Sign Historical Group



Inventory of Material
from the Files of the Late Dr. Olavos T. Fontes

When Dr. J. Allen Hynek visited Brazil, he met with the widow of Dr. Olavos Fontes.  She gave Dr. Hynek a number of files, mostly of articles in English, which Dr. Fontes had prepared either for publication in his own little newsletter, The Brazilian Flying Saucer Review, or for the APRO Bulletin.  Also included were a few letters to correspondents in the U.S., Coral Lorenzen, Director of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO), Prof. Charles P. Maney, Defiance College, Ohio, and Alexander Mebane of Civilian Saucer Intelligence in New York (CSI-NY).

On his return to the United States, Dr. Hynek split the file into two parts.  He gave one portion to Dr. Willy Smith and the other portion to another researcher.  Dr. Smith has recently donated his files to the Sign Historical Group.  An inventory of the Fontes related material contained in the donated files appears below.  The material which originated with Dr. Smith is indicated by (#).  A small amount of other Fontes reports and manuscripts have been found in the files of other researchers.  Links found on the Internet that involve Fontes or the cases he wrote about are also provided. 

An addendum of Brazilian UFO cases found on the Internet is also included to demonstrate the character of reports from this South American Country.

Serial numbers on various cases (U-xxx or M-yyy) were assigned by Dr. Smith.  The letter "U" indicates that the case was part of the UNICAT, a database of outstanding UFO reports in Dr. Smith's opinion.  The letter "M" indicates the serial number for the MAYBECAT which contained cases Dr. Smith thought might be interesting if more data or results of investigations became available.  Dr. Smith said that very few cases were upgraded from the MAYBECAT to the UNICAT.

The Sign Historical Group would welcome additions to Fontes collection either by donation or exchange.  Contact: Sign Historical Group, P. O. Box 391, Canterbury, CT 06331 or e-mail: project1947@earthlink.net.

