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Elite 2K Joined: Oct 20, 2005 Posts: 2103 Status: Offline

The latest published USAF F-117 shot comes from Osan AB, Republic of Korea.

<a href="http://www.pacaf.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123045091">Story link: Deployed Nighthawk visits Osan</a>

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I still say that is a beautiful airframe. I know alot of people think that its a butt ugly plane, but I disagree. Granted it doesnt have the elegant lines of a Mustang,Falcon,or Eagle but nonetheless elegant in her own right.

Elite 2K Joined: Oct 20, 2005 Posts: 2103 Status: Offline

You are right, Tim! The Nighthawk is still fascinating. I spotted this aircraft since Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. As I told in a previous post to this topic, two F-117As were "special guests" at the ILA Berlin 2000 Airshow. As a freelance aviation journalist and public relations adviser, at that time I was hired by the German aviation magazine "FLiEGERREVUE" to edit their pocket "ILA 2000 Guide" (created as an ILA pocked guide for first time by me in 1996).
Please let me remember: At the first official press date for the F-117, in the ILA press lounge a civilian German USAFE liaison people (together with a female USAF liaison officer) told us: Please, no questions about the shotdown of an F-117 over Kosovo! Than, we got the opportunity to make first shots of the static display aircraft, just in front of a commercial aircraft hangar (used by both aircraft during their entire visit).
With my Nikon F-801s (non-digital) camera equipment (including a 300mm lense), I used a parked Van to take some detail pictures from above. In this case, I had no problems with the well-presented USAF security guys. But sometime later, as the flying jet just returned from a demo flight, I was on the control tower. My intend was to make zoomed shots of the exhaust areas. But what a surprise: One of the escorts (with a M-16 riffle on hand) signaled me to make no shot! At that moment, I was really anxious.
And now - after all of that - , these former top-secret jets are joining the "Boneyard"...

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Sad that they will be in storage at Tonopah...was hoping most of those birds went to museums and 'gate guards'. And to keep a few for air shows in the future...I have seen '117s at airshows since 1998 and hope to keep the trend going!

Don't expect to see any of the latest retirees in museums or on sticks until Holloman's F-22 squadrons are up and running. There are a few out there that I know of... Nellis has one as an outdoor static, and Wright Patterson has one in the air museum. I'm not sure if the Smithsonian has one. If they don't, they'll be one of the first organizations to get one. I'm sure the Dragon (835) will be at Eglin.

Yes, I've seen the one at WP. I just thought that they would be better off being donated to bases and museums rather than just being placed in storage. However, I can understand the need to bring 'em back if such a dire need arises (let's hope not).

I really hope for a few flyable examples to exist for air show demos. Such a unique airframe needs to remain in existance!

There's just something about a lady in a tight black dress Thumb

Elite 3K Joined: May 10, 2004 Posts: 3098 Status: Offline

I've seen the Nighthawk at Nellis and I think it's pretty cool to have the very first F-117 ever built (FSD1) so close to where all the testing and initial basing took place Smile

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Elite 2K Joined: May 13, 2004 Posts: 2945 Location: Utah

I too agree, she is a special bird, all the years of research, tests and more tests then the flying phase working the bug's out, seeing combat, she did her job big time and the leap in technology...wow!

I hope we never take for granted all the hard work and thinking outside the box that went into this amazing aircraft, she looks harmful and like a bird of pray in my book. What a feather in the cap of America, least that is my take on it, I love the look of her too, what lines...amazing, my hats off to the design team and all others that brought this baby to life...WoW!

OK. After hearing everyone else's opinions on the aircraft I may withdraw my good riddance comment. It really is the coolest-looking jet in the Air Force... with the Raptor close behind. I guess I'm just a Viper Crew Chief at heart and always will be. I do feel pretty lucky to be working these aircraft during their final days. It will definitely be something to tell the grandkids about.

Elite 2K Joined: May 13, 2004 Posts: 2945 Location: Utah

I think your right, it is something to talk about later in life

Yeah any 16 Crew Chief who got stuck in Holloman for a 3 year controlled tour will always tell you they missed 16's. Why? Cause that was what we were trained to work, when you leave Holloman with all of that Stealth sh*t in your head, and go back to a jet that carries a gun, and can shoot down other airplanes, and has an after burner, a jet that still has a mission, a jet that can break the sound barrier and that makes you feel all warm inside. But seriously the biggest thing for 16 guys is being a FNG all over again. I think another big thing is its a bigger airplane to inspect, takes longer for ground handling, ie Wipe Downs, pullin RAM, dropping pannels to do a BPO, everything took longer. I went from taking an hour to an hour in a half having my jet completly put to bed to 3 hours, and that sucks. 2 AMAD changes, you must have worked them right off the assymbly line, cause in my 3 years there, we changed atleast an AMAD a month, we kept asking why do they even use the Couple UnCouple system and just leave them coupled all of the time like the 15's do. Anyways, I am one of those guys who says GOOD RIDDENS, and I don't have to worry about going back to HOLLOMAN AFB NM. The one and only thing that I enjoyed, was being able to say I have worked more than just one airframe, and one engine.

Elite 2K Joined: May 13, 2004 Posts: 2945 Location: Utah

WoW...sorry to hear was a bad adventure for you....but like any PCS (if it is bad) you do outlive it and press on - good luck to you, glad your back doing something you enjoy better

Elite 1K Joined: Apr 26, 2004 Posts: 1215 Status: Offline

Can anyone tell me roughly how many hours they have on the airframes?

Nope, not right off the assembly, 807 reached 3000hrs when I was one it in 98. Best jet of my career, althogh 779 was no slouch. I put in for Holloman when I was in Korea. Was burned out on being the Landing gear/ flight control bitch. Prior phase does that to you when you get to the line. The micro managing in the 16 world was way out of control. Was just overall fed up with the whole situation and knew no matter where I went it would be the same. The 9th was great till about 98 and enough 16 supervision had trickled in to screw it up just as bad as the rest of the AF. Can't keep a good thing going. The reason I gave the AF the finger in Feb 99 and left. I thought Alamogordo was great too. People don't seem to like it because the lack of bars and clubs. Was never much into that anyway so no problem. Go disappear into the mountains for awhile, refreshing.

The thing that stood out first to me was the size. After I got used to it we had an airshow and I walked up the the 16's on static and thought "who brought the cool models, the scale realism is amazing."

Wathcing people get mad at thier auto focus cameras not working on it never got old either.

Gonna miss 'em. But then again I've been missing them for 8 years now.

Elite 2K Joined: May 13, 2004 Posts: 2945 Location: Utah

WoW..what you doing now "cut"? What type of work, still in Aviation?

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First six F-117s sent to Tonopah "Boneyard"