Soviet Spy Planes over the West during the Cold War

Rusty B wrote:

I've noticed that by doing a Google search, you can come up with all
kinds of data about U.S. and western countries flying recon flights
over Soviet and other Communist territory during the Cold War
along with a list of shootdowns.

I'm sure there were also Soviet recon flights over and near
Western territory during the Cold War, but no one seems to
mention it. Does anyone have a list of incidents?

Two incidents I have found are overflights of the Italian and
Turkish Jupiter missile sites.

A Google search found this May 2001 message:

"In 1962, a Bulgarian MiG-17 recon airplane crashed into an olive grove near
one of the Italian Launch Sites, after overflying the site."

George Smith, who installed Jupiter missiles in Turkey in 1961 also
mentioned a MiG crash near the Turkish Jupiter sites. He said film
was recovered from the wreckage.

Does anyone have any more info about the above incidents or other
overflight incidents?

- Rusty Barton
--


Used to be fairly regular - once or twice a year - press items, usually
with photographs, of Soviet Recc. flights being intercepted by the RCAF
(back when we had an airforce with the range to do it) off the coasts of
Canada.

I personally observed an incident with an "Aeroflot" AN-22 flying into
Halifax back in 1968-70 which was given very specific missed approach
instructions and, on a perfectly clear VFR day, missed the approach and
completely disregarded the instrucions to make a slow pass over the
Naval Dockyard. Funny the difficulty they had understanding the missed
approach instructions since when I talked to the crew after landing
their command of English seemed to be very good. Not a total loss
though; I shot a few rolls of film and sold them to Aviation Week!


Dave