Project 10073 Record Card: Erding Air Depot, Germany, 29 October 1952

On the morning of October 29, 1952, at approximately 0750 hours, two airmen from the 85th Air Depot Wing at Erding Air Depot, Germany, observed an unidentified flying object. The witnesses, a Staff Sergeant and an Airman Second Class, were walking toward the Erding Bowling Alley when they spotted a silver-colored, round object in the western sky. The object was moving away from the observers in a steady, gliding fashion at an estimated speed of 400 MPH and an altitude of approximately 7,000 feet. The object remained in view for 20 to 30 seconds before disappearing behind the bowling alley. Both witnesses reported that the object made no sound and that they could not distinguish any wings or propellers. Weather conditions at the time were described as overcast at 10,000 feet with good visibility. A subsequent check with the local radar site yielded negative results, and there was no known air traffic in the area at the time of the sighting. The Wing Intelligence Officer, Captain Charles S. Pellinger, interviewed both witnesses separately and concluded that they were reliable individuals capable of providing an accurate account. The report includes individual statements and sketches from both witnesses, as well as a sketch of the area where the sighting occurred. The incident was formally recorded under Project 10073, with the final conclusion listed as 'unknown'.