Flightradar24 Interesting Finds

[RobertN]

I do not have a specific screen capture, but flight radar had lots of planes flying out of McClellan (former USAF base, Sacramento) on fires the last week or so. There's even a Tanker out of Australia up here for our summer.

https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/181488/Bulletin-Poster-Liftout-LAT.pdf

Yes, all of you mid-west and east coast firefighter, if you call for a Tanker out here(N. Calif), you'll get aircraft responding with up to 9000 gal of retardant... What you call Tankers we call Tenders... Not sure why there seems to be an east/west change in some fire service nomenclature...

 

[bcp]

Bruce

 

[dodge man]

We’ve had a lot of crop dusters flying around us, crazy to watch their flight path. A picture of one I got a few days ago. We have a life flight helicopter that flys over us all the time. Why doesn’t it show up on flight trader.

 

[MossRoad]

Probably doesn't have a transponder turned on.

 

[MossRoad]

Some good reading on transponders...

FAA Transponder Requirements Explained - Pilot Institute

Today we'll explain everything you need to know about transponder requirements. It's an essential part of an aircraft's avionics system.

pilotinstitute.com

 

[BigBlue1]

They spray the field around our house some years. Our 10 acres are basically the inside of a 'U' with fields on 3 sides and a road on the other. So we get a lot of flyovers and close runs. I have a cool video but apparently you can't just post an MP4 file without hosting it somewhere. Oh well.

 

[dmccarty]

There has been quite a bit of offshore air activity off VA and NC. Lots of T38's, adversarial aircraft, tankers, antisub and Lear Jets doing something. Also seen C2 cargo planes heading offshore that disappear and then reappear. Gee, what could be out there? I think the USS Truman is working up for deployment.

 

[bmaverick]

Still getting a few stragglers out of the EAA airshow out of Oshkosh. For the past two weeks, enjoyed so much plan spotting in the sky. Even the MiG going over. Seen 2 F35 lightning II as well. A few vintage PT-22 and a 1931 Buhl Bull Pup.

Sunday was too cloudy, but I had several bigger aircraft go over head with loud engines moving slow. I know the airshow had some heavies there too.

AirshowStuffVideos

AirshowStuff.com is your source for airshow and aviation news and media, including photos, videos, on-board footage, and more!

www.youtube.com

 

[RobertN]

Lot of Tankers flying in the west. The Park Fire had 12-14 flying for a few days, from small CalFire planes to the 10Tanker DC-10's. 737 out of Australia has been flying a lot on the fires; NSW-RFD (New South Wales Rural Fire) Tanker-210 purchased from Coulson.

I do a search in FlightRadar24 for "TKR". By afternoon time on the west coast, you'll see Tankers, conditions allowing.

 

[dmccarty]

I think this C130 is a hurricane hunter checking out Debbie. Going 180 knot and at 2125 feet.

 

[bcp]

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live - aircraft flight history

globe.adsbexchange.com

ANTONOV An-124 in Portland, OR

Bruce

 

[bcp]

AN-124 headed north.

Tracking:

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live - aircraft flight history

globe.adsbexchange.com

Inside view:



Bruce

 

[RobertN]

AN-124 headed north.

View attachment 1040483

Tracking:

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live - aircraft flight history

globe.adsbexchange.com

Inside view:
View attachment 1040484


Bruce

The AN225 came in to Sacramento/Mather a few times bringing rockets to Aerojet in Rancho Cordova. Amazing in flight; too bad it was so badly damaged in Ukraine by Russians.

 

[bcp]

The AN225 came in to Sacramento/Mather a few times bringing rockets to Aerojet in Rancho Cordova. Amazing in flight; too bad it was so badly damaged in Ukraine by Russians.

https://simpleflying.com/antonov-an-225-rebuild-update/

Bruce

 

[caver]

Likely spraying cotton defoliant. Current snap shot north of New Madrid MO

 

[34Willys]

Had a B-29 fly over yesterday morning about 11am heading south.
Stepped outside and heard round engine music. Looked up and saw a 4 engine I figured was a DC-6 fire bomber, but the reflection of the fuselage was intense.
Went back in the house to check the app, and there it was. It had left Seattle, but no destination.
Pat

 

[bcp]

Had a B-29 fly over yesterday morning about 11am heading south.
Stepped outside and heard round engine music. Looked up and saw a 4 engine I figured was a DC-6 fire bomber, but the reflection of the fuselage was intense.
Went back in the house to check the app, and there it was. It had left Seattle, but no destination.
Pat

View attachment 1380401

I was outside about when it would have gone over. Maybe not within hearing, but maybe visual.

I've seen hundreds, probably. Used to spend summers in the late 1940's under the flight pattern for March Field. My uncle taught me how to distinguish B-29's from B-50's.

Bruce

 

[bcp]

Here is a KB-50 fueling a mixed group. The B-50 has the large scoops under the engines, which look a little farther forward, but not sure about that without checking.

This is a KB-50J, with two additional jet engines.

Bruce

 

[34Willys]

I'd not heard of the B-50.
Those look like early P&W JT-3 jet engines. Where they used as JATO, or for more altitude, both?
I'll have to check it out.
Man, I love the aircraft of the 40's/50's!
Pat

 

[bcp]

KB-50J data:

Boeing KB-50J - Pima Air & Space

Boeing KB-50J Superfortress The Boeing B-50 began as an upgrade to the highly successful B-29. However, the large number of changes made, new engines, modified wings, and a larger tail being just a few, resulted in a new designation for the aircraft. The first aircraft entered service in 1947...

pimaair.org

Boeing KB-50 - The Aviation Zone

Overview

www.theaviationzone.com

From other sites:
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In 1957, jet engines were added to boost the aircraft to safer speeds while refueling faster jet aircraft. Those that received jet engines were dubbed KB-50Js.
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Top speed 444mph.
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Two 5,200-pound-thrust jet engines enhanced the B-50’s speed when it was converted to the hose-type KB-50 aerial tanker, so it could refuel jet aircraft flying at 400 mph. Some KB-50s served until 1965 and were in action during the Vietnam conflict as refueling tankers.
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Bruce