An object, later identified as the planet Venus, was observed. One disc was observed by one witness at an airfield very briefly.

Project Blue Book Assessment:

I. DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT

In the El Centro, Calif., area on 13 May 1952 four separate reports of unidentified aerial objects were madeĢ, They were as follows:

• a -1115Z - Hovering over El Centro, five flying saucers as large as B-36's, with a light underneath, disappeared to the southwest at a terrific rate of speed. They were reported by the El Centro Sheriff's Office
• b -1115Z - An F9F pilot taking off from El Centro Naval Air Station reported what appeared to be a shooting star diving at an angle of 60°
• c - 1142Z - A sheriffs car at Neland, Calif., sighted a strange object resembling a parachute flare over the south end of the Salton Sea
• d - 1150Z - A control tower operator at Yuma, Arizona, sighted an orange and blue object 320° and 20 miles from his position. After hovering for a short time in one position, it changed to another position and began hovering again. Operator said it was sighted for too long a period to be a falling star.

II. STATUS OF INVESTIGATION

There were no AF fighters airborne at the time but four F9F8s from El Centro Naval Air Station were airborne from 1100Z to 1230Z.

III. CONCLUSIONS

• a - It is possible that the F9F8s and what appeared to be a shooting star account for the first report
• b - What appeared to be a shooting star was probably a meteor
• c - No conclusions
• d - The tower operator stated that he had observed the same phenomenon several times previous and is convinced that it is merely the reflection of automobile headlights on the highway at night .

Google map of this location.