For the first time in the 30-year history of the B-2 stealth bomber, video footage of the cockpit during flight is available for viewing.
A product of Dallas-based film producer and radio personality Jeff Bolton, this historic video shows the full array of instrumentation in this technological wonder, as well as a dramatic in-flight refuelling from inside the cockpit of America’s most secret aerial weapon.
The B-2 stealth bomber often deploys internationally, and also flies up to 44-hour round trip missions around the world from its home base at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.
“In an era of rising tensions between global nuclear powers – the United States, China, Russia, and North Korea – this timely video of is a vivid reminder of the B-2’s unique capabilities,” said producer Jeff Bolton in a e-mails ent to the UK Defence Journal, “No other stealth bombers are known to exist in the world.”
To learn more about Bolton’s experience of what it’s like to fly and film as a civilian in the cockpit of the B-2 stealth bomber, visit jeffbolton.org
Additional footage of the B-2 cockpit in-flight, as well as cockpit photographs is also available, thank you to Jeff Bolton for making this available to us.
30 years now for the B2…. I wonder what systems the skunk works has deployed in the last 3 decades that we don’t know anything about!
Plenty. The RQ 170 was seen in Kandahar and the RQ 180 big brother has been acknowledged by the USAF.
Flying wings that are not B2s have been photographed over Kansas and Amarillo.
Just a note, Skunk Works is Lockheed. Northrop made the B2, and also have their own black projects division, as do Boeing at their Phantom Works.
An aircraft, probably incorrectly termed the TR3A “Black Manta” is the most likely. It was filmed over New Mexico on a night exercise, and it is suggested it came before the current unmanned UAV for recc purposes.
I wonder where everyone is? Very quiet, where have all the usual contributors gone recently?
I’m here having a cup of coffee and thinking “Wow, the B-2 is already obsolete and ready for retirement” I’m getting OLD!
Cheers!
B2 ATAR
https://www.defensenews.com/video/2019/04/29/heres-how-the-b-2-is-refueled-in-flight/
Cheers!
Holiday last week and gardening this….weather’s lovely!
I love the American Bombers the lancers my favourite, not many nations have Bombers these days… I wish the Vulcan based at Doncaster airport would be added to the RAF history flight and get looked after by RAF personnel to keep her flying just like the Lancaster and spitfires and hurricanes they do have a few.
Cam, that is something I had considered too.
In fact I’d move the BBMF from Coningsby to Scampton, keep the reds there, and have the whole station used for PR, museums, the Vulcan, and other historical aircraft.
Cam, your mention of the Vulcan brought back memories. My Dad worked at AVROs, in Chadderton, Manchester, just a short distance from where we lived. And, of course, that was where the main parts of the Vulcan were built. I remember standing out in the road when I was a kid, watching the Vulcan do a low flypast over the factory. An amazing sight then, as now. Yeah – a great pity 558 is not part of the RAF historical flight. But it costs a hell of a lot of money to keep it flying; the bean counters wouldn’t wear it. Could be on static display, of course.
Would not want one of these behind me!!!!
In the unlikely event the UK had the money, I wonder if the US would sell us a small number of B-21?
If not, I daydream of a Tempest spin-off, with a SU34 style side by side cockpit with loo, rest area & mini kitchen, bigger wing, higher bypass engines & able to do, medium to long range strike.
Hmm… not so much a Flying Wing, more a Flying Toilet… ?
L?ve at First Flight ?