Hobby Master HA5803 1:72 F-117A "OIF" 88-0842, 8th FS, Holloman AFB, 2003

Hobby Master HA5803 1:72 F-117A "OIF" 88-0842, 8th FS, Holloman AFB, 2003

In the 1970’s Soviet air defense systems improved and the U.S. realized they had to develop
aircraft to counter this. Lockheed Skunk Works was tasked with the job and two aircraft were built
under the code name “Have Blue” that proved stealth aircraft could be produced. As a result the
F-117 Nighthawk was developed and first flew in 1981 with the first production F-117 80-10785
making its maiden flight on April 20, 1982 but it wasn’t until 1988 that the Pentagon confirmed its
existence.


Lockheed Martin F-117A 88-0842 was C/N A.4067 and the 58th F-117 to be manufactured. The
aircraft’s maiden flight took place on March 13, 1990 and was accepted on March 28, 1990. In
December 1990 F-117A “It’s Hammertime” arrived in Saudi Arabia with the 416th TFS where it
completed 33 missions. Later assigned to the 49th FW (The Fighting Forty Niners) /8th FS (Black
Sheep) it completed 23 missions during Operation Allied Force and 9 during Operation Iraqi
Freedom. On January 29, 2008 “It’s Hammertime” was retired.