Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk: The Futuristic Ghost Plane

The F-117 Nighthawk was a super-secret Lockheed project that stayed secret throughout the course of its secrecy so that the US could secretly execute air missions in secret.
Simon's Social Media:
Twitter: / simonwhistler
Instagram: / simonwhistler
Simon's Other Channels:
TodayIFoundOut: / todayifoundout
TopTenz: / toptenznet
Biographics: / @biographics
Visual Politik: / @visualpolitiken
Highlight History: / @highlighthistory
Geographics: / @geographicstravel
Business Blaze: / @brainblaze6526

[@stevestolarczyk8972]

Fun fact: in the book “Skunk Works” by Ben Rich, he describes selling what would become the F-117 to the Pentagon by rolling a ball bearing across the desk to one Air Force general after another and saying “here’s your new fighter plane.” The point was that it’s radar cross section was equivalent to that ball bearing.

[@MattH-wg7ou]

Apparently 0.003m^2 or -30dBsm! SUPER low RCS!

[@RyanFranny-xb4uq]

If I remember the book right they were able to detect an 1/8th inch ball bearing in front of the test radar model. Point being if the plane rcs was higher they shouldn't have been able to detect the ball at all. Crazy

[@spaceman081447]

I have to admit that if I had seen the F-117 flying around before its existence was publicized, I would have been certain that it was an alien spaceship.

[@TheScaledOne]

Especially considering the times (MIB, area 51 hysteria)

[@jedi_minion_bartender1434]

didn't one of these attempt to nuke an alien spacecraft over Houston on July 3rd, 1996?

[@PassiveSmoking]

@@jedi_minion_bartender1434 No, that was a B-2

[@jedi_minion_bartender1434]

@@PassiveSmoking ah, good to know. At least I got to fly one on the NES

[@PassiveSmoking]

@@jedi_minion_bartender1434 Ah, I thought you were referring to Independence Day. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6e0pWBqjt6Yq7c

[@milk-it]

That's your next channel: "The History Of Every War Ever"

[@headsetlucky13]

Ox carts of war threw the ages

[@Redbird1504]

Id watch that

[@syrak936]

Oh yes

[@irotschopf7135]

Oversimplified? ;)

[@YouTubeviolatesmy1stamendment]

Yes

[@bowlerballer6852]

Really makes you wonder what crazy shit they've built now that we won't find out about for another 30 years

[@xyzaero9656]

Well, we just found out about the existence of the very first 6th generation fighter which the US recently flew for the first time. There must be amazing shit flying around but hidden from the public, you are absolutely right.

[@Dav2Kink]

aliens conspiracy will be disappointed

[@Jaqen-HGhar]

I mean what do you think people are seeing when they see UFOs? You don't think someone who saw this (especially out in the middle of nowhere) 20 years before the public knew about it would've said it was anything other than a UFO? I mean even if other pilots had seen this in the late 70's and early 80's who didn't have top secret clearance they would've thought it was something out of this world since there was no way it could fly. Which is why just cause some UFO sightings or videos feature pilots doesnt mean jack since they don't have security clearance to know what skunk works is up to.

[@marked4death076]

@@Jaqen-HGhar i realized few years ago out here in the arizona desert the shit i been catching on my phone at night was most likely military, and alot less likely alien haha triangle crafts that seem to be able to dissapear or look transparent in a second, no noise, and one of them which i still think may of been alien pull like a zig zag move where it literally just took a step to the side and sped off faster then anything i seen

[@benkeating3053]

Drones. Lots and lots of drones.

[@Rosie.Kawaii]

Computers, they don't get tired. My computer dying anytime it plays a game at minimum graphics: "KILL ME PLEASE"

[@JJs_playground]

Enemy radar technician: why is that bird traveling at 2000km/h?

[@darko_lengkeek-jakupovic]

most modern jets can go up to that speed and even higher

[@handsomechocolatebar276]

@@darko_lengkeek-jakupovic thats not what hes saying

[@shoshoncaligula5512]

You let that comment go over you didn't you?

[@nogoodname8133]

@@darko_lengkeek-jakupovic /r whoosh

[@HourRomanticist]

@@darko_lengkeek-jakupovic the point is that the plane comes up on radar with a similar signature size to a bird.

[@MsTokyoBlue]

One of my favorite details about this plane is that its distinctive look came from said flat panels, which were necessary because computer modeling software was not yet powerful enough to do the radar return calculations on a traditional curved design, so instead they calculated each panel separately then assembled them together. That's how far ahead of its time this plane was.

[@marvi6603]

My favourite details of this garbage plane stay on Serbian air museum.. 😅😅😅 Beat down from Serbian army! 🇷🇸🇷🇸💪🏻💪🏻1999 Never forget!

[@jameson1239]

@@marvi6603 no one gives a shit seriously you shot down ONE PLANE

[@georgethompson1460]

@@marvi6603 Did it stop the bombs?

[@ESAPOWER]

Great Job Serbia lol You shot down one plane, which you couldn't reconstruct, and you failed to even capture the pilot. Did anyone mention that this was during a DAYTIME operation for the NIGHT HAWK? lol!!!...

[@AA-xo9uw]

@@ESAPOWER "Did anyone mention that this was during a DAYTIME operation for the NIGHT HAWK?"(sic) Incorrect.