Articles on Events and UFO Reports

# "Official Documents from the Brazilian Air Force Authenticates the Pictures of the Flying Disk at Barra Da Tijuca in 1952" by Olavos Fontes
# "Message from the Flying Disk"
    by Joao Martins
Contactee claim, 24 April 1954
# "Brazilian Flying Saucer Review—The Coming of the UFOs"
    by Olavos Fontes
1954, short case summaries
  • * Oct 12—Near Rio Grande do Sul Air Force Base, FAB ACUFOE
  • * Oct 12—Pelatas, RGdS Fire Company
  • Oct 15—Pelatos
  • Oct 24—Gravatai Air Force Base
  • Oct 25—Osorio—ACUFOE
  • Oct 26—Porto Alegre and vicinity
  • Oct 27—Ibia, Minas Gerais, cigar shaped object
  • Oct 30—Porto Alegre, ACUFOE, FAB
  • Oct 31—Lages, Santa Catarina
* Conflict in dates between two articles. The dates of October 12 seem the more likely.
# "The Brazilian Flying Saucer Review—The VARGIS Airline Incident 6 August 1954" U-559
# "The Brazilian Flying Saucer Review—The Gravatai Air Force Base Incident 24 October 1954" U-561
# "Report from Brazil—The Air Force Is Just As Puzzled as We Are About the Saucers"
    by Dr. Olavos Fontes
Incidents for October and November 1954
  • * Oct 21—Near Rio Grande do Sul Air Force base, FAB ACUFOE
  • * Oct 21—Pelatas, RGdS Fire Company
  • Oct 24—Torres City Beach and Porto Alegre
  • Oct 25—Osorio—ACUFOE, Ground Sighting, FAB interception negative
  • Oct 26—Porto Alegre and Vicinity
  • Oct 27—Ibia, Minas Gerais, cigar shaped object
  • Oct 30—Porto Alegre, ACUFOE, FAB
  • Oct 31—Lages, Santa Catarina
  • Nov 2—Near Tapes, RGdS, U-558
  • Nov 4—four reports and also Cordoba, Argentina
  • Nov 6—Pontal, Sao Paolo, CE III, 5 other reports
  • Nov 20—Rio Grande River on the border with Sao Paolo and Minas Gerais, ACUFOE, FAB
* Conflict in dates between two articles.  The dates of October 12 seem the more likely.  See entry above for Brazilian Flying Saucer Review--The Coming of the UFOs.
# " 'Flying Saucers Are Real' " —Says the Brazilian Air Force: Official Report on Unidentified Flying Objects.
Comments by Brazilian Air Force (FAB) officials in 1954 concerning UFO sightings and investigations in that country.
Summary of the Gravatai Air Force Base, 24 October 1954, U-561
# " The Brazilian Flying Saucer Review—Friends or Foes? (The Guaiba-Tapes Road Incident)
    by Dr. Olavos Fontes
UFO encounter on the road 30 Oct 1954, U-558
# CE III cases for November 1954
# "The Brazilian Flying Saucer Review—The Visitor from Nowhere, the Rio Grande River Incident"
Brazilian Air Force (FAB) encounter over the Rio Grande River, 20 November 1954, U-540
# "We Have Visitors from Space"
    by Olavos Fontes
  1. Catete Palace, Rio de Janeiro 18 December 1954, U-557
  2. Santa Marie Air Force Base, Rio Grande do Sul 22 November 1954, M-773
  3. Campinas, Sao Paolo, (liquid tin incident) 12 December 1954, M-772
  4. VARIG Airlines 5 August 1954, U-559
  5. Ponta, Sao Paolo, 4 November 1954
# "Special Report: UAO Photographed over the Bay of Guanabara in the Moonlight"
    by Olavos Fontes
9 December 1954
# "Venancio Aires County, State of Rio Grande do Sol Brazil"
    by Olavos Fontes
CE III cases for December 1954
9 December 1954, M-789
11 December 1954, M-769
# "The Truth about the Campinas Incident"
    by Olavos Fontes, 12 December 1964, M-772
# Summer (December 1955) Rio de Janeiro photograph, report and analysis
# Recent UFO Sightings in Brazil
Real-Aerovias Airlines, 29 June 1957, ACUFOE
Rio de Janeiro, 2 July 1957
Vitoria, Real-Aerovias Airlines, 4 July 1957, ACUFOE
Minas Gerais, 14 July 1957
# Fontes Ubatuba File (14 September 1957 [date of report, not date of incident])
"Special Report: Physical Evidence Proving UAOs to be Craft from Outer Space"
    by Dr. Olavos Fontes



