B-2 STEALTH BOMBER TO DROP IN ON PARADE IN AIR FORCE SHOW.

Byline: Charles F. Bostwick Daily News Staff Writer

The world's most expensive warplane will buzz the world's most famous parade.

After a 4-hour flight from its Missouri base, a B-2 stealth bomber will roar at more than 230 mph 1,000 feet above the Colorado Boulevard crowd Wednesday to start the 108th Tournament of Roses parade.

``I think you can be safe in saying this is the first time it has ever led off a parade,'' said Air Force Capt. Bruce Sprecher.

The bomber will be part of a general Air Force presence in Pasadena - weather permitting - commemorating the service's 50th anniversary. The Air Force split off from the U.S. Army in September 1947 to become an independent branch of the military.

Leading the marchers will be a 124-member marching band made up of airmen from the Point Hueneme Air National Guard, reservists from Robbins Air Force Base in George and Travis Air Force Base near Sacramento.

Secretary of the Air Force Sheila Widnall will be watching from the VIP stands, and four Fresno Air National Guard F-16 fighters will fly over the Rose Bowl at the conclusion of the National Anthem.

The stealth bomber will make its 8:05 a.m. parade appearance as part of its crew's regular training, officials said.

``No flyovers are generated just for the sake of a flyover,'' said Sprecher, spokesman for Whiteman Air Force Base, where the bomber is stationed. ``There's a certain amount of cross-country flying and refueling training that has to be done, so they worked in a mission that works for everybody. They're doing a simulated bombing run on the way back.''

The bomber, named ``Spirit of Hawaii,'' and a sister ship, named ``Spirit of Alaska,'' are scheduled to take off Wednesday, refuel in midair from an Air Force tanker on the outbound trip, then split up over Southern California.

The Spirit of Hawaii will circle west of Van Nuys for about 20 minutes waiting for the parade to start while the Spirit of Alaska veers north to circle around Edwards Air Force Base.

If all goes according to plan, the Spirit of Hawaii will come down Colorado Boulevard just when the Air Force band leading the parade turns the corner from Orange Grove Boulevard.

The bombers are scheduled to return to Whiteman at 12:30 p.m. California time.

The base spokesman said the long flight is not a hardship for the crew.

``The airplane is designed for this long range,'' Sprecher said. ``We've had a simulator test where the folks are in the plane for 34 hours. To do 8-1/2 hours is not a problem. It really is a very common training time.''

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Photo: A B-2 stealth bomber will fly from Missouri on a training mission.