[Fake] Eglin Mystery Aircraft

[HyFonic]

A Twitter user spotted what appears to be an unknown aircraft flying near Eglin AFB. The user states that it had a canopy, was roughly the size of a C-130, was extremely loud, and was flying around 10k-15k feet.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1785699760021672124

View: https://twitter.com/anthroaerospace/status/1785699760021672124


Additionally there were multiple test aircraft on station at roughly the same time.
Notably N331CL which is used as a radar testbed.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1785741144577458278

View: https://twitter.com/SR_Planespotter/status/1785741144577458278


Anyone have even a slight clue as to what this might be?

 

[quellish]

Sunshine Aero has been very busy supporting customers with flight testing services recently. Their Sabreliners have centerline hard points/pylons for carrying pods. They have been used for testing IRST pods, missile warning systems (for C-130, etc.), radar and EW pods, and even captive carry of MALD.



Recently they have been so busy they leased a Sabreliner from another flight test company

 

[Sabrejet]

Always with the bad photos. Strange that.

 

[4decaa]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1785750147743601140

View: https://x.com/tacticalpajeet/status/1785750147743601140?s=46
salt your grains of salt, but could be a classified american UCAV that got swiped by china in an information leak?

I would also see something like this easily being faked, but seems to be a very unique planform!

 

[Sabrejet]

Back when I was learning my security levels, we were taught that the term 'classified' means little except to those in the media who like to spuriously apply it; since "unclassified" is a security classification, the use of "classified" can mean something that's accessible to the military wives club (nothing against them) among others. The local bird control scheme is likely to be graded "unclassified", but would still be termed as a classified document. So it means b*gger-all basically, unless you state the type of classification.

I suspect the term "secret", or "top secret" (etc) is what would be applied here, if it did/does exist in reality.

 

[seruriermarshal]

The third pic

https://twitter.com/x/status/1785824583548887253

View: https://twitter.com/anthroaerospace/status/1785824583548887253

 

[HyFonic]

Signs are pointing pretty strongly to this being a hoax. The original poster is refusing to give up metadata and is being needlessly cryptic about a lot of basic info.

 

[4decaa]

Would have to agree. In addition to cryptic behavior, someone did a simple noise analysis, and it didn’t look too good. If it were only the first image, I’d say it looks plausible but the last two…

and no one else saw it… even if it was reportedly “very loud”

 

[seruriermarshal]

He wants some money . Maybe warzone will pay for it .

 

[seruriermarshal]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1785864228001210877

View: https://twitter.com/anthroaerospace/status/1785864228001210877

 

[4decaa]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1785864228001210877

View: https://twitter.com/anthroaerospace/status/1785864228001210877

Raises further questions
1. if it was a live photo, why have they not recorded the live portion?
2. why is only 1 photo's metadata being shown?

additionally, time and date are permissible as it can easily be changed (try and spot the big blue 'adjust' button)

really, really odd stuff happening here..

 

[HyFonic]

really, really odd stuff happening here..

Look at the top right corner of the 'photo'. They screwed up the crop.

 

[Michel Van]

from Wiki

Eglin is an Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) base serving as the focal point for all Air Force armaments.
Eglin is responsible for the development, acquisition, testing, deployment and sustainment of all air-delivered non-nuclear weapons.

The base plans, directs, and conducts test and evaluation of U.S. and allied air armament, navigation and guidance systems,
and command and control systems.

So this if this real, seem Eglin testing new weapon system. if its real...

 

[CiTrus90]

I can't believe this needs to be even said...

The author himself/herself/themselves has admitted to this being a hoax:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1785928351867138541

View: https://twitter.com/Lemnon12162901/status/1785928351867138541



May this be a lesson on how urban legends about secret aircraft are born. There are now thousands of people on the internet that have fallen for a clear hoax just because they want to believe in something without the effort of conducting a modicum of research/exercise a bit of common sense.
This thing will unfortunately live on in their minds and they will be forever convinced that this clearly fake aircraft is something real just because it vaguely resembles a concept that was peddled to NASA.

 

[Sabrejet]

It's not a lesson unless you're an idiot. The world is full of this kind of garbage and unless you spend too much time in your bedroom you won't give it any time. The problem only arises when hordes of keyboard warriors start analysing it to death and it becomes 'fact' by a groundswell of uninformed opinion.

Stay vigilant!

 

[Justo Miranda]

Anyone can be fooled by advertising, but distrusting everything we see so as not to look like an idiot is sickening, as is trying to give lessons in moral superiority to someone who makes an error of judgment.

 

[Michel Van]

now after that event, X users have they way of Fun, with "can someone ID this plane?"

 

[Justo Miranda]

now after that event, X users have they way of Fun, with "can someone ID this plane?"

Hi

 

[publiusr]

Those cigar shaped things are all fake....wait....