The USAF F-117, the "Stealth Fighter" was removed from active status in a quiet ceremony on Nov 2. Two famous fighters are now retired. the F14 and now the F117. (Moment of silence...... LOL)
SSGT S. Williams
The F117 had been in USAF service 25 years.....
Stealth jet quietly slips into history F-117A fighter retired after 25 years Cutting-edge design cloaked in mystery Nov. 2, 2006. 12:54 PM BILL TAYLOR FEATURE WRITER
Almost as furtively as it flew above war zones from Bosnia to Baghdad, America's F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter has retired from active duty.
The years had snuck up on it. Though it remained cutting-edge contemporary in many people's minds, the Nighthawk had hit the quarter-century mark. At a discreet "Silver Stealth" ceremony at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico this week, some of the people who built, serviced and flew the plane marked the end of its 25-year career.
Much of the F-117A's innermost workings remain top-secret but it was outstripped by newer, even more space-age technology. All that remained was its public image. Its successor, the F-22 Raptor, appeared on the last day of the Canadian International Air Show in Toronto in September, its first foray outside the United States. The Raptor looks more like a conventional jet than the F-117A and didn't cause much excitement, other than among hard-core aviation buffs. When the Nighthawk made its Toronto debut in 1993, as it whispered over Ontario Place the crowd went crazy, pointing and yelling, "Stealth! Stealth!"
With its odd shape — awkward angles calculated to baffle enemy radar — the Nighthawk hardly looked like a plane at all; more like a prop from a sci-fi TV show or something you'd fold from paper and then complain because it didn't fly.
But fly it most certainly did. Gen. Lloyd "Fig" Newton, one of the first F-117A pilots, said it had "capabilities that had never been known before," American Forces Press Service reported. "If we needed the door kicked in, the stealth was the one to do it."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- `If we needed the door kicked in, the stealth (fighter) was the one to do it' Gen. Lloyd Newton, original F-117A pilot
The Nighthawk entered service in 1982. It could slither through the most sophisticated radar on bombing missions that left survivors literally not knowing what had hit them. It flew over Bosnia, Panama, Iraq — the only plane to attack downtown Baghdad — and Afghanistan and "reshaped how the air force looked at strategic warfare," said Lt.-Col. Chris Knehans, commander of the 7th Fighter Squadron at Holloman.
It was a "decapitation strike" by stealth fighters on Baghdad in March 2003 that began the war on Iraq.
The F-117A was referred to as a fighter, though its main roles were bombing and reconnaissance. It wasn't particularly fast, not quite able to break the sound barrier.
The twin-engine plane was rushed into being. It made its first flight June 18, 1981, after only 31 months in development. There were reportedly 55 built, the last being delivered in 1990. In 1992, Nighthawks flew non-stop from Holloman to Kuwait, an 18-hour flight that remains a record for single-seat fighters.
Paul Cabot, curator of the Toronto Aerospace Museum, said the fact that the F-117A has lasted 25 years shows how combat aviation has changed from the 1960s, when aircraft designs had a much shorter shelf life.
"Planes now are designed to be the deliverer of weapons and not the weapon itself," he said. "They can stand off and deliver a weapon from a distance so they don't see all that much of battle. There have been developments in radar so maybe the F-117A had started showing up. That's something we won't be told."
------------------ 1988 Fiero Formula T-tops CJB 143 of 1252 "factory T-top cars"
"Paul Cabot, curator of the Toronto Aerospace Museum, said the fact that the F-117A has lasted 25 years shows how combat aviation has changed from the 1960s, when aircraft designs had a much shorter shelf life."
Cough, cough.. F-14 / F-15 both introduced in the 70's First operational F-14 squadron 1974 First operational F-15 wing 1976
F-15's are still in operation, 14s were retired just a few months back..
IP: Logged
09:37 AM
Pyrthian Member
Posts: 29569 From: Detroit, MI Registered: Jul 2002
yes, it looks cool in its own quirky way - but it is a pretty silly plane slow, not much load, and not all that stealthy (compared to F-22)
but, dang - that is short life for USAF airplane. looking back - probably makes this one of the most expensive planes. right up there with the B-1. but, the tech of the plane does carry forth some great inovations in fly-by-wire controls, dampened/shielded exhaust & flying wing configuration.
