X-Planes & Prototypes

Northrop Grumman B-2 Stealth Bomber (1988)

Northrop Grumman B-2 Steatlh Bomber - Shanghai Dragon - 1

Shanghai Dragon Logo

SCALE: 1/200

 INITIAL RELEASE: 1990

MEDIUM: POLYSTYRENE

RARITY: (1)

 

Northrop Grumman B-2 Steatlh Bomber - Shanghai Dragon - 2

 

Northrop Grumman B-2 Steatlh Bomber - Shanghai Dragon - 3

Northrop Grumman B-2 Steatlh Bomber - Shanghai Dragon - 4

 

Northrop Grumman B-2 Steatlh Bomber - Shanghai Dragon - 5

 

ABOUT THE DESIGN

ABOUT THE KIT

An outgrowth of the same "Stealth" program that produced the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, the B-2 "Spirit" was the fulfillment of the late Jack Northrop's life-long dream of an operational flying wing bomber.  The tailless, bat-winged aircraft combined numerous state-of-the-art technologies, including a skin made of radar-absorbing composites as well as advanced electronic countermeasures to produce an aircraft that was virtually invisible to conventional detection methods.

Like the F-117, the B-2 was developed under intense secrecy, resulting in much speculation about its design.  However, unlike the F-117, which underwent extensive testing before being revealed to the public, the B-2 was rolled out on Nov. 22. 1988 and only then began test flying before being declared operational in December 1993.

Although not technically an "X-Plane," the B-2 is radical enough in design to warrant inclusion in this collection.

The first B-2 kit to hit the American market, this small-scale DML model came with an equally tiny F-117 (not shown).  The kit was re-released by China's Zhengdefu Toy Co. in the late 1990s.

This particular model is  painted in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) colors it bore when rolled out in 1988.

The model is built from an original issue.

U.S. Air Force Photo

 

Northrop Grumman B-2 Steatlh Bomber - Shanghai Dragon - Box Art

B-2 Original Box Art

 

X-Planes & Prototypes

1900-1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

Home   X-Planes   Concept Aircraft   Spacecraft & Missiles   Concept Spacecraft   Science Fiction   Grab Bag