OT: Military Aircraft Question

Or C-17? Approach speed d105-135 knots.

I think this might be interesting for some, but I don't know enough jargon to figure it out.

John
 
For the record, I want to say I meant no disrespect to anyone including Ben with whom I have had some disagreements in the past. At first I thought this whole thread premise was a big hoot. I see now that some may be serious about UFO's and their sightings.

For certain, I cannot discredit what someone else says they saw. I wasn't there at the time so I didn't experience what they saw or heard. But I do not believe in UFO's. Nor do I believe in anything paranormal. Ghosts, spooks in the night, oija boards, nothing.

Perhaps I should and maybe one day I will.
 
One day when I was about 4 (four) years old,
1960+/-
while I was in the backyard (suburbs) playing alone,
during the mid-range of the day,
I saw a red fuzzy? dot of light
come from high over my head to lower in the sky
and disappear into a cloud.
While I continued watching this cloud,
within one second or 6 or ?,
I saw the same fuzzy dot plus a 2nd smaller dot exit the same cloud,
I think in different directions & more lateral.
The first dot I believe was red,
the 2nd yellow.
Or maybe the other way around.
The reason I believe the memory is so distinct,
is that my first thought when I saw the 1st dot,
was, "Mighty Mouse!!!!!!".
After the two dots disappeared I ran in the house
& told my mother, "I saw Mighty Mouse."
I was disappointed that she wasn't interested.

They appeared to be objects
(else they were self-luminescent non-objects, or ?)
flying in the sky,
and since they probably weren't Mighty Mouse after all,
they must have been Unidentified Flying Objects.
I don't know.
But as a 4-year old my brain recorded what my eyes took in.
 
Never saw one, but always hoped I would. I have at least 3 old flying buddies who have, but won't admit it for the record.

How many of you forumites were involved with military aviation either as support or driving?
 
Originally posted by JDP
[

How many of you forumites were involved with military aviation either as support or driving? [/B]

Does maintaining the bombs and preparing them for strike , changing the drop sequence, testing the arming and fuzing system
count?

:)
 
Well does combat recovery crew chief on USAF B-52H models count? I was a jet engine tech in SAC on KC-135s but for unfriendly times I was to help recover bombers where ever they were forced to land in time of all out war. I spent 10 years in jet engine maintenance, 6 of those years as a instructor on jet engines and gas turbine power units. well maybe a little bit with aviation but mostly with what put them and kept them in the air. ;) :D
 
Some of my fondest memories were watching F-4's and F-8's come over tree top level, pass over me and shoot straight up with their afterburners smoking. Truly awesome for the friendlies but hell on the "zeros".
I have a world of respect for Navy pilots who land those "things" on a postage stamp.:)
 
Of course it all 'counts'. The most important item on anyone's checklist was the awesome crews keeping their "bird" in great shape. Whether it was the redshirts loading tons of steel or a plane captain keeping the cockpit perfect, it was all mission-critical.
 
Military acft?

I spent time as a crew chief on F-4's. Still have not figured out the pilot who wrote in the discrepencies...Does not work in the OFF mode....I also got the privilege of recovering my acft with a tree branch stuck in the landing gear door. Maybe that explains Ben's sighting. C-5 aircrew hunting rabbits in the suburbs????:confused: :eek: :rolleyes: :D ;)
 
Ben, how long would you say it was from the time you saw the aircraft, until you could no longer see it?

My backyard is about 100 feet wide. The aircraft was visible for about 15 seconds. It was so low that as soon as it passed over our yard we could no longer see it. If I had a higher vantage point I could have observed it for a longer period.

Did the chopper appear to be at about the same altitude?

No, the chopper was a lot higher - about twice as high as the police helicopters who cruise the area with spotlights.

How long did it take the chopper to cover approximately the same area?

We could see the helicopter for probably a full minute.

Light coming from front wheel well?

Beams came from a circular area near the nose. This "well" was illuminated up inside so I could tell it was a recessed area. It was a lot larger than what one would expect for a wheel well. The beams that came from it seemed to be "light", but they were yellow/orange in color not white a searchlight. The strangest thing was that they only extended down about 20 or so feet.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------—

I have pretty much eliminated the craft being any type of of known large transport like a C-5 just by the shape. It was silhouetted against a clear night sky and I could plainly see the shape. It was like an isosceles triangle with the point or apex of the triangle being the nose, the sides of the triangle being the leading edge of the wings, and the base of the triangle being the trailing edge of the wing. However, the trailing edge was not straight across, but convex . There was no fuselage, and no tail section projecting rearward. Since my view was from underneath looking up, I couldn’t see what the top was like.

-----------------------------------------------

Just a comment about the “belief” in these kinds of events:

What one believes in is not relevant. Anyone who has training or experience in Recon/Intel realizes that personal belief should never factor in to a credible observation. What counts is objective use of the senses to record observed events. Conclusions are drawn by the comparison with similar events and with other known data. What one believes or disbelieves has nothing to do with this process, and to involve personal beliefs in either the observation or the analysis invalidates the mission.

-----------------------------------------------

Thanks for all the responses, but I guess it will remain a mystery. I’m not surprised. My research turned up hundreds of such sightings worldwide and although there are lots of varied opinions, it is all conjecture as no official of any government will admit knowledge of such a craft. Of course the U.S. Government remains the most likely suspect.
 
Ben,
I have no idea what you saw fly over your yard but, you mentioned the B-2 Spirit; my favorite picture of it is at the top of the page here.

JDP,
I did maintenance with all three of the Marine Corps' active wings during my time.

Regards,
Greg
 
A Galaxy in the weeds hunting rabbits? A novel concept backing up the "big stick" theory.

Ripper, did you ever work on any VMO (I think 5) birds? Had a couple pals who flew Cobras and Broncos with them.
 
JDP.
I regards to the to the VMO; no not really.
I've done "I" level and depot support for them and was right down in the mud at Yechon, Korea with them when they had some laser problems.
That was working with the OV10. I really like the Bronco. North American used to test them at Port Columbus when I was a kid. I used to go lay in a ditch by the airport when I got done caddying and watch them fly. Years later a couple overflew us when we were moving through a clearing at Camp Lejeune; that was my Marine Corps introduction to them and it's still clear in my mind today. I was sorry to see them go.
I helped out with some missile problems on the Cobras down at Pendleton years back. Lot of helo buddies though, too much time spent bending elbows at the Tustin and Futema SNCO clubs.:D
Gun squadron wise; I'm a Harrier guy. GO TOMCATS!

Regards,
Greg
 
My dad did recount one time the County sheriff asked him about a report that a WW2 TBF/TBM was called in as having buzzed Main street Turlock near twilight at about 300 MPH, knocking 4" branches off the trees overhanging the street.

He just looked at the tailnumber called in and said, "This can't be the right number, that plane was on Sheriffs Department duty at the time this was reported."

He also - statue of limitations applies here - later told me he was going a little faster than 300 when he leveled off.
 
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