Continuing the thread of unique plane finds is this sighting of a Northrop YF-23 .

Specifically, this aircraft is YF-23 model PAV-2, which was nicknamed “Gray Ghost”. We know for a fact that it’s this model as only two were built, and the other one was painted black.

What’s interesting about the YF-23, apart for its brilliantly bizarre wing-shape, is that it came very close to being a staple fighter of the American Air Force.

Looking for an upgrade to the aging F-15 Eagle model, the US Air Force awarded contracts to two potential replacements: the YF-23 and the now-common F-22 raptor. It’s not been revealed why, but the F-22 won the competition and the YF-23 model was scrapped.

After the engine was removed PAV-2 was placed on display here, in a car-park outside Northrop Grumman’s factory in El Segundo.

Further information on the plane is, of course, available on Wikipedia.

Thanks: McMaster_de.

There are hundreds of different aircraft “in flight” to be seen on Google Earth, waaaaay too many to post them all here on Google Sightseeing¹. But every now and then there’s a rare sighting that we feel the need to share.

A field in North Carolina features two antique WWII warplanes flying overhead: a Grumman TBF Avenger and a yellow North American T-6 Texan, which you can clearly see has “USAF” written on the right wing.

Of the 9,836 Avengers built, just 42 are still considered air-worthy (including the one we see here!). What’s even more amazing though is that the nearby Hickory Regional airport has two of the same rare aircraft parked on the tarmac!

OK, it’s not really a coincidence, this second image is a different aerial photograph so it’s almost certain that these are the same planes.

Thanks to morgantongis, Delta102 & jtouran at GE, via GEarth Blog