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<blockquote data-quote="Computer1st" data-source="post: 5395408" data-attributes="member: 220601"><p><strong>Area 51</strong></p><p></p><p>Jump to: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#column-one" target="_blank">navigation</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#searchInput" target="_blank">search</a>This article is about the U.S. Air Force installation in Nevada. For other uses, see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51_%28disambiguation%29" target="_blank">Area 51 (disambiguation)</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Protection_policy#semi" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Padlock-silver-medium.svg/20px-Padlock-silver-medium.svg.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a></p><p> Area 51 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wfm_area_51_landsat_geocover_2000.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Wfm_area_51_landsat_geocover_2000.jpg/200px-Wfm_area_51_landsat_geocover_2000.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a></p><p>This <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_image" target="_blank">satellite image</a> of Area 51 shows dry Groom Lake just north of the site.</p><p> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Air_Transport_Association_airport_code" target="_blank">IATA</a>: <em>none</em> – <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Civil_Aviation_Organization_airport_code" target="_blank">ICAO</a>: KXTA Summary Airport type Military Operator United States Air Force Location Southern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada" target="_blank">Nevada</a>, <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" target="_blank">United States</a> Elevation <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Above_mean_sea_level" target="_blank">AMSL</a> 4462 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_%28length%29" target="_blank">ft</a> / 1360 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metre" target="_blank">m</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_coordinate_system" target="_blank">Coordinates</a> <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Erioll_world.svg/18px-Erioll_world.svg.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><a href="http://stable.toolserver.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Area_51&params=37_14_06_N_115_48_40_W_type:airport" target="_blank">37°14′06″N 115°48′40″W / 37.235°N 115.81111°W / 37.235; -115.81111</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runway" target="_blank">Runways</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runway#Orientation_and_dimensions" target="_blank">Direction</a> Length Surface <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_%28length%29" target="_blank">ft</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metre" target="_blank">m</a> 14L/32R 12,000 3,658 Asphalt 12/30 5,420 1,652 Asphalt 09L/27R 11,440 3,489 Salt 09R/27L 11,440 3,489 Salt 03L/21R 10,030 3,057 Salt 03R/21L 10,030 3,057 Salt 14R/32L 23,270 7,093 Closed <strong>Area 51</strong> is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickname" target="_blank">nickname</a> for a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_base" target="_blank">military base</a> that is located in the southern portion of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada" target="_blank">Nevada</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_United_States" target="_blank">western United States</a> (83 miles north-northwest of downtown <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas,_Nevada" target="_blank">Las Vegas</a>). Situated at its center, on the southern shore of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groom_Lake" target="_blank">Groom Lake</a>, is a large secretive military airfield. The base's primary purpose is to support development and testing of experimental aircraft and weapons systems.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-0" target="_blank">[1]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-rich_groom_1977-1" target="_blank">[2]</a></p><p> The base lies within the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force" target="_blank">United States Air Force</a>'s vast <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_Test_and_Training_Range" target="_blank">Nevada Test and Training Range</a>. Although the facilities at the range are managed by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99th_Air_Base_Wing" target="_blank">99th Air Base Wing</a> at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nellis_Air_Force_Base" target="_blank">Nellis Air Force Base</a>, the Groom facility appears to be run as an adjunct of the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwards_Air_Force_Base" target="_blank">Edwards Air Force Base</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojave_Desert" target="_blank">Mojave Desert</a>, around 186 miles (300 km) southwest of Groom, and as such the base is known as Air Force Flight Test Center (Detachment 3).<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-cambell_afftc-2" target="_blank">[3]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-merlin_afftc-3" target="_blank">[4]</a></p><p> Other names used for the facility include <em>Dreamland</em>, <em>Paradise Ranch</em>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-4" target="_blank">[5]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-jacobsen-5" target="_blank">[6]</a> <em>Home Base</em>, <em>Watertown Strip</em>, <em>Groom Lake</em>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-patton_names-6" target="_blank">[7]</a> and most recently <em>Homey Airport</em>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-7" target="_blank">[8]</a> The area is part of the Nellis <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Operations_Area" target="_blank">Military Operations Area</a>, and the restricted airspace around the field is referred to as (R-4808N<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-8" target="_blank">[9]</a>), known by the military pilots in the area as "<strong>The Box</strong>."