Go to ground.news/Sandboxx to stay fully informed on military developments around the world. Subscribe through my link right now for 40% off their Vantage Plan, which is what I use everyday.
You should get on that platform nebula or whatever the RUclipsrs that do documentaries and educational videos do. I think it’s uncensored too! Just an idea!😊
@@SendingFreedomTM he'd have to work on that voice first tho. Thank God for mute and subs. If he would drop the forced cramp thing, I would probably sub, because some of his videos are interesting indeed. But listening to a guy that's trying to press out a fecalome for half an hour, is just unbearable.
Stop calling the SU-57 fifth generation. It is not a stealth aircraft. It has the same radar cross section as a clean F-18. You have a great channel, you should know better then to quote Russian propaganda.
My grandfather retired as director of logistics for the USAF. In around 1993 or so, he bought me a toy model of a F-117. I remember him "five years ago, this was top secret. Now it's a kid's toy".
Cheers to what your pop did with the time he had. Thank you for sharing that pride and fond memory with us as well today. Stay proud and happy to remember things like that from the past. Kind regards❤
Before that, I bought myself a plastic model "F-19". The public pretty much knew there was a stealth fighter, they just didn't know the details. Its suspected designation was F-19. Interestingly it seems that maybe they chose "F-117" as its designation because there are engines with very, very similar designations, maybe as a "hide in plain sight" tactic on paperwork.
It's interesting that China & Russia didn't seriously attempt to duplicate this aircraft. It's obviously the "starter girlfriend" like Meg Griffin from Family Guy 😂, like, it's a great way to study the construction & techniques of stealth & airplanes, how people successfully came up with something that made the 2 things work together.
@CoffeeAndPaul one of the rare times where the simple answer is also the full truth: they couldn't. They lacked the technological and industrial capability to do so in the height of when the F-117 was at its most useful. There's a reason why China was so heavily invested in buying up the shot-down scraps of the shot-down F-117 from Serbia, as well as the modified stealth blackhawk tail rotor from the Bin Laden raid. Then *still* had to perform major cyberattacks against Lockheed in regards to the F-35's stealth composition just ti make the J-20 that isn't to the same level, though admittedly better than China's existing fleet in that aspect. Then look at Russia, who has not managed to make even a single squadron's worth of Su-57s over the past 18 years, and whose 'Su-75' has only ever been 'built' in the form of an "almost-to-scale" wooden mockup with a paint job. Simply put, if they could have, they would have. They couldn't, so they didn't.
As a retired GD/Lockheed/Lockheed Martin employee, I am loving these broadcasts. There is much more information about these aircraft that still can not be published, but your research is stellar. Thanks
it also formed the basis for the other one other country who's stealth technology development isn't a literal joke or just propaganda. China got their hands on debris of one and used it to develop their stealth coating that they used until the J-20 when they got the f-35's stealth tech, and even then most military engineering circles consider it an achievement for China because even just to build the infrastructure and specialized industry needed for the modern f35 based coatings its a hell of a struggle
That deconfliction channel was super helpful for Russia when we asked if the fighters we were about to call all the killstreaks on were Russian and they said no
The fact that a 40 year old stealth aircraft can still operate with impunity should be very disconcerting to adversaries using the most advanced Russian air defense systems like the S-400. (Looking at you, Russia & China)
@@riskinhos And you should look into exactly how that F-117 was shot down. It was not because of any advanced Russian SAM technology but rather a crafty and observant Yugoslav SAM battery operator.
@@riskinhos the reason the F117 was shot down was due to operational laziness, and a consistent and observant Radar operator. We were flying missions on the same flight pattern at the same times on the dot with a window of just a few seconds to get a lock (when the payload doors open). That SAM operator took advantage of our operational laziness and got a positive lock in that very short window.
The S400 turned out to be junk. Popping like popcorn in Crimea. I don't know what country would be stupid enough to spend money on that Russian overhyped garbage anymore.
I would see these almost daily in the mid 1990's. The shape of them always made it extremely difficult to confidently decide exactly what direction it was actually flying. It was a really strange effect that I don't think I've ever witnessed with any other airframe.
Amen. America is truly unparalleled in her ability to her weapons of warfare. May our citizens always find enough pride to overcome our residents that would likely prefer a government subsidy for Oreos over a defense industrial base that will not leave us short when compared to our Geopolitical neighbors.
I saw an F117 flyover, South Hutchison, Kansas in 2009 or 2010. I did not know what it was at the time, but it's interesting now looking back on it, seeing how significant that was.
The bomb through vent stunt was a nice party trick. You don't need to nail the vent. You just need to set the delay for the warhead a few milliseconds after impact.
@@Korporaal1 no, it doesn't need working guidance after impact. Haven't you ever heard about concrete penetrating bombs? It doesn't even need that; it's just a thin roof after all.
@@whateverrandomnumber It's not about the guidance... It's already hit the target, after all! It's about the timer in the ignition. That timer can -and has to- be set to a specific timing in order to set off the main charge inside the cavity of the objective and not before, or after passing through that.
Nothing surprising in the fact a 40 year plus airframe is still performing front line duties. Look at the F-15, F-16, B-52, B-2, A-10, etc. When you think about it, it’s quite common as they were so well designed, tested, and made, and have adapted so well to modern warfare.
@@Egilhelmson so they are that old, if not older. Rebuilt doesn’t mean they are all new airframes, but overhauled, updated, adapted and repaired to the existing aircraft.
Logically it checks out if it can perform similar missions to the f-35 / F-22 without giving our adversaries the chance to study the stealth characteristics
@@stubryant9145Ben Rich said in his book Skunk Works that the fighter designation was used to keep the budget for a stealth bomber untouched. If it was considered a bomber, Congress might have pushed back when the B2 was developed.
How the Nighthawk actually flies is the most impressive thing for me, I mean, just look at it.......... it looks like it should just fall out of the sky, let alone be that capable of what it actually was. She is a true marvel of technology and for me, it doesn't surprise me that it hadn't been completely/permanently retired in the 2010's and it doesn't surprise that they are still active now and will still be useful in the years to come!!
NEVER bet against Lockheed and the Skunkworks when it comes to groundbreaking or state-of-the-art aeronautical engineering. Ever. It may take a decade or more for people to appreciate it, but eventually history speaks for itself - they always had the right idea, and were generally years (sometimes a decade or more) ahead of the competition or adversary.
