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B-2 25th Anniversary of First Flight, Palmdale, Calif.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit)

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B-2 25th Anniversary of First Flight, Palmdale, Calif.

Bruce Hinds, chief test pilot on the first flight of the B-2 Spirit on July 17, 1989, speaks to the crowd about the flight and his role in the development of the Stealth Bomber.(U.S. Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit)

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B-2 25th Anniversary of First Flight, Palmdale, Calif.

Crowds of Northrop Grumman employees, civic leaders and military personnel watch a B-2 Spirit take to the sky, reenacting the first takeoff of the B-2. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit)

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L.A. Dodgers great, Tommy Lasorda, was one of the guest speakers at the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the first flight of the B-2 Spirit July 17 at U.S. Air Force Plant 42. The Stealth Bomber made it's first flight July 17, 1989 from Palmdale, Calif. In the foreground sits the B-2 Stealth Bike, a custom motorcycle commissioned by Northrop Grumman to be built for the 20th anniversary of the Spirit's first flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit)

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Stealth Bomber turns 25 today

Published July 17, 2014
By 412th Test Wing Public Affairs

PALMDALE, Calif. -- A B-2 Spirit from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., "The Spirit of Arizona," taxis after landing at U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale July 17.

A quarter of a century ago today, the B-2 Spirit made it's first flight from U.S. Air Force Plant 42 towards the skies over Edwards Air Force Base, July 17, 1989.

Northrop Grumman and the Air Force celebrated the anniversary at Northrop's Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence.