In the video he zooms way back in that same time frame and it is all still way out to the west. Odd since the plane was supposed to be over Catalina at 4:45 and he didn't start filming until 5:15. Must be a reeeeeeally slow plane not to be able to cover the 35 miles to the coast line in ten minutes which would have been 5:25.
>>If the sun is in the west (set) then wouldn’t the “plane” have to be east of the photographer to reflect light back to him? Or do plane bodies reflect light forward? <<
Actually, yes, they do. If you look into a sunset in the west and hold a mirror up at arms length a few inches higher than your head with the reflective surface parallel to the ground, you can then tilt the mirror slightly to reflect the sun right into your eyes, as the belly of this plane did.
Try it. :)
Well, if it was slow for a plane, it must have REALLY been slow for a missile. :)