150 ft snake congo

As Lt.

In the Katanga region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, returning from a mission by helicopter, he reported having seen an enormous snake as he flew over the forests. He described the snake as being close to 50 feet in length with a 2-foot-wide by 3-foot-long triangular head, which, if his estimations were accurate, would earn the creature a place among the largest snakes to have ever existed. Colonel Van Lierde described the snake as having dark green and brown top scales and a whitish-colored underside. Upon sighting the reptile, he had the pilot turn around and make another pass, at which the serpent reared up the front ten feet of its body and head as if to strike, giving him the opportunity to observe its underbelly. However, after flying so low that Van Lierde believed it to have been within striking distance of his helicopter, he ordered the pilot to resume his journey, and so the creature was never properly documented, although some reports suggest that an onboard photographer managed to snap a shot of it.

150 ft snake congo

In he became one of the first Belgians to break the sound barrier while test flying a Hawker Hunter at Dunsfold Aerodrome in England. He went on to hold several important commands before retiring in Van Lierde was born in Overboelare , Belgium, on 14 August He first trained as an observer, but began pilot training on 1 May , [2] qualifying in April He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 1st Aviation Regiment. Van Lierde was staying in hospital during two weeks and could not take part in the further fighting because on 28 May Belgium surrendered. In September , after recovering from his injuries, Van Lierde left Belgium, crossed occupied France, and entered neutral Spain. He was arrested for illegally crossing the border, and was confined in various Spanish prisons, including the notorious concentration camp at Miranda de Ebro. Nevertheless, he eventually escaped, and reached England on 22 July He was promoted to flying officer in

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You can also add newsletters iflscience. IFLScience needs the contact information you provide to us to contact you about our products and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For information on how to unsubscribe, as well as our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, check out our Privacy Policy. An artist's impression of Van Lierde supposedly encountering a giant snake in the Congo rainforest. Van Lierde claimed that in he encountered a giant greenish-brown snake while flying over the Katanga Province of the Belgian-occupied Congo now Democratic Republic of Congo by helicopter.

He had flown in over missions, his eyes trained to spot friend and foe below. That skillset that would help him with the ensuing ordeal over the Katanga region of the Congo, for what he saw next shocked him and his copilot: A truly gargantuan snake, estimated by his account to be over 50 feet in length. This measurement would easily have made it the largest snake alive on Earth, dwarfing today's titans of the slithering world, like the green anaconda and the reticulated python. Green anacondas average around 15 feet in length; reticulated pythons, meanwhile, have been known to regularly stretch beyond 20 feet , according to the Natural History Museum in London. But experts are less convinced. Is this Congo cryptid really on the frontiers of science, or merely a wartime illusion? According to experts, there's no scientific evidence that a foot snake exists. Still, Van Lierde's wild story — which continues to circulate on podcasts and internet forums today — captures our collective fascination with the biggest snakes who ever lived.

150 ft snake congo

In Katanga region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, returning from a mission by helicopter, he reported having seen an enormous snake as he flew over the forests. Colonel Lierde described the snake as having dark green and brown top scales and a white-ish colored underside. Upon sighting the reptile, he told the pilot to turn around and make another pass.

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In fact, in the minds of some, this mysterious creature might be a survivor of the asteroid that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs around 66 million years ago. On an episode of Arthur C. While there, in the Katanga Region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while returning from a mission by helicopter, he encountered a Giant Congo Snake emerging from a hole as he flew over the forests, describing the snake as being close to 25 feet about 5 meters in length, earning its place among the largest snakes ever reported. Edit source View history Talk 1. In , as full colonel, he commanded the air base at Kamina in the Belgian Congo. On the Map. Nevertheless, he eventually escaped, and reached England on 22 July He went on to hold several important commands before retiring in This was witnessed by local inhabitants, including Van Lierde's wife, who surprised her husband after the war by showing him pieces of wreckage from the aircraft at the bottom of his garden. Start a Wiki. Van Lierde was born in Overboelare , Belgium, on 14 August

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It is believed to be either a massively oversized African rock python, a new species of snake entirely, or perhaps a descendant of the giant Eocene snake Gigantophis. Explore Wikis Community Central. Van Lierde describes the snake as being close to 50 feet 15 m in length, [7] with a circumference of 1. Clarke's Mysterious World. Flashlight Frog. Van Lierde then led his squadron into Europe during the western campaign. Archived from the original on 13 November In he was appointed to the Operations Group of Chiefs of Staff. Contents move to sidebar hide. Arthur C. Retrieved 15 November