 | Final bow for the F-117| Modern Discuss Final bow for the F-117 in the Other Eras forums; Hard to believe its been that long.
The F-117A Nighthawk, known also as the Stealth Fighter, was first flown ... |
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10-07-2006, 10:12 AM
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#1 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,555
Country:  | Final bow for the F-117
Hard to believe its been that long. Quote:
The F-117A Nighthawk, known also as the Stealth Fighter, was first flown on June, 1981. Over its 25 years of remarkable service since, this exceptional “Black Jet” has achieved several aviation and military firsts, permanently etching the name "Nighthawk" into history. Though slated for retirement in the near future, the Nighthawk flew its 250,000th Flying Hour on July 25th, achieving one last major program milestone.
To commemorate the achievements of this incredible aircraft and the men and women who made the success of the F-117A possible, Holloman Air Force Base is hosting a celebration. To those who have been a part of the program’s legacy over the years, as well as to those whose contributions support our efforts now, we extend an invitation to join us for the Nighthawk’s final bow.
| The F-117A Program 25th Year Anniversary and 250,000 Flying Hour Milestone Events
__________________  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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10-07-2006, 10:49 AM
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#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 366
Country: | Just out of curiousity, is there any record of the F-117 being used in Iraqi freedom?
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10-07-2006, 11:22 AM
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#3 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 29,456
Country:  | As far as I know they were used along with the B-2 as well.
__________________  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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10-07-2006, 04:05 PM
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#4 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,555
Country: | Yes, they were used there and in many other places over the years. Their first taste of combat was when the US invaded Panama.
__________________ 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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10-07-2006, 06:27 PM
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#5 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 13,013
Country: | Makes me feel old - I saw the first two being built. I just turned 21.
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10-07-2006, 09:00 PM
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#6 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,162
Country: | Quote:
Originally Posted by evangilder  Yes, they were used there and in many other places over the years. Their first taste of combat was when the US invaded Panama. |
Not too successful there. INS failure I hear. First time I heard of a stealth aircraft was in the book "Red Storm Rising". A milestone aircraft. Stealth along with GPS guided weapons has revolutionized aerial warfare. It will probably be phased out with the advent of the F-35, which is suppose to have similar stealth characteristics but with a whole lot more performance and flexibility. | |
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10-07-2006, 10:56 PM
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#7 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,555
Country: | I first saw one in 1986, in an undisclosed location. I didn't ask any questions, as they wouldn't have gotten answered anyway. Sure did explain what the locals were seeing (triangle shaped black UFOs) back then. Now, 20 years later, it seems weird that they are almost done.
__________________ 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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10-08-2006, 04:19 PM
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#8 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,959
Country:  | compared to today's technology though you can definately see it's a very early attempt at a stealth aircraft, looks freakin' great though........
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10-08-2006, 04:57 PM
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#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK
Posts: 11,249
Country: | I'd agree with that lanc, will be sad to see it go but times have changed an awful lot in the 25 years since it first flew..
__________________  "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts"
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10-09-2006, 05:43 PM
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#10 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Texas
Posts: 1,005
Country: | I imagine that the new stealth aircraft have much better stealth characteristics than the nighthawk and spirit. Much better being relative, you can only improve on invisibility so much...
__________________ "I had ten rockets on board, and as I wasn't particularly fond of head-on attacks, I salvoed the whole lot at him. The rockets didn't hit him but but they must have scared the bejesus out of him, for he did a steep turn to starboard... I let him have the full blast, all eight fifty-calibers. I had never seen an aircraft completely disintegrate in the air the way this Me-110 did..."
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Matt | |
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10-10-2006, 08:37 AM
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#11 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 29,456
Country: | I saw one for the first time right after Desert Storm at Rammstein AFB in Germany.
__________________ 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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10-10-2006, 01:09 PM
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#12 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,959
Country: | Quote: |
you can only improve on invisibility so much...
| not really, with better and better RADARs just what is "invisible" keeps changing, the F-117 may've fooled RADARs of the day but the trick with most stealth systems is to keep ahead of the most advanced RADAR you can see coming along in the next 20 odd years............
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"Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy." | |
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10-10-2006, 04:23 PM
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#13 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 29
Country: | Quote:
Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet I saw one for the first time right after Desert Storm at Rammstein AFB in Germany. | Me too, round about March 91. | |
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12-03-2006, 11:42 PM
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#14 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Queensland
Posts: 1,256
Country:  | Have they really changed that much? I mean the fact is that they are not really going to be flying against an airforce... At least, I haven't heard that the terrorists have one... They are mostly going to be flying unchallenged where they will be able to prepare things with precision strikes for bigger craft such as the B-52 to come in and bomb their targets to hell. At least that is how it seems to have been used in all its missions... | |
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12-03-2006, 11:47 PM
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#15 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 13,013
Country: | The -117 has undergone at least 3 mods where there were avionic and structures upgrades as well as improvements to the RAM. A good friend worked this program as late as 2003.
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