YF-23 First Flight (8/27/90)

Today, 18 years ago, at 7:15AM, the YF-23 flew for the first time. Hard to believe it's been that long and after all this time, it's still the most incredible airplane ever built.

Here's a few clips I put together. Last photo is Paul Metz congratulating members of the team.

Absolutely amazing aircraft... I wonder whether the US would've been better off choosing the '23 over the problem-filled '22...

It looks fast even when it's standing still... It's one of those greats that should have been...

Starred and Flagged. Well posted

I fell in love with this aircraft the moment that i first saw it, i agree that the airforce would of been better going for this over the raptor.

It was a historic day that the first flight of the Black Widow II took place, the culmintation of years of design and work that went into producing one of the most amazing air frames ever imagined.

You are right to think over the ones that could of been and in my eyes the Black Widow is right up there with Valkyrie as one of the few could of beens that actually should of been.

Worth a mention. A truly great aircraft.

Wow....that is sick. It really is amazing that someone born on the day that plane took off could now vote. It really makes you think what they have going on right now, that we will see in 20 years or so.

Can't believe that it's been 20 years today that this plane flew for the first time. If this plane would have been rolled out today, it would still look cutting edge and more advanced than anything in today's inventory. It's a shame it wasn't chosen. Thankfully both PAV-1 and PAV-2 are fully restored with one in the museum and other other at Northrop's facilities.

Originally posted by Havoc40k
Absolutely amazing aircraft... I wonder whether the US would've been better off choosing the '23 over the problem-filled '22...

It looks fast even when it's standing still... It's one of those greats that should have been...

Starred and Flagged. Well posted

Its doubtful whether the YF-23 development program would have been any less problem-filled - Northrop were afterall the company behind the hugely behind schedule, hugely over budget B-2 Spirit stealth bomber...

Infact, that is one of the main reasons they lost the competition, government oversight did not want to send another project Northrops way just to see it bogged down, so Lockheed got a stab at it - and here we are.

I will admit, it certainly looks the part doesn't it!

Now 20 years past, the BW2 is still Si-Fi alike to me but also more premature than F-22.
Now this is PAKFA's world, pay attention to the inlet of PAKFA, you will aware, F-22 would face a powerful rival on aerodynemics.

yea this YF-23 seems to have the same 'folded' inlet edge concept that the PAK-FA photos show. A tip the Russians picked up from the YF-23?

reply to post by RichardPrice


This is true (Northrop was having horrible troubles with B-2 development, production, etc) - however, there's a bit of a catch. Albeit - we're arguing over 'alternate history' - a world where anything we want to happen, happens (and, therefor, murphy's laws and other laws of physics don't apply that would end up influencing real-world scenarios that we don't dream up).

However - it is worth noting that the stealth design concepts of the ATF and B-2 are remarkably similar. Northrop was the only company with experience in producing airframes of those specifications, and it is speculated that their competition bid would have been far more accurate to development and production quotes than Lockheed's turned out to be.

It should also be noted that, at the time of the competition, Lockheed was swamped with contracts for fighters, while Northrop was bone-dry with F-5s being phased out of necessity due to changes in foreign market authorizations under the Reagan administration. That's not to say they would not have run over-budget; I don't believe there has been a single government-sponsored contract for the development of an aircraft that has not had to be renegotiated since the P-51.

However, we may have only been looking at a 20% cost inflation as opposed to an 80% (or whatever it turned out to be). And it may have been in serviceable numbers within a decade of contract approval, as opposed to two decades.

Not that it matters - half the weapons that were supposed to be developed and delivered specifically for the ATF program still haven't gotten out of purgatory. We wouldn't have been able to arm the F-23 with anything but Aim-9 Mikes until about last year.

I'm being overly facetious - but it seems anything 'new' is on back-order until it's already being phased out.

Bump this thread for a well deserved mention. What could have been. Luckily they're not scraped and in museums.

It was a complete diversion

reply to post by spartacus699


If you actually have something to say, you should just say it and let the discussion be had. Thats how this place works best.

Posting one-line bait designed to get people begging you for more just looks a bit sad.

This isn't a request for more, btw, as there is enough uninformed BS on ATS without asking for more. Ciao.

reply to post by Spyhawk


Still the coolest plane I have ever seen .

reply to post by Spyhawk


"The YF-23 was stealthier and faster, but less agile than the competition" wiki

If this was the case, how could this plane not be chosen? I mean, the F22 is stated as being able to shoot down an enemy before the enemy knows they're there, so why does it need to be so agile? You would think you would want a plane that's more stealthier and faster and not care about agility.

reply to post by OptimusCrime


Because one lesson learned in Vietnam is no matter how big your technological advantage in the air is, sooner or later it WILL come down to a knife fight.