Planes over Omaha / Council Bluffs / Crescent

I was driving northbound on I-80 by the quest center on Friday Feb 28th about 10:30AM and seen four planes flying north. I am thinking they were over Crescent Iowa. I could see them clearly from my vantage on I-80 by the quest. As I got over the river and started heading north I lost sight of them. With Offut so close this was no big deal other than the fact that they looked like really big bombers. I mean these planes were very large. I am used to seeing large planes landing at epply but these were massive. I could clearly see the outline of the planes and if I was an artist I could draw them but since I am not I found a picture on google that shows what best represents the shape of the planes. The other thing that seems odd to me is that they were flying so close to Epply. And there were other planes in the area. Doesnt that seem odd. I mean arent they supposed to leave so much room between the planes? As I got to Crescent I could no longer see them. Please tell me that someone else out there seen these things. Let me know ATS if you can provide any info. Just want to make sure I am not crazy.




www.airforce-technology.com...

reply to post by WesternIowaParanormal


C-130s fly in groups all the time. They airdrop troops and equipment. They also land on short unpaved airstrips. Sometimes they're moving equipment together, other times they're just training formation flying.

Or perhaps participating in a troop movement out of country?

reply to post by WesternIowaParanormal


I was kid n=living near Norton Air Base in San Bernardino California during the Vietnam war. I used to watch the these type of aircraft take off so close that you would think they would hit each other. One time I watched 50 or so take off one after another in about 1968-69 it took all of about one hour for all of them to get into the air. As a kid it was awesome.

reply to post by stirling


Going that far they usually use one of the bigger birds, or a charter flight instead of a C-130. Even the J model -130 is slow and noisy. They could pack them into a C-17, or KC-135, or even a chartered commercial flight and get there a day or even two ahead of what a C-130 could do.

reply to post by Zaphod58


There is a Air National Guard unit in Lincoln that maintains a squadron of KC135s. Also, Offutt is the hub of all intelligence activity related to the RC135 Ball Rivot aircraft and other models such as Rivot Joint. It has a specially designed black wing that prevents shadowing when taking pictures. It measures the trajectory of a missile and is constantly in the air when the Koreans fire off their arsenal. Its mission order comes directly through the Pentagon with no interference of Wing or MAJCOM Chain of Command. The aircraft has 21 seat operators that spy/monitor on everything from internet to radio frequencies. Offutt has an intelligence command center for the President where he cannot operate in large underground bunkers. Its not surprising to see the most secret missions come out of that base.

reply to post by declair


I've been past the base at Lincoln a number of times, and seen the -135s out there, even some F-16s.

Only the Cobra Ball (RC-135S) has the black wing. The different types have different missions, and Cobra Ball is the one that has the cameras on board. They're pretty interesting aircraft on board, a lot of "I could tell you, but then I'd have to shoot you" type of stuff goes on with those birds.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Yes, I've been on them several times always more mystified each time I see the rows of electronics. Just mind boggling!

Thank you all so much for the comments. I am not 100% sure this was the exact plane seen just best represents what I seen. I was hoping someone else seen the as well. I was more confounded by the flight path and formation than anything.

reply to post by WesternIowaParanormal


It's the only one flying around that looks like that, so if that's even close to what you saw, then they were C-130s. The only thing is figuring out the model, which you really can't do well without getting a good look, including at the propellers, which obviously are spinning too fast to see.

stirling
Or perhaps participating in a troop movement out of country?

From Omaha? Out of country in Dirty Hercs? Maybe to Canada or Mexico...lol

C-130's land pretty much anywhere they need to...for actual missions, training and emergencies,

reply to post by Zaphod58


The Russian AN-12 is pretty similar to the C-130.

OMG! The Ukraine was a ruse! It's Red Dawn! They're here!

