Aerial Photos and Panorama of Area 51, April 5, 2020

The aerial photos below were taken on Sunday, April 5, 2020 from a private aircraft flying at 11,500ft in legal airspace, right along the border of the restricted area R-4808A. Publication on Dreamland Resort with friendly permission by the pilot and photographer.

This amazing panorama shows Area 51 and Groom Lake from an angle similar to old White Sides photos. It shows areas of the base that are hidden from view in photos taken from Tikaboo Peak. The most notable change over previous images is a massive new hangar under construction just east of the old F-117 hangars 20-23. More detail on that below. Click in the panorama to enlarge. Click here for a super-sized version.

Two close-up photos of the new construction from different angles. It appears to be a scoot-and-hide type of hangar designed to keep aircraft taxiing out of hangars 20-23 and being readied for flight out of view from satellites (and curious observers from Tikaboo). The southern (left) part of the steel skeleton for the hangar appears to still be under construction. The Hangar will cover the entire N-S length of the four hangars and extend beyond that in the north. The estimated dimensions are 500ft (N-S) x 160ft (E-W). When completed it will easily be the largest single structure at Area 51 with a 1.9-acre footprint.
This addition seems to indicate a new highly sensitive project moving into the existing hangars 20-23. The hangars are not wide enough for the B-21, so it stands to reason that another project, including either multiple fighters and/or UAVs, is about to move into that area of the base. The "loyal wingman" project of the USAF would be a possible candidate.

Overview of Area 51 and Emigrant Valley with the Groom mountain range in the foreground. The radar and surveillance site on snow covered Bald Mountain is clearly visible.

This amazing aerial photo was taken on Nov. 24, 2019. The unique angle shows Area 51 from the south-east, looking down the runway as it is seen from approaching pilots. The old runway 14/32 on the left with its overrun across the lakebed is no longer used. In the photo the normally dry lakebed still holds quite a bit of water from heavy rains four days earlier. Note that in this photo the construction of the hangar above has not yet begun.

Area 51 seen from the east. The Papoose mountain range with another radio site on top is behind the base.

Area 51 seen from the south-west, looking towards Rachel (hidden behind the north end of the Groom Range)

Lower angle view of the base from the south-east. The large hangar built in 2007 and the hangar at the far south end of the base are visible. In the background on the left is Slater Lake.

Aerial Photos and Panorama of Area 51, April 5, 2020

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