Case study · CASE-082 · Recovered objects / resolved hoaxes and pranks (comparative)
Recovered 'flying disc' hoaxes in the FBI files (1947-1948)
Not assessedWhere North Hollywood, California; Black River Falls, Wisconsin; Illinois (Springfield FBI office); Helendale, CaliforniaWhen 1947-07-09 to 1948
Case
- Overview
- During the 1947 FBI-AAF cooperation the FBI examined or recorded several recovered 'discs'. All four documented here resolved as hoaxes, homemade devices, pranks or a model kite/tow target. They are grouped as one comparative case because they show what the 1947-48 recovered-object reports usually turned out to be.
- Investigative phases
- North Hollywood (1947-07-09): fire department recovery, FBI examination and photographs, Army follow-up. Black River Falls (1947-07-10): FBI and Civil Air Patrol correspondence; no further FBI investigation documented. Illinois (1947-07-26): Springfield FBI field memorandum. Helendale (1948): FBI follow-up.
- Reported phenomena
- North Hollywood: metal device that the Army concluded was incapable of powered flight. Black River Falls: 19-inch device with motor and propeller. Illinois: wooden platter with metal plate, spark plug, timer and brass tubing. Helendale: object reported as a model kite or tow target.
- Public evidence status
- High: FBI file correspondence (FBI UFO Parts 1, 2, 3 and 6). Low: independent photographs or physical retention of the objects; Helendale page and identities not yet verified.
- Alternative explanations / caveats
- These are resolved or probable hoaxes; they are not evidence of anomalous craft. Page references are approximate (North Hollywood ufo1 pp. 17-25; Helendale ufo6 p. 56) and OCR is imperfect. Do not merge with Roswell or other contemporaneous recovery claims.
- Next research tasks
- Verify page images and identities for each object, especially Helendale; record the original FBI file numbers for each memorandum.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-11-12
Assessment
Not yet in the Case Assessment Matrix.
Evidence (6)
- North Hollywood recovered metal 'disc': fire department recovery, FBI examination and photographs, Army follow-up Reported
- Black River Falls 19-inch device with motor and propeller Reported
- Illinois 'disc' of wooden platter, metal plate, spark plug, timer and brass tubing Reported
- Helendale recovered object reported as model kite or tow target Unverified
- FBI joined then withdrew from flying-disc investigations with the AAF: July 1947 bulletin, Sept 3 division of duties, Sept 27 FBI objections, Oct 1947 referral policy; Hoover concern over access to recovered objects DocumentedAnalysis
- North Hollywood recovered 'disc' was a metal device; Army concluded it could not fly under power ReportedSecondhand
Documents gathered (6 lines of evidence)
- North Hollywood recovered metal 'disc': fire department recovery, FBI examination and photographs, Army follow-up Readable here
- Black River Falls 19-inch device with motor and propeller Readable here
- Illinois 'disc' of wooden platter, metal plate, spark plug, timer and brass tubing Readable here
- Helendale recovered object reported as model kite or tow target Readable here
- FBI joined then withdrew from flying-disc investigations with the AAF: July 1947 bulletin, Sept 3 division of duties, Sept 27 FBI objections, Oct 1947 referral policy; Hoover concern over access to recovered objects Readable here
- North Hollywood recovered 'disc' was a metal device; Army concluded it could not fly under power Readable here
On the timeline (2)
- 1947-07-09 North Hollywood recovered metal 'disc' examined by FBI Reported
- 1947-07-26 Illinois 'disc' of platter, spark plug and tubing reported by Springfield FBI office Reported