</p><p> The intense secrecy surrounding the base, the very existence of which the U.S. government barely acknowledges, has made it the frequent subject of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory" target="_blank">conspiracy theories</a> and a central component to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unidentified_flying_object" target="_blank">unidentified flying object</a> (UFO) folklore.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-jacobsen-5" target="_blank">[6]</a></p><p> <strong>Contents</strong></p><p></p><p> [<a href="http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:toggleToc%28%29" target="_blank">hide</a>]</p><p> </p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Geography" target="_blank">1 Geography</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Operations_at_Groom_Lake" target="_blank">2 Operations at Groom Lake</a><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Red_Eagles" target="_blank">2.1 Red Eagles</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#U-2_program" target="_blank">2.2 U-2 program</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Blackbird_programs" target="_blank">2.3 Blackbird programs</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Have_Blue.2FF-117_program" target="_blank">2.4 Have Blue/F-117 program</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Later_operations" target="_blank">2.5 Later operations</a></li> </ul> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Runways" target="_blank">3 Runways</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#U.S._government.27s_positions_on_Area_51" target="_blank">4 U.S. government's positions on Area 51</a><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Environmental_lawsuit" target="_blank">4.1 Environmental lawsuit</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#1974_Skylab_photography" target="_blank">4.2 1974 Skylab photography</a></li> </ul> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#UFO_and_other_conspiracy_theories_concerning_Area_51" target="_blank">5 UFO and other conspiracy theories concerning Area 51</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Portrayal_in_media_and_popular_culture" target="_blank">6 Portrayal in media and popular culture</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#See_also" target="_blank">7 See also</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#References" target="_blank">8 References</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#External_links" target="_blank">9 External links</a></li> </ul><p> </p><p> <strong>Geography</strong></p><p></p><p> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wfm_area51_map_en.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Wfm_area51_map_en.png/180px-Wfm_area51_map_en.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wfm_area51_map_en.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a></p><p> Map showing Area 51, NAFR, and the NTS</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> Area 51 shares a border with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_Flat" target="_blank">Yucca Flat</a> region of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_Test_Site" target="_blank">Nevada Test Site</a> (NTS), the location of 739 of the 928 nuclear tests conducted by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Energy" target="_blank">United States Department of Energy</a> at NTS.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-9" target="_blank">[10]</a> The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_Mountain_nuclear_waste_repository" target="_blank">Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository</a> is approximately 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Groom Lake.</p><p> The same "Area <em>xx</em>" naming scheme is used for other parts of the Nevada Test Site.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-ndepmap-10" target="_blank">[11]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-11" target="_blank">[12]</a></p><p> The original 6-by-10 mile rectangular base is now part of the so-called "Groom box", a 23-by-25.3 mile rectangular area of restricted airspace. The area is connected to the internal NTS road network, with paved roads leading south to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury,_Nevada" target="_blank">Mercury</a> and west to Yucca Flat. Leading northeast from the lake, the wide and well-maintained Groom Lake Road runs through a pass in the Jumbled Hills. The road formerly led to mines in the Groom basin, but has been improved since their closure. Its winding course runs past a security checkpoint, but the restricted area around the base extends further east. After leaving the restricted area, Groom Lake Road descends eastward to the floor of the Tikaboo Valley, passing the dirt-road entrances to several small ranches, before converging with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_State_Route_375" target="_blank">State Route 375</a>, the "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraterrestrial_Highway" target="_blank">Extraterrestrial Highway</a>", south of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel,_Nevada" target="_blank">Rachel</a>.</p><p> </p><p> <strong>Operations at Groom Lake</strong></p><p></p><p> Groom Lake is not a conventional airbase, as frontline units are not normally deployed there. It instead appears to be used during the development, testing, and training phases for new aircraft. Once these aircraft have been approved by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force" target="_blank">United States Air Force</a> or other agencies such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA" target="_blank">CIA</a>, operation of that aircraft is generally conducted from a normal air force base.</p><p> Soviet spy satellites obtained photographs of the Groom Lake area during the height of the Cold War, and later civilian satellites produced detailed images of the base and its surroundings. These images support only modest conclusions about the base, depicting a nondescript base, long airstrip, hangars and the lake.</p><p> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg/180px-Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a></p><p> Satellite view of Area 51 from 1968.