The Farmington UFO Armada

On March 17, 1950, and for two days following, the small New Mexico town of Farmington experienced one of the largest mass UFO sightings in history. Hundreds of objects were seen by approximately half the town’s population - an estimated 5,000 witnesses.

The Location

Farmington, New Mexico:

• Northwestern New Mexico
• Population ~10,000
• Near Four Corners
• Clear desert skies
• Perfect visibility

Day One

March 17, 1950:

• Around 11:00 AM
• Clear blue sky
• Objects appeared
• Hundreds of them
• Townwide observation

The First Day

Witnesses saw:

• “Hundreds” of objects
• Moving across sky
• Various formations
• High altitude
• Extended display

Day Two

March 18, 1950:

• Objects returned
• Same time approximately
• Similar numbers
• Same patterns
• Continued phenomenon

Day Three

March 19, 1950:

• Final day
• More sightings
• Then stopped
• Three-day event
• Pattern complete

The Numbers

Estimates:

• 200-500 objects
• At various times
• Different formations
• Enormous scale
• Unprecedented

Witness Population

The observers:

• Half the town
• ~5,000 people
• All ages
• All backgrounds
• Mass observation

Newspaper Coverage

Farmington Daily Times:

• Front page story
• Detailed accounts
• Multiple witnesses quoted
• Photographs attempted
• Historic coverage

The Headline

“Huge ‘Saucer’ Armada”

• March 18, 1950
• Dramatic coverage
• Public sensation
• National pickup
• Famous headline

Description

Witnesses described:

• Disc-shaped objects
• Silver or white
• High altitude
• Various formations
• Moving rapidly

The Red Leader

Some reported:

• One red object
• Among the silver
• Appeared to lead
• Formation behavior
• Distinctive

Official Response

Air Force:

• Made no statement
• No investigation known
• Coincided with
• Broader Project Grudge
• Typical silence

Los Alamos Connection

Some speculated:

• Nearby Los Alamos
• Atomic research
• UFO interest?
• No confirmation
• Popular theory

Duration Each Day

The displays:

• Lasted about an hour
• Each day
• Extended viewing
• Time to observe
• Document

Similar Cases

Compared to:

• Lubbock Lights (1951)
• Other mass sightings
• Regional pattern?
• Southwest activity
• Historical context

Photographic Attempts

Some tried:

• To photograph
• Results unclear
• Technology limited
• 1950 cameras
• Little evidence

The Mystery

What were they?

• Military test?
• No confirmation
• Natural phenomenon?
• Doesn’t fit
• Unknown

Skeptical Views

Some suggested:

• Cotton seed fluff
• Birds
• Weather phenomena
• But witnesses disagreed
• Not satisfying

Significance

Farmington significant for:

• Mass witnesses
• Multiple days
• Newspaper documentation
• Half population
• Historical record

Legacy

The Farmington armada remains one of the largest mass UFO sightings on record. Half a town watching hundreds of objects for three consecutive days creates a case that defies simple explanation.