[@Chalky.]

If I had chance to own any plane just as a display piece, this would be my third choice behind the SR-71 and F-14.

[@Dylan_Sterling]

TOMCATS!

[@AtheistOrphan]

@@Dylan_Sterling - Great plane. Pride of the Iranian Air Force 🇮🇷

[@f117nighthawk8]

Thats not ok. I should in first : [

[@AtheistOrphan]

@@f117nighthawk8 - Sorry I don’t understand what you mean. Can you elaborate?

[@monckey44]

the SR-71 is still the most beautiful thing humans have created

[@applejacks971]

Whenever I'd be trucking through Alamogordo I'd park at the Walmart and watch the 117A's do touch and go's all afternoon. It was like getting a private air show, what a treat! Those were the days. Also got to watch the shuttle land at Edwards one day while parked along hwy 58 beside the base, good times!! Sad they were retired, awesome planes!!

[@dulio12385]

Trivia: Executive Decision is the only movie where Steven Seagal actually dies. Killed by exploding F-117.

[@weirdshibainu]

True. And he was only in the movie for a minute. Always thought it was an odd cameo.

[@Mike-DuBose]

I saw the movie in the theatre, when Steven Seagal (Lt. Colonel Austin Travis) died everybody cheered. It was the best part of the movie!

[@archstanton6102]

Machete? Pretty sure he dies in that

[@dragonsword7370]

@@archstanton6102 true. I think it Exec. Decis. is special in the context that it's during his big career days. Not during the days where it's almost a joke to have him on your movie. If he'd actually step in front of a camera as much as he makes his stunt stand ins for just standing dialog scenes, he'd get more actors respect.

[@lukecollins7965]

Haha that blew minds when that movie game out.

[@jeffagain7516]

I've had the incredible good fortune to have been provided a detailed tour of this bird and was even allowed to sit in the cockpit (static of course). What totally amazed me was the plethora of standard (i.e analog) instrumentation, considering the futuristic designs of every other facet of the ac (mind, this was many years ago). Now, I'm all for the idea of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and I'm also keenly aware that digital presentation of instrument readings are in some cases, actually slower that analog (again, at that time) but it did really surprise me. I suspect current Nighthawk's panels are fully 'glass' at this time but I did find this a surprise. Incredible ac regardless and I feel privileged to have a friend who was a pilot of it provide me such an opportunity.

[@magnemoe1]

Remember playing an computer game about this plane back in the 1980's, the fun part is that the low polygon model in the game ended up being much more accurate than the loading image who looked more like an F-15 :)

[@freeculture]

MicroProse, before knowing the actual shape made the game and called it F-19 (but looked a bit like the SR-71). After Panama (i think) when the plane was revealed, they made a new version of this game and called it F-117A. Both games were nearly identical, except in their previous iteration the plane could shoot other planes, and the targets were changed from Iran to Iraq. The game was called Stealth Fighter which is very ironic, exactly as the military intended (the misleading F designation). Its pretty much a little Stealth Bomber. Yeah you could use sidewinder in the bays but that was wasteful as the missions were either taking pics or bombing then flee.

[@magnemoe1]

@@freeculture Yes, remember it had an gun and carry anti air missiles, it could also launch from an carrier. Targets I remember was Libya, Iran and northern part of Soviet union.

[@westside1912]

Loved that game, played it all the time as a kid.

[@brettiup]

Simon, you didn't cover the time Steven Seagal and Kurt Russell used an F-117 to save Halle Berry from terrorists

[@BStrambo]

Yeah, the 2nd F-117 combat loss!

[@djuanbenjamin9149]

Damn he died fast in that one 😂

[@russc788]

@@djuanbenjamin9149 Thank goodness.

[@OslikusPrime]

With entire squad on board.

[@MeanLaQueefa]

That was the Lamprey F117 I think it was only prototype

[@rrg991981]

When they were testing them at Area 51 the Russians saw heat negatives of them from infrared cameras on their satellites and they sent us a sketch of the outline of them. After that the staff at Area 51 would drag plywood cutouts of weird and wild shapes on to the aprons and before their satellites would fly over they would drag them back into the hangers leaving weird and wild heat negatives to mess with them.

[@robslade2571]

That is good thinking.

[@rogerhinman5427]

But...why would the Soviets send us those sketches proving that they were spying on Area 51 so we could take countermeasures to foil them? That just makes no sense. I'd like to see some more proof of that if you could supply it.

[@winstonsmith478]

@@rogerhinman5427 In a documentary about the plane, someone involved with the program said that the Soviets did something I cannot believe we didn't foresee, but apparently we didn't. The F-117 shape was put up on a slender tower shaped to avoid radar returns with the ability to move the aircraft into different orientations with respect to the radar illuminating it from a distance to test the reflected radar signal's return strength. The shaded area under the F-117 shape remained cooler than the unshaded desert areas around it and even though the aircraft was hidden before passes by Soviet spy satellites, the heat difference could be seen with reconnaissance satellite IR sensors. How he said we found out about this I do not recall. About this kind of testing: Skunk Works' Helendale Radar Signature Test Range Is Where Stealth Dreams Become Reality Some of the biggest leaps in modern combat aircraft design have been made with the help of these facilities, many of which remain classified. NOVEMBER 9, 2017 www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/15746/lockheeds-helendale-radar-signature-test-range-looks-right-out-of-science-fiction

[@rrg991981]

Roger Hinman it was in the book “Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base” by Annie Jacobsen. Great read

[@rogerhinman5427]

@@rrg991981 Thanks. I just researched her and her book a little. I guess I'm going to buy it.

