B-2 at UK airshows (+other Fairford visits)
Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 7:27 pm
For the folks who are not aware the following is a listing of B-2 visits to the UK. It does not include the Global Power sorties over UK airspace (perhaps someone could add these to complete the picture)
Sept 2nd 1996 B-2 88-0332 "Washington" performed a flypast at the Farnborough Air Show on September 2nd 1996. This is believed to be the first time that a B-2 was in UK airspace
May 24th 1997 B-2 93-1086 made the type's first appearance at a public air show in the UK when it performed a flypast at the RAF Mildenhall Open House during a 30-hour mission. The aircraft was escorted by two F-15Cs from the 48th FW at Lakenheath. During this mission the crew (Capt Jeff Long and Maj Scott Kramer) released a GAM-113 weapon.
July 19th 1997 B-2 89-0127 "Spirit of Kansas" landed at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in front of thousands of spectators. The aircraft was on the ground for about an hour before returning to Whiteman.
March 10th 1999 82-1067 "Spirit of Arizona" on a Global Power mission to RAF Fairford. The aircraft arrived at 09:55 local time after a 10½-hour flight and departed, with Lt Col Will Gildner and Maj Terry Sunnarborg at the controls, at 11:00. The aircraft was escorted by 48th Fighter Wing F-15s while in UK airspace.
July 23rd 1999 82-1069 Spirit of Indiana" arrived at RAF Fairford on July 23rd 1999 to take part in the Royal International Air Tattoo. The aircraft appeared in the static display (the first time this had occured in the UK) and also flew on both days
of the show. The aircraft returned to Whiteman on July 25th.
May 25th 2000 B-2 90-0040 "Alaska" arrived at RAF Mildenhall to take part in Air Fete 2000. Maj Bob Duncan of the 325th BS and Maj Timothy Fay of the 393rd BS flew the first day of the show, and Maj Randy Brawley and Capt Scott Hannan, both of the 393rd, flew on the second day. "Alaska" departed, accompanied by two 48th Fighter Wing F-15Cs, on May 29th.
July 28th and 29th 2001 B-2 89-0127 "Kansas" made two appearances at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Cottesmore, making one pass over the airfield on each day. The purpose of these two flights to the UK was to test the bomber's combat turn-round time. After flying a 21 hour round trip on the Saturday the aircraft was back in the air again with a fresh 325th BS crew after only 3 hours 15 minutes on the ground. 89-0127 had zero maintenance writeups on its return to Whiteman after the two missions. 89-0127 was lost at Andersen AFB in Feb 2008
July 20th and July 21st 2002 B-2s performed flypasts at the Royal International Air Tattoo 2002 at RAF Fairford during non-stop "Global Power" missions from Whiteman AFB. On Saturday July 20th it was 92-0700 "Spirit of Florida", and on Sunday July 21st it was 89-0128 "Spirit of Nebraska". Both aircraft were escorted by four F-15C Eagles from RAF Lakenheath.
July 19th and July 20th 2003 B-2 92-0700 "Spirit of Florida" performed flybys at RAF Fairford/RIAT on Global Power missions. On July 19th 2003 it performed a flyby at RAF Fairford, recovered to Mildenhall, performed another flyby on July 20th and then returned to Whiteman.
July 17th 2004 and July 18th B-2 93-1086 "Spirit of Kitty Hawk" performed flypasts at the Royal International Air Tattoo 2004 at RAF Fairford. On Saturday July 17th the aircraft flew a 20-hour Global Power misson from Whiteman and back as "Death 53". The following day the same aircraft, with a different crew, flew the same mission as "Death 63". On both occasions the aircraft was escorted by four F-15E Eagles from RAF Lakenheath.
March 22nd 2006 two B-2s arrived at RAF Fairford: 90-0040 'Spirit of Alaska' as "ZETA 11" and 93-1085 'Spirit of Oklahoma' as "ZETA 12". They are not known to have flown any missions while in the UK, and they departed on March 24th.
August 12th 2008 two B-2s arrived at RAF Fairford. They were 82-1067 as 'Reaper 11' and 89-0128 as 'Reaper 12'. They stayed until August 17th.
