Living next to Area 51

[ukaskew]

I know the Gawker sites get a bad rep sometimes but this is the best article I've read for some time, utterly fascinating and not something I knew anything about, worth a 10 minute read...

http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-unlikely-stru...

[ukaskew]

Trevatanus said:

Well apparently, Farnborough is the UK's area 51.

I imagine Boscombe would be more likely claim that title.

[ukaskew]

AshG said:

Related 'Black Project' stuff. From the same site, this great article: 'Confessions Of A USAF KC-135 'Flying Gas Station' Boom Operator' http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/confessions-of-a-...

My favourite bit so far, on the build-up to the first Gulf War in 2003: "By this time we were based at the sprawling Al Udeid AB in Qatar, along with a heavy buildup of every aircraft imaginable, and some that are still classified. During this time period I remember a squadron meeting where the Operations Group Commander told us to "be careful what you say over the phone, and pay no attention to the black, pointy shaped aircraft and "others" that were coming to the base."

Yep that's a superb article, quite a job to have.

It always impresses me how there are undoubtedly aircraft that have been designed, tested, used and retired without the wider public having any knowledge of it, and presumably that's even more likely now with UAVs.

Given the technology available to the average civilian these days and also the risk of data hacks etc it's amazing that secrets remain secrets, particularly big noisy ones that by their very nature are not exactly entirely hidden from view at all times.

[ukaskew]

Eric Mc said:

Maybe there just aren't that many projects in test these days?

The stealth Black Hawks and RQ-170 leaked out (most certainly unintentionally for the Black Hawks) whilst in operational use without any previous knowledge of them, and there are multiple accounts of another large flying wing (that has potentially been photographed at least twice) floating about that have a bit more grounding than the usual conspiracy nut theories.

Fascinating subject anyhow, it's interesting that the boom guy in that article still refers to aircraft that can't be discussed that were operational in 2003. The D-21B took something like 30 years to be made public and long, long after it was retired.