There are hundreds of different aircraft “in flight” to be seen on Google Earth, waaaaay too many to post them all here on Google Sightseeing¹. But every now and then there’s a rare sighting that we feel the need to share.

A field in North Carolina features two antique WWII warplanes flying overhead: a Grumman TBF Avenger and a yellow North American T-6 Texan, which you can clearly see has “USAF” written on the right wing.

Of the 9,836 Avengers built, just 42 are still considered air-worthy (including the one we see here!). What’s even more amazing though is that the nearby Hickory Regional airport has two of the same rare aircraft parked on the tarmac!

OK, it’s not really a coincidence, this second image is a different aerial photograph so it’s almost certain that these are the same planes.

Thanks to morgantongis, Delta102 & jtouran at GE, via GEarth Blog

Outside a ranch home in Creston, CA there’s a private racetrack, with a familiar looking symbol.

Haven’t I seen this before?

Ah, yes! That’s the super-secret symbol indicating hidden vaults that contain the complete works of late science fiction author and general all-round nutjob L Ron Hubbard.

Let’s hope Tom Cruise doesn’t set the scientology lawyers on us for linking to the map (or that video that just today got leaked onto the Internet!)

Thanks: hominid

It seems the Street View camera car has a habit of coming across expensive car accidents, and today we see that a white Mercedes E-Class has, rather inexplicably, managed to drive into a tree on a quiet, straight road in Minneapolis.

Judging by the bumper damage, I’m reckoning it wasn’t just a handbrake left off or a mistake whilst parking. Thankfully, the driver appears to be unhurt, and looks like she is being assisted by a friendly neighbour!

Thanks: Jalopnik.com

Aaiieeeee! Run for the hills! There’s a Monster Dog on the loose!

Apparently our submitter found this mega-pooch while she was looking at real estate listings in the area – but says that she’s no longer sure if she wants to live in an area that’s terrorized by giant dogs.

However, here at GSS, we reckon a guard dog of that size would be a pretty effective burglar deterrent…

Thanks to Christina Ross.

Air Force One is the callsign for any aircraft that has the President of the United States on board, most commonly one of two specially adapted Boeing 747s.

One of them is seen here in Yuma, Arizona, where the President was making a speech about Immigration Control on May 18, 2006 (Yuma is on the US/Mexican border).

(Incidentally, there are lots of Police closing all of the roads south of Yuma on Avenue B, so the President’s motorcade must be around there somewhere!)

The fleet consists of two Boeing 747-200B aircraft, designated VC-25, specially fitted to enable the President and his entourage to conduct its business from the air. Inside, there are separate areas for the media, Secret Service and the President’s family, which includes bathrooms and dining quarters. Unlike a regular Boeing 747-400, the VC-25 can refuel in midair.

Usually its home is Andrews Air Force Base, Washington DC. The ‘President’s Wing’ can hold both of the VC-25 aircraft, as well as 3 Marine One helicopters.

In order to train the Secret Service how to protect the President when he is onboard, there is a mockup VC-25 at the James J. Rowley Training Center, near Washington DC, as well as a mockup of Marine One next to it. Once in the air however, it’s up to the anti-missile systems and electromagnetic pulse resistors to keep it safe.

Naturally, there is much more information on Air Force One over at Wikipedia. There’s even a nice floor plan available. If you really want to get a good look inside, the film Air Force One is said to have a particularly accurate recreation of the interior.

Thanks to Aaron, Adam J, Airman, Cr@X, Dan Hadad, david, gmr2048, KLashNekOff, PapaPenguin, patrick, PoopyPants, Rob, Siavash Shiva, SnowManson, Stephan, Tim, Travis Mitchell and TVGenius.