From: PHARABOD@FRCPN11.IN2P3.FR
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Fireball over The Netherlands Wasn't
Date: 1 Sep 92 12:44:25 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.BtwGr1.FKp.1
Distribution: sci
Organization: [via International Space University]
X-Added: Forwarded by Space Digest
Original-Sender: isu@VACATION.VENARI.CS.CMU.EDU

Regarding the August 19, 1992, event over The Netherlands, Harm Munk
writes (Mon, 31 Aug 1992 07:42:08 GMT):

>So, what was it? Rumours in the newspapers suggested that it was that
>highly secretive airplane that Lockeed is developing for the DoD: the
>two stage get to orbit plane (like DynaSoar and Saenger ?). Now,
>this plane has been sighted in the US a few times.

Here is an article from Aviation Week & Space Technology, August 24, 1992,
about this "highly secretive airplane":

RECENT SIGHTINGS OF XB-70-LIKE AIRCRAFT REINFORCE 1990 REPORTS FROM
EDWARDS AREA
William B. Scott/Lancaster,Calif.
  A large aircraft having a planform reminiscent of the Air Force/North
American XB-70 supersonic bomber of the 1960s has been seen flying on
the U.S. East and West coasts over the last two years.
  Two recent detailed reports of large, light-colored, XB-70 like
aircraft - one in Georgia and the other in California's Mojave desert -
provided new data that reinforce past sightings near Edwards AFB, Calif.
Since September, 1990, residents of Mojave, Calif., and workers at
Edwards AFB have seen a large, delta-shaped, light-colored aircraft
flying in the area. A total of five separate sightings of this vehicle
has been reported to AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY.
  Observers said they first saw a large, primarily delta-shaped aircraft
at night during the summer of 1990. On Sept. 13, 1990, and Oct. 3, 1990,
the same type of aircraft was seen flying near Mojave, Calif., in the
late evening. Mojave is about 16 naut. mi. northwest of Edwards AFB.
  The dusk sightings yielded descriptions and sketches of the aircraft
planform, nose and main landing gear door locations, leading edge
tile-like patterns, and lightings layout. Observers consistently
reported a red light beneath the nose, amber lights near the delta's
wingtips, and a white light between the main gear doors.
  Engine noise associated with the aircraft seen on Sept. 19 was
described as a low-pitched rumble. However, noise from two chase
aircraft - one was an F-16, the other was not identified - may have
combined with that of the large aircraft, distorting the latter's
sound. Afterburner flames from twin exhaust ports located under the
wing trailing edge and immediately outboard of the aircraft centerline
during the Oct. 3 sighting.
CLUES ABOUT POSSIBLE MISSION
  A similar aircraft was seen in April, 1991, at about 11 a.m., flying
north of Edwards AFB at an estimated altitude of 5,000-10,000 ft. An
observer said it was large - dwarfing an F-16 chasing it - and was
light colored, possibly white.
  Independent sightings this year produced detailed sketches that
correlate well with earlier ones and provide additional clues about
the aircraft's possible mission. The first sighting this year was
near Atlanta, Ga., on May 10. Glenn Emery, now a writer associated
with Cable News Network, said a large, unidentified aircraft was
flying eastbound at about 5 p.m. Because its size was unknown, its
altitude was difficult to judge, but was estimated to be 10,000-
15,000 ft. The vehicle was clearly higher and faster than the airline
traffic descending for landing at Hartsfield Atlanta International
Airport. It was not leaving a contrail.
  He described the aircraft's planform as large, somewhat like an
XB-70, but with a large forward wing or canard. Its dual engines were
"extremely noisy", producing a deep-pitched, perioding beating sound,
he said. Suggestions that he had seen the British Aerospace Concord
or a Beech Starship were discounted by Emery, who said the shape,
size and sound were inconsistent with either of those aircraft.
  Another sighting, on July 12 at 11:45 p.m., occurred near a
Lockheed-operated radar cross section (RCS) test range in the Mojave
desert. Described as an "XB-70-like" shape, the aircraft tuned its
landing lights on while at fairly high altitude, then descended
quickly, following an S-pattern flight track. It made a final turn
at about 200 ft. above a road, crossing less than a mile in front of
a motorist who had watched its descend. Ambient noise masked any
sounds from the aircraft.
  Bright moonlight illuminated the aircraft's upper surfaces, giving
the observer a good look at the planform during the turn. The aircraft
rolled out, presenting a side view as it descended and landed at a
private Helendale airport adjacent to the Lockheed RCS test facility.
  Located about 15 naut. mi. southwest of Barstow, Calif., Helendale
Airfield's three runways are close to civil pilots on current aero-
nautical charts. However, Lockheed aircraft still land there when
shuttling personel between its Burbank site and the RCS facility.
  Although weather was clear and calm at the Helendale field that
night, several thunderstorms were reported in the Las Vegas area and
through the highly classified range complexes in central Nevada.
  Based on observer reports, this unidentified aircraft's features
include:
# Large size, estimated to be close to 200 ft. in length. Observers
near Edwards AFB said the vehicle "dwarfed" F-16 chase aircraft.
# A large aft section with a clipped-delta platform. A narrower,
blended fuselage extends from the delta's vertex forward to a clear-
canopied cockpit and sharp nose. The main delta section has a
prominent, raised spine along the top centerline. Upward-canted
vertical fins rise at each outboard tip of the delta planform.
# A prominent dark line extending longitudinally along part of the
aft raised section. At the aft end of the line, just ahead of the
trailing edge and between the engine nozzles, a broken visual
pattern was seen, but observers could not describe it.
# A forward wing or canard of fairly long spane. The canard, possibly
used only for takeoff, landing and slow-speed regimes, may pivot or
sweep aft for internal stowage during high-speed flight (Some
observers reported a dominant canard, while others did not recall,
suggesting it can be stowed).
# Dual rectangular engine exhaust nozzles at the aircraft's trailing
edge.
# Light-colored top and bottom surfaces, with dark leading and
trailing edges.
  Although the propulsion system is unknown, observers have reported
a "very loud, low-pitched roar" with a rhytmic beat to it. They did
not hear a series of detonations, which have been associated with
high-speed "pulser" vehicles that create "donuts-on-a-rope" contrails
(AW&ST May 11, p. 62)
(end of article)

