Anyone recognise this?

[Nicola_M]

Yesterday afternoon I was working in the garden and spotted something flying alongside a conventional low-wing single prop monoplane.  I pointed it out to friends with the words "what the heck is that?" but they're not aviation-minded and wouldn't know the difference between an Airbus and a sorbet.  I've tried googling delta-winged private/small aircraft and all things of that ilk, but I can't find anything that even comes close.

 

All I know is it was flying towards IWM Duxford airfield, and both it and the monoplane were together - a wing's length apart - and same speed, about 110-120kts. It looked to me like they were travelling together, ie two buddies going from A to B and were keeping pace. There's no way the monoplane pilot could have missed it, and if it had been a UFO I doubt anyone would want to fly alongside it.  Me, I'd be bank right, full throttle, nose down, anything to get away from it.  The way the monoplane pilot flew in a straight line with this thing right next to him means he was either blind, or it was man-made.

 

I couldn't tell if the object had a prop, but definitely no vertical tailplane, and looked about 20-25ft long.

 

I'm stumped.  Not saying it's a UFO, as the way it kept with the monoplane, and the monoplane seemed to be travelling with it, made me think it was man-made.  And anyway, UFOs are meant to be round.

I've never seen anything like it. Does anyone know, or have a clue, of any planes that look like this?

edit: I've emailed IWM Duxford for advice, as it's the nearest airfield, but not expecting a reply back.

 

What the object would have looked like from above/below:

 

 

 

 

And as I saw it from below and to the side (pointy end travelling forwards, ie down and to the left in this image):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And direction of travel compared to me. (A random street view, not mine, used to show direction of travel in relation to me, to show that I could see the underneath, its profile, and also that my view should have enabled me to see any tailplane).

 

Edited September 2, 2013 by Nicola_M

[Ryan M.]

Interesting. Lots of UFO reports, but back in 2011. I'm lost.

 

http://www.royston-crow.co.uk/news/duxford_ufos_claim_revealed_in_file_disclosure_1_991793

[Nicola_M]

Yeah, I believe in UFOs but I'm not convinced this was one.  The way the monoplane wasn't getting-the-heck-outta-there made me think either he's blind, or it's a mate in it, ie man-made.

[Liner45]

it might be a spyplane or a nasa aircraft. It is probably a nasa aircraft i believe. 

[BWolf7]

it might be a spyplane or a nasa aircraft. It is probably a nasa aircraft i believe. 

Whats NASA doing spying in GB?

[Nicola_M]

it might be a spyplane or a nasa aircraft. It is probably a nasa aircraft i believe. 

 

In the sleepiest part of the UK possible?  My thoughts are that it's either some sort of 1950s prototype from Duxford, or it's a more modern design.  Whatever it is, I ain't seen nothin like it before.

If it's a modern design, I'd expect to see it in google, or find a link to it.  Can't be that many (any?) small, private, delta-wing aircraft on the market.

Edited September 2, 2013 by Nicola_M

[Liner45]

does it look something like this

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=phantom+ray#

[Nicola_M]

No, what you linked to is too angular, too many sharp edges. This thing was rounded, like in the drawings I put up.

[Liner45]

do you think it might be a goverment private project. I don´t believe in ufo´s

[Nicola_M]

I still think it's some sort of old prototype.

 

Just been googling Duxford UFO, and just for the record this (below) is NOT what I saw. (Its wings are too pointy).

 

[Goran_M]

[Nicola_M]

Nope. But thanks anyway.

[Orcair]

There's an airshow coming up at Duxford. Perhaps something to do with that?... (I'm still looking)

EDIT: Avro Vulcan? http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Avro_Vulcan_Bomber_RAF.JPEG

 

I am googling delta wing a/c and the only result so far..

Edited September 2, 2013 by Orcair

[Nicola_M]

There's an airshow coming up at Duxford. Perhaps something to do with that?... (I'm still looking)

EDIT: Avro Vulcan? http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Avro_Vulcan_Bomber_RAF.JPEG

 

I am googling delta wing a/c and the only result so far..

 

Yeah, that's the route I took - googling delta-winged aircraft.  I know it wasn't a Vulcan.  Far too small, no jet noise, far too slow too.  I can't find anything delta-winged (rounded delta wings too) the size of a small monoplane.

Small delta-wings are rare as it is, let alone ones with such rounded ends. Just hoping Duxford have the answer, as I don't.

[TheSlasher]

Nasa or airforce with boeing testing out a top secret aircraft like the top secret aircraft used to transport troops to bin ladens house

[TheSlasher]

disregard photo

[TheSlasher]

Yesterday afternoon I was working in the garden and spotted something flying alongside a conventional low-wing single prop monoplane.  I pointed it out to friends with the words "what the heck is that?" but they're not aviation-minded and wouldn't know the difference between an Airbus and a sorbet.  I've tried googling delta-winged private/small aircraft and all things of that ilk, but I can't find anything that even comes close.

 

All I know is it was flying towards IWM Duxford airfield, and both it and the monoplane were together - a wing's length apart - and same speed, about 110-120kts. It looked to me like they were travelling together, ie two buddies going from A to B and were keeping pace. There's no way the monoplane pilot could have missed it, and if it had been a UFO I doubt anyone would want to fly alongside it.  Me, I'd be bank right, full throttle, nose down, anything to get away from it.  The way the monoplane pilot flew in a straight line with this thing right next to him means he was either blind, or it was man-made.

 

I couldn't tell if the object had a prop, but definitely no vertical tailplane, and looked about 20-25ft long.

 

I'm stumped.  Not saying it's a UFO, as the way it kept with the monoplane, and the monoplane seemed to be travelling with it, made me think it was man-made.  And anyway, UFOs are meant to be round.

I've never seen anything like it. Does anyone know, or have a clue, of any planes that look like this?

edit: I've emailed IWM Duxford for advice, as it's the nearest airfield, but not expecting a reply back.

 

What the object would have looked like from above/below:

 

 

 

 

And as I saw it from below and to the side (pointy end travelling forwards, ie down and to the left in this image):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And direction of travel compared to me. (A random street view, not mine, used to show direction of travel in relation to me, to show that I could see the underneath, its profile, and also that my view should have enabled me to see any tailplane).

 

I cant see anything

[Nicola_M]

I cant see anything

That's because the street shot is FOR ILLUSTRATION.

[Nicola_M]

Just found this, and from a different angle and further away, it does sort of look like what I saw.   It's the aircraft from post #10, but from this angle it looks remarkably similar.  Plus, I read somewhere it's got a connection to Duxford.

 

[Ryan M.]

Called the "Verhees delta"

 

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?cx=partner-pub-8297169501225184%3Aa05n2n-tzky&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=f-pdhv&sa=Submit&search_active=1&search=&sheadline=&search_field=datedesc&submit=&siteurl=www.airliners.net%2F&ref=&ss=0j0j1

[Nicola_M]

Yeah, I still can't figure out why I didn't see the sodding great tailfin though.  But it looks like what I saw.

[pryoski]

Technically; while the flying object remains unidentified, it remains a UFO (Unidentified Flying Object). So .. you did see a UFO!

[Andyrooc]

It was almost certainly this (snapped off YSSY recently):

...it's got liquid stairs you know.