"Spirit" bomber found in Google Maps

Here's more fun with Google Maps... you'd think the government wouldn't leave these just sitting out in the open.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Plant+...

Ha ha, that's pretty cool!

Heh, so much for being a "stealth" bomber.

O.o

That is definitely a B-2. There are only 21 of those in the world. Oops.

It looks like an assembly facility, not some base or classified research center. If you look to the south of the B-2 a ways, you'll find a U-2 and a pair of SR-71s sitting around like they were museum pieces.

Yep, those do look staged Rat Boy, like put out to pasture.

OK, using the B-2 as a reference point and in maximum zoom..

3 left, 5 down: F-117 Stealth Fighter
1 up: Small jet. Possible F/A-18 Hornet based on fore-section.
4 left: 4-engine transport aircraft. White in color, perhaps non-military (unpainted aircraft are mostly light green, yellow and gray). There's a slightly darker jet to its left, might be another jet fighter.
10 left, 7 down: I think these are too big to be A-10s but they really look like them.

Also way to the north there's some other cool stuff, like a civilian airport and a big racetrack.

I think the distance the directional arrows takes you is based on your resolution. 10L, 7D is a golf course when I take a look.

It's not that big a deal.

Current Aircraft at the Airpark

* A-4 Skyhawk
Built by Douglas Aircraft Corporation. On loan from United States Navy.
* A-7 Corsair II
Built by Ling-Temco-Vought Aerospace Corporation. On loan from United States Navy.
* B-2 Spirit (1:8 scale model)
Built by Northrop Grumman Corporation. The Spirit of Air Force Plant 42 is a 1:8 scale model of the B-2 created especially for the Airpark. Donated by Northrop Grumman.
* C-140 Jetstar
Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. On loan from NASA.
* F-4 Phantom II
Built by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation. On loan from United States Air Force.
* F-86 Sabre
Built by North American Aviation. Donated by BAE Systems.
* F-100 Super Sabre
Built by North American Aviation. On loan from United States Air Force.
* F-104 Starfighter
Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. On loan from United States Air Force.
* F-105 Thunderchief
Built by Republic Aircraft Corporation. On loan from United States Air Force.
* T-38 Talon
Built by Northrop Aircraft Corporation. Donated by Northrop Grumman.

Future Aircraft to Be Added at Airpark

A-3J Sky Warrior, A-5 Vigilante, A-10 Thunderbolt, AV-8 Harrier, B1-B Lancer, B-2 Spirit (full scale), B-52 Stratofortress, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, C-5 Galaxy, C-130 Hercules, C-141 Starlifter, F-5 Freedom Fighter/Tiger II, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Falcon, F-22 Raptor, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, F-80 Shooting Star, F-84 Thunderjet, , F-89 Scorpion, F-94 Starfire, F-101 Voodoo, F-102 Delta Dagger, F-106 Delta Dart, F-111 Aardvark, F-117 Nighthawk, KC-10 Extender, L-1011 Tristar, OV-10 Bronco, P-3 Orion, S-3 Viking, Space Shuttle, T-33 Shooting Star, T-39 Sabreliner, T-43 (737-200), T-45 Goshawk, TR-1, X-30 NASP, X-31 Enhanced Fighter, XB-70 Valkyrie (scaled model), YF-17 Cobra.

Edit: Nevermind, upon further review, it looks like the map shows the actual Plant 42 and not the airpark dedicated to it. Nevertheless, the B-2 is very much not a secret anymore. Now if there were some as-yet-unidentified aircraft there...

If you scroll down on that second linked page you'll find a picture with buildings that match the one in Google maps with the following information:

Above is Northrop Grumman's Facility with Site-4. Outside to the right of the picture you can see two B-2A Spirits on the ramp. They are air structural test articles AV-0998 and AV-1000.
Site-4 is now used by both Lockheed and Boeing for the J.S.F Program. Site-4 used to be the most classified facility in the Plant when the B-2A was in development and construction.
You can see by this comparison the size of the building...to the B-2A

So yeah, that's probably a real B-2... though they're not really classified anymore so...

