Unidentified Aerial Object Detected by Radar Near Key West in 1950

Summary

In November 1950, an Air Force unit recorded an UFO encounter near Key West, Florida. A radar detected an object at 15,000 feet altitude, traveling at 480 mph with no visible lights. A pilot of the F6F-5N made a brief visual observation, but the object remained unidentified. Radar characteristics suggested a craft similar to a B-45, yet its lack of illumination was unusual. The incident occurred on a clear night with no known aerial activity in the area, raising questions about its origin.

The subsequent investigation concluded it was likely a conventional aircraft, though no definitive identification was made. The lack of clear radar tracks and the inability to intercept the object led to considerations of weather effects or perceptual errors. Despite the technological limitations of the time, the case remains a classic example of how UFO reports were handled in the 1950s.