U.S. Air Force Northrop Grumman B-2A "Spirit of Arizona" HE573795 Scale 1:200

Herpa Wings U.S. Air Force Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit- 393rd Bomb Squadron "Tigers", Whiteman Air Base "Spirit of Arizona" HE573795 Scale 1:200

B2 1/200 This Die-cast metal airplane model comes in 1/200 scale with landing gear, no stand. Model is approximately 4 inches long with 10 1/4 inch wingspan. Adult collectible ages 14+

By the mid-1970s, military aircraft engineers were becoming aware of "stealth" characteristics and started experimenting on how to implement such detection-avoidance qualities into aircraft designs. And although the program for a new stealth-capable strategic bomber had been started by the year 1979, the first B-2 and its revolutionary appearance was revealed to the public only in 1988. Testing of the subsonic flying wing began the following year. The "Spirit of Arizona" was the second of six test aircraft and flew for the first time on October 19, 1990. Despite the first B-2 Spirits entering operational service in 1994, the test program in which new capabilities for the B-2 were continuously evaluated was only completed by 1997. All six test aircraft. Including the "Spirit of Arizona" were then brought up to full operational status and transferred to the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.