[@Docstantinople]

You forgot to mention the famous incident where the F-117 did a mid-air transfer of a group of navy seals on to an hi-jacked 747 through a hatch underneath the 747’s belly. Tragically Lt. Colonel Austin Travis was killed during the transfer, the F-117 pilot was able to make a safe landing however the SEAL team onboard the 747 was successfully able to retake control of the aircraft and perform a safe landing.

[@rgerber]

wow

[@jackmeeuwsen150]

Hahahaha

[@Brian-bp5pe]

I've heard Steven Seagal was a dead-ringer for the Lieutenant Colonel.

[@ScottRothsroth0616]

Lol. Wasn’t this from a movie?

[@SGliderGuy]

That would seem difficult with a single seat aircraft

[@RellyOhBoy]

The F-117: "The Fighter that's NOT really a Fighter"

[@rednave4489]

Yeah its a bomber

[@ztoob8898]

Yep, never was a fighter, but a bomber. But hotshot military pilots don't want to fly bombers, so you stick an "F" in front to make it more attractive to them. The same was true of that cruel joke called the F-111, later to be given the hybrid name of FB-111, even though it was never qualified to be a fighter. Too heavy and unmaneuverable.

[@RellyOhBoy]

@@ztoob8898 In this case an "F" is better than a "B"

[@allenhess4642]

The main reason it was classified as fighter was so that it would be part of TAC instead of SAC.

[@mattkrieger3428]

@@allenhess4642 it was really to just keep fooling, well everyone, it was that top secret. If you like, read Skunk Works

[@thedarkone6661]

I found Simons channels a while ago, I have been hooked ever since. Seriously Simon you and your channels have helped me learn so much. Much love from Townsville Australia

[@byte2600]

Yeah the man could narrate paint drying and I would probably listen. I love the spontaneous jokes too. His humor is funny, I can kind of tell that he isn't so fond of America... Not that I as an American agree with everything America does... but I love his channels.

[@licencetoswill]

@@byte2600 newsflash: it's not just Simon

[@muhammadsubhi472]

Same here.

[@gregw1907]

@@byte2600 LMFAO

[@marinecor23]

@@licencetoswill there's always one of you prissy little shits. Isn't there?

[@matthewbratz7868]

Love the episode. I worked on the F117A from 1996 to 1999 when I was in the 7th fighter squadron. Most of the info was correct. The reports I heard personally from pilots was the aircraft flew great due to the fly by wire system. In fact without the fly by wire it would never get off the ground. There are a lot more small corrections I could make but if I told you I would have to kill out lol. Great episode it was good to see the old plane again. One of the pictures you showed was of a plane I worked on. Thanks!

[@ConfusedGeriatric]

Man that’s really cool. Must’ve been amazing to work on these otherworldly machines!

[@user-hz1oy6ni6kpaparovits]

Old soviet missile was laughing about this bomber

[@pdxaviation]

Screamin’ Demons! 💪🏽

[@dustinyancey2194]

​@@user-hz1oy6ni6kpaparovitsum new models and upgrades happen to equipment all the time... if it is still being used secretly in service, chances are they have either upgraded them or made newer models. On top of that... that's one.. Losses are to be expected with every aircraft, tank, or whatever... No matter who built it and when.

[@danieldutra3013]

❤😢 queennotice...​@@dustinyancey2194

[@hendersongalbreath1072]

You are the DaVinci of KZbin, Simon. Fighter aircraft, battleships, individual biographies, theoretical objects, the intricate programs of dictators; you do it all. Massive thanks and respect for all the time and effort. A+ content.

[@realwiggles]

he just reads scripts my dude, he's not writing everything. I mean, I still like the guy and he's very good at reading scripts (which sounds like I'm being sarcastic but I'm really not, idk how many videos I've been unable to finish because I couldn't handle the narration) . he's more like Da Vinci's publicist or something lmao.

[@hendersongalbreath1072]

@@realwiggles LOL! Love it!

[@santinoalvarado963]

I was born in southern New Mexico in the early 90s, and I once saw a few F-117s flying overhead one day. They are terrifying to behold, but somehow enchanting as well. That, I think, is where my love for military aviation began.

[@richmelchr]

Oh we finally got some new music, I like it.

[@balkanmadnessmadeinaustria5837]

"F-114 Nighthawk": Invisible Some Serbian guy with old soviet rocket system in 1999: I didnt know that

[@peterson7082]

A 1960's missile modernized in the 80's against an aircraft that lacked any form of countermeasures save for being stealth and flying the same flight path two other aircraft did that same day. The Serbians were and are capable militarily- but don't ignore key details for the sake of a good story.

