B-2 Spirit

Many years ago, my neighbor came over and told me the B-2 was going to do a fly-over at a little airfield that is just south of LAX , right next to the 105 Fwy. He had been working at Northrop in Torrance, Ca and this was to honor the folks who put this bad boy together. When I got there they directed us to park and shuttle bus to the Field. When I climbed up into the bus, the driver was none other than Adam West, Batman from, Crash, Boom, Bang TV series ! 

An Air Force Brass Band played while we all assembled and the announcer told us the B2 would make three passes. We could see it coming, head on straight down the runway at a fair viewing height. It whooshed by and was truly impressive to see. Then it did a slow right bank and flew back to the starting point. It went out of sight for a brief time and then here it came, pedal to the metal, right down on the deck, like a rabid bat outta hell. It bought a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. American ingenuity in all its awesomeness. It did a rising hard bank turn, arcing back to the start point. On its final pass it was higher and going, I am sure, flat out. It disappeared rapidly out over the Pacific. The Brass Band kicked into a stirring patriotic song and the crowd cheered and hooted and clapped with Red, White and Blue coursing through their veins.   It is a memory I hold close to my heart.

Northrup Grumman built 21 B-2s and delivered them to the Air Force in 1993.