We supported the 4450th's A-7 boresight kits at Kirtland PMEL, got a hint of what we were supporting after talking to maintainers who brought the kit to us
I've seen the pics of Nighthawks flying in and around Area 51 but this is the first I heard of them doing Missions in 2017, wow. Explains several things now, Thanks very much for the Post!
True story I served with Segal and Russel on that mission I was one of two of the only survivors of the plane coming apart. Segal will back me up he will say he was there…😂
I was totally there; I was the guy flying and filming the planes docking together. Seagull will totally tell you that I even went into a full dive and saved one of the falling passengers that the bad terrorist threw out the plane; because of a tantrum. Russell and seagull totally gave me a high five 🙌 and we all went to a strip club in Thailand with van dam and we all told great stories of bushit-do feats about our grand masters of super secret craft. It was great technology; the planes we had still aren’t visible to this day.
The F117 was the first model I ever built (and a super easy one). I would not call it my favorite aircraft, but it will always hold a special place in my heart. The way they designed this thing without the aid of modern computers to run the sophisticated radar signature simulations that make current gen stealth possible is amazing.
20:55 Media often portrays mortars with this sorta soft "doonk" sound, but even with visuals alone this clip really shows how mortar operation is just as intense as any other artillery.
As a military contractor for this bomber I can speak from experience. Ground transport for training missions 4 years. March AFB primarily. 0130 is when I would clear at a remote airfield on a regular basis in the high desert. A G5 in the take-off position where I dropped took the crew to a classified location. Scuttlebut says Test site, Fallon, or China Lake Or both. Transporting KC46 crews was another assignment during its infancy 2014, same drop location. CHP had to give me a courtesy pass on rare occasion when running late. 2010-2014
My mom let me stay up past my bedtime and eat 12 double stuffed Oreos. I get excited playing with fire 🔥 and staring into the sun☀️ . I’m mama’s special boy.
My dog was freaking out on a walk just now as a F-22 and a P-51 flew over us together getting ready for this weeks air show . So loud but sooo cool to see. Poor dog
Yeah they are flying out of the Los Alamitos base in Orange County CA. Got to watch the thunderbirds do their practice run one year so it’s like my own air show sometimes
@@steventhehistorian the only reason I heard it was it took off first and that was only for a brief moment before the Raptor was drowning it out from the runway. Still a great sound!
Yes that technology dates back to the latter part of the Vietnam War. However, what is unique about the F-117 is that the laser targeting system is not in a pod, but rather built into the body of the aircraft. As such it is able to retain it's stealth characteristics more effectively. This feature is only now available to the latest variants of the F-35. As far as I know, the F-22 does not have this ability, but then again the F-22 is not designed to be a CAS aircraft as it's main role is air superiority. The F-35 however is meant to be a more multi-role platform. Another feature that the Pave Spike did not have was the ability to auto-track a moving target as more modern systems can. The F-117 can do this.
@@wigon This. Also there was the F-111 with the Pave Tack which was a retractable pod, but integrated into the airframe as it if was part of it. That whole thing took up the bomb bay, though, so the LGBs had to go on wing pylons instead.
the nighthawk is like that 80s action hero, a long-retired special operator living in peace with his family, a helicopter lands in his front yard and a general with the goofiest looking beret walks up to him. "hawk, we need you for one last mission. (your rival), he's back. you're the only one who can."
I remember getting to see an F-117 at Holloman Air Force Base in the early 1990s. My best friend from high school was an aircraft maintainer at that bass, and I and my wife of the time visited him and his family. I got to go on base with him, met the commanding officer of the squadron, he was the F-117 Squadron commander, and he took me out to one of the hangers. I wasn't able to touch the aircraft or get closer than about 5 ft but OMG but that thing was amazing.
Great video and interesting look at different operational functions of specific aircraft. Looking forward to Part 2. While you are in Colorado, maybe you could look into actual U.S. anti-satellite capacity and planned capability and put it alongside what we know about possible adversarial ASAT capacity.
Dr A Timothy Warnock, my father, researched, published several reports, and did several presentations on the effectiveness of the F-117 and laser guided munitions. He had included a comparative analysis between the tonnage of bombs dropped in WW II and damage assessments vs the tonnage of laser guided bombs dropped in Desert Storm and damage assessments. He worked as Deputy Chief and temporarily as the Chief for the Air Force Historical Research Agency. I’m curious if the report you mentioned had the researchers or author listed? My father passed away July 28, 2024. He was very proud of the work he did for the USAF.
The F-117A Stealth fighter is pretty much loved by everyone. It still looks like an extra from a Star Wars movie, like something you would see in one of the Star Destroyer's hangars. I'd love to see it armed with some AIM 9X heaters on board for some self protection tho :/ Totally badass jet, I'd love one.
this was one of the longest 30 min videos i have ever watched, must be because I listening to every work and/or this video was information packed and was interesting content
I heard the reason it's so angular and not smooth like new stealth planes, was that when it was being developed, the computers used to do the 3D modelling didn't have enough computing power to show more surfaces.
Retirement doesn't mean what you think it means. It doesn't mean they stop flying. It doesn't mean they immediately cease operation. These have support contracts for operation and maintenance for another decade.
Non related to the (again very well done) video: it''s crazy how I immediately recognised the island around 27:30 as being Farallon de Medinilla off Saipan from playing DCS.
As strange as it sounds, I wonder what other "obsolete" platforms might still be useful. If I recall correctly from reading Ben Rich's "Skunkworks", the F-102 and F-106 had surprisingly low RCS (especially for the era) and that data was fed into the Have Blue program. Also of note: The F-102 was used in Vietnam for interdiction, because it had an infrared target designator. Not saying the Deuce is still on the loose, but the F-15 upgrade to fly by wire in the new F-15EX makes me wonder if other aircraft could be upgraded in the same manner.
Would love more detail on the continuing escalation in Syria by Russia leading up to the attack on the Conoco refinery in February 2018 and Russia's conduct east of the Euphrates after that.
At 6:40 0.0250 square meters.... According to meta AI, that is 250 square centimeters or roughly square inches. This is about the same size as an A3 size piece of paper, The top of a pizza box for a small pizza, or about 40% the size of a standard sheet of notebook paper, or about 40% of the size of a standard US license plate for a car.... Just putting visuals out there for you.
