B-21 Patch Appears on Ebay. Real or Bogus?

Meanwhile something interesting, that might confirm the B-21 is something more than a concept, popped up on eBay: journalist and photographer Steve Douglass, has just found a B-21 Combined Test Force patch.

Flying units under the 412nd Operations Group of the 412nd TW are called flight test squadrons (FTS) and the squadron commander also usually fulfills the role of Combined Test Force, or CTF, Director.

“The CTF is an organizational construct that brings together the government developmental test and evaluation personnel (i.e., military personnel and government civilians and support contractors), the operational testers or representatives of the warfighters who will eventually employ the aerospace system in combat, and the contractors who develop and test the aerospace system.

theaviationist.com...


Now, the question is, really, is the patch real?

The name on the patch has zilch (Harbinger in Latin) to do with the Raider. The bomber type number is right though. The explanation in the article is...ok. I am not totally sold. It reminds me a lot of another patch, but I am blanking on which. OTOH, it could really be real and I'm being a grumpy guy.

What does the forum think?

Personalty I'm leaning towards bogus.

bogus the art is way to good for ACC heavies, never saw patch art worth a spit from a heavy sq.

Yea nope, every heavy patch I saw from the sq was garbage, possibly someone associated with the program designing their own.

a reply to: Irishhaf

Unless it was done by the program office. Personally, I think it's bogus, because I doubt we're going to see it show up on ebay at this point.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Irishhaf

Unlessit was done by the program office. Personally, I think it's bogus, because I doubt we're going to see it show up on ebay at this point.

Good point about eBay. But perhaps the patch could be FOIA-ed.

fake, i am pretty sure this crap is classified

a reply to: humanoidlord

And patches still get out. Usually not on ebay, but they do occasionally get out.

the real patches are not so glossy....maybe idk....imo

a reply to: GBP/JPY

Yeah, they are sometimes. You should see some of them in my collection.

Flight demonstrator probably but no way is it for prototype or anything operational.

a reply to: anzha

It's real! Jeez, I have been laughing so hard at the reactions on this thread. The patch is indeed the genuine article. It has been around since sometime last year, at least. I picked one up at work recently, along with another patch and a coin, from one of the guys on the program. I have a few other related patches and coins as well. Some of the designs are quite nice but this one is the best yet, I'm my opinion.

I have an actual patch from the area S-4 reverse engineering project.

I am having it embroidered as we speak. Now... what was my Ebay password again?

a reply to: Shadowhawk

Would you be so kind as to post a pic of one of them? I'm curious.

a reply to: anzha

My apologies. Out of consideration for my source, I will not post any pictures of these patches yet. Also, I don't wish to inadvertently trigger a "Paglen Effect" and flood the market with expensive, poor-quality reproductions.

Someone posted a picture of the Combined Test Force (CTF) patch on some obscure board last November. Over the past few months I have seen a few people wearing them around in places where I would expect to see them. Therefore, I was not particularly surprised to see them start turning up on eBay. I imagine they will become increasingly common as the program ramps up.

Prenuntius

that foretells
a foreteller, harbinger, foreboder, an indication, token, omen
a harbinger, token, omen

I'm assuming Harbinger of Death?

What's with the 17 there?

originally posted by: grey580
Prenuntius

that foretells
a foreteller, harbinger, foreboder, an indication, token, omen
a harbinger, token, omen

I'm assuming Harbinger of Death?

What's with the 17 there?

The 17 possibly comes from the 417th , i.e. the squadron where this patch comes from. Or maybe it's for 2017, the year the program came out of the black world?

Man, I had some many cool, rare unit/morale patches and coins from my time in the missile world. I have no idea what I did with them all.

originally posted by: Shadowhawk


Someone posted a picture of the Combined Test Force (CTF) patch on some obscure board last November.

#Willdanceforlinks

a reply to: Zaphod58

but this early?
bonafide security breach

a reply to: humanoidlord

Not really. They've been hinting that it's farther along than we think and that it will be public soon.

They must have solved the wing and engine install issues real quick then.