Moscow object sighting

An American newspaper correspondent in Moscow reported an object at about sunset on 3 August 1948, according to Incident Summary Sheet no. 171. The sheet gave the position as about 25 km (19-20 miles) northwest of Moscow, with the observer on the ground. It recorded one object, long and narrow, that shone brightly, made no sound and was apparently metallic. Weather was recorded as sunny.

The narrative page said an experienced American newspaper reporter saw an unidentified object at very high altitude. It moved at a high but not excessive speed. No wings were seen. The same page said the object looked like a rigid airship and that a Russian acquaintance who saw it at the same time identified it as one. The reporter disagreed, mainly because of its speed, and had no theory to offer. The Check-List repeated these details and marked distance, time in sight, size and tactics as not stated. It had no sketches or photographs.

The incident summary carried a comment from the analyst, labelled NA COMMENT. It said the object might have been anything. Its speed seemed too low for a guided missile. It could have been a jet or a conventional airplane, since unusual light conditions and foreshortening often give aircraft a freakish appearance. The comment said a dirigible should not be excluded. A reference note said upper winds in Russia were not published, but high surface winds with storm predictions were noted the following morning. The same text appears in the second compilation.

The incident was later cited in the Air Intelligence Division study of flying object incidents. Study No. 203 placed it about 35 kilometers northeast of Moscow and linked its shape to the 25 July 1948 Eastern Airlines sighting and a 20 July 1948 report from Arnhem. The 1949 edition gave the distance as 25 kilometers northeast. Both repeated the Russian acquaintance's rigid airship identification and the reporter's disagreement.