I was based at Ali Al Salem Air Base during Operation Desert Thunder back in 1998. I was there when a very naughty "vegetable stand" locked up an RAF Tornado that was there as part of Operation Southern Watch. They returned promptly, armed themselves, went back out, and destroyed the offending plant vendor. We had a good laugh at that with the Iraqis said it was a farmers vegetable stand that the RAF destroyed.
@@LFCJOEM91 It was an Iraqi SAM site that locked them up. The Iraqis later claimed that the RAF destroyed a farmers vegetable stand. Go back and re-read my comment.
I was driving a remote country road maybe in 80 and seen one of these pull vertical and turn away from me real quick. It was flying maybe 150 feet across the terrain. I had been introduced to combat aircraft since I was a child and had seen SR-71's and even a Valkyrie fly. I knew this was something not on the books yet and we were in for one hell of a ride. My father worked at Lockheed.
The F117 is an awesome aircraft. The Darth Vader of Jets. LOL But if i had to choose which jet I'd be willing to lose if things went sideways it would have to be the F117 over the F22, or B2. The F117 tech is already out there from the one getting shot down over Yugoslavia in 1999. It has older tech, still HIGHLY classified tech, but older. Hate to see another F117 destroyed, but that's how it goes sometimes.
You left out one HUGE reason why the F117 was a very good choice for such missions: The F-117 had already been shot down over Serbia and the Russians had already studied the wreckage and knew about that technology. However they still are dying to get ahold of an F-35, B2, or F-22. So if an F-117 was shot down, there would have been a very low probability of the Russians learning anything new about American Stealth technology.
@@CakePrincessCelestia maybe but for me reminded me of the cleopatra term. She is closer to us now, than she was to the pharaohs that built the pyramids
Hey Alex, just a friendly heads up from a retired USAF vet who worked in the flight test world. Tonopah is pronounced “Tone-uh-Pah”, or more commonly “Tona-Paw”.
****I LOVE YOUR STORIES!!**** Your videos are INCREDIBLE 🎉❤!**** Please light yourself with cooler, more yellow lights. Currently your videos are lit too harshly lit. 😮A more natural color palette would be great. Additionally you should get some sound dampeners to deaden the echo in your audio. Your are on the verge of RUclips Perfection. ❤ Every time you make a drop I love it!!! -Stewart Graham Again, I LOVE your content. Just don’t mention Rapid Dragon unless it’s absolutely necessary 😊.
I guess the question that comes to mind for me is, did the air force still maintain pilots, actively trained and drilled on operating the F-117's that long after their retirement? Or did they have to pull in either retired pilots, or pilots that had moved on to other platforms who may have been rusty at operating the F-117 at that point?
Actually, the flying part of these FBW jets is the smallest issue (I think the F-117 use the F-16 FBW system). The costly part is the electronics operation that the F-117 had hardly any of to stay "electromagnetically quiet". It does not even have a radar for this reason, if memory serves me right. It is probably not a big issue to transfer pilots from a ground attack F-16 squadron (although I have heard that the F-117 is VERY roll-happy and requires some eye-watering approach speeds to avoid embracing the stall characteristics of a brick). It is an advantage of these old-school "one-trick-pony" systems. It has one job - fly low, get to the range of the laser designator and release those bombs before flying home. One does not need to train for ALL the multi-role missions while juggling all the systems and com-radios (since they are largely turned off). Add to this, the engines are still flying on "everything" (I assume the hydraulics too), and the FBW (and undercarriage) system is F-16 derived (?). Other parts were taken from the F-15 that still is flying happily - thus it may not be a too expensive proposition these days (I am sure the cost-per-hour of flight time has gone down since the anti-radar coating has gone up in efficiency/operational readiness and down in cost over the decades, as has inertial guidance systems depending on super accurate gyros (being "solid-state" these days) - I think the F-117 might be pretty cheap to operate these days (if asking it to do just what it was designed to do, rather than becoming "multi-role)
If you’re able to enter BLDG 2, go to the little cafe and order the chili. If you’re there for several days, get the tuna melt. Those are the two best things to eat on Pete (if the cafe is still there, it been many years).
Didn't Task & Purpose already all but confirm this story to not only be true, but that there was more than just the Laser Designator on the F-117 that got it sent to fly missions in Syria. Such as wanting to limit exposure, of newer F22 & F35, to Russian Radar being run and recorded by Russians. As well as doing so would mean less of the limited lifetime flight hours of the F22s being waisted. I don't remember if the cost per flight hour was also less at the time for the F117
I don't know if I believe it due to metal fatigue and wear and tear on the platforms. The airframes are likely incredibly worn out, and we lack the tooling to make more of them, just as we do with the F-22 or the Iowa class battleships. We can maintain them (barely), but we can't build new ones as the tooling was scrapped.
The tooling was most likely saved. It turns out it was a myth that the F-22 tooling was scrapped. Some was used for the F-35 production line, and the rest was preserved.
@@bluemarlin8138 having been in the business, even if they have it all, they probably don't know how to use it. The process engineering paperwork and so on is probably a garbled mess, if not missing
The tooling was not scrapped. It had been erroneously reported that the tooling was missing from storage sites prior to studies commissioned to determine the efficacy of restarting certain production lines, but upon inspection, all tooling was found to be in the correct storage site, fully accounted for & properly stored.
Just yet another awesome ALEX, you didn’t actually have it pop up on the screen however I used to really dislike when a “Too Be Continued” Would appear on the screen just when I was sitting on the edge of my seat and boom there you go we’ll see you next week but it’s definitely worth the wait. Thank you so much. Awesome work!!
262 was the first both in serial production with significant numbers and in active service. That's what mostly counts. Also, there have been a few P-80s stationed and operating in Italy by the end of January in 1945 AFAIK. To me they're all the pioneers of the jet age.
If you really want too get technical the me-262 first flew in 1935 with propellor too test the air frame. But had too wait years until they developed the engine for it too be stable enough too use
Just yet another awesome Video ALEX,! you didn’t actually have it pop up on the screen however I used to really dislike when a “Too Be Continued” Would appear on the screen just when I was sitting on the edge of my seat and boom there you go we’ll see you next week but it’s definitely worth the wait. Thank you so much. Awesome work!!
I hope this story is true simply because I hope it woke up some people at the Pentagon that maintaining the F-117's unique capabilities is essential and it must be preserved in any future air forces of the United States. Maybe it'll just be some drone, maybe another stealth fighter. But it should be something.
The F-117, same as the A-10 BTW, is a perfect example for how important it is to have some assets that are made to fulfil a specifc role and do it great. Multi-role is great, but it can't replace the perfect-fit singe-role things that always will be better at what they're designed to do.
