In 1938 engineer Henri Coandă patented a design for a flying saucer — two years later he was working for the Nazis. During the 1947 UFO wave a number of explanations were seriously considered by US military intelligence — several had to do with German tech.

• In 1938, Romanian engineer Henri Coandă patented a design for a flying saucer, which he called a lenticular aerodyne, and it was a circular airframe using principles of aerodynamics and fluid dynamics. The design was intended for military use but Coandă was later employed by the Nazis after the war.
• In 1947, the US military investigated reports of strange aircraft near military installations, and some claimed they were German-made devices called foo fighters. These devices were suspected of causing pilot distraction and electronic malfunctions.
• The US military later analyzed photos of strange aircraft taken by William Rhodes in 1947 and concluded they showed real objects in the sky, which were similar to those described by Kenneth Arnold. The photos were not manipulated and were analyzed by the military.

• The 1938 radio broadcast of H.G. Wells' *The War of the Worlds* led to a mass panic and caused the Rockefeller Foundation to study the effects of misinformation. The event was later used to support the idea of alien visitation.
• During WWII, pilots reported glowing lights and metallic objects, which were called foo fighters. Allied intelligence believed they were German weapons. Later research suggested these objects were radio-controlled and could disrupt aircraft.
• In 1947, American pilot Kenneth Arnold claimed to have seen nine strange aircraft, which were later identified as real objects. The military was interested in the origins of these sightings and analyzed photos taken by William Rhodes.
• The 1930s saw some astronomers believing Mars had life, and the psychological impact of WWII fostered a longing for something beyond humanity. Carl Jung later wrote about the belief in alien visitation.
• The 1940s saw the development of circular-wing aircraft, which Coandă designed. The Nazis sought his expertise, but little was known about their involvement.
• In 1947, the US military investigated reports of strange aircraft and found them to be real objects, which were similar to those described by Arnold. The photos were not manipulated and were analyzed by the military.

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