Attention Aero and Aviation buffs. Can you identify this?

Originally posted by standupamerica32
f18 or more likely f 22 because of the body is wider than a typical f 18 in my opinion

That is what I thought at first, but the shape of the vertical stabilizers doesn't match up with an F22..







[edit on 16-7-2009 by stealthyone]

Originally posted by vkey08
f18 parts.... it cannot be an F22 as the F22 has rectangular shaped thrust vectors not circular ones.

Yea i was thinking that too, maybe they have dissasembled the covers or something? Almost looks like a F-18 rear with a F-22 front? maybe they are tryin a new type of F-22 without thrust vectoring? who knows...

[edit on 16-7-2009 by Skinon]

Had to make an accout just to put in my 2 cents i looks to me like a f-15 cause of the more squared intake ducts in the front a f-18 is more point like a diamond as you enter the nose.
here is a pic of the nose bottom to top f=15
www.richard-seaman.com...
here is a f-18
www.indiadefence.com...

It appears to be a FA-18 E/F Super Hornet. The Super Hornet is 34in longer and has 25% more wing area. The intake inlets were changed to a more rectangular shape like that of the F-15. What you see on the trailer is only the main fuselage area minus the wings, horizontal stabilizers and cockpit section.

Originally posted by stealthyone
Update,

Here are two F/18 assembly line photos, looks just about identical to what you have pictured, and the size appears right.







Edited to add second picture..

[edit on 16-7-2009 by stealthyone]

[edit on 16-7-2009 by stealthyone]

Thanks for all the replies.

The first image posted above looks more like it. What is the overall length of the F-18E? Being that this is mounted on a 48 ft trailer, would the fuselage length be correct to the overall length? If so, where would the final assembly plant be and where would this piece have been made?

Also, like I mentioned before, the other ones I've seen were the same length but seemed to have a definite nose on them under the tarp. Any other possibles?

reply to post by Vendric


Yeah it looks a lot like an f-18 its hard to tell with it being all coverd up though...




PEACE!!!

reply to post by Clark Savage Jr.


Maybe not.
CRS has what is called the "Phantom Fleet".
These are special rigs which operate under military (dark green) command.
They don't like being asked questions.
I believe what you are looking at is a partialy disassembled F-18.
Possibly heading to a tech training facility, perhaps just traveling by land to be united with new wings and command and control structure.

Originally posted by geo1066
Being an Air Force brat, I sorta take pride in keeping up with our different types of aircraft but this one has me stumped.

I'll see this rig 2-3 times a year always heading east, never west, on Hwy 70 between Ruidoso and Roswell New Mexico. Holloman AFB and White Sands Missle Range are just due west of here.

To me it looks like some sort of high altitude release pod. Note the twin jet ports. The other ones I've seen seemed to have a distinct nose on them but maybe not since all I was able to get was a quick glimpse traveling in the opposite direction.

Can one of you all figure this out and let me know?

media.abovetopsecret.com...&action=view&id=31513

media.abovetopsecret.com...&action=view&id=31510

media.abovetopsecret.com...&action=view&id=31507

That is a F-18 (partial)on the rear of that truck. Considering the direction of travel (west to east, from Ruidoso to Roswell) I am guessing that this is a F-18 part on route to the Boeing Plant out in Jacksonville Florida from the closing Falcon Plant near Mesa AZ. They closed the Mesa plant to consolidate repair functions at their Jacksonville, FL plant.
I-10 to Hwy 70, Hwy 380 and east to at least Denton TX I would figure.

Its parts of a F-18 being trucked from 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.
to someplace on the east coast to be use to rebuild a damaged F-18.

What do you think they do with damaged planes junk them and not try to repair them.

en.wikipedia.org...

Latitude, Longitude: (32.16742549855233, -110.84328532218933

Back half of a F18 super Hornet! Looks like they are taking it in for a rebuild.

That would be my thought on this.

Thanks all! I feel my questions are answered.

If you don't know just ask and what better place to ask than here on ATS!

Everybody was very informative.

retracted




[edit on 7/17/2009 by darkbluesky]

[edit on 7/17/2009 by darkbluesky]

Originally posted by ANNED
Its parts of a F-18 being trucked from 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.
to someplace on the east coast to be use to rebuild a damaged F-18.

What do you think they do with damaged planes junk them and not try to repair them.

en.wikipedia.org...

Latitude, Longitude: (32.16742549855233, -110.84328532218933

That could very well be it too. They have plenty of F-4's, F-18's, F-14's, etc out there for parts. I was thinking the mesa plant closing though since this doesn't appear to be a isolated incident and the parts had to get to Jacksonville somehow. I know a few of the boeing guys, two of them were offered relocation but...how do you just up and leave to florida when you got roots. Gotta love the economy.

Originally posted by vkey08
f18 parts.... it cannot be an F22 as the F22 has rectangular shaped thrust vectors not circular ones.

Was going to post this as well. This may have been a damaged f-18 on the way back somewhere to get some repairs to fix those nasty hairline cracks.

The aircraft youre speaking of is an F/A-18E Super Hornet,its the 2nd generation Hornet for the U.S.Navy and Marines. It was designed with the squared off intake ducts. What youre looking at is the back portion of the aircraft without wings. Its likely in transfer to another division of Boeng Aircaft to complete assembly.

Yeah, I'm going with the the assembly part. I had mentioned that I'd see them a few times a year but I saw another one just yesterday again heading east. I didn't catch if the trucking company was the same but did notice that it was the same white duellie pick-up truck that was the lead escort.

[edit on 29-7-2009 by geo1066]

Great pics Geo1066
Thats what ATS is about-finding the truth from a seed of info.

Cool thread.

My pilot son said in a heartbeat that it's the rear end of an F-18.

The Prairie Lake pic possibllities

1. a quarry

2. a missile silo

3 underground nuclear reactor

reply to post by sad_eyed_lady


Since everybody is pretty much in agreement that my photos are of a F-18 I don't feel bad about derailing this alittle bit. I could have U2U you on the 'Prarie Lake' photo but I'd like to just throw this out to all ATSers as there isn't enough evidence to warrant a new thread.

The 'Prarie Lake' photo comes from me trying to help solve a mystery with one of our own fellow ATS members-'n120by60w'

His user name comes from an experience he had while in the military and all he could remember was someone saying either 120 miles north by 60 miles west or the other way around. He was stationed at Holloman AFB/Alamogordo,NM area at the time. He believed that these coordinates were the location of a D.U.M.B. and as he wasn't very versed on 'google earth' I did a little research for him. 'Prarie Lake' is exactly 60 miles north of Holloman/Alamogordo and 120 miles west give or take a mile or two.

Not an F22. The wings and fuselage are not separable.

www.lockheedmartin.com...