Lockheed F-117A Stealth Fighter

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The Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk fleet is being retired. The type is popularly known as the Stealth Fighter, despite its primary ground attack role. Here's a retrospective of photos of the Stealth Fighter.

Nighthawk 80-0789 of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Tonopah, Nevada made an early public appearance at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 6, 1990.

Nighthawk 80-0789 at Edwards Air Force Base on October 6, 1990.

Nighthawk 80-0789 at George Air Force Base on November 11, 1990.

Stealth Fighter of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing at the Reno Air Races on September 14, 1991.

Stealth Fighter 81-10793 of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing at the Reno Air Races on September 15, 1991. It crashed at an airshow at Middle River, Maryland on September 14, 1997.

Nighthawk 79-10783 of the 6512th Test Squadron at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 16, 1991. It is the fourth Full Scale Development (FSD) YF-117A and is now on display at Blackbird Airpark.

Nighthawk 79-10783 at Edwards Air Force Base on October 16, 1991.

Not many airshows featured a formation of three Nighthawks like this one at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 21, 1995.

A pair of Stealth Fighters taxi toward the crowd at Edwards Air Force Base on October 21, 1995.

A trio of Nighthawks appeared unexpectedly from behind the control tower at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 19, 1996.

As two of the Nighthawks taxied toward the crowd, a Rockwell B-1B taxied along the runway behind them at Edwards Air Force Base on October 19, 1996.

The Nighthawks taxi to their static display positions at Edwards Air Force Base on October 19, 1996.

Nighthawk 86-0823 from the 49th Fighter Wing based at Holloman AFB, New Mexico at the Golden Air Tattoo at Nellis Air Force Base on April 25, 1997.

Nighthawk 86-0823 at Nellis Air Force Base on April 25, 1997.

A YF-117A Full Scale Development Nighthawk takes off as B-2A Spirit of Ohio 92-1070, taxis out for its flight display at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 18, 1997.

Nighthawks 79-10783 and 79-10784 of the 412 Test Group taxi in to their parking position at Edwards Air Force Base on October 18, 1997. They are the fourth and fifth full scale development aircraft.

FSD Nighthawk 79-10784 runs up in preparation for taxiing back to the stealth fighter facility on the other side of the runway at Edwards Air Force Base on October 18, 1997.

Nighthawk at Naval Air Weapons Station Point Mugu on April 25, 1998.

The N9M-B Flying Wing taxis past FSD Nighthawks 79-10782 and 79-10783 at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 3, 1998. These early model stealth fighters lack some of the radar deflecting refinements of the production models. The cockpit canopies lack the serrated edges of the F-117A.

A pair of FSD Nighthawks fly formation off the wingtips of KC-135R Stratotanker, 61-0320 at Edwards Air Force Base on October 3, 1998.

The Skunk Works Review; a pair of FSD Nighthawks accompany a U-2S equipped with megapods at Edwards Air Force Base on October 3, 1998.

Pair of FSD Nighthawks make a dirty-configuration fly past at Edwards Air Force Base on October 3, 1998.

FSD Nighthawk at Edwards Air Force Base on October 3, 1998.

Nighthawk at Chino on April 24, 1999.

Full Scale Development Nighthawk 79-10782 of the 412th Test Wing at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 9, 1999. It is the third of the FSD Nighthawks and is now on display at Holloman Air Force Base.

Nighthawk in the Saline Valley in October 1999. This example may be one of the Full Scale Development vehicles that were based at Edwards Air Force Base.

Nighthawk 85-0817 of the 49th Fighter Wing Black Sheep based at Holloman Air Force Base arriving at Van Nuys on June 23, 2000.

Full Scale Development Nighthawk 79-10783 of the 412th Test Wing was the fourth stealth fighter prototype at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 21, 2000.

Nighthawk 80-0786 of the 9th Fighter Squadron at Holloman AFB, New Mexico arriving at Van Nuys on June 22, 2001. It is the second production F-117a.

Nighthawk 86-0821 of the 49th Fighter Wing based at Hollomon AFB departs from Van Nuys on June 25, 2001.

FSD Stealth Fighter 79-10783 of the 412th Test Wing at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 26, 2002.

