Mystery Flying Wing from Area 51

I am trying to indetify a mystery aircraft from Groom Lake. It was first identified by Journalist/Researcher Mark Famer, who often works with famous Aurthor Bill Sweetman.

The Aircraft in question is a small black flying wing that is described as looking like a "Baby B-2" according to Mr. Farmer. I has been seen on several occasions making night time Flights from Groom Lake.

My first instinct was that it was related to the B-2, but then Shadowhawk posted this:

I know people who built and flew the B-2. From their first-hand testimony, the B-2 made its first flight at Palmdale in 1989 exactly as described. It was not flown at Groom Lake first, even in scaled-down form.

and this:

I also knew people who were building the B-2 and shared in their anticipation as the date of first flight approached. It was a great day when the B-2 finally took wing at Palmdale, following in the tradition of so many other airplanes built at AF Plant 42.

While I was Origionally skeptical, I feel that Shadowhawk has proven in another thread that these statements are infact accurate and true. I have NO reason to question his comments any further.

Having RULED OUT the B-2 Spirit as the mystery aircraft Mark Farmer saw at Groom Lake, we are looking for a Top Secret aircraft that is almost the same shape as the B-2, but about 1/2 to 2/3 the size.

Does anyone have information on what this craft might be?

Tim

www.boeing.com...


its a smaller scale BWB

I cant think of any manned aircraft fitting this description, but there are many delta winged UCAVs that could easily fit.

Try the Boeing X-45:


Or the Northrop Grumman X-47:


Or its brother the X-47B:


Or the Killerbee:


It would be helpful to know the year of the spotting.

Originally posted by gfad

It would be helpful to know the year of the spotting.

Good thought gfad! I wonder if there is a way to contact Mr. Farmer and fallow up on this. Thanks for your post!

Tim

[edit on 3/13/2007 by Ghost01]

Don't forget about the P-175 I don't know exact time etc but the development took 18 months and I'm not sure when that started or ended but it was released at Farnborough, England, July 19, 2006. It does have the right shape of a mini B-2 though. Wingspan is 90 ft || 27.4 m.

Originally posted by Canada_EH
Don't forget about the P-175 I don't know exact time etc but the development took 18 months and I'm not sure when that started or ended but it was released at Farnborough, England, July 19, 2006. It does have the right shape of a mini B-2 though. Wingspan is 90 ft || 27.4 m.

Good thinking! The question is did it ever make any secret test flights?

Tim

Well it was blackish and wasn't released to the public till after they did hte flights. I would of probably flown in restricted airspace.

Thanks for the Reply! We may have just solved the Mystery of the so-called "Baby B-2"!

Tim

Well maybe but maye not. I also remeber on a couple months ago there was a B-2 thread that addressed a mini B-2 issue or the sketch of the B-2 with a single beavertail. There was talk that it may have flowen in a scaled down version but I never saw any reason why they would have blacked that project and not the B-2.

Polecat made two flights in 2005 from Area 6 of the Nevada Test Site. I believe this is long after Mark Farmer's sighting. Also, Polecat flew during the daytime. Wasn't Mark's sighting at night?

Originally posted by Shadowhawk
Polecat made two flights in 2005 from Area 6 of the Nevada Test Site. I believe this is long after Mark Farmer's sighting. Also, Polecat flew during the daytime. Wasn't Mark's sighting at night?

Your right about Mark's sighting being at night.

Where is Area 6? Do you have a map?

Tim

Originally posted by Canada_EH
There was talk that it may have flowen in a scaled down version but I never saw any reason why they would have blacked that project and not the B-2.

Strange that you would mention this. I have a book that mentions that very idea, but didn't volunteer it after Shadowhawk jumped on my origional thread about the B-2 being at Groom Lake.

There is one More possibility! Has anyone ever heard of a Top Secret aircraft known only as the Tactical Stealth Aircraft? I don't really know anything about it other then the fact that the program is suppsed to have started around 1982. whatever it is, it might be worth looking into.

Tim

Tim,

Not alot of data is avalible from open sources about the Skunk Works entry in the stealth bomber program and how far along it got in testing.

In Ben Riched autobiography he indicated that they also had a flying wing design that was more stealthy but smaller than the Northrop entry. It is not unreasonable to assume that the built a flyable a/c like the Have Blue as a proof of concept plane and perhaps they are still using it for research out there.

Good thinking Fred!

I was so focus on Northrop, that it never occured to me that it could in fact be a Lockheed design as well. Both Polecat and Darkstar have shown us that Lockheeed can, and has built flying wings of it's own.

This is certianally something I need to look into. Thanks for the heads up!

Tim

with resent info that has surfaced to compliment Shadowhawks statement about only 2 flights in 2005 of the polecat and it crash in Decemeber it can be taken off the list. I do think a look into lockheeds purposal is a good idea though!! let me know where we should start in gathering info on the subject eh.

It could also be this.

LINK

The first time I saw it, I also thought, hey that looks like a mini b-2.

mrmonsoon,

Good thinking! The only catch is that the Darkstar only made two flights before it crashed. However, you thinking may have some merit! Also, I though Darkstar flew from Edwards AFB, Not Groom Lake. Does anyone know for sure?

Tim

[edit on 3/21/2007 by Ghost01]

More info on Darkstar (even though I dont see anything B-2 like in it)

The Lockheed Martin/Boeing Tier III- (minus) unpiloted aerial vehicle arrived at the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, Sept. 14, 1995.

The first DarkStar prototype (article #695) attempted its second flight on April 22, 1996, but crashed on takeoff and was destroyed.

More than two years passed before the second Darkstar prototype (article #696) took to the air on June 29, 1998. The vehicle made a total of five flights, the last on January 9, 1999. The program was cancelled on January 28, 1999.

links: www.dfrc.nasa.gov...

You where right ghost just like I thought as well darkstar flew from edwards at least thats where the "claim" and thats all I can go on at this point.

DarkStar only flew from Edwards AFB, during daylight hours. He is a complete flight log for both air vehicles:

AV-1 (Article 695), total flight time 0.75 hr.

Flt. 1 / 29 MAR 96 : Aircraft functional checkout.

Flt. 2 / 22 APR 96 : Aircraft crashed immediately after takeoff.


AV-2 (Article 696), total flight time 6.0 hr.

Flt. 1 / 29 JUN 98 : Aircraft functional checkout.

Flt. 2 / 13 SEP 98 : Fully autonomous flight from takeoff to landing utilizing differential Global Positioning System (GPS), reached altitude of 5,000 feet.

Flt. 3 / 30 SEP 98 : Envelope expansion, first attempt to reach 20,000 feet.

Flt. 4 / 27 OCT 98 : Bank angle envelope expansion, stability and control demonstration, over-the-horizon communications link check out.

Flt. 5 / 09 JAN 99 : Envelope expansion, reached altitude of 25,000 feet.


A third air vehicle (Article 697) was built, but never flown. I was fortunate to be standing fairly close to the runway during the first flight of AV-2. It was interesting to watch. I also got to see the crash site of AV-1 shortly after the accident (an event that resulted in the nickname "DarkSpot" for the aircraft).

Ok I think Darkstar has also been ruled out!

So, what could this aircraft be?

Tim