Gothamist: Not So Stealthy!

Sammy

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 21:53:45 -0500

Yeah... It IS STEATH... it was just FLYING LOW!!! duhhhhhhhh!

UK-BOY

Sat, 06 Jan 2007 11:11:14 -0500

I visiting Ground Zero on the day and saw it fly low overhead the site before it turned north.

Houston Thibodeaux

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 16:41:36 -0500

TV host Oprah Winfrey gives audience members $1,000 (�526) each to donate to a charitable cause...

Rebel6381

Sat, 11 Nov 2006 14:46:44 -0500

Saw one just last week flying over Poughkeepsie NY...was at most 3000feet up and was deadly quiet...

Kurt Winchester

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:02:53 -0500

petite redhead fingering redhead mature moms The first stage of a �150m investment in regional museums is praised for boosting visitor numbers...

bob

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 00:05:21 -0500

saw the bomber while fishing in the bay ,cool sight,bad fishing

MikeBC

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 17:45:24 -0500

I'm glad the government has found a use for the stealth bomber

Lew

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 19:51:47 -0500

I saw the stealth bomber Saturday afternoon between 1 and 2 pm while we were on Randalls Island. Also saw three Boeing Chinook helicopters, in what looked like US Navy livery (grey) flying south along the east river. 10 minutes later saw them flying north again up the Hudson. A week before that, I was stunned by a very low overflight by a pair of F/A 18s (I think). Only really saw them from behind, but they had the v-shaped twin tail and seemed too small for F-14s or F-15s. (see http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/f-18-pics.htm) Anybody know what they were up to?

JGNY

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 17:42:39 -0500

I was on the hudson and saw them overhead. They are B-2's, not F-117's. They did two passovers. the first was at 5,000 ft then second at 12,000 or so ft. The helicopters today (Monday) were Marine 1 and 2 along with two other hueys for the presidents personel.

anon4utu

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 17:01:18 -0500

I saw the bomber up close near Columbia's law school (where Amsterdam Avenue begins to go downhill). It was, in effect, coming down Manhattan at a 90 degree angle (basically, in line with Amsterdam Avenue). It then resumed a normal flight attitude over Low Library. When I first saw it, at the odd angle, coming right towards my position, I had to pull my car over because I just could not believe my eyes. And then, when it adjusted its angle of flight, what with its size, and the noise of the engines, and the jet fuel smell,it was just incredible. It was mighty cool. And, it reminded me of Col. Kilgore's comment: You know that smell? That gasoline smell? It smells like...victory.

birdman

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:04:50 -0500

FWIW, a nighthawk -- the actual bird -- is part of the goatsucker family. Yup. These are goofy looking birds that fly through the air catching bugs in their huge mouths. Great name for a warplane (or a commenter here!). Latin name: Caprimulgidae. Check it out. You know I'm right....

Brian

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 11:03:20 -0500

Those are pics of the B-2. Those aren't F-117s. F-117s look much, much different. That said, the pics look faked. Apparently they really were over New York, but I don't think those particular photos are real. The planes are black because of the radar-absorbing materials used. They aren't painted black to be hard to see at night--they're painted black because that's the color of the radar-absorbing paint.

will

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 10:32:48 -0500

andy - the way i heard it was that the ideal color for night was a pastel purple, rather than baby blue. but no combat pilot ever would fly a pink looking warplane. those planes are definitely b-2s, and they're big strategic bombers initially designed to ninja through soviet air defenses and drop nuclear weapons. like the b-1s, but stealthier. the f-117s are much smaller, tactical planes. they would look like little dots in those photos.

Brad

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 09:31:41 -0500

Not a big deal or out of the ordinary for many people in other parts of the country.

will

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 09:18:37 -0500

It shouldn't be surprising to see one. They are only "stealth" to radar coverage.

Miquel

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 09:12:35 -0500

Sweet! PR stunts have always been my favorite way the gov't spends my tax dollars, especially on all of those douches from Conneticut. Please...

greg

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 07:07:13 -0500

I looked at pics of both planes. I strongly beleive that these are pics of the F-117. The angles are too acute for the B-2. F-117 it is.

Andy

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 01:04:29 -0500

The plane in this picture is definately a B2 Spirit stealth bomber, not the F117 Nighthawk stealth fighter. The F117 isn't a true fighter, but that is the official designation of the aircraft. Also, the planes aren't black because it's the hardest color to see, they are black because it's cool. The best colors (even at night) are more pastel, baby blue is one of the better colors. But, baby blue doesn't convey that 'more firepower than most nation's airforces' image that black does.

Daniel

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 00:26:16 -0500

Actually, the plane in the pic is a B-2 Stealth Bomber, while the F-117A is a stealth fighter as in strike fighter, IE the F-18, F-111, etc.

cyberflaw

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 00:06:48 -0500

Correction Everyone - It's a F-117 Stealth "Bomber" and not a "Fighter". It doesn't have Air-Air or Dogfight capabilites.

Lance

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 23:59:13 -0500

He/She probably just wanted to get the skyline in the picture, too, to showcase the fact that it was flying over the city.

Matthew :)

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 23:57:34 -0500

When the military schedules a Stealth Bomber for a flyover, they pretty much always work 3 or 4 stops into the itinerary. A flyover last Sunday visited Halifax, Virginia Beach, and I think one other place in New England, I think. Next Saturday is Columbia, MO, Rockford, IL, and Lincoln, NE.

Bobi

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 22:47:20 -0500

Comments seem to confirm this is real, but it seems strange that both pictures are lined up to the horizon instead of having the lens pointed at the plane. If I saw one, I would probably instinctively point the camera at the plane.

