Cylindrical UFO sighted by B-29 over Korea

Summary

In February 1952, a navigator on a B-29 bomber observed a cylindrical object with a pulsating exhaust trail while flying over Korea. The object appeared suddenly from the east, with a bright blue exhaust three times its length. It approached the aircraft at high speed, maintained an interception course for about 15 seconds, then rapidly descended beneath the B-29. The navigator estimated the object came within 3,000 feet and appeared the size of a car viewed from that distance. The incident occurred during combat conditions, with searchlights and anti-aircraft fire active.

The description raised suspicions that it could be a surface-to-air guided missile, an unprecedented concept at the time. Electronic countermeasures operators picked up weak signals, adding to the mystery. Although meteorites or light reflections were considered, the official report sent it to a specialized group for evaluation. The navigator, experienced and reliable, denied it was an aircraft or a reflection, reinforcing the unusual nature of the encounter.