B-2 Spirit. Made out of wood?

Cheers Wolf of War. Thats what I thought.

Originally posted by Lampyridae
They had to develop 900 new materials for the B-2. Plus manufacturing techniques.

No wonder it's so expensive. It's a white elephant, if you ask me, just like the B-1 and the Space Shuttle.

I can't find anything in this statement that is redeeming. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but absolutely no one is entitled to that opinion being considered correct if there is no logic to it.

[Edited on 21-9-2003 by Valhall]

IMO, the B-1 and B-2 are both Cold-War era penetration bombers designed to deliver first-strike nuclear weapons, specifically to take out hardened targets.
The B-1B's low-level attack is nice and good, but in this day and age, you don't really need a bomber anymore, not with precison weaponry. Long live the multi-role fighter! The B1-A, howeve was the real white elephant.
The real impetus behind the B-2 was NOT to develop an "invulnerable bomber" but create a first-strike threat that the Soviet Union could not possibly counter. In this day and age it remains a viable means to thump virtually anybody anywhere in the world, albeit with conventional weapons.

That being said, I really like those aircraft and I don't doubt their validity as technological milestones, but they are not necessary!! Not if you believe Uncle Sam is the good guy.

Gents,
The B-2 in constructed of advance composite material, and titanium/aluminum not wood.

Has any anyone thought that the reason for the shelters might be the fact that they were on Diego Garcia (a small atoll in the Indian Ocean) meaning that they were very close to salty air/seawater...this could A) harm the engines somewhat more that clean air B) cause rust

just a thought.

I think salt can not hurt them because they are not of metal, they are made paper, and glues. All those patches are piece of paper being glued over another piece of paper....

I have heard the theories of the B-2 being build out of wood before...

I don't buy it...

What was the most recent A/C to have used wood in it's construction?

I highly doubt that the B-2 is made out of wood, but there is definitely something weird about that plane. The was another thread about the B-2 and like electromagentic stealth or something like that. One part also stated that people have been electricuted from touching after it lands which is odd because most planes are grounded before take off due to the large amount of electrical equipment on a plane that could be fried.

Well, that is what happened to me everytime when I wear clothes of plastic polymers, I get electroshocks when touch metal objects, ground objects, even my computer.
So answer is here, because it uses all those non metal materials, during the flight it fills with static energy, then discharges into whoever touches it.

For the paper thery check google PRIAPHCM.

There you'll find why humidity can't make it rusty.

It reminded me on paper condensers. They used to make them massively of impregnated paper with resin. easily found on the web.
www.philcorepairbench.com...

you can try to find as for condenser paper search, including some aerospace:

www.ngk.co.jp...

www.google.lu...:r6vef1bsoIoJ:www.inmr.com/bg2005/listings/NGK.htm+condenser+paper+export+usa&hl=de

Same company producing such different products and exporting condenser paper??


edited to add this:
condenser
[n] an electrical device characterized by its capacity to store an electric charge
is not so used as capacitor, here is interesting link just to get main picture
archives.radioattic.com...
also this page, but do not take it serious, just probable capacitor use
www.amasci.com...

[edit on 4-1-2005 by MankoW]

It's quite possible it is made out of wood, or some totally new material, who knows.

I think that picture proves it... it's made out of sticky tape, who woulda thought it had so many uses? The ultimate building substance! lol.

Has everyone forgotten the U2? That was not aimed to be stealthy, but due to the wood construction it was actually found it was almost invisible to radar. Quite a lucky find that. Trying to find some links now.

Originally posted by UnMature
Has any anyone thought that the reason for the shelters might be the fact that they were on Diego Garcia (a small atoll in the Indian Ocean) meaning that they were very close to salty air/seawater...this could A) harm the engines somewhat more that clean air B) cause rust

just a thought.

B-2's at diego Garcia??!!!
Anydata/reports on that?..
And IMHO they're made outve ....PLASTIC!!!
Yes hard plastic!!

As far as I can tell the B2 is made out of composites, bonded fibres, resins and all that kind of thing so I suppose there is a small similarity of sorts to 'wood'.

As for the Afghanistan mission(s)?

I believe they refuelled but I mean, come on, talk about a walk in the park.

That was a totally undefended 'target' (as far as the B2 was concerned) and they could fly at the most optimal heights, speeds and settings all the way there and back.

The B2 costs $2.2bn a pop !!!!!!!!

Hohohoho...The manufacturers saw your tax dollars coming all righty...They're
probably still laughing now!!! I can imagine the sales pitch now..

"See thiis piece of wood... its special wood dontcha know, yes, its an anti gratity
wood fron a land far far away..oh yes, its cost....err...$1m per foot Mr purchaser"

...fools and their money are easily parted..


To be realistic for a minute, the value of the need isnt worth $200m a shot, let
alone a value over 10x that, so why they hell did it get out of hand by that much.

so are they kept at diego garcia or not?!!!

actually it's kept under shelter because rain washes off the expensive radar absorbant paint

I was Wire harness and control panel fabrication manager for the B-2 in Pico-Rivera and spent many days in the plane in the final assembly facility in the Lancaster California. There isn't a piece of wood in that plane, not a tiny piece. It's materials are aluminum structure, and the most advanced composits of the day[ 1980's-early 1990's,] the composits are better today. There is nothing bizarre about the plane, other than it's awsomely ugly capabilities.

they have the special shelters that go with them becouse they dont want other people looking at them and need a sectret working place on them so that the other people in the area cant see whats going on. if it does have anti-gravity engies or some other highly advanced systems in it makes sense to separate them from other aircraft and other people.

also does anyone else have any other close up pics or interior pics of the B2 they look very large inside much bigger then a regular fighter jet like where the crew sit.