Project Blue Book

Project Blue Book (2019)

22 mistakes in season 1 - chronological order

(1 vote)

The Fuller Dogfight - S1-E1

Factual error: In the last scene, a general is seen wearing service stripes on his left sleeve. Service stripes were authorized for only a very brief period in the USAF shortly after separation from the Army in 1947. And they have never been authorized for officers. (00:43:15)

The Flatwoods Monster - S1-E2

Factual error: Air Force personnel are retrieving supposedly alien debris from a forest. They are wearing dress blues, ties and all. This would never happen. They should be wearing what were then called "fatigues", essentially a precursor of the BDUs in use today. (00:16:00)

toroscan

The Flatwoods Monster - S1-E2

Other mistake: The West Virginia News publishes a headline about the Flatwood Monster dated October 18, 1952. The incident took place on September 12, which was 36 days before. It does not make sense that a newspaper would print a headline story 36 days after it happened. (00:25:20)

toroscan

The Lubbock Lights - S1-E3

Factual error: A US Air Force Staff Sergeant is seen delivering some documents. He is wearing Navigator wings. There are no enlisted navigators. Navigators are all officers. (00:20:45)

toroscan

The Green Fireballs - S1-E6

Factual error: A vehicle is shown with US Army markings and a "US Government" license plate. First of all this is an Air Force Base, and a US Army vehicle would be the exception. Second, license plates on otherwise identified military vehicles are not used. Third, the license plate is of the 1990s variety and forward, and not one that would be used in 1952. (00:01:50)

toroscan

The Green Fireballs - S1-E6

Factual error: A man in unmarked coveralls is addressed as "sir." This would imply he is an officer. Yet later, it is revealed that he is a Master Sergeant. Sergeants are never addressed as "sir." (00:08:00 - 00:14:50)

toroscan

The Green Fireballs - S1-E6

Factual error: The Secretary of the Air Force enters a room. A captain not in uniform salutes him. You do not salute out of uniform, and you do not salute civilians. You stand at attention. (00:09:20)

toroscan

The Green Fireballs - S1-E6

Factual error: Captain Quinn refers to the civilian they have just seen as Secretary of Defense Fairchild. In the early 1950s the Secretary of Defense was Robert A. Lovett. The Secretary of the Air Force was Thomas K. Finletter. Nowhere was Fairchild ever SecDef or SecAF. This from a show that purports to be based on real events. (00:10:20)

toroscan

The Green Fireballs - S1-E6

Continuity mistake: A man is shown throwing a lit cigarette at some mannequins located on the front lawn of a house at a test site. Later, the lit cigarette is discovered by Capt. Quinn conveniently and neatly placed on a concrete curb. (00:11:00 - 00:14:10)

toroscan

The Green Fireballs - S1-E6

Other mistake: A woman drops a camera and retrieves it after talking to two people. She then takes 15 steps to get back to where she was on a level path. If you drop a camera on a level path it will not roll that distance unless it is thrown down the path. (00:12:20)

toroscan

The Green Fireballs - S1-E6

Factual error: A Master Sergeant is being interrogated. Captain Quinn is reading his ID Card. The card has an expiration date of "Indefinite." Enlisted personnel have a expiration date that coincides with their term of enlistment. Only officers have an "Indefinite" expiration date. (00:15:00)

toroscan

The Green Fireballs - S1-E6

Plot hole: Captain Quinn interrogates a Sergeant and presumably he is let go. Yet for no reason and against all probabilities, Captain Quinn keeps the Sergeant's wallet, which among other things contains the Sergeant's ID card, not to mention other personal effects. How is he going to get on the base without an ID? There is no legal basis for the Captain to keep it. Why keep it? So he could rifle through it and discover a rent receipt later in the show? This is a poor way to further the plot. (00:16:40 - 00:17:30)

toroscan

The Green Fireballs - S1-E6

Factual error: Mr. Hynek is shown walking, loosely holding a folder in his right hand marked "Top Secret." Classified material has to be transported in a sealed container, usually one with red stripes around the border. Here is an excerpt of regulations for hand-carrying classified material: "Classified information must be double wrapped or packaged as though it were being sent by mail, kept under your constant control (i.e., not left in the trunk of your car while you run another errand), and delivered only to an authorized person. A briefcase may serve as the outer wrapper only if it is locked and approved for carrying classified material." (00:35:00)

War Games - S1-E8

Factual error: Dr. Hynek is showing a movie on a table projector. The light from the projector is shown directed towards a portable movie screen, and is covering maybe the center quarter of the screen. In the next shot the movie is occupying the entire screen. There is no way the projector being that close to the screen would show a full screen image. It would need a special wide angle lens, which the projector does not have, as shown by the tight beam of light from it. (00:03:40)

toroscan

War Games - S1-E8

Factual error: General officer topcoats have two mohair stripes on the sleeve. The general wearing the topcoat has none. Second, hands in pockets are not allowed. Regulations state: "members will not... stand or walk with hands in pockets of any uniform combination, other than to insert or remove items." Third, it is unauthorized to turn up collars when it is cold. Gray scarves can be used. Also, the generals both have their 4-star shoulder insignias backwards. The points of the stars parallel to the epaulets should be towards the neck. (00:16:30)

toroscan

War Games - S1-E8

Factual error: An Army Lieutenant comes in to announce a phone call. His fatigues have the top button buttoned. Not authorized. An exception is when a person is at the firing range. The top button can be buttoned while in firing position to prevent shell casings from dropping inside the shirt. (00:18:05)

toroscan

Hopkinsville - S2-E4

Trivia: If you look closely, that Bourbon that Captain Quinn is drinking is called "Ruppelt Bourbon", a nod to the real-life Captain Ed Ruppelt, the first Director of Project Blue Book, and who the character of Captain Quinn is partially based. Thanks to David O'Leary for the information. (00:18:20)

toroscan

More trivia for Project Blue Book

The Fuller Dogfight - S1-E1

Question: At the end, why was Fuller drugged and dragged? What were they trying to keep him quiet about that he could possibly have let slip? What exactly was it that he saw and engaged that night up in the plane?

More questions & answers from Project Blue Book

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