Dundee residents reported spotting what looked like “missiles” tearing through the sky high above the city.
Six or seven objects were seen travelling in close formation from north east Fife.
Although they were later revealed to be US Air Force jets, their initial appearance at high altitude and in close formation turned heads.
Members of the public took pictures as the formation made its way up the east coast before heading inland and over Perthshire.
So small did they appear, however, that some witnesses believed they were rockets or missiles.
One man said: “I was out for a walk when I spotted what I thought was a group of jets flying high overhead.
“I followed the trails and they seemed to have come from the direction of Leuchars.
“They were close together and so high up that I couldn’t even see if they were jets.
“Moments later I saw what looked like another six or seven objects passing overhead in the same direction.
“They looked like rockets or missiles. I have never seen planes leave trails like that.
“They were headed in the direction of Camperdown Park.”
The Ministry of Defence downplayed the sightings, suggesting that they may have a more mundane explanation.
“There have not been any rockets or missiles in the sky and no training exercises that could be confused in such a fashion,” a spokeswoman said.
“Leuchars does, however, report that the East of Scotland Universities Air Squadron has been flying light aircraft in the area.”
The truth was later revealed when we shared news of the sighting.
Aviation enthusiast Martyn Edward told The Courier Facebook page: “Before all the conspiracy theorist come out it was actually in fact USAF F-15’s heading home.”
