I was in Crypto school in San Angelo (after studying Russian) slated to go to Alaska when it happened. The Russians said it was supposed to be the RC-135 (the plane we would be flying in in a few short months) they shot down, it got our attention.
>>>I was in Crypto school in San Angelo (after studying Russian) slated to go to Alaska when it happened. The Russians said it was supposed to be the RC-135 (the plane we would be flying in in a few short months) they shot down, it got our attention.<<<
Yes, I’ve seen a documentary and Russians said they have detected a Cobra Ball electronic signature just prior to event and also two similar sized aircraft has crossed routes on their radar. They were sure the one entered their airspace was RC-135.
1983 was a tough time, probably a peak of the Cold War. Just weeks before incident USN carriers held drills with A-7s over a disputed Soviet-Japanese islands in that same area and Soviet commander was sacked for failure to react properly.
KAL007 was actually intercepted twice, first time over Kamchatka by a pack of 6 Mig-23s who tried to contact it and flew away after it failed to react and second time close to Sakhalin when it has violated Soviet airspace for a second time.
AFAIK a pilot has approached from the rear, the weather wasn’t particularly nice and a B-747 was looking exactly like a Cobra Ball from that position.