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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art and Artists Modern Era Aircraft  Stealth |
[UP] - Blackbird - Hercules - Hunter - Jaguar - Phantom (US) - Stealth - Thunderchief - Tornado - TSR2 - Vulcan - More Aircraft - Helicopters |
| Stealth Aviation Prints |
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| Text for the above items : |
Predator by Ivan Berryman. The extraordinary Lockheed F.117A Stealth fighter proved an awesome sight when at last it was revealed to the world in 1990, and it was soon to distinguish itself in combat in the deserts of the Middle East during the Iraqi campaign of 1991. Predator depicts an example of this inspired machine at altitude against an evening sun, benign and at the same time menacing, an intriguing testament to mans conquest and exploitation of the skies. |
Killer Bs by Stan Stokes. High altitude strategic bombing played a major role during WW II, and in the Cold War era which followed long-range, high altitude, bombers would continue to be a focus area. The Convair B-36 represented a transitional aircraft between the WW II era aircraft and the supersonic jets that would follow. Convairs B-58 Hustler was extremely fast, but the downing of Gary Powers U-2 in 1960 pointed out the possible vulnerability of all high flying bombers despite their speed. The B-58 was phased out as cost ineffective, and the backbone of Americas manned strategic bomber force became the Boeing B-52. The B-52 has had an unprecedented life span. With improved avionics and the ability to launch cruise missiles hundreds of miles away from the ultimate target, the B-52 remained viable for decades longer than expected. The Rockwell B-1 bomber, the aircraft planned to replace the aging B-52, had a very long and controversial gestation period. The B-1 was planned to thwart Soviet air defenses by carrying a nuclear payload to its target at treetop levels and at speeds in excess of 900-MPH. Originally conceived in 1965 the initial procurement contract was awarded in 1970 with the first flight occurring in 1974. At one point 244 B-1 Lancers were planned, but the B-1 program was cancelled during the Carter Administration with only five aircraft completed. In 1982, the B-1 was resurrected during President Reagans term. One hundred aircraft, at a cost of $28 billion (or $280 million each) were ordered. The first operational B-1 reached the Strategic Air Command in 1985. One hundred of these large aircraft have been produced. With an extended wingspan of 137 feet the B-1B is capable of operating from shorter airfields than normal, and with its wings in their fully swept position the aircraft can reach speeds approaching Mach 1.5. The B-1 can carry a whopping weapons load of more than 60 tons. It can fly at very low altitude and launch multiple cruise missiles at targets hundreds of miles away. The B-1 was the worlds most expensive aircraft at the time of its production, but that title now belongs to the B-2 stealth bomber, which costs almost 9 times that of a B-1, or upwards of $2.5 billion a copy. Compared to the B-1 , the smaller Northrop B-2 uses technology to hide itself from opposing air defenses. The B-2 has many similarities to the line of flying wings pioneered by Jack Northrop in the 1940s. The B-1 Lancer was first utilized in combat during bombing raids against Iraq. Reconfigured to carry convention weapons the B-1s typically carries up to 84 Mk-82 nonprecision bombs plus 30 anti-tank cluster bombs. This allowed the B-1 to attack Iraqi tank battalions with devastating results. B-1s were utilized in Yugoslavia, as is the B-2, which was first used in combat in March of 1999 - flying, non-stop from Missouri to Yugoslavia to bomb key Serbian military command and control targets. |
Black Jet by Michael Rondot. Designed and built in the early 1980s at the Lockheed Skunk Works under conditions of intense secrecy, the F-117A Stealth fighter was not revealed to the public until 1990, after it had been in service for over 7 years. A year later during Operation Desert Storm, laser-guided precision bombing images from the cockpits of Black jets over downtown Baghdad were on every television screen and newspaper front page around the world. Night after night, the theory of an aircraft designed to evade radar detection was tested by brave pilots in combat over densely packed Iraqi radar-directed air defences. The results, together with the aircraft and its pilots, are now legend. |
Second Wave to Baghdad by Stan Stokes. The F-117A was developed by the Lockheed Advanced Development Projects team, better known as the Skunk Works. This was a top secret program, and the aircraft flew for several years before its existence was known to the public. Early work on the project began in 1977 with the development of two 60% scale aircraft. Under the code name Have Blue the two prototype scale aircraft were built in a matter of months at Lockheeds Burbank facility. The first test flight was made in early 1978 by Bill Park. The Have Blue aircraft proved undetectable by any airborne radar in existence other than that on an E-3 AWACS. The F-117A was authorized into production in 1978. It is one of the most unique looking aircraft in the world because it was designed as a stealth aircraft. It is made of geometrically flat panes with sharply swept wings. The facing of the aircrafts fuselage results in the disbursement of much of the radar energy which strikes the F-117A. Radar