Secret spy planes.

[Ilovetwiglets]

I love stories like this even though there's virtually no information whatsoever! It's all guesswork of course but I've always found it fascinating. What could it be?
http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckControl...

[Simpo Two]

Good job they didn't have forums in WW2.

April 1943: 'I've just seen a Lanc flying over the dam at Derwentwater with a big cylinder underneath. Wonder what it was doing?'

[jmorgan]

Be interesting to see the original (if it is not that on the web site) and what gear it was taken with.

[FunkyNige]

jmorgan said:

Be interesting to see the original (if it is not that on the web site) and what gear it was taken with.

You don't need that high end gear to pick out high flying planes - I took this photo a few years back.



To try and give you a sense of how high it was you could only see the plane if it glinted in the sun so you eyes could follow it, if you looked away you just had to look up and hoped it turned to reflect some sun so you could pick it up again.
Taken on a 400D (so 1.6 crop sensor) with a 300mm lens, no cropping but it has been resized.

[jmorgan]

I was thinking more of gauging size. Not whether it was super duper zoom.

[pushthebutton]

This is his blog with more info:

http://deepbluehorizon.blogspot.co.uk/

I like reading his stuff

[bob1179]

pushthebutton said:

This is his blog with more info:

http://deepbluehorizon.blogspot.co.uk/

I like reading his stuff

Never read this site before. Interesting!

[dr_gn]

Simpo Two said:

Good job they didn't have forums in WW2.

April 1943: 'I've just seen a Lanc flying over the dam at Derwentwater with a big cylinder underneath. Wonder what it was doing?'

AFAIK Derwentwater isn't a dam, it's a lake, and the Dambusters never trained there

[Simpo Two]

dr_gn said:

AFAIK Derwentwater isn't a dam, it's a lake, and the Dambusters never trained there

Well googling would have been cheating What was the big lake they practiced on?

[dr_gn]

Simpo Two said:

dr_gn said:

AFAIK Derwentwater isn't a dam, it's a lake, and the Dambusters never trained there

Well googling would have been cheating What was the big lake they practiced on?

One of them was Derwent Reservoir in the Peak District (where the anniversary flypasts are). I think they chose it because of the towers at each end of the wall which were very similar to one of the German dams.

Derwentwater is in the Lake District, and it's not a reservoir. I dpn't think they ever practiced there.

ETA I've got a book of paintings by Michael Turner. On of them is this:



Captioned as "Spirit of 617 Squadron. A Tornado follows a Lancaster over the Derwentwater Dam."

So at least you're in good company.

Edited by dr_gn on Saturday 29th March 21:33

[Mashedpotatoes]

I love that fellers monitoring room that's dedication.

[Simpo Two]

dr_gn said:

Captioned as "Spirit of 617 Squadron. A Tornado follows a Lancaster over the Derwentwater Dam."

So at least you're in good company.

Well if not quite in the pickle barrel I knocked a few slates off

I have a Michael Turner print of a F1 race, c.1970. When I saw your Tornado shot I first thought it was Airfix box art.

[red_slr]

Been spotted again - defo not a B2 bit clearer image this time.
Wonder what they are trying to divert attention from?!

[Gun]

Interesting stuff, some pretty good photos of it as well.

[dvs_dave]

Oooh - interesting. So what is it, and why are they seemingly making no attempt to hide it?

My money is on it being a super long range gen 2 stealth bomber, possibly a UAV, and sub sonic.

[mybrainhurts]

It's a moth.

[Tunku]

This is a picture of it...

[jmorgan]

Tunku said:

This is a picture of it...

It's upside down.

[Regiment]

Didn't read much on there as just woken up and can't be bother, the silhouette looks like an F117.

[dr_gn]

Regiment said:

Didn't read much on there as just woken up and can't be bother, the silhouette looks like an F117.

It's all wrong for an F-117, starting with the sweep angle, which is way too shallow.

I don't really see what the big deal about it is - there are dozens of existing UAV designs that look similar to the photo, so where's the surprise in seeing one in the air over the US? Despite thee claims of radio traffic, I'd be surprised if it turns out to be manned.