Seen Over Your House Today

Rick Lowe · October 12, 2025, 11:19:00 AM

I'm hearing The Twilight Zone theme...

Rheged · October 21, 2025, 09:00:16 AM

At 11 am today, a real live Hercules at about 1000 feet, trundling southwards. Couldn't see whose it was, but 10 minutes later, a swarm of Texans heading west.

Mossie · October 22, 2025, 12:58:15 PM

Not over anywhere, but this 'helicopter' can be found at a company HOTA that does safety training, especially for offshore rigs. It seems to be based on van body, not sure which?
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kerick · October 22, 2025, 01:34:39 PM

Does that thing fly?!
It looks like a bunch of spare parts jammed together!

Mossie · October 22, 2025, 02:13:24 PM

I'd be impressed if it does! Just a mock up for safety training I believe.

Old Wombat · October 22, 2025, 07:25:56 PM

Definitely a delivery/cargo van of some ilk, possibly a Bedford but it could be anything. Maybe a vehicle expert could identify it from the doors & door handles but I can't,

PR19_Kit · October 23, 2025, 03:32:17 AM

It's not a Bedford CF. CFs didn't have sliding side doors aft of the drivers compartment, the sliders were options on the front doors, but the rear side doors were hinged at the front end, and that 'chopper' looks like it has a sliding rear door.

Trust me, I had a CF at one time.

The A post is a bit thick for a Ford Transit too, so I'm no sure what it came from.

Old Wombat · October 23, 2025, 05:22:45 AM

Having fallen down a rabbit hole of curiousity, the closest vehicles I could find were;

the 1981 Toyota Hiace:

the 1984 Mitsubishi L300;

but the best fit was the Suzuki Carry (built & sold in the UK as the Bedford Rascal, built & sold in Australia as the Holden Scurry);

PR19_Kit · October 23, 2025, 09:17:37 AM

Yes, I think you nailed that one Womby, well done.

Sure looks like a Rascal.

Rick Lowe · October 23, 2025, 11:27:37 AM

The 'Scurry' - raised a smile for the morning, thanks.

kerick · October 23, 2025, 07:15:15 PM

I go with the doors for sure. The front windshield looks like it's been move out at the bottom. That nose job looks crazy!

Rheged · October 28, 2025, 02:21:46 PM

At about 5 this afternoon, an A400M flying southwards at a very low height; 10 minutes later a second A400M (or possibly the first one having circled round out of sight) this time flying eastwards apparently out of Wales, again at about 750 to 1000 feet above me.

Andrew Gorman · October 28, 2025, 05:52:23 PM

A repeat, but rigid airship pathfinder 1 heading home near one of my work sites. Home is a WWII US Navy blimp hangar. Just out of sight is the newly re-sided Air Dock built for the USS Macon. The original siding was Red Label Robertson Protected Metal, a great product for hard service locations- galvanized corrugated metal, protected by a layer of asbestos felt saturated with tar and fireproofed with PCBs.

kerick · October 28, 2025, 07:45:09 PM

No wondered it lasted so long. It probably took 30 years to get the permits to replace it!

Andrew Gorman · October 28, 2025, 07:52:39 PM

That was pretty much it! Once identified as the source of PCB hits around the base, it was considered for demolition, a seal coat was applied to the exterior, the sheathing stripped off and it sat as a skeletal frame until google agreed to pay for the re-skin. Details are at:
https://www.nasa.gov/history/hangar-one-restoration-project/