WesternIowaParanormal
I was driving northbound on I-80 by the quest center on Friday Feb 28th about 10:30AM and seen four planes flying north. I am thinking they were over Crescent Iowa. I could see them clearly from my vantage on I-80 by the quest. As I got over the river and started heading north I lost sight of them. With Offut so close this was no big deal other than the fact that they looked like really big bombers. I mean these planes were very large. I am used to seeing large planes landing at epply but these were massive. I could clearly see the outline of the planes and if I was an artist I could draw them but since I am not I found a picture on google that shows what best represents the shape of the planes. The other thing that seems odd to me is that they were flying so close to Epply. And there were other planes in the area. Doesnt that seem odd. I mean arent they supposed to leave so much room between the planes? As I got to Crescent I could no longer see them. Please tell me that someone else out there seen these things. Let me know ATS if you can provide any info. Just want to make sure I am not crazy.




www.airforce-technology.com...

The USAF uses three different strategic bombers, the B-52, the B-1, and the B-2. None of these are propeller driven, and none even come close to resembling the aircraft that you have pictured. C-130's can be used for a lot of different missions, but most involve carry cargo, or being used as a gunship.

BubbaJoe
The USAF uses three different strategic bombers, the B-52, the B-1, and the B-2. None of these are propeller driven, and none even come close to resembling the aircraft that you have pictured. C-130's can be used for a lot of different missions, but most involve carry cargo, or being used as a gunship.

The C-130 is the only aircraft that can currently drop the MOAB...so in a sense, you can add...um, BC-130 to the list?

Just sayin'

WesternIowaParanormal
I was driving northbound on I-80 by the quest center on Friday Feb 28th about 10:30AM and seen four planes flying north. I am thinking they were over Crescent Iowa. I could see them clearly from my vantage on I-80 by the quest. As I got over the river and started heading north I lost sight of them. With Offut so close this was no big deal other than the fact that they looked like really big bombers. I mean these planes were very large. I am used to seeing large planes landing at epply but these were massive. I could clearly see the outline of the planes and if I was an artist I could draw them but since I am not I found a picture on google that shows what best represents the shape of the planes. The other thing that seems odd to me is that they were flying so close to Epply. And there were other planes in the area. Doesnt that seem odd. I mean arent they supposed to leave so much room between the planes? As I got to Crescent I could no longer see them. Please tell me that someone else out there seen these things. Let me know ATS if you can provide any info. Just want to make sure I am not crazy.


www.airforce-technology.com...

Having spent 13 years at Offut (and I still live in Omaha today), it's very common for other military aircraft to transit in, transit out, and transit over the top of the base. Actually it's pretty common at any USAF base that conducts flight operations. So I would definitely say you're not crazy. On any given day, I see all types of aircraft heading out from the base, but my vantage point from work is looking to the northwest. As far as flying close to Eppley, don't forget aircraft operate in three dimensions and as long as they adhere to their altitude guidance, no problem.

Vince

reply to post by WesternIowaParanormal


This is not unusual for Offutt.

Due to it's mid-western location and it's large flightline, Offutt is often used as a refueling station.

When I was stationed there many years ago, bombers, fighters and foreign planes were always stopping to refuel. One time the Canadian equivalent to the Air Force Thunderbirds did a fly over on their way out.

declair
reply to post by Zaphod58

 

There is a Air National Guard unit in Lincoln that maintains a squadron of KC135s. Also, Offutt is the hub of all intelligence activity related to the RC135 Ball Rivot aircraft and other models such as Rivot Joint. It has a specially designed black wing that prevents shadowing when taking pictures. It measures the trajectory of a missile and is constantly in the air when the Koreans fire off their arsenal. Its mission order comes directly through the Pentagon with no interference of Wing or MAJCOM Chain of Command. The aircraft has 21 seat operators that spy/monitor on everything from internet to radio frequencies. Offutt has an intelligence command center for the President where he cannot operate in large underground bunkers. Its not surprising to see the most secret missions come out of that base.

I think you mean Cobra Ball for the photo bird. There was only one Rivet Ball and it ran off the runway at Shemya back in 1969, and had to be scrapped. The replacement S model aircraft are the Cobra Ball aircraft. I spent my entire military career working RC-135s but I will spare you the long winded rambling I like to do about them.

Just curious though about the comment that Offutt has an intel command center for the president. That kind of trivializes it. Offutt was the home of Strategic Air Command Headquarters and its successor today, US Strategic Command. The command center in Building 500, the headquarters building, is a massive 4 story underground command post that's fully hardened and capable of directing a nuclear engagement.

Vince