Riverside, CA: Marquand's hoax saucer photo
Carpenter Guy B. Marquand Jr. photographed an object resembling a hubcap near Riverside, California, on November 23, 1951. Project Blue Book deemed it a hoax after he confessed to using a 1937 Ford tire cover.
Background
Witness and Sighting
Guy B. Marquand Jr., a carpenter, claimed to have photographed a flying saucer-like object from a mountain road southeast of Riverside, California on November 11, 1951. The picture shows a gleaming, disc-shaped object above a distant mountain range, which according to the witness moved silently like a fast aircraft. He and friends were watching it while enjoying the scenery; on returning he reached for his camera.
Investigation and Disclosure
Project Blue Book examined the case and quickly doubted both the photograph and the witness. After an appointment was cancelled, Air Force personnel questioned former colleagues, who described Marquand as a practical joker capable of tricks. On March 25, 1952 he admitted the hoax: it had begun as a gag and escalated. The object was a wheel cover from a 1937 Ford, buried at the site of the photograph.
Significance
The case illustrates early UFO hoaxes in the era after 1947, shows the scepticism of the authorities, and drew media coverage such as in the Riverside Daily Press and the Arizona Republic. It demonstrates how fakes undermined credibility.