[@stefansavic4799]

@@peterson7082 Let's not ignore any given comparative ratio between the two sides, and let's not ignore the success rate of it's combat deployment history before the mentioned case. Furthermore, let's not ignore several previous empires which had gotten fatally scratched in the conflicts with Serbs, and had been since declining until their respective falls. All of them were technologically superior, and all of them were confidant in their respective analyses. I understand that you're talking about the plane, and that I'm talking about the controversial Serbian warrior history, but the plane was initially made for war, and is flying away to history. Not to repeat that our warrior history goes much beyond any vision of any aircraft, though we had been flying just a few years after the Right brothers, and had a small air fleet entering the WWI. Don't worry, we'll not be invading or bombing you, our power lays below your radar. We'll just contribute in managing the tides of power to induce a tsunami within your ranks. Nothing personal, just ко се не освети, тај се не посвети! Sorry, untranslatable.

[@dragoslavravic2689]

Actually, it was a Hungarian guy, member of Yugoslav Army.

[@AC3pog]

@@stefansavic4799 vidim ovi amerikanci volie srati malo ali samo sam htjeo da kazem normalno nasa retardirana mala drzava je mogla to uciniti, jebes ove amerikance koje ne znaju da je jugoslavia nilo jedna od najjaca drzava na svijetu tada samo nas je ubio nacionalizam Pozdrav iz Mostara

[@beyondrecall9446]

@@peterson7082they had to turn on the radar for 20 seconds max before detection, see the type (by radar cross section), altitude, height and direction, turn it off, then do the quick maths on paper before firing.. so 3 days after the downing of that one, they reported a probable hit of another F-117A (Which the pentagon denied until recently), yeah.. and the second one three days later was also a coincedence ..

[@Chace957]

My uncle (RIP) worked on this at Lockheed. Growing up for years he told everyone that he worked on the SR-71. Then, when it was ‘revealed’ in the attack on Panama, he then revealed that he’d been working on it for years and sent me a bunch of swag about it (a tie and tie-pin, a toy, etc...).

[@PistolPete2141]

Your uncle worked in the SkunkWorks? That's awesome!

[@stevebauer289]

Mine too. Growing up in Burbank below the flight path we'd be awaken each Saturday night at midnight by a solitary C-5 Galaxy in the early 80s ... he didn't reveal until after Panama exactly what was being secretly shipped out. BRAVO ZULU Lockheed ADP

[@isotaan]

An interesting bit of history about the F-117: Most people have heard that the F-117 was not an actual fighter- that the "F" for "fighter" designation was a lie, either to deceive the Soviets or to attract fighter pilots who would otherwise be turned off by an "attack" aircraft.That is actually an urban legend and not true. The F-117 is a fighter, capable of shooting down other aircraft. One of the missions that the F-117 was supposed to do on the first night of WWIII was to shoot down Soviet AWACs and tanker aircraft. The plane is capable of carrying the Sidewinder missile and it's forward-looking infrared system would be used to locate and track large aircraft at night. The F-117 was not a dogfighter like the F-16, or an air superiority aircraft like the F-15. It didn't carry massive 2000lb anti-bomber LRMs like the F-14. The F-117 was a night fighter and bomber, able to attack large support aircraft and then escape undetected. Thankfully, we did not have to witness the F-117's air-to-air capability as the Cold War never went hot. The F-117 found its niche as an invisible bomber that could strike high-value targets Source: Fighter Pilot Podcast - Episode 072 - F-117 Nighthawk

[@dmacpwns966]

Read "Skunk Works" by Ben Rich if you want to know how they did it!

[@f3xpmartian]

Side note about Ben Rich's book. Ben explains why President Carter cancelled the B-1 project. Then Reagan bringing it back (B-1).

[@mdharper]

Definitely a great book

[@jonnyfinch1339]

Such a fantastic book. Both ben rich and kelly Johnson were unbelievable engineers

[@barryomahony4983]

Loved that book

[@adamfrbs9259]

I have an original hardcover still in plastic I bought this summer and read. Got Kelly's book in audio form after a Amazon seller tried to rip me off on a hard cover of his. Incredible stuff.

[@IAmTheAce5]

"If it looks good, it flies good" *enter Nighthawk* Hey, who brought the pizza box?

[@TheAtomicSpoon]

I'd recognize that Crimson Skies logo anywhere.

[@mattkrieger3428]

F4 didnt fly that good

[@cte4dota]

It was insanely complex to shot it down with old Soviet missile guy who shot it down have incredible story how he done it, later he and Pilot become friends :) Greetings from Serbia!

[@stevedietrich8936]

"Where do you buy your clothes?" "Why, Senior Trend of course. Everybody over 50 goes there!"

[@grahamcracker_Photography]

I remember watching one of these fly in the 90's at an airshow. Security was insane, but was still so cool to see. I also have the old ERTL diecast that was based off the grainy photo, and it's so funny how far off the dimensions are on the toy.

[@f3xpmartian]

Good coverage on an aircraft that is so well documented over the years. Look back at those years working on it as highlight of my USAF career.

[@SeanNyte]

This has always been one of my favorite aircraft in the US Military Arsenal... I was actually lucky to have seen one when I was younger... It was still so classified that it only did a fly-by for an Airshow here in Jacksonville FL... I think it literally made one pass back and forth across the airstrip and was gone just as quickly as it had appeared... I don't even think that it's appearance was listed on the event schedule...

[@nightshadehelis9821]

I've worked on A10 warthogs and have seen almost every jet while in the air force, and the F117 will always be my favorite.

