Northrop's YF-17: The Cobra That Became a Hornet In the famous Lightweight Fighter competition, two planes fought for the future of American air power. This is the story of the "loser": the Northrop YF-17 Cobra. Explore the radical aerodynamics and twin-engine design that gave this prototype its incredible agility. See how, despite losing the Air Force contract to the YF-16, the U.S. Navy saw the YF-17's immense potential, adopting it to create one of the most iconic and successful naval fighter

YF-17 Cobra: The Incredible Loser That Became the F/A-18 Hornet. Witness the birth of a legend in stunning, rare, and restored footage of the Northrop YF-17 Cobra. This incredible prototype may have lost the Lightweight Fighter competition, but its DNA gave rise to the legendary F/A-18 Hornet. Discover the story of the fighter jet that was simply too good to ignore. ➤ More aircraft and history videos: https://www.youtube.com/@Dronescapes #yf17cobra #fa18hornet #aviationhistory #prototypeaircraft