[tanknetter]

Look at the videos from Iran. Crashed birds don’t survive so intact.

Not true. Including unmanned aircraft



From the pictures that have been revealed it looks like the RQ-170 bellied in. So there'd be damage to the undersides (like there was on the unmanned F-106 above), which is why the Iranians have the bottom of the vehicle obscured.

Additionally, it looks like both the RQ-170's wings snapped off and were put back together somehow - with the Iranians trying to mask the breakage points with duct tape.

[Cvengr]

I agree regarding the 1970 Cornfield Bomber episode.

I don’t doubt an autopilot sequence might level the craft out.

If it had lost part or both wings, it wouldn’t have looked so pretty.

I seriously doubt it automatically landed itself in enemy territory without also a self-destruct device being automatically detonated.

[Cvengr]

I agree regarding the 1970 Cornfield Bomber episode.

I don’t doubt an autopilot sequence might level the craft out.

If it had lost part or both wings, it wouldn’t have looked so pretty.

I seriously doubt it automatically landed itself in enemy territory without also a self-destruct device being automatically detonated,...unless deliberately overridden by the Obama chain of command.