◆ SpookStack

ae Phoenix file 62-213 WILLIAM ALBERT RHODES, 4333 N. 14th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, owns and maintains the Panoramic Research Laboratory and Hobby Shop at this address, and he related the following as occurring on the afternoon of July 7, 1947: A storm had occurred in Phoenix on the afternoon of July 7, 1947, and the clouds were at approximately 5000 feet, the color of which was grey and they resembled dense cumulus. A fifteen mile per hour wind was blowing. At approximately 5 p.m. on that date, Mr. RHODES was walking from his home to the Hobby Shop and he heard a noise resembling a P-80 aircraft, apparently coming in a westerly direction. Upon searching the skies he observed to the northeast what appeared to be an odd shaped ship. He described this ship as being possibly 20 to 30 feet in diameter, traveling at an estimated speed of 100 miles per hour. It appeared to be making a spiral in a small radius of possibly one-half to three quarters of a mile. RHODES stated the sound which he first heard was no longer audible; that he hurriedly procured a 120 Brownie Box Camera from his shop, and as the aircraft completed the first circle he obtained a photograph. As the ship started on the second turn, it was ina northwesterly direction from his place and he again snapped a photograph, which more closely resembled the shape of the ship than photograph #1, this being designated as Exhibit II, as submitted to the Bureau with letter dated August 4, 1947, by the Office of Assistant Chief of Staff A-2 Intelligence, Hamilton Field, California. RHODES further described the direction of the ship by stating that instead of completing the lefthand downward spiral the ship banked to the right and disappeared into the clouds. He stated that just as it banked, he had snapped the second photograph, Exhibit IT. At the last point, which was at the time the ship made this turn, Mr. RHODES estimated it to be between 1,000 amd 2,000 feet high. He further des- cribed the appearance of this ship as closely resembling a picture which appeared on the front cover of the May, 1947, issue of the Mechanics Illustrated Magazine, the only difference noted by Mr. RHODES being that the ship appeared to be fly- ing backward, Mr. RHODES also related that he did not associate the appearance of this ship with the numerous reports of flying discs. He related, however, that after a three minute interview with newspaper reporters the story that appeared in the local papers was "blown up" to the extent that he, RHODES, barely recog= nized the information furnished by him. Mr. RHODES explained that the afore- mentioned dimensions and distances were only estimated, pointing out, that his Previous experience probably assisted him in making fairly.close estimates. He related that he had been doing experimental work for the past ten years. He also stated he was employed at the Naval Ordnance Laboratory, Washington, D. C. during the early part of World War II and left there the beginning of 1942. Upon his return to Phoenix, he was employed at Falcon Field near Phoenix which was leased by the British Government for training purposes. He instructed in instrument training, aircraft identification and gunnery practice. He explained that his hobbies have to do with science, physics, radio, electronics and astronomy. He produced a model which he had made of a radio controlled airplane. He related that most of his work consists of building transformers, but it is also necessary for him to depend upon his music ability for his livlihood. =2=