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <strong>Red Eagles</strong></p><p></p><p> Groom was home to elements of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gail_Peck" target="_blank">Gail Peck</a>'s 4477th Test & Evaluation Squadron, the "Red Eagles", who flew a number of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union" target="_blank">Soviet</a>-designed aircraft (obtained from defecting <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Bloc" target="_blank">Eastern Bloc</a> pilots) which were secretly analyzed and used for training purposes, flying against US and NATO pilots as part of the annual <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constant_Peg#Constant_Peg" target="_blank">Constant Peg</a></em> exercise.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-redeagles-12" target="_blank">[13]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-sweetman_stealth-13" target="_blank">[14]</a> With the end of the cold war, the USAF and its civilian contractor Tac-Air have augmented this secret fleet with a number of aircraft bought openly from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine" target="_blank">Ukraine</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-avweek_migs-14" target="_blank">[15]</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moldova" target="_blank">Moldova</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-defenselink_mig29s-15" target="_blank">[16]</a> and operated from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright-Patterson_Air_Force_Base" target="_blank">Wright-Patterson Air Force Base</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-defenselink_mig29s-15" target="_blank">[16]</a></p><p> </p><p> <strong>U-2 program</strong></p><p></p><p> Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_U-2" target="_blank">Lockheed U-2</a></p><p> Groom Lake was used for bombing and artillery practice during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" target="_blank">World War II</a>, but was then abandoned until April 1955, when it was selected by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Corporation" target="_blank">Lockheed</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk_Works" target="_blank">Skunk Works</a> team as the ideal location to test the forthcoming <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_U-2" target="_blank">U-2</a> spy plane.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-shadow-16" target="_blank">[17]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-17" target="_blank">[18]</a> The lakebed made an ideal strip from which they could operate the troublesome test aircraft, and the Emigrant Valley's mountain ranges and the NTS perimeter protected the test site from prying eyes and outside interference.</p><p> Lockheed constructed a makeshift base at the location, then known as Site II or "The Ranch", consisting of little more than a few shelters, workshops and trailer homes in which to house its small team. In only three months a 5000-foot runway was constructed<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-shadow-16" target="_blank">[17]</a> and was servicable by July 1955. The Ranch received its first U-2 delivery on July 24, 1955 from Burbank on a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-124_Globemaster_II" target="_blank">C-124 Globemaster II</a> cargo plane, accompanied by Lockheed technicians on a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_DC-3" target="_blank">Douglas DC-3</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-shadow-16" target="_blank">[17]</a> The first U-2 lifted off from Groom on August 4, 1955. A U-2 fleet under the control of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA" target="_blank">CIA</a> began overflights of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union" target="_blank">Soviet</a> territory by mid-1956.</p><p> During this period, the NTS continued to perform a series of atmospheric nuclear explosions. U-2 operations throughout 1957 were frequently disrupted by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Plumbbob" target="_blank">Plumbbob</a> series of atomic tests, which detonated over two-dozen devices at the NTS. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Plumbbob" target="_blank">Plumbbob-Hood</a> explosion on July 5 scattered <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fallout" target="_blank">fallout</a> across Groom and forced a temporary evacuation.</p><p> </p><p> <strong>Blackbird programs</strong></p><p></p><p> Main articles: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_A-12" target="_blank">Lockheed A-12</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR-71_Blackbird" target="_blank">SR-71 Blackbird</a></p><p> Even before U-2 development was complete, Lockheed began work on its successor as part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA" target="_blank">CIA</a>'s <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_A-12" target="_blank">OXCART</a></em> project, involving the A-12—a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mach_number" target="_blank">Mach</a>-3 high altitude <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconnaissance" target="_blank">reconnaissance</a> aircraft—a later variant of which became the famed USAF <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR-71_Blackbird" target="_blank">SR-71 Blackbird</a>. The Blackbird's flight characteristics and maintenance requirements forced a massive expansion of facilities and runways at Groom Lake. By the time the first A-12 prototype flew at Groom in 1962, the main runway had been lengthened to 8,500 ft (2,600 m), and the base boasted a complement of over 1,000 personnel. It had fueling tanks, a control tower, and a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball" target="_blank">baseball</a> diamond. Security was greatly enhanced, the small civilian mine in the Groom basin was closed, and the area surrounding the valley was made an exclusive military preserve. Groom saw the first flight of most major Blackbird variants: A-12, the abortive <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_YF-12" target="_blank">YF-12</a> interceptor variant, and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_D-21" target="_blank">D-21</a> Blackbird-based <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle" target="_blank">drone</a> project. The A-12 would remain at Groom Lake until 1968. (The SR-71 first flew at Palmdale, California.)