Is this USAF’s 4,602mph HYPERSONIC warplane? Google Earth snaps mystery craft in Florida

www.dailystar.co.uk ^ | Published 11th January 2018 | By Simon Green

[IYAS9YAS]

Found a picture here:

That's not the one I remember. I could swear it was really a round UFO-type model. The only one I could find like what I remember was made in the mid 1990s, and came with a little green alien, and I know the one I built was in the late 1980s, and was supposed to be like a two seat UFO for the Air Force. I could also swear it was named Aurora...

I could be misremembering some of it, though (possibly the Aurora name), it was 30 years ago at this point.

[kosciusko51]

Aurora

[Seruzawa]

I seem to remember one like that. I glanced at it in a store. Can’t remember the company. I thought Revell, but who knows after all these years? I mostly build WWII stuff anyhow so wasn’t all that interested. I do remember reading though how the DoD from time to time got freaked out by the quality of model companies’ spy networks. Lol.

[doorgunner69]

Certainly not a secure operation. Spent some time at a place called Grey Butte in the SoCal desert. Inside the building was a huge board with all the satellite overflight times for the day, lest anyone need a reminder when to cover up or pull it in.

[Keyhopper]

That’s one of hem new stealth planes.

[Keyhopper]

I doubt it’s anything top secret being that close to a road.
And photos wouldn’t be a good idea

[TXnMA]

"That is a model on what is clearly a radar cross section measurement range."

Spot on, @Doorgunner69!.

Since you've gone ahead and "outed" it, here are some observations that I had "on 'loose lips' hold":

• There is a multiple-dish antenna array aimed down the length of that "short runway".

• There are (surveyed-in) yellow diamond "target sites" on the centerline at 0.25 miles and 0.5 miles from the antenna array.

• The 0.5 mile range site shows signs (vehicle tracks) of frequent use.

• The 0.5 mile site appears to have an elevated pylon for mounting test objects.

• In the parking area near the "???objects" there are "cherry picker", towing, hoist, and forklift vehicles that could be used for transporting test objects and mounting them on the test pylon.

There isn't much "stealthy" about the evidence that testing of scale models of "stealth" designs is taking place at this site.

DISCLAIMER: Anyone with Google Earth and reasonable observation ability could see the above -- and what follows...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In addition,

• The only ground access to the above RRTS is a road that leads to a facility 1.4 miles to the south, with a (lightly-used) 1.25 mile long E-W (9[0]/27[0] runway.

• At the east end of the runway there is a [Sikorsky?] facility with some emphasis on helicopters (multiple circular 'H' sites) -- with what appears to be a Blackawk parked just short of one "Stop & Hold" line.

• There is a civilian[?] chopper parked toward the east end of the facility, and what appears to be an incomplete (sans rotors) Sea[?]Hawk parked near what appears to be a fire[?} damaged building.

• On the east end of the facility is what appears to be a frequently-used ramp (with roll-up stairs) for executive aircraft.

• To the northeast of that facility is what appear to be some sort of very complex test range...

Overall, a fairly interesting site -- but probably not nearly as much fun as the one just across the "Beeline Highway" -- with:

• ...a well-used drag strip.

• a road course -- with what appears to be...

• ...a high performance driving training school -- with performance sedans & SUVs and seventeen [17] Formula [?] open-wheel racing cars visible -- and...

• ...what appears to be a very complex (and fun) [?Go-Kart?] road course... '-)

---

@Alas Babylon! -- thanks for the coordinates!!

Must admit: Google Earth is one of my indulgences... '-)

[TXnMA]

Beaucoup $$$$$ setting idle at that little William P Gwinn Airport in Jupiter! ‘-)

[Alas Babylon!]

A street view of the Palm Beach Raceway shows it has a mud bog and drag racing, too! Even got grandstands for them.

[Alas Babylon!]

Google Earth street view shows there’s a gate with Jersey barricades across the entry on Hwy 710.

[doorgunner69]

Here is an aerial shot of what the McD-Douglas RCS range at Gray Butte used to look like in my day. The target cover came later, probably saved a lot of work covering up the shapes.

It is run by General Atomics these day for Predator testing.

[TXnMA]

Yep, the mud bog's there. I saw it, but passed over it -- thinking it was an abandoned Kart course that had been bulldozed.

I did mention the dragstrip -- but didn't mention that they drive some hot stuff there, The rubber lay-down area extends for the entire 1/4 mile! (Still laying rubber as they go thru the timing light trap!!)

Do you have any idea what class those 17 identical open-wheel race cars are?

[TXnMA]

Thanks!!