Stealthy F/A-18 @AMARC?

[chopper2004]

A New Angle On This Shadowy Stealth F/A-18 Hornet Concept Is Intriguing (http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/a-new-angle-on-this-shadowy-stealth-f-a-18-hornet-conce-1727910676)

cheers

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/1416134905306278575_zpsjogphzsc.png

[typerated]

Looks to me they are just having a bit of fun with Russian satellites.


One night at the pub - next morning grabbing some bits from B and Q and knocking it togther in the aftennon.


I'd have so much fun if I work there!

[Stanwell]

typerated,
Agree. :cool:

[Cows getting bigger]

Aaaah, but there's also the 'double bluff". :eek:

[charliegolf]

You have to admit, the RCS does drop a lot when there are no wings!

[BEagle]

typerated wrote:

Looks to me they are just having a bit of fun with Russian satellites.


One night at the pub - next morning grabbing some bits from B and Q and knocking it togther in the aftennon.


I'd have so much fun if I work there!


'Back in the day', a couple of incidents spring to mind:

1. Pusser was sailing one of those real aircraft carriers the RN used to own through the Suez Canal. Knowing that the embarked aircraft would attract the attention of Sovs with cameras, someone made a convincing and rather fearsome looking missile out of tins and wood, which was painted white and attached to the wing of one of the jets whilst they sailed down the Canal.....

2. A Sovietski submarineski sailed through the Straits of Gibraltar on the surface, sporting what looked like a pair of Atolls attached to the conning tower - doubtless knowing that they would be photographed by our side and would cause much consternation at Northwood!

Almost as much fun as knocking up spoof aircraft mod state boards for office walls just before an open day, to misinform nosy spotters looking through the windows. If I recall correctly 'Hunter Sidewinder mod plan' was one!

[OMG Itz Fulovstarz]

Gents,

Forgive me for straying into the military section again....

Back in the day, did the Fleet Air Arm not have a breeding programme in which a Sea Venom would mate with a Gannet?

Definitely seen a picture somewhere of the resulting offspring (Sea Venom fuselage pod, Gannet tail assembly, "pulse jets" on wingtips, large AAMs etc.) carrying out a fast taxi run down the active runway on an Open Day...

On a more serious note, the Foxtrot Alpha forum which posted the original photo has now posted more views.

The airframe was more interesting before it was cocooned. The story was first broken by Aviation Week and Space Technology on the 13th January 2014, when they published a picture of the airframe parked beside the perimeter fence of AMARC, which is obviously where you park your new stealth test airframe.

It did appear to have non-standard nozzles, and perhaps a (partial?) Have Glass paint scheme, but doesn't appear to be the brand new aircraft suggested in the Foxtrot Alpha article.

Michael

[BEagle]

OMG, you mean this, I guess:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/New%20Picture_zpsx9kuz4bp.png (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/nw969/media/New%20Picture_zpsx9kuz4bp.png.html)

:confused:

[ORAC]

AW&ST original photo...

http://aviationweek.com/site-files/aviationweek.com/files/uploads/2014/01/aw011320141400.jpg

[OMG Itz Fulovstarz]

Beagle,

Yep, that is it! The sort of looks that not even its mother could love, but from a comedy point of view, it is pure genius!

Unfortunately, there was a sibling (well, half-sibling) as a result of a love triangle involving two Sea Venom fuselage pods joined at the hip, and Gannet tail feathers. More comedy genius! Must find the photo of it.....

[OMG Itz Fulovstarz]

Gents,

The other sibling -

http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv301/Skydancer_photos/c587eca8-bf0f-4155-8796-b14c102e5cc8.jpg (http://s694.photobucket.com/user/Skydancer_photos/media/c587eca8-bf0f-4155-8796-b14c102e5cc8.jpg.html)

[Stanwell]

Well, I've seen everything now. :eek:

[Wander00]

Brilliant, great start to Monday morning, and nearly coffee down the keyboard again!!

[Haraka]

Beags. Those constructions bring back some 60's memories. The Sea Venom "Sea Vixens" for the Royal Tournament were especially convincing one year ( c.1966 ?) during the RN section of that much missed extravaganza.

[a1bill]

AURORA is real.

[OMG Itz Fulovstarz]

Hi ORAC,

Are you able to get a larger or higher res photo?

The best I could get was this-

http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv301/Skydancer_photos/Rhino%20WTF.png (http://s694.photobucket.com/user/Skydancer_photos/media/Rhino%20WTF.png.html)