FighterControl

I had a thought the other day, when you are viewing a plane for instance in this case a Boeing 737 from a distance and you don't have either your binoculars or airband radio how can you tell it's not a P-8 Poseidon? Meaning if your watching it and you think it's just a boring Easy Jet or Ryanair not realising it's a P-8 Poseidon? Is the P-8 bigger than a normal 737 - oh and because I don't have my binoculars I can't see the aerials on the fuselage?

easyJet don't have any 737s, so you can rule them out if you see a 737 in the distance!

Well the Easyjet bit is simple - they don't fly 737s. Not familiar with the finer details but being as the P-8 is based on a 737-800 frame then you probably couldn't tell if you need optics to see the colour scheme at least.

Edit - Mike beat me to it (unsurprisingly )

P-8's have a row of aerials along the roof, plus other lumps and bumps elsewhere, which a standard B738 does not have. They are also all painted in a shade of grey.

The way the OP worded the question suggested that such details would not be distinguishable at the distance being viewed.

P-8s have Boeing 737-900 wings, so that must make it much easier.

Have a look on your phone tracking software

Sorry must be an age thing I still thought Easy Jet still had 737s. I get what you all mean about the other things - aerials, colour etc. cheerz.

Treat every 737 you see as a P-8 and life will be much more exciting.

P-8s sound different, I don't know why but maybe it's something to do with being at higher power settings at lower altitude rather than low 737s which are at using lower power on approach.

Don't the Navy jets have nice colourful stars and bars on the sides?

Mike wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 09, 2021 4:51 pm

P-8s have Boeing 737-900 wings, so that must make it much easier.

Their wings are based on those of the -900, but are not the same. The P-8 wings have raked wingtips, rather than winglets. From underneath, the P-8 is easily distinguishable as the raked tips are even more swept back than the rest of the wing, and end in a point.

roger4 wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 22, 2021 6:19 pm

Mike wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 09, 2021 4:51 pm

P-8s have Boeing 737-900 wings, so that must make it much easier.

Their wings are based on those of the -900, but are not the same. The P-8 wings have raked wingtips, rather than winglets. From underneath, the P-8 is easily distinguishable as the raked tips are even more swept back than the rest of the wing, and end in a point.

Yes I know, I was being a little bit sarcastic....................

Sorry - I never was very good at reading between the lines.........

Its simple, if you get hit in the face by a Sonobuoy it's a P-8, if you get hit in the face by blue ice, it's an airliner