Analysis and other documents


Project 1947 Ubatuba file compiled from various sources,
    CUFOS, APL, etc.
  1. Flow chart showing the analysis of the fragments (M. Swords)
  2. Galley proofs about Ubatuba from Saunders' book, "UFOs: Yes"
  3. Ltr 9 Sep 1968 from Frederic B. Jueneman, Innovative Concepts Associates, Inc, (INCA) to Paul Cerny, NICAP Bay Area Subcommittee, Dr. Baptista opinion that the fragment is part of a US rocket. Enclosed the 1957 X-ray report translated to English by Dr. Baptista
  4. Letter to APRO (the Lorenzens) from Roy Craig, the Colorado UFO project on the results of their analysis of the fragments
  5. APRO Bulletin March 1960
  6. APRO Bulletin May 1960
  7. APRO Bulletin Jul-Aug 1970
  8. APRO Bulletin Vol. 31, Number 11
  9. "Brazil Magnesium Study", P. A. Sturrock, Center for Space Science and Astrophysics, Stanford University (Abstract)
  10. Ltr from Peter Sturrock to James Lorenzen 17 January 1977 on isotopic comparison indistinguishable from normal magnesium
  11. Ltr from Peter Sturrock to James Lorenzen 19 September 1978 on further analysis and possible other analysis
  12. "Report on the Investigation of Magnesium Samples Originated in the Explosion of a UFO over the Sea in the Region of Ubatuba, Brazil," Olavos T. Fontes, M. D.
  13. Special Report: Physical Evidence Proving UAOs to Be Craft from Outer Space by Dr. Olavos Fontes
  14. Ubatuba, Lumieres Dans La Nuit, April 1978, #174
  15. Ubatuba Bresil, Septembre 1957: Authenique fragments d, OVNI? Jacques Scornaux, DenS
  16. UFO Update: Alien Metals by Harry Lebelson, OMNI, 11/79
  17. Ltr from R. S. Busk, Dow Chemical to Coral Lorenzen 15 December 1961 report of analysis
  18. Ltr Roy Craig to R. S. Busk, Dow Chemical 8 January 1968 request for analysis
  19. Memo on telephone conversation btn Roy Craig and IRS 22 January 1968
  20. Ltr Roy Craig to IRS Alcohol Tobacco Tax Division, Forensic Laboratory, Mr. Maynard J. Pro, Research and Evaluation Methods, 23 January 1968 request for neutron activation analysis
  21. Ltr Internal Revenue Service to Roy Craig 29 February 1968 National Office Laboratory results
  22. Ltr Roy Craig to Dow Chemical 4 March 1968, various
  23. Internal Revenue Service to Roy Craig, 12 March 1968 neutron activation analysis
  24. Dow Chemical to Roy Craig 9 March 1968 on unusual elements in sample
  25. Ltr Roy Craig to Marnard Pro 18 March 1968 on other analysis
  26. Dow Chemical to Roy Craig 5 Jun 1968 electron microprobe analysis
  27. National Office Laboratory, IRS, Alcohol Tobacco Tax Division, "Report on an Investigation of a Magnesium Sample"
  28. Further Analysis of Ubatuba Magnesium—Microprobe and Metallographic Examination
  29. National Office Laboratory, IRS Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division, Neutron Activation Analysis of Artifacts Associated with UFO Phenomena.
  30. Letter from Roger J. Sullivan to E. U. Condon 11 March 1970 and answered by Roy Craig 23 March 1970, claims of Harder and Saunders discussed.
  31. Notes on Ubatuba material concerning telephone conversations by University of Colorado.

LINKS for the Ubatuba Case
# "Shadows of the Unknown: Friends or Foes" article for the APRO Bulletin of Sept 1959.
Rough draft of the article with a proof copy of the Bulletin for corrections. Three incidents from 1957 discussed including the Iaptu Fortress sighting report.
# "Three incidents from 1957 (see "Shadows of the Unknown: Friends or Foes")
  • Incident 1: VARIG Airlines 14 August 1957 ACUFOE, U-553
  • Incident 2: VARIG Airlines 4 November 1957 ACUFOE, M-770
  • Incident 3: Itaipu Fortress case 4 November 1957 Effects case EME/heat, U-555
# November 1957 in Brazil (missing pages)
# Sightings on November 7, 1957, Worldwide
# "UAO Sighted and Filmed over Rio de Janeiro"
    by Olavos Fontes,
    7 November 1957
# Brazilian newspaper clippings on the Trindade Incident, 16 January 1958
  Project 1947 Trindade Island file from several sources,
    Donald E. Keyhoe Archives, CUFOS, etc.

  1. Department of the Navy, General Staff of the Fleet, Subdivision of Information (Brazil) translated into English
  2. Auriphebo B Simoes to Alexander Mebane, CSI, NY on the Trindade case 23 February 1958.
  3. Clippings on the Trindade incident from the Brazilian press
  4. US Navy, Office of Information to NICAP 5 October 1960, "It is improper for the Navy to comment about internal affairs of other countries."
  5. AF PIO Lt. Col. Freeman, to Leonard Hummel answering inquiries concerning the Trindade incident.
  6. Ltr from Captain M. Sunderland, US Naval Attache to Admiral Luiz Felippe Pinto da Luz, Chief of Information, Brazilian Navy, request for information on the Trindade incident
  7. Ltr from President of Empresa Graffica O Cruzeiro S. A. (publishers of O Cruzeiro magazine) to John Laval 27 November 1963 asserting that the photographs are authentic.
  8. Packet of Correspondence with index from NICAP files including Dr. Howard Menzel, Dr. James McDonald, Prof. Charles Maney, Col. Carl Hart, USAF PIO, Richard Hall, and John Laval

