Airline pilots in the Berlin air corridor report red 'rockets' and a stationary red light the Soviets cannot explain
August 10, 1953 · West of Genthin, Soviet zone of Germany (Berlin center corridor) · Sighting · Primary document linked
An Air Force intelligence report of 11 August 1953, extracted from Tempelhof air traffic control logs, records that at 19:36Z on 10 August 1953 a British European Airways DC-3 inbound to Berlin through the center corridor reported what looked like red rockets fired about a mile ahead of it. At 22:45Z another BEA DC-3 reported a stationary red light about 20 nautical miles west of Genthin at roughly 5,000 to 5,500 feet. At 23:15Z the British element of the Berlin Air Safety Center reported that the Soviets had checked on the light and could not account for it. A Pan American pilot passing the area early on 11 August saw nothing, but said that on 7 August he had seen ground-to-air firing there, which stopped as he approached.
Era: Project Blue Book · Threads: Civil aviation
Why it matters (2/5)
An air traffic control log entry the Soviets could not explain; no follow-up is recorded.
Caveats
The report draws no conclusion, and the descriptions of rockets and ground-to-air firing may point to military activity on the ground. The Air Force could not reach the Pan American pilot for more detail.
Sources
- Air Intelligence Information Report Germany 1953 (DOW-UAP-D159) (U.S. Department of War), primary