</p><p> </p><p> <strong>Have Blue/F-117 program</strong></p><p></p><p> Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Have_Blue" target="_blank">Lockheed Have Blue</a></p><p> The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Have_Blue" target="_blank">Lockheed Have Blue</a> prototype stealth fighter (a smaller proof-of-concept model of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-117_Nighthawk" target="_blank">F-117 Nighthawk</a>) first flew at Groom in December 1977.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-rich_haveblue-18" target="_blank">[19]</a> Testing of a series of ultra-secret prototypes continued there until mid-1981, when testing transitioned to the initial production of F-117 stealth fighters. In addition to flight-testing, Groom performed radar profiling, F-117 weapons testing, and was the location for training of the first group of frontline USAF F-117 pilots. Subsequently, the still highly classified active-service F-117 operations moved to the nearby <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonopah_Test_Range_Airport" target="_blank">Tonopah Test Range Airport</a>, and finally to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holloman_Air_Force_Base" target="_blank">Holloman Air Force Base</a>.</p><p> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg/180px-Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></a></p><p> Area 51 border and warning sign stating that "photography is prohibited" and that "use of deadly force is authorized" under the terms of the 1950 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarran_Internal_Security_Act" target="_blank">McCarran Internal Security Act</a>. A government vehicle is parked on the hilltop; from there, security agents observe the approach to Groom Lake.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <strong>Later operations</strong></p><p></p><p> Since the F-117 became operational in 1983, operations at Groom Lake have continued.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-fas_a51_overview-19" target="_blank">[20]</a> The base and its associated runway system have been expanded<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-space_com_expand-20" target="_blank">[21]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-fas_a51_overview-19" target="_blank">[20]</a> In 1995, the federal government expanded the exclusionary area around the base to include nearby mountains that had hitherto afforded the only decent overlook of the base, prohibiting access to 3,972 acres of land formerly administered by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureau_of_Land_Management" target="_blank">Bureau of Land Management</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-fas_a51_overview-19" target="_blank">[20]</a></p><p> Commuter service is provided along Groom Lake Road by a bus, catering to a small number of employees living in several small communities beyond the NTS boundary (although it is not clear whether these workers are employed at Groom or at other facilities in the NTS). The bus travels Groom Lake Road and stops at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Springs,_Nevada" target="_blank">Crystal Springs</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Springs,_Nevada" target="_blank">Ash Springs</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alamo,_Nevada" target="_blank">Alamo</a>, and parks at the Alamo courthouse overnight.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px">Here <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px">& here <a href="http://www.area51zone.com/base.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.area51zone.com/base.shtml</a></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Computer1st, post: 5395408, member: 220601"] [B]Area 51[/B] Jump to: [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#column-one"]navigation[/URL], [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#searchInput"]search[/URL]This article is about the U.S. Air Force installation in Nevada. For other uses, see [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51_%28disambiguation%29"]Area 51 (disambiguation)[/URL].[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Protection_policy#semi"][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Padlock-silver-medium.svg/20px-Padlock-silver-medium.svg.png[/IMG][/URL] Area 51 [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wfm_area_51_landsat_geocover_2000.jpg"][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Wfm_area_51_landsat_geocover_2000.jpg/200px-Wfm_area_51_landsat_geocover_2000.jpg[/IMG][/URL] This [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_image"]satellite image[/URL] of Area 51 shows dry Groom Lake just north of the site. [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Air_Transport_Association_airport_code"]IATA[/URL]: [I]none[/I] – [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Civil_Aviation_Organization_airport_code"]ICAO[/URL]: KXTA Summary Airport type Military Operator United States Air Force Location Southern [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada"]Nevada[/URL], [IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png[/IMG] [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States"]United States[/URL] Elevation [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Above_mean_sea_level"]AMSL[/URL] 4462 [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_%28length%29"]ft[/URL] / 1360 [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metre"]m[/URL] [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_coordinate_system"]Coordinates[/URL] [IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Erioll_world.svg/18px-Erioll_world.svg.png[/IMG][URL="http://stable.toolserver.