F-117's Streak into the History Books!

[Ocklawaha]

Like certain classes of Locomotives (JACKSONVILLE MUSUEM NOTE: some lost without a single example remaining) Now the famous F-117 has made it's last formation flight. They left Palmdale California, Edwards AFB in the High Desert, went sailing over my house near 29 Palms, then streaked on to Tonopah, NV. near the Area 51 base. (Tonopah is one of the most interesting old west "cities" in the world, but talk about "The garden spot of the earth!" More like HELL! AND they also have those damn man eating cats. My best guess is they'll retire in the near zero humidity sun at the Tonopah inferno.

Either time is moving faster for the old hippie or this was a REALLY short service life. The 117 was more a test platform through then a "real" aircraft.

DATE:08/08/08
SOURCE:Flight International
F-117’s final formation fling
By Alan Radecki

What was possibly the final formation flight of Lockheed Martin F-117 Nighthawks took place on 6 August from Palmdale's US Air Force Plant 42 in California.

After the USAF formally retired the F-117 in ceremonies at Palmdale and Holloman AFB, New Mexico, on 22 April, four of the stealth fighters were kept flying as testbeds by the 410th Flight Test Squadron, and by the end of July only two of the aircraft remained. According to Lockheed, one was to be flown to storage at Tonopah on the 7 July, and the final aircraft will leave on the type's last flight on 14 August.


With the closing of this chapter in aviation and flight-test history, the 410th FLTS has also been inactivated, with closing ceremonies held at Plant 42 on 1 August. While Lockheed built and maintained the flight-test aircraft assigned to Palmdale, the 410th performed the test activities over 27 years and more than 8,000 of flight hours. Squadron commander Lt Col Dwayne Opella says: "I wish we would have stayed open longer, but it is time to go."

OCKLAWAHA

[gatorback]

Don't need the is right.  We've got those new ones now.  The appear as UFOs to some.

[Ocklawaha]

They appear as UFOs to some.

You mean they're NOT? Oh god, I thought that would explain some of the women I met in that casino in Tonapah... right after I hit the slots----- Hee Hee

OCKLAWAHA