F-86D ordered to fire on a giant radar target near Manston
- A fighter pilot was ordered to fire on a radar target the size of an aircraft carrier.
- He was warned at a debrief not to talk.
- The UK file was kept by DIA's contractor in 2008.
On 20 May 1957 an F-86D pilot of the US 514th Fighter Interceptor Squadron was scrambled from RAF Manston and ordered to fire a full rocket salvo at an unknown radar target. He locked it on his radar at 15 miles; the return had "the proportions of a flying aircraft carrier". It then pulled away at about 200 knots of opening speed. At a later debrief a civilian threatened him with a breach of national security if he spoke. The account survives in a UK MoD file that BAASS attached as an exhibit to its 2008 plan for DIA; the pilot's name is withheld there, though the account matches the one Milton Torres gave publicly (inference).
Evidence, in date order (2)
- 1957UK Ministry of Defenceofficialfile on the scramble and firing order
- Dec 2008BAASS for DIAofficialfile attached as exhibit 3 to the program plan
How plausible · Very high
A fighter pilot was ordered to fire a full salvo at a target his own radar locked as huge, which then outran him, and he was warned to keep quiet; the file was kept by a DIA contractor.
- ●●Access The pilot had the radar lock.
- ●●No gain sought Nothing to gain.
- ●●Character record USAF interceptor pilot on a live scramble.
- ●●Checkable details check out UK MoD file in DOW-UAP-D168.
- ●●Fits secrecy practice Civilian debrief threat.
- ●●Physical traces or official reaction Radar lock and a live order to fire.
Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-24.
On the record
- UK MoD file, exhibit 3 to the BAASS Project Management Plan (DOW-UAP-D168).AAWSAP / AATIP
- Order to fire a full rocket salvo.
- Radar lock at 15 mi; return the size of an aircraft carrier; -200 kt overtake.
- Civilian debrief with a national-security threat.