Stealth bomber to visit Air Tattoo (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Stealth bomber to visit Air Tattoo

ONE of America's top secret Stealth bombers, the B-2, will literally make a flying visit to this year's Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford.

The two-man aircraft, the world's most expensive with a price tag of 865million dollars, will fly from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, on each of the two days of the show, but will not land.

"It will make a brief appearance in the flying display each day before returning directly to its base," said an RIAT spokesman this week.

As the B-2 enters and leaves UK air space it will be accompanied by two US Air Force F-15 Eagle fighters jets to provide a radar signature for the normally "invisible" futuristic flying wing.

In a special tribute to bomber crews, the tattoo - on July 20 and 21 - will also see the USAF B-52 and B1-B bombers in action, while a major attraction will be the Ukrainian Air Force Tu-22M3 Backfire bomber built by Russia at the height of the Cold War.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster bomber will also participate, as will a B-17 Flying Fortress and the world's only airworthy Blenheim.

Caption: One of the world's most expensive aircraft, an 865million dollar B-2 Stealth bomber, will fly 20,000 miles to make brief appearances at the Royal International Air Tattoo later this month.