Did anyone see the B-21 Reveal Tonight?

[Steve McMahan]

https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2022/12/watch-b-21-unveiling-live/380399/

That was way cool. I was lucky to spend most of my adult working life working on the original B-2 and ending with being a team member who crafted the strategy to win the B-21 contract. That was the best 28 years of work. As my good friend use to say, “Time flies when you’re finding new and creative ways of blowing $#!% up!” Now my son continues the mission while I’m retired. I am continuing amazed at the technology we can create.

 

[Spike Morelli]

I didn't see it, didn't even know anything about it, but I would love to see it. I was just in Los Angeles last weekend, at the downtown science museum and checked out the Endevour Space Shuttle, along with an SR-71. Remarkable engineering.

 

[71coop]

I missed it, so just caught up on the link you provided. Brought back a lot of memories working at Edwards AFB back in the 90s - The B-2 was a common sight flying over the flightline.

I was stationed at Wright-Pat, and then later at Edwards AFBs, assigned to an R&D-oriented aircraft (ARIA) for several years. That allowed me to see a few cool things - Shuttle landings, B-1 and B-2 flights over the base were common but always worth taking a few minutes to watch. Super cool stuff, I miss it.

Spike, it is remarkable engineering, and when you think about how old it is (stealth tech R&D started back in the 60s, if I recall) you have to wonder what we have today that no one knows about.

 

[Steve McMahan]

You noticed they didn’t show us the back of the B-21 yet . . RCS tech has advanced quite a bit since the B-2’s design.

 

[c9zx]

We need to step on the military R&D and production pedal. China is approaching technical parity very rapidly and their human numbers are huge. Chuck

 

[69 Rustang]

I didn't see it, didn't even know anything about it, but I would love to see it. I was just in Los Angeles last weekend, at the downtown science museum and checked out the Endevour Space Shuttle, along with an SR-71. Remarkable engineering.

I think they have an A-12 at the California Science Center. It is similar to the SR-71, but is a different aircraft that was built for the CIA‘s use.

 

[Big Red Mach 1]

Looks like a more modern B2. First time I ever saw a B2 flying was in the mid 90's out at Fort Irwin, CA when we were there for NTC. Although the A-10 will always be my favoirte military flying machine, seeing that B2 in the air for the first time was mesmerising. Still has nothing on an A-10 doing a barrel roll about 200 ft above your head and hearing that BRRRRRRRRRRRRT.

 

[Spike Morelli]

I think they have an A-12 at the California Science Center. It is similar to the SR-71, but is a different aircraft that was built for the CIA‘s use.

Yeah, I know it's an A-12, and obviously YOU know it's an A-12, but for purposes of posting I called it an SR-71, since most people know SR-71s over the A-12 and they look the same.

 

[Cleveland Crush]

Looks like a more modern B2. First time I ever saw a B2 flying was in the mid 90's out at Fort Irwin, CA when we were there for NTC. Although the A-10 will always be my favoirte military flying machine, seeing that B2 in the air for the first time was mesmerising. Still has nothing on an A-10 doing a barrel roll about 200 ft above your head and hearing that BRRRRRRRRRRRRT.

Oh yes, the A-10 and it's 30mm Gatling...

 

[Tnfastbk]

kinda hard to see but if you look closely...............

 

[tony-muscle]

kinda hard to see but if you look closely...............

wow... did you take these?

 

[tony-muscle]

Love all these airplanes. I was able to recently see all these beauties and many more at the AF museum in Dayton. Highly recommended for those of us that had no chance to seeing them live. The XB-70 was amazingly impressive!

 

[Sheriff41]

Yeah, I know it's an A-12, and obviously YOU know it's an A-12, but for purposes of posting I called it an SR-71, since most people know SR-71s over the A-12 and they look the same.

No mention of the YF-12?

 

[Tnfastbk]

kinda hard to see but if you look closely...............

wow... did you take these?

No a good friend of mine sent these to me after taking a refueling flight

 

[donkost]

Love all these airplanes. I was able to recently see all these beauties and many more at the AF museum in Dayton. Highly recommended for those of us that had no chance to seeing them live. The XB-70 was amazingly impressive!

What, no pic of their B-36? I'm not sure if that would even fit in one pic without using panoramic view. ha The XB-70 is certainly impressive. Built a model of that as a kid. It's a shame what happened as far as the accident.

 

[tony-muscle]

What, no pic of their B-36? I'm not sure if that would even fit in one pic without using panoramic view. ha The XB-70 is certainly impressive. Built a model of that as a kid. It's a shame what happened as far as the accident.

Absolutely. I loved that one. Amazing airplane that didn't see any war. Not easy to take a good picture of it since it is very crowded around it.

 

[donkost]

Awesome B-36 pics! It's too bad that a group has not championed getting one of these in the air again. The price would be astronomical. One of the flying B-29's "Fifi" is at the WWII weekend near me each summer. One of my uncles was in the Air National Guard for a few decades, retiring at a high rank. He was a navigator and flew many lengthy missions. Years ago he gave me SAC classified (now declassified) books on the B-36 which were used for training.