Fukuoka: F-86D pilot radar-visual chase
USAF F-86D pilot near Fukuoka Air Base detected large radar blip, visually spotted tan dome-shaped object, chased to 5.7 miles before it accelerated away at 1700-2000 mph with ECM interference.
Background
Time and Location
A radar-visual contact occurred on December 17, 1956 at 16:20 local time near Itazuke Air Base (today Fukuoka Airport) in Fukuoka, Japan.
Observation and Pursuit
A USAF pilot in an F-86D fighter registered a large return on his airborne radar at a distance of 9.2 miles. He sighted a brown object with a rounded top and closed to 5.7 miles. The target accelerated abruptly and disappeared from radar at 13.8 miles. The pilot estimated its speed at 1,700–2,000 mph (about 2,700–3,200 km/h).
Witnesses and Evidence
Both the pilot and his wingman reported interference resembling ECM (electronic countermeasures, radar jamming). This was a classic case of radar and visual confirmation by military pilots.
Significance
The event points to the object's high manoeuvrability and its capacity to interfere with equipment, documented in sources such as NICAP and Brad Sparks. It remains classified as an unresolved military encounter.