[@oxcart4172]

Apparently, When they were testing models of it on the radar range at Area 51 (and after Lockheed had replaced the the supporting pole with a more stealthy one!) They went through various frequencies having not seen anything and all of a sudden they got a return-it turned out to be a bird perching on the model!

[@makeracistsafraidagain]

Many years ago, while visiting my brother in the California desert, he pointed out a black triangle winking out stars in the night sky. He smiled and said "that doesn't exist yet". It went public a year later.

[@emersedmilkk4163]

KZbin mfs love to lie

[@samuelyoung2671]

Thats such crap😂

[@AkimasaJP]

tonight on shit that didn’t happen

[@karlmarxwasright6006]

make racist cry again

[@chrisoberg6888]

“Might not have heard of this plane” *grew up where the thing was built and saw it flying almost every day* hehehe

[@mangot589]

They didn’t exist, remember? lol.

[@CONSOLETRUTH2]

Same here, well, in Vegas anyway

[@gustonzimasheen]

Never heard (or saw) it coming

[@mangot589]

@katie rae well, I was in Palmdale, CA. I don’t know where they were built. But I’m assuming somewhere close by. I SAW them.

[@chrisoberg6888]

@katie rae Palmdale, CA

[@domonji_bouldering]

US: "We have a plane that is invisible to radars." . . . Serbia: "Hold my rakija."

[@nenadrajic9740]

@rsiffredi It literally wasn't anything like that lmao

[@rommul1389]

@rsiffredi the surrender was not unconditional lol

[@crack8160]

@rsiffredi do you realize tiny shitty country, shot down pride of US AF ? and you still talk shit, just keep your mouth shut.

[@gooner72]

Nobody has ever called it "invisible to radar"....... ever!! Stealth technology has never been touted as "invisible to radar" either, no aircraft is totally invisible. Stealth technology is "reduced visibility" with a much smaller RCS than any other aircraft and infrared tracking..... end of. As an example, the pretty sizeable B-2 Spirit has the RCS of a large bird with much reduced infrared signature and reduced visibility in the sky by the human eye.

[@gooner72]

That shoot down was a combination of many many factors if you research into it properly...... it was the proverbial "lucky day" for the switched on radar operator on duty. Had the weather been better, had there been more aircraft in the skies as there was supposed to be, had the F-117 been on a different flight plan instead of on the well known and published ones available to the Serbs, had it not been that particular very clever operator who was playing around with his equipment as there was absolutely nothing else to do...... it was down to this combination of factors that the Nighthawk got hit.

[@Twelveinchpianist]

I saw an F117 when I was a kid at an airshow in Maine. They had it fenced off with armored guards. We got to walk up a stair set that overlooked the rear of the plane. My brother and I debated whether it was even real. Until we were leaving...and it took off. When of the coolest moments of my life, hands down. Still one of my favorite aircrafts ever.

[@daffyduck1937]

My favorite aircraft of all time!" Man I miss my Air Force days! They honestly thought during the Gulf War that a percentage of our Jets weren't gonna make it back.... They forgot we trained for damn near 6 months before they released the hounds! We were so ready for action it wasn't funny!

[@mikejankowski6321]

I remember the pilot interviews: "All that AA you see on the film clips of Bagdad were blind firing after we had made our pass. Nowhere near us." The stealth technology worked.

[@NickVanRegenmorter]

Simon's next channel: history of every war ever😂

[@daleykopae688]

Nick VanRegenmorer at this point I’m surprised this hasn’t already happened

[@apache1234657]

something on pornhub about step siblings lol, today I found out about my step bro

[@esaedvik]

That's more the Sabaton History channel :D

[@mattkrea]

I love anything I can hear about this plane. I always heard about it growing up because my grandfather was one of the early pioneers in stealth/RCS research at Wright-Patterson and he loved taking me to the local air museum there.

[@epkesel]

Could you please do some of these: The American Navy's mass expansion during WW2- essentially turned war ship building into an assembly line process The creation of the Polio vaccine The building of the trenches in WW2 (probably a side project video, but since it's so vast, I figured it could fit)

[@codeybrooks2089]

I was an airforce kid and had the fortune of seeing two of these in person. They are my favorite cool looking planes even though I knew their limitations. Something always felt very futuristic about them. It is nice to know they have a ghost squadron of dark knights out there, doing their best thing. Hiding.

[@terrrell7798]

Damn, this plane was iconic during my childhood of the 90's. The nickname Stealth Fighter indeed.

[@dusanerdeljan4329]

S-125 NEVA

[@lukamilic]

What's iconic is how fast it dropped from the sky after being shot down in Serbia 😂

[@thomaswyrick4648]

My Dad was a F-117 test pilot. I grew up around this, but it's still cool hearing about it. Great show!

[@walkie1985]

Jeez I know some fast jet test pilots but an F-177 pilot is a unicorn. Crazy stuff!

[@considerthewildflowers5533]

My uncle built these! I was absolutely fascinated with it as a child!

[@Maj_Kasul]

“The history of ever war ever” !!!! Do this.

[@golfprocory]

It would be a Mega project to put together so I think it counts for this channel.

[@well_as_an_expert_id_say]

I'll take what he's having

[@banhatlessducks]

How wars start? Quick condensed conflicts from the first known to today? Better podcast idea than video I reckon.

[@joeyshofner4950]

The History of every war ever? Now that's a channel I'd watch.