LINKS to Articles and Investigation on the Trindade Incident by Olavos Fontes General Links for Trindade Island, History, Geography, Political, and Description



General Links to the Trindade UFO Incident
# The Brazilian UFO Review
    by Olavos Fontes
Cases from 2 November 1960
# Brazilian Destroyer Tracked by UAO
    by Olavos Fontes, M. D.
Report of a sighting from the Brazilian Navy destroyer Bauru for 27 June 1959 including excerpts from a taped interview with the ship's captain, Commander Mallet Soares, U-562
  Report from Brazil #1, March 1966
  • March 5, Barra da Tijuca--Rio de Janeiro--NL
  • March 6, Cagarras Island--CE I Lourenco, Jorge Hospital
  • March 17, Vista Alegra, Cordovil
  • March 21, Niteroi
  • March 25, Vassaras
  • March 26, Jucarepajua
  • March 28, Menaus, Amazonas
  • March 29, Jacarepajua Lagoon--CE I
  Other Material, newspaper clippings, letters, general articles.
# Answers to Questions.   (Questions are not attached and the material is not very helpful without them)
# A Proposito dos Disco Voadores
    by Olavos Fontes
article in Portuguese
# Brazilian newspaper clippings and magazine articles, 1952-1960
# Letters from Fontes to Coral Lorenzen,
  • 3 July 1957, Campinas Incident
  • Prof. Charles Maney, 11 December 1958, Ubatuba
  • Alexander Mebane, 2 January 1958, Ubatuba, Campinas Tin, the Mars Cycle, "skyquakes," occupant sightings, Aime Michel's second book, Brazilian Air Force opinion on UFOs. Col de Oliveira vs. General Mello
  Letters from Fontes to Alexander Mebane, CSI-NY, 23 November 1958
  1. AVB abduction case, 16 October 1957, probably the first mention to correspondents in the US outside of the Lorenzens and APRO.
  2. Report of the French Observatory at Forcalquier, 19 August 1957
  3. Discussion of the Ubatuba fragments
  4. Discussion of the Campinas tin--there is nothing that suggests it is extraterrestrial.
  5. November 21, 1954, National Airlines report
  6. Mars Cycle
  7. Col Adil de Oliveira
  Links to articles about Dr. Olavos Fontes and his Investigations
  • John G. Fuller: "The Interrupted Journey"

    Concerning cases in Brazil investigated by Dr. Fontes
    — via The Internet Archive




ADDENDUM:   Samples of UFO reports from Brazil available on the Internet
  • Water UFO Site.

    A number of accounts are included in the post-1947
    lists of sightings.  Many are described in detail.

      http://www.waterufo.net/list.htm



  • The Unreal World of UFOs
    Brazil: A UFO Hot Spot

    Incidents recorded by Bob Pratt during his trips to Brazil.  A wide variety of material from the late 1970s.  Here is a whole spectrum of UFO stories from this South American country.  Bizarre tales to official investigations.

      http://www.mufon.com/bob_pratt/



  • Date: November 4, 1957
    Source: NICAP, APRO
    Location: Ararangua, Brazil
    Witness: Cpt. Jean Vincent de Beyssac, Varig Airlines
    Summation: Red light source approached below plane, made
    erratic jump, electrical equipment on plane burnt out, heat.

      http://ufologie.patrickgross.org/htm/varig57.htm



  • 1986: Jet Chase Over Brazil


      http://ufologie.patrickgross.org/htm/brazil86.htm




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