Southern York County Life

Aliens.  Has to be.

I’m not sure if that is sarcastic or not....ha ha. BUT...I DID see what I saw. No, I don’t do drugs, don’t smoke, am healthy, although I DO have kids....that COULD explain it.

Seriously, it is the very reason why I always hesitated to tell people for the most part. It was just as unbelievable to me.

I didnt see what you saw.  I can just guess.  Large, dark, low, quiet.  Without more details it is very difficult to predict.  The quick response would be a stealth bomber, but as those are all stationed out of Missouri, I cant imagine why one would be in this area.  They dont even stop for refueling.  Grab some more gas from a flying tanker, and pop another movie in the in flight entertainment system.

So, Large, dark, low, quiet.  Sounds like aliens to me.  And I am only be half sarcastic.  The universe is far too vast for us to presume that we are the only intelligent life in it.

Okay, NOW I’m creeped out. I never completely put the thought of “ aliens “ being out and around, since I freak out about people being abducted and stuff, but I try and not think about it.....you know like putting your head in the sand - kind of stuff. Hey, it works for me. No, I think I’ll believe....ummm...yea, stealth. HA HA
I would love to know who to contact to verify it. I should have done that right after I saw it.

Speaking of the Stealth (B-2), I got to see one at the Frederick MD airshow a few years back. It was the neatest thing to watch. As it came in it was flying normally and all you could see was a very thin line in the sky. As it passed over, it banked so you could see the full plane. Awesome sight! You did not hear it until it passed. Then it turned and left - headed back to MO. Did you know that the crews that flew them in support of our operations in Afganistan and Iraq are flying from MO to the scene then briefly stop in Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean before returning to MO? Talk about one heck of a long flight!

Many years ago I went to the air show in Harrisburg and saw a stealth fighter (F-117) on the tarmac. What also made this air show unique was this was the first time Russian (not Soviet) military aircraft participated. It was neat to see American and Russian pilots flying side by side, especially considering not many years prior I had trained to “kill a commie for mommy” and had grown up with “better dead then Red” being drummed into me.

Shortly after the attack on the Pentagon I witnessed two armed-to-the-teeth F-16 fighter jets scream over my office at low level near Washington Dulles airport. It gives you chills when you see it.

Everytime I hear the A-10s flying over I go out to watch. They are a neat plane. Too bad the Air Force is trying to retire them in favor of over-priced, too fast jets. The A-10 is a wonderful plane with a very special mission - protecting the ground troops against armored vehicles. That thing is one hell of a tank killer. It can turn a column of armored vehicles in a smoldering pile of swiss cheese in one brief pass. I have seen battle damaged A-10s fly back missing one engine and 2/3rds of a wing, yet they still make it. The pilots sit in a “tub” of titanium armor. Many of their pilots are female as well.

Do you think it’s even remotely possible that one could have flown over Stewartstown? Since you seem to be up on that sort of stuff.

DODGER22 - 09 April 2008 09:12 PM

Does anyone remember seeing a STEALTH pass overhead in Stewartstown, I guess maybe 2 years ago or less? I thought I was seeing things and had to ask someone I know in the military if it was even possible.  They said it was possible for practice runs occasionally, but obviously it was the wildest thing I ever saw. At first I thought it was a spacecraft - alien type. Then I thought I was losing my mind. I love planes and run out to see those planes you were all talking about almost every time.

The stealth or whatever it’s officially called was quiet and seemed low, but just big and black and took up alot of sky from my vantage point. It’ was in the early evening, but not dark out. I was so overcome by the sight, I couldn’t run to get any family member in time to tell them what I saw. But I don’t know of anyone else that saw it as of now.

Yes, I saw that B-2. First time in person and what a sight. I don’t recall the exact reason - an air show in Atlantic City or Martins or the Academy or even if it was for the Pocono or Pennsylvania 500 Nascar Race, but it was in the news that it would be around. Don’t think that a plane flying over Stewartstown cant be part of a deal in the Poconos, Martins or Atlantic City. When coordinating these shows planes are coming and going from all over and they often put them in distant patterns until its their time. Also remember that these things, amongst other military aircraft can really cover some ground. An example....An F-18 can fly from Washington DC to Pittsburgh in less than 8 minutes if it wants to....with speed to spare. Something like that could do wonders for my commute!

Well thank goodness for that! At least I do have someone who saw it too! Thanks for mentioning it. Did you think it was odd to see one around here?