IP: Logged
09:38 AM
Falcon4 Member
Posts: 1189 From: Fresno, CA, USA Registered: Oct 2006
Haha. Well, I would say "may it burn in the depths of non-service" if I had seen this topic just a month ago... I saw it at an airshow earlier this month and *wow*, it really was underestimated. If you never thought you could hear a jet silently sweep by you, well... here's that jet. It's like, wow, one hell of a quiet jet. I guess its impracticality finally caught up with it though. At least it was the F-117, not the F-16.
------------------
'87 Fiero GT, Automatic, 153k miles, stock everything, just trying to make it all work again. :D
IP: Logged
09:40 AM
Oreif Member
Posts: 16460 From: Schaumburg, IL Registered: Jan 2000
Paul Cabot, curator of the Toronto Aerospace Museum, said the fact that the F-117A has lasted 25 years shows how combat aviation has changed from the 1960s, when aircraft designs had a much shorter shelf life.
For a curator of a museum he obviously has no clue. Here's a list of a few planes that flew for over 25 years. A6 1963 to 1997 EA6B (still flying until the EF18 gets delivered) F14 1970 to 2006 F15 (still flying) 1976 to present day B52 (still flying) 1955 to present day SR-71 1966 to 1998 (It is actually rumored to have been flying in service as early as 1963)
Even the Douglas Skyraider flew for over 25 years It was delivered in 1945 and flew many missions in Viet Nam up to 1974.
Sure does make me feel old. I was ask to transfer to maintain ECM on that booger. After reseaching it I decided the B52 was just fine to work on. I was informed the automated troubleshooting sytem for the ECM was correct less than 50% of the time when it first came out. Can you guess which cup the ball is under
IP: Logged
09:41 AM
Falcon4 Member
Posts: 1189 From: Fresno, CA, USA Registered: Oct 2006
For a curator of a museum he obviously has no clue. Here's a list of a few planes that flew for over 25 years. A6 1963 to 1997 EA6B (still flying until the EF18 gets delivered) F14 1970 to 2006 F15 (still flying) 1976 to present day B52 (still flying) 1955 to present day SR-71 1966 to 1998 (It is actually rumored to have been flying in service as early as 1963)
Ehhmm, you left out one important milestone... the great and mighty F-16, entered into service in 1979 and still flying (with much more pride than the F-15 I might add, muahaha).
IP: Logged
09:44 AM
rogergarrison Member
Posts: 49601 From: A Western Caribbean Island/ Columbus, Ohio Registered: Apr 99
Not to mention DC3s and Beech Super 18s still flying in regular scheduled service for what now....60 years. They just recently retired an original Ford Tri-motor that was flying as a scheduled air transport/ airline between Sandusky, Put-in-Bay and Pt Clinton, ohio. Thats what.......85 years? Its still flying, but as a privately owned aircraft out of Zanesville, Ohio.
IP: Logged
10:30 AM
tesmith66 Member
Posts: 7355 From: Jerseyville, IL Registered: Sep 2001
Ehhmm, you left out one important milestone... the great and mighty F-16, entered into service in 1979 and still flying (with much more pride than the F-15 I might add, muahaha).
OK, gotta say it. The F-16 is a lawn dart. They buy them by the dozen.
There, I got that off my chest.
Disclaimer: The fact that I work for Boeing (formerly McDonnell-Douglas) in St. Louis (where ALL of the F-4, F-15 and F-18's were/are built) has absolutely nothing to do with that statement. Honest.
(Of course I'm kidding.) Thanks for keepin' the skies safe, man!
------------------ 1986 SE 350 V8
IP: Logged
11:04 AM
PFF
System Bot
Finally_Mine_86_GT Member
Posts: 4809 From: Hyde Park, New York Registered: Sep 2006
I still think the best of all is the sr-71... beautiful... and it will be sad to see the f117 go, but now we've probably got even cooler looking aircraft... we'll see...
