As US military involvement in South Vietnam escalated rapidly in 1963, the US Air Force braced itself for imminent conflict. The seasoned pilots were well aware that air-to-air battles would be difficult when pitched against formidable aircraft such as the Soviet Mig 21s and Mig 25s.

Long gone were the days of dogfighting; the future belonged to long-range encounters using air-to-air missiles.

As part of this new doctrine, the Air Force sought to develop a new aircraft that followed the Energy-Maneuverability formula that predicted an aircraft’s performance based on weight and capabilities.

As the war in Vietnam raged on and the urge for a new fighter increased, Northrop rose to the occasion and introduced an aircraft that embodied these ideals: the YF-17 Cobra.

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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.

As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.

All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.