Any ideas what's going on here?

[Burrito]

A friend's posted this on Facebook and suggested it's a commercial jet being escorted.

My guess is a RAF transport/fueler/AWACS and fast pointy jets routing back from exercise or ops.

Taken this afternoon over Padstow in Cornwall. Any thoughts?

[GGibbo]

I'd agree with you. From the planform looks like a VC10, dragging some GR4s(though cant really see enough to tell). Most of the trails that go south/west will go out over cornwall

[dr_gn]

Sure it's not a TriStar?

[Eric Mc]

Sharp sweepback and contrails suggests a Tristar.

[GGibbo]

Fair dos, it does look like theres 3 cons by the time they spread out. Whats the verdict on the others then; GRs or phoons?

[Burrito]

General consensus on Facebook is mil too. I'd say tornado as the delta wing would be more visible I reckon.

Apparently there was a fourth jet behind the transport ac. I agree tristar though.

[GGibbo]

If you look really closely there may be one in contact behind the tristar. GRs vaery rarely tank high enough to contrail, must either be phoons, or very cold/moist/contraily air.

[anonymous-user]

It's a USAF KC10 Extender and 3 of 4 Swedish Gripens. There's a much better picture going around Facebook.

In fact, the fourth Gripen could be being refueled by the Extender in that pic - obscured by being similar in colour to the contrails.

Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 12th January 10:45

[anonymous-user]

Looking at the contrails it looks like 5 aircraft. One in contact. Can't tell what tanker it is but it's not a vc10.

Probably a trail heading out over the pond.

[anonymous-user]

coanda said:

It's a USAF KC10 Extender and 3 of 4 Swedish Gripens. There's a much better picture going around Facebook.

In fact, the fourth Gripen could be being refueled by the Extender in that pic - obscured by being similar in colour to the contrails.

Edited by coanda on Saturday 12th January 10:45

Probably makes sense. I don't think Sweden has any tankers.

[fatboy69]

coanda said:

It's a USAF KC10 Extender and 3 of 4 Swedish Gripens. There's a much better picture going around Facebook.

In fact, the fourth Gripen could be being refueled by the Extender in that pic - obscured by being similar in colour to the contrails.

Edited by coanda on Saturday 12th January 10:45

Link to the better photo if possible please? Thank you.

[lloyd h]

coanda said:

It's a USAF KC10 Extender and 3 of 4 Swedish Gripens. There's a much better picture going around Facebook.

In fact, the fourth Gripen could be being refueled by the Extender in that pic - obscured by being similar in colour to the contrails.

Edited by coanda on Saturday 12th January 10:45

Nail on the head, they landed at Mildenhall yesterday after one of the Gripens snapped the probe whilst refuelling.

[tog]

fatboy69 said:

coanda said:

It's a USAF KC10 Extender and 3 of 4 Swedish Gripens. There's a much better picture going around Facebook.

In fact, the fourth Gripen could be being refueled by the Extender in that pic - obscured by being similar in colour to the contrails.

Edited by coanda on Saturday 12th January 10:45

Link to the better photo if possible please? Thank you.

http://twitter.com/AircraftTalking/status/29006095...

Edited by tog on Saturday 12th January 18:49

[Mojocvh]

lloyd h said:

Nail on the head, they landed at Mildenhall yesterday after one of the Gripens snapped the probe whilst refuelling.

That was lucky, lucky it wasn't half way......

[fatboy69]

Thanks but I don't do twitter. Any other way of viewing the photo?

[dr_gn]

fatboy69 said:

Thanks but I don't do twitter. Any other way of viewing the photo?

You don't have to, just copy and paste the address into your browser.

[tog]

fatboy69 said:

Thanks but I don't do twitter. Any other way of viewing the photo?

Nor do I, I just found it from a Google search.

[fatboy69]

That's a great photo. I didn't think of doing a Google search........ Doh!

[jonny142]

Here's the original shots from FC http://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.ph...

and someone who thought it was Air Force one http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Unusual-aircraft-f...