We’ll, they’re around I guess.  I saw a B1 at Dover, and I’m sure the B2 has been at various airshows / demos etc…

At Dover a few years ago, the B1 did a pass, and then came back around supersonic. 

Totally awesome.

DODGER22 - 10 April 2008 07:50 PM

Well thank goodness for that! At least I do have someone who saw it too! Thanks for mentioning it. Did you think it was odd to see one around here?

It is not really odd to see one, but not typical I would think.  I have seen them at a couple of NASCAR races.  A couple of years back they flew over 2 B-52’s flying what I believe they call “dirty” with the landing gear down and bomb bays open.  It was the loudest thing I have ever heard and then they flew back over at a very high speed with everything closed up.  They were moving fast, but it seemed like they were just floating they were so huge!

The Stealths are so quick that it may have been on its way to an airshow or just on manuevers and you were lucky enough to see it.

The B52 is an enormously capable aircraft that has been around since before most of us were born.  I am constantly in awe of them.

The B2 isnt particularly fast, but it is quiet, and will leave very little exhaust trail in the sky.  For those of you that have seen it.  Seen the size.  To a radar, it appears to be an object the size of a nickle.  .01M^2.  When I was in the military, the missile guidance radars could track it, and possibly hit it, but it had to be located by the search radars, and you had to be able to maintain lock.  Not an easy thing.

The B1’s are another fantastic plane.  But they were designed for a pretty specific mission.  To rush into the soviet union, toss out a bunch of nukes, and then rush out again.  Very high performance supersonic bomber. 

A10’s are simply fantastic.  Low, slow, heavily armored.  Huge gun.  Notice the engines are mounted above the wings.  Gives them more protection from ground fire.  The gun itself is tilted downward in the frame.  So the plane can be flying level and still shoot objects on the ground. 

Can you tell I love airplanes?

JustPlainC - 11 April 2008 08:01 AM

The B52 is an enormously capable aircraft that has been around since before most of us were born.  I am constantly in awe of them.

The B2 isnt particularly fast, but it is quiet, and will leave very little exhaust trail in the sky.  For those of you that have seen it.  Seen the size.  To a radar, it appears to be an object the size of a nickle.  .01M^2.  When I was in the military, the missile guidance radars could track it, and possibly hit it, but it had to be located by the search radars, and you had to be able to maintain lock.  Not an easy thing.

The B1’s are another fantastic plane.  But they were designed for a pretty specific mission.  To rush into the soviet union, toss out a bunch of nukes, and then rush out again.  Very high performance supersonic bomber. 

A10’s are simply fantastic.  Low, slow, heavily armored.  Huge gun.  Notice the engines are mounted above the wings.  Gives them more protection from ground fire.  The gun itself is tilted downward in the frame.  So the plane can be flying level and still shoot objects on the ground. 

Can you tell I love airplanes?

Isn’t the specific mission of the A10 that of a “Tank Killer”?  I always remember them flying over Baltimore from the ANG Wing at Martin State Airport.

Yes, I can tell you love airplanes. As do I, although not near as educated in them. I did get to fly, with the help of an instructor, a small plane out of a little airport in York. I was able to take my two kids with me and my husband filmed it. I would love to get my pilots lic. one day, but private school for the kids, and college on the horizon....it’ll have to wait until I’m old, no doubt. HA HA.

It cost $100 and was worth every penny to sit in the pilot’s seat and be able to take off and land and fly over York like we did. Truly a wonderful experience. It’s a huge down play from the plains mentioned above, but thrilling just the same.

Maybe one day......

markG - 03 April 2008 08:45 AM

I see the 130’s and A10’s a couple of times a week flying around here too.  The first time I saw the 130’s there were about 5 of them at night, and I thought they were flying saucers.  They were almost wing tip to wing tip and they were so big they looked like they were just hovering.  A neat site for sure!  It also seems like the A10’s get a bit frisky sometimes and fly a bit lower at high speeds and that is really cool too.

Hovering, yea that is what it looks like. I spent a few days in St. Joseph Missouri across the river from a C-130 base. When they came in to land I would swear someone had them on a string.

Once in the Phillipines, I saw a C5 Galaxy take of from the Navy Air field at Subic Bay.  Imagine the bay as a gigantic bowl with outlets to the ocean.  The sides are pretty steep and pretty tall.  The thing seemed to take forever to claw it’s way into the sky.  It seemed to circle around forever trying to get enough altitude and speed to top the cliffs.