With this article, there is an "artist's composite" of the craft. It
is said in the caption that "The aircraft configuration suggests a
variety of mission roles, including carriage and high-speed launch of
an unmanned vehicle into orbit". At least this last point should
interest sci.space subscribers !

In the same issue of AW&ST, there are two other related articles:

UNITED 747 CREW REPORTS NEAR-COLLISION WITH MYSTERIOUS SUPERSONIC
AIRCRAFT, by Michael A. Dornheim/Los Angeles.

SECRET AIRCRAFT ENCOMPASSES QUALITIES OF HIGH-SPEED LAUNCHER FOR
SPACECRAFT, by William B. Scott/Lancaster, Calif. (sci.space
subscribers should be interested in this one !)
._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.

Now a few comments.
1) It is not the first time that "large, primarily delta-shaped
   aircrafts" are reported near Edwards AFB. Since the end of 1989,
   a "big wing" has been seen several times over Antelope Valley.
   See AMERICA'S NEW SECRET AIRCRAFT, Popular Mechanics, December
   1991 (I posted this article twice on sci.space, but it seems
   that practically nobody was interested). However, this "big
   wing" was said to be silent, and could hover in any position
   (hence the airship hypothesis). It seems that the XB-70-like
   object goes fast, and is generally noisy.
2) A contributor to the "Skeptical Inquirer" assured me that
   all secret aircraft tests are over the deserts of California
   and Nevada. What was this aircraft doing over Atlanta, Georgia,
   on May 10, (1992 ?).
3) "Large, primarily delta shaped aircrafts" appeared over Belgium
   in November 1989, and have been seen thousands times during about
   two years. Though U.S. citizens are highly civilized (?), I am not
   sure that five U.S. witnesses = some ten thousands Belgian
   witnesses.
4) Though most of time only delta shapes have been seen in Belgium,
   there were a number of reports of "narrower fuselage" and/or "forward
   wing", especially in year 1991. A drawing made by a witness looks like
   the AW&ST "artist's composite". Some Belgian inquirers suggest
   the possibility of composite structures (Lego type).
5) "Large size, estimated to be close to 200 ft. in length." This fits
   well the size of the Belgian object: a triangulation made from one
   of its hovering stations gave: isocele triangle, 50 meters basis,
   55 meters height.
6) Though the Belgian object was generally silent, in some occasions
   very loud roars were reported.
7) It seems that F-16s like very much chasing these objects. In Belgium
   there has been an unsuccessful chase during the night March 30-31,
   1990 (see the Belgian Air Force report I posted on sci.space on
   February 28, 1992). By the way, the Belgian Center of Electronic
   Warfare is still studying the video record of the interception. I
   know a bit more about that, but since my info comes from private
   mails, and since nobody on sci.space seems interested in that, I
   will keep it for myself.
8) As said Harm Munk in his posting,
>And why would the DoD start testing a secret plane outside US territory?

J. Pharabod
Newsgroups: sci.space