West Texas Spanloader

Steve Douglass and Dean Musket had a hand in capturing a mystery aircraft jetting over west Texas on March 10, 2014.

Mystery Aircraft Over Texas

Three Questions:

1) Make: Who is the United States defense contractor?

2) Model: Any ideas on what they spotted (model)?

3) Year: And for bonus points - What year was the first flight?

reply to post by TAGBOARD


I have an idea on one and three, but no clue on two.

reply to post by TAGBOARD


Not sure....

Boeing

x-48b or H3/SAX-40?

Recently?

Looks a lot like the B2 in the blue sky photo.. I've seen them many times, and it sure looks like one...

The Wings look a bit extended in the black and white photo.. maybe the X-48b, but could be a hybrid of the B2 and X-47 drone... I'd guess B2.. but that contrail is a bit wider than usual.. Since the x48b has 3 turbines, could be it... dunno.

/P

reply to post by ParanoidAmerican


That is an interesting response.

reply to post by TAGBOARD


I lean towards something from the Silent Aircraft Initiative or a Boeing design.

reply to post by Zaphod58


I'll try to blow it up


Notice where the cockpit is?

Looks kind of like this.

Taken September 1999 near Lewiston, Idaho

Violater1
reply to post by Zaphod58

 

I'll try to blow it up

Notice where the cockpit is?

edit on V222014Fridayam31America/ChicagoFri, 28 Mar 2014 00:22:59 -05001 by Violater1 because: (no reason given)

Holy crap on a cracker! Where did you get this image in the wind tunnel. That's really spot on to the shape in the original photo.

reply to post by TAGBOARD

It might be AV-1 UCAS-D (X-47b) beginng flight testing of Autonomous Air Refueling...the other contrails seen is the tanker.
Un-manned...

NGC builder
First flight Feb 2012 Edwards AFB.
Eta: I see two engine contrails so not UCAS-D...one engine...so close...

LRS-B prototypes test flights? The competition starts soon so they may be stretching there legs a little. CA to WY to TX and back again would be a nice roundabout flight if this is what Zaph saw in WY. If it is what he saw and a LRS-B candidate that would mean at least one of the entries is a fast mover.

reply to post by Sammamishman

The shape of the plane on the picture remind me this end of this video www.youtube.com...

Here's Steve's back story on when and where the photos were taken:

deepbluehorizon.blogspot.com...

reply to post by TAGBOARD


we have a major flight path from MAF out to DFW that runs right over the I-20 corridor. I watch those planes all the time.

We have Dyess AFB that runs some training flights, and I have seen some older jets doing maneuvers to the north of us, fairly low. Its all cotton fields out that way.

I have never seen high flying craft that didn't look like a 737 type craft before, though.

I didn't catch....what part of West Texas? It is awful big out here.....

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


Amarillo, TX.

reply to post by Sammamishman

Is it possible this is a Lrs-b demonstrator flying for the competition between the competitors ? May be we will see soon the disclose of a black aircraft

reply to post by darksidius


At least one.

reply to post by darksidius


It would make sense for it to be an aircraft that they are bringing out of the black into the white soon, or at least gray, since they are flying them during the day, in formation, in areas and at altitudes they can be spotted. The LRS-B seems to me the most likely candidate to fit that modus operandi right now.
It sure makes for some exciting times though.

Looks like it's going to turn out to be something interesting.