absorbing materials are used throughout and the propulsion system was ingeniously designed to dramatically reduce the aircrafts infrared footprint. The F-117A is a fairly large bird for a single seat aircraft with its 65 ft length and 43 ft wingspan. It reportedly handles well with flight characteristics similar to other delta wing aircraft like the F-106. The F-117A is capable of high subsonic flight (646 MPH) and has a range of approximately 1000 miles. The aircraft is equipped for aerial refueling. The F-117A is powered by two GE F404-F1D2 engines which are non-after burning versions of the engines used in the F/A-18. The bomb capacity is a total of 4,000 pounds. Designed to operate as a covert aircraft providing surgical first strikes against heavily defended radar and communications centers the F-117A was put to the test during Operation Desert Storm. The 37th Tactical Fighter Wing, under the command of USAF Col. Alton C. Whitley, Jr., flew the first strike missions against Baghdad, hitting important communications and control centers, radar sites, and antiaircraft batteries. Utilizing laser guided 2,000 LB bombs, about thirty F-117As participated in the first nights attacks. Despite an enormous amount of anti-aircraft fire, the F-117As under Whitleys command carried out their missions flawlessly, and not a single aircraft was lost to enemy fire. The Stealth fighters blinded the eyes and crushed the nerve centers of the Iraqi Air Forces during these missions, making it possible for other aircraft to carry out their missions with less likelihood of Iraqi opposition. A total of 1,271 sorties were flown by F-117As with a success rate of 80% during the war. One of the more impressive attacks was captured on film and showed a deep penetration laser guided bomb being guided through the top of an elevator shaft on the roof of the ten-story building which housed the Iraqi Air Forces headquarters. The bomb penetrated deep into the structure before detonating and blowing out all four walls of the structure. While the F-117A is no longer a secret weapon, its effectiveness may hopefully serve as a deterrent to future possible conflicts. |
| Stealth Pilot and aircrew signature details |
  Col Alton C Whitley Jr USAF Our estimated value of this signature : £35 | Col Alton C Whitley Jr USAF Colonel Alton C. Whitley was born November 27, 1945 in Concord, North Carolina. He graduated from Clemson University in 1968 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant and recognized as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force ROTC program. After pilot training, AI's first assignment was at Luke AFB in Arizona for training on the F-100 Super Sabre. In 1970 he was transferred to Vietnam where he flew a total of 143 combat missions with the 53 1 Tactical Fighter Squadron at Bien Hoa Air Base and the 3 091h Tactical Fighter Squadron operating out of Tuy Hoa Air Base. Following his combat tour Whitley returned to the states and was assigned to the 74 h TFS in Louisiana. In late 1972 he trained on the A~713 Corsair, and in 1973 he returned to Vietnam, flying an additional 90 combat missions with the 3 rd TFS in Thailand. In 1975 Whitley earned a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. In 1980 Whitley received the Risner Trophy recognizing him as the Outstanding Fighter Pilot in the USAF for that year. From January 1981 until mid-1985 AI was assigned to the 4450 Tactical Group at Nellis AFB, flying the F- 1 17A and A-7 aircraft. He served as group staff officer, operations officer, and squadron commander while assigned to the 445th . He had the honor of being the first operational pilot in the Tactical Air Command to pilot the F-1 17A. After completing the National War College in 1986, he was assigned to the Pentagon for a short time before taking command of Red Flag at Nellis AFB. While commanding Red Flag, Whifley graduated from Adversary Tactics Course and flew the F5-E Aggressor with the 65 h Aggressor Squadron. In his next assignment Whitley flew the A-10 while acting as vice commander of the 57 h Fighter Weapons Wing. In July of 1989 AI was reassigned to the Headquarters Tactical Air Command as Director of Fighter Training and Tactics. In August 1990 Col. Whitley assumed command of the 37th TFW. This unit flew the critical F-1 17A missions during Operation Desert Storm. Whitley personally flew 19 combat missions during the conflict. Col. Whitley retired from active duty in June of 1994 following twenty-six years of service. A command pilot with more than 5,500 flying hours, Whitley has received many decorations and awards including the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross with four oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with fourteen oak leaf clusters, the Aerial Achievement Award, the Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Army Commendation Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Southwest Asia Medal with two bronze stars, the Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze stars, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Kuwait Liberation Medal. AI currently resides in South Carolina with his wife Ann. The Whitley's have two children, and AI remains busy as the Director of the Air Force Junior ROTC program, and as an Aerospace Science Instructor with the 941st Unit of Air Force Junior ROTC at D.W. Daniel High School in Central, South Carolina. |
| Stealth Squadron details |
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