Blackbird Questions, Anyone?

Usually when pressed about the fabled Aurora project (the purported
replacement for the SR-71, with rumored Mach 4+ capability), Bill gets sort
of vague, with a somewhat wistful look in his eye, and artfully changes the
subject.

Today, however, he mentioned something that caught my ear, and made me perk
up. I'm paraphrasing what he said, as I was writing as fast as I could
scribble, so I may have gotten a few details wrong, but here goes:

Apparently the Air Force built a huge and extensive air base in Tonopah,
Nevada, exclusively for the F-117 Stealth program. New hangars, testing
facilities, living quarters, runways -- all were constructed at huge
expense, in the absolute middle of nowhere for this ultimate Top Secret
stealth fighter.

And then the base was "abandoned". Without fanfare the F-117s were quietly
transferred to Holliman Air Force Base, where they remain based to this day.

What's at Tonopah now? No one will say for sure, but according to Bill,
that's where he thinks the fabled Aurora was tested. All he would say after
that was that they "apparently were having a lot of trouble with the
engines" -- the first time he has actually addressed the Aurora in "real"
terms.

When pressed further, he related the following story.

One night, while at his retirement home in Charles City, IA, he saw an
aircraft fly overhead late at night. It was making sequential sonic booms,
and the engine exhaust was sequential fireballs, the proverbial "rings on a
rope" contrail that the Aurora has been rumored to produce. He said he
couldn't determine the altitude due to darkness, but he said it passed over
so fast that he called a couple of his buddies who were still working in the
program, to see if what he was seeing was the real deal.

At this point, Bill changed the subject...again!

When pressed, all he would say is that he thinks the program is probably
moribund, and that you "just don't hear much about Aurora anymore..." He
had a strange, wistful look in his eye...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
Bill says that in all of his years there, he never got to see any
aliens.

He says the whole UFO legend began because the Air Force didn't want to
admit that they were sending mylar balloons (then new technology) over
the Soviet Union. When people found the remains of a balloon -- which
looked like sci-fi space suit material -- they denied knowing about
them, which, of course, simply inflamed the curiosity of everyone.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:EOsvd.256610

Apparently the Air Force built a huge and extensive air base in Tonopah,

Slightly off-topic. My father-in-law served in the Oregon Air Guard as a
helicopter crewman. On their way south they tried to see how close they
could get to A-51. They got within distant viewing range and, any closer
than that, he said, they might as well have been Communist.

On the way back they were allowed to stop at Tonopah, however, and he
described seeing a B-25 in one of the older hangars there, looking by the
cobwebs and bird **** like it hadn't been touched in decades, but still in
mint condition.

What's at Tonopah now? No one will say for sure, but according to Bill,
that's where he thinks the fabled Aurora was tested.

Awesome! I wonder how much of that research went into the X-34a? Did he
happen to mention Pumpkinseed? If you're able to talk with him again,
that's one for him. IIRC, that was the external-combustion project (where
they injected the fuel right onto the surface of the wing at the appropriate
mixture, and ignited it there.)

This is great stuff, Jay! THANKS for including us.

-c

This is great stuff, Jay! THANKS for including us.

No problem. I've learned so much from this group over the years, it seems
only right to give some back....
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"