Have Blue/F-117 program Area 51

underside view of have blue



f-117 flying on mountains

the lockheed have blue prototype stealth fighter (a smaller proof-of-concept model of f-117 nighthawk) first flew @ groom in december 1977.

in 1978, air force awarded full-scale development contract f-117 lockheed corporation s advanced development projects. on 17 january 1981 lockheed test team @ area 51 accepted delivery of first full scale development (fsd) prototype 79–780, designated yf-117a. @ 6:05 am on 18 june 1981 lockheed skunk works test pilot hal farley lifted nose of yf-117a 79–780 off runway of area 51.

meanwhile, tactical air command (tac) decided set group-level organization guide f-117a initial operating capability. organization became 4450th tactical group (initially designated unit ), officially activated on 15 october 1979 @ nellis afb, nevada, although group physically located @ area 51. 4450th tg operated a-7d corsair ii surrogate trainer f-117a, , these operations continued until 15 october 1982 under guise of avionics test mission.

flying squadrons of 4450th tg 4450th tactical squadron (initially designated unit ) activated on 11 june 1981, , 4451st tactical squadron (initially designated p unit ) on 15 january 1983. 4450th ts, stationed @ area 51, first f-117a squadron, while 4451st ts stationed @ nellis afb , equipped a-7d corsair iis painted in dark motif, tail coded lv . lockheed test pilots put yf-117 through paces. a-7ds used pilot training before f-117a s had been delivered lockheed area 51, later a-7d s used f-117a chase testing , other weapon tests @ nellis range.

15 october 1982 important program because on date major alton c. whitley, jr. became first usaf 4450th tg pilot fly f-117a.

although ideal testing, area 51 not suitable location operational group, new covert base had established f-117 operations. tonopah test range airport selected operations of first usaf f-117 unit, 4450th tactical group (tg). october 1979, tonopah airport base reconstructed , expanded. 6,000 ft runway lengthened 10,000 ft. taxiways, concrete apron, large maintenance hangar, , propane storage tank added.

by 1982, 4 more yf-117a airplanes operating out of southern end of base, known southend or baja groom lake . after finding large scorpion in offices, testing team (designated r unit ) adopted mascot , dubbed baja scorpions . testing of series of ultra-secret prototypes continued @ area 51 until mid-1981, when testing transitioned initial production of f-117 stealth fighters. f-117s moved , area 51 c-5 under cloak of darkness, in order maintain program security. meant aircraft had defueled, disassembled, cradled, , loaded aboard c-5 @ night, flown lockheed, , unloaded @ night before real work begin. of course, meant reverse actions had occur @ end of depot work before aircraft reassembled, flight-tested, , redelivered, again under cover of darkness. in addition flight-testing, groom performed radar profiling, f-117 weapons testing, , location training of first group of frontline usaf f-117 pilots.

while baja scorpions working on f-117, there group @ work in secrecy, known whalers working on tacit blue. fly-by-wire technology demonstration aircraft curved surfaces , composite material, evade radar, prototype, , never went production. nevertheless, strange-looking aircraft responsible many of stealth technology advances used on several other aircraft designs, , had direct influence on b-2; first flight of tacit blue being performed on february 5, 1982, northrop grumman test pilot, richard g. thomas.

production fsd airframes lockheed shipped area 51 acceptance testing. baja scorpions tested aircraft functional check flights , l.o. verification, operational airplanes transferred 4450th tg.

on 17 may 1982, move of 4450th tg groom lake tonopah initiated, final components of move completed in 1983. production fsd airframes lockheed shipped area 51 acceptance testing. baja scorpions tested aircraft functional check flights , l.o. verification, operational airplanes transferred 4450th tg @ tonopah.

the r-unit inactivated on 30 may 1989. upon inactivation, unit reformed detachment 1, 57th fighter weapons wing (fww). in 1990 last f-117a (843) delivered lockheed. after completion of acceptance flights @ area 51 of last new f-117a aircraft, flight test squadron continued flight test duties of refurbished aircraft after modifications lockheed. in february/march 1992 test unit moved area 51 usaf palmdale plant 42 , integrated air force systems command 6510th test squadron. testing, rcs verification , other classified activity still conducted @ area 51 throughout operational lifetime of f-117. inactivated (2008) 410th flight test squadron traces roots, if not formal lineage 4450th tg r-unit.