[@boneyardrendezvous]

You didn't mention that it once carried the best paint scheme ever, "Toxic Death". Hands down the best.

[@alexweigelhikes]

I've been requesting this one relentlessly, and I'm pretty sure I was the only one. Thank you, Simon!

[@enderoftime2530]

I’m disappointed that you didn’t mention that in order to test the radar cross-section, the military ordered Skunkworks to remake the mounting pole used for testing aircraft models because the cross-section of the pole was larger than that of the model. A much better description of the project can be found in the book “Skunkworks” by Ben Rich and Leo Janos. Ben Rich was the director of Skunkworks during the development of the F-117.

[@bocadelcieloplaya3852]

Was the 117 these are the model of the plane was on the test stand, the engineer said the model must haves

[@bocadelcieloplaya3852]

Model must have fallen off, but then a bird landed on it and the engineer said, ok I see it now on the radar.

[@enderoftime2530]

BocaDelCielo Playa exactly. Lockheed proceeded to complain that the tests didn’t match their predictions and suggested the pole was the problem. The military, having none of it, said, “make us a better one then.”

[@xiro6]

also that it have all angled forms just because computer power limitations at that time,they know it could be achieved with curves but the programs couldnt handle curves,only poligons.

[@KlodFather]

@@xiro6 - And you can bet your ass the calculations include lower frequencies of VHF radars which is what was used to shoot down the F117. That plane was pretty good at UHF and microwave but VHF not so much. That is why you see the log periodic antennas there at the test site... they are for sweeping it with the lower frequencies to evaluate performance at VHF. You want to see something crazy? Look up Soviet VHF radar truck. The massive arrays they used to get a focus on planes, but very effective against these stealths. That truck is what they used as the guidance radar for the missiles.

[@batchestheeverskink293]

"The development of the Nighthawk fell into this category:" -Simon "Blacker than the blackest black, times infinity!" -Nathan Explosion

[@densealloy]

"There's something about this that's so black. Its like how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black. " Nigel Tufnel

[@padawanmage71]

I Remember the Testor’s F-19 plastic model kit when it came out and being so disappointed at how the real Stealth Fighter looked nothing like it 😁😁

[@icecubes_for_the_boiling_frogs]

I used to see and hear these birds all the time growing up. My childhood home was about 10 miles from Holloman Air Force Base. They were replaced by the F22 there. We even had a classic rock station named after them; 103DOT7, the stealth. It became 103.7, the raptor in 2008 and became an oldies station.

[@LBPhotoworks]

Love the Nighthawk! Yes the F-22 and other stealth planes that came after it are vastly superior to the F117, but none looks so SciFi and is inspiring imagination like the Nighthawk.

[@adithyansunil1153]

the SR-71 blackbird looked Sci-Fi and sinister looking

[@LBPhotoworks]

@@adithyansunil1153 Indeed. The A12 and SR71 look so alien when you keep in mind these were developed and put into service when people were driving cars with huge fins and excessive chrome bumpers and still flying on piston engined planes commercialy :D

[@user-te7rf8ik7z]

American SR-71: uses soviet titanium Soviet luna-missions: use american video tape American F-117: based on soviet paper USA & USSR: best friends till nuclear armageddon)

[@sibire8284]

*"FUCK YOU AND I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN TOMORROW!"*

[@djsonicc]

USA & Russia: til nukes do us apart

[@rexmann1984]

We should just gang up on China. It would be a good bonding moment for us.

[@frankalbe8996]

Sea Story (who knows? Some of them MIGHT be true): At the beginning of US's first Gulf War, No One trusted what the contractors said so we targeted EVERY important target with 3 separate systems. After 3 days of blowing up everything 3 times, the US switched to using only 1 way at a time, we found out that they ALL worked. Harpoon missiles were the cheapest alternative. F-117 remains so cool looking that they are a deterrent. I'd want adult diaper if I saw one fly over if I a Taliban.

[@AnonymousFreakYT]

The Lockheed Skunk Works really liked using Soviet ideas and material against them...

[@waltsears]

Thanks for this detailed look. This is a great story!

[@ArielAdventuresInc]

The nighthawk was always a design I've fascinated over since I was a kid. Awesome video! The Nighthawk is certainly a cool looking aircraft.

[@ianmoorhead4647]

I like that Simon kept calling them "ghosts." He didn't go into it, but during the gulf war in the early 90s, the Saudi military referred to the the F-117 as "Shaba" or "Ghost"

[@marvi6603]

Sorry. We didn't know it was be a invisible. Hahahah 🇷🇸🇷🇸💪🏻💪🏻 Serbian power 1999! Never forget.

[@lakak4056]

Allo Allo Nighthawk calling!

[@shaggy7327]

A GAP ad immediately after Simon's quip about Senior Trend...priceless

[@lilrubfrsocal6708]

Simon has the best method for choosing videos!! "It looks cool, we're doing it" lol 👍

[@kriss3401]

Hell yeah One of my favorite planes ever Just because of how unique it looks and the fact that I got a toy version when I was at the hospital

[@v1_rotate638]

There was footage shot earlier this year at Death Valley of 2 F-117s doing low level passes through the valley, the pictures and video are insane

[@Truex007]

It was 1995, South Bend, indiana. I was five years old. The South Bend airshow was happening, and my dad told me I NEEDED to go. This jet was why. It was the first time either of us had seen the jet in person, surrounded by m-16 armed guards standing at attention, protecting it's secrets. It flew that day, with a commercial no fly-zone, and empty control tower. Amazing looking jet, and I love every bit of it.

