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Claveworks — F-117A USAF 9FS 1

Published: 2008-04-14 22:21:32 +0000 UTC; Views: 3560; Favourites: 37; Downloads: 0
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Description The Lockheed F-117A "Nighthawk" was the first aircraft designed around Stealth technology.

Although designated 'F' for Fighter, it was not in fact equipped for anything other than ground attack missions, and relied on not being seen to carry out it's attack.

It became operational in 1983 and retired in 2008, proving itsellf combat in Panama, Kosovo, and in three 'Gulf Wars'

The F-117A was armed according to mission requirements with Penetrator bombs, laser guided bombs, or JDAM guided munitions.

It carried no defensive missiles or guns, and also had no radar which further reduces the risk of detection. It navigated using GPS and Inertial Navigation, and targets were acquired using thermal imaging and lasers.

This example is an F-117A of the 9th Fighter Squadron, circa 1991.
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Comments: 17

A8T [2008-08-16 03:05:07 +0000 UTC]

hello to the ufo.

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Claveworks In reply to A8T [2008-08-22 07:34:58 +0000 UTC]

It really is a strange shape

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zJoriz [2008-04-16 07:54:29 +0000 UTC]

Yup, strange thingie. Also an expensive thingie. Wasn't one shot down a couple of years ago?

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Claveworks In reply to zJoriz [2008-04-16 08:25:01 +0000 UTC]

In Bosnia, yes - the commander of a missile battery worked out an unusual combination of radar frequencies and/or tactics it would seem... or he just got lucky...

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zJoriz In reply to Claveworks [2008-04-16 08:46:01 +0000 UTC]

Bad news for the US air force...

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Claveworks In reply to zJoriz [2008-04-16 21:28:50 +0000 UTC]

That's war for ya..

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zJoriz In reply to Claveworks [2008-04-17 07:14:39 +0000 UTC]

Yup. It's a different plane but the same old tricks.

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Sandwich-Anomaly [2008-04-15 06:43:35 +0000 UTC]

its not that fast, its not that good a fighter, more of a bomber, can usually go at night, and is aerodynamically unstable if it wasnt for the avionics, but still it has proven itself a great stealth plane, even though its soon gonna be replaced...

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Lyle462 [2008-04-15 03:40:38 +0000 UTC]

So how was this one to work on? More challenging or less? You mentioned JDAM! Yep...I know those munitions pretty well. Great concept that's proven to really work nicely

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Claveworks In reply to Lyle462 [2008-04-15 07:30:26 +0000 UTC]

I can only say both... It was easier to draw from the point of view of surfaces - there are not that many, but quite hard to get looking 'right' as the surfaces do not 'shine' in a normal way... but I'm happy with it...

As for JDAMs and the like, well, all those Smart Weapons are very impressive.

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Lyle462 In reply to Claveworks [2008-04-15 11:00:05 +0000 UTC]

I thought as much. I drew one a long time ago and ran into the same problem. I really had to take my time and consider the light source on each panel. You bet...lovely job on your part.

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Claveworks In reply to Lyle462 [2008-04-15 14:15:52 +0000 UTC]

Thank you

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Habbex [2008-04-15 00:37:32 +0000 UTC]

haha indeed ^^

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Tawnya [2008-04-14 22:24:39 +0000 UTC]

Not to mention but it is so butt-ugly and that fact alone keeps it airborne...

Doesn't it also fly with numerous computers which adjust the controls millions of times a second?

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Claveworks In reply to Tawnya [2008-04-14 22:27:31 +0000 UTC]

Yep, it would fail completely without the computers - They use a quadruple-redundant system though, so it's unlikely for all four of them to fail...

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Tawnya In reply to Claveworks [2008-04-14 22:53:58 +0000 UTC]

I hope they are not running MS windows... o.0

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Claveworks In reply to Tawnya [2008-04-14 22:56:24 +0000 UTC]

LOL! Now that WOULD be a scary mission profile!

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