The Rex Heflin Santa Ana Photographs of 1965

On August 3, 1965, Orange County Highway Department inspector Rex Heflin captured what would become some of the most famous and controversial UFO photographs ever taken. Using his work Polaroid camera, Heflin photographed a metallic, hat-shaped object as it flew near his truck in Santa Ana, California. He took four photos in rapid succession - three showing the object and one showing a mysterious smoke ring left in its wake. The photographs were extensively analyzed, and the original Polaroids were confiscated by men claiming to represent NORAD - and never returned.

The Witness

Rex Heflin

His background:

• Orange County Highway Department
• Traffic engineer
• Inspecting road conditions
• Professional position
• No history of hoaxes

The Camera

Equipment used:

• Polaroid Land Camera
• Work equipment
• Used for road documentation
• Instant development
• Physical negatives impossible

The Sighting

Time and Location

The circumstances:

• August 3, 1965
• Approximately 12:30 PM
• Myford Road, Santa Ana
• Clear daylight conditions
• During work inspection

The Object

What Heflin observed:

• Metallic, hat-shaped craft
• Rotating on axis
• Moving slowly
• Low altitude
• Clear structure visible

Description

Detailed appearance:

• Flat-topped, wider base
• Like a straw hat profile
• Metallic surface
• Dark band around middle
• Estimated 30 feet diameter

The Photographs

Photo 1

First image:

• Object approaching
• Truck mirror visible
• Daylight sky
• Clear definition
• Beginning of sequence

Photo 2

Second image:

• Object closer
• More detail visible
• Structure apparent
• Same general altitude
• Continuing approach

Photo 3

Third image:

• Object at closest point
• Maximum detail
• Clear metallic surface
• Structured craft
• Best image in series

Photo 4

Final image:

• Object departed
• Dark ring visible
• Smoke or vapor trail
• Where object had been
• Unusual phenomenon

The Smoke Ring

The fourth photo showed:

• Circular ring formation
• Left behind by object
• Like exhaust or vapor
• Dissipating in sky
• Unexplained propulsion evidence

Radio Interference

During the Sighting

What Heflin experienced:

• Truck radio failed
• Could not transmit
• Static only
• During entire encounter
• Resumed after object left

Significance

The implication:

• Electromagnetic effect
• Consistent with other cases
• Not expected from hoax
• Correlating evidence
• Technical detail

The Confiscation

The Visitors

After photos became public:

• Men arrived at Heflin’s home
• Claimed to be from NORAD
• Requested original Polaroids
• For “analysis”
• Heflin handed them over

Never Returned

What happened:

• Originals never came back
• NORAD denied involvement
• Men never identified
• Photos disappeared
• Only copies remain

The Mystery

Who were they:

• Not verified as NORAD
• No official record
• Government? Intelligence?
• Unknown parties
• Originals gone forever

Analysis

Marine Corps Investigation

Initial study:

• Marines examined photos
• No obvious hoax detected
• Took case seriously
• Analysis conducted
• Inconclusive results

NICAP Analysis

Civilian investigation:

• National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena
• Studied photographs
• Interviewed Heflin
• Found credible
• Supported authenticity

Computer Enhancement

Later analysis:

• Photos enhanced digitally
• Details examined
• No suspension wires visible
• Structure consistent
• Appeared genuine

Dr. Robert Nathan

JPL scientist:

• Analyzed photos
• Found no evidence of hoax
• Consistent with distant object
• Size and distance calculations
• Supported authenticity

Skeptical Arguments

Hoax Claims

What critics suggested:

• Model suspended from string
• Small object near camera
• Clever photography
• Deliberate deception

Counter-Arguments

Why hoax unlikely:

• Polaroid format - no darkroom tricks
• Size calculations consistent
• Radio interference correlation
• Smoke ring unexplained
• Original confiscation suspicious

The Polaroid Factor

Why It Matters

Unique format:

• Instant development
• No negative manipulation possible
• What you shoot is what you get
• Harder to fake
• Single-step process

Limitations

What was lost:

• Original Polaroids confiscated
• Only copies remain
• First-generation quality gone
• Analysis now secondary
• Evidence compromised

Later Developments

Second Sighting?

Heflin later reported:

• Another sighting years later
• More witnesses present
• Less documented
• Added to his account
• Consistency maintained

Heflin’s Position

Throughout his life:

• Stood by photos
• Never recanted
• No profit motive apparent
• Maintained credibility
• Died with story intact

Legacy

Photo Analysis History

The Heflin photos represent:

• Classic UFO photography case
• Extensively studied
• Multiple expert analyses
• Still debated
• Important case study

The Confiscation Question

What it suggests:

• Official interest despite denials
• Evidence taken, not returned
• Suspicious circumstances
• Cover-up indicators
• Questions remain

The Question

August 3, 1965. Lunchtime. Santa Ana, California.

Rex Heflin is doing his job. Highway inspector. Checking road conditions. Nothing unusual.

Then he sees it.

A metallic object. Hat-shaped. Moving slowly through the clear California sky.

He has his work camera. A Polaroid. He shoots.

Click. Photo develops. Object is there.

Click. Another shot. Closer now.

Click. Third shot. Maximum detail. A structured craft, metallic, real.

He watches it depart. Shoots one more.

Click. A ring of smoke. Where the object was. Hovering in empty air.

Four photographs. Polaroid. No darkroom. No manipulation possible.

The Marine Corps looks at them. NICAP examines them. Scientists analyze them. Nobody can prove they’re fake.

Then men come to Heflin’s door. NORAD, they say. We need the originals.

He gives them over. Why wouldn’t he? Government authority. Official request.

The photos never come back.

NORAD says they never sent anyone.

The originals are gone forever.

Who took them? Why? Where are they now?

Rex Heflin kept his copies. He kept his story. He never changed it. He never profited from it. He died standing by what he photographed.

The Rex Heflin photos.

A Polaroid camera. A hat-shaped craft. A smoke ring.

And original evidence that vanished into government hands that deny everything.

Four photographs.

Still unexplained.

Still argued over.

And the originals are still missing.

Somewhere.

In someone’s file.

Or destroyed.

Either way - gone.

Only the mystery remains.