Tennessee ANG Wonders What All The Fuss Is About
04.01.06
'Special' Edition: Recently, an aeronautical publication
ran an article stating they had "considerable evidence" of the
existence of the oft-rumored 'spaceplane', code-named "Blackstar,"
that many conspiracy theorists speculate has been flying dark-ops
missions for the Pentagon for several years.
Although the existence of such a aircraft was later disputed --
with the aforementioned publication enduring widespread criticism
for publishing such a story -- the news still made the rounds among
the general media for several days. Eventually, however, all the
hulabaloo died down...
... But only because none of those reporters thought to look in
Tennessee.
"We've been wonderin' what all the fuss was about," Lt.
Joe "Bob" Reynolds told ANN, pointing across the tarmac
to a sleek aircraft painted black as midnight. "We've had one of
them fancy spaceplanes fer years."
Reynolds then gave ANN an exclusive first-look at the
spacecraft -- codenamed "Project Jimmy Ray" -- that the young
lieutenant says has been operating with the Tennessee Air National
Guard for the last 13 years.
"One day, there was a knock on the barracks door," Reynolds
explained. "Standing there was an officer, dressed all
fancy-like. I says 'Hey colonel, there's some Yankee here
sayin' somethin' about a new airplane.' Turns out the military
wanted us to watch over this here fancy thingamagijit, because too
many people were hovering around Area 51."
"No one would ever think to look in
Tennessee," Reynolds added. "Hell, you're the first reporters
who've wanted to make the trip."
The aircraft has a blunted delta-wing shape, with what appears
to be a small payload bay behind the flightdeck. Three rocket
nozzles project from the rear of the craft.
"She'll go faster than a good smellhound after a badger," said
Reynolds, patting the aircraft's starboard wing with proud
affection.
On average, he says, the spaceplane flies about six times a year
on unspecified missions. During most of its stay with the Tennessee
ANG, however, Project Jimmy Ray sits at the far side of the
airfield, in an unmarked hangar the craft shares with its sleek
XB-70-based launch aircraft -- dubbed "Earl."
Unfortunately, the ANN reporter assigned to this story was
unable to even gain access to the hatch leading up to the
cockpit... but rumor has it that ANN Editor-In-Chief Jim
Campbell has been granted permission to perform a flight test
in the near future, that may include an orbital excursion.
ANN will bring you full details (Jim wrote a seven-part
series about flying the Eclipse 500... imagine what he'll do with
this) as soon as they become available.
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