Farmington UFO Armada
For three consecutive days, hundreds of UFOs flew over Farmington, New Mexico in formation. Half the town's population witnessed the aerial display, making it one of the largest mass sightings in history.
The Aerial Armada
From March 15-17, 1950, the town of Farmington, New Mexico witnessed hundreds of UFOs flying over in various formations. An estimated half the town’s population—roughly 5,000 people—observed the three-day event.
The Location
Farmington:
- Northwest New Mexico
- Near Four Corners
- Small town 1950
- Population ~10,000
- Clear skies typical
The Duration
Three days:
- March 15, 1950
- March 16, 1950
- March 17, 1950
- Extended event
- Consistent sightings
The Numbers
Estimated objects:
- Hundreds seen
- Various counts
- Some said 500+
- Flying in groups
- Overwhelming display
March 17
Peak day:
- Most activity
- Noon timeframe
- Best visibility
- Most witnesses
- Main event
The Witnesses
Who saw it:
- Half the town
- Various professions
- Multiple locations
- Independent observers
- Consistent reports
Object Description
What they saw:
- Disc-shaped primarily
- Silvery color
- Variable sizes
- Some in formation
- Maneuvering
Flight Characteristics
Behavior noted:
- High altitude
- Various speeds
- Formation flying
- Some hovering
- Aerial maneuvers
Newspaper Coverage
Local reporting:
- Farmington Daily Times
- Front page story
- March 18, 1950
- Detailed accounts
- Taken seriously
The Headlines
“Huge ‘Saucer’ Armada Jolts Farmington”
- Lead story
- Public accounts
- Detailed descriptions
- Historical record
- Major coverage
Official Response
Air Force position:
- No investigation
- No explanation
- Effectively ignored
- No public statement
- Unexplained
Possible Explanations
Theories proposed:
- Secret tests
- Weather phenomena
- Mass hysteria
- Cotton/seeds
- None satisfactory
The Skeptic View
Critics suggest:
- Cottonwood seeds
- Reflected sunlight
- Collective delusion
- But thousands saw
- For three days
Similar Events
Context:
- 1950 UFO wave
- Multiple sightings nationwide
- Post-WWII era
- Growing awareness
- Part of pattern
Significance
Three-day mass sighting witnessed by half a town’s population with newspaper documentation.
Legacy
The Farmington Armada remains one of history’s largest mass UFO sightings—an event so massive it couldn’t be ignored, yet was never explained.