Nash-Fortenberry, an Unknown with Expected Responses.

Greetings. Nash-Fortenberry. 

The Nash-Fortenberry UFO sighting occurred on July 14th of 1952. Two commercial pilots, William B. Nash and William H. Fortenberry, claimed to have seen eight unidentified flying objects flying in a tight formation over Chesapeake Bay in the state of Virginia, in the United States. UFO researchers have consistently stated that the pilots' observation allowed for the precise measurement of the unknown's overall motion and dimensions when compared to known landmarks, and that the encounter was corroborated by several groups of independent witnesses on the ground. 

The events in question took place as follows, in a somewhat vague and incomplete ufological nutshell: On the evening of July 14th in 1952, a Pan American World Airways DC-4 was on a routine flight, flying from New York to Miami with ten passengers and a crew of three, including Captain F. V. Koepke, First Officer William B. Nash and Second Officer William H. Fortenberry. The sun had set about an hour prior to the sighting, and the evening was clear, cloudless, and almost totally dark, though the coastline was still visible to the naked eye. While cruising at approximately 8,000 feet over Chesapeake Bay approaching Norfolk, Virginia, and with the aircraft set on automatic pilot, the flight was due to over fly the VRF radio range station in six minutes and make a position report. Since this was Fortenberry’s initial run on this particular course, Nash, in the left pilot’s seat, was orientating Fortenberry to the landmarks and the distant lights of the metropolitan areas along the route. Nash had just pointed out the city of Newport News, ahead and to the right of the plane, when unexpectedly a brilliant unknown appeared near the ground, beyond and slightly east of Newport News. The brilliance, which was of a reddish-orange, appeared without warning, with both pilots witnessing the startling appearance at practically the same moment. In the excitement someone blurted out, “What the hell is that?”

What transpired afterwards was not unexpected, nor were the resulting responses from certain parties. The case was ultimately listed in the U.S. Air Force's Project Blue Book as an "unknown." Donald Howard Menzel, in his book "The World of Flying Saucers," published in 1963, suggested some possible mundane explanations for the sighting. Menzel suggested that Nash and Fortenberry may have witnessed lights on the ground that were distorted by haze. Additionally, Menzel subsequently declared that the pilots may have seen fireflies that were trapped between the panes of glass in their own cockpit windows. Noted skeptical researcher Steuart Campbell suggested that the pilots witnessed a mirage of the planet Venus.

That about says it all.

Thank you for your time and consideration.