'With flying colors': F-117 Nighthawk retires after Edwards Open House, Air Show

The F-117 Nighthawk tail number 782 passes over Edwards Open House and Air Show Oct. 14-15 bearing its true colors - red, white and blue. This particular aircraft was the oldest flying F-117 in the fleet of five prototype F-117s that were hand-made in the '80s prior to full-up production of the stealth fighter. (AF photo by Senior Airman Jet Fabara)

Blackanthem.com, EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., October 27, 2005

In true historic fashion, F-117 Nighthawk, tail number 782, passed over show center Oct. 14-15 bearing its true colors - red, white and blue.

This flight test legacy was retired following the Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Open House and Air Show with 20-plus years of service.

"782 has been used for flight test ever since Lockheed Martin Aero pilot Tommy Morgenfeld first took off at the controls December 18th, 1981," said Lt. Col. Robert McAllum, 410th Flight Test Squadron commander. "It's the original avionics test aircraft for the Nighthawk program."

Five prototype F-117s were hand-made in the '80s prior to full-up production of the stealth fighter. This particular aircraft, 782, is currently the oldest flying F-117 in the fleet - 780 and 781 have already been retired.

Once the aircraft flew its final flights this weekend, the majority of the original prototype, pre-production F-117s will be out of service, said Dennis Fernandez, 410th Flight Test Squadron Lockheed Martin flight test manager; only two of the five will remain operational - 783 and 784.

Of the five prototypes, 782 was the first with a complete avionics suite, said Mr. Fernandez. "It enabled us to test full integration of the weapons delivery system; the first two prototypes had steam gauge instruments and manual weapons delivery.

"782 was also the first to be fully equipped with an Infrared Acquisition and Designation System," he said; "the eyes of the aircraft."

As the Nighthawk program evolved, 782 was not upgraded past the second generation of technology improvements, and it became the squadron's test jet for "nuts and bolts" sustainment testing.

But what this aircraft will be most remembered for was a flight it made in 1983.

At that time, there were lots of rumors throughout the Air Force about a new plane being unveiled for high Department of Defense officials, said Dr. Raymond Puffer, Air Force Flight Test Center historian.

"During a squadron change-of-command ceremony, four years before the F-117 was publicly acknowledged, 782 swept in low and then banked away suddenly, revealing the American Flag on its belly. The crowd went absolutely berserk, and the incident aroused intense excitement. The Cold War was at its coldest then, and the story (and the aircraft) was an incredible morale-builder for us all."

The aircraft 782 was repainted with the American flag for this air show to resurrect a piece of the 782's history for its retirement, Mr. Fernandez said.

"The squadron got together to paint the aircraft - a voluntary effort - and the paint was even donated," Colonel McAllum said.

Many of the military and civilians working in the squadron today have been involved with this aircraft and the program since the '80s.

"When I first started working on this aircraft I was a young man," Mr. Fernandez said. "I never thought about retirement at that age - the aircraft's or my own. Now, we've both reached retirement age at the same time ... it's hard to believe."

The F-117 was flown Saturday by Colonel McAllum and Sunday by Lt. Col. Dwayne Opella, the 410th FLTS operations officer.

The aircraft retires to Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., following the Edwards air show, Colonel McAllum said.

As of Oct. 14 the aircraft had 1,202 flights and 1,532 flying hours.
 

By Capt. Catie Hague
95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs