FighterControl

just been reading up on the Northrop YF-23 cancelled program...

quite an interesting craft

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/thread ... f-23.2730/
https://aircraft.fandom.com/wiki/Northr ... hrop_YF-23

Looks like the thing China 'designed'

A very interesting aircraft and I'm fortunate to have seen one at Edwards AFB at the airshow in '96, i think it was, and also at the USAF Museum in Dayton last year on my trips out to the USA. To me the better looking one of the two types.

We covered that in World Air Power Journal way back in early 1991. I think Robert F Dorr even had an interview with one of the test pilots whom I think later went to work for.... Lockheed Martin (memory not as sharp these days)

There' used to be one of the test aircraft in a museum near LA. Due to brain fade, I can't recall exactly but think it was Hawthorn?

Vulture 01 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 11, 2024 4:29 pm

There' used to be one of the test aircraft in a museum near LA. Due to brain fade, I can't recall exactly but think it was Hawthorn?

Yep Hawthorn and USAF Museum in Dayton

Vulcanone wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 11, 2024 3:27 pm

We covered that in World Air Power Journal way back in early 1991. I think Robert F Dorr even had an interview with one of the test pilots whom I think later went to work for.... Lockheed Martin (memory not as sharp these days)

Paul Metz and Jim Sandberg were the test pilots

Metz went on to fly the YF-22 so flew in both

memememe wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 11, 2024 5:00 pm

Vulcanone wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 11, 2024 3:27 pm

We covered that in World Air Power Journal way back in early 1991. I think Robert F Dorr even had an interview with one of the test pilots whom I think later went to work for.... Lockheed Martin (memory not as sharp these days)

Paul Metz and Jim Sandberg were the test pilots

Metz went on to fly the YF-22 so flew in both

Cheers memememe

memememe wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 11, 2024 4:59 pm

Vulture 01 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 11, 2024 4:29 pm

There' used to be one of the test aircraft in a museum near LA. Due to brain fade, I can't recall exactly but think it was Hawthorn?

Yep Hawthorn and USAF Museum in Dayton

The Western Museum of Flight is now located at Torrance Zamperini Field. YF-23 PAV-2, was taken back by Northrop in the mid 2000’s for use as a demonstrator and later on returned to the museum. Who actually owns the a/c, the museum, Northrop or the USAF?

The YF-23 wasn't a "cancelled programme" it was the competitor to the YF-22 and lost out in a fly off to the YF-22 which went onto become the in production F-22.

I hope you feel better now

cat1 wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 16, 2024 7:34 am

I hope you feel better now

Probably as good as when the X-35 won the competition over the X-32

in 1999 we were on a (non photographic) ramp tour at Edwards AFB
YF-23A 87-0800 had been retired & assigned to the AFFTC Museum & was stored on ramp
while we were look at it YF-22A 91-4002 was towed past to make an interesting comparison

Precinct7 wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 21, 2024 5:12 pm

in 1999 we were on a (non photographic) ramp tour at Edwards AFB

Ooh the agony of it! Now that is torture, that would do my head in