Project Moby Dick

Project Moby Dick was a Cold War reconnaissance operation by the U.S. Military in which large balloons floated cameras over the Soviet Union. The spy balloons would photograph sensitive Soviet sites and hang in the air until a crew flying the C-119 Flying Boxcar came by to collect them. The project caused a row between the U.S. and Soviet forces when the Soviets discovered what they (accurately) believed to be the remnants of a U.S. spy camera in February 1952. Other reconnaissance balloon projects from the era included Project Skyhook, Project Mogul, Project Grandson, and Project Genetrix.

Further reading

[http://www.ospreypublishing.com/content2.php/cid=239 "Operation Genetrix"]

References

[http://www.ruudleeuw.com/c119-info.htm Fairchild C-119 "Boxcar"]