Mystery aircraft photographed over Texas

[Abraham Gubler]

Bill Gunston wrote that the B-2 incorporated a powerful electromagnetic system,
- could that be causing the 'mirage'-like shimmering/distortion effect captured by the camera?

Probably just that most powerful electomagnetic system in the solar system: the sun.

PS Nice to see this turning out to be just another B-2 not using the anti contrail system. Though the claims as to what it must have been were no where near as out-there as the contrails of the airliners flying into LAX over the far horizon a few years ago. That was priceless.

 

[Jeb]

picture quality is low, so I can't pin the shape down

this time it's apparently B-2

Allow me to differ. Maybe it's got to do with my computer screen's brightness settings, but I can clearly see a triangular shape that is almost exactly the same as that of the cancelled A-12.

Leading edge sweep looks too sharp to be a Spirit, too.

 

[ComteDeSaintGermain]

picture quality is low, so I can't pin the shape down

this time it's apparently B-2

Allow me to differ. Maybe it's got to do with my computer screen's brightness settings, but I can clearly see a triangular shape that is almost exactly the same as that of the cancelled A-12.

Leading edge sweep looks too sharp to be a Spirit, too.

Looking at the bottom from an angle other than perpendicular will change the apparent angle of sweep.

 

[flateric]

So what? It could be shot not directly from below

 

[ComteDeSaintGermain]

So what? It could be shot not directly from below

That's what I mean--it probably looks sharper than a B-2 because the photograph isn't taken at a perfect right angle to the bottom of the plane.

 

[flanker]

Vs B-2:

http://deepbluehorizon.blogspot.nl/2014/04/texas-mystery-aircraft-also.html

 

[mz]

Here's my try. "Normalize" makes it out quite well in xnview.

Attached Mystery plane (I've named it A-12 as that's the closest resemblance from that angle) and B2.
I think it might be just a B-2 at a funny angle.

 

[tomando]

Can you "normalize" the attached photo?


I don't know which photo postprocessor you are using...

 

[flanker]

Dunno, sweep is still not right, proportions are not right, and there are no zig zaggy parts in the middle in sight.

 

[Black Dog]

Here is a set of three versions of that photo after applying various filters.

The middle photo looks a lot like a B2, I'd be surprised if it isn't.

 

[Orionblamblam]

Hmmm...

 

[kcran567]

Bill Gunston wrote that the B-2 incorporated a powerful electromagnetic system,
- could that be causing the 'mirage'-like shimmering/distortion effect captured by the camera?

Probably just that most powerful electomagnetic system in the solar system: the sun.

PS Nice to see this turning out to be just another B-2 not using the anti contrail system. Though the claims as to what it must have been were no where near as out-there as the contrails of the airliners flying into LAX over the far horizon a few years ago. That was priceless.

plasma stealth? leading edge appears brighter, visual distortions?

 

[bobbymike]

Bill Gunston wrote that the B-2 incorporated a powerful electromagnetic system,
- could that be causing the 'mirage'-like shimmering/distortion effect captured by the camera?

Probably just that most powerful electomagnetic system in the solar system: the sun.

PS Nice to see this turning out to be just another B-2 not using the anti contrail system. Though the claims as to what it must have been were no where near as out-there as the contrails of the airliners flying into LAX over the far horizon a few years ago. That was priceless.

plasma stealth? leading edge appears brighter, visual distortions?

I highly doubt that if this was a 'new' secret aircraft they would 1) Fly it around like they did and 2) Say "let's turn on the super duper secret plasma stealth generator."

Having read AVWeek since 1981 I WANT, desperately even, for a 'reveal' of a new black aircraft preferable a hypersonic bomber carrying weaponized X-51's , I don't think this is it despite my dreams.

 

[J.A.W.]

Well then, could it be technology a couple of decades old - but being 'revealed' - finally.. or a tease?

Could there be a hypersonic 'Aurora' or similar flying formation - but 30,00ft higher- or dropping in/down on?

& if the photo subject is indeed flying at an angle/turning then surely all I.D. bets are moot?

 

[flateric]

oh, my. don't start this Aurora bullshit regarding that photo.

 

[flateric]

B-2 contour was taken from accurate in-house Northrop drawings and slimmed along wingspan

 

[J.A.W.]

oh, my. don't start this Aurora bullshit regarding that photo.

To be fair, when I 1st saw the pix,& posted in this thread
- suggesting it resembled a crescent winged H.P. Victor, I was asked if I was USAF connected, per Aurora..

But - I really figured - it is a B-2..

 

[olivierM]

B-2 contour was taken from accurate in-house Northrop drawings and slimmed along wingspan

To actually emphasis your pictures, here is a quick PSD I did, while playing with the contrasts, we can actually "see" the distinctive shape of a B-2 which is inclined...
For the rest, I believe our brain "wants" to close the triangle :-\.

Cheers.

 

[flateric]

regarding Amarillo sighting (while I'm still thinking it was B-2 as well)...a rude guess - look at this patch from Trevor Paglen blog and its stars alignment...

 

[FighterJock]

regarding Amarillo sighting (while I'm still thinking it was B-2 as well)...a rude guess - look at this patch from Trevor Paglen blog and its stars alignment...

