Rex Heflin UFO Photographs
A highway department employee photographed a hat-shaped UFO from his work truck. The images were confiscated by mysterious visitors and remain among the most analyzed UFO photographs.
The Rex Heflin UFO Photographs
On August 3, 1965, Orange County highway inspector Rex Heflin photographed a hat-shaped UFO from his work truck near Santa Ana, California. He captured four images before the object departed, leaving a smoke ring. The photographs became among the most analyzed and controversial UFO images of the 1960s.
The Sighting
At approximately 12:38 PM, Heflin was sitting in his county truck surveying road conditions when he noticed an unusual object approaching from the northeast. He grabbed his Polaroid camera and took three photographs of the object as it hovered.
A fourth photograph captured a “smoke ring” left behind after the object departed.
The Object
Heflin described and photographed:
- A metallic, hat-shaped or disc-shaped craft
- Approximately 30 feet in diameter
- A bright, reflective surface
- A dark band around the base
- Silent operation
- Deliberate, controlled movement
The Photographs
The four Polaroid images showed:
- Object at slight distance, clearly structured
- Object closer, more detail visible
- Object at close range, underside visible
- Smoke ring remaining after departure
The sequential nature of the photographs documented the object’s approach and departure.
Confiscation
Shortly after the photographs became public, mysterious events occurred:
- A man claiming to be from NORAD visited Heflin and borrowed three of the original prints—they were never returned
- Two other men in a dark car also visited, claiming government affiliation
- The original Polaroids went missing
Heflin never recovered his original photographs.
Analysis
The images underwent extensive analysis:
Pro-Authenticity: Computer enhancement and photogrammetry suggested an object at significant distance. Edge analysis indicated a three-dimensional object.
Anti-Authenticity: Some analysts proposed the images could show a model suspended from the truck’s mirror or a lens artifact.
Men in Black
Heflin’s visitors became a notable early “Men in Black” report:
- They showed credentials Heflin later couldn’t verify
- They displayed unusual interest in silencing him
- The borrowed photographs were never returned
- Their origin and purpose remain unknown
Later Events
In 1993, the original photographs were mysteriously returned:
- They appeared anonymously in Heflin’s mailbox
- Testing confirmed they were the originals
- No explanation for the 28-year disappearance was provided
Marine Corps Interest
The Marine Corps Air Station El Toro reportedly tracked an unusual radar contact at the time of Heflin’s sighting, providing potential corroboration.
Significance
The Heflin photographs are significant for:
- Multiple sequential images
- Detailed visual information
- Correlation with possible radar detection
- The mystery of confiscation and return
- Extensive scientific analysis
Legacy
Rex Heflin maintained his account throughout his life. The photographs remain controversial—neither definitively proven authentic nor conclusively debunked.
The mysterious visitors who confiscated and later returned the originals add another layer to an already complex case, demonstrating the strange phenomena that sometimes surround UFO evidence.