Strange sighting last night, north Kent, England

Wednesday, 2nd September, approximately 8.55pm BST (dusk).

First off I'm NOT claiming aliens! Just something that I can't explain (A UFO from my perspective).

Last night I was watching Horizon on the BBC (8pm to 9pm). Towards the end of the show I rolled a cigarette (I keep my tobacco on a dining room table at the back of the house by some patio doors) and became aware of an unusually loud aircraft. Upon opening the patio doors the sound drowned out the TV, so I immediately closed them again (it was an interesting Horizon show) and looked through the glass and saw the strangest thing - an intense orange light, not quite a point light source but very small. I went outside and observed an 'aircraft' travelling roughly from west to east in a position north of my location (north Kent, England)).

Here's the strange part. The sound was three or four times louder than I have heard before, yet the aircraft was a fair distance away. There were no other lights visible except for the intense orange light (as bright as a landing light, brighter than Venus) which was flickering. At first I thought a military jet with afterburners (because of the noise), then an aircraft on fire. After twenty or so seconds the aircraft appeared to climb and disappear into a cloud, and faded away. I never saw it emerge from the other side. That evening was mostly clear skies with an occasional cloud.

Does anyone here know of aircraft which displays intense orange lights with none other visible?

Also, did anyone here living around the Thames Estuary area see anything similar - I fully expected a news report today detailing an air accident, but nada.


Edit to add: There was no smoke behind the aircraft, making an engine fire unlikely.

a reply to: MarsIsRed

None that are in the white world.

a reply to: MarsIsRed

More than likely someone with his afterburners on. Those buggers can really crackle.
It's been really active here in the northwest today, but due to cloud cover, seen zilch, but really close and loud

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: MarsIsRed

None that are in the white world.

But the noise was so loud it's difficult to image this was a black project! It really was LOUD! And sounded exactly like a jet up close, even though it was relatively far away.

a reply to: MarsIsRed

Depending on how high it flies, sound doesn't matter. Go high enough and it doesn't matter how loud it is at takeoff and climb.

Sounds like a rocket. That's kinda scary. We have atmosphere conditions similar to parts of England. There are times when noises are hugely magnified.

Probably nothing out of the ordinary to people who know a lot about the aircrafts...