From: skunk-works-digest-owner@harbor.ecn.purdue.edu To: skunk-works-digest@harbor.ecn.purdue.edu Subject: Skunk Works Digest V4 #17 Reply-To: skunk-works-digest@harbor.ecn.purdue.edu Errors-To: skunk-works-digest-owner@harbor.ecn.purdue.edu Precedence: bulk Skunk Works Digest Saturday, 18 September 1993 Volume 04 : Number 017 In this issue: USAF Plant 42 -- trip report Need B1B GIF files Re: USAF Plant 42 -- trip report [none] See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the skunk-works or skunk-works-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: TRADER@cup.portal.com Date: Fri, 17 Sep 93 01:24:25 PDT Subject: USAF Plant 42 -- trip report About a month ago, I paid a visit to Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, CA to see if I could spot anything unusual. (In both the aviation press and from trusted sources I have heard that Plant 42 is used for testing of avionics on "black" aircraft). This article describes what I saw, how to get there, and interesting scanner frequencies for the area. To get there from the Los Angeles area, take Highway 14 north -- it starts near Newhall. I found an interesting spot to see all of Plant 42, if you have good binoculars or a telephoto lenses. As you come down from the hills on Highway 14, just south of Soledad Pass, you will find a turnout from the highway on the right side of the road, that the sign indicates is a scenic viewpoint. It's about 6 miles (10 Km) from Plant 42. You can see the whole facility from up there. Looking roughly NNE you will see the squat metal hangars of Plant 42. You will see 2 runways -- the closest one (which runs roughly SW-to-NE) belongs to Palmdale Regional Airport, and the further one (which runs roughly W-to-E) is part of Plant 42. Judging from my map,Plant 42's runway appears to be about 13000 feet (4000 m) long. I think I probably freaked a local out who was also at the viewpoint, with my binoculars, and scanner (it looks like a walkie-talkie). Once I came down off the hill I exited at Avenue P, and headed east. I turned north on Sierra Highway, and then east on Avenue M, to skirt the northern edge of the facility. Unfortunately, Avenue M is a fairly busy street and parking off the shoulder is against the law ("NO STOPPING ANY TIME" signs are abundant). It will probably be difficult explaining why you are there when the sheriff's deputy writes you a ticket. At the NE corner of the base, I turned south (45th Street East I think). I found a good viewing spot by going west on Avenue N until it rounds a bend. The fence for the plant is here as well as a dandy parking area in the dirt. After this stop,I went south (40th Street East until I got back on Avenue P. I stopped at the Blackbird Museum, near the base gate (30th Street East??). They have 2 retired SR-71s on display there that you can visit (during daytime hours). Contrary to what a reader posted, these 2 aircraft had a matte black finish and felt like sheet metal when I touched them. They also have a gift shop where you can buy memorabilia, including photos of U-2s sitting on the runway at Groom Lake (!!), that are identified as such. (It would be interesting to find how those pictures were obtained since Groom Lake doesn't officially exist). You can get a view of Plant 42 from the museum also. Going further west down Avenue P, I turned in to the parking lot at Palmdale Regional Airport. Looking over their fence, near the terminal, you can also see more of Plant 42 and Plant 42's control tower. I got back on Avenue P, and turned north on 10th Street East, because the western edge of Plant 42 is where various aerospace contractors have their hangars. If you head west on Lockheed Way, you can follow the southern fence for Plant 42 around a bend where the road ends. Lockheed's Skunk Works group has several hangars there, next to the railroad tracks. Also, the hangar you can see on the base with white pipes on the roof used to house the B-2 during its early testing. What aircraft did I see at Plant 42? I saw a militarized DC-10 getting a "nose job" (i.e. the nose was replaced with a long tubular radar assembly). I also saw 3 B-1B bombers at the Rockwell area getting prepped and in a paint scheme I hadn't seen before on a B-1B -- the matte black finish with no easily visible markings that has been used on the F-117A, SR-71, U2, etc. Before I went out to Palmdale, I was aware I probably wouldn't get to see much. An interesting thing I noticed while being around the base -- the Air Force SPs didn't seem to be worried when I pulled my binoculars out (but I bet it would have been different if I produced a camera). Several of the Palmdale residents gave me very harsh stares for trying to "spy" on the base, but no one called the sheriff. Another thing I've noticed in the desert area around Palmdale before has been the winds. I couldn't figure out why the USAF would build a test facility in a windy area, but an Air Force acquaintance indicated that this "matched the flying conditions over some areas of the Soviet Union." Other adventures: While I was near the Lockheed area, I noticed smoke starting to rise in the distance (you can see for many miles on the high desert). Driving much faster than was safe on bumpy desert roads, I managed to arrive at a structure fire as the fire department was arriving. I got to see a fairly spectacular fire at a plant nursery. That evening, I found Sal's Card Room just off Highway 14 north of Palmdale (just before you get to Rosamond, on Avenue A (I think)) and spent some enjoyable time with the locals playing Hold 'Em Poker (I won about $40). Scanner frequencies (in MHz): 123.7 - Palmdale Airport tower 126.1 - Joshua Approach/Departure (I heard a controller giving a private plane instructions on how to avoid Plant 42's restricted air space on this channel) 153.2 - Lockheed 154.43 - Los Angeles County Fire Department F-2 (Palmdale is in a remote northern part of L.A. County). 