I remember as a kid I was an avid Popular Science and Popular Mechanics reader and reading all the articles and seeing all the blurry photos of the F-117 and being so into all the rumors and speculation of what it looked like and what it was capable of. Even as a layman, I always thought retiring it was shortsighted and idiotic.
Question for your visit Alex: Ask about the UFOs, sure the Chinese balloon was the "big" story but there was some shadey stuff that went down around the other small hovering objects that they "never recovered"
First wanted to say love your videos, always timely informative and very in depth. Two topics for videos, first the X37 aircraft the second I recently saw on my flight tracking software on vacation. In Elizabeth city North Carolina is a company called TCOM they do surveillance ballon’s, was wild saw ballon on software traveling at 60,000 feet around 35 knots off North Carolina was up for around 48 hours as planes flew around. Thanks in advance if a topic I mentioned was already covered apologies please send me a link.
Modern systems can easily detect the F-117 unless its been upgraded or always had Klingon full EM spectrum cloaking device. I find it hard to believe the F-117 can evade the S300 system used in the theater in 2017 unless there were other growlers and EC-130s supporting it and even then it might not be very safe from getting engaged
8:15 the F22 can do everything the F117 can, but better. We just want to minimized their exposure to our adversaries, to limit intel on RCS and other specifications.
Lgbs just can't be beat on precision. Gps assisted and guided munitions are subject to scrambling and so laser guided are still super viable, especially if the delivery aircraft can paint the laser without worry of being targeted. Add the fact that you can have SOF laser designate from the ground too, it's super sneaky. Now, we know there are methods to detect and even track the 117, but only on limited platforms with enough pre planning.
Gotta hit the airplane museum on Peterson AFB and the wwii aircraft museum when you are in town. Also Dragonman has the largest private collection of military vehicles
Go to ground.news/Sandboxx to stay fully informed on military developments around the world. Subscribe through my link right now for 40% off their Vantage Plan, which is what I use everyday.
You should get on that platform nebula or whatever the RUclipsrs that do documentaries and educational videos do. I think it’s uncensored too! Just an idea!😊
@@SendingFreedomTM he'd have to work on that voice first tho. Thank God for mute and subs. If he would drop the forced cramp thing, I would probably sub, because some of his videos are interesting indeed. But listening to a guy that's trying to press out a fecalome for half an hour, is just unbearable.
Should check out the EH-60 BlackHawk, I used to be crewchief on 019. Only crew of 5.
Stop calling the SU-57 fifth generation. It is not a stealth aircraft. It has the same radar cross section as a clean F-18. You have a great channel, you should know better then to quote Russian propaganda.
Flying for the CIA!
My grandfather retired as director of logistics for the USAF. In around 1993 or so, he bought me a toy model of a F-117. I remember him "five years ago, this was top secret. Now it's a kid's toy".
Cheers to what your pop did with the time he had. Thank you for sharing that pride and fond memory with us as well today. Stay proud and happy to remember things like that from the past.
Kind regards❤
Before that, I bought myself a plastic model "F-19". The public pretty much knew there was a stealth fighter, they just didn't know the details. Its suspected designation was F-19. Interestingly it seems that maybe they chose "F-117" as its designation because there are engines with very, very similar designations, maybe as a "hide in plain sight" tactic on paperwork.
@@thudthud5423 I have no idea how many flight hours and missions I have in the f-19
It's interesting that China & Russia didn't seriously attempt to duplicate this aircraft. It's obviously the "starter girlfriend" like Meg Griffin from Family Guy 😂, like, it's a great way to study the construction & techniques of stealth & airplanes, how people successfully came up with something that made the 2 things work together.
@CoffeeAndPaul one of the rare times where the simple answer is also the full truth: they couldn't. They lacked the technological and industrial capability to do so in the height of when the F-117 was at its most useful. There's a reason why China was so heavily invested in buying up the shot-down scraps of the shot-down F-117 from Serbia, as well as the modified stealth blackhawk tail rotor from the Bin Laden raid. Then *still* had to perform major cyberattacks against Lockheed in regards to the F-35's stealth composition just ti make the J-20 that isn't to the same level, though admittedly better than China's existing fleet in that aspect. Then look at Russia, who has not managed to make even a single squadron's worth of Su-57s over the past 18 years, and whose 'Su-75' has only ever been 'built' in the form of an "almost-to-scale" wooden mockup with a paint job.
Simply put, if they could have, they would have. They couldn't, so they didn't.
As a retired GD/Lockheed/Lockheed Martin employee, I am loving these broadcasts. There is much more information about these aircraft that still can not be published, but your research is stellar. Thanks
This and the SR71 are my favourite planes. They were so far ahead of their time, and they still are unbeaten champions.
Queue the idiots “tHe F117 wAs ShOt DoWn bY lOwLy yUgOsLaViA wItH oLd TeChNoLoGy”
Well, the F117 isn't exactly "unbeaten."
@douglasthompson201 I mean...all things considered it has quite the Batting Average.
We all strike out.
We do not all swing. ❤
And there it is.
@@spartancrown I didn't see it. Was "it" a Nighthawk?
When our over 40 year old stealth fighter is a good enough substitute for other countries leading edge stealth…
It's got better all aspect stealth then F-22 and F-35. If those 2 are in fact stealthier. It from sensors not frame.
it also formed the basis for the other one other country who's stealth technology development isn't a literal joke or just propaganda. China got their hands on debris of one and used it to develop their stealth coating that they used until the J-20 when they got the f-35's stealth tech, and even then most military engineering circles consider it an achievement for China because even just to build the infrastructure and specialized industry needed for the modern f35 based coatings its a hell of a struggle
@@Future-Preps35 You could always paint it on F-117.
My 3 favorites warbirds, plus a bonus #4: In no particular order: P51 Mustang, F16, Catalina PBY, Boeing Stearman biplane
@jg3000 Yeah, its better than retiring 10's of billions of dollars of investment.
The research you all put into these productions is incredible. Y'all are one of my favorite channels. Keep doing what you are doing.
Exceptionally well told, Alex. Thanks!
That deconfliction channel was super helpful for Russia when we asked if the fighters we were about to call all the killstreaks on were Russian and they said no
The fact that a 40 year old stealth aircraft can still operate with impunity should be very disconcerting to adversaries using the most advanced Russian air defense systems like the S-400. (Looking at you, Russia & China)
you should visit the belgrade aviation museum before making such stupid comments on social media.
