Message posted by RickB on October 05, 2010 at 21:32:27 PST:
I read something recently on an internet post about the YF-23 prototypes, and the timeline for the exact location of these two aircraft after "losing" the ATF fly-off competition to the YF-22. It is well known that the two YF-23 aircraft have been moved around to static display at several locations since retirement: Northrop Grumman (at least 2 locations), the Western Museum of Flight, Edwards AFB (and NASA Dryden), and the Air Force Museum at WPAFB. Lesser known is there was a 3rd YF-23. This "3rd" FY-23 was a mock-up used for RCS testing that at one time was located in the New Mexico desert near Holloman and White Sands. The main question(s) of that internet post was twofold: Speculation and questions: 1) There appears to be some off/on and on/off "gaps" as to the whereabouts of both YF-23's over a lengthy period of time (since retirement). Question: is there an accountability for the exact location and time of both aircraft? There are good photos of a YF-23 on static display at an AFB airshow which shows damage and repair to the cockpit base, and what also seems to be repairs to a lengthy section of the underneath fusalage where a RCS pole may have been mounted?? Which YF-23 aircraft/airframe is this? Last question: How often were either of the YF-23's actually (white world) flown after the fly-off with the F-22? Rick
1) Have the exact locations and whereabouts of both YF-23's always been known and accounted for (i.e. "white world") and 2) Was there any additional flight testing of the YF-23 after the prototype retirement (i.e. "black world")?
2) Was the YF-23 at Tonopah sometime during the early 2000's? A rumour says it was...
3) Did one of the YF-23's undergo additional flight testing at TTR and/or Groom Lake (i.e. for Northrop's new advanced technology bomber)?
4) Was the YF-23 radar mock-up airframe (the "3rd" YF-23) swapped with either of the two original YF-23's and masked for static display to allow one of the original flying prototypes to "disappear" at the time of flight testing back to the black world?
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