PHANTOM AIRSHIP / HISTORICAL CIGAR CRAFT

“Keel reproduces an 1897 Arkansas affidavit attributed to Constable John J. Sumpter Jr. and Deputy Sheriff John McLemore describing a cigar-shaped aerial vessel about 60 feet long, associated with a brilliant light and three occupants encountered on the ground.”

“Keel summarizes Alexander Hamilton's 1897 Kansas claim of a roughly 300-foot-long cigar-shaped machine with a transparent carriage underneath, a large directional searchlight, smaller red and green lights, and a large rotating turbine-like wheel.”

“Keel reproduces Captain James Hooton's historical account of an airship with a knife-like forward edge, large side wheels or rotating structures, wing-like surfaces and a hissing sound as it rose.”

“For the July 30, 1909 Waikaka Valley report, Clark recounts two dredge workers describing a narrow boat-shaped aerial craft with a light at each end and two visible figures inside; it reportedly rose and fell like a bird, made abrupt speed changes, and disappeared into mist leaving a yellow glare.”

“Clark quotes an August 3, 1909 Waipawa report of a large gray torpedo-shaped aerial structure with three visible persons, one reportedly shouting in an unknown language, and lights at the prow and stern.”

“Clark's nineteenth-century airship synthesis notes that structured objects were frequently reported, with cigar forms common; many carried body lights or sweeping searchlights but otherwise appeared dark, and detailed reports often described period-like ships rather than sleek rocket-shaped craft.”

“Clark summarizes the Birmingham, Iowa report as a roughly 100-foot airship with two men visible inside; one reportedly waved a lantern as the craft rose while a loud whirring sound was heard.”

“In an Elburn, Illinois account, Clark reports farmers encountering a landed airship described as made of a light material resembling aluminum while its operators attended to the craft.”

“In the Ligon account summarized by Clark, the roughly 130-by-20-foot craft had four large wings, with two extending from either side, and propellers at the bow and stern; the witness was told the apparatus was powered by electricity.”

“In the Bill Chalker-credited airship entry, Frederick William Birmingham explicitly characterized his 1868 account as a “dream—a vision.” He described an ark-like aerial machine moving in a zigzag path, descending gently, with a brown or rubber-like exterior, faint steel-blue scale-like surface effects, and cylinders at the front and rear.”

“The Bill Chalker-credited entry recounts an August 13, 1909 Glen Innes report in which several residents described a balloon-like object that appeared through a night glass to be shaped like an inverted top. Its lower portion was illuminated, its body revolved, a small searchlight-like beam swept the ground, and the upper portion remained dark.”

“For the October 25, 1910 Minderoo Station report, the Chalker-credited entry quotes Mrs. A. J. Roe describing a compact object resembling a dirigible but squarer and more aeroplane-like, dark brown or black, with flashes like sunlight reflecting from a revolving component or metalwork.”

“In the same Waipawa-area reporting, another witness described a ship-like aerial structure high in the air that emitted a loud humming sound; another resident independently asked about the humming noise.”

“In an April 1897 Birmingham, Iowa report summarized by Clark, the landed airship was described as approximately 100 feet long and about 20 feet high at its center.”

“Clark recounts a Peru, Nebraska landing report in which the alleged airship was described as about 200 feet long while crew members repaired a searchlight.”

“Clark recounts J. R. Ligon's April 1897 Beaumont, Texas story of an airship estimated at roughly 130 feet long and 20 feet wide.”

“Within Birmingham’s explicitly visionary 1868 account, the machine contained a pilot house about three and a half feet below the deck, reached by steep steps, with a table about five by three and a half by two and a half feet covered by oilskin- or rubber-like material; he described the sides as roughly six inches thick.”