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I was browsing the Google Maps 2023 image of the now-demolished Terminal 2 at Sky Harbor in Phoenix, Arizona. (See below.) I noted what appears to be a six-engine military transport aircraft parked in a spot that used to be the terminal gates. It looks at first glance like a six-turboprop C-130. But the engine spacing is odd. The odd spacing could be a result of photographic distortion. For that matter, the six engines could be the result of distortion. The wing has an ID of what appears to be C38 or C39.

Anybody know what this is? Many thanks from a brand new newbie.

enter image description here

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    $\begingroup$ That looks like a computer generated image... $\endgroup$
    – Michael Hall
    Commented Nov 3, 2023 at 17:24
  • $\begingroup$ Indeed it looks computer generated, or an artifact of an image glitch. Here is a link that should take you to the spot. google.com/maps/@33.4343565,-112.0175681,85m/… $\endgroup$
    – Matt42
    Commented Nov 3, 2023 at 17:32
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    $\begingroup$ Scroll right and look at other images of swept wing commercial jets, there are similar anomalies. My guess is that Google is applying some AI to "clean up" the edges of blurry raw images, and that it mistook wing mounted fuel tanks for engine nacelles and applied the programed enhancements by adding a propeller to make them look more "real" without knowing there are only 4 engines. Isn't technology great?! $\endgroup$
    – Michael Hall
    Commented Nov 3, 2023 at 17:38
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    $\begingroup$ It's completely commonplace that google maps does this sort of "slightly incorrect image tiling". You can trivially find innumerable examples by opening a browser. It's a total commonplace of everyday life for some years now. It's sort of surprising someone would ask a question about it! (Note that simply in the very same image there are any number of other "slightly incorrect tile joins" and the other obvious slight imperfections you see constantly and everywhere street view and street overhead-view. $\endgroup$
    – Fattie
    Commented Nov 4, 2023 at 19:14
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    $\begingroup$ Aircraft without engines, C-130 with jet engines, neglected 737 $\endgroup$
    – Aditya Sharma
    Commented Nov 8, 2023 at 10:02

2 Answers 2

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The picture appears to be a C-130 (second image below) that has been digitally altered (perhaps by google map software) adding an extra engine on each wing perhaps in place of external fuel tanks (first image below). Note the spacing of the engines on the OP's image.

enter image description here

enter image description here

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    $\begingroup$ sigh Just great. More AI hallucinations. $\endgroup$
    – Makyen
    Commented Nov 4, 2023 at 18:35
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    $\begingroup$ I feel the sentence has been digitally altered (perhaps by google map software) is very confusing. it is not an "alteration". It's just the absolutely commonplace and ubiquitous "man with two heads" "our house got stretched "too many paddocks" artifacts you see literally every single time you use google maps streetview or maps overhead view. Every single person on Earth now knows that these synthetic stitched together images have these quirky joins. (Literally just "open google maps", as you do 100 times a day, to instantly see endless examples - as we all see constantly.) $\endgroup$
    – Fattie
    Commented Nov 4, 2023 at 19:17
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    $\begingroup$ @Fattie - it does not appear to be the the normal doubling or stretching that occurs from stitching. The same addition is made on both wings, indicating a deliberate modification either manually by a Google employee with too much time on their hands, or computer generated. $\endgroup$
    – Steve Pemberton
    Commented Nov 8, 2023 at 12:42
  • $\begingroup$ I disagree Steve, but no worries! $\endgroup$
    – Fattie
    Commented Nov 8, 2023 at 15:10
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Here's another example: 33.915550,-84.509017

c130 dobbins

You can see two C130's on the hard stand at Dobbins ARB in GA, next to the Lockheed facility. The one pinned above looks like they edited turbofan engines instead of turboprops. I agree they did the same with the external fuel tanks in the original post. Somebody at Google needs some help.

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