 | F-117: A long, storied history that is about to end| Modern Discuss F-117: A long, storied history that is about to end in the Other Eras forums; 10/28/2006 - HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFPN) -- After 25 years of storied service, the F-117 Nighthawk, ... |
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10-31-2006, 06:38 AM
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#1 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cracow
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Country:  | F-117: A long, storied history that is about to end
10/28/2006 - HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFPN) -- After 25 years of storied service, the F-117 Nighthawk, the Air Force's first stealth fighter, is about to retire. The technology that once made it a unique weapon system has now caught up to it and newer fighter aircraft are now joining the fleet. Still, the Nighthawk was the first of its kind, a fact anyone who has spent time around the aircraft is quick to point out.
Many of these people were gathered here Oct. 29 to commemorate 25 years of Nighthawk history at the Silver Stealth ceremony. Members of the F-117 community, past and present, were on hand to pay homage to the aircraft's illustrious history, a history that contains as many secrets as it does legends.
More info and pics: http://www.af.mil/news/story_media.a...ryID=123030185
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11-07-2006, 03:52 PM
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#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Southern California
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Country:  | Quote:
Originally Posted by v2  10/28/2006 - HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFPN) -- After 25 years of storied service, the F-117 Nighthawk, the Air Force's first stealth fighter, is about to retire. The technology that once made it a unique weapon system has now caught up to it and newer fighter aircraft are now joining the fleet. Still, the Nighthawk was the first of its kind, a fact anyone who has spent time around the aircraft is quick to point out.
Many of these people were gathered here Oct. 29 to commemorate 25 years of Nighthawk history at the Silver Stealth ceremony. Members of the F-117 community, past and present, were on hand to pay homage to the aircraft's illustrious history, a history that contains as many secrets as it does legends.
More info and pics: http://www.af.mil/news/story_media.a...ryID=123030185 |
Often being the first is not the best position to be in. Just like the USS Monitor and the HMS Dreadnought, which were revolutionary but overshadowed quickly by technology, the F-117 was too limited and inflexible in what it could do and RCS technology quickly made the F-117 stealth techniques obsolete. The plane is revolutionary and historic and lived up to its promise with devastating accuracy and will always be the representive of stealth. The F-35, with similar stealth and much greater capability will perform its tasks. | |
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11-08-2006, 02:48 PM
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#3 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
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Country:  | like the Dreadnaught and Warrior though the F-117 will always be remembered as the first!
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11-08-2006, 04:03 PM
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#4 | | Senior Member
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Country:  | It was a great plane.
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11-08-2006, 04:27 PM
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#5 | | aka Dickcheese
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington State
Posts: 10,468
Country: | And that second pic is a mean view!
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11-08-2006, 05:04 PM
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#6 | | World Traveler
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK
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Country: | Sure is! Revolutionairy at the time and there aren't many that are better but with the F-35 and F-22 coming online it is probably time for it to be replaced unfortunately...
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11-16-2006, 11:24 PM
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#7 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,729
Country: | That second pic is by Tyson Rininger. He is quite a good shooter. Hell of a good attack airplane. I don't know how it ever got the F designation. I am glad that I got a chance to get some good shots of it. I think I will get a few more before they are completely gone.
__________________  http://www.vg-photo.com Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda. | |
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11-19-2006, 02:28 PM
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#8 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
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Country:  | Great pics. She definatly was a cool looking aircraft.
__________________  US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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11-19-2006, 08:10 PM
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#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Queensland
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Country:  | I think it could launch an AAM from the weapons-bay. I think that is why it got the F- designation. I think it was intended to have a dual-purpose of attacking high priority air-defence targets as well as being able to sneak in and take out enemy AWACs capability. When the aircraft flew in the 1980s it was still possible that the Cold War could turn into a Hot War. I have heard that the B-2 Spirit can also launch AAMs from the weapons-bay too. I know that the B-2s and F-117s are intended to neutralize any ground-based threats from vehicle-launched ICBMs... I think though that being able to launch an AAM is a matter of having the right electronics and I know that the electronics of the F-117 and B-2 are intended to be able to launch a large variety of weapons... | |
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11-20-2006, 09:24 AM
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#10 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 13,231
Country: | Quote:
Originally Posted by HealzDevo I think it could launch an AAM from the weapons-bay. I think that is why it got the F- designation. I think it was intended to have a dual-purpose of attacking high priority air-defence targets as well as being able to sneak in and take out enemy AWACs capability. When the aircraft flew in the 1980s it was still possible that the Cold War could turn into a Hot War. I have heard that the B-2 Spirit can also launch AAMs from the weapons-bay too. I know that the B-2s and F-117s are intended to neutralize any ground-based threats from vehicle-launched ICBMs... I think though that being able to launch an AAM is a matter of having the right electronics and I know that the electronics of the F-117 and B-2 are intended to be able to launch a large variety of weapons... |
The F-117 was designed as a "bomber" from the beginning, there was never any serious thought in giving the aircraft air-to-air capability - I worked on the program briefly in the early 80s.
After the first F-117s were rolling down the line, Lockheed really wanted the "ASB" or "ATB" contract. They were teamed with Rockwell, as we know a team of Northrop, Boeing and LTV got the program and thus the B-2 was born.
It is folklore that the F-117 got it's designation as the result of an error made when the first -1 (flight manual) was produced. It seems the office that released the document had a chronological file and the document number for the F-117 was "F-117." A week later a presentation was made to the USAF and F-117 was the title. Again this is Lockheed folklore and I'm sure someday we'll hear the real story.
When I was on the program it was just known as "the article."
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11-20-2006, 01:20 PM
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#11 | | aka Dickcheese
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington State
Posts: 10,468
Country: | If I recall correctly the F designation was originated in the Have Blue program and it stuck.
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11-20-2006, 02:32 PM
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#12 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
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Originally Posted by Matt308 If I recall correctly the F designation was originated in the Have Blue program and it stuck. | Possibly....
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11-20-2006, 10:09 PM
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#13 | | aka Dickcheese
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington State
Posts: 10,468
Country: | Hey I get one with FBJ!!! And I made that sh!t up.
Just kidding. 
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11-21-2006, 06:23 AM
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#14 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
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Originally Posted by Matt308 Hey I get one with FBJ!!! And I made that sh!t up.
Just kidding. | Ex-lax in your coffee! 
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11-21-2006, 06:45 AM
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#15 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,729
Country: | Funny you guys called it "the article". The first time I saw one, it was an "aerial asset". I guess if it was the south it would be "that dad-gum thang over dere".
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