Full Scale Development Stealth Fighter 79-10782 of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base on October 26, 2002. This was the oldest Stealth Fighter still flying at that time. The two older F-117s were on display at the Air Force Museum and Nellis Air Force Base.

The penultimate Stealth Fighter, 88-0842 of the 8th Fighter Squadron Black Sheep based at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on October 18, 2003. It is the fifty-eighth F-117A. It wears sixteen mission marks.

Tail markings on Stealth Fighter 88-0842 of the 8th Fighter Squadron Black Sheep at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on October 18, 2003.

The guard would not let me photograph the Stealth Fighter from behind this point at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on October 18, 2003.

Stealth Fighter 88-0842 of the 8th Fighter Squadron Black Sheep at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on October 18, 2003.

Stealth Fighter 85-0829 of the 8th Fighter Squadron, the Black Sheep of the 49th Fighter Wing based at Holloman AFB at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on October 18, 2003. It wears tail code HO.

Vapor forms over the leading edges of the wings of Stealth Fighter 85-0829 as it pulls up at show center at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on October 18, 2003.

Stealth Fighter 85-0829 deploys its drag chute at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on October 18, 2003.

Stealth Fighter 85-0829 taxis in following its second performance of the day at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on October 18, 2003.

Stealth Fighter 85-0829 taxis in as the heavy armor rolls out in the background at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on October 18, 2003.

FSD Stealth Fighter 79-10782 at Edwards Air Force Base on October 24, 2003. It was the oldest F-117 still flying.

FSD Stealth Fighter 79-10782 at Edwards Air Force Base on October 24, 2003.

Stealth Fighter of the 412th Test Wing did not take-off or land at Edwards Air Force Base during the open house on October 25, 2003. The wide, slender, rectangular exhaust ports are designed to reduce the infrared signature of the Stealth Fighter.

Stealth Fighter, Boeing-McDonnell-Douglas F-15A-18 Eagle 76-0116, and General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base on October 25, 2003.

Full Scale Development Stealth Fighter 79-10782 of the 412th Test Wing based at Edwards Air Force Base on display at Vandenberg Air Force Base on October 31, 2004.

FSD Stealth Fighter 79-10782 of the 412th Test Wing during rehearsal for the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 21, 2005.

Stealth Fighter 85-0831 of the 412th Test Wing on the flightline at Edwards Air Force Base on October 21, 2005.

Stealth Fighter 85-0831 at Edwards Air Force Base on October 21, 2005.

FSD Stealth Fighter 79-10782 of the 412th Test Wing makes a pass intended to reveal the American flag painted on its underside to the crowd on the flightline at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 22, 2005.

FSD Stealth Fighter 79-10782 at Edwards Air Force Base on October 22, 2005. It was the third F-117A. It was retired to Holloman Air Force Base following the Open House.

Pass in review: F-22A EMD Raptor 91-4009, F-16D Block 40A Fighting Falcon 87-0392, F-16B Block 15AQ OCU Fighting Falcon 92-0455, YF-117A FSD Stealth Fighter 79-10782, B-1B Lancer 85-0068, B-52H Stratofortress 60-0050, B-2A Spirit 82-1068 Spirit of New York, C-17A Globemaster III 03-3121, KC-135R Stratotanker 61-0320, MC-130E Combat Talon I 64-0572, and C-12A Huron 76-0158 at Edwards Air Force Base on October 22, 2005.

F-22A EMD Raptor 91-4009, F-16D Block 40A Fighting Falcon 87-0392, F-16B Block 15AQ OCU Fighting Falcon 92-0455, and YF-117A FSD Stealth Fighter, 79-10782 at Edwards Air Force Base on October 22, 2005.

This photo of Lockheed-Martin YF-117 FSD Stealth Fighter, 79-10782 on display at the Holloman Heritage Park in April 2008 was provided by Kevin Reagan. It is now painted as F-117A 85-0816 of the 49th Fighter Wing.

Full Scale Development Nighthawk 79-10784 at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House on October 28, 2006.

Nighthawk 79-10784 at Edwards Air Force Base on October 27, 2006.

