B-2 Bomber

(Original Caption) Edwards Air Force Base...The B-2 in flight over the California desert on its sixth test flight. During the flight, the aircraft completed its first aerial refueling from a KC-10A Extender assigned to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing (AREFW), March AFB, California. Additional envelope expansion tests in various flight conditions were also accomplished. Primary flight control surfaces on the B-2 consist of three elevon surfaces on each side of the wing and a drag rudder/spoiler at each wingtip. The outboard trailing edge has the drag rudder/spoiler seen slightly open in this view. The drag rudders are similar to those on Northrop's XB-35 and YB-49 bomber prototypes, which first flew in 1946. Bruce J. Hinds, chief test pilot for Northrop's B-2 division, and Air Force Lt. Col. John Small, of the B-2 combined test force, were the pilots for the mission.