According to theaviationist.com Fake Chinese J-20 Stealth Fighter Jet Allegedly Spotted At U.S. Base. Photo Shows What Appears To Be A Model Of An Advanced Chinese Stealth Jet Allegedly at Georgia Airfield.
The photo was (claimed to be) taken at an airport in Georgia. In the United States. On Wednesday, Dec. 5 in the morning. The source of the image asked to remain anonymous.
Based on theaviationist.com detailed research and analysis it is reasonable to suggest that something that looks at least somewhat convincingly like a Chinese Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon could have been parked in front of a building at the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), home of the Air Dominance Center, at approximately 0830 Hrs. local time zone.
- Is the aircraft actually a Chinese J-20?
- Is it a mock-up?
- Is it a movie prop?
- Was the aircraft inserted into the image with photo-editing software?
Based on theaviationist.com inquiries they were unable to obtain significant evidence to support that the image was not manipulated or fabricated. It remains possible that the image is false. However, the preponderance of evidence as of this writing offers little to support the hypothesis that the image is fake or manipulated.
Another possibility is that this object that appears to be a Chengdu J-20 was in the location it was claimed to be, but that it is a mock-up or full-scale training model. Differences between confirmed photos of J-20s and what appears in this photo do show small discrepancies in the shape of the canopy and in the afterburner nozzles on the two jet engines. These differences, along with the overall context of the photo, make it suspicious.
Last, but not least, it may also be a prop for Top Gun sequel even though the filming is not happening anywhere near Georgia.
Author, analyst and subject matter expert Andreas Rupprecht is convinced this is not a real J-20. His analysis makes sense since getting a J-20 to the United States without other images appearing would be extremely difficult.
This is all we know about the mysterious photo. We attempted to contact Air Force officials at Savannah-Hilton Head late Wednesday but were unable to speak to any source other than civilian aviation services at the airport.
There is a small chance this is a remarkable “scoop” of a story, but a much larger chance something else is going on in this photo or with claims of its origin. In any event, this is one of the most bizarre and interesting aviation stories we’ve seen in some time.
Read full detailed analysis at theaviationist.com
