USAF B-2 Crashes in Guam

[B757300]

Breaking on CNN.

Crew successfully ejected.

[James Bond]

FOXNews just reported that a USAF B-2 just went down in Guam. Can't find any links.

MSNBC say that the pilots ejected

[B757300]

HAGATNA, Guam — The Air Force says a B-2 stealth bomber crashed on Guam, but the pilots ejected safely.

The Air Force says medical authorities evaluated the pilots and both are in good condition.

Emergency responders are on the scene at Andersen Air Force Base . 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.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,332038,00.html

[James Bond]

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

[FireLight]

Great to hear the pilots are okay. :)

It's hard to believe these things are so expensive. I suppose it's a case of "a billion here, a billion there, pretty soon it starts to add up to real money." :p

We had one fly over Lethbridge during an airshow, which is the closest I've ever been to one.

[B757300]

It's hard to believe these things are so expensive. I suppose it's a case of "a billion here, a billion there, pretty soon it starts to add up to real money."
Well, they were designed during an era when the cost of military hardware wasn't as important as it is today. The USAF planned for a massive fleet of B-2's that could deliver a nuclear first strike to the Soviet strategic forces.

Then the Soviet Union disappeared as did the funding.

[HalcyonDays]

I think the point on cost of building is that they lost economies of scale. If they had built 100 or so, all the development costs and the overhead costs of construction would have been spread over a larger number of airframes, but because they built so few all those costs had to be spread over a smaller number, hence a higher overall cost per individual airframe. I'm assuming that this one is a total loss, though it's not clear yet.

[Dmmoore]

The good news is the pilots are safe.

The actual cost of building each aircraft is in the 300 - 400 million dollar range. The total cost of the program to produce the 21 aircraft was about 45 - 50 billion dollars. Between 35 - 40 billion were R & D costs. 6 - 10 billion in actual construction costs.

The loss of one of these "National Treasures" is a major event. It will be interesting to see if they release any information on the cause of the crash.

When pilots eject, the aircraft is a total loss. If it's rebuilt, it would be using the original data plate, factory jigs, tooling and production drawings. It could have the same serial number but would be an entirely new aircraft.

While the factory and (I think) tooling still exist, the cost of spooling up to build a single replacement aircraft would be prohibitive.

[Dmmoore]

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

The good news is the pilots are safe.

The bad news is the loss of a "National Treasure."

[Princess Leia]

That's why they should instead crank out an additional 20 B-2Bs...

[HalcyonDays]

That's why they should instead crank out an additional 20 B-2Bs...

I wouldn't be surprised if the last B-52 will be flying after the last B-2.

[Tbun]

billion up the spout :grin:

[DAL767-400ER]

Merged the two threads.

[DaveGF4G]

They hamfisted it

[FlyingPhotog]

Preliminary report is out...

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/B2022608.xml&headline=Fire%20On%20Takeoff%20Downed%20B-2&channel=defense

[hansonator69]

Thank god the crew ejected safely

[Tbun]

Thank god the crew ejected safely


yeh thank "god". Sure works in mysterious ways.

[Crunk415balla]

Mega loss as far as the bomber goes, but at least no human life was lost.

[andrasz]

Preliminary report is out...

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/B2022608.xml&headline=Fire%20On%20Takeoff%20Downed%20B-2&channel=defense

"The aircraft that crashed rolled off Northrop Grumman’s line in 1989 and had accumulated 5,176 flying hours at the time of the crash. Early testing indicated that the aircraft would remain structurally intact for about 40,000 flying hours. Analyses also posited that the rudder attachment points would be the first structural failure item."


Ahem... Million apologies for my ignorance, but WHAT rudder attachment points ?

[FireLight]

Ahem... Million apologies for my ignorance, but WHAT rudder attachment points ?
Great catch! :lol:

I wonder how many read this article and never give it a second thought (with 99.9999% of all aircraft possessing rudders.)

[sjwk]

Ahem... Million apologies for my ignorance, but WHAT rudder attachment points ?
I found this page (http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/b-2-upgrades.htm) a few days back that has a diagram that refers to the control surfaces on the outer wing sections as rudders, also noting that analysis points to these as the first points to fail. I think I first saw this the day the B2 crashed (I was looking on wikipedia for info and it was an external link) - certainly before the preliminary report came out. I guess that they provide similar control to a rudder by acting as an air-brake on one side or the other.

Steve.

[Kpeters]

Great catch! :lol:

I wonder how many read this article and never give it a second thought (with 99.9999% of all aircraft possessing rudders.)

True I didn't thought about that either.

[DaveGF4G]

They <SNIP> Hamfisted It

[DaveGF4G]

Let me make this VERY clear....... this crew <SNIP> <SNIP>HAMFISTED IT