Looking Down the Corridors
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RB-26 Invader
US twin-engine light bomber converted to the photographic role
RB-36D
Reconnaissance version of the Convair B-36 Peacemaker aircraft
RC-97
Designation erroneously applied to C-97 aircraft in photographic role
RC-135
Electronic reconnaissance version of the C-135 Stratotanker aircraft
RECCEXREP
Reconnaissance Exploitation Report
Red Owl
US project name for photographic operations in the Corridors and BCZ 1950–58
Reichswehr
Collective name for the German armed forces during Nazi era 1933–45
Remote
UK code name for Pembroke photographic operations in the Corridors and BCZ 1967–71
RISTA
Reconnaissance Intelligence Strike and Target Acquisition
Rivet Flare
US project name for conversion of C-97 aircraft to photographic role
Rivet Giant
US project name for conversion of C-97 aircraft to photographic role
Robertson–Malinin
Agreement between C-in-C BAOR and C-in-C GSFG governing relations between GSFG and BAOR, including BRIXMIS
RPF
Radio Proving Flight
RWR
Radar Warning Receiver
SA-330 Puma (HÉT)
SA-330 Puma Hélicoptère Électronique Technique (HÉT)
SAC
Strategic Air Command
SAM
Surface-to-Air Missile
Sarigue
Système Aéroporté de Recueil des Informations de Guerre Électronique
Schooner
UK code name for BRIXMIS Chipmunk flights circa 1970s
SCIF
Special Compartmented Imagery Facility
Security Service
UK agency responsible for the security of the UK mainland, see also MI5
SED
Sozialistische Einheits Deutschland – German Unity Party
Senior Reach
US project name for KA-116 SRIS camera system
SENSINT
Sensitive intelligence programme
SEO
Special Equipment Officer
SERB
Soviet External Relations Branch. Responsible for liaison between the AMLMs and HQ GSFG at Zossen-Wünsdorf
Sergeant III
Thermal Imaging System proposed for fitting to Andover
Six Ps
Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents Poor Performance
SIGINT
Overall term covering intercept of electronic emissions that covers COMINT (qv) and ELINT (qv)
SIS
Secret Intelligence Service, see also MI6
SMLM
Soviet Military Liaison Mission(s) in West Germany
SNCO
Senior non-commissioned officer
SOXMIS
Soviet Commander-in-Chief’s Military Liaison Mission to the Commander-in-Chief BAOR. Russian equivalent of BRIXMIS
SOZ
Soviet Occupied Zone of Germany
SPIR
Special Photographic Interpretation Report
SRIS
Senior Reach Imaging System, see KA-116
SRS
Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron
SRW
Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
SSI
School of Service Intelligence based at Ashford in Kent
Stasi
See MfS
STOL
Short Take Off and Landing
Sqn
Squadron
T-29A/CT-29A
Military version of CV240 civil airliner
TA
Territorial Army
TAS
Tactical Airlift Squadron
TAW
Tactical Airlift Wing
TEL
Transporter-Erector-Launcher
TELAR
Transporter-Erector-Launcher and Radar
Texas Postcard
Unofficial name for the 36in × 18in images produced by the K-42 Pie Face camera
The Wall
Concrete wall constructed in August 1961 dividing East from West Berlin
The Wire
Border between West Berlin and the GDR
TO & E
Table of Organisation and Equipment
Tokay
UK code name for RAF Corridor photographic flights 1959–64
TR
Tank Regiment
TRS
Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
TTW
Transition to War
UAS
University Air Squadron
UHF
Ultra High Frequency
UN
United Nations
US
United States
USA
United States of America
USAAF
United States Army Air Force
USAF
United States Air Force
USAFE
United States Air Force in Europe
USAFSS
United States Air Force Security Service
USAREUR
United States Army in Europe
USCINCEUR
United States Commander-in-Chief Europe
USCOB
United Sates Command Berlin
USMLM
United States Military Liaison Mission
USN
United States Navy
USSR
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
VCAS
Vice Chief of the Air Staff
Venton
Code name for RAF Corridor photographic flights 1987–90
VFR
Visual Flight Rules
VG
Vugraph: transparent positive image that could be projected for briefings
VHF
Very High Frequency
VLF
Very Low Frequency
WAC
World Area Chart
Wg
Wing
WGF
Western Group of Forces
Witch Doctor
Project name for USAF covert airborne photographic programme
WO
War Office, British Ministry responsible for the Army until the formation of the Ministry of Defence
WO
Warrant Officer: highest non-commissioned rank in the British forces
WOZ
Western Occupied Zones
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Kevin Wright, PhD
Attending university as a mature student, Kevin Wright was awarded his PhD by the University of Essex in 1998 on the role of expert communities in arms control policy formulation. He went on to teach with the Government Department at Essex for over fifteen years, lecturing in international security studies and international relations. He is now a freelance aviation writer and photographer, living in Ireland with his wife Sue and son Stefan.
