Welcome to bite-sized UFOs, a show where we break down lesser-known UFO cases in 20 minutes or less.

And now here's your host, Graham Rendell.

With Cold War tensions rising, the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command was on a high alert 24 hours a day to respond to any attack from the Soviet Union.

As part of its readiness plan, SAC carried out a series of flights known as Head Start 2, where a number of its B-52 bombers were sent out

on practice missions, armed with thermonuclear weapons. If need be, these aircraft could

be refueled in mid-air and sent out over Russia, reducing the time needed to respond to a developing

threat. The crew's practice scrambles and air-to-air refueling to hone their skills.

On the evening of 25 March, 1959, a B-52 from Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington State, was followed by a UFO, an object that was reported visually and picked up on radar.

The aircraft concerned was a 92-b-b-52B, call sign Outcome 155, and its crew were listed as follows.

Captain John W. Jackson, Aircraft Commander.

Captain Ray H. Beck, co-pilot, Major Waldo M. Page, navigator.

Captain Robert J. Ferrien, radar operator.

First Lieutenant Robert J. Millard, electronic warfare officer.

Technical Sergeant Joe Cobbs, tail gunner.

The crew belonged to the 92nd Wing's 325th Bomb Squadron.

Captain Beck and Major Page had served during World War II. A member of the 98th bomb group, Waldo Page had been shot down over Germany and held prisoner war at Stalag 7A. During this particular Head Start 2 flight, Outcome 1-5 took off from Fairchild Air Force Base and headed for a turning point at 56 degrees 20 minutes north, 104 degrees 20 minutes west, located near the southwestern end of Reindeer Lake, Saskatchewan. From there, the bomber turned south, its crew making regular position reports to Saskatoon radio. The UFO was first spotted at 51 degrees north, 108 degrees west,

and an account of the events that subsequently occurred can be found in an air intelligence information report

compiled by Detachment 5 of the 106th Air Security Service

Squadron, base at Geiger Field Spokane, Washington State, on 2nd April, 1959.

The following information was prepared by Captain Urban A Fero of the 106th AISS.

At 0236 Zulu, Outcome 15 was flying at 32,000 feet, position 51 degrees north, 108 degrees

west, under visual flight rules conditions.

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