DOW-UAP-D099, War Department Intelligence Review: 'Ghost Rockets' over Scandinavia, 1946
- Date
- 1947-01-09
- Location
- Sweden and Scandinavia
- Agency
- Department of War
- Release
- Release 05 (Aug. 7, 2026)
- Type
- document
Summary
A War Department Intelligence Division review of 'ghost rocket' reports over Sweden and Scandinavia beginning in late May 1946, commonly described as 'a ball of fire with a tail' or a 'shiny cigar-shaped object.' It cites a Swedish Air Force pilot who on 14 August saw a cigar-shaped object he estimated at about 50 by 3 feet moving at about 400 mph, and notes almost 1,000 reports by the end of July. Its conclusions suggest the Soviets probably tested V-1 type missiles and that there were 'only 2 or 3 real incidents, perhaps as many as 5 or 10, of low-flying missiles of the V-1 type.'
Note
An early official assessment that treats most ghost-rocket reports as unconfirmed while allowing for a handful of real missile tests.