AirSkyBuster : Aircraft and Airplane

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YF-23 Black Widow II (Wallpaper 4)
YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft photo wallpaper gallery 4. YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft pictures and images collection 4.
Both YF-23s were furnished in the configuration specified before the requirement for thrust reversing was dropped. The weapons bay was configured for weapons launch but no missiles were fired, unlike Lockheed's demonstration aircraft. The YF-23s flew 50 times for a total of 65.2 hours. The first YF-23 with P&W engines supercruised at Mach 1.43 on 18 September 1990 and the second YF-23 with GE engines reached Mach 1.6 on 29 November 1990. For comparison, the YF-22 achieved Mach 1.58 in supercruise. The flight testing demonstrated Northrop's predicted performance values for the YF-23. The YF-22 won the competition in April 1991. The YF-23 design was more stealthy and faster, but the YF-22 was more agile. It has been speculated in the aviation press that the YF-22 was also seen as more adaptable to the Navy's Navalized Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF), though as it turned out the US Navy abandoned NATF a few months later. After losing the competition, both YF-23s were transferred to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, at Edwards AFB, California without the engines. YF-23 Black Widow II (Wallpaper 4). YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft photo wallpaper gallery 4. YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft pictures and images collection 4. NASA planned to use one of the aircraft to study strain gauge loads calibration techniques, but this did not occur. The YF-23 was stealthier than the F-22 Raptor. The two ruddervators reduce the Radar Cross Signature of the YF-23 significantly. This is beacuse instead of having four extremly large control surfaces on the tail, there are only two. The F-22 Raptor design utilizes the traditional configuration of two rudders, which are canted outward, and two elevators. This make the RCS larger. Another RCS reducing feature is the engines. These are mounted in nacelles in the wing that blend gracefully into the wing on the top, and form an extension of the fueslage on the bottom. The larger bottom fuselage lets it pack more missiles and other expendable weapons. The intake duct is angled up and inward to reflect radar beams and keep them from hitting the fast moving compressor face. The intake duct starts on the lower edge of the wing and moves through it onto the top of the wing. This feature can also reduce the RCS signature from a look down-shoot down radar from an aircraft flying overhead. Also reducing the RCS, is the way the leading and trailing edge of all surfaces are angled. All of the leading and trailing edges are angled the same. Therefore, the front of the right wing is parallel to the left wing's trailing edge, and the left section of the nose. For example, the leding edge of the wing is parallel to the trailing edge of the wing on the other side. YF-23 Black Widow II (Wallpaper 4). YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft photo wallpaper gallery 4. YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft pictures and images collection 4.

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YF-23 Black Widow II (Wallpaper 3)
YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft photo wallpaper gallery 3. YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft pictures and images collection 3.
The YF-22 and YF-23 were different in many ways. The YF-23 was designed for speed and maneuverability. The YF-22, however, was designed more for maneuverability. Both aircraft, were designed for a type of flight called supercruise. Supercruise is when an aircraft is designed to be flown at Mach 1 or above in cruise, that is without afterburners. For this reason, both aircraft had to be more aerodynamic. The YF-23 was slightly more aerodynamic as it's cruising speed was Mach 1.25, Mach 0.08 faster than the YF-22 (roughly). Both of their speeds varied however. That is because the two prototypes were produced and tested. Each one was fitted with a different engine configuration. One prototype would be fitted with the Pratt & Whitney F119 powerplant and the other with the General Electric F120 powerplant. Both powerplants were roughly equal but the F120 was better suited to supercruise. YF-23 Black Widow II (Wallpaper 3). YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft photo wallpaper gallery 3. YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft pictures and images collection 3. Lockheed chose a somewhat conservative hybrid planform airframe layout for the YF-22, reminiscent of the F-15 and F/A-18, with closely spaced engines, long inlet tunnels, outward canted vertical tails and rudimentary strakes over the inlet boxes to promote vortex lift over the outboard wing sections. Northrop chose a far more radical airframe layout, driven by the objectives of stealthiness and supercruise. The extensively blended fuselage has rudimentary chines which smoothly blend into the wing leading edge, the blending allowing good area ruling and low supersonic drag. The low wing aspect ratio is used to optimise supercruise performance. The exhausts of the two aircraft differed radically. Lockheed chose a layout aimed at maximising lower speed manoeuvrability via the use of thrust vectoring, even though this was not a mandatory USAF requirement. Two dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles provide vectoring to enhance response in pitch. Northrop on the other hand rated stealth and drag so important they employed a serrated planform beavertail with B-2-like submerged ventral exhaust troughs. This approach reduced both depressed tail aspect infrared emissions and tail aspect radar cross-section, but precludes any vectoring. YF-23 Black Widow II (Wallpaper 3). YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft photo wallpaper gallery 3. YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft pictures and images collection 3.

