General Discussion

mahatmakanejeeves

(71,007 posts) Wed May 27, 2026, 05:40 PM Wednesday

An E-4B just flew over my Alexandria, Virginia, observation bunker on a departure route from JB Andrews.

TITAN29, https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=adfeb3

Registration number 73-1676, so it's getting back there.

It had a distinctive and rather loud sound. I knew it was something I don't see every day.

Wikipedia says this is the oldest one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_E-4

Variants
E-4A
Three aircraft produced (s/n 73-1676, 73-1677, and 74-0787), powered by Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7A (first two aircraft) or General Electric CF6-50E2 (third aircraft) turbofan engines. No bulge to house equipment on top of fuselage. These were later converted to E-4Bs.

No one's sent me a reverse 911 call to announce the start of WWIII, so this seems like a routine training flight.

Probably.

10 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

An E-4B just flew over my Alexandria, Virginia, observation bunker on a departure route from JB Andrews. (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Wednesday OP

Who's is it? Srkdqltr Wednesday #1

Ours. NT mahatmakanejeeves Wednesday #3

Scary bucolic_frolic Wednesday #2

Whose flying that Hawker Hunter around there. Air Show? That things ancient but cool n/t Cheezoholic Wednesday #4

Where is that? I don't see it. NT mahatmakanejeeves Wednesday #6

It just landed. Looked like it was doing touch and go's. Strange aircraft to be training in............ Cheezoholic Wednesday #8

OK. I know nothing about this. vanlassie Wednesday #5

More than likely that's it. mahatmakanejeeves Wednesday #7

Routine MerryBlooms Wednesday #9

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have an answer. It's Pete Hegseth. mahatmakanejeeves Wednesday #10

Srkdqltr

(9,995 posts)

1. Who's is it?

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed May 27, 2026, 05:45 PM

Wednesday

mahatmakanejeeves

(71,007 posts)

3. Ours. NT

Reply to Srkdqltr (Reply #1)

Wed May 27, 2026, 05:51 PM

Wednesday

bucolic_frolic

(55,996 posts)

2. Scary

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed May 27, 2026, 05:47 PM

Wednesday

Cheezoholic

(3,976 posts)

4. Whose flying that Hawker Hunter around there. Air Show? That things ancient but cool n/t

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed May 27, 2026, 06:11 PM

Wednesday

mahatmakanejeeves

(71,007 posts)

6. Where is that? I don't see it. NT

Reply to Cheezoholic (Reply #4)

Wed May 27, 2026, 06:17 PM

Wednesday

Cheezoholic

(3,976 posts)

8. It just landed. Looked like it was doing touch and go's. Strange aircraft to be training in............

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Reply #6)

Wed May 27, 2026, 06:22 PM

Wednesday

https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N346AX

vanlassie

(6,277 posts)

5. OK. I know nothing about this.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed May 27, 2026, 06:12 PM

Wednesday

Except, here in Fresno, I’ve been seeing people on Neighbors talking about repeated circling flights of “the Doomsday Plane” for weeks. Someone usually says “They’re doing drills.”

mahatmakanejeeves

(71,007 posts)

7. More than likely that's it.

Reply to vanlassie (Reply #5)

Wed May 27, 2026, 06:20 PM

Wednesday

I just happened to be outside when this went over. That departure route is unique to JB Andrews, and it tends to be used by heavy aircraft. A set of four engines typical of B747s puts out considerable noise, with a tone not heard on anything else.

And good evening.

MerryBlooms

(12,428 posts)

9. Routine

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed May 27, 2026, 06:28 PM

Wednesday

I see them regularly on Flight Radar
Also new contract with a company, so, trying to remember name... Like Sentry something? Anyway, saw weird private Huge plane at CA AF base, Googled and learned new billions contract for secure flying fortress planes.

mahatmakanejeeves

(71,007 posts)

10. Ding! Ding! Ding! We have an answer. It's Pete Hegseth.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed May 27, 2026, 06:41 PM

Wednesday

Last edited Wed May 27, 2026, 07:38 PM - Edit history (1)

Hat tip, the usual scanner listeners

https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/mid-atlantic-and-beyond-milair-2026.495977/page-178#post-4295332

This NOTAM has been cancelled, VP VIP FDC NOTAM 6/2912 has been cancelled for the Denver, CO area on May 28, 2026.

As of now VP is still going to the USAF graduation trip scheduled tonight into tomorrow.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth departs for the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, TITAN29 has filed for the trip to WSAP.

ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live
ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live - aircraft flight history
globe.adsbexchange.com

ADFEB3 73-1676 V:TITAN29 B742

Google AI:

"WSAP" in a military context most commonly refers to Paya Lebar Air Base, a military airport operated by the Republic of Singapore Air Force.The term is also frequently confused with WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots). Here are the details for both:1. WSAP (Paya Lebar Air Base)Location: East Region, SingaporeIATA Code: QPG | ICAO Code: WSAPOperator: Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)Details: Historically Singapore International Airport, it was converted into a military facility and is a primary operational base for the RSAF.

Planes headed from the east coast to the Far East usually stop in Anchorage. This plane is over Lake Michigan, nearing Mikwaukee, on a flightpath that looks too far south to be headed toward Anchorage.

Reply to this discussion