Need Help with plane ID over Jedi / R-2508 Complex

Last week I was at Jedi. Towards the end of the day (May 2 at about 1645) a twin engine propeller aircraft overflew the Canyon heading West towards Saline and the Sidewinder low level area. It appeared to be between 20,000 feet give or take.

Twin engine turboprop
high mounted wing
Sensor ball towards the front?
leading edge of one wing painted black to avoid sensor interference?
conventional tail and elevators

I ran it by Zaphod and he thought it might be an Antonov. The -26 has a boxy rear but the 24 does not. Anybody have an idea?

The shot was made with a D7500 using 400mm ISO 4000 F-8 and 1/6400




PS a big Jedi post coming soon

Both the antanov 24 and 26, by going what google images shows me the engine pods stick out from the rear of the wings. It also seems too long and pointy if that makes sense. Are you sure the wings are mounted high ? They look like they are attached to the lower part of the fuselage

This has me stumped, seems too large for a one off prototype? The usual sites would have lit up by now.

Doesn't match anything I can think of, first I thought Saab 2000 but the tail is wrong but it seems to be that general size maybe a tad smaller.

Il-114 sized? wing shape doesn't match, also as stated above looks low wing to me?

Intrigued big time.

Doesn't look like an Antonov.. the sensor bulb's could be for capturing pictures.. maybe for intel mapping

a reply to: FredT

Fokker F-27? F-50 maybe?

a reply to: 35Foxtrot

Horizontal stabs are swept, nacelles do not protrude the trailing edges.

Really stumped here.

Looks like an Embraer to me.

a reply to: JIMC5499

Most Embraer turboprops are T-tails. The ones that aren't are pretty small.

Fairchild RC-26B

upload.wikimedia.org...

A small note, the nacelles are very forward of the wing and with the placement of the exhaust on the under side that to me means the main gear retracts convetionally into the wingbox and not the nacelles otherwise it would be way too far forward.

Really narrows it down to uh.. still no clue.

Did you visit aparallel universe?

a reply to: moebius

Found an underside photo, pretty much everything is a match well done.

Fairchild Metro III or C-26 Metroliner:

I also ruled out a C295 as there is no bulge in the fuselage.

AN-124?

a reply to: FredT

Boeing A320 with twin turbine jet bypass prop engines !!!

Sorry couldnt resist. I would be very surprised if Zaph does not know what it is. Maybe he is just yanking our chains

a reply to: nelloh62

We had exactly one C-26 that came through Hickam occasionally. I completely forgot the damn things existed.

a reply to: Sammamishman

Anaheim Sewer Pipe.

The Wikipedia page says the RC-26 is used for drug interdiction by the Coast Guard.

a reply to: face23785

Navy Test Pilot School at China Lake just got one.

A little detail I found
RC-26B

The RC-26B is a highly mobile intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform for use in counter-drug and counter narco-terrorism operations. It also provides mission support for US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), US Northern Command (NORTHCOM), the Department of Homeland Security, and the United States Secret Service supporting national special security events, crisis/disaster response, maritime patrol, homeland defense, and the Global War on Terrorism.

The RC-26B features a small logistics footprint that can rapidly deploy in support of counter-drug and contingency operations. The RC-26B aircraft are operated by the Air National Guard and include a crew of 2 pilots and a missions system operator. Typically there is a law enforcement official or other agency representative on the aircraft to direct the operation and ensure mission requirements are met. The highly trained RC-26B aircrews have backgrounds in almost every military aviation platform and effectively bridge the gap between Department of Defense and civil authorities. This service is provided at no cost to Law Enforcement Agencies.

I believe this is it

alert5.com...

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