Anyone on this forum like to have a go at translating the Latin into English that is on the patch.

 

[TomS]

I think it's bad Latin, but I'm no expert. I've seen it translated as "Making something better than just good enough".

 

[Stargazer]

I think it's bad Latin, but I'm no expert. I've seen it translated as "Making something better than just good enough".

More simply translated: "Better, rather than good enough".

 

[quellish]

regarding Amarillo sighting (while I'm still thinking it was B-2 as well)...a rude guess - look at this patch from Trevor Paglen blog and its stars alignment...

Stars appear to be capricorn.
Indigo Delta Kilo = I Don't Know
INDIGO being overhead RADINT.

 

[famvburg]

Regarding photo angles affecting angles in photos, don't forget the original photo of the F-117 released in November, 1988. It made the aircraft look wider than it was long, and a couple of model manufacturers that jumped on releasing a kit made it just that way. I think it was only the early 1990s that we knew its true (more or less) shape.

 

[blackstar]

They are planning to declassify a black airframe. Wait for the coming week and see.

It has been almost three weeks since you wrote that.

 

[RP1]

Stars appear to be capricorn.

Capricorn One. Are we being trolled or is this something spectacularly subtle?


RP1

 

[Ian33]

regarding Amarillo sighting (while I'm still thinking it was B-2 as well)...a rude guess - look at this patch from Trevor Paglen blog and its stars alignment...

I apologise for this interruption - but was this patch not about the Cobra Brass IR early warning system and the constellation of 'Capricorn' the operational name for the launch (s) involved? I remember a long time back seeing this in a avid enthusiasts collection - it was all space based, not aircraft though.

 

[TAGBOARD]

regarding Amarillo sighting (while I'm still thinking it was B-2 as well)...a rude guess - look at this patch from Trevor Paglen blog and its stars alignment...

You are giving too much credit, where it isn't due. It's not Indigo Delta Kilo.

 

[kcran567]

Wichita's mystery aircraft:




<iframe scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen src="http://up.anv.bz/latest/anvload.html?key=eyJtIjoiTElOIiwicCI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJ2IjoiMjU4MDAwIn0=" width ="640" height="360"></iframe>


What appears to be identical aircraft. Not reported to be a B-2 in the story.


* Next gen. bomber prototype?? eyewitness states unusually silent and performing 180 degree turns at altitude.

* Blended wing concept for airliner/cargo??


*Farfetched, but hopefully not a new Russian or Chinese bomber penetrating US airspace at will.
(Not making any claims just exploring the possibilities.)

 

[bring_it_on]

RQ-180?

 

[FighterJock]

RQ-180?

Could well be, having just read the article in this months Airforces Monthly.

 

[Sundog]

Well, at least we know the Wichita sighting isn't a B-2. I'm shocked at the planform if it's the RQ-180, as it isn't the design one would choose for endurance. Then again, not knowing the actual design requirements for the RQ-180, I can't say if the air vehicle in the image is a good candidate for that role or not.

 

[Spook]

I'm saying this judging by seeing the RQ-180 illustrations, isnt the RQ-180 suppose to be single engine, whereas the aircraft being spotted has got 2 engines ?! or am i wrong ?

EDIT: RQ-180 appears to have 2 engines. sorry. :-\

 

[seruriermarshal]

It from Northrop ? I believe northrop have a experimental NGB prototype .

 

[flateric]

AWST RQ-180 illustrations depicts one of several (and apparently not final) NG SensorCraft iterations having cranked kite ptanform, and it's a single-engined one.

 

[Spook]

You are very correct flateric... however as you said, the illustration not being a final one but i guess it is the only source that we or at least me can take into consideration. My main point is i can not really digest , people saying that it can be RQ-180. I actually judged it quickly by seeing 2 separate outlets, either if that is actually there the contrails which will be produced by that engine from the 2 outlets will be much closer to each other comparing to those that will be left by the flying B-2.

 

[bobbymike]

UK Daily Mail speculates

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2607840/Is-THIS-SR-72-spy-plane-Mystery-aircraft-spotted-flying-Kansas-just-weeks-seen-Texas.html

 

[TomS]

Well, that's pretty stupid, as expected from the Daily Mail. Whatever that shape is (I'm leaning toward B-2 and odd lighting) it's clearly not a Mach 6 aircraft.

 

[John21]

A member of ATS(Above Top Secret) by the name of Zaphod58 claims that the aircraft will be revealed in "over two months but less than a year". He's doing a lot of hinting on certain things but never outright confirming anything. He has 30,000 posts and is a mod of the Secret Aircraft Projects part of the board so I'm kind of conflicted here.
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread1008530/pg1
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread1008344/pg1

Of course there was the other guy who was a refueler on a tanker(his credentials checked out) who claimed that he refueled a couple of "black" triangler aircraft over Iraq during the 2003 invasion. He claims that they were a stealth ECM/Jamming platform that flew over watch for F-117s.

 

[flateric]

not the same boom operator guy who has posted some pic of refueling over Groom Lake and was forced to remove them afterwards?