His current research interests are Cold War intelligence gathering, the development of an EU military identity, peace-keeping doctrine, arms control and Confidence and Security Building Measures in Europe. Recent published works include items on military policy and history for defence and web-based journals covering British Cold War intelligence gathering in Germany, the Treaty on Open Skies, Japanese Air Defence, JASDF fighter history, Polish airlift assets, US civilian airlift capabilities and the Vienna Documents.
Peter Jefferies
Peter Jefferies enlisted into the Intelligence Corps in 1962 after a short period in the Royal Artillery (Territorial Army). He served in Germany, Malta and Cyprus in intelligence, counter intelligence and security duties before qualifying as a Photographic Interpreter in 1969. Until he left the Regular Army in 1983 he mainly served in PI units in Germany and Britain and Northern Ireland. During his time as a PI he spent over nine ye
ars exploiting the imagery from the Allied photographic reconnaissance operations in the Berlin Air Corridors and BCZ. Peter rejoined the Territorial Army in 1984 and one of his appointments was commanding the section exploiting the Corridor and BCZ imagery during training weekends and annual continuation training camps.
After leaving the Regular Army in 1983 he became a civil servant with the UK MoD and remained with them until he retired in 2007.
Peter lives in Cambridgeshire with his wife Valerie. They have three children and eight grandchildren.
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1 Tyuratam Missile Test Range, now the Baikonur Cosmodrome, a key target for U-2 deep-penetration flights. (Photo: USAF)
2 Wreckage of Powers’ U-2, still displayed at the Central Armed Forces Museum in Moscow. (Photo: Kevin Wright)
3 In front of the BASC building at Kleistpark with the four national representatives on 26 January 1989. (L to R) Major Rick Fuller (US), Wing Commander David Pollock (Britain), Colonel Claude Favier (France) and Colonel Boris Shunin (USSR). The BASC was one of only two Four Power institutions that functioned through the Cold War. (Photo: USAF – CMSgt Don Sutherland)
4 BASC at work. Major Vladimir Zhurba (USSR) discusses flight information with Captain Bill Sumption (US). (Photo: USAF – CMSgt Don Sutherland)
5 The BARTCC operations room photographed in January 1987. Located at the US Tempelhof Airbase in Berlin, BARTCC controlled aircraft in the Corridors and BCZ and was exclusively manned by USAF personnel. (Photo: USAF – Thomas Farr)
6 With its defensive armament removed, RB-17G Fortress 44-8889 gathered SIGINT with the 7499th Support Squadron from April 1949 until September 1953. (Photo: USAF)
7 Douglas VC-47D Skytrain 43-48186 at Tempelhof in June 1961. C-47s performed a wide range of VIP, freight, personnel and medical transport flights, as well as reconnaissance duties along the Corridors. (Photo: Ralf Manteufel)
8 Convair CT-29A 49-1912 Carol Ann on approach to Tempelhof. Every effort was made to hide its cameras and aerials from watching Soviet and East German eyes. (Photo: Peter Seemann)
9 Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter 49-2592 Pie Face that carried a huge Boston K-42 camera with a 240in lens (see frontispiece) but externally still looked like a standard C-97 transport. (Photo: Ralf Manteufel)
10 Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter 52-2
688 Eager Beaver PHOTINT aircraft served in Germany from July 1963. In later years, with the addition of new equipment, it became known as Rivet Box. Leaving in early 1970, it was retired to the Arizona desert at Davis Monthan AFB. (Photo: Ralf Manteufel)
11 Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter 53-0106 Wine Sap equipped to monitor the SA-2 Guideline missile system. Converted to the role around 1965 it is seen here taxiing out at Tempelhof on 9 August 1971. (Photo: Ralf Manteufel)
12 Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter 52-2687 Flint Stone in August 1964. Serving with the 7405th for over fourteen years, it was latterly known as Rivet Stem, a photographic aircraft, after removal of its SIGINT equipment. It was the last C-97 to leave Wiesbaden Air Base in 1975. (Photo: Ralf Manteufel)
13 Douglas C-118A Liftmaster ‘51-3842’ at Tempelhof. Its real tail number was 51-3823. The real serial 51-3842 was allocated to a C-121 (Lockheed Constellation). It was one of four C-118s which were given false tail numbers in 1965–66, generating speculation that they were connected with CIA operations. (Photo: Ralf Manteufel)