F-117's into Retirement

[vetkrazy]

Today saw the last 4 F-117's head into retirement. The last 4 left Palmdale for storage in Nevada a few moments ago. Sorry about the picture quality but they were pretty high when they went over the house

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[andrewhuxman]

There goes the one with flag paint scheme on the belly.:(

[FlyingPhotog]

Wow, helluva catch.

Hope the flag paint scheme gets a nice museum spot somewhere...

[REXTi]

its sad to know about something like this, seems like a waste turn them into something useful.

[FlyingPhotog]

Don't forget they've been flying since the early 1980's...sneaking up on 25 years.

Also, they're first generation Stealth and (IIRC) only second generation composite. The technology of both has grown in leaps and bounds as has the technology to defeat it.

[MN xBrian]

Nice catch! Why are they retireing them already? Somthing of historicle value? I thought those were relatively new.

edit: Never mind, I should have read the above poster's comment. But still, it seems like a waste of money. Arent those a few mil each? Cant they harness the new technology and retro it into the first gen plane?

[CyberDyneSystems]

Nice shot!

F-117 is retired?
That must be one of the shortest "successful" service lifes for an aircraft in history?
They've no use for the multi-billion dollar bird dripping guided ordnance on the Afghan border? How strange?

[PhotosGuy]

Don't forget they've been flying since the early 1980's...sneaking up on 25 years. And the BUFF just keeps going, & going...

[easyman]

i wouldnt be surprised if there were already a replacement

[TheBrokenMarine]

The technology is from the 70s...more economical, in the government's mind to spend the money elsewhere. I've just got problems with the fact that their just going to put all 50 of them in a storage unit.

Awesome that you got them in flight.

revision would be the F-22 Raptor

[BobOh]

And the BUFF just keeps going, & going...

Yeah, that's just amazing beyond belief.

[vetkrazy]

They built 59 of them at $45 million a pop. But their mission has been taken by the F-22. I can still remember the first time I walked into a hanger and saw it sitting there. Was totally awe struck. It was quite awhile after that before the government admitted to their existence. I am going to miss them flying over the house, another addition to the list that includes my all time favorite the SR 71.

[3Turner]

Good shot of another great aircraft going to the bone yards :(. I hurt when the Tomcat went.

[sixsixfour]

nice catch.

[45R]

Good shot of another great aircraft going to the bone yards :(. I hurt when the Tomcat went.

I'm still hurting over the Tomcat....

[donutdan]

Don't apologize for the picture quality. How many of us took a picture of history today?

[JWright]

i wouldnt be surprised if there were already a replacement

revision would be the F-22 Raptor

The F-22 can do everything the F-117 did and more...

[FlyingPhotog]

And the BUFF just keeps going, & going...

From the B52 Stratofortress Association website http://www.stratofortress.org/

"The final version of the Stratofortress, the B-52H, first flew on 6 March 1961, and was produced until June 1962, when the 102nd was completed, the newest of the 742 B-52s built."

Hell, I knew they were old but I had NO idea the youngest airframe dated back to 1962. I would have guessed mid 70's at least...

Boeing sure got this one right. Now about that 787... ;)

[FlyingPhotog]

The F-22 can do everything the F-117 did and more...

The improvement in "stand-off" attack capabilities gives the F22 more bite as well...

[Bubble]

I've just got problems with the fact that their just going to put all 50 of them in a storage unit.



59 to be exact. :)

[carpenter]

59 to be exact. :)


can't be 59.. 6 crashes plus the one shot down in kosovo.

[Bubble]

can't be 59.. 6 crashes plus the one shot down in kosovo.

what i mean is the total "production".

[Andrushka]

When that F-117 went down in Kosovo you could just here the retirement bell ring...

Well nice shot of that formation - i hope they all end up in museums and don't get "F-14'd" - the gov needs to show history/aviation buffs some love with the F-117. Definitely one of the coolest, effective and unique aircraft ever built.

[Desertraptor]

I guess with the F22 entering wider service the 117 is now quite obsolete
But it has been in service since 1980 I think
It first saw service over Panama didnt it

[Andrushka]

i recall they were flown over Panama too - but didnt actually drop any ordinance or something like that

[CyberDyneSystems]

I'm still hurting over the Tomcat....

Agree, but compare life spans, the f117 was a babe in swaddling by comparison, the F15 still flying (in various forms) and f-16 still front line, all older than the 117.

It just seems so short compared to mist other "successful" aircraft.
'But if the Raptor is up and flying and will totally take on the rile (and do it better) then I guess the logic makes sense,

It just seems odd is all.

[CyberDyneSystems]

i recall they were flown over Panama too - but didnt actually drop any ordinance or something like that

Are you thinking of Grenada?

[Andrushka]

Are you thinking of Grenada?

ahh... must have been... its been a while since i read a book on the Lockheed Skunkworks (Skunk Works?)

[FlyingPhotog]

Agree, but compare life spans, the f117 was a babe in swaddling by comparison, the F15 still flying (in various forms) and f-16 still front line, all older than the 117.

It just seems so short compared to mist other "successful" aircraft.
'But if the Raptor is up and flying and will totally take on the rile (and do it better) then I guess the logic makes sense,

It just seems odd is all.

It's not unusual for composite airframes to be "life limited..."

Dunno if the F117 is subject to this or not. There are some GA models that are, however.

[rockabilly808]

sorry to here these aircraft are going to the bone yard, what actually bugs me is that the F-22 was designed solely as an air superiority aircraft not as a multi role aircraft which is what they're being marketed as now.

[KulmanMJ]

I had no idea the F117s were leaving service, until I read this post. Thanks for the interesting history and the great photos!

I would daydream often about flying the F117 as a youngster. Makes me feel old now that they're retired.

[Dave_Ross]

One thing you need to remeber, about the F-117, is that its much vaunted radar invisibility was restricted to certain types of radar. I remember reading that during the first Gulf War British ships were able to track the planes at a range of nearly 100 miles because of the frequencies they employed.

[CPO_USN]

thanks for sharing

[buddy4344]

Next thing you know you guys will tell me they are retiring the F104. I must be getting old.

[stealth_aircraft_photos]

Hi, newbie here. Was googling for photos from the Holloman ceremony and came across the POTN site. I live in the area around where the Palmdale ceremony was held and got this shot & others.......

http://home.earthlink.net/~stealth_aircraft_photos

[FlyingPhotog]

Hi, newbie here. Was googling for photos from the Holloman ceremony and came across the POTN site. I live in the area around where the Palmdale ceremony was held and got this shot & others.......

http://home.earthlink.net/~stealth_aircraft_photos

Hi and welcome to POTN!!!

Hope you'll hang out here in the Transportation arena to share more images and teach/learn a thing or three!

Good look at the Stars & Bars paint scheme. Got More?

[FlyingPhotog]

Next thing you know you guys will tell me they are retiring the F104. I must be getting old.

Do you know about these folks:

http://www.starfighters.net/

Nice little 1:46 video on their homepage...

[buddy4344]

Wow, that 104 demo rattled my teeth.