Over Stead

[Leo]

Anyone else living out here see a big twin over Stead about 4:30 yesterday? It could have been an E-2 but it sure looked like an S-2 with a radome. I did not think any Tracers were flying, and I am certain of the radome on top.
I could not hear it as I was driving north on 395 and it was too far away for a pos ID from a moving car I was supposed to be in control of, and the distraction of my wife panicked by my actions was not helpful. If Nevada's finest had been around I would have had plenty of time to ID it as i did a field test and tried to explain why I was all over the road...
By the time I had the ability to go back out there it was dark.
I hope to cruise by tonight and hope to see it if weather and that same panicked wife permits.

[deepsky]

Re: Over Stead

Hi Leo.

My wife also saw it. Of coarse she wouldn't know an S-2 from a 747 so she wasn't any help.

[Leo]

Re: Over Stead

Whatever it was, it was gone Wed. night.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Over Stead

A few days ago I saw an E-2 fly low overhead, in the landing pattern for Moffett, big radome, quad tails and all.

Maybe stopping for a re-fueling during a flight from a carrier to an inland base? We get a lot of those, being so close to the coast.

Wonder if it was the same E-2? Possible, as they are very rarely seen round here. F-18s and C-130s making stop-overs are far more common in the south bay skies these days, and even those appear infrequently.

[Leo]

Re: Over Stead

It probably was an E-2. I don't think any Tracers are flying (who would want one?) and all things considered...
I would wonder why Stead vs. Reno, unless it was just some kind of practice, circuits and bumps or sumpin'.

[Dialtapper]

Re: Over Stead

It probably was an E-2. I don't think any Tracers are flying (who would want one?) and all things considered...
I would wonder why Stead vs. Reno, unless it was just some kind of practice, circuits and bumps or sumpin'.

Who would want one? You ever flew one?

There very cool. I just couldn't afford to feed one.

[Leo]

Re: Over Stead

No. Basing it on the figuring that big bulb HAD to have an effect on the way it flys. Why go with it vs. the Tracker?
Plus the factor of dealing with finding, repairing or building a flyable radome, little parts commonality in the tail section, it would seem about as practical as converting an Avenger to an EW configuration.

[Inverted]

Re: Over Stead

Could have easily been an E-2c that was on det to Fallon going enroute or going to stead for some touch and goes maybe.