnesses, and it describes the object only as a "perfect flying saucer." Jones also referred to the 1946 Swedish incident, and the courier told him about the Tremonton film. Four weeks after this memo, Chadwell's office convened the scientific panel published here as Case C-2, which recommended stripping unidentified flying objects of "the aura of mystery they have unfortunately acquired." A second page bundled in the same file lists three potential dangers from UFO reports, but carries no date, subject or signature and never mentions Britain, so it is reproduced separately below.
The Document
SECRET - Security Information (stamped and struck through at the top and bottom of both pages) 18 December 1952
CIA Memorandum for Record - British Activity in the field of "Unidentified Flying Objects" (18 December 1952)
Memorandum for Record - 18 December 1952
- SECRET - Security Information
- 18 December 1952
- MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD
- SUBJECT: British Activity in the field of "Unidentified Flying Objects"
1. On 15 December, the recently arrived messenger from Britain reported the following. He had talked with R. V. Jones and ██████
2. The British have had a standing committee created about sixteen months ago on flying saucers. Presumably this is now under Dr. Jones through inheritance. The RAF are action people. The group has concluded that the observations are not enemy aircraft and that none have been over Britain.
3. The activity has been quiet and normal up to about ten to twelve days ago, at which time the Yorkshire incident took place. In some RAF field, there was some sort of demonstration to which high officials of the RAF in London had been invited. During the show, a "perfect flying saucer" was seen by these officials as well as RAF pilots. So many people saw it that many articles appeared in the public press. This is disturbing to Jones because he realizes that the creation of the correction of public opinion is a part of his responsibilities.
4. Jones reminded us of the Swedish incident (presumably he refers to the one in 1946), and reminds us of a paper on the origin of meteorites published in the French Academy of Sciences between 1760 and 1780 by Chladni.
5. The traveler told Jones of our interest at this time, mentioned the film which had been taken by the Naval non-commissioned officer (Tremonton incident). It is possible that Jones will write asking for a copy of the film or further on the same subject.
H. MARSHALL CHADWELL, Assistant Director, Scientific Intelligence. Distribution: Opns/SI - 1; P&E/SI - 1; W&E/SI - 1; AD/SI - 2.
Second page - potential dangers of the sightings (no date or addressee printed)
While there is no indication that these objects represent a direct threat to the national defense, there are certain potential dangers which are related to these sightings. These are:
- 1. The difficulty and delay in positive identification which could weaken the early warning system in alerting defense in the event of commencement of hostilities.*
- 2. The possibility of mass hysteria which might be purposely induced by an enemy at a critical time by faked reports.
- 3. The possibility that the emergency communications systems to command headquarters might be seriously overloaded at a critical time by such reports.
It is believed that the problems of communications confusion and overload and the serious effects of mass hysteria must be dealt with outside the intelligence community, and it is planned to bring these matters to the attention of those agencies with whom the prime responsibility appears to rest. With respect to mass hysteria, it is believed this problem would lie with the Federal Civil Defense Administration and/or the Interdepartmental Committee on Internal Security. Accordingly, it is planned to bring this to the attention of the FCDA and ICIS through established channels. With respect to emergency communications overloading, it is believed that each of the individual Military Services should examine this problem. Accordingly, we intend to introduce the subject at a meeting of the Joint Communications and Electronics Committee.
Handwritten footnote at the bottom of the second page: "* According to Brig. Gen. Air Maxwell (RDB) ADC is 'cognizant of this potential danger,' and does 'express concern'" (reading of the general's name is uncertain).
Approved for Release 2026 Under Section 1842 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. One redaction: a blanked box covering a second name in paragraph 1. Page 1 carries handwritten routing initials and dates in the upper right and an illegible cursive note in the right margin; page 2 carries a handwritten footnote. · Central Intelligence Agency - Office of Scientific Intelligence (CIA-UAP-014)
Where It Happened
Full Transcript
December 1952. A courier comes back from Britain, and the C.I.A. writes down what he was told.
A memorandum for record, the eighteenth of December. Subject: British activity in the field of Unidentified Flying Objects.
The British, it says, have had a standing committee on flying saucers, created about sixteen months earlier. The R.A.F., the memo notes, are action people. The group concluded the observations are not enemy aircraft, and that none have been over Britain.
Then, ten to twelve days before, the Yorkshire incident. At some R.A.F. field there was a demonstration, with high officials of the R.A.F. in London invited. During the show, a perfect flying saucer was seen by those officials, and by R.A.F. pilots. So many people saw it that it reached the public press.
What the memo does not give is almost as telling. No name for the committee. No R.A.F. station. No date for the sighting, and no description of the object beyond those three words.
It is signed by H. Marshall Chadwell, the C.I.A.'s Assistant Director for Scientific Intelligence. Four weeks later, his office convened the panel that recommended stripping U.F.O.s of their aura of mystery.
Search Case C-14 at ufodata.org. Subscribe to UFO Data.
Sources
All documents and footage are authentic, public-domain U.S. government releases. Narration is AI-generated text-to-speech.