On 5 May 1978, a Las Vegas paper reported the loss of a secret aircraft flown by Lockheed Test Pilot, Bill Park. All that was said was that the aircraft had a problem, he ejected and was severely injured. With that news article, I started digging and since it was a Lockheed program, I knew it was black; that is, highly classified.
During the 1970s and early 1980s, pieces of information kept surfacing. A lot was accurate, but it was like a blind man describing an elephant. The parts were right, but not in the correct order. A former Lockheed pilot stated he saw a drawing which looked like a Douglas F4D Skyray with Packard grills for air intakes.
I have spent a total of fifteen days at the northern fence line of the Tonopah Test Range Facility. Some of the first photographs of the F- 117 to appear in print were either mine or my good friend, Tony Landis, and we have both enjoyed a lot of attention by having the first photos of the Stealth.
Millions of people have had the opportunity to view the F- 117 since its 21 April 1990 public debut and it has been the star attraction at dozens of airshows; although the pilots never talk about its capability. They will say, "It is an all black single seat aircraft, powered by twin General Electric engines. It was built by Lockheed and is flown by the 37th TFW at Tonopah, Nevada. There were fifty-nine built." That is as far as they'll go; any other questions get an, "I'm sorry, it's classified'' or "No comment." This book will hopefully answer some of the questions on the F-117.
tm 10/01/96
Dedication:
In memory of two F-117A pilots who lost their lives in service to their
country: MAJ Ross E. Mulhare, USAF and MAJ Michael C. Stewart, USAF,
both of the 445Oth TG.
Acknowledgements:
There are hundreds of people that I should thank, but that would take
some forty or fifty pages. The following people deserve
special thanks. First and foremost this book is a reality because of
the organization headed by (now retired) Ben R. Rich, President of
Lockheed Skunk Works from 1975 until 17 January 1991. Second, my right
hand during the writing of this book, Debilee Anderson of Minneapolis;
I thank her with all my heart. And to Terry and Carol Love, who's
kindness and friendship was like a port in a very bad storm.
Photo Credits
Shelley J. Goodall Terry
Love John Andrews, Testors Corp Jay
Miller, Aerofax Joel Putman Nick Benfatto Robert Arance Chuck
Mayer Kevin Patrick James
Eastman Mick Roth James P.
Stevenson COL Sconyers, HQ/TAC/PA LTC
Weber, HQ/TAC/PA Eric Schulzinger, Lockheed Richard
Stadler General Electric COL
Ken Dyson, USAF Ret. COL Tony Tolin, 37th TFW/CC TSGT Bobby Sheldon, 37th TFW/PA John Lear Mike Dornheim,
Aviation Week Tom Rosquin, Thomas Aviation Tony Landis Pete Eames, Security/Special Projects Ben R. Rich, Lockheed ADP Bill Sweetman - Janes Bill
Park, Lockheed Miss Edwards, 57th FWW/PA Jim
Mesko COL Knox Bishop MAJ
Greg Kreis, 57th FWW/PAO Alan Welch