Nows here something you wont see...

2008 F-117A Retirement:

4/21/2008: Final USAF 4 ship flight from HAFB to Palmdale, Ca for
retirement event
4/22/2008: Final USAF 4 ship flight from Palmdale, Ca to TTR, Nv for
retirement
Fall 2008: Final Lockheed test flight from Palmdale, Ca to TTR, Nv for
retirement

22 aircraft retired by 01 Dec 2007
5 aircraft retired on 25 Jan 2008
5 aircraft retired on 29 Jan 2008
5 aircraft retired on 01 Feb 2008
7 aircraft retired on 18 Apr 2008
4 aircraft retired on 22 Apr 2008

[warbird1]

Too bad there will never be another F-117 fly by or static display at an airshow. The last one was at Nellis AFB for Aviation Nation in Nov '07.

Sad to see it go.

[warbirdcrew]

what???? no video link???

- warbirdcrew the slightly disappointed

Last edited by warbirdcrew on Wed Feb 20, 2008 11:26 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Ztex]

Interesting...Where did you find these dates...I've been looking for this info.

Thanks!

[K5DH]

It's funny how things change. I just read in a magazine recently that the F-117A's were not supposed to be retired until the 2011 thru 2014 timeframe. How things change!

Dean the amazed

[five-one]

Real question is, what were they replaced with?

And how long ago?

Or will they ever tell us about that?

Hmmmmm

[Mudge]

Warbirdcrew....TSK...TSK...play nice

Mudge the amused

[RickH]

They are being repalced by F-22s.

[Django]

Does (or didn't) the AF operate their own F-86 for airshows? Why couldn't they do the same thing with an F-117 for the heritage flight type stuff. Seems like it wouldn't be any more difficult than flying it to airshows currently. But there is a war on and I'm sure that is an expense they would rather not undertake even though I'm sure the public relations benefits would outweigh the cost.

[RickH]

Django, the only aircraft in Heritage that are govt owned is the current stuff, F15, F16, A10, and the QF-4s. All others are civilian aircraft.

[rwdfresno]

Remember in the 80s this kit that speculated the appearance of the "Stealth Fighter." If only it would have actually looked that good.

[Mike Bates]

Does (or didn't) the AF operate their own F-86 for airshows? Why couldn't they do the same thing with an F-117 for the heritage flight type stuff. Seems like it wouldn't be any more difficult than flying it to airshows currently. But there is a war on and I'm sure that is an expense they would rather not undertake even though I'm sure the public relations benefits would outweigh the cost.

Cost of keeping the plane airworthy, cost of pilot ground crew and maintenance people that are needed for other aircraft. Cost of keeping any special maintenance equipment in operation. I think if there going to spend money on public relations they would want it on the F-22 since that what they need more of and are having a hard time getting the money needed to fund more airframes.
The only reason the F-4's are being seen at air shows is because there still in use as targets. That will end in the near future since there has been a request for bids on turning the early F-16A's Blk 10-15 and F-16C's Blk 25 into target drones.

Mike

[n5151ts]

Real question is, what were they replaced with?

And how long ago?

Or will they ever tell us about that?

Hmmmmm

really

[warbird1]

Why couldn't they do the same thing with an F-117 for the heritage flight type stuff. Seems like it wouldn't be any more difficult than flying it to airshows currently.

Mike Bates is spot on in regards to how expensive it is to keep an aircraft airworthy. Besides this, the F-117 is particularly expensive to maintain. Because it is a specialized aircraft, it requires very specialized maintenance. For example, did you know that every time you break out an access panel on the aircraft, it requires a new coat of RAM (radar absorptive material) and a new "sealing" to keep the stealth qualities? This is just one example of why the F-117 is being retired. It is expensive and it's capabilities can be replaced by other aircraft in the inventory.

BTW, I don't know if most people realize this, but the F-117 is NOT going to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB. All of the stealths are going into storage at Tonopah Test Range - a very secret base within the Nellis complex. They will be out of public access and eyesight here.

[Mudge]

I may not understand this part too well, but...
If the USAF wanted to keep a F-117 for the airshow circuit as a PR gimmick, there would be no need to go to the expense of keeping it "stealthy".

Mudge the simplistic