Interesting Sighting...

For me at least!

Earlier this afternoon, whilst indoors, I thought we had what was a Hercules flying over us (I live in an area used for Military low flying in Yorkshire) so I grabbed the camera and decided to try and grab a shot if I was lucky.
It didn't turn out to be a low and slow Hercules, but instead, up in the Civil Corridor (don't know the altitude except it's bloody high) I spotted the following:

farm4.static.flickr.com...

Now, my civil aircraft knowledge is ropey but am I right in thinking that it's an Antonov An-22? I would've thought these aircraft would be near or certainly past it for their age? If it isn't an An-22, does anyone know what it could be?

Sorry its not a photo of a new super secret hypersonic aircraft, but it is certainly an intriguing sighting for me

Originally posted by RygelUK

Now, my civil aircraft knowledge is ropey but am I right in thinking that it's an Antonov An-22? I would've thought these aircraft would be near or certainly past it for their age? If it isn't an An-22, does anyone know what it could be?

It is an An-22, and I wouldn't necessarily say they are past it for their age - the youngest is 23 years old, and there are plenty of older aircraft flying around

Yes, spot on. Definitely an An 22, over my home county, and I MISSED IT!!!

Hey is this a photoshop or is it really a FB-22, scroll towards the bottom:
www.ausairpower.net...

reply to post by 121200


Nice catch. I can almost 100% say thats a fake. The bay is way 2 long and the F-22 hasn't been field tested with a full load of SBD's as far as I know. But I can tell you that its not the F/B-22. The B version was proposed but cut the same year.

Quick note. Just before I posted I went back to the image and if you hold your mouse over it this pops up "Proposed F/B-22 (Artwork (c) 2003 Carlo Kopp)". I think thats your answer right there. looks like this work was either done by or for Carlo Kopp. Misleading though isn't it?

[edit on 10-12-2008 by Canada_EH]

reply to post by waynos


Yes, I nearly missed it too, I only managed to get a few shots of it before it was out of range of my camera, and that shot I posted was the only one that was usable. The amount of engine noise it was generating really fooled me into thinking it was something much lower and I guess I looked up just at the right moment.

If it's any interest to anyone, the aircraft was on a Westerly heading, the flightpath was over the southern edge of the North Yorkshire Moors.