Have you ever imagined traveling through time or having a vision of the future? Well, this story starts with a pilot who served in both World Wars and experienced an event that defies logical explanations.
Let’s dive into this mystery! During the 20th century, Robert Victor Goddard was a prominent figure in the Royal Air Force (RAF), actively participating in both World Wars. Although his family had roots in medicine, Goddard chose a military career, dedicating himself to both studies and service in the armed forces.
In 1921, he enrolled in an engineering course at Jesus College, Cambridge, and later continued his studies at Imperial College London. He returned to Cambridge in 1925 to teach in the University Air Squadron. After completing his training at the Royal Naval Staff College in 1929, Goddard took command of a bomber squadron in Iraq. In 1931, he returned to England to become the chief instructor in the engineering course for officers, staying at the Staff College until 1935. That same year, he became the deputy director of intelligence at the Air Ministry, a position he held until the start of World War II.
Goddard's fame solidified after an extraordinary event in 1935, which many consider a paranormal experience or even a vision of the future.
That year, he was flying from Edinburgh to Andover aboard a Hawker Hart biplane to inspect an abandoned airfield in Drem, Scotland. Upon arrival, he found the airfield in poor condition, with cattle grazing in the cracks of the runway.
Later, while facing a strong storm and deciding to return to Drem to orient himself, something unusual happened: the heavy rain was replaced by bright sunlight. Looking back at the airfield, Goddard saw a lit runway with modern, well-maintained buildings and hangars, suggesting the place was in full operation, a stark contrast to the bleak surroundings.
Goddard noticed several yellow airplanes, including a monoplane he couldn’t identify, as well as mechanics wearing blue coveralls—something unusual, as the RAF’s uniforms at the time were bronze. When he flew through the break in the clouds and returned to the adverse weather, the vision of the airfield disappeared.
Four years later, in 1939, the Drem airfield was restored and put back into operation by the RAF. What was most curious: the aircraft were now yellow, and the mechanics' uniforms were changed to blue, exactly as Goddard had described. This event became known as the “Drem Vision,” and many believe it was a prediction of the future or a paranormal experience.
Goddard’s unusual experiences didn’t stop there. In 1946, during a party in his honor in Shanghai, China, he heard Captain Gerald Gladstone of the HMS Black Prince tell of a dream he had. In it, Gladstone saw Goddard dying in a flight over Asia, where the aircraft, carrying the pilot and three passengers, faced atmospheric difficulties and made an emergency landing on a pebble beach near mountains. Unfortunately, everyone on board died in the crash.
Upon hearing the story, Goddard asked Gladstone how he could have died if he was right there in front of him. But that very night, Goddard was persuaded to make a flight to Tokyo, carrying two men and a woman on board. During the flight, the plane encountered trouble and was forced to land on Sado Island in Japan—on a pebble beach near the mountains, just as described in the dream. To everyone’s surprise, no one was injured, but the scene was eerily similar to what Captain Gladstone had seen in his dream.
The inexplicable experiences continued to follow Robert Victor Goddard throughout his life. Even after retiring from the military, he remained interested in mysterious phenomena such as UFOs and other paranormal manifestations, even writing a book on the subject.
As is common with unexplained cases, there’s plenty of skepticism. Some believe it was just a series of coincidences, while others think Goddard truly glimpsed moments from the future or underwent paranormal experiences.
The fact remains that the story of Robert Victor Goddard continues to intrigue those fascinated by inexplicable phenomena. What do you think? Do you believe Goddard had a vision of the future, or do the coincidences really explain everything?
