In the 70s, mid-70s, with the experience from the U2, the SR 71 under our belt,

the value of stealth technology being realized. We brought new people into the skunk

works that were knowledgeable of the electromagnetic spectrum, how radars work. One such young

engineer out of Oregon State named Dennis Overhoser was hired by the Skunk Works.

He found himself working on mathematical codes, predicting all kinds of things, one of which was the radar signature of certain shapes and objects in the quest to take stealth technology to the next level.

U2 was Generation 1, the SRA 12 was Generation 2.

This would be Generation 3.

In those days, everybody in industry was interested in stealth.

We lost most of our airplanes in the Yon-Kippoor War because they were detected by

Soviet radars. They were engaged by surface-to-air missiles that were guided by radars. And we literally

could not survive.

If you've listened to our season one episode called Arrowhead, this story might sound familiar.

And that's because we're going to tell a stealth story that ran almost parallel to the F-117.

While the F-117 was in production, there was another stealth vessel in development,

and it would require the help of the very same engineers who created invisible jets.

Dennis Overholzer was a young engineer when he came across Russian papers that explained the possibilities of faceted shaping.

This moment would propel Dennis into developing one of the most important jet technologies.

At the Skunkworks, Ben Rich is coined as the father of stealth, but Dennis is like the Wozniak of Stealth.

It was Dennis' research and development

that made stealth shaping a reality.

I had the fortunate situation of being trained inside the skunk works,

where these guys were all so smart.

...