r/Whatisthisplane • • Feb 22 '24

Announcement [[READ BEFORE POSTING]] Frequently Posted Aircraft

34 Upvotes

In order to avoid posting aircraft that have been posted many, many times before, please refer to this guide of the sub's most commonly posted aircraft before asking for identification.

​

If you're still unsure, feel free to post! There is no consequence to posting one of these aircraft, though a mod will lock the comments after it's identified (mainly to deter "ugh, another C-130..." comments).


r/Whatisthisplane • • Dec 14 '24

Announcement Drones Drones Drones!

15 Upvotes

While we always appreciate people looking to identify the beautiful planes and helicopters that grace our skies, it seems recently there’s been a trend of people taking photos of planes at night and thinking they're drones. This is just a reminder that the purpose of this subreddit is to identify specific types of planes; not just to confirm that yes, something with lights that’s flying at night is a plane. If you see a cool-looking plane and want to know more about what type of aircraft it is, great! Feel free to post it here. If you see something flying at night and think it’s a government drone trying to spy on you, maybe make your way to r/UFO or another subreddit that’s more suited to your style of post. Another thing to keep in mind is that aircraft identifications are generally most accurate when the full location is given. Simply saying “north FL”, “central VA”, etc. is not super helpful for people who live outside your country and are unfamiliar with those acronyms :) Just make sure you’re writing the full state name, and preferably the country, when making your post.

Have a great day and thanks to our amazing community of aviation enthusiasts who help us provide this awesome service! 😊


r/Whatisthisplane • • 22h ago

Open! Helicopter Identification Help

Post image
81 Upvotes

I’m curious about this helicopter, which was featured in a scene from HBO’s High Value Target, Episode 4. I think it’s either a variant of an H-34 or a Westland Wessex. Only has a cargo door on AC right, none on AC left. I can’t find info on it anywhere.


r/Whatisthisplane • • 7h ago

Solved! What is this flying boat?

Post image
4 Upvotes

r/Whatisthisplane • • 1d ago

Open! Two or more of these fly over my house almost everyday. What are they?

120 Upvotes

Where might they be taking off from (SW Virginia)?


r/Whatisthisplane • • 1d ago

Solved! Mystery Airframe Spotted in Transport

Thumbnail
gallery
41 Upvotes

Saw this being transported today. The wheels really throw me off being double wheels on mains. Looks like it’s been sitting for a while. Any ideas?


r/Whatisthisplane • • 4d ago

Solved! Spotted October 17th 2026 over Philadelphia area

Post image
40 Upvotes

r/Whatisthisplane • • 5d ago

Open! Caught this plane near a nato military base

Post image
52 Upvotes

r/Whatisthisplane • • 7d ago

Solved! Spotted in Ohio, what is this plane?

Thumbnail
gallery
49 Upvotes

Maybe 200 yards over land. Making some pretty wild turns yesterday morning.


r/Whatisthisplane • • 8d ago

Open? Can someone help me identify this plane?

126 Upvotes

Saw it fly over a military base in Norway


r/Whatisthisplane • • 8d ago

Open! Whats this bad boy that just landed in moree nsw

Post image
62 Upvotes

r/Whatisthisplane • • 8d ago

Open! This meme has a plane on it, Is there literally any plane that looks like this?

Post image
28 Upvotes

r/Whatisthisplane • • 9d ago

Open! Weird aircraft spotted in Doswell, Virginia 6:38am 10/13/26. Anyone know?

14 Upvotes

I was driving down to Richmond, Virginia from Maryland this morning, and I spotted this weird aircraft with a light behind it. I got this video and then turn it off cause I was going to get off at the next exit and record it. By the time I got off the exit I was just in amazement looking at it thinking what the hell is this about to get my phone out and I see the aircraft boost off fast. That little trail of smoke or steam or whatever it was behind it blew away fast once the aircraft took off, kinda like in the movies. Literally in two seconds from boosting it was gone. Does anybody else have footage of this? Does anybody know what this aircraft is?

I’m a little freaked out because what the f*ck I’ve never seen a jet or anything as fast as this did. I’m not big into aliens or anything but I’m not in the mind frame where I believe those things dont exist.

#Doswell, VA


r/Whatisthisplane • • 10d ago

Solved! Weird Plane over Germany (Erlensee). AI is useless and tells me its an 117 Nighthawk.

110 Upvotes

Closest one Gemini showed me was an legiti Stratos, it seemed close, but the upper and lower wings are Inverted.

Trank you


r/Whatisthisplane • • 9d ago

Solved! I wasnt sure. Sorry its backlit. What is this?

Thumbnail
gallery
5 Upvotes

r/Whatisthisplane • • 10d ago

Open! What helicopter is this

Post image
10 Upvotes

This was taken on southern Vancouver island ( between cowichan valley and Victoria )
Any idea what they are?


r/Whatisthisplane • • 11d ago

Solved! Seen on the ground at KPSM

Post image
38 Upvotes

r/Whatisthisplane • • 12d ago

Open! Took this in February in San Francisco

Post image
26 Upvotes

r/Whatisthisplane • • 12d ago

Open! Can Anyone Identify the Exact Variant of This Full-Scale Me 262 Replica?

Thumbnail
gallery
26 Upvotes

My grandfather had this full-scale Me 262 model, and I’m trying to determine which variant it represents (e.g. A-1a, A-2a, or another version).
I’d appreciate any help identifying it from its external features, cockpit, markings, or other details.
If possible, I’d love to narrow it down to the specific variant rather than just the Me 262 in general.


r/Whatisthisplane • • 12d ago

Solved! What is this flying boat?

Post image
20 Upvotes

This is a piece of theming at Happy Valley (Chengdu China). I know it's a piece made for the park, but what is it based on? To me the cockpit and tail shape look like a Consolidated P2Y. But the hull is way too fat to be one.


r/Whatisthisplane • • 12d ago

Solved! Korea Jeju airplane ✈️

Thumbnail
gallery
3 Upvotes

r/Whatisthisplane • • 12d ago

Open! Help me ID this jet?

19 Upvotes

Near Oakland Zoo today (10/9/2026) and we just found out there was an air show. Blue Angels had just flown overhead prior to this clip, but didn’t see this one quite well enough to ID and I’m no expert.

I have an 8 year old boy who is dying to know if it was them flying by again or something else!

Oakland, CA at 4:23 PM.


r/Whatisthisplane • • 12d ago

Open! How is this possible? I took the pics in Raw mode because the chopper was flying unusually close.

Thumbnail
gallery
0 Upvotes

I sent the pics to AI for info on the chopper and AI told me that it’s a photoshopped or AI created craft do to the impossibility of it being able to fly without a tail rotor (and a few other things, but the tail rotor is the most obvious)


r/Whatisthisplane • • 14d ago

Solved! Hoping yall could help me out with this one.

Post image
45 Upvotes

I’m thinking P-3, or a C-130


r/Whatisthisplane • • 15d ago

Open! can anyone help me identify this plane?

Thumbnail
gallery
20 Upvotes

for context i live in northern Israel and it's at least the 10th time I see it, it doesn't show up on flightradar and i got really curious about it.