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Area_51¶ms=37_14_06_N_115_48_40_W_type:airport"]37°14′06″N 115°48′40″W / 37.235°N 115.81111°W / 37.235; -115.81111[/URL] [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runway"]Runways[/URL] [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runway#Orientation_and_dimensions"]Direction[/URL] Length Surface [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_%28length%29"]ft[/URL] [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metre"]m[/URL] 14L/32R 12,000 3,658 Asphalt 12/30 5,420 1,652 Asphalt 09L/27R 11,440 3,489 Salt 09R/27L 11,440 3,489 Salt 03L/21R 10,030 3,057 Salt 03R/21L 10,030 3,057 Salt 14R/32L 23,270 7,093 Closed [B]Area 51[/B] is a [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickname"]nickname[/URL] for a [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_base"]military base[/URL] that is located in the southern portion of [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada"]Nevada[/URL] in the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_United_States"]western United States[/URL] (83 miles north-northwest of downtown [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas,_Nevada"]Las Vegas[/URL]). Situated at its center, on the southern shore of [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groom_Lake"]Groom Lake[/URL], is a large secretive military airfield. The base's primary purpose is to support development and testing of experimental aircraft and weapons systems.[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-0"][1][/URL][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-rich_groom_1977-1"][2][/URL] The base lies within the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force"]United States Air Force[/URL]'s vast [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_Test_and_Training_Range"]Nevada Test and Training Range[/URL]. Although the facilities at the range are managed by the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99th_Air_Base_Wing"]99th Air Base Wing[/URL] at [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nellis_Air_Force_Base"]Nellis Air Force Base[/URL], the Groom facility appears to be run as an adjunct of the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) at [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwards_Air_Force_Base"]Edwards Air Force Base[/URL] in the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojave_Desert"]Mojave Desert[/URL], around 186 miles (300 km) southwest of Groom, and as such the base is known as Air Force Flight Test Center (Detachment 3).[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-cambell_afftc-2"][3][/URL][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-merlin_afftc-3"][4][/URL] Other names used for the facility include [I]Dreamland[/I], [I]Paradise Ranch[/I],[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-4"][5][/URL][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-jacobsen-5"][6][/URL] [I]Home Base[/I], [I]Watertown Strip[/I], [I]Groom Lake[/I],[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-patton_names-6"][7][/URL] and most recently [I]Homey Airport[/I].[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-7"][8][/URL] The area is part of the Nellis [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Operations_Area"]Military Operations Area[/URL], and the restricted airspace around the field is referred to as (R-4808N[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-8"][9][/URL]), known by the military pilots in the area as "[B]The Box[/B]." The intense secrecy surrounding the base, the very existence of which the U.S. government barely acknowledges, has made it the frequent subject of [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory"]conspiracy theories[/URL] and a central component to [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unidentified_flying_object"]unidentified flying object[/URL] (UFO) folklore.[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-jacobsen-5"][6][/URL] [B]Contents[/B] [[URL="http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:toggleToc%28%29"]hide[/URL]] [LIST] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Geography"]1 Geography[/URL] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Operations_at_Groom_Lake"]2 Operations at Groom Lake[/URL] [LIST] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Red_Eagles"]2.1 Red Eagles[/URL] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#U-2_program"]2.2 U-2 program[/URL] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Blackbird_programs"]2.3 Blackbird programs[/URL] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Have_Blue.2FF-117_program"]2.4 Have Blue/F-117 program[/URL] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Later_operations"]2.5 Later operations[/URL] [/LIST] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Runways"]3 Runways[/URL] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#U.S._government.27s_positions_on_Area_51"]4 U.S. government's positions on Area 51[/URL] [LIST] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Environmental_lawsuit"]4.1 Environmental lawsuit[/URL] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#1974_Skylab_photography"]4.2 1974 Skylab photography[/URL] [/LIST] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#UFO_and_other_conspiracy_theories_concerning_Area_51"]5 UFO and other conspiracy theories concerning Area 51[/URL] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#Portrayal_in_media_and_popular_culture"]6 Portrayal in media and popular culture[/URL] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#See_also"]7 See also[/URL] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#References"]8 References[/URL] [*][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#External_links"]9 External links[/URL] [/LIST] [B]Geography[/B] [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wfm_area51_map_en.png"][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Wfm_area51_map_en.png/180px-Wfm_area51_map_en.png[/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wfm_area51_map_en.png"][IMG]http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png[/IMG][/URL] Map showing Area 51, NAFR, and the NTS Area 51 shares a border with the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_Flat"]Yucca Flat[/URL] region of the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_Test_Site"]Nevada Test Site[/URL] (NTS), the location of 739 of the 928 nuclear tests conducted by the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Energy"]United States Department of Energy[/URL] at NTS.