Another California sighting

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: nelloh62


Sorry for the late response. I have to admit, either one of those sightings is pretty cool to say the least.

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.

originally posted by: Maxatoria
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.

I know what you mean. But it depends where you live or hang out. If you travelled to Scotland a while back, there was some good stuff to see.

a reply to: nelloh62

You'd love the list of stuff I got to go on when I was out on the ramp. And not just the usual players. We had a Comet IV come through, a B-57 several times, and new stuff being delivered to Japan.

Oh, trust me, I am extremely jealous of the stuff you have seen and been around.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: nelloh62

You'd love the list of stuff I got to go on when I was out on the ramp. And not just the usual players. We had a Comet IV come through, a B-57 several times, and new stuff being delivered to Japan.

Don`t know what it was but coming home from work saw something extremely fast and very high.It was headed east and probably traveled from Cumberland gap to as far as I could see in about a minute and a half.I would guess it had to be at least mach 3-4 at least and probably more,I couldn`t make out shape but size seemed close to a SR71.Saw a lot of fast aircraft in the military,they weren`t even close to this.

a reply to: Zaphod58

What! A hustler! Thats awesome. Are they as pretty in real life asmy old plastic model of one i made. Gorgeous plane.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

The Hustler was the 58. The -57 was the Canberra.

Someone on Reddit says theres a manned Phantom Ray flying around.

i.redditmedia.com...

Any truth to it?
"Fairly distinctive curved fuesalage" made me think of this.

Any more details you could add ?
I am assuming you could roughly make out the size that it was a daylight sighting ?
Was the aircraft directly overhead ?
Was it a clear sky, and could you see horizon to horizon ?
Any contrail or sonic boom ?
Sorry for all the questions, it seems you had a very lucky sighting

originally posted by: ridgerunner
Don`t know what it was but coming home from work saw something extremely fast and very high.It was headed east and probably traveled from Cumberland gap to as far as I could see in about a minute and a half.I would guess it had to be at least mach 3-4 at least and probably more,I couldn`t make out shape but size seemed close to a SR71.Saw a lot of fast aircraft in the military,they weren`t even close to this.

Zaph for the few détails you describe , with the curved top fuselage , and with the actual USAF projects , there is a great chance that the plane you saw was may be a B-21 Raider prototype. In the artist rendering the top of the B-21 fuselage is curved. And the size between a fighter and a B-2 may be the good size for the futur B-21.

a reply to: nelloh62 Actually there was a couple of odd things,there did seem to be a mach wave coming off it but the main thing that seemed odd was it looked blurry.I put that down to old eyes and night shift.Though now that I thought about it none of the other planes I saw were that unfocused looking.It was also on the same route I always see military aircraft on.Several people have told me recently they have seen a boomerang shaped plane and my brother watched a xb70 looking jet getting refueled in the same route recently.Wonder if they are testing new stuff in plain sight where no one would expect.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Hey Zaph, now you have had 24hrs to think about it and maybe ask a few friends, what's your best guess on what it was.

a reply to: nelloh62

I haven't heard back yet, but I'm sticking with it being the bomber flying around testing some things. Everything fits IMO.

If you are sticking with the bomber, then you must feel quite confident. How cool is that, a possible first sighting on ATS i think.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: nelloh62

I haven't heard back yet, but I'm sticking with it being the bomber flying around testing some things. Everything fits IMO.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Hey, I just thought on. You ATS guys who live around Edwards area get out there with your decent camera.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Hey, I just thought on. You ATS guys who live around Edwards area get out there with your decent camera.

Gaaah, double clicked it, sorry

a reply to: nelloh62

The bomber makes sense with the shape and light patten. My next trip up there to stake out I'm so planting myself at Plant 42 before dawn to watch.

Lets say you did manage to get a good photo of B-21 ( assuming that's what is there ) are you allowed to post it here on ATS. Would you be breaking any rules/nda ?

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: nelloh62

The bomber makes sense with the shape and light patten. My next trip up there to stake out I'm so planting myself at Plant 42 before dawn to watch.

a reply to: nelloh62

It wouldn't break anything, as long as it was taken from a public area, of it in a public area. So, say I was sitting in a parking lot and it flew over, it's fair game.

Now if I somehow got into the hangar with it and secretly took a picture, and posted that, I'd be screwed.

A B21 would be having chase planes at this stage.