Eburacum45 said:Actually there is nothing in the image at all; the searchlights were illuminating a layer of smoke caused by the ack-ack, and the whole thing was a case of mass hysteria and misidentification.
You can see this reasonably well because none of the light from the searchlights actually passes the level which the 'object' was supposed to be at; it was of course all absorbed by the smoke.
Three experienced observers including the commander of the anti-aircraft battery were unable to see anything but smoke, but vast numbers of other observers saw an inordinate number of objects, probably all caused by smoke and ack-ack explosions.
A fascinating case, but there is almost certainly nothing to it.
Was it not an entire Anti Aircraft Brigade of many batteries that let loose with many equally experienced observers reporting "aircraft" and lights! And was it not also in the report of this incident to President Roosevelt from the Chief of staff that upto 15 aircraft travelling from very slow to 200mph at altitudes of 9 to 18000 ft? This Photo is very interesting but I find the reports on the incident far more so.