Northrop YF-23 ATF PAV2 gallery pictures photos.

Dem/Val flight test

YF-23 Prototype Air Vehicle No 2 flew later than PAV-1, on the 26th of October 1990, with Jim Sandberg as pilot. PAV-2 used GE YF120 engines which were more powerful than the YF119 and had a different paddle shroud compared to PAV-1. It was painted in the 2-tone Compass Ghost grey scheme used on F-15C/D Eagles, but with a different pattern. The darker grey was painted in patches on the underside, unlike F-15s, and the front canopy frame was mismatched in light grey. PAV-2 supercruised for the first time on the 29th of November, reaching Mach 1.6. Because PAV-2 had more powerful engines and the shape of the YF-23 was more streamlined than the YF-22, it achieved the fastest speed of any of the four aircraft. Maximum speed was not disclosed to the public, but in the WCI DVD the manager of flight test Paul Tackabury states that PAV-2 was a hot ship. "It was really fast. It went... much faster... than the YF-22." PAV-2 was tasked with validating the flight envelope and demonstrating manoevurability capability. The weapons bay was inoperable as far as carrying weapons was concerned. PAV-2 flew 16 flights in 22 flight hours, including the last flight of Northrop's Dem/Val, on the 18th of December.

post Dem/Val

After Donald Rice announced his decision, PAV-2 was spraylatted and incarcerated with its sibling in a fenced off compound on a lonely part of Edwards Flight Test Centre. PAV-2 has been a bit of a nomad compared to PAV-1. It was first transfered to NASA Dryden and placed in storage again. It sat dormant for many years before being relinquished to the Western Museum of Flight in Hawthorne, where it was partially restored to static display condition with a non-authentic paint scheme, and exibited in various open days in conjunction with Northrop Grumman. Then it was moved to Northrop Grumman proper, next to a building in El Segundo. Northrop Grumman did some basic restoration work including a re-paint and then left it parked in the same spot, again, for many years. It was at this location that Tony Chong was able to finally photograph the weapons bay properly and give YF-23 enthusiasts the images they have been waiting a lifetime for. In November 2010 it was moved yet again to Zamperini airfield in Torrance, new home of the WMOF, and this is where it now resides. Hopefully a full and proper restoration of this aircraft will be carried out at some point in a similar manner to what the National USAF Museum did for PAV-1.

	Dem/Val flight test YF-23 Prototype Air Vehicle No 2 flew later than PAV-1, on the 26th of October 1990, with Jim Sandberg as pilot. PAV-2 used GE YF120 engines which were more powerful than the YF119 and had a different paddle shroud compared to PAV-1. It was painted in the 2-tone Compass Ghost grey scheme used on F-15C/D Eagles, but with a different pattern. The darker grey was painted in patches on the underside, unlike F-15s, and the front canopy frame was mismatched in light grey. PAV-2 supercruised for the first time on the 29th of November, reaching Mach 1.6. Because PAV-2 had more powerful engines and the shape of the YF-23 was more streamlined than the YF-22, it achieved the fastest speed of any of the four aircraft. Maximum speed was not disclosed to the public, but in the WCI DVD the manager of flight test Paul Tackabury states that PAV-2 was a hot ship. "It was really fast. It went... much faster... than the YF-22." PAV-2 was tasked with validating the flight envelope and demonstrating manoevurability capability. The weapons bay was inoperable as far as carrying weapons was concerned. PAV-2 flew 16 flights in 22 flight hours, including the last flight of Northrop's Dem/Val, on the 18th of December.
			The paddle shrouds on PAV-2 were more stealthy than those designed for PAV-1. PAV-2 had a fixed shroud with serated leading edges.

	post Dem/Val After Donald Rice announced his decision, PAV-2 was spraylatted and incarcerated with its sibling in a fenced off compound on a lonely part of Edwards Flight Test Centre. PAV-2 has been a bit of a nomad compared to PAV-1. It was first transfered to NASA Dryden and placed in storage again. It sat dormant for many years before being relinquished to the Western Museum of Flight in Hawthorne, where it was partially restored to static display condition with a non-authentic paint scheme, and exibited in various open days in conjunction with Northrop Grumman. Then it was moved to Northrop Grumman proper, next to a building in El Segundo. Northrop Grumman did some basic restoration work including a re-paint and then left it parked in the same spot, again, for many years. It was at this location that Tony Chong was able to finally photograph the weapons bay properly and give YF-23 enthusiasts the images they have been waiting a lifetime for. In November 2010 it was moved yet again to Zamperini airfield in Torrance, new home of the WMOF, and this is where it now resides. Hopefully a full and proper restoration of this aircraft will be carried out at some point in a similar manner to what the National USAF Museum did for PAV-1.
			The Sampsons have been blinded.