Stealth bomber crashes on Guam

[samuraj77]

Stealth bomber crashes on Guam

Two pilots eject safely, Air Force says

12:54 a.m. ET Feb. 23, 2008 The Associated Press

HAGATNA, Guam - A B-2 stealth bomber crashed Saturday at an air base on Guam, but both pilots ejected safely and were in good condition, the Air Force said.

It was the first crash of a B-2 bomber, said Capt. Sheila Johnston, a spokeswoman for Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.

Thick, black smoke could be seen billowing from the wreckage at Andersen Air Force Base, said Jeanne Ward, a resident in the northern village of Yigo who was on the base visiting her husband.
Ward said she didn't witness the crash but noticed a rising plume of smoke behind the base's air control tower.

She said crowds began to gather as emergency vehicles arrived. "Everybody was on their cell phones, and the first thing everyone wanted to know was did the pilots make it out in time," she said.

A board of officers will investigate the accident.

Each B-2 bomber costs about $1.2 billion to build. All 21 stealth bombers are based at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, but the Air Force has been rotating several of them through Guam since 2004, along with B-1 and B-52 bombers.

The rotations are designed to boost the U.S. security presence in the Asia-Pacific region while other U.S. forces diverted to fight in the Middle East.

The B-2 was first publicly displayed in 1988 and took its first flight a year later. The first bomber was delivered to Whiteman in 1993.

The accident occurred 11 days after a Navy plane crashed into the ocean about 20 miles northeast of Guam's Ritidian Point. Four aircrew members ejected from the EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft and were rescued by helicopter.

Guam is a U.S. territory 3,700 miles southwest of Hawaii.


source http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23302483/

[No.1]

So this is second one to be lost

[Wingman81]

Imagine what you could build for that money of 1 stealth bomber. 

[mfg495]

Imagine what you could build for that money of 1 stealth bomber. 

The first 20 B-2 bombers cost $2.2 Billion each.  Because money spent on research and development are sunk costs, additional bombers would cost a mere $690 million each, according to the manufacturer. The Air Force, however, estimates the full cost (including operations and maintenance costs) of each new B-2 at approximately $1.5 billion. An additional 20 B-2s would cost a total of at least $30 Billion over a projected 20 year lifespan.

[No.1]

Much of money. I like how it is shaped.

[Wingman81]

Thanks for the Microeconomics lesson 

[samuraj77]

Concept of flying wing is outstanding not only by it's beauty but also it is aerodynamically perfect 
 

[mfg495]

The flying wing goes back sometime, have a look at this

http://www.century-of-flight.freeola.com/new%20site/frames/horten%20frame.htm

[Wingman81]

Horten V was build in my neighbourhood. After it was crashed they build the Ho Vb and mounted the undamaged Hirth HM 60-R motors. If i understood it right this plane could only take off ground with the help of a dragger (car) like a glider.