Back in March of this year, we were in the middle of Death Valley camping and about 9 o'clock in the morning one flew by. I had to do a double take then a triple take, I swore to myself that these things were retired and I was looking at some sort of B2 but there was no mistaking it. Then I saw they had begun flying them again.
While I can appreciate the challenges and complexities of aerodynamics and aerodynamic instability as much as the next person, I always have to consider the F-117 with a bit of awe and wonder - probably the most improbably-shaped aircraft of the jet age.
While I can understand the differences, the fact these are still flying makes me wonder how stealthy or which aircraft is actually the MOST stealth aircraft of the various KNOWN in operation. Also can understand someone wanting to use it as a standard to measure or make comparisons....
The F-117 was originally to be painted pastel grey to be even more stealthy during the day. Air Force officials however didn't want their pilots flying in a pastel sissy colored airplane.LOL Hence the black finish.
Flying airplanes are hard to keep secret. Unless they were to stay in the off-limits areas of Nevada, there is always the possibility of them being seen.
For whatever it is worth, there was one at PSP about two weeks ago. It was parked between hangars just northeast of the tower and impossible to see unless you were on a bicycle and able to get close enough to the fence to see.