# USAF Forgot How the B2 Was Built **URL:** \ **Category:** Scuttlebutt\ **Created:** [March 7, 2021, 5:29pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/usaf-forgot-how-the-b2-was-built/58630 "2021-03-07T17:29:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Boebert1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/earl_boebert1/32/116_2.png) [@Earl\_Boebert1](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Earl_Boebert1)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 5:29pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/usaf-forgot-how-the-b2-was-built/58630/1 "2021-03-07T17:29:47Z")
> **[The Air Force Is Having To Reverse Engineer Parts Of Its Own Stealth Bomber](https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39537/the-air-force-needs-to-reverse-engineer-parts-of-its-own-stealth-bomber)** > > Twenty-one years after the last Spirit was delivered, the Air Force is working out how to build the exotic spare parts the bomber requires. Earl ---
**Author:** ![Steveisme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Steveisme](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Steveisme)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 7:25pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/usaf-forgot-how-the-b2-was-built/58630/2 "2021-03-07T19:25:45Z")
This reminds me of a story my father told me. As a Director for McDonell/Douglas he was in negotiations with the USAF on the C-17 transport aircraft. > **[Boeing: C-17 Globemaster III](https://www.boeing.com/defense/c-17-globemaster-iii/#/support)** > > The C-17 Globemaster III is a cargo and transport aircraft used by air forces around the world. View C-17 photos, technical specs, milestones, feature stories and more. 7 years after initial design ok the Air Force wanted newer computer systems installed. My Father said sure but it will cost you. He also said that the computer they wanted had not even been invented when first designed.šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Sand\_Pebble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Sand\_Pebble](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Sand_Pebble)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 1:13am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/usaf-forgot-how-the-b2-was-built/58630/3 "2021-03-08T01:13:15Z")
The ole ā€œCanā€™t provide the part number or how it works because the operation/troubleshooting manual is missingā€ excuse. The first go-to for every idiot engineer. Someone should tell them it probably fell behind the bookshelf. ---
**Author:** ![squidly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@squidly](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/squidly)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 3:09pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/usaf-forgot-how-the-b2-was-built/58630/4 "2021-03-08T15:09:59Z")
I can see how this would happen. A lot of the design was classified and security types are always pushing for information to be purged, especially if itā€™s hard copy. NAVSEA went through this, the security weenies were pushing for a lot of 40 & 50 year old documents to go. It was a battle for the tech guys to say no, even the documents were NOT available electronically and the information was still valid & pertinent, even if not frequently referenced. Another issue is changes to computers & code over the years. Iā€™ve got data from one ship project that I can no longer access because the current version of Microsoft Whatever canā€™t open a file saved 20 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![CoastalTrader](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/coastaltrader/32/71776_2.png) [@CoastalTrader](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/CoastalTrader)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 3:44pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/usaf-forgot-how-the-b2-was-built/58630/5 "2021-03-08T15:44:59Z")
Iā€™m not going to research this, but I seem to recall that the plans for the giant rocket engines that powered the Saturn V rocket have been ā€œlostā€. Coca-Cola by way of contrast, has been able to protect and keep secret the recipe for Coke. Prioritiesā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Boebert1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/earl_boebert1/32/116_2.png) [@Earl\_Boebert1](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Earl_Boebert1)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/usaf-forgot-how-the-b2-was-built/58630/6 "2021-03-08T16:16:33Z")
> Cheers, Earl ---
**Author:** ![BeerCaptain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@BeerCaptain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/BeerCaptain)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 1:36am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/usaf-forgot-how-the-b2-was-built/58630/7 "2021-03-09T01:36:02Z")
It was just cocaine, sugar, and water. Pretty tough to forget the original.