Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
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Many nice F-117 images at the link.
Why the F-117 Nighthawk Is Such a Badass Plane
https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a28670808/f-117-nighthawk/
As night fell over Baghdad on January 16, 1991, a small army of maintainers and pilots gathered around what had been one of America’s best kept secrets. A single combat mission in Panama two years prior had introduced the F-117 Nighthawk to the world, but tonight would be a true test of the world’s first stealth combat aircraft.
Months of reconnaissance had confirmed that Baghdad was among the most heavily defended cities in the world, but their orders were clear. Major Greg Feest was to lead a group of ten Black Jets deep beyond enemy lines to the Iraqi capital. From there, they would drop the first bombs of a new war, demonstrating once and for all the qualities stealth had to offer.
Despite the groundbreaking technology employed in the F-117’s design, there were no guarantees that it would perform as advertised. Its unique shape required the use of four redundant fly-by-wire systems to make the aircraft manageable. Despite stealth’s reputation, it truly is about delaying detection, rather than circumventing it.
Why the F-117 Nighthawk Is Such a Badass Plane
https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a28670808/f-117-nighthawk/
As night fell over Baghdad on January 16, 1991, a small army of maintainers and pilots gathered around what had been one of America’s best kept secrets. A single combat mission in Panama two years prior had introduced the F-117 Nighthawk to the world, but tonight would be a true test of the world’s first stealth combat aircraft.
Months of reconnaissance had confirmed that Baghdad was among the most heavily defended cities in the world, but their orders were clear. Major Greg Feest was to lead a group of ten Black Jets deep beyond enemy lines to the Iraqi capital. From there, they would drop the first bombs of a new war, demonstrating once and for all the qualities stealth had to offer.
Despite the groundbreaking technology employed in the F-117’s design, there were no guarantees that it would perform as advertised. Its unique shape required the use of four redundant fly-by-wire systems to make the aircraft manageable. Despite stealth’s reputation, it truly is about delaying detection, rather than circumventing it.
