End of an Era
Twenty-seven years after its first flight, the last F-117 “Stealth Fighter” will fly to Davis Mothan for storage next month.
Last F-117 Flies Off To The Boneyard
by Jim Dunnigan
Strategy Page...
The first F-117 flew in 1981, and 59 were eventually built. Six crashed due to non-combat causes, and one was brought down due to the efforts of a clever Serb air defense officer, who exploited the chinks in the F-117s stealth technology. But starting in 1989, when an F-117 participated in the invasion of Panama, the aircraft proved its worth. The usual bomb load for the 24 ton aircraft, was two one-ton laser guided bombs, in an internal bomb bay. The F-117 almost always attacked at night, and took out a disproportionate number of targets compared to non-stealth bombers.
Nothing lasts forever (except the B-52)…
Bullwinkle
Move_Zig
Gman
robert108