@@riskinhos you should visit the kursk region and toropets region of rusya first...
@@riskinhos And you should look into exactly how that F-117 was shot down. It was not because of any advanced Russian SAM technology but rather a crafty and observant Yugoslav SAM battery operator.
@@riskinhos the reason the F117 was shot down was due to operational laziness, and a consistent and observant Radar operator. We were flying missions on the same flight pattern at the same times on the dot with a window of just a few seconds to get a lock (when the payload doors open). That SAM operator took advantage of our operational laziness and got a positive lock in that very short window.
The S400 turned out to be junk. Popping like popcorn in Crimea. I don't know what country would be stupid enough to spend money on that Russian overhyped garbage anymore.
I would see these almost daily in the mid 1990's. The shape of them always made it extremely difficult to confidently decide exactly what direction it was actually flying. It was a really strange effect that I don't think I've ever witnessed with any other airframe.
The real trick is keeping a group of F-117 pilots and maintainers qualified to operate this aircraft at a moment’s notice.
Bring them out of senior homes, if they are still alive.😅
Yeah, I imagine day by day those capable are retiring.
They have a small school to train the squadron maintainers that keep these birds operational
Just the fact that it might still be a few around could be enough to seed doubt on the matter and that could be enough to make an enemy hesitate.
@@ehsnils Subsonic, old stealth.
Hypersonic missiles and drones are the new airpower.
F-117 made me interested in aviation as a child.
Same
Me too
Amen. America is truly unparalleled in her ability to her weapons of warfare.
May our citizens always find enough pride to overcome our residents that would likely prefer a government subsidy for Oreos over a defense industrial base that will not leave us short when compared to our Geopolitical neighbors.
The way you present these topics is the same way I tell stuff I find cool to my wife. Shows how much you're truly into this stuff and I'm here for it.
I saw an F117 flyover, South Hutchison, Kansas in 2009 or 2010. I did not know what it was at the time, but it's interesting now
looking back on it, seeing how significant that was.
The bomb through vent stunt was a nice party trick.
You don't need to nail the vent. You just need to set the delay for the warhead a few milliseconds after impact.
But but Top Gun Maverick!
...And have a bomb body and guidance package that can withstand the impact and still work long enough after that.
@@Korporaal1 no, it doesn't need working guidance after impact. Haven't you ever heard about concrete penetrating bombs? It doesn't even need that; it's just a thin roof after all.
@@whateverrandomnumber It's not about the guidance... It's already hit the target, after all! It's about the timer in the ignition. That timer can -and has to- be set to a specific timing in order to set off the main charge inside the cavity of the objective and not before, or after passing through that.
@@Korporaal1 Well that's what i said in the very first post.
Nothing surprising in the fact a 40 year plus airframe is still performing front line duties. Look at the F-15, F-16, B-52, B-2, A-10, etc. When you think about it, it’s quite common as they were so well designed, tested, and made, and have adapted so well to modern warfare.
None of the B-52 airframes are that old, because they have been rebuilt repeatedly.
@@Egilhelmson so they are that old, if not older. Rebuilt doesn’t mean they are all new airframes, but overhauled, updated, adapted and repaired to the existing aircraft.
@@Egilhelmson The last B-52 rolled off the production line in 1962. They have been upgraded and repaired but yes they are all that old.
Logically it checks out if it can perform similar missions to the f-35 / F-22 without giving our adversaries the chance to study the stealth characteristics
Isn't it in actuality an attack bomber? Wouldn't think it would much if any air to air capability.
It has an F prefix but it's technically from the bomber lineage, giving it an F was just to make pilots feel better.
@@stubryant9145Ben Rich said in his book Skunk Works that the fighter designation was used to keep the budget for a stealth bomber untouched. If it was considered a bomber, Congress might have pushed back when the B2 was developed.
How the Nighthawk actually flies is the most impressive thing for me, I mean, just look at it.......... it looks like it should just fall out of the sky, let alone be that capable of what it actually was.
She is a true marvel of technology and for me, it doesn't surprise me that it hadn't been completely/permanently retired in the 2010's and it doesn't surprise that they are still active now and will still be useful in the years to come!!
Hoopie Lives Matter
NEVER bet against Lockheed and the Skunkworks when it comes to groundbreaking or state-of-the-art aeronautical engineering. Ever.
It may take a decade or more for people to appreciate it, but eventually history speaks for itself - they always had the right idea, and were generally years (sometimes a decade or more) ahead of the competition or adversary.
We supported the 4450th's A-7 boresight kits at Kirtland PMEL, got a hint of what we were supporting after talking to maintainers who brought the kit to us
I've seen the pics of Nighthawks flying in and around Area 51 but this is the first I heard of them doing Missions in 2017, wow. Explains several things now, Thanks very much for the Post!
1:08 the biggest secret is that it has a rather large passenger compartment and can dock to commercial airlines in the air. 😊
True story I served with Segal and Russel on that mission I was one of two of the only survivors of the plane coming apart. Segal will back me up he will say he was there…😂
@Edge51 you've been double crossed. Segal is a double agent working for the Russians.
@@Edge51 operation detail, can only carry suppressed MP5 because long rifles won't fit up the docking shaft
I was totally there; I was the guy flying and filming the planes docking together.
Seagull will totally tell you that I even went into a full dive and saved one of the falling passengers that the bad terrorist threw out the plane; because of a tantrum.
Russell and seagull totally gave me a high five 🙌 and we all went to a strip club in Thailand with van dam and we all told great stories of bushit-do feats about our grand masters of super secret craft. It was great technology; the planes we had still aren’t visible to this day.
That is not true, that was a fictional movie not based on fact.
This is how you speculate the right way, what a great video
The F117 was the first model I ever built (and a super easy one). I would not call it my favorite aircraft, but it will always hold a special place in my heart. The way they designed this thing without the aid of modern computers to run the sophisticated radar signature simulations that make current gen stealth possible is amazing.
The plane that made Elon want to make a pickup......
😢 That comparison is....charged. 😅 That pun was not intended.😊
And he used an Nintendo 64 to design that truck 😂
He wanted to make a pickup but instead he made that urinal on wheels.
*bbq@@MotoNomad350
@@COM70 you're right, nobody else has managed to make such a shitty electric pickup.
