Plane of the Day: F-117 Nighthawk

The F-117 Nighthawk was the world's first stealth fighter aircraft. Designed by Lockheed Martin's secret Skunk Works facility for the United States Department of Defense, the F-117 employed cutting-edge stealth technology and was one of the most high-tech aircraft of its time. The Nighthawk was so stealthy that it appeared as big as a marble on enemy radar. This made it over 1,000 times stealthier than Skunk Works' previous aircraft, the D-21. While impressively stealthy, the F-117's angled surfaces made it hard to maneuver and stay level. Pilots underwent rigorous training and countless training sorties to be qualified to fly the aircraft. The Nighthawk was put to good use in Operation Desert Storm and the Gulf War. On the first day of the conflict, F-117s flew less than 3% of the combat flights but scored 30% of the hits. All in all, the F-117 flew almost 1,300 combat sorties. In these nearly 1,300 flights, only one F-117 was shot down.

Specifications

Speed: 684 mph

Armament: Up to 5,000 lbs of munitions

Powerplant: 2 General Electric F404-F1D2

Max Takeoff Weight: 52,500 lbs

Service Ceiling:

Range: 1,069 mi

Length: 65 ft 11 in

Wingspan: 45 ft 4 in

Height: 12 ft 5 in

Crew: 1