Somewhere in the Skies - Bite-Sized UFOs | German Flak Gunners vs the Flying Saucer

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Starting point is 00:00:28 Terms apply. Welcome to bite-sized UFOs, a show where we break down lesser-known UFO cases in 20 minutes or less. And now here's your host, Graham Rendell. I'm your host, Graeme Rendell, author of UFOs Before Roswell, a book about foo fighters in Europe during World War II, and other books about pilot and aircrew encounters during the 1940s and 1950s. For the source of the information regarding this particular case, we have to go back to 1971, an obscure German book. The title of his work was Heimker-Zu Dengertin, or Return to the Gods. Its author Gerhard Steinhauser included a very strange tale from 1944.

Starting point is 00:01:26 The source of the information regarding this case was an Austrian correspondent who had written to Steinhauser in either 1970 or early 1971. Although the informant remained anonymous, Steinhauser said that the information came from somebody who had served in a flak unit in Poland during 1944. According to the witness, during the autumn of that year, the alarm suddenly sounded across the unit, heralding the approach of yet another Soviet Air Force attack. Personnel responsible for locating aircraft and calculating their height and speed reported a fast-moving object, flying at 15,000 metres, some 49,000 feet, and descend rapidly. This was unusual as no Russian aircraft were believed capable of reaching that altitude.

Starting point is 00:02:19 It did not appear to be an air raid. There was only a single target involved. It came nearer, dropping down to 8,000 meters, some 26,000 feet, and was increasing speed. There were suggestions from those operating the range finders that the target was moving towards them at speeds in excess of 2,000 kilometres. thousand kilometers per hour, over 1200 miles per hour. However, yet again this was well in excess of anything the Russians had in their inventory and probably an exaggeration. According to Steinhausers' correspondent, the flak battery's 88mm flak 37 guns opened up at the object as it descended to 2,000 meters, some 6.5,000 feet. Even though it was now much closer, observers could not make out any details beyond a vague round shape.

Starting point is 00:03:17 Now within range of the flak units 20mm flak veiling quadruple anti-aircraft guns, used against low-flying aircraft, their gunners started firing too. The speed of the object made it difficult for precise aiming, but a few flack shells burst in close proximity as it approached. However, these had no visible. effect. Whatever the device was, it eventually turned and then disappeared into the distance to the complete consternation of the 65 flak personnel belonging to the unit. Although the German gunners were shocked by this encounter, their experience was soon forgotten during the maelstrom of

Starting point is 00:03:59 the final months of the war on the Eastern Front. Just what are we to make of this case? its only source, an anonymous correspondent to a German researcher. Doubts have been expressed regarding this sighting, as a flak unit's 88mm flak 37 guns, would have been unable to accurately track an aircraft travelling at the speeds that were quoted. Wartime tests were the Luftwaffe Measure Smit ME 262 jet fighter demonstrated just how hard it was for the flak gunners to keep up with fast-moving targets. There was nothing in the Russian inventory or order of battle that came anywhere near such a device in terms of its speed.

Starting point is 00:04:45 Nothing else was known about this sighting. All the story had previously appeared in an addition of the Tirola Tags-Zaitung newspaper prior to publication in Gerhardt-Steinhaus's 1971 book. A strange circular object. traveling at high speeds from high altitude, something that defied all attempts by the German flack gunners on the ground to shoot it down. What was this object?

Starting point is 00:05:15 Was the story true? We may never know the answer to either of those questions. This has been bite-sized UFOs with your host, Graham Rendell. Be sure to rate and review wherever you get your podcasts. For a full video version of this episode, subscribe to the bite-sized UFO's YouTube channel. Thank you for listening. Ambition comes in all shapes and sizes.

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Somewhere in the Skies - Bite-Sized UFOs | German Flak Gunners vs the Flying Saucer

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