IP: Logged
11:54 AM
jetman Member
Posts: 7805 From: Sterling Heights Mich Registered: Dec 2002
The Discovery channel had a show about stealth recently, it was facinating to watch. One particular scene comes to mind where the two engineers / scientists at the radar testing range turned up the radar full blast only to have no return signal. Thinking that the "hopeless diamond" had fallen off of its test mount, they hopped into a jeep to drive down to the end of the range only to discover that it was indead up on the test stand. It was at that moment that the program went "black". I would have loved to have seen the expressions on their faces at that second.
Amazing that we are retireing planes that the most of the world dreams of building.
IP: Logged
02:08 PM
Pyrthian Member
Posts: 29569 From: Detroit, MI Registered: Jul 2002
After I finished weather observing school I went to Holloman but they used white out to change bases. They re-cut me a new set but I scratched the whiteout off and the base that was covered up was Tonopah, NV. 4 months after I got to Holloman they declassified the fighter. We called it the powder-puff cockroach. It only came out at night and it didn't like to be man-handled.
The one thing I want to know is they number planes and when modifications come out, they add letters. For example, the C-141 was built in '64. When they modified it in '79, the unstretched version was known as 141A and the stretched was 141B. The C-17 and B-2, for example, have no A designation. Where's the F-117B?
IP: Logged
06:30 PM
htexans1 Member
Posts: 9115 From: Clear Lake City/Houston TX Registered: Sep 2001
Easy. There is no "b" in the F117. All of them are "A's".
As for the "Pride" bit with the f15... I have 2 things to say. 1) An Israeli F15 flew home with a wing missing, it was hit by an F16. The F16 didnt make it home.
and:
2) No F15 Eagle was EVER lost in combat. A record of 120- 0...
S. Williams
------------------ 1988 Fiero Formula T-tops CJB 143 of 1252 "factory T-top cars"
IP: Logged
07:01 PM
lurker Member
Posts: 12355 From: salisbury nc usa Registered: Feb 2002
Good story but not entirely factual. Although there was a ceremony called "Silver Stealth" on October 29th it was to commemorate 25 years of the F-117 flying. http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123030185
As for Airframes lasting over 25 years on active flight status it is a pretty long list. The C-130's here in tucson came off the assmbly lines in the early 60's, The A-10's entered service in 1975 and aren't scheduled for replacement for another 10 years at the earliest, and of course the B-52 as mentioned above entered service in February 1955 and isn't scheduled for replacement until after 2040. The F-15 first entered in July 1972, the F-16 January 1979. That is just the Air Force planes, doesn't include the Navy and Marines. http://www.af.mil/factsheets/index.asp
Anyways the point remains that all the fighter aircraft in the U.S. inventory are getting old, the F-117 just isn't going to be flown into the ground like all the rest of them.
IP: Logged
09:06 PM
Nov 16th, 2006
Gokart Mozart Member
Posts: 12143 From: Metro Detroit Registered: Mar 2003
I found a little fact quite a few years ago when the series ' Baa Baa Black Sheep' was on (1980?) Some central american countries like Honduras were still flying F4U Corsairs in their air forces. The tv series went to them to buy planes for filming. Later in the show, they started using 1/2 scale planes built by some company out west. That same company also sold the 1/2 scale planes to private individuals. They had Corsair, P51 Mustang, Zero, and Messersmitt 109. The all used a modified small block v8 engine and used fiberglass / foam airframes, very similar to an RC model plane.
IP: Logged
06:41 AM
PFF
System Bot
tesmith66 Member
Posts: 7355 From: Jerseyville, IL Registered: Sep 2001
I remember as a kid back in about 1982 (ish) , growing up in Euclid, Oh, my best friend (and I) were ALL ABOUT jet fighters....One of my fondest airshow memories was of an F-15 weaving in and out of some industrial chimney's (trying to maintain flightline) for the airshow at Burke Lakefront in Cleveland. Anyway... He was always telling me about his big brother in the Air Force, and how he was stationed in Nevada working on some secret plane..... I thought he was yanking my chain for years, then it hit me, and I just remember thinkn to myself.... DAMN....
