F-117 RIP

[eagle driver]

found this post on NAMAR I thought it may be of interest to some .

The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) is considering a legislative provision that would allow the US Air Force to finally junk the famed Lockheed Martin F-117A Nighthawk.

The aircraft was officially retired from service in April 2008, but Congress demanded that all aircraft mothballed from 30 September 2006 onward be maintained “in a condition that would allow recall of that aircraft to future service”.

The ghost fleet is now accomodated in special climate-controlled hangars at the Tonopah Test Range at Nellis AFB, Nevada – the location dubbed Area 51. There have been dozens of reported sightings and pictures of the aircraft flying since 2008, including sightings of an aircraft being refuelled in flight.



Now, ten years after the F-117A provision was enacted as part of the 2007 National Defence Authorisation Act, US lawmakers appear willing to let the storied single-seat stealth jet move to the aerospace maintenance and regeneration yard in Arizona, where they’ll probably be torn apart or less likely, scavenged for hard-to-find parts.

If carried forward by the full committee today, the provision by HASC chairman Mac Thornberry would “remove the requirement that certain F-117 aircraft be maintained in a condition that would allow recall of those aircraft to future service” if approved by the full Congress.

[Unknown74]

Sad to see a fascinating and awesome aircraft being retired.

[redhead]

Be nice if Duxford could get one for its american museum.

[Unknown74]

That would be excellent. Think of how popular the American Air Museum would be.

[Blackcat1]

Remember when they were at Lakenheath and talking to the crews or Bandits as they autographed ! sad its gone

[rva65]

Sad to see a fascinating and awesome aircraft being retired.

They were retired 8 years ago!

[rva65]

That would be excellent. Think of how popular the American Air Museum would be.

Yes it would make an interesting addition to the collection, but don't think it would make the museum any more popular than it already is!

[page_verify]

The reason they were retired early, highly toxic materials that caused amongst other things the Area 51 lawsuit, will be why there'll never be one in a non-military museum - apart from in Serbia.

[Sky Dancer]

Hi,

IIRC F-117 retirement had more to do with the F-22, rather than toxic materials. Airframe 780 is on display at the Nellis Boulevard gate at Nellis AFB; 781 is on display at the National Museum of U.S.A.F. at Wright Patterson AFB; 782 is on display at Holloman AFB; 783 is on display at the Blackbird Airpark at Palmdale.

All were FSD airframes and all had been stripped of RAM prior to display. (781 was stripped of RAM prior to its last flight and had "Toxic Death" graffiti sprayed onto its fuselage!!) I'm also led to believe that one of the airframes has cardboard panels rather than aluminium.

Airframe 784 was also stripped of RAM prior to its public (well, as public as you can get in the "black" work) strapping at Palmdale.

Would suggest that while it may be perfectly safe to display an F-117 without RAM, there may be considerable reluctance to display any further airframes due to more security related issues rather than being toxic.

[Agent K]

I visited the Blackbird air park at Palmdale 2 weeks ago, no F117 there (now at least) wonder where it has gone?

[tm74sqn]

I visited in November 2014 - it wasn't there then either, although it had been reported there prior to that date.

Does anyone know:-
1. Between what dates it was supposed to have been there?
2. Where it is now?

Cheers, TM74

[david14]

I think that F117 has been with the museum at Edwards for about a year and a half

[adderman]

Hi Folks

According to Andy Marden's USMOOS 2013/14...

> F-117A 79-10783/ED was returned to Edwards for the AFFTC Museum on the night of 7/8 Jun 12<

Hope that helps.

Don't think non US Nationals can visit ED now anyway even to see Century Circle though I'm willing to be corrected.
When Edwards next have a show however...

I thought the Nighthawk a strange machine, stealthy on radar but the racket they made taking off was surprising .
Remember the LN deployment in July 1993 and the noise even drowned several hundred cameras going beserk.

Regards

Mike J Parsons.

[david14]

Edwards AFB still do tours (no photography unfortunately), you need to pre-book and no real restrictions on foreign nationals - have a look at their website

Century Circle is outside the gate, so you should be able to get there and photo those aircraft anyway

[ythanpythan]

I think that F117 has been with the museum at Edwards for about a year and a half

Yeah they have it in a hangar between the Nasa Complex and the F35 Flight line, saw it in March during a tour, no photos of it unfortunately or the RAF F35 that taxied straight past the bus about 30 ft away from me. Gutted doesn't cover it!

Well worth doing the tour if you get the chance.

Ian

[adderman]

Hi Folks

Have done so and noted ED tours almost full already this year, so for the chance to get there you need to plan nearly a year in advance.

Mike

[CHESTER_DRAWERS]

Just a quickie ... any restrictions on logging tail numbers (to use an American term) on the tours ???

[Ghastly Whisper]

Be nice if Duxford could get one for its american museum.

Pfffft dream on, they were (rumoured) offered one a number of years ago, as well as an F-14, F-16, C-141, F-4, F-105 and a few others all turned down, this is why they dont get offers of airframes anymore.

[TankBuster]

Be nice if Duxford could get one for its american museum.

Pfffft dream on, they were (rumoured) offered one a number of years ago, as well as an F-14, F-16, C-141, F-4, F-105 and a few others all turned down, this is why they dont get offers of airframes anymore.

Duxford did have an F-105 in their possession, but they recently sent it back to the USAF museum along with the F-100. I think Duxford is pretty much full up with aircraft exhibits now so I think the chances of an F-117 going there are very slim because that would only be another airframe for them to look look after. The line has to be drawn somewhere!

TB

[Gus0898uk]

The NASA Dryden tours at Edwards AFB were fantastic, you could literally turn up at the gate, say you were on the NASA tour and you got waived through.
20 years ago Edwards was one of the easiest bases to access, alas, times change and now no NASA tours as far as I know. Edwards used to have a display of aircraft on the base I guess these are the ones now outside.
I did take a drive to Tonapah once, I never saw any F117s or even anything but it was still nice to tick the box.