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)
Factual error: Military personnel are seen using coveralls and fatigues. But they have no markings or insignia on them. This is not regulation. (00:02:10)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Character mistake: Captain Quinn expresses not knowing what an "azimuth" is. The man is a pilot. What pilot would have never heard of an azimuth? (00:13:50)
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)
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)
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)