[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-9"][10][/URL] The [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_Mountain_nuclear_waste_repository"]Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository[/URL] is approximately 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Groom Lake. The same "Area [I]xx[/I]" naming scheme is used for other parts of the Nevada Test Site.[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-ndepmap-10"][11][/URL][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-11"][12][/URL] The original 6-by-10 mile rectangular base is now part of the so-called "Groom box", a 23-by-25.3 mile rectangular area of restricted airspace. The area is connected to the internal NTS road network, with paved roads leading south to [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury,_Nevada"]Mercury[/URL] and west to Yucca Flat. Leading northeast from the lake, the wide and well-maintained Groom Lake Road runs through a pass in the Jumbled Hills. The road formerly led to mines in the Groom basin, but has been improved since their closure. Its winding course runs past a security checkpoint, but the restricted area around the base extends further east. After leaving the restricted area, Groom Lake Road descends eastward to the floor of the Tikaboo Valley, passing the dirt-road entrances to several small ranches, before converging with [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_State_Route_375"]State Route 375[/URL], the "[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraterrestrial_Highway"]Extraterrestrial Highway[/URL]", south of [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel,_Nevada"]Rachel[/URL]. [B]Operations at Groom Lake[/B] Groom Lake is not a conventional airbase, as frontline units are not normally deployed there. It instead appears to be used during the development, testing, and training phases for new aircraft. Once these aircraft have been approved by the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force"]United States Air Force[/URL] or other agencies such as the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA"]CIA[/URL], operation of that aircraft is generally conducted from a normal air force base. Soviet spy satellites obtained photographs of the Groom Lake area during the height of the Cold War, and later civilian satellites produced detailed images of the base and its surroundings. These images support only modest conclusions about the base, depicting a nondescript base, long airstrip, hangars and the lake. [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg"][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg/180px-Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg"][IMG]http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png[/IMG][/URL] Satellite view of Area 51 from 1968. [B]Red Eagles[/B] Groom was home to elements of [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gail_Peck"]Gail Peck[/URL]'s 4477th Test & Evaluation Squadron, the "Red Eagles", who flew a number of [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union"]Soviet[/URL]-designed aircraft (obtained from defecting [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Bloc"]Eastern Bloc[/URL] pilots) which were secretly analyzed and used for training purposes, flying against US and NATO pilots as part of the annual [I][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constant_Peg#Constant_Peg"]Constant Peg[/URL][/I] exercise.[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-redeagles-12"][13][/URL][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-sweetman_stealth-13"][14][/URL] With the end of the cold war, the USAF and its civilian contractor Tac-Air have augmented this secret fleet with a number of aircraft bought openly from [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine"]Ukraine[/URL][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-avweek_migs-14"][15][/URL] and [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moldova"]Moldova[/URL],[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-defenselink_mig29s-15"][16][/URL] and operated from [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright-Patterson_Air_Force_Base"]Wright-Patterson Air Force Base[/URL].[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-defenselink_mig29s-15"][16][/URL] [B]U-2 program[/B] Main article: [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_U-2"]Lockheed U-2[/URL] Groom Lake was used for bombing and artillery practice during [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II"]World War II[/URL], but was then abandoned until April 1955, when it was selected by [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Corporation"]Lockheed[/URL]'s [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk_Works"]Skunk Works[/URL] team as the ideal location to test the forthcoming [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_U-2"]U-2[/URL] spy plane.[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-shadow-16"][17][/URL][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-17"][18][/URL] The lakebed made an ideal strip from which they could operate the troublesome test aircraft, and the Emigrant Valley's mountain ranges and the NTS perimeter protected the test site from prying eyes and outside interference. Lockheed constructed a makeshift base at the location, then known as Site II or "The Ranch", consisting of little more than a few shelters, workshops and trailer homes in which to house its small team. In only three months a 5000-foot runway was constructed[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-shadow-16"][17][/URL] and was servicable by July 1955. The Ranch received its first U-2 delivery on July 24, 1955 from Burbank on a [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-124_Globemaster_II"]C-124 Globemaster II[/URL] cargo plane, accompanied by Lockheed technicians on a [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_DC-3"]Douglas DC-3[/URL].