But don't take my comments the wrong way. Great find, L&L. I love it (and warplanes)!

Damn, I want to visit. Maybe if I ever get an assignment in that area. I love looking at aircraft.

You've got to go into maximum zoom for my directions to work properly.

And yes, the B-2 isn't a secret but they're such valuable, rare aircraft it might be bad for it to be common knowledge where one is at any given time. Of course in a couple hours that same one could be landing at any airport in the world, so all this tells us is there was a B-2 stationed there at one point.

Pretty cool link I saw posted for Google maps.
http://perljam.net/notes/interesting...

One of my favorites I've found so far. Couple more SR-71 Blackbirds sitting on the tarmac at Edwards AFB
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.95...

If you go down three and over one, that looks like a F-22 Raptor sitting in the middle of the tarmac. Another possibly parked just south and west of it up against the building.

Google has everything.. Capital P.E.R.I.O.D.

It looks like there are two Raptors, the second by one of the gray buildings. Very interesting.

Gio_Clark wrote:

Google has everything.. Capital P.E.R.I.O.D.

OK then, where are the flying saucers, Aurora and the spinning ring thingie from Contact?

Seriously, the white roofs, are they white roofs or white-outs to disguise the nature of the building/hanger?
It looks like in several places that the white goes past the edge of the building, like someone colored over
the lines.

The Aurora got scrapped. If that's a cover for making it a black project (again) they'd be a little more careful about leaving it outside.

If you go all the way to the bottom of the base in Redhwk's link you will also see 3 B1s not quite as cool as the stealths and raptors, but still neat.

The remotely sensed imagery used for google maps is quite old. In that last four years, all aeral spectral data even close to something like this is classified. If it's going to be released for public usage, there are a number of algorithms used by Homeland Security to mask the sensitive regions. So, take this with a grain of salt - it may really have been there...but it would be many years ago.

This is what B-52s look like at that resolution...

LobsterMobster wrote:

10 left, 7 down: I think these are too big to be A-10s but they really look like them.

Definitely too big. These A-10s (the small ones) along with some others, are parked about 3 miles, as the crow flies, from my house... though not for long. (I love the A-10. I also love the fact that I get to listen to, and occassionally see, the 10s, 15s, 16s, 18s, and even the heavies, in the air sporadically throughout most any day.)

Ok, back to work.

Doesn't look like much of a dogfighter.

You too can see some of these up close and personal - including the B-2 at some of the larger airshows around the country... I saw one in the air one time - very cool... They sound odd though - I think it is the way the engines are built...

Here in Abbotsford BC we have a really famous air show. I know nothing of planes but I usually go once every 3 years and when I was younger they would have everything from all around the world.

The Paris and the one in Oman are awesome because everyone is trying to sell their product and there is such a great showing of so many different and very cool aircraft.

Once when I was on a flight from Oklahoma to Cincinatti, the pilot suddenly came on the loudspeaker and blurted out something really fast and loud (something you always want to hear mid-flight). I made out the words, 'off to the right'. I looked out my window and saw a B-2 fly by *really close*. I guess the pilot didn't see it coming

Incidentally, before I had left Oklahoma early that morning, I was looking out into a field and saw two big bucks locking antlers, then I saw a bobcat come out of the woods and walk right toward them...I guess weirdness was just in the air that day.

They had a B-2 do a fly-over at Bush's second inauguration if memory serves. Our tax dollars at work.

I worked a project at Whiteman AFB where the B-2's are based a while back and had to do work in the hanger where they are parked. They wouldn't allow us in the hangers when the B-2's were there but I did get to see some takeoff's & landings from a distance and got to see one briefly when we drove by as it was being pulled out of a hanger. It is an amazing piece of equipment (should be at $2.2 billion each) and looks as cool up close as it does from a distance.