“Senior Spud” mirror-like tags were cut from the left side skin section of YF-117 serial number 79-10784. These tags retain the mirror-like coating that was applied to #784 during the secret 1993 project known as Senior Spur, in which a highly reflective material was tested as a means of reducing the aircraft’s infrared signature.
The YF-117, serial number 79-10784, was the fifth and final prototype of the F-117 Nighthawk. While the first two prototypes—79-10780 (Scorpion 1) and 79-10781 (Scorpion 2)—were retired early, in 1992 and 1991 respectively, the remaining three FSD airframes, including #784 (Scorpion 5), continued flight trials into the early 2000s. Unfortunately, while all other YF-117s were preserved in museums, #784 was scrapped in August 2008 at Plant 42, Edwards AFB, during what was described as a “test of the best methods for disposing of the F-117 fleet”.
Additional information:
Dimensions: approx. 88 mm x 37 mm (3.46″ x 1.45″)
There may be a slight difference between the color shades on your screen and those on the actual tags.
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