Brad

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 20:36:09 -0500

After his fly-over at the Kansas City, MO air show, the same plane did a fly-over for our air show here in Terre Haute, IN. The announcer told us about his earlier appearances at the Yankees-BoSox game and the Kansas air show. Sounded like a busy day for the pilots.

TheSHAD0W

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 20:23:42 -0500

Any chance of getting some un-modified pics posted?

This field

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 19:53:22 -0500

The Stealth was designed to get past "enemy" radar. I believe they generally fly them at night (might be partially why it is black) during recon work. Don't think they were looking to be invisible to the naked eye during the day. Seems that a big black, flat surfaced flying machine wouldn't get past anyone on a clear day.

dan

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 19:39:09 -0500

You know, isn't that too much unwarranted power over civilian population? We are 1984.

Dave

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 19:20:24 -0500

Just FYI, the F-117 is being retired in the next few years. It's not as stealthy as the newer "F" planes (22 and 35) and it costs a butt-ton to operate. Plus it only carries one or two bombs. It was great for what it was, but it's time has gone.

Some guy in Kansas City

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 19:17:56 -0500

The same B2 did a fly-over at the airshow in Kansas City about 3:00pm CST on Saturday - at least the announcers said the plane that did the airshow fly-by had just come from a Yankee Stadium.....

Johnie

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 18:32:45 -0500

Saw the Marine helicopters flying over the Hudson from Central Park. They were flying quite low. The other interesting thing I saw today was a proposal in skywriting over Central Park. "Will you marry me, Nina." Everyone was yelling "Nina, say yes!!" Too bad, I didn't have my camera.

NxJ NightHawk

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 17:34:20 -0500

Crap, ignore my last post. Just read Manguskahn's post and researched the B2-spirit. It is a B2, not a nighthawk. My bad.

NxJ NightHawk

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 17:32:21 -0500

It's a NightHawk F-117A Stealth Fighter by Lockheed Martin. Amazing that these are still around, they've been in service for more than 20 years now. You'd think lockheed would have developed something newer. Gotta hand it to lockheed, those guys sure do come up with cool names for their aircraft. :D

jc

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 12:49:58 -0500

^^ Witty boy.

Is

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 12:23:40 -0500

It was a good old commie style military parade for the masses...

Manguskahn

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 11:46:37 -0500

It is indeed a B-2 Spirit. I am in AFROTC and had to memorize the names and pictures of almost every plane in the Air Force. The F-117 Nighthawk (aka stealth fighter) is a great deal smaller and is not a flying wing like it's goliath bomber counterpart. The shape of the F-117 Nighthawk is also radically different compared to the B-2 Spirit. What is great is the B-2's engines. A Major in my detachment was in formation with his flight when a B-2 Spirit flew overhead. They didn't even know it was there until the B-2 started climbing directly above them. You only hear the plane once it gets really close or has already passed.

D.S.

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 11:32:10 -0500

Wow that explains it. I was at the Yankees game when they did the flyover. I saw it on the big screen but when I looked up in the sky I didn't see it anywhere. I thought i was going crazy.

G

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 11:29:47 -0500

Having been stationed at Whiteman AFB in Missouri, where all 21 are based, I can tell you that the plane in the picture is a B-2. They aren't too silent most of the time either, it sounds like a thunderstorm is flying over your head.

Jerry Chacon

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 11:11:42 -0500

Actually, the military was busy yesterday. Navy fighter planes did a flyby in California for the Stanford Navy game -- on both Friday (for practice?) and Saturday (the game).

Maku

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 11:06:27 -0500

It's a F-117A fighter.

Moe Golden

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 03:35:40 -0500

I see it now - Gumshoe-IST.com

JoeyDeckle

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 00:37:45 -0500

My buddy and I were stuck in traffic on the way back from the Red Hook ball fields midafternoon. Dazed by too much traffic jam and too much Latin food we weren't sure what to make of the sleek black object we saw gliding by. Ultralight, hanglider, hallucination!!?? Since the traffic was so bad we both had ample time to realize it was a Stealth Bomber.

jojo whitewalls

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 00:30:28 -0500

i saw about four of those choppers also. at around 1:15-1:30 they all landed in succession at the downtown heliport on the east river.

kaboom

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 23:00:51 -0500

That would explain the low flying plane noise we heard in our Financial District apartment. I was looking out the window for signs of something bad. There were multiple Marine choppers over the East River and harbor when Bush's choppers touched down at the heliport on 9/11.

KB

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 22:32:48 -0500

Yeah, it's real, I was on the ferry when it flew overhead and got a fantastic view of it zooming over the Verrazano. I'm more interested in why there were somewhere between six and ten Marine choppers circling the bay for most of the ferry ride. On top of the Stealth, they made me rather nervous.

Michael

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 22:22:18 -0500

Stealth means a reduced radar signature, not invisible to the naked eye.

Teddy N

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 21:33:41 -0500

B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.

Dan Berger

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 21:28:00 -0500

This was apparently for the Yankees game earlier today.

pinboy

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 21:25:40 -0500

I actually saw it while running along the river from 181-135. It flew in low and turned. That's when I saw it's unique shape. It was huge! At first I thought it was a giant bat, then a UFO and finally it dawned on me that it was the stealth fighter.

Dan Berger

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 21:24:21 -0500

I saw it at 1:15 PM at 109th and Broadway.

Audrey Geller

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 21:21:47 -0500

Yes there was a stealth bomber. I was at the Yankee game this afternoon, and the plane was in New York to fly over the stadium at the end of the Star Spangled Banner.