IP: Logged
01:22 PM
Tom Slick Member
Posts: 4342 From: Alvarado, TX Registered: May 2003
I maintained F-15C/Ds for 4 years, and got to fly in a D model over Cold Lake Air Base during my tour. It's the best Air Superiority/Interdiction fighter there ever was, and along with the F-14, has kept us "commie free" through the end of the Cold War.
As for the Viper, it's nice...agile, and the newer versions are pretty potent, but ask any Viper pilot who has served in Alaska which fighter wins that fight (F-15/16), and the honest ones admit the Eagle. But I will say the wingtip LAU's are easier to get to on the Viper. The Eagle's LAU's are a pain if it is carrying three bags.
As for the F-117, the first time I saw one in person, it blew me away. Sure it's old, but it looks scary even up close. Great bird.
I still think the best of all is the sr-71... beautiful... and it will be sad to see the f117 go, but now we've probably got even cooler looking aircraft... we'll see...
F-117's are given the "A" designation because it's technically classified as a "fighter (F)" and all fighters start at A and then get upgraded or different models added like the 15 two seaters are B's and D's, A's and C's single seat and E's are multi-role fighter/bombers, all two seaters. They probably figured there is a good chance of them upgrading the 117 at some point.
The only reason the 117's were given the "fighter" distinction is because of some treaty limiting the number of bombers we could have. To get around that we said it was a fighter. A sub-sonic fighter with no gun or AA missiles
My friend worked 117s at Holloman. He said the way they declassify them is by taking a sledge hammer and "removing" all of the angles that make it stealth.
[This message has been edited by Black88GT (edited 11-17-2006).]
IP: Logged
05:19 PM
Nov 18th, 2006
Toddster Member
Posts: 20871 From: Roswell, Georgia Registered: May 2001
Kind of snuck up on ya, Huh? Old age is like that, steathy.
------------------ Ron Land of the Free because of the Brave. Most gave some, some gave all. My imagination is the only limiting factor to my Fiero. Well, there is that money issue.
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 11-18-2006).]
IP: Logged
09:59 PM
PFF
System Bot
Nov 19th, 2006
Notorio Member
Posts: 3014 From: Temecula, CA Registered: Oct 2003
F-117's are given the "A" designation because it's technically classified as a "fighter (F)" and all fighters start at A and then get upgraded or different models added like the 15 two seaters are B's and D's, A's and C's single seat and E's are multi-role fighter/bombers, all two seaters. They probably figured there is a good chance of them upgrading the 117 at some point.
The only reason the 117's were given the "fighter" distinction is because of some treaty limiting the number of bombers we could have. To get around that we said it was a fighter. A sub-sonic fighter with no gun or AA missiles
My friend worked 117s at Holloman. He said the way they declassify them is by taking a sledge hammer and "removing" all of the angles that make it stealth.
Then the plane would be flat...
IP: Logged
09:01 AM
Nov 20th, 2006
rogergarrison Member
Posts: 49601 From: A Western Caribbean Island/ Columbus, Ohio Registered: Apr 99
They also recently retired the F14 Tomcat. Just watched a show on History channel about the last flights. I knew the went to F18s, but thought they were still going to use the F14s also.
Those are A-10 Thunderbolt (aka) "WartHog".... I LOVE THEM...
You might (or might not) be interested to know that the pod on the left side (station 3) is a Travel Pod. Pilots use them when they go TDY to put their bags. Read: Golf Clubs. I don't know that I've ever personally seen a pilot walk out to a travel pod and *not* put golf clubs in it. Seriously.
What was the travel pod originally? I'll let someone else answer that.
Flamberge
IP: Logged
02:03 AM
Gokart Mozart Member
Posts: 12143 From: Metro Detroit Registered: Mar 2003
Out sailing on Lake Martin one day, we had an A-10 circle the boat for about 15 minutes in an ever tightning circle. He then made a low pass over the water and waved to the boat. You could see the pilot clearly. It,s amazing how slow they can fly on station. The Turbojet engines had such a unique whine that I can I can now idendify them by sound alone. Awesome plane, That made our day, Those with me still talk about it.
[This message has been edited by Wolfhound (edited 11-21-2006).]
(Moment of silence...... LOL)
.jpg)
