Northrop YF-17 "Cobra" Prototype #1

Two prototypes of Northrop's Air Combat Fighter design were built in 1973-74. YF-17 "Cobra" Number 1 is at the Western Museum of Flight, Hawthorne, California. YF-17 "Cobra" Number 2 is at the US Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola, Florida. YF-17 "Cobra" Number 1 made its first flight at Edwards AFB on 9 June 1974 with Northrop Chief Test Pilot Hank Chouteau at the controls. It went supersonic in level flight, without afterburner, on its second flight.

Both YF-17 "Cobra" prototypes were employed as F-18 demonstration vehicles in the 1976-1979 time period. They were flown by pilots from NASA, the US Navy, the USMC, and foreign countries. Between 1980-1985, both the YF-17 "Cobras" remained in a preservative cocoon state at the Northrop Palmdale, California facility.