American attack aircraft Lockheed F-117® Nighthawk COBI 5903 - Armed Forces 1:48

Did you know:

• This incredible machine was gradually developed starting in 1972. Preparatory construction work took place in several American companies like GE, Northrop, McDonnell, and Boeing, until everything was finally brought together under the leadership of perhaps the most famous design team, "Skunk Works".
• Becoming a member of Skunk Works was no easy feat. Every candidate had to demonstrate deep knowledge in mechanics, modern materials technology, avionics, and aerodynamics. Even if such a super engineer was found, it often happened that they failed the stress test or the Quick & Dirty test. Those who succeeded were the best of the best.
• The sharp, angular shapes of the Nighthawk are not accidental. The angles and size of each surface were carefully calculated to achieve the lowest possible radar reflectivity. Curved surfaces are completely absent because computing technology in 1972 didn’t have the capacity to model them.
• Ironically, Stealth technology is based on the research of Soviet scientist Pyotr Ufimtsev, who compiled his findings in a book titled "Diffraction of Radio Waves"—a book that eventually made its way to the engineers at Skunk Works.
• The first flight took place on December 1, 1977, then still under the designation Have Blue. This was followed by further development and the construction of 4 prototypes.
• The maiden flight of the production model was completed in 1982.
• Production costs were extreme, so the designers decided to use several existing components. The engine came from the F/A-18, the flight controls and avionics from the F-16, the landing gear from the A-10, the brakes from the F-15, and the air conditioning system from the Hercules C-130.
• The USAF originally planned to produce 100 units, but due to the high acquisition cost, only 64 were ultimately built.
• The F-117s were assigned to the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Tonopah Test Range Airport—a facility specially built for the Nighthawks and invisible to Soviet satellites.
• The first combat deployment occurred during the invasion of Panama in 1989.
• In total, the F-117s flew over 2,000 combat missions, with only one aircraft lost—shot down by Yugoslav air defenses on March 27, 1999.
• The shootdown was helped by an unbelievable coincidence: commander Zoltán Dani managed to briefly lock onto the Nighthawk as it opened its bomb bay. The target was reportedly detected by a Czech passive radar system called Tamara.
• Since 2006, F-117s have been gradually retired to military reserves, where they will be kept flight-ready until 2034. Ten aircraft will be handed over to museums.

Technical specifications:

• Dimensions: wingspan 13.2 m, length 20.08 m, height 3.78 m
• Empty weight 13,380 kg
• Maximum takeoff weight 23,814 kg
• Powerplant: 2x General Electric F404-F1D2 jet engines, each with 48 kN thrust
• Maximum speed 993 km/h
• Service ceiling 13,716 m
• Fuel tank capacity 10,732 l
• Range 1,720 km
• Climb rate 60 m/s
• Main armament: BLU-109 bombs, GBU-10 Paveway II, GBU-27, or nuclear B61
• Crew: 1

Serbian MiG-29 pilot Velimir Drago (1999):

“One April night, an F-117 flew over us. For a brief moment, we saw its diamond shape. It looked like a black slab covered in diamonds. We were in absolute shock. Our instruments registered nothing. We felt immense frustration and humiliation.”