Message posted by greatguess on March 31, 2012 at 8:13:51 PST:
Now that I am awake here are a couple more comments on the launch last night from P42. The fact that the moon set 13 minutes before the takeoff really gets my curiousity engaged. If this was just a delivery in a cargo airplane or the takeoff of a routine looking shape they know better than to try to hide it in the middle of the night; it woke up the east half of lancaster and palmdale. The best place to hide an B2, B1, etc, around here is to takeoff in the middle of the day. It also took off to the east which is quite unusual here even in no wind conditions. They didn't want anybody to see whatever this was. I did not hear a chase aircraft of any kind so I beiieve it left alone. I also did not hear any evidence of an afterburner - nor could i see anything in the dark sky in the direction of the takeoff climbout (either lights or burner) - I was about 3 miles from where it may have been visible after takeoff so lack of a visual is rather expected. I have lived in my house since 1980 so I have a lot of experience hearing aircraft from P42 over the years. I have worked on all of the bombers and been around the heavies (C-141, C-5) etc. This wasn't an aircraft I can say I recognized the sound of - if I had to guess I would say it had two, not four, non afterburning engines of the B1/B2 class. It also had a quicker takeoff and departure compared to a heavy like a bomber or trash hauler.
In Reply to: Moonless night departure from Plant 42 posted by greatguess on March 31, 2012 at 3:41:52 PST:
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