I think I saw a stealth bomber

I am pretty sure I saw a stealth bomber, which is nothing special. It did not follow a straight or even sem-straight path to where ever it was going though. It made u-turns and curves which I thought was strange. I was hopeing someone could tell me why it would make all those strange turns.

I did the best job I could of recreating the path the jet moved in. The start of the path is the end of the line that is on the bottom right of the picture. The blue box is clouds where I couldnt see it. I couldnt find the jet after it went into the clouds, so i just saw that last bit of u shaped jet trail left.

It did not follow a straight or even sem-straight path to where ever it was going though. It made u-turns and curves which I thought was strange. I was hopeing someone could tell me why it would make all those strange turns.

Stealth bombers use flight paths to avoid radar to enhance their stealth. Thus if it was a training mission, the aircrafts autopilot wouldn't take it in a straight path, but a make believe one to avoid radar.

Originally posted by American Mad Man

It did not follow a straight or even sem-straight path to where ever it was going though. It made u-turns and curves which I thought was strange. I was hopeing someone could tell me why it would make all those strange turns.

Stealth bombers use flight paths to avoid radar to enhance their stealth. Thus if it was a training mission, the aircrafts autopilot wouldn't take it in a straight path, but a make believe one to avoid radar.

It is extremely common for a jet, any jet, to not go on a straight course. Including the Fighters.

This is very common. We get F-117A Stealth Fighters flying through here everyday, and the bases are northeast of here... where the fighters come in from the northwest... so this is not uncommon.

It is something cool to see though.

I was gonna say how can you see a stealth bomber its invisible!, but then i just remembered that its only invisible on radar! me is

Originally posted by American Mad Man

It did not follow a straight or even sem-straight path to where ever it was going though. It made u-turns and curves which I thought was strange. I was hopeing someone could tell me why it would make all those strange turns.

Stealth bombers use flight paths to avoid radar to enhance their stealth. Thus if it was a training mission, the aircrafts autopilot wouldn't take it in a straight path, but a make believe one to avoid radar.

The trail the jet was leaving behind was long enough that anyone could have easily seen it. So I do not think it was a stealth training mission.

Don't forget... they're flying over homeland. They may not exactly dim out their contrails for that.

The trail the jet was leaving behind was long enough that anyone could have easily seen it. So I do not think it was a stealth training mission.

OK, well I do not that some chemicals (I believe an acid of some kind) is mixed with the exhaust to prevent contrails from forming.

Don't forget... they're flying over homeland. They may not exactly dim out their contrails for that.

this is another good point - I don't think they are bombing anywhere in the US. So maybe they wouldn't do this to save $$$$.

If you don't think it was a stealth training mission, and think it was a stealth bomber, but it left trails, what do you think WAS going on?

In a realistic scenario, the Stealth Bomber/Fighter releases ZERO heat signature, in order to avoid detection by infrared. So what you saw was either NOT a Stealth Bomber/Fighter, or was one that was in transit from one base to another for routine maintainance or other functions.

Those things are awesome to see, though. Ever seen one up close?


Mr. M

I have a feeling you saw a TR-3A Black Manta. Which is a pretty rare sighting.

Here's a pic:
users.cihost.com...

Unfortunately in the process of AOL software switching I lost all of my other links... Google the following:

TR-3A Black Manta

You should get some results.

Good Luck

Here you go Pizza.
I asked the pilot to tell me what he was thinking...

Netchicken this is a serious thread, not a joke thread. Please keep your jokes out of this thread. I do like your jokes netchicken but this is not the thread for them.

It sounds like the plane may have been on what is called a penetration exercise. These mission are used to practice for combat missions. Remember: the stealth is not completely invisible on Radar, steath reduces the detection range enough to create large gaps in an enemy air defense network. The pilot then flies the plane thorugh these gaps to avoid being detected. This means the stealth would never fly in a strait line in combat.

Tim
ATS Director of Counter-Ignorance

ghost, it left a jet trail though. So it could not have been a stealth bomber according to starchild.

Like someone said before, the aircraft is over homeland, who gives if anyone see's it? Stealth is already a known thing and seeing secret aircraft is now common, to save money, resources, and energy the pilot probably was told to fly with contrails and to still do his training excersise.

Besides i think that when citizens see's black aircrfat over head, they know that America has the top Defense possible, so in a way it ensures people that there is SOME safety, not all or else 9/11 would never had happened even though it could have been prevented.

In Honor of NY's finest hero's, let their souls rest in peace.

It could easily have just been testing new equipment, putting the plane through a few hard turns, see how it handles.

95% of the B2s missions are flown at night as well, where contrails dont matter.

So it could have been one....

Here's a possible scenario. The contrails were intentional to let ground observers follow. It may have been a demonstration. A friend of mine was in the AF and stationed at Holloman (one of the stealth's home bases). They were always doing erratic maneuvers and what not.
If you have friends/family at Holloman or the other base that keeps 'em (in CA I believe) you can easily go see one in the hangar (and yes, it's legal). They're amazing up close.

To my knowledge B-2's do not leave jet contrails... though that's just through my sights of it and the pictures I've seen. lol

But, in any case... I still think you saw a Black Manta TR-3A.

ilp, how low was this? you could make out that it looked like a stealth???

I've seen both F117 and B2 fly, at air shows. Awesome sight to see. The B2 was beyond amazing.

Originally posted by Bob88
ilp, how low was this? you could make out that it looked like a stealth???

This is a good point. If its high enough to leave contrails, its far too high to see.