Current mystery aircraft / urban legends

Entirely coincidental I'm sure, but for what it's worth....

The shovel shaped nose of this

index.php

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,5374.45.html


made me think of this

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And whilst I'm on the topic of the fairy tale of '2495'. I was dismissive of a combination of "two of the biggest loudest jet engines" in combination with a rocket engine. But in the context of the SA-2S it makes perfect sense.

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1129.135.html
http://www.codeonemagazine.com/article.html?item_id=92
 
Eh, VERY generally "similar" but the Boeing design is supposed to be an "inward-turning" scramjet inlet while the other one cited looks to be more for aerodynamics, more like a compression surface forward of an inlet.

Randy
 
He'd have been better off sticking to "Blackbird is still flying", at least there's some 3rd party sightings to back this up.
 
Gridlock said:
He'd have been better off sticking to "Blackbird is still flying", at least there's some 3rd party sightings to back this up.
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There is not enough JP-7 produced a year to support such a thing, nor is any of the other infrastructure need there anymore.
 
quellish said:
Gridlock said:
He'd have been better off sticking to "Blackbird is still flying", at least there's some 3rd party sightings to back this up.
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There is not enough JP-7 produced a year to support such a thing, nor is any of the other infrastructure need there anymore.
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Quellish trying once again to demonstrate that you can prove anything with facts :) How much element 115 did the USAF buy last year? :p


You'd have made a good antidote to Team B in the early 80s...
 
Gridlock said:
quellish said:
Gridlock said:
He'd have been better off sticking to "Blackbird is still flying", at least there's some 3rd party sightings to back this up.
Click to expand...

There is not enough JP-7 produced a year to support such a thing, nor is any of the other infrastructure need there anymore.
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Quellish trying once again to demonstrate that you can prove anything with facts :) How much element 115 did the USAF buy last year? :p


You'd have made a good antidote to Team B in the early 80s...
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The USAF didn't "buy" any Element 115, we have to horse-trade operations with the CIA to get it.... Er.. That is... I mean that "we" can neither confirm nor deny.... ;)

Seriously there IS some JP7 still being produced but IIRC it's variants for scramjet testing and some "regular" stuff being laid up for scheduled engine runs of the J-58s in storage in support of various "advanced" engine programs. (Didn't the D-21 use it also?)

Randy
 
RanulfC said:
The USAF didn't "buy" any Element 115, we have to horse-trade operations with the CIA to get it.... Er.. That is... I mean that "we" can neither confirm nor deny.... ;)

Seriously there IS some JP7 still being produced but IIRC it's variants for scramjet testing and some "regular" stuff being laid up for scheduled engine runs of the J-58s in storage in support of various "advanced" engine programs. (Didn't the D-21 use it also?)

Randy
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https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=785935551d169339a5f31cbbd16ef89e&tab=core&_cview=1
 
quellish said:
RanulfC said:
The USAF didn't "buy" any Element 115, we have to horse-trade operations with the CIA to get it.... Er.. That is... I mean that "we" can neither confirm nor deny.... ;)

Seriously there IS some JP7 still being produced but IIRC it's variants for scramjet testing and some "regular" stuff being laid up for scheduled engine runs of the J-58s in storage in support of various "advanced" engine programs. (Didn't the D-21 use it also?)

Randy
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https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=785935551d169339a5f31cbbd16ef89e&tab=core&_cview=1
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That's what I thought, thanks!

Ya, 110,000 gallons ain't all that much...

Randy
 
The aircraft posted reminds me of the HySID (Hypersonic Systems Integrated Demonstrator) description from the Vision-Operational-Vehicles document covering the Hyper-X Program. The Phase 2 canard configured vehicle was an unresolved configuration at the time of the documents writing. The author also states that the vehicle would be more of a wave rider shape.
The leading edge slats or plain flaps are usually deployed during high AoA maneuvering, such as landing. This leads me to think that it could be the HySID vehicle, which is supposed to test technologies from 0-Mach 7. This could also be HLD, the manned low speed test vehicle for HySID.
 

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Here is the description:
(Note: the AAC RPV has already flown. The next low-risk vehicle after the RPV discussed in the evolution of Hyper-X is the HLD manned system)
 

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The HYSID RPV sponsored by NASA and built by Advanced Turbine is shown below.
 

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it's the bottom of a Eurofighter with everything above the wing edited out and the underside details obscured by "shadow."

EADS-Eurofighter.jpg


see here, the best example i can find with a quick google search. i've seen the pic you posted and the collage of other photoshops and grainy SR-71 images it came from debunked with the EXACT picture used to create it elsewhere.

is this still assumed to be possibly real or is it an elaborate troll/forum in-joke at this point?
 
I find your demonstration pretty convincing, dickie. The photo of a regular fighter with nose, tail and wing tips edited out. Makes sense.
 
Mystery Strike ISR aircraft?

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2012/12/does-the-usaf-have-a-secret-is-1.html
 
bobbymike said:
Mystery Strike ISR aircraft?

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2012/12/does-the-usaf-have-a-secret-is-1.html
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It is reasonable to think that there are, at any given time, several projects underway at that location. Strike and ISR are both disciples that are being worked heavily across all of DoD, so it's reasonable to think those could be things under test and evaluation.