158.295 - Lockheed 163.4875 - Air Force SPs 163.5875 - Air Force SPs 462.425 - Lockheed (security??) 463.825 - Lockheed (apparently Burbank Skunk Works security) 482.8625 (Base) / 485.8625 (Mobile) - Los Angeles County Sheriff (Antelope Valley - note: this is -not- a repeater system, but a full duplex system with seperate channels for the base and the cars) 482.8125 - L.A. County Sheriff (County Tactical Channel 1 - C-TAC1) 483.1125 - L.A. County Sheriff (Local Tactical Channel 8 - L-TAC8) Paul McGinnis / TRADER@cup.portal.com ------------------------------ From: "David Pinella" Date: 17 Sep 1993 07:44:52 U Subject: Need B1B GIF files Subject: Time:7:48 AM OFFICE MEMO Need B1B GIF files Date:9/17/93 Can and will anybody direct me to a location or send me GIF files of the B1B? I would appreciate it very much. Thanks! Dave Pinella in Cincinnati ------------------------------ From: dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu (Dean Adams) Date: Fri, 17 Sep 93 05:50:57 MDT Subject: Re: USAF Plant 42 -- trip report TRADER@cup.portal.com says... >About a month ago, I paid a visit to Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, CA >to see if I could spot anything unusual. You'd have to be pretty lucky to spot anything overly "unusual", but its still always an interesting place to visit... if for no other reason than to possibly catch an F-117 or TR-1 stopping in for a check up, or to drop by Blackbird Airpark. :-) >I found an interesting spot to see all of Plant 42, if you have good >binoculars or a telephoto lenses. As you come down from the hills on >Highway 14, just south of Soledad Pass, you will find a turnout Yea, that spot has a great view! >I think I probably freaked a local out who was also at the viewpoint, >with my binoculars, and scanner (it looks like a walkie-talkie). Eh... some people are just easily freaked out. :-> When I go on trips like that i'll usually bring several scanners/radios, binoculars, camcorder, 35mm w/zoom lens, maps, frequency lists, etc. (and of course my CIA hat :). >Once I came down off the hill I exited at Avenue P, and headed east. > I turned north on Sierra Highway, and then east on Avenue M, Ahh, you missed one of the good spots: "B.J.'s corner" at Avenue N. Its a vacant lot which is right at the end of Plant 42's runway. You can park there and check out whatever is flying, and also have a perfect vantage point for watching activity on the airfield. >I found a good viewing spot by going west on Avenue N until it rounds >a bend. The fence for the plant is here as well as a dandy parking >area in the dirt. Right, that puts you at the opposite end of the runway as B.J.'s. >I stopped at the Blackbird Museum, near the base gate (30th Street East??). 25th. >They have 2 retired SR-71s on display there that you can visit Actually, one is the very first Blackbird ever: the A-12 prototype. >(during daytime hours). Except I believe they are still only open Friday-Sunday. >Contrary to what a reader posted, these 2 aircraft had a matte >black finish and felt like sheet metal when I touched them. They both have a normal paint and finish. They were restored and painted in LADC facilities. Also, i'm pretty sure nobody has posted anything about the _Blackbird Airpark_ ships being painted wrong. >They also have a gift shop where you can buy memorabilia, including >photos of U-2s sitting on the runway at Groom Lake (!!), that are >identified as such. Hmm... i'm not sure if i've seen that one. I need to get over there again. >If you head west on Lockheed Way, you can follow the southern fence >for Plant 42 around a bend where the road ends. You can also stop in at the Skunk Works employee store and stock up on lots of "Skunk" merchandise. :-) >An interesting thing I noticed while being around the base -- the Air >Force SPs didn't seem to be worried when I pulled my binoculars out Palmdale is a pretty far cry from places like Groom Lake (or even Edwards). They are located right in the middle of a major population area, and since this is still a (relatively) free country, you can whip out the binocs without getting an M-16 stuck in your face. :-> >(but I bet it would have been different if I produced a camera). No reason it should be. Same difference. >Several of the Palmdale residents gave me very harsh stares >for trying to "spy" on the base heh, heh. Perhaps they know too much. :) >Scanner frequencies (in MHz): >123.7 - Palmdale Airport tower Plant 42 tower is: 119.2/317.6 >126.1 - Joshua Approach/Departure This is also an Edwards freq. >154.43 - Los Angeles County Fire Department F-2 That freq is actually for another section of the county. What you want is their "Antelope" dispatch channel: 154.400 >158.295 - Lockheed >153.2 - Lockheed What sort of activity was on those freqs? - -dean ------------------------------ From: Dave Pinella Date: Fri, 17 Sep 93 13:27:36 -0400 Subject: [none] ...sorry...just testing Dave Pinella @ SDRC ------------------------------ End of Skunk Works Digest V4 #17 ******************************** To subscribe to skunk-works-digest, send the command: subscribe skunk-works-digest in the body of a message to "listserv@harbor.ecn.purdue.edu". 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