Gorman Dogfight
National Guard pilot George Gorman engaged in a 27-minute aerial dogfight with a mysterious light over Fargo. The object outmaneuvered his P-51 Mustang at every turn.
The Fargo Dogfight
On October 1, 1948, National Guard pilot George Gorman engaged in a 27-minute aerial pursuit with a mysterious light over Fargo, North Dakota. The object outmaneuvered his P-51 Mustang at every turn in one of the earliest pilot UFO encounters.
The Pilot
George Gorman:
- Second Lieutenant
- North Dakota Air National Guard
- WWII veteran
- Experienced pilot
- P-51 Mustang
The Night
October 1, 1948:
- Clear evening
- Over Fargo
- Cross-country flight
- Returning to base
- Spotted object
First Sighting
Gorman noticed:
- Small, blinking light
- Making pass on city
- Near Hector Airport
- Decided to investigate
- Gave chase
The Light
What he described:
- About 8 inches diameter
- Bright white
- Clear edges
- Blinking
- Very maneuverable
The Pursuit
27 minutes:
- Gorman chased
- Object evaded
- High-G turns
- Vertical climbs
- Outperformed P-51
The Maneuvers
Object demonstrated:
- Instantaneous turns
- Vertical climbs
- Superior speed
- Responsive
- Intelligent control
Near Collisions
Twice:
- Object came at Gorman
- Head-on approach
- He dove to avoid
- Playing chicken?
- Terrifying
Tower Witnesses
Control tower:
- Operators saw light
- Tracked the pursuit
- Multiple witnesses
- Confirmed encounter
- Ground corroboration
The Piper Cub
Another aircraft:
- Doctor on night flight
- Also saw the light
- Additional witness
- Independent observation
- Corroboration
Physical Effects
After landing:
- Gorman shaken
- Instruments checked
- Some said Geiger counter reacted
- Radiation rumored
- Never confirmed
Project Sign
Air Force investigation:
- Took case seriously
- One of first major cases
- Concluded unknown
- Eventually changed to balloon
- Witnesses disagreed
Official Explanation
Later claimed:
- Lighted weather balloon
- But performance argues against
- 27-minute dogfight?
- Outmaneuvering P-51?
- Implausible
Significance
One of the earliest detailed pilot UFO encounters, demonstrating superior performance to contemporary aircraft.
Legacy
The Gorman Dogfight established the pattern of pilot UFO encounters and showed that whatever these objects were, they could outperform the best aircraft of the day.