command the Tonopah F-117 wing later
in his career.
By October 28, 1983, Senior Trend
was deemed to have achieved limited
initial operational capability (LIOC). In
acknowledgement of the type’s potential,
the procurement plan was increased to 57
aircraft (the nal total was 59). The impact
of this decision created the need for two
additional squadrons. Consequently,in July 1983, ‘I-Unit’ ‘Nightstalkers’ was
activated, followed in October 1985
by ‘Z-Unit’ ‘Grim Reapers’. They were
subsequently redesignated as the 4450th
Test Squadron and the 4453rd Test and
Evaluation Squadron respectively.Setbacks
The nocturnal, bat-like existence of F-117
pilots at this time — sleeping duringRight: All F-117s
were built within
the ‘Skunk Works’
construction
facility at
Burbank,
California.
Lockheed Martin
Below: This is
the pre-OCIP
III (Offensive
Capability
Improvement
Program III) F-117
cockpit simulator.
The green and
white multi-
function displays
fl anking the
centrally mounted
infra-red sensor
display were
replaced by color
multi-function
displays as a
result of OCIP.
Lockheed MartinTonopah’s runway was lengthened, a
new control tower added, and fuel and
weapons storage areas together with
permanent housing and new hangars
built. Construction at TTR was completed
in early July 1982, and 20 A-7 Corsair IIs
were hustled in to give the unit a handy
cover story. Headquartered at Nellis
AFB, they were referred to as ‘P-Unit’. The
4450th Test Squadron was designated
‘I-Unit’ and Detachment 1 of ‘A-Unit’,
based at Tonopah, was ‘Q-Unit’.
Getting to Tonopah required a
Monday-out, Friday-back commute
from Las Vegas. This was handled by civil
contractor Key Airlines, operating Boeing
727s, later replaced by Boeing 737s.
Aircraft serial 80-0787 was the rst
operational F-117 to be accepted by
the USAF on August 23, 1982. It was
joined 11 days later by 80-0786. That
September, Det 1 of the 4450th was
designated as the 4452nd Test Squadron
with a complement of just two aircraft.
On the night of October 15, Maj Al
Whitley conducted his maiden ight,
becoming the rst operational pilot to y
the jet-black F-117. Whitley went on tohttp://www.combataircraft.net // June 2018 55
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