But as far as a (new) physically large aircraft under test there right now, I have not seen anything to indicate that is correct - and I have gone looking. There are all kinds of things going on at Groom Lake, but that does not appear to be one of them.
 
in topic i have just found this old article but in italian language !
http://modelmaster2.blogspot.it/2010/10/gli-aerei-top-secret-che-ufficialmente.html
 
From "HEARING TO CONSIDER THE NOMINATIONS OF GENERAL JAMES E. CARTWRIGHT, USMC, FOR REAPPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE OF GENERAL AND REAPPOINTMENT AS THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF" (7/9/09):
Senator CHAMBLISS. Okay. But that Air Force study would be contrary to the opinion of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force if that is the case.
In your news conference that you held back on April the 7th, you talked about movement toward UAVs, which I agree with. I think the UAV, the Predator and its counterparts are needed. We need to provide more of those. Is there any UAV in production today that has stealth capability?
General CARTWRIGHT. I think that we would have to take that to a different forum, Senator.
Senator CHAMBLISS. Okay. Is there a UAV that has the capa- bility of penetrating any theater where the sophisticated SAMs that are in the hands of any number of countries around the world today?
General CARTWRIGHT. I think we would have to take that to a classified forum, sir.
Senator CHAMBLISS. Okay. Does the F–22 have that capability? General CARTWRIGHT. It does, sir.
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Based on various indications I assume that at least one of them in opeational service are Lockheed Minions (since 2006). Several prototypes were flight tested and now it seems, that Minions are used also in real operations. But to sufficiently confirm this requires much more research.
 
hesham said:
Hi,


the TR-3.
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I saw this image in a 1991 Popular Mechanics magazine under the article "America's New Secret Aircraft". As all of you are probably aware, the purported existence of the TR-3 was based on sightings of unidentified flying wings in the US and Europe from 1987-1994. It's possible that all purported sightings of the TR-3 could actually be a technology demonstrator to test technologies for a new generation of stealthy, subsonic tactical combat aircraft because the Air Force in the late 1980s conceded that it had no definite plans for stealthy U-2 replacement in the tactical reconnaissance role (AWST, Nov. 28, 1988). Anyway, the RQ-170 Sentinel is now the American armory's primary stealth aircraft in the tactical reconnaissance role for which the U-2 was designed, so the TR-3 is certainly a myth like the Aurora.

"Stealth Recce," Aviation Week & Space Technology, 28 November 1988, page 19.
 
The designation "TR-3A" appeared in an Aviation Week & Space Technology interview circa 1990. I certainly remember being in shock reading that interview at the time, seeing that guy speak casually of something that had never been even hinted at before... I might even have the original article cutout in a file somewhere.

Some have said since that it must have been the result of the journalist mistaking it for "Tier-3A". Who knows for sure?
 
Komet said:
Just looking at the arrow-shaped vehicle in the montage and speculating if it could be the Northrop Nightstalker II. The patch is in the link below.

http://www.naderlibrary.com/icouldtellyou.13.htm

The Trevor Paglen patches have previously shown aircraft configurations hidden in the patchwork.
The shovel head patch could indicate the shovel-nose of the vehicle.
The nose represents the aircrafts planform.
The eyes, a cross section of a Billig type inlet system.
The spike on top of the head, an ejector ramjet flame for the takeoff engine.

Since we're speculating I thought I'd go for broke.
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Brilliant supposition. I love it.
 
Stargazer2006 said:
The designation "TR-3A" appeared in an Aviation Week & Space Technology interview circa 1990. I certainly remember being in shock reading that interview at the time, seeing that guy speak casually of something that had never been even hinted at before... I might even have the original article cutout in a file somewhere.

Some have said since that it must have been the result of the journalist mistaking it for "Tier-3A". Who knows for sure?
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Maybe the journalist who coined the designation TR-3 mistakenly thought that ER-2 was part of the R-for-reconnaissance series, unaware that ER stood for "Earth Resources", not Electronic Reconnaissance. In any case, TR-3 is best considered a fictitious designation invented by someone who had little technical knowledge of military aircraft designations.
 
Vahe Demirjian said:
Maybe the journalist who coined the designation TR-3 mistakenly thought that ER-2 was part of the R-for-reconnaissance series, unaware that ER stood for "Earth Resources", not Electronic Reconnaissance. In any case, TR-3 is best considered a fictitious designation invented by someone who had little technical knowledge of military aircraft designations.
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No. The designation was from a top decider's words, someone from Congress, DoD or such. I wish I could get my hands on the article... I saved it somewhere. But it may take me a while until it resurfaces.
 
sublight is back said:
Top decider?
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No way... At the time he was only a political toddler standing in the shadow of his dad. Certainly not a top decider in aeronautics and/or the military!
 
sublight is back said:
It's a joke.
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I figured that. That's why I responded with a joke too. In 1991 or about, Bush was still a whining political baby on his dad's lap...
 
Stargazer2006 said:
sublight is back said:
It's a joke.
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I figured that. That's why I responded with a joke too. In 1991 or about, Bush was still a whining political baby on his dad's lap...
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Or part owner and President of the Texas Rangers
 
An odd choice for a recent Ares post, and surely ending in a fishing expedition, No?...:

http://aviationweek.com/blog/1989-f-117a-stealth-fighter-revelation

In the middle of that string of F-117s, we spotted a markedly different aircraft. It sported a planform with a less-pronounced wing sweep than the Nighthawk, a quieter engine acoustic signature and a significantly different exterior lighting pattern. Despite yeoman efforts, my AW&ST colleagues and I were never able to identify this aircraft or its mission. The mysterious bird may still be flying out there ... or retired and hangared at the secretive Groom Lake, Nev., air base.
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Since we're back on this thread, anything from 2495?

Chris
 
He never returned to MP.net AFAIK (under that name at least - and there have been no similar posts since)...
 
From Air International 10/1994,


here is the TR-3 drawing.
 

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