On Sunday afternoon at about 2.15pm I was driving home through Blackwater (Hampshire/Berkshire/Surrey borders) when I saw an enormous aircraft in the sky to my north/northwest, flying left to right (i.e. E or NE) and accompanied by two smaller aircraft, which I think were helicopters. They could have been small jets - they were too far away for me to see the shape, and I was driving - but the slow speed suggested helicopters. One was flying in front of the large craft, and one was behind it.
They were far enough away that the helicopters were little more than dots, yet the large aircraft still looked BIG. I’d say 50 times the length of the helicopters, at the least. It was very long and thin, appearing almost cigar shaped - I couldn’t see the wings as it was side on to my viewpoint. Annoyingly, I was driving in traffic, with houses either side, so I couldn’t stop and I didn’t get a clear view for very long.
Anyone have any idea what it might have been, or know of any large aircraft movements in this area? I’m assuming it would have been something military, with the helicopter escort.
I’m only a few miles from Farnborough, but the Air Show finished a month ago, and the route didn’t appear to be to or from Farnborough, which is to my southeast.
Just after 9/11 I saw a load of what I presume were B-52s flying over Dublin. Very high up, but clearly enormous. Could be some kind of US military plane, as they are using bases in the UK.
Dunno about specifics, but it sounds like it might have been an air refueling plane refueling a pair of smaller planes (maybe fighters, maybe helicoptors).
Most air-tankers are based on civilian airliner designs (the KC-135 is based on the Boeing 707, the KC-10 is based on the McDonald Douglas DC-10, and the Brits have tankers based on the Lockheed L-1011 and the Vickers V-10). From what I understand, most planes based on civilian airliners would be vaguely cigar shaped (and of course, just about any sizable plane far enough away would end up being cigar shaped if you couldn’t see the wings)
Dunno if this helps or confounds the issue, but I was at East Wittering (West Sussex coast) and saw the red arrows coming in very fast and straight, over the channel and heading north, probably within half an hour of your sighting, and heading in your direction; I’m sure we’re not talking about the same group of aircraft, but perhaps there was another airshow somewhere?
I should clarify, when I say “cigar shaped”, i don’t mean it was anything other than a plane, but I couldn’t see the wings as they were end on.
GorillaMan, that second picture you linked to definitely looks like it could be what I saw.
The Wikipedia entry says that there is only one of them in operation, but a second is due to be completed “by mid-2006, with certification expected later in 2006.” I wonder if that could have been it?
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