B-21 Raider: Next step, First flight!

a reply to: anzha

It is a lovely looking aircraft and can't wait to see her flying in the open.

Can we tell anything about size from these pictures? The wing span looks huge in the hanger picture compared to the body.

More details spotted:

theaviationist.com...

breakingdefense.com...

taxi tests then?

a reply to: anzha

There was a report that they did a taxi test on the 9th. It went around the ramp and parked in front of the hangar where they did the pictures afterwards.

Engine runs!

www.janes.com...

new pix. Possibly the same as the other thread:

theaviationist.com...

A rahrah piece:

breakingdefense.com...

B-21 adopted a low risk approach:

theaviationist.com...

First flight took place this morning.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
First flight took place this morning.

“Cerberus”!!! They DEFINITELY wanted to send a message there. USAF has come a long way since making the hourglass on the bottom of PAV-2 disappear lest it upset anyone.

Some of the photos from that first flight are suuuuper neat.

It looks to me like a large part of the upper and lower halves of the airplane are molded shells that were attached along the “duckbill” edge. Like they solved the problems Boeing had with the X-32 molds, perhaps.

There is a remarkable lack of seams and joints and apparent edges anywhere apart from the weapons bays and landing gear doors. The inlets are gorgeous. The color hasn’t changed, which likely means it’s been built to operate during the day as well as after dark. The overall size… I’m guessing it’s a twin engine. Whatever it may look like outside, it’s what’s inside that’s going to be thoroughly wicked.

I have seen Tacit Blue, a B-2, and the YF-23 with my own two eyeballs, and the lineage is undeniable. Tacit Blue is the Raider’s Granddaddy, the B-2 is its daddy, and the -23 is its smoking hot cousin.

I pity the fool that this is eventually sent to sort out.

could be a sighting
Up in the Air

originally posted by: Zaphod58

Beautiful looking plane.

a reply to: Ferretuk

There are a few things that are just being picked up about it, and a few that no one has noticed yet.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Ferretuk

There are a few things that are just being picked up about it, and a few that no one has noticed yet.

I wonder whether it will have a “green light” for low visibility?

a reply to: Ferretuk

That they will not, but I suspect they have another trick up their sleeve. The other thing I noticed might take more observation before other people notice it.