I was leaving class and saw a 4-engine contrail heading my way, so i got out my camera, expecting a 747, which fly over every day. but i noticed something a little different about these contrails. the contrails on each side were much closer together, though you could clearly make out that there were 2 on each wing. after looking at the picture, i notced that the wing was much thicker than a 747, and the engines mouch closer together. in fact, it almost looks like a C-5 Galaxy, but i couldnt hear that sound one normally hears a C-5 make when it flies over, that whiney, buzzing sound. and it also doesnt look quite as long as a C-5. i am very confused, but I will have this picture on here in the next few hours, so im sure that will help.
C-17 !!! or An-124!!! Do I win!
Even though I havn’t seen the picture.
oh i nkow for a fact it wasnt a C-17. i was thinking AN-124, but it was flying south over North Carolina, and according to FA the only AN-124 flying over the U.S. had just left from California heading to the Philadelphia.
Here is a list of planes i KNOW it isnt:
C-17
747
AN-124
A340
A380
the more i look at the pic, i know think it may actually BE a C-5. but once i post it i will leave it up to you guys
ok here is the pic…sorry it took so long…so what you all think? C-5?
http://photos-752.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v71/36/91/22223150/n22223150_32528752_4338.jpg
C-5 THATS IT I WIN.
airliners.net/open.file/0932344/L/
airliners.net/open.file/0798746/L/
airliners.net/open.file/1084573/L/
I’m not so sure Nitro.
airliners.net/open.file/1138451/M/
airliners.net/open.file/1091244/M/
airliners.net/open.file/1036593/M/
airliners.net/open.file/0794464/M/
I think there are subtle differences. The tail plane in this photo seems larger than a C-5’s. One check for An-124 The fan ducts are not as pronounced as a C-5’s. Two checks for An-124.
Other wise, the wings, position of engines and the main body are very similar to both types. The photo angle here doesn’t help nor does the resolution of the picture.
I still think this is open to more debate. 
It’s a Connie.
I think it’s a C-5. Doesn’t look like an AN-124 to me. The 124 has a lot less space between the trailing edge of the wings and the tail, then the AC in the picture and C-5
C-5 Galaxy. The engines on the Galaxy always seem (to me) to be squeezed in towards the fuselage more than other similar transport quads.
I think you’re right with the C-5… For fun I was thinking it could be
C-17 Globemaster…but… Horizontal stabilizer is too small I think and main gear compt’ sticks out too much…
C-141 Starlifter… but… Too skinny and wingtips are not rounded enough
Ahhh, probably a U-2… saw a pic of it in that other forum. YUP, That’s it!!! It’s a U-2!!! 8)
I was flying near a military base yesterday and ATC said to me: “NXXX, be advised a U2 departing from YYY and will cross near you climbing from 0 to 60,000 feet.” Then he added, “You probably won’t be able to see him, but thought I would tell you anyway.”
I was looking, but he was right, couldn’t see anything. I’m told that they climb almost straight up on departure.
While they can’t match the performance (> 20,000 ft/min) of the F-104 Starfighter they are based on, they do tend to climb out straight up simply to get those glider wings up to a rarified atmosphere as soon as possible.
Catching it visually isn’t helped by the fact that, absent the relatively enormous but thin wing, it’s a remarkably small aircraft, as was the F-104 itself.