The Little Rissington UFO Incident
The Little Rissington UFO Incident is one of the most interesting—and often overlooked—British military UFO cases. Unlike many sightings from the early 1950s, it involved two trained military pilots, a Royal Air Force jet, and reported radar confirmation, making it one of the strongest cases from the UK’s post-war UFO wave.
The Incident
Date: 21 October 1952
Location: Near RAF Little Rissington, Gloucestershire
Aircraft: Gloster Meteor T.7 trainer
Crew:
- Flight Lieutenant Michael “Mick” Swiney (later Air Commodore)
- Lieutenant David Crofts RN (Royal Navy student pilot)
The incident occurred during what became known as the Great UFO Wave of 1952, the same year that saw famous sightings over Washington D.C., the United States, and a dramatic increase in reports across Europe.
The Flight
Swiney and Crofts departed RAF Little Rissington on what should have been a routine navigation and training exercise in a Gloster Meteor T.7.
As they climbed through cloud to approximately 12,000–14,000 feet, they emerged into clear skies and noticed three brilliant white circular objects ahead of them.
At first, Swiney believed they were parachutes.
However, as they drew closer he realised they were:
- perfectly circular
- bright white
- apparently stationary
- positioned much higher than the Meteor.
He estimated they were around 35,000 feet.
The Pursuit
Swiney began climbing towards the objects.
As the Meteor climbed he noticed they appeared increasingly like flat discs or saucers rather than spheres.
He later said they were:
“Perfectly circular.”
The objects remained visible for several minutes.
Rather than continuing straight ahead they crossed from the Meteor’s left side to its right.
Swiney asked Crofts if he could also see them.
Crofts confirmed he could.
Both men were therefore observing the same three objects independently. (Wikipedia)
Sudden Disappearance
The most remarkable part of the encounter came moments later.
Without any obvious acceleration the objects simply vanished from sight.
Swiney later recalled that one moment they were there…
…the next they had disappeared completely.
Neither pilot saw them depart.
Ground Control
Swiney immediately radioed Ground Control.
He cancelled the training exercise and reported the sighting.
According to later interviews, the incident was treated seriously enough that Air Ministry personnel interviewed both men after landing, taking written statements and asking them to sketch what they had seen.
Radar Confirmation
One reason the case is still discussed today is the reported radar evidence.
According to the RAF Little Rissington Operational Record Book:
“Flight Lt M J E… and Lt D Crofts RN… sighted three mysterious saucer shaped objects… Later ATCC Gloucester reported radar plots to confirm this…”
Later accounts from the witnesses also claimed:
- RAF Gloucester radar detected the objects.
- Fighter Command scrambled two Meteor F.8 interceptors.
- Radar operators estimated the objects were travelling at approximately 600 knots before they disappeared from radar.
Some later UFO books quote speeds of 3,000 mph, but this figure comes from witness recollections made many years after the event rather than surviving contemporary RAF documents, so this information should be treated cautiously.
Official Records
Unlike many early UFO reports, this one appears in the Operations Record Book of RAF Little Rissington, which records that the crew saw:
“three mysterious saucer shaped objects.”
This is significant because it demonstrates that the sighting was officially recorded by the RAF rather than existing solely through later retellings.
Michael Swiney’s Later Comments
Michael Swiney rarely sought publicity.
When interviewed decades later he admitted the incident had genuinely frightened him.
He recalled:
“I was frightened… I immediately thought of saucers because that was actually what they looked like.”
He even entered the word “Saucers!” in his personal flying logbook immediately after the flight.
Possible Explanations
Several explanations have been suggested over the years.
Atmospheric Effects
Some sceptics have suggested unusual cloud formations or reflections.
Lenticular clouds frequently have been reported as UFO’s, and its clear to see why.
The difficulty with this explanation is that both experienced pilots independently described three structured circular objects, rather than lights or reflections.
Balloons
Weather balloons have occasionally been proposed.
Weather balloons have been mistaken for UFO’s in the past. The infamous Roswell Incident was blamed on a weather balloon.
However:
- there were three objects
- they appeared to manoeuvre together
- they crossed the aircraft’s flight path
- they disappeared almost instantly.
Secret Aircraft
Some researchers speculate that experimental aircraft might explain the sighting.
The problem is that no known aircraft in 1952 matched the reported appearance or performance.
Extraterrestrial Craft
Many UFO researchers regard Little Rissington as one of Britain’s strongest early military UFO encounters because of:
- two highly trained witnesses
- official RAF documentation
- reported radar confirmation
- attempted interception by RAF fighters.
No explanation has gained universal acceptance.
Why the Case Matters
Although it receives far less publicity than Rendlesham Forest or the Cosford Incident, Little Rissington has several strengths:
- Two trained military witnesses.
- Witnesses were airborne, reducing the likelihood of ground-based misidentification.
- Official RAF records confirm the sighting was reported.
- Reported radar confirmation.
- RAF fighters were reportedly scrambled.
It also predates most famous British UFO cases by almost three decades.
Richard’s Verdict
The Little Rissington Incident deserves to be remembered as one of Britain’s most credible military UFO cases. Unlike many reports from the 1950s, it wasn’t based on a single witness or an ambiguous light in the sky. Two experienced military aviators independently described the same three disc-shaped objects, and the incident was significant enough to be entered into RAF operational records and investigated by the Air Ministry.
While some of the more dramatic claims, such as the reported speeds of 3,000 mph, rest on later recollections and should be treated with caution, the core event remains well documented. More than seventy years later, no conventional explanation has fully accounted for what Swiney and Crofts encountered over Gloucestershire.
Evidence Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
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