Description

On May 11, 1950, Paul and Evelyn Trent saw over their farm strange object similar to flying saucer. Paul Trent took his camera and made photographs of this peculiar object. The so called 'McMinnville photos' are among the most popular photos of UFO ever made. They were studied by multiple expert in the field.

Bruce Macabee, optical physicist analyzed the photos and concluded that the photographs were not hoaxed and showed a "real, physical" object in the sky above the Trent farm. Much of his analysis is based on densitometric measurements. You can read more here: http://www.nicap.org/reports/500511_brumac.8k.com_trent2.pdf

Condon Report, group founded by US Air Farce to study UFO, also concluded that the 'McMinnville photo' is legit. Astronomer William Hartman, who was known for debunking many UFO photos, couldn't debunk this one. He made this conclusion for Condon Report: This is one of the few UFO reports in which all factors investigated, geometric, psychological, and physical appear to be consistent with the assertion that an extraordinary flying object, silvery, metallic, disk-shaped, tens of meters in diameter, and evidently artificial, flew within sight of two witnesses. It cannot be said that the evidence positively rules out a fabrication, although there are some physical factors such as the accuracy of certain photometric measures of the original negatives which argue against a fabrication.
http://files.ncas.org/condon/text/case46.htm

Skeptics however consider photographs are likely to be hoaxes, citing the lack of other witnesses and the fact that the Trents were the only ones to see the UFO.

Paul and Evelyn Trent never profit from photos and never changed the story. Trents claimed that they initially thought the object they had photographed was a secret military aircraft, and feared the "photos might bring them trouble". According to Trents the object made no noise; no light or flame were detected. The object tipped, accelerated and moved away rapidly toward the west.