The Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona received Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk 84-0810
The jet was delivered by road from the F-117’s Tonopah base in Nevada, where it had been in storage following withdrawal on January 25, 2008.
The 26th of 59 production examples of the legendary ‘Stealth Fighter’ built by Lockheed's secretive Skunk Works, 84-0810 was accepted by the USAF on February 18, 1985, and went on to fly 26 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm with the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron in 1991. Another 18 followed during 1999’s Operation Allied Force with the 9th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron.
The aircraft arrived at Pima in bare metal, having had its toxic radar-absorbent material stripped away at Tonopah by way of “dielectric blasting”, and minus its leading edges, engine intake screens and distinctive exhaust 'platypus'.
