Welcome to Unexplained Extra with me Richard McClain Smith, where for the weeks in between episodes, we look at stories and ideas that, for one reason or other, didn't make it into the previous show. In the last episode, the Homecoming, we relived the extraordinary story of Travis Walton, who, after going missing for five days in nineteen seventy five, reappeared with the incredible claim that he'd been abducted by what
he believed were beings from another planet. Regardless of what we choose to believe about the story, it remains one of the more well known and to many plausible accounts of a supposed encounter with the UFO. This is perhaps surprising considering how Travis's story relies purely on anecdotal evidence.
In comparison, most other well known and similarly highly regarded stories of alleged UFO encounters, such as the supposed Roswell crash, the Rendelsham Forest incident, and more recently, the US Navy flight footage, has either pictorial or video evidence to accompany it. Many say that if a genuine alien spacecraft really had appeared on Earth, who would be incontrovertible photographic or video evidence to prove it, and yet there are countless videos
and photos purporting to reveal exactly that. More often than not, however, they are dismissed as cases of mistaken identity or simply fakes. In reality, unless a craft were to land on a busy high street in full view of a live news broadcast and collectively witnessed by everyone you knew, any photo or video evidence could easily be dismissed. Perhaps that is,
with the exception of one photo. For many years, the British government, when pushed to answer questions about the UFO phenomenon, would routinely respond that there was no intelligence interest in such things, and by extension, the government had no interest in them at all. Eyebrows were raised, however, when in May two thousand and eight, the British Ministry of Defense released a series of top secret files to the National Archive, which included a host of reports of UFO sightings stretching
back to nineteen seventy eight. Over the next few years, as more files were released, it would become apparent that not only had the British government been keeping a keen interest in the phenomena, but that they had been since the nineteen forties. In order to do this, a team of civil service staff were tasked with collating and in some cases, following up on alleged sightings of UFO. In
nineteen ninety one, a new member joined the team. Nick Pope, had previously worked in the Royal Air Force Operations Room during the nineteen ninety Gulf War as a member of the Defense Intelligence Staff for the British Ministry of Defense. There, his job was to read through drafts of books that were being written about the conflict to make sure there wasn't any top secret information that could be detrimental for
British intelligence. With British operations in the Gulf winding down in nineteen ninety one, Pope was moved to another department in which his main responsibilities involved executing various tasks relating to the non operational activities of the Royal Air Force. A key element of this role, as stipulated on Pope's website, nick pope dot Net, was keeping tabs on any unidentified aerial phenomena reported to the department and to analyze if
such phenomena posed a threat to national security. On Pope's first day in his new office, having been shown to his desk, He looked up to see an unusual poster stuck to the wall. The image appeared to be an enlarged photograph of the British countryside, with a large, dark colored, diamond shaped object appearing to hover in the sky, while to the right of it, Pope could make out what
appeared to be a fighter jet traveling at speed. Asking his colleague opposite about it, the colleague replied that it was indeed a photograph taken in August nineteen ninety by two members of the public walking in an area in
the middle of Scotland known as Calvin. The pair claimed they came across it suddenly and watched it hover silently for a few minutes until a Harrier fighter plane arrived and flew past it a few times, after which the object shot straight up into the air and accelerated away at a colossal rate. The photo had been sent to the national newspaper, the Scottish Daily Record, before being passed
on to the Ministry of Defense. Having been analyzed by the RFS Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Center, it was deemed that whatever the object was in the picture was there when the photograph was taken and was estimated to be about twenty five meters in diameter. It was, as Nick Pope claims his colleagues stated, quite simply, the best photographed
their department had ever received of a UFO. Ordinarily, the instinct of Pope and his colleagues when presented with such a photograph was to get to the bottom of which earthly nation the UFO had been developed, by what they were doing flying it in British airspace, and how could the British get their hands on the technology? On this occasion, however,
the intelligent staff were stumped. Pope claimed that during one briefing on the UFO phenomena in general, his colleague at one point drew attention to the diamond shaped object in the photo, and, pointing to the right, said it's not the Americans, then, pointing to the left, it's not the Russians, then, moving his finger above the object, said and that only leaves. The photograph remained on the wall until nineteen ninety four, when it was unceremoniously removed by Pope's head of division.
After a series of similar UFO sightings in the early nineties, suspicions were raised that the US Air Force was secretly testing prototype aircraft in British airspace. However, after being confronted with this accusation in Parliament, British Defense ministers were forced to reveal that the US government had assured them that neither the Airforce or any other US body we're conducting such tests over Britain. Are you always taking care of your family? Do you often take care of others and
not yourself? Now it's time to take care of yourself, to make time for you. You deserve it. Teledoc gives you access to a licensed therapist to help you get back to feeling your best, to feeling like yourself again. With teledoc, you can speak to a licensed therapist by phone or video. Therapy appointments are available seven days a
week from seven am to nine pm local time. If you feel overwhelmed sometimes maybe you feel stressed or anxious, depressed or lonely, or you might be struggling with a personal or family issue, teledoc can help. Teledoc is committed to facilitating great therapeutic matches, so they make it easy to change counselors if needed. For free. Teledoc therapy is available through most insurance employers. Download the app or visitteldoc dot com forward slash Unexplained podcast today to get started.
