Google Earth

[Jimbo551]

If you have Google Earth go to

52 degrees 20' 10.93" N

0 degrees 11'43.26" W

This is a Lancaster Bomber from the Battle of Britain Flight over Huntingdon.

Has anyone come across similar, or not to be expected, images on Googel Earth?

[Jimbo551]

There is also a (grounded) A10 at the entrance to the old USAF Airbase at Alconbury at

52 degrees 22' 05.28"N

0 degrees 13' 12.28W

[LaoPo]

Why don't you post a pic ?

LaoPo

[Crossy]

Hmmm, I know some of the google images are quite old but.......

I've seen aircraft on Google Earth before, never anything quite so unusual

Edited January 15, 2007 by Crossy

[Robski]

If I had to guess Crossy I'd say that was the black hole of Calcutta at night under a new moon, or the cupboard under your stairs with the lights off.

[LaoPo]

That's indeed quite a Google Earth pic...

LaoPo

[Jimbo551]

Why don't you post a pic ?

LaoPo

Edited January 15, 2007 by Jimbo551

[Crossy]

If I had to guess Crossy I'd say that was the black hole of Calcutta at night under a new moon, or the cupboard under your stairs with the lights off.

Actually, it was a black cat on a coal stockpile

Better known as a c0ck-up or pilot-error

[Robski]

Ok I see it now. Bl00dy amazing!

[LaoPo]

Why don't you post a pic ?

LaoPo

Hmmm...don't know.

Is it photoshopped ? If not you must be able to see the shadow of the plane if you look from a higher altitude.

I've GE not running at the moment.

Edit:

GE running now; it's odd indeed since I can't see/find any shadow of that plane.

From tip-to-tip of the wings it's approx. 52/53 meters so the shadow must be big and NE of that plane...

Where's that shadow as it's quite sunny the day the pic was taken ?

LaoPo

Edited January 15, 2007 by LaoPo

[Rimmer]

Yep that's a Lancaster all right if not it's part of a ghost flight from WW2

[Crossy]

Your mission chaps, should you decide to accept it, is to locate the rest of the Battle of Britain Flight (Spitfire and Hurricane) on the ground is OK

The location of over 3000 aircraft captured by Google Earth here http://www.googleearthhacks.com/

All_Aircraft_in_Flight.kmz

Edited January 15, 2007 by Crossy

[PhilHarries]

Is it photoshopped ? If not you must be able to see the shadow of the plane if you look from a higher altitude.

I've GE not running at the moment.

LaoPo[/color]

No, it would have been over Berlin if it were.

[Rimmer]

Flash Earth (microsoft VE) generally gives you a better pictures of UK than Google, If the name did not give it away I'd say where is this?

[Tywais]

GE running now; it's odd indeed since I can't see/find any shadow of that plane.

From tip-to-tip of the wings it's approx. 52/53 meters so the shadow must be big and NE of that plane...

Where's that shadow as it's quite sunny the day the pic was taken ?

If you look at the closeup view you will see that the sun is from the Southwest and fairly low in the sky. Look at the right hand forward side of the fuselage you will see it is darker, corresponding with the shadows of the houses.

[Boon Mee]

Insurgents found with Google Earth maps

Zeroing in the mortars in Basra:

"Soldiers from the Royal Green Jackets based at the Basra Palace base said they had considered suing Google Earth if they were injured by mortar rounds that had been directed on the camp by the aerial footage.

"Even if they did blank out the areas where we are based it is a bit after the horse has bolted as the terrorist now have the maps and know exactly where we eat, sleep and go to the toilet," one soldier said"

Bad juju...

[Robski]

Flash Earth (microsoft VE) generally gives you a better pictures of UK than Google, If the name did not give it away I'd say where is this?

Duxford?

[Jimbo551]

Flash Earth (microsoft VE) generally gives you a better pictures of UK than Google, If the name did not give it away I'd say where is this?

Duxford?

RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall for sure.

[Rimmer]

There is also a (grounded) A10 at the entrance to the old USAF Airbase at Alconbury at

52 degrees 22' 05.28"N

0 degrees 13' 12.28W

Why an A10 gate guardian I wonder, Did they have A10's at Alconbury?

I remember the RF4C's the F5E's the U2's and the F15's that were there, but maybe the A10 came after I left UK.

A10 were at Bentwaters and Woodbridge right? Then didn't they have some at Lakenheath?

[pampal]

Insurgents found with Google Earth maps

Zeroing in the mortars in Basra:

"Soldiers from the Royal Green Jackets based at the Basra Palace base said they had considered suing Google Earth if they were injured by mortar rounds that had been directed on the camp by the aerial footage.

"Even if they did blank out the areas where we are based it is a bit after the horse has bolted as the terrorist now have the maps and know exactly where we eat, sleep and go to the toilet," one soldier said"

Bad juju...