20:55
Media often portrays mortars with this sorta soft "doonk" sound, but even with visuals alone this clip really shows how mortar operation is just as intense as any other artillery.
Ahh yes. The aircraft version of Schrödinger’s Cat. Is it in service or out of service?
(Redacted)
yes
Good one!
Is it in/up your "airspace"?
Or is it not?
As a military contractor for this bomber I can speak from experience. Ground transport for training missions 4 years. March AFB primarily. 0130 is when I would clear at a remote airfield on a regular basis in the high desert. A G5 in the take-off position where I dropped took the crew to a classified location. Scuttlebut says Test site, Fallon, or China Lake Or both. Transporting KC46 crews was another assignment during its infancy 2014, same drop location. CHP had to give me a courtesy pass on rare occasion when running late. 2010-2014
*The still classified Black Manta was the companion aircraft to the F-117.*
that's a bold statement.
Pilots had tinfoil hats for helmets.
no
@@Christian_Johanssonmaybe
My mom let me stay up past my bedtime and eat 12 double stuffed Oreos. I get excited playing with fire 🔥 and staring into the sun☀️ . I’m mama’s special boy.
Alex this is one of my favorites to date and that’s saying a whole lot! So much info packed in here
My dog was freaking out on a walk just now as a F-22 and a P-51 flew over us together getting ready for this weeks air show . So loud but sooo cool to see. Poor dog
Lucky ducky. I saw the f22 demo team in Oceana on the 22nd and it was so cool. Beautiful plane
Yeah they are flying out of the Los Alamitos base in Orange County CA. Got to watch the thunderbirds do their practice run one year so it’s like my own air show sometimes
How did that Merlin engine sound?
@@steventhehistorian the only reason I heard it was it took off first and that was only for a brief moment before the Raptor was drowning it out from the runway. Still a great sound!
Excellent choice to break into 2 parts. Great video 👍
We had laser designation befor the f117. A system called pave spike was a pod that was installed on f4 phantoms
Yes that technology dates back to the latter part of the Vietnam War. However, what is unique about the F-117 is that the laser targeting system is not in a pod, but rather built into the body of the aircraft. As such it is able to retain it's stealth characteristics more effectively. This feature is only now available to the latest variants of the F-35. As far as I know, the F-22 does not have this ability, but then again the F-22 is not designed to be a CAS aircraft as it's main role is air superiority. The F-35 however is meant to be a more multi-role platform.
Another feature that the Pave Spike did not have was the ability to auto-track a moving target as more modern systems can. The F-117 can do this.
@@wigon This. Also there was the F-111 with the Pave Tack which was a retractable pod, but integrated into the airframe as it if was part of it. That whole thing took up the bomb bay, though, so the LGBs had to go on wing pylons instead.
@@CakePrincessCelestia F-111F.
Had the pleasure of working with the F117 while stationed at Tonopah (90-92). It truly was a special airplane. Would love to see it again.
This plane is too good to retire. They just quit flying it every day
Alex, as always, awesome explaning and story telling.
That’s tone-a-paw Alex, phonetically!
Like a Brit would say "torn apart", just without the t :)
the nighthawk is like that 80s action hero, a long-retired special operator living in peace with his family, a helicopter lands in his front yard and a general with the goofiest looking beret walks up to him. "hawk, we need you for one last mission. (your rival), he's back. you're the only one who can."
I remember getting to see an F-117 at Holloman Air Force Base in the early 1990s. My best friend from high school was an aircraft maintainer at that bass, and I and my wife of the time visited him and his family. I got to go on base with him, met the commanding officer of the squadron, he was the F-117 Squadron commander, and he took me out to one of the hangers. I wasn't able to touch the aircraft or get closer than about 5 ft but OMG but that thing was amazing.
Great video and interesting look at different operational functions of specific aircraft. Looking forward to Part 2. While you are in Colorado, maybe you could look into actual U.S. anti-satellite capacity and planned capability and put it alongside what we know about possible adversarial ASAT capacity.
Dr A Timothy Warnock, my father, researched, published several reports, and did several presentations on the effectiveness of the F-117 and laser guided munitions. He had included a comparative analysis between the tonnage of bombs dropped in WW II and damage assessments vs the tonnage of laser guided bombs dropped in Desert Storm and damage assessments. He worked as Deputy Chief and temporarily as the Chief for the Air Force Historical Research Agency. I’m curious if the report you mentioned had the researchers or author listed? My father passed away July 28, 2024. He was very proud of the work he did for the USAF.
The F-117A Stealth fighter is pretty much loved by everyone. It still looks like an extra from a Star Wars movie, like something you would see in one of the Star Destroyer's hangars.
I'd love to see it armed with some AIM 9X heaters on board for some self protection tho :/
Totally badass jet, I'd love one.
this was one of the longest 30 min videos i have ever watched, must be because I listening to every work and/or this video was information packed and was interesting content
I heard the reason it's so angular and not smooth like new stealth planes, was that when it was being developed, the computers used to do the 3D modelling didn't have enough computing power to show more surfaces.
Retirement doesn't mean what you think it means.
It doesn't mean they stop flying.
It doesn't mean they immediately cease operation.
These have support contracts for operation and maintenance for another decade.
Non related to the (again very well done) video: it''s crazy how I immediately recognised the island around 27:30 as being Farallon de Medinilla off Saipan from playing DCS.
As strange as it sounds, I wonder what other "obsolete" platforms might still be useful. If I recall correctly from reading Ben Rich's "Skunkworks", the F-102 and F-106 had surprisingly low RCS (especially for the era) and that data was fed into the Have Blue program. Also of note: The F-102 was used in Vietnam for interdiction, because it had an infrared target designator. Not saying the Deuce is still on the loose, but the F-15 upgrade to fly by wire in the new F-15EX makes me wonder if other aircraft could be upgraded in the same manner.
I enjoyed listening to the operational history of this jet 👍. The F22 pilots displayed the utmost professionalism 🇺🇸
I love these incredible planes so much. They changed the game and will always remain the first of a new era of aviation technology 🖤
Would love more detail on the continuing escalation in Syria by Russia leading up to the attack on the Conoco refinery in February 2018 and Russia's conduct east of the Euphrates after that.
Class! Excellent content mate.
Amazing looking piece of kit and hard to believe that it is 40+ years old.
At 6:40
0.0250 square meters....
According to meta AI, that is 250 square centimeters or roughly square inches. This is about the same size as an A3 size piece of paper, The top of a pizza box for a small pizza, or about 40% the size of a standard sheet of notebook paper, or about 40% of the size of a standard US license plate for a car....
