Releases / 7 / DOW-UAP-D159

Air Intelligence Information Report, Germany, 1953

File

DOW-UAP-D159

Type

Document, 2 pages

Agency

Department of War

Date

8/10/53

Place

Germany

Released

Release 7, October 23, 2026

Open the original on war.gov

The government's description

This document is an Air Intelligence Information Report (AIIR), a standardized U.S. Air Force reporting form used to record raw information of potential intelligence value for later analysis. The form served as a primary vehicle for U.S. Air Force field intelligence collection throughout the early Cold War, until defense-wide reporting standards were established in the early 1960s.

This AIIR records a series of entries extracted from Tempelhof Airport air traffic control logs dated 10–11 August 1953 concerning aerial reports in the Soviet-occupied zone of Germany. The report states that a British European Airways DC-3 aircraft reported observing what the pilot described as red-colored rockets being fired approximately one mile in front of the aircraft while inbound to Tempelhof via the Center Corridor. It further states that the pilot of a second British European Airways DC-3 later reported a stationary, red-colored light approximately 20 nautical miles west of Genthin at an altitude of approximately 5,000 feet. The report also notes that British Berlin Air Safety Center stated that Soviet authorities had investigated the reported red light and could not account for it. A later Pan American pilot reported no corresponding light or activity when passing through the same area.

All descriptive and estimative language contained in this report reflects the reporter’s subjective interpretation at the time of the event. Such characterizations should not be interpreted as a conclusive indication of the presence or absence of any intrinsic object features or performance characteristics.

AF FORMt112-PART I
APPROVED I JUNE 1948
CO~NTRY
GERlWiY
260-5
AIR INTELLIGENCE INF
SUBJECT
EXTRACTS FROII AIR TIW'FIC CaffROL LOGS
AREA REPORTED ON
FROM (A9'/>cr)
SOVIE!' ZOIE GERWY
73501'H BASE COMPLU!N'r SQOlDROI
I
DATE OF REPORT
tVAlUATION
11 AUGUST 1953
lfONE
I
PREPARED BY (O}ftctr)
SOURCE
FRED L. ALLEN
C.AFT.
USAF
AIR TBAn'IC COlfTROLLER
REFERENCES ( Co•lrol n u ,.btr, dirtdirt, prtoiou, report, de., a, applicabl•)
SUMMARY: (lrnler ..,,,;,. • umm•r11 ofr<port. Gioe •i,nlfitana In final 01,uc,uenu paragraph. Lut lnclo.urta at IOllitr left. Bttln tat ofrtport on AF Form IJt-Part Il.)
The followi11g information•• extracted f'l'OII Air Trattic Control Loga,
TEMPELHOF, 11 August 1953.
10 August 1953:
1936Z hours: British European Airways DC-.3 type ilrcraf't, GALJI,
flJing inbound for TEIIPELHOF via Center Corridor
reported obiHrrl.ng what appear.d to be red colored
rockets, behg ti.red approrl.llately ane (1) mle in
tront ot hia,
•
2245Z hOUl'IIS Bat Eisen lir Tratfic Control reported the following
1nt'oraat1on to T!MPELHOF Air Tra.tfic Control:
The pilot of British European Airways 00•3 t1pe
Aircraft, GA.GIP, reported sighting a stationary red
colored light twenty ( 20) nautical miles West of Gentbin
( 5224B/1209E). Light appe&Nd to be at approximateI.y
5,000 feet but not abo"9 5,500 teet.
2315Z houras
British Berlin Air Satety Center reported that the
SOYiets checked on this reported red light and could
not account for it.
11 August 195li
0235Z hours:
Pilot Leaser, Pan .hericen Clipper C-193.l t>nroute t.o
Hanaftr da the Center Corridor reported to TEIIPELHOF
Air Traffic Control when oTer the area twnty- (20)
nautical a.ilea •st ot Genthin. Pilot Lesser obae?"Yed
no light or activity of any description, but stated
that on Friday night (? August 1953) 1n this sue area,
be obsened grourd to air firing. Pilot Lesaer stated
th&t as his Aircraft approached this area (7 August 1953)
the groUJld to air firing stopped. Pilot stated he ns
unable to determine what type projectile was being
_ _ _ _ INCLS.
fired.
,.... ...
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Authority:
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NND57597
t'1..,\A..'""'rt
FOR
JEZT & AR.EA COD£s
DISTRIBUTION BY ORIGINATOR
AC/S, .l•2, Bqs USAJ'E (Orig)
A.C/S, A•2, Hqs Twlfth AF • 1 cy
OSI DO # 3 - 1 01
-------------,
File - l
NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFEC
31 AND 32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR
IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN P
INTELLIGENCE. USAF.
,
E MEANING OFTHE ESPIONAGE ACT. 50 U. S.C.­
AUTHORIZEO PERSON JS PROHIBITED BY LAW.
0 HER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF
eONFJ:.; NTI AL ·~-· ..-----·~--..
~
.

AF FORM 112-PART II
APPROVED I JUNE 1~48
l
68 Nil=~ ~f 11Al
3
AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT
FROM (;lgrncv)
REFORT NO.
0 BASE COMPLEMENT SQ.
.PAGE
2
2
OF
PAGES
B<1l'E; .A.a of thie report, thie office has been
unable to contact Pan American Airlines Pilot Lesser
to gain any further inforaation.
~'t{~ ~
Capt.
USAF
Air Intelligence Officer
LIBRARY SUBJECT a -AREA CODES
WcJe_~
NOTE: TH IS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE,OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT. SOU. S. C.31 AND 32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW.
IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART. BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES. AIR F'ORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OFlHE DIRECTOR OF
INTELLIGENCE, USAF.
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