[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-shadow-16"][17][/URL] The first U-2 lifted off from Groom on August 4, 1955. A U-2 fleet under the control of the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA"]CIA[/URL] began overflights of [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union"]Soviet[/URL] territory by mid-1956. During this period, the NTS continued to perform a series of atmospheric nuclear explosions. U-2 operations throughout 1957 were frequently disrupted by the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Plumbbob"]Plumbbob[/URL] series of atomic tests, which detonated over two-dozen devices at the NTS. The [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Plumbbob"]Plumbbob-Hood[/URL] explosion on July 5 scattered [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fallout"]fallout[/URL] across Groom and forced a temporary evacuation. [B]Blackbird programs[/B] Main articles: [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_A-12"]Lockheed A-12[/URL] and [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR-71_Blackbird"]SR-71 Blackbird[/URL] Even before U-2 development was complete, Lockheed began work on its successor as part of the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA"]CIA[/URL]'s [I][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_A-12"]OXCART[/URL][/I] project, involving the A-12—a [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mach_number"]Mach[/URL]-3 high altitude [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconnaissance"]reconnaissance[/URL] aircraft—a later variant of which became the famed USAF [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR-71_Blackbird"]SR-71 Blackbird[/URL]. The Blackbird's flight characteristics and maintenance requirements forced a massive expansion of facilities and runways at Groom Lake. By the time the first A-12 prototype flew at Groom in 1962, the main runway had been lengthened to 8,500 ft (2,600 m), and the base boasted a complement of over 1,000 personnel. It had fueling tanks, a control tower, and a [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball"]baseball[/URL] diamond. Security was greatly enhanced, the small civilian mine in the Groom basin was closed, and the area surrounding the valley was made an exclusive military preserve. Groom saw the first flight of most major Blackbird variants: A-12, the abortive [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_YF-12"]YF-12[/URL] interceptor variant, and the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_D-21"]D-21[/URL] Blackbird-based [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle"]drone[/URL] project. The A-12 would remain at Groom Lake until 1968. (The SR-71 first flew at Palmdale, California.) [B]Have Blue/F-117 program[/B] Main article: [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Have_Blue"]Lockheed Have Blue[/URL] The [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Have_Blue"]Lockheed Have Blue[/URL] prototype stealth fighter (a smaller proof-of-concept model of the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-117_Nighthawk"]F-117 Nighthawk[/URL]) first flew at Groom in December 1977.[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-rich_haveblue-18"][19][/URL] Testing of a series of ultra-secret prototypes continued there until mid-1981, when testing transitioned to the initial production of F-117 stealth fighters. In addition to flight-testing, Groom performed radar profiling, F-117 weapons testing, and was the location for training of the first group of frontline USAF F-117 pilots. Subsequently, the still highly classified active-service F-117 operations moved to the nearby [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonopah_Test_Range_Airport"]Tonopah Test Range Airport[/URL], and finally to [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holloman_Air_Force_Base"]Holloman Air Force Base[/URL]. [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg"][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg/180px-Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg"][IMG]http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png[/IMG][/URL] Area 51 border and warning sign stating that "photography is prohibited" and that "use of deadly force is authorized" under the terms of the 1950 [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarran_Internal_Security_Act"]McCarran Internal Security Act[/URL]. A government vehicle is parked on the hilltop; from there, security agents observe the approach to Groom Lake. [B]Later operations[/B] Since the F-117 became operational in 1983, operations at Groom Lake have continued.[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-fas_a51_overview-19"][20][/URL] The base and its associated runway system have been expanded[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-space_com_expand-20"][21][/URL][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-fas_a51_overview-19"][20][/URL] In 1995, the federal government expanded the exclusionary area around the base to include nearby mountains that had hitherto afforded the only decent overlook of the base, prohibiting access to 3,972 acres of land formerly administered by the [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureau_of_Land_Management"]Bureau of Land Management[/URL].[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#cite_note-fas_a51_overview-19"][20][/URL] Commuter service is provided along Groom Lake Road by a bus, catering to a small number of employees living in several small communities beyond the NTS boundary (although it is not clear whether these workers are employed at Groom or at other facilities in the NTS). The bus travels Groom Lake Road and stops at [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Springs,_Nevada"]Crystal Springs[/URL], [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Springs,_Nevada"]Ash Springs[/URL], and [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alamo,_Nevada"]Alamo[/URL], and parks at the Alamo courthouse overnight. [SIZE=5] Here [URL]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51[/URL] & here [URL]http://www.area51zone.com/base.shtml[/URL][/SIZE] [/QUOTE]
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