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III

not see the ground.  When I finally was able to see the ground I think I was approximately thirty miles to the right of course.  During this time while I was trying to accurately locate my position and return to course, I saw a condensation trail from a single engine jet aircraft. It was to my right about twenty miles and going parallel to my course in the opposite direction.  It passed out of my view behind me.  This did not worry me for I knew that he was at a lower altitude.  I was above the con trail layer and he was somewhere in it. In a few minutes I saw another trail also paralleling my course but going in the same direction as I. I assumed it was the same aircraft being directed by radar to try to intercept me.  It was also to the right about the same distance and soon passed out of my view ahead of me.  This indicated to me that ground radar stations had radar contact with me. How long they had had contant I did not know. It could mean that they just wanted to identify the aircraft and did not know that it was foreign or it also could mean that I had been tracked for the duration of my flight over Soviet territory and they knew that I was a foreign aircraft. I tended to think the former because I had been over Soviet territory for about an hour and one half and if they had had contact with me they would have tried to intercept me earlier and I would have more than likely seen con trails earlier.

Shortly after seeing the con trails I noticed that I was supposed to fly over a rocket launching area or at least my map indicated I was to do so. I never did see this area   either because it was invisible at my altitude or it was under the clouds which started