F-117A heading for Nebraska!
An F-117A Nighthawk is set to arrive at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland (NE) during spring 2021.
The F-117 is one of 64 built for the US Air Force, and reportedly one of only four of the Nighthawks donated to private museums.
The Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, already has a U-2C Dragon Lady (serial 56-6701) and a SR-71A Blackbird (61-7964) in its collection, so this new black arrival fits very well in the collection.
The Air Force retired the F-117 Nighthawks in 2008, but many words were already published in Scramble and the international aviation press about its secretive re-introduction.
The F-117A for Ashland will not be flown to the Nebraska. It will be brought in from its storage location Tonopah (NV) on the back of a deep loading trailer in early March. It will initially spend time in the museum’s restoration bay before being put on display likely sometime in 2022.
Currently Scramble has knowledge of the following preserved Nighthawks, most are preserved at Air Force Bases. We are looking forward to the four serials for the private museums, of which 82-0803 is one and possibly 79-10781 is the second.
unidentied, YF-117D, Wright Patterson (OH), type designation unconfirmed
79-10780/TR, YF-117A, Nellis AFB (OH), as "780"
79-10781/ED, YF-117A, Wright Patterson (OH)
79-10782/ED, YF-117A, Holloman AFB (NM), as "85-816"
79-10783/ED, YF-117A, Edwards AFB (CA), formerly preserved at Palmdale (CA)
82-0803/HO, F-117A, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum (CA)
Photo by Stephan de Bruijn (just illustrative and kindly provided via AirHistory.net) and ABC7 of 0803 arrival at Reagan