The above is courtesy of http://www.targetlock.org.uk/b-2/service.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Fairford specific info with photos here
http://www.raf-fairford.co.uk/b-2-stealth-bomber-visits" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If anyone would like to post any good pictures of the various visits please do so
Sept 2nd 1996 B-2 88-0332 "Washington" performed a flypast at the Farnborough Air Show on September 2nd 1996. This is believed to be the first time that a B-2 was in UK airspace
May 24th 1997 B-2 93-1086 made the type's first appearance at a public air show in the UK when it performed a flypast at the RAF Mildenhall Open House during a 30-hour mission. The aircraft was escorted by two F-15Cs from the 48th FW at Lakenheath. During this mission the crew (Capt Jeff Long and Maj Scott Kramer) released a GAM-113 weapon.
July 19th 1997 B-2 89-0127 "Spirit of Kansas" landed at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in front of thousands of spectators. The aircraft was on the ground for about an hour before returning to Whiteman.
March 10th 1999 82-1067 "Spirit of Arizona" on a Global Power mission to RAF Fairford. The aircraft arrived at 09:55 local time after a 10½-hour flight and departed, with Lt Col Will Gildner and Maj Terry Sunnarborg at the controls, at 11:00. The aircraft was escorted by 48th Fighter Wing F-15s while in UK airspace.
July 23rd 1999 82-1069 Spirit of Indiana" arrived at RAF Fairford on July 23rd 1999 to take part in the Royal International Air Tattoo. The aircraft appeared in the static display (the first time this had occured in the UK) and also flew on both days
of the show. The aircraft returned to Whiteman on July 25th.
May 25th 2000 B-2 90-0040 "Alaska" arrived at RAF Mildenhall to take part in Air Fete 2000. Maj Bob Duncan of the 325th BS and Maj Timothy Fay of the 393rd BS flew the first day of the show, and Maj Randy Brawley and Capt Scott Hannan, both of the 393rd, flew on the second day. "Alaska" departed, accompanied by two 48th Fighter Wing F-15Cs, on May 29th.
July 28th and 29th 2001 B-2 89-0127 "Kansas" made two appearances at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Cottesmore, making one pass over the airfield on each day. The purpose of these two flights to the UK was to test the bomber's combat turn-round time. After flying a 21 hour round trip on the Saturday the aircraft was back in the air again with a fresh 325th BS crew after only 3 hours 15 minutes on the ground. 89-0127 had zero maintenance writeups on its return to Whiteman after the two missions. 89-0127 was lost at Andersen AFB in Feb 2008
July 20th and July 21st 2002 B-2s performed flypasts at the Royal International Air Tattoo 2002 at RAF Fairford during non-stop "Global Power" missions from Whiteman AFB. On Saturday July 20th it was 92-0700 "Spirit of Florida", and on Sunday July 21st it was 89-0128 "Spirit of Nebraska". Both aircraft were escorted by four F-15C Eagles from RAF Lakenheath.
July 19th and July 20th 2003 B-2 92-0700 "Spirit of Florida" performed flybys at RAF Fairford/RIAT on Global Power missions. On July 19th 2003 it performed a flyby at RAF Fairford, recovered to Mildenhall, performed another flyby on July 20th and then returned to Whiteman.
July 17th 2004 and July 18th B-2 93-1086 "Spirit of Kitty Hawk" performed flypasts at the Royal International Air Tattoo 2004 at RAF Fairford. On Saturday July 17th the aircraft flew a 20-hour Global Power misson from Whiteman and back as "Death 53". The following day the same aircraft, with a different crew, flew the same mission as "Death 63". On both occasions the aircraft was escorted by four F-15E Eagles from RAF Lakenheath.
March 22nd 2006 two B-2s arrived at RAF Fairford: 90-0040 'Spirit of Alaska' as "ZETA 11" and 93-1085 'Spirit of Oklahoma' as "ZETA 12". They are not known to have flown any missions while in the UK, and they departed on March 24th.
August 12th 2008 two B-2s arrived at RAF Fairford. They were 82-1067 as 'Reaper 11' and 89-0128 as 'Reaper 12'. They stayed until August 17th.
The above is courtesy of http://www.targetlock.org.uk/b-2/service.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Fairford specific info with photos here
http://www.raf-fairford.co.uk/b-2-stealth-bomber-visits" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If anyone would like to post any good pictures of the various visits please do so