YF-117A 79-10784, F-16B 92-0452, T-38C 64-13197, F-16C 87-0352, and F-22A 91-4007 at Edwards Air Force Base on October 27, 2006

Nighthawk 84-1825 of the 8th Fighter Squadron of the 49th Fighter Wing based at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico at Naval Air Station Pt. Mugu on March 31, 2007. It wzas badly damaged in a landing accident at Holloman Air Force Base on June 4, 1997.

F-Nighthawk 84-1825 of the 8th Fighter Squadron at Naval Air Station Pt. Mugu on March 31, 2007.

Blackbird Airpark received another black bird, FSD Stealth Fighter 79-10783 in March 2008.

Stealth Fighter 79-10783 at Blackbird Airpark on March 9, 2008.

The last four Lockheed-Martin F-117A Nighthawks from the 49th Fighter Wing flew from Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico to Air Force Plant 42 at Palmdale, California on Monday, April 21, 2008.

Slideshow of the visit of the last Stealth Fighters at Palmdale.

The flight of Stealth Fighters called the Palmdale tower as Stealth One One shortly after 11:00.

Last flight of Stealth Fighters from Holloman AFB at Palmdale on April 21, 2008.

F-117A 88-0843 of the 49th Fighter Wing is the last Stealth Fighter built.

F-117A 88-0843 at Palmdale on April 21, 2008.

F-117A 84-0824 of the 49th Operations Group at Palmdale on April 21, 2008.

F-117A 82-0800 of the 8th Fighter Squadron at Palmdale on April 21, 2008.

F-117A 84-0809 of the 9th Fighter Squadron at Palmdale on April 21, 2008.

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Lockheed F-117A Stealth Fighter Retirement

2009 Calendar

You can buy a 2009 calendar featuring my photographs of Lockheed F-117A Stealth Fighters.

A dozen photos of Lockheed F-117A Stealth Fighters. Nine of the photos depict the last flight of four Stealth Fighters arriving at and departing from Air Force Plant 42 at Palmdale, California on their way to retirement at Tonopah, Nevada.

Put a copy of the Lockheed F-117A Stealth Fighter Retirement: 2009 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $19.42.

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The last four Lockheed-Martin F-117A Nighthawks from the 49th Fighter Wing departed from Air Force Plant 42 at Palmdale, California for Tonopah, Nevada on Tuesday, April 22. The four Stealth Fighters took off from Runway 25 at 2:00 PM. They will be stored in their old hangars.

F-117A 88-0843 of the 49th Fighter Wing is the last Stealth Fighter built.

F-117A 88-0843 at Palmdale on April 22, 2008

F-117A 88-0843 at Palmdale on April 22, 2008.

F-117A 84-0824 of the 49th Operations Group at Palmdale on April 22, 2008.

F-117A 84-0824 at Palmdale on April 22, 2008.

F-117A 82-0800 of the 8th Squadron at Palmdale on April 22, 2008.

F-117A 82-0800 at Palmdale on April 22, 2008.

F-117A 84-0809 of the 9th Fighter Squadron at Palmdale on April 22, 2008.

F-117A 84-0809 at Palmdale on April 22, 2008.

The four Nighthawks formed up and made a pass along Runway 22.

They disappeared into the haze west of Palmdale. They could still be heard as they headed northeast toward Edwards Air Force Base.

Slideshow of the visit of the last Stealth Fighters at Palmdale.

F-117A Nighthawk

Wingspan: 43 feet

Length: 66 feet

Wing Area: 1140 square feet

Maximum Take-off Weight: 52,500 pounds

Maximum Bomb Payload: 2x 2,000 pound bombs

Maximum Range: 690 miles

Powerplant: 2x 10,800 pound st General Electric F404-GE-F1D2 turbofans

Links:

Visit the Holloman AFB Home Page

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Last Take-off of Stealth Fighter 84-0843 Prints

You can buy 8"x10" or 11"x14" prints of my photo of Last Take-off of Stealth Fighter 84-0843 on April 22, 2008 from the LockettBooks Store at Lulu.com.

Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk 88-0843 takes off for the last time from Air Force Plant 42 at Palmdale, California on April 22, 2008. It flew to Tonapah, Nevada to be placed into storage.

Customize your framed print of Last Take-off of Stealth Fighter 84-0843 at the LockettBooks Store at Lulu.com.

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