Hangar 18 – Legends Based On Facts Of The Blue Room?

Hangar 18, in most people’s minds, is rightly associated with aliens, crashed UFOs and government conspiracies. Today, most people would argue this is where the US government stores and researches crashed UFOs and even their occupants.  If only in a “tongue-in-cheek” way. The roots of this mysterious location, however, go back to the 1980 movie of the same name. The plot revolves around a government conspiracy, involving NASA, to keep secret their possession of an alien craft.

Depiction of an alien in a secret facility

While the film is a work of fiction, the basic premise isn’t. And increasingly it appears even some of the finer details are worth paying attention to. Until the movie’s release, the public was not as largely aware of the Roswell Crash as they are now. Nor were they aware of where the downed UFO had gone – said to be somewhere at Wright Patterson Air Field.

As we will look at later, the timing and timeline of ‘Hangar 18’, and who was involved, are intriguing. Perhaps not least, is that interest in the Roswell case also began at the same time. This was mainly thanks to an interview in The National Enquirer with Jesse Marcel. Before we look at some of these claims in more detail, check out the trailer to the cult-classic below.

The Blue Room

According to various leaked documents and whistle-blower testimonies, the majority of retrieved UFOs and even alien entities, both dead and alive, would be housed primarily at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. ^[1] These artifacts reside in an ultra-secret location protected by multiple layers of guards and sealed doors called The Blue Room.

The US military and government deny the existence of the room, or anything remotely similar. This will likely remain their stance as no solid proof (such as footage or photographs) exists – at least publicly. There is a vast amount of “intelligence leaks” and “whistle-blower” information on record, however.

As well as the wreckage of alien crafts, the remains of alien entities also reside in The Blue Room. Some claims even state that several of these aliens were alive and communicated vast amounts of knowledge to the scientists and high-ranking officials who have access to the location. Cryogenics laboratories and anti-gravity chambers also regularly appear in reports of activities there.

Perhaps a good example of how secretive and off-limits The Blue Room is would be the accounts of a US Senator, Barry Goldwater. Before we look at the experience of Barry Goldwater, however, there are plenty of “coincidences” between The Blue Room and the film ‘Hangar 18’ to examine.

Coincidences and Bizarre Points Of Interest

We have written before of the apparent whistle-blowers “Falcon” and “Condor”, and just how much of what they had to say was true, and how much was disinformation. One of the people at the center of those claims was Linda Moulton Howe. In early 1983, Howe would receive unprecedented access to top-secret government files. Many of them would mirror the events of the Hangar 18 plot-line.

We have also written before of the deep connection between such intelligence agencies as the CIA and Hollywood. The timing of the ‘Hangar 18’ film, to some, is seen as a purposeful way of disclosing information.

Also unusual, was NASA giving their full cooperation to the movie, even allowing their logo to be used and their name mentioned several times. This is not something they have done for other, similar films seeking their permission. Perhaps even stranger is that they agreed to lend their name to the movie, despite being, for all intents and purposes, “the bad guys!” looking to withhold information from the public.

Another point of interest regarding the ‘Hangar 18’ movie was the decision of the Soviet Union to allow its airing to their citizens in 1982. At a time when the Cold War was at a peak in the 1980s, and with hardly any American films allowed, this one was. Perhaps it was a good piece of propaganda for the Soviets, given that the US government and military are, like NASA, working against the larger population. Or perhaps it was quietly and purposely allowed so as to pass information along. It is perhaps worth keeping in mind that many UFO researchers believe the Cold War was nothing more than allowing the study of such things to progress, on both sides, away from the public gaze.

Wright Patterson Air Force Base

Barry Goldwater

Barry Goldwater didn’t hide his interest in the UFO phenomenon. Whether that interest cost him the 1964 US election is unlikely. However, had he been victorious over Lyndon Johnson, the world we live in today, at least in terms of our knowledge and awareness of the UFO issue, may be very different.

Goldwater had a particular interest in the aforementioned Wright Patterson Air Force Base. More specifically, the increasing rumors of strange activities within its walls. Remember, Goldwater would have likely had many solid connections through his political career.

A decade following his election defeat, Goldwater made public his attempts to gain access to The Blue Room. He would continue to speak openly about his experiences. He would even appear on Larry King Live and tell of the “string of denials by chief after chief” that such a place existed. Specifically, he would recall a request to enter The Blue Room he made to General Lemay, who was normally a calm person instead became enraged telling Goldwater, “Don’t ever ask me that question again!”

You can see the Larry King clip below.

“So Highly Classified It’s Impossible To Get Anything On It!”

Many UFO researchers place a lot of credence in the words of Barry Goldwater. Perhaps not least because of his willingness to leave himself open from such a lofty position in order to get to the truth of UFO question. Maybe a good example of why so many in the UFO community, regardless of their political beliefs, gravitate to Goldwater was his simple response when asked if he thought the US government were withholding information about UFOs from the public. His simple reply, “Yes! I do!”

Many of his claims and suspicions appear corroborated over the years. Even more so since his death in 1998 following complications after a stroke. We have written before of the deathbed confession of Boyd Bushman, for example. He would claim that not only were reports of recovered alien crafts and entities true but that “aliens worked alongside humans” at the facility and others like them.

Perhaps it is the high position that Goldwater enjoyed, yet which still left him unable to penetrate the secrecy around the UFO conspiracy which is telling enough. It would appear claims of a “permanent shadow government” have more truth to them than most would like to believe. And it would also appear such a shadow government has an intense interest in UFOs, aliens, and their technology.

Check out the video below which looks at the alien subject a little further.

Expert Opinion

Claims around Hangar 18 and its notorious “Blue Room” stem from rumors that Wright Patterson Air Force Base hides crashed UFO remains and even living extraterrestrials. Stoked by the 1980 film that popularized this idea, the story also ties in with Barry Goldwater’s public quest for classified knowledge. While government denials persist, an intriguing array of purported leaks and whistleblowers continue to keep this legend alive.

Critics point out the lack of concrete evidence, such as verifiable photographs or official documentation, which casts doubt on the more dramatic assertions. Some argue these reports might be fueled by Cold War disinformation, media sensationalism, or misinterpretations of standard military research programs. Still, curiosity remains among researchers who find consistent threads in testimonies across decades, leaving the final verdict elusive.

Verdict: Inconclusive
Multiple sources hint at hidden artifacts, but verifiable proof has yet to surface.

Marcus Lowth is an expert on this topic and has over 20 years experience studying and reporting in these fields. Marcus has written several books and appeared on TV shows as an expert investigator discussing these topics.