Fürstenfeldbruck: First radar-visual UFO, 1948
First documented radar-visual UFO sighting on November 23, 1948 at 22:20 at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base in Bavaria. Two F-80 pilots pursued a red object that climbed from 27,000 to 50,000 feet at 900 mph.
Background
First Radar-Visual Event
On November 23, 1948 at 22:20, the first known UFO event with both ground radar and visual confirmation was registered at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base in Bavaria, Germany. An unidentified object circled at an altitude of about 27,000 feet and was detected both on radar and visually.
Military Pursuit
An F-80 pilot was sent to intercept and reported a bright red object. It suddenly climbed to 50,000 feet at a speed of 900 miles per hour. A second F-80 pilot confirmed the sighting independently.
Significance
The case is regarded as a milestone in UFO history, as it combines simultaneous radar and eyewitness reports from military personnel. Sources such as NICAP, Sparks, and Ruppelt document it in detail, and it has been cited as an unusually well-attested instance of the phenomenon.