Bill Sweetman is snipe hunting over at Ares:
Someone going by the name Mackbolin posted this image on file-sharing site LiveLeak on May 8.
So far, efforts to ID or contact the poster have been fruitless. The discussion over at Dreamland Resort has been inconclusive, with noted X-plane hunter Peter Merlin leaning towards the “hoax” side.
On the other hand, the pic has passed one suggested hoax test on DLR. It’s also free of some of the other trace scents of rat. It doesn’t overtly contravene the laws of physics or optics; you could take such a photo from a vantage point on the ground. It doesn’t look like an ordinary airplane seen from an odd perspective (it’s easy to misinterpret against a blue-sky background). The sighting was (ostensibly) in a pretty remote end of California…
Despite gross similarities, it’s not an SR-71. The Blackbird’s are all retired, had a tailcone that this planform does not and did not have notched edges on the wing root. And it could be something novel: Sweetman points out, there’s been a lot of construction at Elvis’ retirement home. But the poster’s story about feeling a “microwave” effect as the jet flew over leaves me smelling teh rat.
A Turkey with tanks/senor pods? One of the Euro-darts?
Eagle.
b2
Looks like an Eagle.
b2
NASA Delta wing F16 with side-saddle golf bags.
Link to above for F16L1 shots. Mebbe?
http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/photo/F-16XL1/Small/index.html
SJBill,
It does look a lot like the F-16X1 or L1 that they show in the NASA link. Especially if you realize that you’re looking at it from quite a distance.
Jim C
Could be aluminum overcast.
I get that “microwave” effect, too. Especially when the Blues or any of our Forces are flying by, and I feel the warmth of pride in my Country and Navy.
And coffee. Four mugs of hi-test coffee. Makes me feel warm and alert, ready to jump into the lake.
On the same subject; I have been seeing delta wing acft zooming around Northeast Florida.
Is this an indication that the aggressor duties have been subcontracted out? To SAAB?
No “microwave feeling” there.
Clint Eastwood.
I took the, err, liberty in blowing up the image for grins and giggles.
http://linesiders.com/images/mysteryplane.png
SR71 should show the tail cone as mentioned above, F16 XL should probably show some motor-butt sticking out the back. Angles on the trailing edge of the wings looks wrong for the F16 XL (and the Draken as well).
In any event, not enough quality photo to discriminate, more fun to speculate anyway.
Where is that foil hat anyway?
So the deathray still doesn’t work right big deal….
IIRC, some aggressor duties have been farmed out to private firms flying Drakens.
As to this THING…I have no clue. The planform is very much like a F-108…but none of those were ever built.
Another AW1:
You’ve been seeing the old Top Gun F-21 Kfirs from a contractor hired by the Navy. They also fly what I think are old Hawker Hunters and some training/light attack jets, as well as some Learjet lookalikes.
Must be some exercise going on ’cause I’ve been seeing E-3’s in the landing pattern at NAS Jax.
Also saw some aggressor-painted Hornets.
Tornado on its way to Nellis?
hmmm…. reminds me of growing up at China Lake… 1963, as a small boy, saw a Harrier in slow motion the same week JFK and his entourage arrived for the big show and tell…
Well,
Mt money is on it being either a Tornado or an F-111 with the wings full sweep aft.
I also thought SAAB at first, but it doesn’t fit their profile.
Yeah, and I’m a Chemtrail Fluid Specialist.
I’d say thats a vintage pic of an A-12 in a climb…
Hey YAK;
I was at anchor, off NAS, and I thought I tawt I taw the Hunter’s. I didn’t think they were flying anymore. Some Harriers came in soon after, so I thought I was not seeing clearly.
Hope this isn’t a beadwindow moment.
Looks like an F-15 in a dive to me. You can just about see the intakes on the front.
Get out old pics of English Electric P.1 Lightning. Remember the “notched delta” planform? Combine that with The Draaken double-delta and explode or fatten wing ala the proposed F-16XL & you’ve got composite form than could combine advantages of all three–of course better engines on resurrected F-108 always possible. The P.1 is still a helluva performer after all these years,
so….new wine in old bottles and all that.
Hey, YAK, you stationed at NAS Jax? If so, go by VS-32 and say hi to the son-in-law, the ADC. He’s currently got a workcrew out by the main gate painting all the aircraft out there.
Byron,
Sorry – I retired back in 1994. I’ve been working at Acura of Orange Park on Blanding the past few years, although I did an intra-company transfer to Hyundai of Orange Park today. Both stores are in the landing pattern for NAS Jax. Acura is more on the extended centerline, though.
BTW – I did my second squadron tour in Hoovers with the Maulers back in the mid-80s, finishing up with 300 traps (a lot for a Viking ‘FO back in the day). That was back when we were still doing mostly double and triple cycle hops.
Cool beans, Yak. Next time you go on base, stop and take a good look at the birds by the gate. One has my son-in-laws name on it. And sad to say, this is the last year for the Maulers. They have a counter drug det going right now, and then the curtains close. Damn shame, I always hate to see any Navy unit, be it ship, aircraft, or sub head to the breakers.
What have those space aliens come up with now………