dead pan wrote,
It the rebels hadn't found the wreckage, I wonder how long it would have been before the coalition admitted that they'd lost an aircraft, even after the crew had been recovered?
Why, are you into conspiracy theories? Once the crew is rescued that is it and the info is released to the media. The Yugoslavs and Russians tried to push that propaganda tactic during Allied Force in 1999.
In fact some Serb military are still doing it to this day. The Serb Commander, Lt. Col. Djordje Anicic, of the 250th Missile Brigade still thinks that he shot down B-2 Spirit of Missouri, serial 88-0329, and that it crashed and was covered up by NATO.
He still makes this claim even though that B-2 airframe is covered by START treaty and accountable under verification procedures. That would mean that the Russians have been sitting on the information since 1999.
Lt. Col. Djordje Anicic in interview.