lockheed blue lockheed blue code lockheed proof concept preceded production stealth aircraft blue designed lockheed works division tested nevada blue fixed wing aircraft designed electrical engineering engineering perspective aircraft plate like shape designed electromagnetic waves directions originating radar greatly reducing radar cross section vehicles constructed crashed flight test program 1970s increasingly apparent planners military confrontation forces nato aircraft quickly suffer heavy losses came result sophisticated soviet defense networks surveillance radars radar guided surface air missiles sam anti aircraft artillery seek eliminate enemy aircraft consequently started study low aircraft seeking design produce operational stealth aircraft companies initially invited early remaining later joined lockheed design aircraft design team devised computer program radar cross sections designs eventual design featured surfaces radar waves highly swept wings inward vertical led nicknamed hopeless diamond operational aircraft maiden flight december flight test program feasibility stealth aircraft prototypes lost mechanical problems blue deemed success paving way operational stealth aircraft design development origins lockheed blue born requirement evade radar detection vietnam war radar guided surface air missiles sam anti aircraft artillery aaa posed significant threat aircraft strike aircraft war required support aircraft perform combat air patrols suppression enemy air defenses war highlighted vulnerability aircraft lost aircraft days cold war soviet_union developed integrated defense network central long range surveillance radars set key locations defend incoming enemy aircraft loss ratio israel war experienced nato forces military confrontation nato aircraft numbers depleted weeks secretly requested answers aircraft manufacturers considerations signature aircraft virtually second point companies capacity design manufacture aircraft declined participate insisted use electronic result left discussion remaining companies awarded research design effort early testing lockheed having absent fighter aircraft industry years approached lockheed director science engineering aware research stealth work pentagon martin time recently president kelly johnson program cia gave permission discuss stealth characteristics rich martin formally requested company participate program agency initially refused insufficient funds debate lockheed allowed entry albeit government contract preliminary designer requested possible shapes base low radar cross section design introduced recommended aircraft flat surfaces later recounted discussion asked said simple flat surfaces tilt flat surfaces sweeping edges away radar view angle way basically cause energy reflect away radar subsequently drew preliminary low aircraft surfaces time hired mathematician prior working relationship fact trained mathematics relating stealth aircraft hired senior lead aircraft designer weeks team created computer program evaluate possible designs prediction software called echo tests program proceeded apparent edge calculations program incorrect chief scientist published seminal paper titled work translated subsequently incorporated elements work software echo allowed team quickly decide possible designs optimal finally settling delta wing design division skeptical shape giving rise hopeless diamond said rich old lower radar cross section diamond produced internal report titled progress report high stealth conceptual studies concept study called little harvey including drawing aircraft smoothly blended shapes johnson advocated use blended shapes best way achieve stealth advocated angles rich won argument johnson rare occurrence design effort produced number wooden models inch long model wood demonstrated placement internal structure access doors article noted model shop found nearly impossible flat surfaces come single point corner engineers later encountered difficulty prototype factory floor early tests design wooden mock ups constructed model coated metal foil verify echo calculations wind tunnel tests model moved radar testing facility near allowed accurate tests aircraft event aircraft level confirmed echo predictions meant won quarter johnson previously insisted blue experimental summer informally invited lockheed develop aircraft experimental having identified aircraft deemed unable design produce aircraft phase lockheed build scale models test construct vehicles wind tunnel test designs following phase sole contractor selected continue construction flight testing lockheed designs generally similar submission featured angular flat surfaces company software similar echo designs november lockheed awarded million contracts proceed phase month period companies required construct scale wooden mock ups evaluated radar target test facility white sands new_mexico test design radar returns lockheed erected specially built pole model march lockheed model transferred range tested following month lockheed pronounced winner higher hemisphere having realized progress accumulated study urged team remain agency later initiate evolved blue ultimately bomber construction tests works design construct flight test manned phase blue build raise million lockheed management secured june phase encompassed main objectives reduced visibility radio wave infrared visual reduced acceptable flying qualities modeling capabilities accurately predict low characteristics aircraft flight construction blue tools program final assembly originally scheduled end august ground tested mid october secret roll envisaged occur october aircraft dismantled flown test area september partially complete lockheed went month strike group managers instead took job assembly completed weeks ground tests beginning october similar later blue prototypes smaller aircraft quarter weight wing sweep inward vertical tails tail radar material ram developed lockheed laboratory applied aircraft flat surfaces special applied metallic characteristics aircraft gross weight enabled aircraft use landing gear fighter aircraft pound force stealth took precedence aircraft inherently unstable result quadruple redundant fly wire flight control system integrated aircraft normal flying characteristics flight control system borrowed engine inlet covered low grid air needed blow doors constructed upper fuselage admit additional half months start ground tests underwent tests preparations flight flight instrumentation checked followed thorough aircraft early november semi trailers parked parallel outside building camouflage net thrown cover outdoor engine runs engine tests local resident complained noise blue retained secrecy received layer iron coat paint weekend november aircraft received camouflage scheme devised blue chief technical engineer scheme consisting colors tones casual recognizing design characteristic aircraft loaded november aircraft flown burbank airport renamed area nevada touchdown aircraft undergoing round testing prior flight taxi tests ready test flights operational history flight december hands lockheed test pilot fly sorties chased piloted major later lieutenant colonel eagle pilot previously approached united_states_air_force personnel project flight january chased park fact test pilots blue alternating chase plane flight test results allowed engineers system time verified predictions earlier aerodynamic engineers aircraft behavior flight tests proceeded fairly smoothly making 36th flight aircraft pitched contact ground forced pilot landing second attempt impact hard landing gear jammed semi retracted position efforts lower gear unsuccessful forced feet fuel ran aircraft destroyed impact vicinity groom lake facility park survived suffered concussion forcing retire test flights chase plane recounted touchdown airplane pitched slammed ground real hard park raised gear tried extend approach nose wheel came time gas consumed suggested climb feet started climbing engine started lack fuel ejected time crash complete lessons learned incorporated aircraft including rebuilding aft fuselage distinguished prototype having gray paint coat flight test instrumentation boom present nose aircraft test returns spin recovery removed aircraft covered radar material flew july controls pilot fly aircraft lost july aircraft 52nd flight hydraulic leak caused engine fire resulting loss hydraulic pressure turn caused severe pitch pilot ejected safely aircraft destroyed later discovered engine exhaust clamp allowing hot exhaust migrate right engine compartment heat built causing hydraulic lines fail debris aircraft secretly buried complex despite crashes blue considered success senior trend october prior phase competition lockheed tasked exploring possible operational aircraft month later day transported air_force awarded company contract code air_force wanted exploit revolutionary technologies developed blue program ordered scale development production aircraft based blue senior trend aircraft different predecessors aspects wings exhibited sweep resolve center gravity problem discovered tests fuselage shortened pilot better view vertical centerline additionally provisions include weapons bays accommodate single pound laser guided bomb tactical nuclear bomb early construction problems aircraft transferred inside problems time fuel leaks delayed flight control aircraft took june maiden flight months july flight originally envisaged production delivered operational capability achieved october delivered specifications data characteristics crew length wingspan height wing area weight max takeoff weight powerplant performance maximum speed mph wing loading thrust weight
Lockheed Have Blue