Chapter 4, Swatting at Mosquitoes Summary and Analysis

Chapter 4 introduces us to Major Al Whitley, a top fighter pilot who supervised the building of the F-117A, the famous stealth fighter. Al and his crew watched the F-117A in assembly and learned all of its parts. Assemblage went well and Rich was surprised that they didn't have more trouble. They continued to have trouble with inexperienced workers, but the stealth fighter came on line a year later. Later, a suggestion is made to automate the F-117A's flight path to maneuver and test without a human pilot.

The Defense Department reveals the stealth fighter in 1988. Numerous fighters are built and their first real-world test is during the First Gulf War. Stealth fighters were to make first strike in Baghdad in early-1991. Shockingly, no stealth fighters were lost during the bombardment. The stealth...