New stealth, NO S%$@

[joebong]

About 2 years ago a lot of mil AC were raising caine above my house. So I had a look, off to the so, a B52's doing big racetracks @ about15,000'. Overhead two F15's?16's seem to be flying intercept vectors to said Buff. The lead machine makes a banking dive toward the 52 entering a zone that won't form contrials at this point I lose him, his #2 has broke off in the other direction and is doing what looks like a one man stunt show. I think "thats odd." AS they go round for another go, I run inside to get my big 15X binoculars, I reacquire the fighters I hold on #2 he starts his hotdogging again, I pan to #1 can't find him,(Mind you the planes are coming at me and #1 should be right there.)still I lose him. Round again this time I watch the lead ship, they start to break and the #1 plane banks to the 52 and just vanishes, like a puff of smoke just fades away. At this point I don't know what to think. so I watch two more times, each time one plane does tricks while the other attacks the bomber and disappears. Suddenly all this activity halts and the 3 head away. Then an all white Cessna twin with 4 big black probes in its nose,(Like a P38's weapons.)at about200' almost stalling flies directly over me. So I ran inside and hid.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

doesn't sound too out of the ordinary if you ask me............

 

[joebong]

doesn't sound too out of the ordinary if you ask me............

Actualy I read an article some ten yrs ago about opticle stealth. It described a theory of extremity mounted light sources played against a paint w/ specifically designed relective indexes, this would it said "Make the plane nearly impossible to see.". Thats fine, but what I saw looked straight out of "Star Trek". Oh I almost forgot, that white cessna had USAF on its wing, no nat insig or other marks whatsoever.

 

[lesofprimus]

Sounds kinda fishy, knowing that the military usually plays with its "new" tech stuff on govt owned property, but a rather interesting story nonetheless...

Maybe Joe has some knowledge...

 

[evangilder]

You never know what they are testing up in Mojave. Also keep in mind that heat shimmer can do some funny things with optical and visual systems. Time of day and the way that light bounces around at certain times of the day can make something appear to vanish, especially with the low-viz gray that the current inventory of aircraft have.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

You live right in the R2508 "MOA" - it's the airspace Edwards (and others) use to test their stuff. I've flown in it when I worked for Flight Systems and sometimes its even open to civilian aircraft. That sounds like a typical flight test profile (the race track). Although it seems like they were "hot dogging," activity in that airspace is closely monitored. Pilots I've met from Edwards do their 'hot dogging" away from there, usually up in Panamint or through Jawbone canyon. Keeping a bead on a fast moving jet with binoculars is difficult to say the least, especially if it's sunny out; I doubt Edwards has invisible F-16s - As far as the twin Cessna with the antennas - it could of been a number of things but you had nothing to fear from watching anything flying around Cal City or Mojave.

If that Cessna came over me that low (and if I thought they were looking at me) I would of flipped them off!

 

[Matt308]

If you ever seen a B-2 fy over and witness a perspective from the aft dead on, it too looks like it disappears. Good story though.

 

[joebong]

The times I witnessed it I was able to always track the #2 AC out to about 15,000', vectored in from several directions#2 was ALWAYS easily visible. I have seen plenty of F117s B2s,(The first time it occured I had a ventral plan veiw,10,000' straight overhead.) none have pulled this trick. The hot dogging I'm sure is a distraction tactic, as it distracted me the first two times I watched. Furthermore said hot dogging lasted only a few seconds thereafter the aircraft regained its original heading. Aero/tech news and other publications run articles on this technology more more often, I'm only saying if that's what I saw brother it works just great.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Aero/tech news and other publications run articles on this technology more more often

I haven't heard that for a while - I used to write for them!

 

[Matt308]

Aero/tech news. That's a new one. I'll have to look into that. Not in the normal trade publications that float around the office nor in my sights. I'll take a look.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Aero/tech news. That's a new one. I'll have to look into that. Not in the normal trade publications that float around the office nor in my sights. I'll take a look.

It's a small newspaper printed in Lancaster. They also do the base paper for Point Mugu, Edwards and China Lake. Paul Kinison is the Editor - he started the business from his kitchen table...

 

[Matt308]

Ah. I get a few of those newsletters via email, like FlightTech Online.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

I would of flipped them off!

interesting saying, not one you hear over here!

 

[Matt308]

What do you say Lanc if you don't say flipped them the bird? Gave them the middle finger? I can't think of any others.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

"gave them the finger" is enough for people to know you've put your middle finger up at them, "gave them the V" will do for the v symbol used as an insult, although on variation i have heard is "flipped the Vs"........

 

[Matt308]

The "V symbol" is an insult. Like the victory sign?

The only time I can think of when the "V symbol" might be insulting (and only to a woman) is when you wiggle your tongue between the "V". This insult is typically initiated by an inebriated male. Note for added insult on may also simultaneously make gutteral noises. In virtually all instances, this illicits a look of utter dis-gust by said woman and her immediate exit from the vicinity of the male.

Common follow-up reactions by the male include:

- "Oooo baby, you know you want it."

- High fiving fellow drunk buddies and stating "She's hot for me.", or possibly;

- Making further lewd and obscene statements of said woman's glutes.

 

[cheddar cheese]

The V is offensive (to some) when you show the back of your fingers.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

It originates from our "differences" with the French- they were so terrified by our immence longbows that when they captured a longbowman, they cut their first two fingers off so they couldn't draw a bow anymore, therefore to insult the French we show the backs of the V to show the French we still have our fingers and can still draw a bow to kill them with..........

 

[Matt308]

Ah. I have heard that, but had read that was a myth.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

for all i know it could be, it's an interesting theory though and makes for another way of insulting the French........