Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>F-117>HA5803
Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk "OIF" 88-0842, 8th FS, Holloman AFB, 2003
General Background
n the 1970’s Soviet air defense systems improved and the U.S. realized they had to develop
aircraft to counter this. Lockheed Skunk Works was tasked with the job and two aircraft were built
under the code name “Have Blue” that proved stealth aircraft could be produced. As a result the
F-117 Nighthawk was developed and first flew in 1981 with the first production F-117 80-10785
making its maiden flight on April 20, 1982 but it wasn’t until 1988 that the Pentagon confirmed its
existence.
The Aircraft
Lockheed Martin F-117A 88-0842 was C/N A.4067 and the 58th F-117 to be manufactured. The
aircraft’s maiden flight took place on March 13, 1990 and was accepted on March 28, 1990. In
December 1990 F-117A “It’s Hammertime” arrived in Saudi Arabia with the 416th TFS where it
completed 33 missions. Later assigned to the 49th FW (The Fighting Forty Niners) /8th FS (Black
Sheep) it completed 23 missions during Operation Allied Force and 9 during Operation Iraqi
Freedom. On January 29, 2008 “It’s Hammertime” was retired.
Specifications :
| Role: | Fighter/Attack |
| First Deployed : | 1982 |
| Retired : | April 22, 2008 |
| Full Scale Development Aircraft : | 5 |
| Production Aircraft : | 59 |
| Crew : | 1 |
| Crew : | 1 |
| Performance | |
| Power Plant : | 2 X General Electric F404-F1D2 Turbofan Engine Each Producing 10,600 lbf (48.0 kN) |
| Dimensions | |
| Length: | 65 ft 11 in (20.09 m) |
| Wingspan: | 43 ft 4 in (13.20 m) |
| Height: | 12 ft 9 in (3.78 m) |
| Weight | |
| Empty: | 29,500 lbs (13,380 kg) |
| Loaded: | 52,500 lbs (23,800 kg) |
| Speed | |
| Ceiling: | 45,000 ft (13,716 m) |
| Maximum: | 617 mph (Mach .092 / 993 km/h) |
| Range: | 930 nm (1,720 km / Unlimited with Air Refuel) |
| Armament: | 2 X Internal Weapons Bays, 1 X Hardpoint Per Bay, Total 2 Weapons Capacity |
| Laser Guided Bombs: | GBU-10 Paveway II 2,000 lb Bomb |
| GBU-12 Paveway II 500 lb Bomb | |
| GBU-16 Paveway II 1,000 Bomb | |
| GBU-27 Have Void (Modified GBU-24 Modified For The F-117) 2000lb | |
| GPS Guided Bombs: | GBU-29 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) |
| GBU-30 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) | |
| GBU-31 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) INS/GPS Guided Munitions | |
| GBU-32 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) | |
| (WCMD) Wind Corrected Munition Dispenser | |
| Missiles: | AGM-65 Maverick (Air-to-surface Guided Missile) |
| AGM-88 HARM (High-speed Anti-radiation Missile) | |
| AGM-137 TSSAM (Tri-Service Standoff Attack Missile) | |
| AGM-154 JSOW (Joint Standoff Weapon) | |
| AGM-154 JASSM (Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile) |