Another "F-117 Companion" thread and a bit of history!

a reply to: Zaphod58 Of course, but i think it's possible one aircraft simply experienced a malfunction preventing it to sweep wings. Somewhat more likley than spotting a secret triangle efueling with two variable wing aircraft IMO...

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Kurokage

He did, didn't he. Too bad he ain't me.

I do respect you for that and us members do hold you in high regard, was just hoping for a small bread crumb?!?!

originally posted by: SpeedFanatic
a reply to: mightmight

As for the Desert Storm. Boomer gave us nice tidbits...

originally posted by: boomer135
It was posted online years ago. Now the only place to find it is the dark web. But it was recordings between AWACS, F-117s, and a mystery targeting aircraft who was accompaning the stealths. Or our mystery companion aircraft.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I would love to find this on the dark web!

a reply to: mightmight

I wouldn't be surprised if they were keeping then partly swept because as they got heavier they'd need more speed to keep on the boom. I know people say what a great spotter he is and how he can glance at two planes and tell them apart, but even the best make mistakes.

Honestly it never made sense to me. I've never heard of chase aircraft on an oceanic crossing. Normally they require additional aircraft to help with the checklist if there's an emergency, but they can cross solo, if they put another qualified pilot on the tanker. And if it's a two seat aircraft they have the other crew member to help as well. It would make more sense to just cross behind the tanker than to show a classified airframe to more people by adding chase aircraft. Especially since they couldn't do much in an IFE situation.

a reply to: Zaphod58

To be fair though, there's not much out that way except for sea, and could they have also been flying out from Scotland somewhere like Lossiemouth? I'm just guessing as you can now track refuelers flying out that way on flight radar for training and stuff.

a reply to: Kurokage

Sometimes you can track them other times they don't show up at all

a reply to: Kurokage

Could be, but you still want all of the same type of aircraft together. That's set in stone. I don't think I've ever seen a single aircraft of a different type mixed in with others. Two of them, yes, and that was all of once. The idea is that if they have a problem, the other pilots might have seen it or heard of a way to fix it, and can read their checklists to the pilot with the problem to alleviate some of his work load. If you have two F-111s, and an F-15, the F-111 crews aren't going to even be able to read the checklist to him, and can only sit and watch.

a reply to: Zaphod58

The scenario that was going through my head had the "other" aircraft doing similar things if the F1-11's were of the EW configuration, I know sometimes the US Airforce has flow, maybe tested in that area. Might just be wishful thinking.

a reply to: Kurokage

It MIGHT have been a test, or a training flight, but if it was, I still don't see them exposing a SAP to people that didn't have a direct need to know.

originally posted by: thebozeian
a reply to: C0bzz
How about the front gate at RAAF Wiliamtown?
Almost exactly half way for most of us. Yes BASSPLAYR you are invited, so is Zaph, Waynos and everyone else. I wonder if we could resurrect Willard856 and Winged Wombat? Ohhh a road trip to Woomera... Now that would be cool, Australia's Dreamland, plus Somersby lights north of Sydney etc.
Actually Avalon is a pretty good idea, I used to work there and there are some great drives and scenery along the coast like the Great Ocean road.

I live in Newcastle so it works for me (if invited), pass it on Stockton beach when I go fishing. Worked at RAAF Edinburgh on the P-3 Accord but mainly over the road from the base.

a reply to: Forensick
sooooo....I take it cairns is out then?




ok haggling it is!

how about mackay. we can all meet there by the lagoon. common. it's got a blue water river. ehhh....eehhh? any takers.

ok, ok...harvey bay?


sigh ....fine! Noosa but no farther south and that's my final offer.

Harvey Bay is nice,had our honeymoon there.
Be good during Whale watching season..Noosa,meh too touristy..
Problem with being up north is that the cyclones tend to move your house piece by piece..Same as Hurricanes but the houses spin the other way round..

a reply to: Blackfinger

I feel like ive been the one to get us off topic so I apologise, i wanna say that my excuse is not being able to send PMs or start my own thread but thats BS coz i couldve gone to the introductions thread, but then i doubt i'd be immediately conversing with the "Avgeek mob"!

It did cross my mind that Bassplyr is gonna be posting up a thread soon about being stuck in a Tropical Cyclone!

But in all seriousness alot of the ideas put forward regarding an Aussie catch up is very doable. But it wouldnt be right unless we campaigned to get Zaphod down under

Back to topic: Abit of talk here and there about which airfields or countries the companion may have operated from, i'd be willing to wager that at some point in its development it flew out of a base in Australia to test its RCS against/for Jindalee. Not that theres really anyone to notice things in the GAFA.

For Uk base’s I would say Lossiemouth, Machrahanish, Warton, Mildenhall, Fairford and Boscombe Down...reply to: Ironside800

a reply to: Silentvulcan

I'd cross Warton off your list it's right by a housing estate

True..reread the thread...operated from maybe not...visited..maybe..other “black/grey” projects have been hinted at flying from there over the years from “south side” of the airfield.a reply to: Woody510

a reply to: Ironside800

Heh. You don't know us very well. Any time a longish thread DOESN'T go off topic, people start sacrificing goats and getting ouija boards out to try to figure out what's wrong.

Oz' is bit far for this pommie to go for a meet up but good luck to you all, lots of pics would be cool, and make sure you get some nice aviation shots in there.


Ahem, I can also just let this poor goat go then, no sacrifces to the thread gods needed.........

a reply to: Silentvulcan

You have my attention! Do you mean US black/grey projects or UK "specials"?

I think uk specials...replica designed and built there but no flight model made..probably more likely a variety of UAV’s (Taranis predecessors)...been at Warton a few times over the years and always intrigued by stories about things being tested/built over on the “south side” of the airfield...no hard facts as to what..just verbal scuttlbut about things being tested at night...maybe even a visit by the elusive companion..?a reply to: SpeedFanatic