What happend to the F-19 ?

[GWSimulations]

[quote]
It's curious, though, why the "Stealth Fighter" ever got an "F" designation, since it isn't a fighter.

[ozzy72]

I suppose you should take a closer look at this:

http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=183411&page=0&vc=1#Post183411

If you don't have google earth:
IMAGE REMOVED FOR BEING OVERSIZED AND LINKED FROM ANOTHER SITE!

I know the picture ain't too sharp but the first look told me this might be F-19. Correct me if I'm wrong. The site is situated just north of Palmdale, south California and there's plenty more of them: many SR-71, 2 or 3 F-117 and at lest one B-2.

[congo]

Isn't that REALLY just a photo of the Epcott center at Disneyworld?  

[Skligmund]

Super secret eh? I doubt that very much if it is sitting there for Google to take a look at....

[HAL9000]

Yeah! But just look at the picture and tell me what do you think about it. What could it be if not f19?

[SilverFox441]

Visible in that image are the U-2 (or a TR-2), A-12, SR-71 and a D-21 Drone.

Info on the D-21: http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/d21~1.htm

If you look closely you can pick out the subtle differences between the SR-71 and the A-12. The A-12 is the one on the bottom.

On of the least talked about roles of the F-117 was AWAC "suppression". Those launch rails in the weapons bay are quite capable of carrying air-air missiles. Ghost in close to an AWACS and take the shot...you're well within lethal "no escape" range of the target prior to detection.

[cloud9]

the  " F-19"  is, according to the USAF's virtual air museum page, apparently the initial designation for the F-117.

It's curious, though, why the "Stealth Fighter" ever got an "F" designation, since it isn't a fighter.  

They needed fighter pilots to test it out so they gave it an "F" designation or else they wouldn't fly it. That's what the guy who built it said on the history channel  ;D

But it really is a bomber

[C]

I suspect it was more to do with the fact it was produced in the 80s during the cold war, and it would be quite an attractive proposition to maybe make certain states believe you had a supersonic stealth fighter...

[HAL9000]

Visible in that image are the U-2 (or a TR-2), A-12, SR-71 and a D-21 Drone.

Info on the D-21: http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/d21~1.htm

Well looks like the mystery is solved. Thanx, finally I can sleep on both ears once again.

[Wingo]

I've googled the F-19 a couple of times and came up with similar results to everyone here. What is interesting is the models google images comes up with, looks nothing like the f-117....

http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/TESTOR ... 20MAIN.jpg

[C]

What is interesting is the models google images comes up with, looks nothing like the f-117....

Mostly because they're a figment of the model designers/company artistry sections' imagination...

[Felix/FFDS]

Wasn't the first F-19 a secret German u-boat that looked like an iceberg, crewed by a cult in 1912?

[Woodlouse2002]

Wasn't the first F-19 a secret German u-boat that looked like an iceberg, crewed by a cult in 1912?

You know I think it might have been. Though I believe the cult refered to it as Aurura.

[C]

Wasn't the first F-19 a secret German u-boat that looked like an iceberg, crewed by a cult in 1912?