Funny shaped contrail

[starlet]

I took this photo in the south of France (Lot-et-Garonne) a few years ago.
I know it's a rather old photo, but I've been wondering about it ever since.
It must be a contrail because it's too thin for a cloud, but how can a contrail have such angles? Is it down to respective maybe?
What do people think?

 

[jarlrmai]

Most likley a combo of wind and perspective.

 

[Ann K]

I took this photo in the south of France (Lot-et-Garonne) a few years ago.
I know it's a rather old photo, but I've been wondering about it ever since.
It must be a contrail because it's too thin for a cloud, but how can a contrail have such angles? Is it down to respective maybe?
What do people think?View attachment 82487

Air masses can often flow in entirely different directions at different altitudes or can hold different amounts of moisture, and the boundaries between the different layers can be a rippled surface. If a plane flies along that boundary surface its contrail can appear very complicated, or can appear to stop and start. And since you photographed this on a cloudless day, there are no additional clouds to help illustrate just what is moving where.

 

[starlet]

Thank you for your reply

 

[Trailblazer]

It suspect it might have started out as more than one contrail crossing at an angle. I'm sure I have similar photos where two or more trails cross and only persist in a small area.

 

[starlet]

Thanks for that.
I appreciate all replies.

 

[JMartJr]

And of course skywriting is a thing. I tend to doubt that's what starlet posted, but maybe I'm wrong!

Recent skywriting advertising the new "Fantastic 4" movie, upside down since the photography happened to be in the wrong place to get the full effect...

Ahh, here's a properly oriented one...

 

[FatPhil]

And of course skywriting is a thing. I tend to doubt that's what starlet posted, but maybe I'm wrong!

View attachment 82516
Recent skywriting advertising the new "Fantastic 4" movie, upside down since the photography happened to be in the wrong place to get the full effect...

Ahh, here's a properly oriented one...
...

Nah, I'd rather pretend it was a slightly distorted:

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBojbjoMttI


(That's me in the front row)