Unmarked 747

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 3,163]

I flew into and out of Miami yesterday on American.  As we taxied to the ramp on arrival at Terminal D, we passed what I beleive was a 747 - two passenger decks with windows on two levels; two monsterous jet engines under each wing.  Biggest non-military plane I've seen.

 

What caught my eye was the total absence of any markings - no tail number, no carrier identification, no colors, no flags, nada.  All white fuselage and wings.  Nothing around it or near it to suggest whether use was military or civilian.

 

Anybody in the Sunshine State know the background on this plane?

 

LL

[Pat Riot, SASS #13748 21,106]

It’s the giant black helicopter of the fixed wing world. Probably a UN spy plane stealing information from Americans from the air to be used when men in light blue berets march in and take over the nation...

 

It’s either that or a new plane being delivered somewhere. Could go either way...

[bgavin 1,480]

It belongs to Greta Thunberg...

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 6,875]

Or perhaps a used plane that was sold or leased to another airline, original livery removed.

[Subdeacon Joe 24,890]

 

It’s either that or a new plane being delivered somewhere. Could go either way...

 

 

It should at least have a tail number.

[Smiling Wolf 56]

was it this one 

 

[Utah Bob #35998 15,507]

Rich Arab. Maybe not painted yet.

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 831]

It should still have a tail number. They are like the VIN on your car. The only thing I can think of is that it's going through a major retro fit. 

[Ozark Huckleberry 858]

Sounds like it’s halfway through a re-paint. 

[Cypress Sun 2,656]

747's have four engines so it wasn't a 747. Could have been a 777 from the description. I have seen giant aircraft at Tampa International before but they all had four engines. The missing tail number is strange to say the least.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 6,875]

 

747's have four engines so it wasn't a 747. Could have been a 777 from the description. I have seen giant aircraft at Tampa International before but they all had four engines. The missing tail number is strange to say the least.

Said

two monsterous jet engines under each wing

[bgavin 1,480]

CIA or spook plane?

 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 6,875]

 

CIA or spook plane?

 

There’s an idea, 747 traveling incognito.

[Cypress Sun 2,656]

 

Said

two monsterous jet engines under each wing

 

 

Ah, I missed that day in reading comprehension.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz 7,214]

Uncle Sugar's. 

Saw the same many times at Plant 42 in PMD.

OLG 

[Charlie Harley, #14153 2,809]

Plane was sold and is being repainted. Tail number is still recorded and will be reapplied. 

 

These make good fodder for conspiracy theorists, but it happens all the time. 

 

[Utah Bob #35998 15,507]

My grandad was foreman of a painting hangar at Miami for years. I saw plenty of naked planes.

[Calamity Kris 2,118]

When planes are leaving the factory for the first time, they will always be in their livery colors.  It's a really big deal in the aerospace world.  I would agree with the re-paint theory. 

 

"Miami International Airport (MIA) is the major airport serving South Florida and is located eighth miles from Downtown Miami. The airport serves more than 80 airlines and is also the hub for several airlines including American Airlines, Executive Airlines, UPS Airlines and FedEx Express."

 

I would guess the plane had been sold and is being re-painted for the new customer.

[Colorado Coffinmaker 3,374]

 

If it had TWO full decks of windows for the PAX it wasn't a 747.  It would be one of them really big French A380 jobbers.  

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263 737]

Years ago, a plane sat on a side runway at Newark airport.  There were many theories, but it was a plane owned by a travel company that went bust and the plane was impounded.  All markings were removed until it was resold and re-registered.

[Utah Bob #35998 15,507]

Which one was it?

 

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 3,163]

Image #2.

LL

[Utah Bob #35998 15,507]

 

Image #2.

LL

Yup 747. I’ve only flown on one once. Huge!

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 831]

 

CIA or spook plane?

 

They use 737s with a red stripe on the side.

This is a JANET aircraft out of Nellis, but the CIA uses, or used the same A/C.

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life 955]

The A380 is too new of an airplane to have been sold or in rebuild/overhaul so it would be painted only white. I doubt that are 100 of them flying. There are literally 1000's of 747's all over the world,  some are almost 50 years old. Northrop, the company I worked at for 22 years (1978-2000) built every body panel for every 747 built. I would bet it was a major refit. overhaul or update.

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 3,163]

 

Yup 747. I’ve only flown on one once. Huge!

 

I was on an Embraer 170 when we taxied past; less than 100 feet long with a wingspan of 85 feet.  The 747 is 231 feet long with a 195 foot wingspan.  The difference was startling.  Like passing an aircraft carrier in a small sailboat.

 

LL

[Forty Rod SASS 3935 6,966]

 

747's have four engines so it wasn't a 747. Could have been a 777 from the description. I have seen giant aircraft at Tampa International before but they all had four engines. The missing tail number is strange to say the least.

Acording to the OP it had four engines.

[Dustin Checotah 268]

At the Bangor Maine airport they fly in an Antonov 124 every once in a while. That is a big plane too.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263 737]

When the 747s started flying, the upper deck was a lounge with a bar.  Too bad that feature was eliminated.  A 14+ hour flight on a 747 SP from NY to Saudi Arabia was tiring, but with 3-4 movies, food anytime you wanted it, it was bearable. 

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 3,163]

 

A size comparison.....

 

LL