[@jasonbrown097]

I’ve been suggesting this as a vid for Simon. So glad he finally did it

[@sevasthvostanski5588]

''sorry we didn't know he was invisible'',popular graffiti in Belgrade I don't know why

[@srdjanzmaj1]

Because they crush one or two of ,, invisible" planes with 30 years old rocket.

[@Youllpayforthat]

someone worded it perfectly in the comment above with more likes,it was impressive but shouldnt shame the plane for what was basically cheating how it operates

[@sevasthvostanski5588]

@rsiffredi two years later popular graffiti and New York ,, why me ,, the twin tower is gone I don't know why

[@rommul1389]

@rsiffredi If they did not give a fuck why did they get here and bomb us then? What are you saying man

[@PlannedObsolescence]

@@sevasthvostanski5588 It wasn't supposed to be invisible.

[@MrYTGuy1]

A few decades ago my mom had some b2 bombers on her base and I was allowed to see them up close and personal. Pretty awesome stuff.

[@mekiyahhazbin1720]

Of course this video comes out right when I buy a model! You're great Simon

[@hydralance8837]

I love you to cover the B2 stealth bomber, love how alien it looks compared to other planes.

[@mikejankowski6321]

It doesn't look very alien compared to the XB-35 and YB-49. And speaking of aliens, when you see 1953's War of the Worlds, look carefully at the plane.

[@aceman67]

I saw one of these at an Airshow in 1993, they're insane. They had one do a flyby and even though it was flying sub-sonic, you did not hear it until it passed over you.

[@mattkrieger3428]

Dude. Same....but in a very different circumstance....hand to God; I saw one pass under the Oakland Bay Bridge early one morning while sailing towards the Fleet Week air show between SFand Alcatraz. I remember so clearly how stupidly quiet it was when it passed by. Hear a quiet 'ssssshhhhhh' coming at you, expect a big SSSXXXXXGGGHHHBBOOOMM that you feel....but no. It's just a subtle whisper to a more quiet 'ssssshhhhh'

[@AA-xo9uw]

Doppler effect

[@economicsinaction]

John Cena in this ghost plane would be the ultimate stealth combo

[@LDSG_A_Team]

Fun fact, both the F22 and F35 are even more stealthy than the F117a.

[@BongoBaggins]

Flying one of these across Europe during the Cold War earned me my only Congressional Medal of Honor on the Amiga

[@vcupiano]

As has the beard grown, so has the quality of this show. Bravo Simon.

[@MilNik47]

You forgot to mention that Serbs said: sorry we did not know that f-117 is invisible!

[@jrt818]

Hungarian shot it down.

[@daeladub]

Wasn't pilot error to blame for that?

[@jrt818]

@@daeladub No, Zoltan was an exceptional battery commander while Zelko, the pilot, proved to be resourceful in a avoiding capture. The story seems never to be completely told with more and more details coming out over the years.

[@RJM1011]

@@daeladub The Serbs had spies in Nato and the US was also using the same flight routes every night that's how it was shot down.

[@AgentSmith911]

There was a latch that had become stuck which greatly reduced the stealth capabilities and allowed Serbian radars to detect the plane

[@TG-cj5yq]

There are still 6 of these planes flying from two different bases. Four are used for testing and improving radars onboard the f15/f22 to detect stealth aircraft. The remaining two were used to test fully automated flight computers.

[@designertjp-utube]

Probably because the sleek Sr-71 already flew over & saw what paper you read on the toilet back in 1965. Wonder what 4 of the existing "lit & fueled" Sr-71 Jets are doing today. Ukraine only needs one to monitor their airspace.

[@cahg3871]

According to the Sandboxx channel ‘Airpower’,there are many that have been retrofitted for different uses.

[@railfan8895]

The F-117 was maintained at McLellan AFB for years before it was publicly unveiled. After it was unveiled, it was announced that an F-117 would do a midday flyby at McLellan AFB, as an acknowledgement of the work put forth by the workers there. As soon as I learned about that, I begged and pleaded with my Mom to take me to the AFB to see it. On the day of the flyby, she took the afternoon off work and let me skip school for the day. We found a spot in a nearby industrial park. And at 1:30 in the afternoon, an F-117 did three low level flybys. It was an amazing experience for a 14 year old boy to witness.

[@somethingsomethingsomethingdar]

Just remember, anything that’s no longer secret is so old it’s no longer your ace in the hole. F22 raptor? 30 years old. It was designed before cellphones were a thing. Think of how far our tech has come in 30 years.

[@Luka-cu8ep]

Sorry, we didn’t know it was invisible. 🇷🇸

[@AbdoZaInsert]

الله اكبر يا وحش

[@north-shoregcs3894]

Won the battle lost the war lmao

[@Luka-cu8ep]

@@north-shoregcs3894 imagine a tiny country lost a war against the largest and strongest military in history..

[@AbdoZaInsert]

@@north-shoregcs3894 Winning a battle like that is bigger than winning a war against a country with limited Armaments.