That's teladoc dot com slash Unexplained podcast. Pope has suggested that his head of division confiscated the photo not because it was a craft from outer space, but because he didn't believe the assurances from the US and as such thought it might be of use to the Ministry of Defense. Either way, according to Pope, neither the photograph or the negatives, which were also handed over to the Ministry of Defense by the Scottish Daily Record newspaper, have ever been seen since.
In two thousand and eleven, the mod files relating to this incident were declassified. The following has taken verbatim from National Archives file d e FE twenty four forward Slash one nine four zero UFO Reports with redactions. UFO Incident, Saturday, fourth August nineteen ninety Location, Calvin, Scotland, twenty miles north of pit Lockery, off the A nine time nine p
m approximately. Description large diamond shape UFO hovering for about ten minutes before ascending vertically upwards at high speed during sighting. Ri F aircraft believed to be a harrier made a number of low level passes for five to six minutes before disappearing. Off witnesses one name redacted, the other unidentified. Additional information. A number of color photographs taken by eye witness were passed to ri F Petrevi and Scottish Daily Record.
Original Nega Tis also passed a Daily Record weather main cloud base ninety five thousand feet dropping down to fifteen thousand feet during showers. Wind was west to southwest ten to fifteen kilometers, temperature of fourteen celsius occasional showers minutes taken from fourteenth September nineteen ninety. Under Secretary of State for the Air Force may wish to be aware that the Scottish Daily Record may run a story regarding an alleged sighting of a UFO near pit Lockery in early August.
Such stories are not normally drawn to the attention of ministers and the Ministry of Defense and the Press Office invariably responds to questions along well established lines, emphasizing our limited interest in the UFO phenomenon and explaining that we therefore do not have the resources to undertake any in
depth investigation into particular sightings. On this occasion, however, the Mood has been provided with six photographic negatives of an alleged UFO by the Scottish Daily Record and has been asked for comments, almost certainly for inclusion in the forthcoming story. For this reason, it is felt that the Undersecretary of State be made aware of the background and the line adopted by the Deputy Director of Public Relations in responding
to the newspaper. The photographs, which were received on the tenth of September, are alleged to have been taken near the A nine road at Calvin, north of Pitlochry, on the evening of August fourth. They show a large stationary diamond shaped object, past which it appears a small jet
aircraft is flying. The negatives have been considered by the relevant staffs, who've established the jet aircraft is a Harrier and also identified a barely visible second aircraft, again probably a Harrier, but have reached no definite conclusion regarding the large object. It has also been confirmed that there is no record of harriers operating in the area at the time at which the photographs are alleged to have been taken.
The negatives have now been returned to the Scottish Daily Record in consultation with the RF's Deputy Director of Public Relations, it has been agreed that the attached line to take should be used in responding to the Scottish Daily Record. These are consistent with the position adopted in the replies to the many public and occasional parliamentary enquiries on the subject of UFOs. The defense lines to take are as follows.
Have looked at photographs, no definite conclusions regarding the large diamond shaped object, confident that jet aircraft is a harrier jump jet, have no record of harriers operating in location at stated time or date. And finally that there have been no other reports received by MOD of unusual activity
or sightings at location, date or time. If pressed on who in the MD studied the pictures, reply all citing reports, including on occasion, photographs and drawings received by MOD, are referred to the staff and the Department which are responsible for Air Defense of UK, who examine them as part of their normal duties. Thank you to Mark town End
for suggesting this story. If you enjoy Unexplained and would like to help supporters, you can now do so via Patreon to receive access to add three episodes, discount or merchandise, as well as brand new video and audio content exclusive to Patreon members. Just go to patron dot com, Forward Slash Unexplained Pod to sign up, or if you'd like to make a one time donation, you can go to Unexplained podcast dot com Forward Slash Support. All donations, no
matter how large or small, are greatly appreciated. Unexplained, the book and audiobook, featuring ten stories that have never before been covered on the show, is now available to buy worldwide. You can purchase through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Waterstones, among other bookstores. All elements of Unexplained, including the show's music,
are produced by me Richard McClain smith. Please subscribe and rate the show wherever you listen to podcasts, and feel free to get in touch with any thoughts or ideas regarding the stories you've heard on the show. Perhaps you have an explanation of your own you'd like to share. You can reach us online at Unexplained podcast dot com, or Twitter at Unexplained Pod and Facebook at Facebook dot com, Forward Slash Unexplained Podcast. Now it's time to take care
of yourself. To make time for you, Tell a doc gives you access to a licensed therapist to help you get back to feeling your best. Speak to a licensed therapist by phone or video anytime between seven am to nine pm local time, seven days a week. Teledoc Therapy is available through most insurance or employers. Download the app, or visit teledoc dot com Forward slash Unexplained Podcast Today to get started. That's t e ladoc dot com Slash Unexplained Podcast