Another California sighting

This one was my sighting. We were running CA58 past Edwards early this morning, about an hour or so before sunrise. As we got to Boron, I noticed a landing light approaching Edwards.

As it got close to crossing over 58, it turned Southeast, towards where we were at the time. It was too dark to get a good look at the fuselage, but the lights gave a few things away. From the wingtip lights, it was larger than a fighter, but smaller than a B-2. The top red power light gave evidence to a fairly distinctive curve to the fuselage. There appeared to be a dim white strobe on top of the fuselage, as well as two brighter strobes on the wingtips. Interestingly, the red power light on the bottom was offset well over towards the left wing.

It headed in a fairly straight line and after a minute or so I couldn't turn back to look over my shoulder far enough to see it anymore.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Was your shotgun rider asleep?

Fascinating....Were you able to tell if it was a flying wing or a more conventional fuselage. In between bomber and fighter sized.... Great now my imagination is reallu all over the place thinking up stuff.

Hey, whats the signifigance in your mind of the off set lower running light.


Shoulda headed west on 138. Coulda reeeeally seen something crazy then😃

a reply to: butcherguy

Yes, she was. She finished a 10 hour shift about three hours before we got there.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

Best guess is it was a flying wing. There was no evidence of vertical fins. They should have had lights if they were there.

The offset light moves it out if the way for weapons or sensor payload bays. If it's weapons, it moves it out of the way of the doors. If it's a payload bay, like a modular system, it allows each module to not have to put a light on.

a reply to: Zaphod58

A raider maybe?



Awesome btw...on a aide note Sorry its rainy today must suck driving into LA area in those conditions. .

May be the new bomber version of the X-47. Or at least that's what I think a lot of people (including me) have seen around the southeast for the past few years.

The lights you describe kind of match up as well.

a reply to: Zaphod58

NASA WB-57 (high altitude) maybe?

That thing looks like all wing from below. And, it has the interchangeable pod in the former bomb bay.

Just a thought. They do have one parked there at Dryden.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

No, I've handled those. The lights were all wrong. The wingspan wasn't nearly that large, and the upper power light was in the wrong position.

a reply to: underwerks

They're returning the X-47s to flight as test beds. One was already shipped back to Plant 42, the other is being prepped to ship.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

What sucks is that we're up by Kettleman City and I can hear the F-35Cs from Lemoore flying over but the clouds are to patchy to see them.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I too was going to say B-21, but BASSPLYR beat me to it. I don't suppose you have a dashcam in your truck do you ?

I'm jealous of Zaph as all we get is the odd private helicopter and an air ambulance and at best some WW2 plane off to an event and you've got to be fast to see it around here due to the terrain.

But given I don't think theres an airport a reasonable distance including military i'd imagine they avoid us if possible.

a reply to: nelloh62

It wouldn't have gotten anything. He was still pretty high crossing us, and never got closer than a couple miles.

My first thought based on size was the B-21, second was RQ-180.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Cool sighting! It couldn't happen to better observer!

So just the lights? No after burners or anything lighting up behind?

It is difficult to make out a plane by just the lights! Let alone distance and shape in the dark! But having been around various craft you are probably best qualified to do so!

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

He was coming in to land before the sun came up. I was able to get a general shape, but no fine details.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I'm going with RQ-180............but.........was it more triangular in shape?

a reply to: TonyS

I couldn't get that much detail. I was working off light placement and bigger details.

a reply to: Zaphod58

O.k., I just couldn't resist! But honestly, the description of the lights is what set me off.
Please don't banish me...........I'm old and feeling particularly childish today.

ireport.cnn.com...

a reply to: TonyS

Maybe it was this.



**runs for cover**