January 22/23rd 1945 Jet activity?

[RodM]

The attached map shows a plot encounters with jet/rocket propelled phenomena as reported by heavy bomber crews on the nights of 1-2, 2-3, and 4-5 November 1944 - the period when the number of reported sightings simply skyrocketed. The blue area is the approximate position of Allied-controlled territory as at 7 November, while the green and yellow lines show the two bomber stream routes on 4-5 November.

If all the sightings related to V1 or V2 rockets, then with the former, one would expect the phenomena to be moving in a direction converging on Antwerp. Several of the sighting/combat reports record directions of travel inconsistent with this. With V2 rockets, the exhaust trails would have continued upwards way higher than the altitude of the bombers. The mean altitude of all these plotted encounters was 13,649 feet AGL, the lowest being 4,000 feet and the highest 26,000 feet, and most falling between 11 - 18,000 feet.

Also significant, with the jet/rocket aircraft claimed destroyed (26 for the period plotted), most either exploded in the air or simply fell back down to earth.

I certainly accept that some sightings could relate to V1s/V2s but I think these weapons don't explain the majority of sightings.

Cheers

Rod

[edwest2]

Beginning in November 1944, strange lights were reported by Allied aircrews. These reports were passed on for further identification. Formerly classified documents reveal various colors and flight characteristics but came to no official conclusion. One intelligence report did blame sightings on "Me 262s and flak rockets." Prominent among those making reports was the 415th Night Fighter Squadron with the location given as being the Rhine River valley. Once Allied forces had captured the area east of the river, the sightings stopped.


That said, the possibility of flak rockets remains. Captured documents related to these were transferred to Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. I am still trying to locate documents that confirm the presence of German technical personnel who were assigned there. For interested researchers, here is a reference:

CGD-1 : Ground Launched Antiaircraft (Controlled)
Date(s):
September 25, 1945
Physical Description:
26 Frames
Container:
1
1
Creator(s):
Oberth, Hermann, 1894-1989, Author
Patek, Robert (T-2), Translator
United States. Army Air Forces. Air Materiel Command. Air Documents Division (T-2), Issuing body
Scope and Contents:
AAF ATSC Air Document Division translation, September 25, 1945. Translated by Robert Patek from Hermann Oberth, "Die Flak-Rakete," 1945.