[@RaceSmokie]

I just came here to wrote the same ;)

[@owenlee3983]

Could you do a video on the V Bombers built for the RAF in the 1950s.

[@sebber7992]

Curious Droid has made a great video about them.

[@tylerchristensen1484]

When my family moved to Las Vegas in 2003, I remember the awe from seeing one of these in the air from Nellis AFB.

[@Sardukar2219]

what an absolute beauty of an aircraft keep it up, Simon, you legend!

[@Games_and_Music]

Nice! Another video subject i requested for a while, that's 2 in a row haha, i requested the Komet and Nighthawk together in 1 comment, so it feels like that's how they got made as well. Now i only need a video on the F-4 Phantom II and then i can die happy, or, well, also a video about the SuperCobra and Hind heli's, THEN i'm totally happy ;P EDIT: another great video, thanks!

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:25 - Chapter 1 - Early days 2:40 - Chapter 2 - A black project 3:55 - Chapter 3 - Have blue 4:55 - Chapter 4 - Senior Trend 6:45 - Chapter 5 - The aircraft 9:35 - Chapter 6 - Combat operations 12:55 - Chapter 7 - Mothballs 13:55 - Chapter 8 - The ghost remains

[@justinvzu01]

I used to have a model of this airplane. I just loved the way it looked.

[@pjjasnica]

My first base was with these. Was lucky to work with support systems on the runways and was able to see them close up many times.

[@nife3557]

"You might not have heard of it" - know your audience!

[@vortex6818]

Some respect (read: megaproject video) on the B-2 would be nice

[@KumaBean]

He's got that covered 👍 m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKi6o4d7d92AY6M

[@nexoreh9465]

A great video, on a great aircraft. Thank you! It would also be interesting to see a video on the Hawker Siddeley GR 1 Harrier / McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II. Another great aircraft that significantly changed the battlespace of the late 60's - 80's.

[@WHxU88]

Thankyou for making videos like these; you do an amazing job with the video and the information. Very professional. Continue making more please

[@anarchyantz1564]

Megaproject Suggestion. Longest deep bore ice core in Antarctica. Took years, loads of drama with it and they found some cool stuff like a fresh water lake under the ice containing previously unknown lifeforms. Would go Well with the other hole projects that are popular Speaking of deep holes, how about the Kidd Mine as well?

[@alanschwamberger7398]

I heard, but do not know how true it is. That when they where testing it for the radar profile, a bird landed on the mockup and the engineers could not figure out why the radar return was larger than it should have been. But not sure how true this story is.

[@HOLYLIFEIFY]

When I was 17 years old I spoke see you at your 39th birthday F-117 Nighthawk!! Terrill TC!

[@joealbright7125]

Love this channel and your research abilities, Simon!!!!

[@Data-sk9ev]

DO A MEGAPROJECTS ON THE ANTARCTIC SNOW CRUISER

[@dorrisgonnawreckyou7111]

No please dont

[@Data-sk9ev]

ConfusedOilPainting but why

[@dorrisgonnawreckyou7111]

@@Data-sk9ev I am terrified of snow!

[@Data-sk9ev]

ConfusedOilPainting that’s why you hide from it in the giant land behemoth

[@9HighFlyer9]

By 1985 "stealth aircraft" was such an open secret that it was mentioned in the movie "Spies Like Us"

[@normandauphin1066]

Great video! Totally enjoyed this. Always loved this aircraft from the first time I saw it. Thanks for sharing.

[@BFSilenceDogood]

Big fan of your channel Simon. Keep the good stuff coming!

[@lukasdittrich5867]

U missed the part why they call it F-117 for fighter instead B for bomber.

[@electrolysisresearch8013]

It's pretty common knowledge at this point the F-117 carried AIM-120s, and was a Beyond visual stealth interceptor as a secondary rule. You can ask any pilot that has ever been around the thing it's not even classified.

[@chacdogful]

“Nothing can match the nighthawk” F-22 raptor *grins teeth* “hello!” After raptor has creeped up behind it and fired. 😂 😂

[@dpreston8831]

It wouldn’t be able to since it wasn’t really a fighter. They called it that to deceive the enemy. It’s a small bomber that disables SAM sites

[@chacdogful]

Dap P why do you think I posted this O great one?? Whyyy????

[@chacdogful]

After reading this again I actually have no idea what your talking about. Anything the 117 can do the 22 can betterrrr. Jam radars. Whatever. Why you think these are being retired (117’s)

[@dpreston8831]

Garrett Poppell I still prefer the A-10. Being a marine veteran and being saved by the brrrt it’s definitely something that’ll never change when it comes to other aircraft’s

[@chacdogful]

Dap P what does that have to do with this

[@Leescreativeart]

In 1995 maybe 1996 I had one of those models and I thought it was the coolest plane ever but there was very little known about it. Good video. I’m about three minutes in and I’m gonna watch the rest now lol.

[@David_J_B]

I always liked the Nighthawk, due to it's unusual angular design, it really does look so futuristic, I built an airfix model of it, because I liked it so mauch (as well as the Blackbird & a few others). Thinking of unusual designs, I remember seeing a photo of a particularly odd one that looked like something from Sar Wars called the Bartini Beriev VVA-14. Don't know too much about it though, other than I think it was a sea plane.