Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Air Force's stealth fighters making final flights
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- The world's first attack aircraft to employ stealth technology is slipping quietly into history.
The inky black, angular, radar-evading F-117, which spent 27 years in the Air Force arsenal secretly patrolling hostile skies from Serbia to Iraq, will be put in mothballs next month in Nevada.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, which manages the F-117 program, will have an informal, private retirement ceremony Tuesday with military leaders, base employees and representatives from Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.
The last F-117s scheduled to fly will leave Holloman on April 21, stop in Palmdale, California, for another retirement ceremony, then arrive on April 22 at their final destination: Tonopah Test Range Airfield in Nevada, where the jet made its first flight in 1981.
The government has no plans to bring the fighter out of retirement, but could do so if necessary...
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, p.44
It was one of the most capable airplanes in it's 27 year service.F-117 introduced the word "Stealth fighter" everywhere around the globe.One of the most advanced tactical fighters of it's era says goodbye for the moment.I hope that evryone mast say that we were very lucky to see and admire this kind of airplane shape. Not a single aircraft will look like the "Nighthawk" again.It was a great honor to watch and admire this plane...Great work! Thank you "Kelly" .Thank you Locheed. I Thank every Pilot that managed to fly this unique machine. A machine with a soul.
Tonopa, Area51, BONEYARD (Respects), Nighthawk will be back. Modified, updated, recoated or whatever it takes, it'll be back!!