GoogleEarth aircraft at Palmdale

34d 37'08" 118 05'03 What the hell is that?


Around the time I this photo was probably taken I was at the Blackbird Park
(you'll see 2 SR-71s and a U2) and they wouldn't let us near the airport
'cause, as we found out at Edwards the next day, they'd just rolled out the
X-32 at Palmdale and were flying it to Edwards the next morning. (Saw it
there. This isn't it. You can use the Blackbirds and the B2 for
perspective of the mystery aircraft, which is a white triangle.)

If you poke around with GoogleEarth you'll also see an F-117 and a B-2 at
Palmdale.

For more fun, find Area51. The main runway is X'ed out, but they have
runway grids built out across Groom Lake. Strange this is that the L and R
parallel runways touch each other, but there are similar at Edwards. (And
an awesome compass rose in the lakebed) Scan west-southwest of Groom Lake
and you'll see a pretty awesome crater field.

There are two more Blackbirds (pause for reverence) parked at the north end
of the Edwards tarmac in the NASA section. One of those birds is now at
McMinnville under the right wing of the Spruce Goose. There are a couple of
other odd aircraft on the tarmac just north of them. At the little airstrip
to the south there's a collection of planes outside including an A-10 and a
C-47 (must be a museum or collection) but on the flight line itself there
are three B-1s.



-c

"gatt" wrote in message
...

34d 37'08" 118 05'03 What the hell is that?



Possibly an F-16XL in Edwards colors?

The XL was the model with the "cranked arrow" planform.

Looks like this:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q13225AEC

Jay B

The cranked wing makes it look like an F-16XL.

34d 37'08" 118 05'03 What the hell is that?


I agree with Jay, I think its the F-16XL. First thing that came to mind
when I saw the shape.

I've got another one at Patuxent Naval Air Station (which used to be
all blurred out, but isn't now).

At 38"17"19 N 76"25"20 W is what appears to be a Global Hawk.

There are also a bunch of T-38's at the NW corner of the base, and a
bunch of Harriers and Hornets at the SE corner.

"Jason" wrote in message
...
34d 37'08" 118 05'03 What the hell is that?


I agree with Jay, I think its the F-16XL. First thing that came to mind
when I saw the shape.

Impressive! It's a different angle, but they're similar enough.

The AF should have made plywood cutouts of super sci-fi airplanes and flying
saucers and put 'em on the tarmac to screw with GoogleEarth geeks...

-c

gatt wrote:

34d 37'08" 118 05'03 What the hell is that?


F-35, I should think.

Photo's a little blurry but it seems to have the straight trailing edges
to the wing like the F-35 rather than the tapered forward trailing edge
like the F-22

One or the other, in any case.

Peace and justice,

gatt wrote:

The AF should have made plywood cutouts of super sci-fi airplanes and flying
saucers and put 'em on the tarmac to screw with GoogleEarth geeks...

Now that would be halarious!!!

I'm bettin' it's Boeing's JSF entry...

"gatt" wrote in news:_0VYf.4983$kg.4416
@news02.roc.ny:


34d 37'08" 118 05'03 What the hell is that?


Around the time I this photo was probably taken I was at the Blackbird Park
(you'll see 2 SR-71s and a U2) and they wouldn't let us near the airport
Snipola

Speaking of U2's....twice in the past weeks when I've been out on my
balcony in north Orange County CA, watching the planes go by high up
and making vapor trails, I've seen white U2. I wonder if it's the same
one.

I've been toying around with my telescope and digital camera to get
pics of aircraft at altitude. Unfortunately, the attemps at the U2 have
not been in the best of focus.

Brian
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