Just putting visuals out there for you.
Great work as usual Alex.
We had a couple F117s come to the airport here in Fresno a couple years back to do some type of training with the F18s of the air national guard
When you go into the mountain, see if Joshua is still in the WOPR. If he is, try and play a game with him.
@@Future-Preps35 Just a safe game or tic tac toe, # of players - zero
Hey Alex, that's Tow-na-pa, Nevada, not tanopa.Not trying to be sarcastic, you're my go to guy for this kind of info.
Also, they were only there until '93, after which the entire fleet was transferred to Holoman AFB near White Sands, NM.
They’re back at Tonopah now, there’s videos of them on YT from the last few months.
@@tomwilson1006 Yeah, they sure as shoot ain't at Holoman anymore.
Get a good picture of the stargate while you’re at Cheyenne mountain.
You know that it is actually just a broom closet, with a cool label?
It’s tone-ah-paw. I’ve heard the name butchered before, but you win the prize. Other than that, another great show!
He butchers it every time, and we correct him every time. Either he doesn't read the comments or he's doing it on purpose for engagement bait
Sounds like he almost said it right the second time. Maybe he is learning.
I was based at Ali Al Salem Air Base during Operation Desert Thunder back in 1998. I was there when a very naughty "vegetable stand" locked up an RAF Tornado that was there as part of Operation Southern Watch. They returned promptly, armed themselves, went back out, and destroyed the offending plant vendor. We had a good laugh at that with the Iraqis said it was a farmers vegetable stand that the RAF destroyed.
Sorry, Confused. Who locked the tornado?
@@LFCJOEM91 It was an Iraqi SAM site that locked them up. The Iraqis later claimed that the RAF destroyed a farmers vegetable stand. Go back and re-read my comment.
I too have seen F-117's landing at Ali Al Salem. But, that was over twenty years ago.
Awesome footage and pictures of the F-117
I was driving a remote country road maybe in 80 and seen one of these pull vertical and turn away from me real quick. It was flying maybe 150 feet across the terrain. I had been introduced to combat aircraft since I was a child and had seen SR-71's and even a Valkyrie fly. I knew this was something not on the books yet and we were in for one hell of a ride. My father worked at Lockheed.
The F117 is an awesome aircraft. The Darth Vader of Jets. LOL But if i had to choose which jet I'd be willing to lose if things went sideways it would have to be the F117 over the F22, or B2. The F117 tech is already out there from the one getting shot down over Yugoslavia in 1999. It has older tech, still HIGHLY classified tech, but older. Hate to see another F117 destroyed, but that's how it goes sometimes.
You left out one HUGE reason why the F117 was a very good choice for such missions: The F-117 had already been shot down over Serbia and the Russians had already studied the wreckage and knew about that technology. However they still are dying to get ahold of an F-35, B2, or F-22. So if an F-117 was shot down, there would have been a very low probability of the Russians learning anything new about American Stealth technology.
Take a close look at china's fighters and bombers, they already have the blueprints to our birds.
0:57 ok that’s CRAZY because we are as far away from its first flights now, as it was away from when the SPITFIRE first flights.
That’s nuts
This clearly is getting those "Steve Morse has been longer in Deep Purple than Ritchie Blackmore has ever been" vibes.
@@CakePrincessCelestia maybe but for me reminded me of the cleopatra term.
She is closer to us now, than she was to the pharaohs that built the pyramids
Thanks Alex!
I can't imagine a better candidate for a Darwin Award that a pilot trying to bait an F-22 into a fight...
Hey Alex, just a friendly heads up from a retired USAF vet who worked in the flight test world. Tonopah is pronounced “Tone-uh-Pah”, or more commonly “Tona-Paw”.
****I LOVE YOUR STORIES!!**** Your videos are INCREDIBLE 🎉❤!****
Please light yourself with cooler, more yellow lights. Currently your videos are lit too harshly lit. 😮A more natural color palette would be great. Additionally you should get some sound dampeners to deaden the echo in your audio.
Your are on the verge of RUclips Perfection. ❤
Every time you make a drop I love it!!!
-Stewart Graham
Again, I LOVE your content.
Just don’t mention Rapid Dragon unless it’s absolutely necessary 😊.
I saw one last Thursday over Reno NV.
I got to see one once at an air show. I’ll never forget it. Surrounded by Air Force security forces
Wait how you get those footage @6:17 that’s at tonopah. We are not allowed to bring any sort of video/picture taking devices like phones or cameras.
Alex, since you asked, anything on the x plane, or the Starship global uses, would be valuable. Thanks for your Great works.
A great report, Alex. Thanks !
40 years? OMG I am getting old. I remember when it was just a legend.
I guess the question that comes to mind for me is, did the air force still maintain pilots, actively trained and drilled on operating the F-117's that long after their retirement? Or did they have to pull in either retired pilots, or pilots that had moved on to other platforms who may have been rusty at operating the F-117 at that point?
F117s are still being flown with some regularity, so I'd assume a selection of pilots are being kept trained for it
Actually, the flying part of these FBW jets is the smallest issue (I think the F-117 use the F-16 FBW system). The costly part is the electronics operation that the F-117 had hardly any of to stay "electromagnetically quiet". It does not even have a radar for this reason, if memory serves me right. It is probably not a big issue to transfer pilots from a ground attack F-16 squadron (although I have heard that the F-117 is VERY roll-happy and requires some eye-watering approach speeds to avoid embracing the stall characteristics of a brick). It is an advantage of these old-school "one-trick-pony" systems. It has one job - fly low, get to the range of the laser designator and release those bombs before flying home. One does not need to train for ALL the multi-role missions while juggling all the systems and com-radios (since they are largely turned off).
Add to this, the engines are still flying on "everything" (I assume the hydraulics too), and the FBW (and undercarriage) system is F-16 derived (?). Other parts were taken from the F-15 that still is flying happily - thus it may not be a too expensive proposition these days (I am sure the cost-per-hour of flight time has gone down since the anti-radar coating has gone up in efficiency/operational readiness and down in cost over the decades, as has inertial guidance systems depending on super accurate gyros (being "solid-state" these days) - I think the F-117 might be pretty cheap to operate these days (if asking it to do just what it was designed to do, rather than becoming "multi-role)
If you’re able to enter BLDG 2, go to the little cafe and order the chili. If you’re there for several days, get the tuna melt. Those are the two best things to eat on Pete (if the cafe is still there, it been many years).
