Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>YF-23>HA2850

General Background

In the 1980s, the USAF sought a replacement for its F-15 fighter to address emerging threats like the Soviet Union's Su-27 and MiG-29, leading to design proposals from several companies. Northrop and McDonnell Douglas developed the YF-23, while Lockheed, Boeing, and General Dynamics created the YF-22. Although the YF-23 was faster and stealthier, it lacked the agility of the YF-22. After four years of evaluation, the YF-22 was chosen in 1991, resulting in the F-22 Raptor, which first flew in 1997 and entered service in 2005. Plans for a naval version as an F-14 replacement were later canceled due to costs. After flight testing, the YF-23 prototypes were put into storage and considered for further research projects that never materialized. Today, the two YF-23 prototypes can be seen at the National Museum of the United States Air Force and the Western Museum of Flight.

Specifications :

Crew:	1
Length:	67 ft 5 in (20.55 m)
Wingspan:	43 ft 7 in (13.28 m)
Height:	13 ft 11 in (4.24 m)
Wing area:	950 sq ft (88 m2)
Weight
Empty:	29,000 lb (13,154 kg) contractor weight (without engines)
Maximum Take-Off:	64,000 lb (29,030 kg) takeoff, 51,320 lb (23,280 kg) combat weight
Powerplant :	2 × Pratt & Whitney YF119-PW-100N or General Electric YF120-GE-100N afterburning turbofans, 23,500 lbf (105 kN) thrust each (YF120) dry, 30,000 or 35,000 lbf (130 or 160 kN) with afterburner
Performance
Maximum speed:	Mach 2.2, 1,452 mph (1,262 kn; 2,337 km/h) at high altitude
Supercruise:	Mach 1.72, 1,135 mph (986 kn; 1,827 km/h) at altitude
Range:	2,424 nmi (2,789 mi, 4,489 km)
Combat range:	700–800 nmi (810–920 mi, 1,300–1,500 km)
Service ceiling:	65,000 ft (19,800 m)
G limits:	+7.1 g (highest tested)
Wing loading:	67.4 lb/sq ft (329 kg/m2) (54 lb/sq ft at combat weight)
Thrust/weight:	1.09 (1.36 at combat weight)
Armament	4 × AIM-120 AMRAAM or AIM-7 Sparrow medium-range air-to-air missiles
	1 × 20 mm (0.79 in) M61 Vulcan cannon
	2 × AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles