1950: The Great Falls, Montana UFO Film

THINK ABOUTIT UFO SIGHTING REPORT

Date: August 15, 1950

Sighting Time: 11:30 am

Day/Night: Day

Location: Great Falls, Montana

Urban or Rural: -Urban

Hynek Classification: CE-I (Close Encounter I) Observation of an object in close proximity to the witness (i.e. within 500’)

Duration:  10 seconds

No. of Object(s): 2

Height & Speed:

Size of Object(s):

Distance to Object(s):

Shape of Object(s): oval

Color of Object(s): discs with rotating rims

Number of Witnesses: single

Source: Nicolas Mariana

Full Report

A classic UFO film was taken on August 15, 1950, by Nicolas Mariana, general manager of the Great Falls “Selectrics” baseball team. This film was listed as Top Secret and, although now declassified, is still considered an “unknown.”

Note that in government “releases” (National Archives, etc.), the distant objects in the frames almost don’t show up.

However, even the TNT versions (as you will see later) show that the objects were clearly visible and oval-shaped, especially in the early footage.

And the evidence strongly suggests that what Mariana has told us for a long time is true, much of the early footage was apparently removed by the Air Force.

NICAP Synopsis:

Nick Mariana, Great Falls, Montana, obtained 16 mm color movies of two UFOs which appear as bright circular points of light. Footage of UFOs at closer range, confirming visual observation of discs with rotating rims, was reported missing from film when returned by Air Force.

Remaining footage was contained in United Artists documentary movie “UFO” and compared to July 2, 1952, Trementon, Utah film showing similar images.

Mr. Mariana used Daylight Kodachrome film in a Revere turret type camera and obtained 315 frames showing the UFOs.

The film was examined by the Air Force and Navy, but no formal reports released. Report on Photogrammetric analysis by Dr. Robert M.L. Baker, Jr., Douglas Aircraft Corporation, on file at NICAP.

Air Force explanation that UFOs were reflections off jet aircraft said to be “quite strained,” and the analyst states no definite conclusion. However, UFOs could not be explained as any conventional objects.