I remember reading in popsci in 1990 that the f22 was not supposed to be as stealthy as f117a.
Didn't Task & Purpose already all but confirm this story to not only be true, but that there was more than just the Laser Designator on the F-117 that got it sent to fly missions in Syria. Such as wanting to limit exposure, of newer F22 & F35, to Russian Radar being run and recorded by Russians. As well as doing so would mean less of the limited lifetime flight hours of the F22s being waisted. I don't remember if the cost per flight hour was also less at the time for the F117
I don't know if I believe it due to metal fatigue and wear and tear on the platforms. The airframes are likely incredibly worn out, and we lack the tooling to make more of them, just as we do with the F-22 or the Iowa class battleships. We can maintain them (barely), but we can't build new ones as the tooling was scrapped.
The tooling was most likely saved. It turns out it was a myth that the F-22 tooling was scrapped. Some was used for the F-35 production line, and the rest was preserved.
@@bluemarlin8138 having been in the business, even if they have it all, they probably don't know how to use it. The process engineering paperwork and so on is probably a garbled mess, if not missing
@@bluemarlin8138This is the first time I've heard that but would not be at all surprised if it's true.
The tooling was not scrapped. It had been erroneously reported that the tooling was missing from storage sites prior to studies commissioned to determine the efficacy of restarting certain production lines, but upon inspection, all tooling was found to be in the correct storage site, fully accounted for & properly stored.
Just yet another awesome ALEX, you didn’t actually have it pop up on the screen however I used to really dislike when a
“Too Be Continued”
Would appear on the screen just when I was sitting on the edge of my seat and boom there you go we’ll see you next week but it’s definitely worth the wait. Thank you so much. Awesome work!!
Every time the ME262 gets the credit or accolade for starting the jet age, a Gloster Meteor pilot or engineer rolls in their grave.
And Heinkel. He had a flying bet before the 262. But he wasn't a party member, so didn't get the contract
Let them roll. Me-262(1941), He-280(1941 and then cancelled), Gloster Meteor(1943). Germans definitely had it.
262 was the first both in serial production with significant numbers and in active service. That's what mostly counts. Also, there have been a few P-80s stationed and operating in Italy by the end of January in 1945 AFAIK.
To me they're all the pioneers of the jet age.
If you really want too get technical the me-262 first flew in 1935 with propellor too test the air frame. But had too wait years until they developed the engine for it too be stable enough too use
@@mhobin12you’re a few years off. The 262 first flew (with a piston engine) in 1941. The Bf-109 first flew in 1935
Helluva jet, the F-117. Was fun to fly in Ace Combat games.
Excellent analysis. Thank you!
Just yet another awesome Video ALEX,! you didn’t actually have it pop up on the screen however I used to really dislike when a
“Too Be Continued”
Would appear on the screen just when I was sitting on the edge of my seat and boom there you go we’ll see you next week but it’s definitely worth the wait. Thank you so much. Awesome work!!
Detection is the “easy” part . Maintaining the detection or lock is the hard part. Having los is crucial.
I hope this story is true simply because I hope it woke up some people at the Pentagon that maintaining the F-117's unique capabilities is essential and it must be preserved in any future air forces of the United States. Maybe it'll just be some drone, maybe another stealth fighter. But it should be something.
The F-117, same as the A-10 BTW, is a perfect example for how important it is to have some assets that are made to fulfil a specifc role and do it great. Multi-role is great, but it can't replace the perfect-fit singe-role things that always will be better at what they're designed to do.
@@CakePrincessCelestia The A-10 is shit though. Causes more friendly fire than damage to the enemy.
@@fakecubed "It's the man, not the machine."
@@CakePrincessCelestia The design of it is flawed, doesn’t matter who’s flying it.
@@fakecubed What about its design makes the pilot do friendly fire?
I remember as a kid I was an avid Popular Science and Popular Mechanics reader and reading all the articles and seeing all the blurry photos of the F-117 and being so into all the rumors and speculation of what it looked like and what it was capable of. Even as a layman, I always thought retiring it was shortsighted and idiotic.
Question for your visit Alex: Ask about the UFOs, sure the Chinese balloon was the "big" story but there was some shadey stuff that went down around the other small hovering objects that they "never recovered"
First wanted to say love your videos, always timely informative and very in depth. Two topics for videos, first the X37 aircraft the second I recently saw on my flight tracking software on vacation. In Elizabeth city North Carolina is a company called TCOM they do surveillance ballon’s, was wild saw ballon on software traveling at 60,000 feet around 35 knots off North Carolina was up for around 48 hours as planes flew around. Thanks in advance if a topic I mentioned was already covered apologies please send me a link.
Modern systems can easily detect the F-117 unless its been upgraded or always had Klingon full EM spectrum cloaking device. I find it hard to believe the F-117 can evade the S300 system used in the theater in 2017 unless there were other growlers and EC-130s supporting it and even then it might not be very safe from getting engaged
6:08 type 1000 flyable storage. Wasn't that what they did with the SR-71. Packed them in that shed like sardines.
Those were the CIA A-12s, single seater, flown by civilians.
8:15 the F22 can do everything the F117 can, but better. We just want to minimized their exposure to our adversaries, to limit intel on RCS and other specifications.
I doubt an f22 would be used as a strike aircraft though. It's a air superiority fighter. The f35 is much more likely to be used as an alternative
As well as keeping hours low on the airframes.
F-22 has very limited strike ability. F-117 is better at it.
F-22 can't carry 2000 pound class weapons internally, while f-117 can carry 500 and 2000 pound weapons.
Looking forward to part 2!!!
I really enjoy these long videos 👍, what's happened with the content of non Aviation topics?
Thank you, Alex.
Lgbs just can't be beat on precision. Gps assisted and guided munitions are subject to scrambling and so laser guided are still super viable, especially if the delivery aircraft can paint the laser without worry of being targeted. Add the fact that you can have SOF laser designate from the ground too, it's super sneaky. Now, we know there are methods to detect and even track the 117, but only on limited platforms with enough pre planning.
The 3 letter agencies have 4 of these currently in active service. They have been upgraded and altered to keep up with the current 5th gen aircraft.
Gotta hit the airplane museum on Peterson AFB and the wwii aircraft museum when you are in town. Also Dragonman has the largest private collection of military vehicles
Still the coolest looking jet. IMO