Check Out These Jaw-Dropping Shots Of The B-2 Spirit Refueling From a KC-135 After The Super Bowl Flyover

February 9, 2021 Military Aviation

David Cenciotti

B-2 Spirit is refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker — A B-2 Spirit assigned to Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., prepares to receive fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker, Feb 7, 2021. A B-2 Spirit performed alongside a B-1B Lancer and a B-52 Stratofortress for the Super Bowl LV flyover on Feb. 7, 2021.

The B-2 Spirit was part of the first-of-its-kind trifecta flyover during the National Anthem performance at the LV Super Bowl.

As you already know by now, the Super Bowl LV, in Tampa, Florida, saw a pretty unique three-ship flyover formation including a B-2 Spirit (93-1086/WA callsign DRAGON 51) from Whiteman AFB, Missouri ; a B-1B Lancer (86-0108/EL c/s DRAGON 52) from Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, and a B-52 Stratofortress (60-0012/MT c/s DRAGON 53) from Minot AFB, North Dakota.

The U.S. Air Force bombers carried out a flyover of Raymond James Stadium during the National Anthem performance, a scene depicted by some incredible shots which quickly went viral thanks to the shots taken, among the others, by Matt Haskell and Mike Killian.

America’s game, meets America’s team. #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/8fewjlOxWF

— Matt Haskell (@mhaskellphoto) February 7, 2021

The most exciting 5 seconds in all of sports! What a #SuperBowl #flyover by our @usairforce bomber force. Led by a B-2 from Whiteman AFB & joined by a B-1 from Ellsworth AFB & B-52 from Minot AFB, #SBLV #SuperBowlLV pic.twitter.com/or5fPVZcZw

— Mike Killian (@KillianPhoto) February 8, 2021

The three aircraft (each with a spare) were supported by two KC-135R tankers (61-0308 and 63-7976 which used c/s GASPER71-72) from MacDill Air Force Base.

The B-2 is in the top left corner of the shot.

Interestingly, some really stunning photos of the bombers being refueled before or after the flyover were taken from aboard the Stratotankers by the photographer of the 6th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs team Airman 1st Class David McLoney.

In this post you can find a few of them, those taken after the flyover, in the darkness.

Another interesting angle of the B-2 refueling at night after the flyover.

BTW, the B-52s and supporting tankers could be tracked online by means of ADS-B/Mode-S on flight tracking websites:

DRAGO Flt of x2 B-52 heading for Tampa, FL for the #SuperBowl flyover, timing over the Stadium is 23.26.28 Zulu. Will form up with a B-2 and B-1 with tanker support. pic.twitter.com/jjduDAwPzy

— Saint1 (@Saint1Mil) February 7, 2021

The refueling as seen from the boomer station.

About David Cenciotti

David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.