F-117A: Timeline 1 (1974-Public Unveiling(1988))

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Page born: April 01 2002

TIME LINE I
1974-Public Unveiling(1988)

1974

DARPA issued requests to five aircraft manufacturers to study the an aircraft based on minimal RCS. The companies were General Dynamics, Northrop, McDonnell Douglas, Grumman, and Boeing.

1975

May 5

Sketch of initial "Hopeless Diamond" design presented to Ben Rich.

September 14

A ten foot mockup of the "Hopeless Diamond" was tested against the original D-21 mockup. The "Hopeless Diamond" had a RCS of 1/1000th of that of the D-21 drone.

October

Northrop and Lockheed both won the first phase of the competition.

December

Both Northrop and Lockheed build 1/3 scale models and tested them in January 1976 at Gray Butte RCS Range in the Mojave Desert.

1976

April

Darpa names Lockheed the winner of the competition and the contract to build two flying prototypes.

July

Construction of XST-1 (HB #1001) begins.

August 9

Aviation Week and Space Technology report that Lockheed was awarded a contract to build two aircraft. This was the XST aircraft under the code name "HAVE BLUE".

1977

[Have Blue demonstrator with Lockheed engineer in cockpit at Area 51. (Lockheed Martin)]

November 16

XST-1 (HB #1001) is shipped to Groom Lake in a C-5.

December 1

XST-1 makes first flight

1978

May 4

XST-1 destroyed in crash

July 20

XST-2 (HB #1002) makes first flight

November 1 (or 16)

Lockheed awarded contract for five FSD aircraft

1979

July 11, 1979

XST-2 destroyed in crash about 35 miles from Groom Lake.

[F-117A #780 rolling down the production line. (Lockheed Martin)]

October, 1979

Construction of FSD-1 (#79-780) begins

[4450th TG Blood Patch. (Webmaster's Private Collection)]

October 15

4450th TG (A-unit) activated under Col. Robert A. Jackson. Pilot selection soon begins.

1980

March

Airframe #779 (static test frame) construction begins.

July

The original date for the first flight as specified in November 1978. (Hence the tail number of 780 for FSD-1)

1981

January

Ben Rich is awarded the Defense Department's Distinguished Service Medal in a secret ceremony in Defense Secretary Harold Brown's office.

May

FSD-1 is completed and airlifted to Groom Lake.

June 11

Lt. Col. Al Whitley's Q-unit set up shop at Tonopah. Col. Jerry Fleming's P-unit activated. The I-unit activated (based at Nellis, commanded by Major William C. Helper).

[YF-117A #780 during one if the first 10 flights. (Lockheed Martin)]

June 18

FSD-1 makes first flight.

Summer

Tenative approval for increased production from 20 to 89 aircraft granted. Final approval contingent on succesful RCS and avionics testing.

September 24

FSD-2 makes first flight

[YF-117A #780 photographed while in storage after retirement. (Lockheed Martin)]

October 21

FSD-1 flies it's 11th flight with new enlarged and lengthened tail fins.

December 18

FSD-3 makes first flight.

1982

First night flight and first weapons drop of a BDU-33.

January 23

First RCS test sortie by Lt. Col Roger Moseley in #781 at Groom Lake.

February 27

First production aircraft (#80-785) delivered to Groom Lake.

March

Originally planned IOC date as specified in November 1978.

March 22

First F-117A night flight.

April 10

FSD-5 makes first flight.

April 17

First taxi test of first production aircraft (#80-785).

April 20

First production aircraft (#80-785) crashes during it's first flight.

April 26

USAF decides to reduce production to 57 production aircraft. (59 production airframes were eventually produced).

May 17

Move of 4450th TG from Groom Lake to Tonopah started.

July 7

FSD-4 makes first flight.

August 23

1st production F-117A #80-787 accepted.(3rd production F-117A produced). Ship #787 was used for Operational Test and Evaluation and was delivered to the Test Force.

September 2

4450th TG accepts the first operational F-117A, ship #80-786. (2nd production F-117A produced).

October 15

Whitley became the first operational TAC pilot and Bandit (Bandit #150) to fly the F-117A. Beginning of acceptance flight tests with the second production model F-117A #80-786.

1983

In 1983 the move of the 4450th TG from Groom Lake to Tonopah was completed.

October 28

4450th TG acheives limited initial operational capability with the 10 aircraft on hand configured properly. (Note: 14 aircraft had been accepted by the USAF for operational use)