Government Sold The Top Secret Artifact To An Aircraft Parts Dealer

An aircraft parts dealer is offering an authentic canopy for the A-12 Avenger II on eBay, and it's perfectly legal for him to do so.

Artist's Concept U.S. Navy Image

The A-12 was designed to be a stealthy replacement for the Navy's A-6, but the flying wing concept airplane never flew. Parts, however, were manufactured, which has led to the current online offering.

Seth Kettleman, who makes a living buying and selling airplane parts on the web to collectors and restorers, bought the canopy for just over $2,300 from GovDeals.com, which sells surplus and confiscated items on the Internet. According to the online magazine Gizmodo, the canopy has been verified as authentic, and a check of the listing on eBay shows that Kettleman is asking $620,238 ... plus $400 shipping ... for the canopy.

The listing calls the canopy 'the ultimate item for the serious aircraft collector and enthusiast." It includes some body panels and mounting hardware just in case you might be considering buying it to put on your kitplane.

FMI: eBay Listing