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YF-23 Black Widow II (Wallpaper 2)
YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft photo wallpaper gallery 2. YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft pictures and images collection 2.
Two YF-23 prototypes were designed and built by the contractor team of Northrop and McDonnell Douglas as part of the demonstration and evaluation phase of the US Air Force's Advanced Tactical Fighter selection program, which concluded in 1990. According to the Air Force, factors in the selection for production of the F-22 were a better designed for maintainability, greater potential for future development, and slightly lower cost. A popular view is that the decision reflected a preference for maneuverability over stealth, and it is universally held that the YF-23 was by far the better looking aircraft. During the ATF program, one YF-23 was powered by twin Pratt and Whitney YF119 turbofan engines, while two General Electric YF120 turbofan engines were installed in the other prototype. YF-23 Black Widow II (Wallpaper 2). YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft photo wallpaper gallery 2. YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft pictures and images collection 2. Featuring a diamond-shaped planform, two large, sharply-canted ruddervators, and a serrated aft profile, the high performance aircraft was larger than the F-15 it was designed to replace. The YF-23 employed stealth characteristics and was capable of supersonic cruise flight without afterburner. In the late 1970’s, concern arose among military planners about the aging design (first flight in 1972) of the F-15 and the possible loss of future air superiority of the fighter. Soviet fighters such as the MiG 29 and Su-27 had demonstrated remarkable maneuverability and performance. In addition, fighter technology had taken enormous strides forward with the introduction of stealth, or low observable, technology. There was also growing concern over the increased effectiveness of the Soviet air defense system that posed a highly lethal environment for the F-15. Therefore, the Air Force initiated an Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) Program to develop a replacement for the F-15. YF-23 Black Widow II (Wallpaper 2). YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft photo wallpaper gallery 2. YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft pictures and images collection 2.

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YF-23 Black Widow II (Wallpaper 1)
YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft photo wallpaper gallery 1. YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft pictures and images collection 1.
The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 was a prototype fighter aircraft designed for the United States Air Force. The YF-23 was a finalist in the U.S. Air Force's Advanced Tactical Fighter competition. Two YF-23s were built and were nicknamed "Black Widow II" and "Gray Ghost". The YF-23 lost the contest to the Lockheed YF-22, which entered production as the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. The YF-22 and YF-23 were competing in the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, conceived in the early 1980s, to provide a replacement for the F-15 Eagle. Contracts for the two most promising designs were awarded in 1986. The YF-23 was designed to meet USAF requirements for survivability, supersonic cruise (supercruise), stealth, and ease of maintenance. Designed with all-aspect stealth as a high priority, Northrop drew on the company's experience with the B-2 Spirit and F/A-18 Hornet. The YF-23 was an unconventional-looking aircraft with trapezoidal wings, substantial area-ruling, and a V-tail. YF-23 Black Widow II (Wallpaper 1). YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft photo wallpaper gallery 1. YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft pictures and images collection 1. Similar to the B-2, the exhaust from the YF-23's engines flows through troughs lined with heat ablating tiles, which shields the exhaust from infrared (IR) missile detection from below. The vehicle management system coordinates movements of the control surfaces for maneuvers and for stable flight, along with other aircraft functions. The wing flaps and ailerons deflect inversely on either side to provide roll. Pitch was provided by movement of both V-tails, and yaw was supplied by opposite movement. Deflecting the wing flaps down and ailerons up on both sides simultaneously provided for aerodynamic braking. Although possessing an advanced design, in order to reduce costs and development, a number of F-15 Eagle components were utilized including the standard F-15 nose wheel unit and the forward cockpit of the F-15E Strike Eagle. Two aircraft were built. YF-23 #1 (PAV-1) was fitted with Pratt & Whitney YF119 engines, while YF-23 #2 (PAV-2) was fitted with General Electric YF120 engines. The YF-23 featured fixed nozzles. The first YF-23 was rolled out on 22 June 1990, and first flew on 27 August 1990. YF-23 #2 first flew on 26 October 1990. The black YF-23 (PAV-1) was nicknamed "Black Widow II", after the Northrop P-61 Black Widow of World War II and had a red hourglass marking resembling the underbelly marking of the black widow spider. The black widow marking was briefly seen under PAV-1 before being removed at the insistence of Northrop management. The gray colored YF-23 (PAV-2) was nicknamed "Gray Ghost". YF-23 Black Widow II (Wallpaper 1). YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft photo wallpaper gallery 1. YF-23 Black Widow II fighter aircraft pictures and images collection 1.