Biggest possible thanks to Greg and Erin for being excellent hosts and tour guides!

Click the photo above to see the rest.

This one really hurts my heart to write.

Photo by Richard Seaman

The last F-117 stealth fighter made its final flight this week to the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada, where it will be kept with all the others in non-flyable storage.

Flight International: F-117’s final formation fling

My fascination with this beautifully bizarre Lockheed bird will never cease. Adapted from the Have Blue prototypes that Lockheed started flying in secret in 1977, the F-117 was the world’s first aircraft to be virtually invisible to enemy (and, for that matter, friendly) radar. Its precision in combat is legendary, and its presence in our skies will be sorely missed.

Photo by Richard Seaman

The cockpit had to be treated with a special coating to keep radar out, because the pilot’s helmet had a larger radar signature than the entire airplane.

How awesome is that?

Possibly the most.

Photo by Richard Seaman

Two more Lockheed birds, the F-22 and the F-35, will take its place, with the F-22 already in service.

Here are a few photos of the F-22 to ease my pain:

Photo by Richard Seaman

Photo by Richard Seaman

Photo by Richard Seaman

The F-22 has more stealth, power, speed, agility, and firepower than the F-117.

However!

Without the F-117, we wouldn’t have planes like the F-22.

So.

Goodbye, old friend.

Photo by Richard Seaman

I’m going to miss you.

A lot.

The blog going’s to be quiet for a few days, gang.

I’m leaving tomorrow to visit The Greg in Chicago.

And!

Bill Murray is going to jump out of an airplane!

Chicago Tribune: Bill Murray planning to sky-dive at air show

Illustration courtesy of ABC News

It’s the Chicago Air & Water Show this weekend. In addition to Bill Murray jumping out of an airplane, my old friend the F-22 Raptor will be there to rock aeronautical socks.

We’re also going to see The Dark Knight on IMAX; it’ll be Greg’s first time and my sixth. And I bet I still catch something new, because I always do. The movie is that good.

Before I go, I also wanted to mention that my friend Alexander Nevsky is making a Hercules movie:

The Hollywood Reporter: Alexander Nevsky to play ‘Hercules’

As things become official, we’ll have some big news about Alexander’s project here very soon.

In the meantime, have a lovely weekend!