The Iran Iraq border was an area where the zoom function in Google earth didn't work for a long time. It has been updated somewhat, so now you can see all the gun emplacements and fixed battle lines used in that tragic war.

But google earth is, most assuredly a tool that can be used for good and bad.

[leisurely]

Blimey, the Huntingdon and Alconbury pictures brought back some happy memories.

I am still unable to show our daughters where they were born as Google earth won't let me zoom in

[Rimmer]

Blimey, the Huntingdon and Alconbury pictures brought back some happy memories.

I am still unable to show our daughters where they were born as Google earth won't let me zoom in

Try using Flash Earth http://www.flashearth.com/ it lets you choose Google or Microsoft VE as well as NASA views. The Microsoft UK views are all better than the Google ones and most likley you will be able to zoom in more.

Funny thing you say about Huntingdon, I had a house just up the road in St. Ives

[LaoPo]

GE running now; it's odd indeed since I can't see/find any shadow of that plane.

From tip-to-tip of the wings it's approx. 52/53 meters so the shadow must be big and NE of that plane...

Where's that shadow as it's quite sunny the day the pic was taken ?

If you look at the closeup view you will see that the sun is from the Southwest and fairly low in the sky. Look at the right hand forward side of the fuselage you will see it is darker, corresponding with the shadows of the houses.

1. Yes, I saw that, but did you find the planes' shadow ? I couldn't find it.

2. I looked at the Windows VE version of that particular image; there's no plane but it's a different 'shot' from a different angle (shadows prove so).

LaoPo

[mittheimp]

Almost coming up to the first anniversary of Thailand Visa's most exciting, skillful and fun interactive forum game (which involves google earth)!

What's this place!

[tropo]

1. Yes, I saw that, but did you find the planes' shadow ? I couldn't find it.

2. I looked at the Windows VE version of that particular image; there's no plane but it's a different 'shot' from a different angle (shadows prove so).

LaoPo

LaoPo, the sun is shining from a low angle and as the plane was probably flying at several thousand feet, its shadow would be far north of the top of the image.

[LaoPo]

1. Yes, I saw that, but did you find the planes' shadow ? I couldn't find it.

2. I looked at the Windows VE version of that particular image; there's no plane but it's a different 'shot' from a different angle (shadows prove so).

LaoPo

LaoPo, the sun is shining from a low angle and as the plane was probably flying at several thousand feet, its shadow would be far north of the top of the image.

Yes I realized that and searched a long way but still couldn't find the plane-shadow..

LaoPo

[tropo]

1. Yes, I saw that, but did you find the planes' shadow ? I couldn't find it.

2. I looked at the Windows VE version of that particular image; there's no plane but it's a different 'shot' from a different angle (shadows prove so).

LaoPo

LaoPo, the sun is shining from a low angle and as the plane was probably flying at several thousand feet, its shadow would be far north of the top of the image.

Yes I realized that and searched a long way but still couldn't find the plane-shadow..

LaoPo

Another theory:

Let's assume the aircraft was flying at 1000m. At that distance from the ground, the shadow would be very large and very faint (dispersed) and impossible to detect on Google Earth.

Try this experiment. Try to cast a shadow on a distant wall using a bright light and a small object such as a finger. You'll hardly see the shadow, and the further your object is from the wall, the fainter the shadow will become.

[Robski]

1. Yes, I saw that, but did you find the planes' shadow ? I couldn't find it.

2. I looked at the Windows VE version of that particular image; there's no plane but it's a different 'shot' from a different angle (shadows prove so).

LaoPo

LaoPo, the sun is shining from a low angle and as the plane was probably flying at several thousand feet, its shadow would be far north of the top of the image.

Yes I realized that and searched a long way but still couldn't find the plane-shadow..

LaoPo

Another theory:

Let's assume the aircraft was flying at 1000m. At that distance from the ground, the shadow would be very large and very faint (dispersed) and impossible to detect on Google Earth.

Try this experiment. Try to cast a shadow on a distant wall using a bright light and a small object such as a finger. You'll hardly see the shadow, and the further your object is from the wall, the fainter the shadow will become.

To make it accurate, use your little finger, place it 5mm from the wall and place the torch in new york.

[tropo]

To make it accurate, use your little finger, place it 5mm from the wall and place the torch in new york.

That would approximate a distant star. To approximate the sun you need a strong light source fairly close to the object.

[bdenner]

The plane is PA474 (Dressed as Mickey The Moocher), the only other airworthy Avro Lancaster is based in Canada.

Based on the Wingspan of around 31m (102ft for non metrics...) the plane is in flight at around 250ft. Those who like trig. can replicate the maths based on whatever assumptions of reference sizes (ie cars/houses/etc) and the accuracy of the elvations provided by Google Earth.

This is an extract from a post on www.gearthblog.com. Based on this guys maths the plane is flying very low and it would appear the airport to the North is being used a parking lot looking at the cars on the runway. - Strange? Edited January 16, 2007 by bdenner