West Texas Spanloader

reply to post by Sammamishman


Speak of the devil:

The analysis of the photos shot by Douglass and Muskett showed something interesting: the aircraft was almost boomerang shaped and, based on the contrails, it was equipped with two engines (or at least two exhaust nozzles).

theaviationist.com...

reply to post by Sammamishman


www.popularmechanics.com...
It look like the last year article of popmech concept

darksidius
reply to post by Sammamishman

 

www.popularmechanics.com...
It look like the last year article of popmech concept

This is :popMech's: rendition:


Here is the first wind tunnel version:



What could this be?

reply to post by Violater1


An airplane.

Zaphod58
reply to post by Violater1

 

An airplane.

Not to us people who arnt in the aviation industry or those that are in the highest knowledge of what's being developed. As for me in an aircraft .. And and amazing sexy looking plane !

Edit: even the black and white photo looks the nuts

What is the wind tunnel model Violator?

reply to post by SirDrinksalot


The model is one of Boeing's BWB X-48 designs.

www.aeronautics.nasa.gov...


It also looks quite abit like the much smaller NG KillerBee UAV, too. So I'm not sure we can draw too many conclusions.

My next pondering would be who built the ones seen in the TX photos? My gut feeling is Boeing/LM but have nothing to base that on.
Boeing have been running chase planes out of Palmdale recently and flying circles to the North, not sure if it is related or not.

reply to post by _Del_


Although both do share very similar planforms, I think Boeing's X48 concept was the only one that had three high bypass engines mounted to the trailing edge, as seem to by mocked up in the wind tunnel photo.

reply to post by Sammamishman


The wind tunnel model is definitely Boeing's. I just meant the BWB concept has been explored by all the major players; I don't think we can conclude necessarily that the mystery craft over Texas was made by Phantom Works.

reply to post by Sammamishman


Aviation week said in an article Lockheed made a subscale demonstrator of a new bomber, may be it is. The shape of the wing look a little like the quiet supersonic concept we see this last years, with Northrop so may be a mix of all.

reply to post by darksidius


The AV week article also mentioned that it was closer to or is operational since there were three of them in formation by themselves. If they were demonstrators, proof of concepts or early prototypes, I don't think there would be more than one or two of them and I would think they would be tailed by chase planes where ever they went.

More to wet our appetite form Russian TV:

Going on the assumption it is a new bomber what sort of payload would it be able to carry. Would we be looking at the payload of say an f-117 or would it have a larger pay load like a b-2 for example. Please bare in mind I haven't the slightest clue what I'm talking about lol sorry if it's a poor question to ask

reply to post by ThePeaceMaker


Ignoring the picture and concentrating on just LRS-B requirements: I would think a useful payload would be 20,000- 35,000+ lbs. It really depends on what design features the program requirements stress. And all that has made its way out about the program has been pretty murky at best.
I would guess the north end of that payload. Something comparable to the old F-111 in capability (in an VLO design).

reply to post by Sammamishman


It's still a little while from operational. It's in testing still.

With this kind of shape is it subsonic or supersonic capable ? anything it was, it look a little like a UFO

Nah..Pretty certain it's not LRS..If it's what i think it is, and even the grainy pics seem close enough for me, it's been operational for a bit now, after a fairly lengthy gestation period (1st flight was pre 2002) I'm surprised it's taken so long for someone to capture a pic of it, although Boomer 135 might have one or two ;-) I agree with the others here, there's a reason they were flying together, in clear daylight, in the contrail belt...Something is about to fly into the gray world.

I suppose it's too much to ask that people just fess up to not knowing what it is??

the spotters own article is a laugh - he's got it down as the latest super-secret technology being "leaked" to "the other guys" in a return to the days of MAD.......as if making contrails over Texas and waiting for a plane spotter to post about it would be the best way of achieving any such "leak"....

reply to post by EBJet


There is something fairly new coming to light soon. I'm pretty sure this is it.