The Stealth Fighter Downed with Vintage Radar

image via Wikipedia

In 1999, the United States found itself at war with Yugoslavia. Leading the campaign was the venerable F-117 stealth fighter, famous for proving it's worth with zero losses during the Gulf War despite flying through absurd amounts of anti-aircraft fire.

image via FOX

“Either that, or Iraqis have the accuracy of stormtroopers.”

And the Yugoslav conflict was seen as being even easier than Iraq, as most Yugoslav anti-air defenses were from an era where the Beatles were still recording music. So you can imagine the surprise when an F-117 was shot down.

Colonel Zoltán Dani was the commander of 250th Air Defense Missile Brigade during the conflict. And he discovered the key to detecting the advanced stealth fighter. Tinkering with the old radar system, Dani extended the wavelength of the radar, turning the previously invisible F-117 clear as day for the radar.

So Lt. Col. Dale Zelko, a veteran of the Gulf War, was returning from a bombing mission when he entered the elite club of shot down stealth aircraft pilots. (To date, he's the only member) While the first of the two missiles launched actually missed, the second detonated with a proximity fuse close enough to bring the aircraft down.

image via Rediff

“Close only counts in horse-shoes and hand grenades. And anti-aircraft missiles”

Zelko ejected and was later rescued by American forces, but the aircraft itself was captured largely intact and handed over to Russian forces. The 250th Missile Brigade celebrates the event every year with a reunion and a cake baked in the shape of an F-117.

Zelko and Dani both later went on to successful careers in their respective militaries, with both retiring and becoming good friends with each other.

image via Defence Aviation

Both are seen here, wondering where their Hollywood adaptation is.