WTF was that refueling

Yesterday evening I walked out to go to work and heard jets overhead.I live right under a refueling track,see them often and enjoy it,brings back memories of being a KC10 crew chief.Well,usually its nothing unusual but not this time.spotted the tanker right away and then I saw the most wicked looking aircraft I`ve ever seen.It was a delta wing with a long fuselage,very much like the old XB70 or a Klingon bird of prey.My brother saw it last year and described it as Klingon like and damn if it isn`t.It is also very large,quite a bit larger than the tanker. I would love to see that bird up close,it sure looked awesome gliding up behind the tanker.Funny thing was I didn`t see it one second the next second I saw lights right behind the tanker.Definitly the neatest looking aircraft I have ever seen.Anyone else saw her?Would love to hear some clues to purpose,betting on bomber or recon.

a reply to: ridgerunner

That's a neat sighting.

She wasn't kinda green was she?

a reply to: ridgerunner

Google Boeing Bird of Prey

Similar?

Boeing Bird of Prey

Time and location?

a reply to: Macenroe82 Very much so.Lengthen the fuselage and widen the wings,oh about a third wider and scale it up to bigger than a KC10 and you have it. edit-After watching the video theres a lot of differences,the wings appeared to be a lot wider and seemed to have a less pronounced droop and a curve from the tipoff the wing all the way back and around to the other wingtip,a half circle with a long spear point kind of look.

a reply to: C0bzz About 50 miles east of Knoxville,Tenn. and around 9:30 pm.In a refueling loop so which way it went after that I have no idea.

a reply to: grey580 I couldn`t tell because of the nav lights,actually seemed to be greenish gray but it was twilight and went out of view pretty quick.

a reply to: ridgerunner
Like this?
breakingdefense.com...

a reply to: mightmight No,wing shape was different,almost seemed swept forward

a reply to: ridgerunner

besides the wing shape. Was it close to this?

a reply to: ridgerunner

Can you post a sketch?

a reply to: grey580 Yes,long fuelage like that,maybe less tapered at the front.

originally posted by: ridgerunner
a reply to: C0bzz About 50 miles east of Knoxville,Tenn. and around 9:30 pm.In a refueling loop so which way it went after that I have no idea.

So you were able to discern detail at 2130 when sunset was at 2002, nautical twilight at 2109 and civil twilight at 2031 in your area?

With nav lights on and killing night vision? and at a distance?

a reply to: Sammamishman If My computer skills were up to it I would-actually you could take the front of a SR71 or XB70 and put the Klingon Bird Of Prey wings and rear together and it would look a hell of a lot like it.Wish I were better with computers,but I haven`t put in the time to learn

a reply to: 35Foxtrot Directly overhead and it`s twilight when I went out.Seeing the shape was the most detail I could make out,where the engines are I have no idea.As big as it is,shape is easy to see.8:50 is sunset here,it was 20-25 after 9 when I went out,plenty of light left when you look up.

a reply to: [post=23468932]35Foxtrot[/

originally posted by: 35Foxtrot

originally posted by: ridgerunner
a reply to: C0bzz About 50 miles east of Knoxville,Tenn. and around 9:30 pm.In a refueling loop so which way it went after that I have no idea.

So you were able to discern detail at 2130 when sunset was at 2002, nautical twilight at 2109 and civil twilight at 2031 in your area?

With nav lights on and killing night vision? and at a distance?

That was going to be my question....A lot of detail for 9:30 PM.

And at what altitude do planes typically refuel?? I would assume it is on up there to account for mishaps and such...



Near Crossville or Sparta?

a reply to: GuidedKill

Normal refueling block is about 25,000 to 28,000.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: GuidedKill

Normal refueling block is about 25,000 to 28,000.

Kind of exactly my point...Ty Zap!

4 1/2 miles up or more, in the dark, ahhhh the detail...

a reply to: GuidedKill As I said,The shape was all I could make out,don`t forget at that time the sky is still brighter high up in the eastern half of the sky.,,As far as height goes they were at typical refueling height,in good light you can see the boom and engines,they are below airline heights.We have military aircraft do low level flights in this area often.Not unusual to see them come across pretty low.