What is the F-19 Fighter Project?

The infamous F-19 fighter project has long been a source of intrigue and fascination among aviation enthusiasts and conspiracy theorists alike. However, the truth behind the F-19 is quite different from the myths and rumors that have circulated for decades.

Theoretical Design and Fantasies

The F-19 itself is a fictional construct, created by model kit companies Monogram and Testors. These companies attempted to reconstruct the most likely appearance of the hypothetical stealth fighter based on funding reports, DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and USAF (United States Air Force) documents, and a blurry photograph of the Lockheed Have Blue test aircraft. The naming of the F-19 is attributed to author Tom Clancy, who used it in his speculative thriller Red Storm Rising.

The Lockheed Have Blue Test Aircraft

The Backbone of the F-19 myth is the Lockheed Have Blue test aircraft, a groundbreaking project that aimed to develop a fighter jet with low RCS (Radar Cross-Section), making it invisible to radar. The naming of the F-19 can be traced back to Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk by Richard G. Sheffield, who wrote in 1995:

Since the equations for RCS and aerodynamics were given, the engineers were able to approximate the basic features of the machine, and other details were filled in from a blurry photo of the machine over the Groom Lake Area 51. The model designers were quite remarkable in how many details of the production F-117 they were able to estimate correctly.

No F-19 Designation in the USAF

Historically, the F-19 designation never existed in an official capacity. In the 1980s, media reports circulated about a secretive stealth fighter, but these speculations were later debunked. The U.S. military's actual covert stealth aircraft was the F-117 Nighthawk, officially acknowledged in the late 1980s. The real F-117 Nighthawk was never a fighter aircraft and could not go supersonic.

Design and Development Misunderstandings

The F-35 Lightning II, a more recent addition to the F-series, was developed as a multirole stealth fighter. However, the F-19 designation was never used, as was the F-13. The designation gap was filled by the F-20 Tigershark, which was initially assigned "F-19" but the number was eventually changed to 20 at Northrop's request.

The Involvement of Model Kit Companies

In 1983, before the official unveiling of the F-117, Testors and Monogram released their "F-19" models. This led to speculation and a myth that these models accurately depicted a real fighter aircraft. The models created by these companies showed a radical design with significant aerodynamic issues, leading to questions about the expertise of those involved.

Tom Clancy's Impact and Ben Rich's Issues

Beyond these models, the F-19 designation also appeared in Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising, a speculative thriller set in a "Cold War gone Hot" scenario. The use of the F-19 in the book added to the confusion and speculation. Notably, Ben Rich, the person behind the F-117 design in Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, faced some trouble when Testors and Monogram released their models. Some high-ranking officials who were unaware of the true nature of the F-117 program mistakenly believed that there had been a leak in the top-secret project.

Conclusion

The F-19 fighter project, while entertaining in its fictional and speculative nature, is a compilation of misunderstandings, myths, and media speculation surrounding the development of stealth technology and the F-117 Nighthawk. The real F-117 Nighthawk, despite its low RCS, was a ground-breaking design in the field of stealth technology, paving the way for future generations of fighter jets such as the F-22 and F-35.

Keywords: F-19 Fighter, Lockheed Have Blue, F-117 Nighthawk