Web of Secrecy: YF-23 Black Widow II Declassified
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Running Time 50 minutes
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Genre Documentary
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Language English
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Completed August 21, 2001, United States
“Web of Secrecy: YF-23 Black Widow II Declassified” is a 50 minute documentary about the making of the Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 stealth fighter and its fly-off against the Lockheed YF-22 in competition for the Advanced Tactical Fighter contract with the Air Force—as told by the team members who built the airplane.
About the film
Of all the aircraft conceived and produced, none can match the engineers’ artistry of the YF-23 Black Widow II. It was a fighter so advanced that it was poised to play a key role in keeping the Free World free during the Cold War, by outclassing everything else in the sky. This is the only complete account of the TOP SECRET story behind the creation of the incredible supersonic ATF stealth fighter designed by the Northrop and McDonnell Douglas team, competing against the Lockheed designed YF-22, in competition for the hundred billion dollar prize contract with the Air Force.…and why the U.S. Government decided not to buy it!
This doc tells the true story of the ingenuity required to create technology that didn’t exist, and the intense human drama that formed the backdrop to the winner-take-all Pentagon competition. It’s all here, the science, the secrets the heartaches and the triumphs, told by the scientists and test pilots themselves.
More than three years in the making, The filmmakers faced the task of discovering and accessing the formerly top secret records, and securing approvals from Northrop, Lockheed and the U.S. Air Force, before their story could be told. One of the most important stories in the history of aviation.
SECRETS REVEALED
Due to the sensitive nature of certain footage, and the complex rights and permissions required to publish this documentary, it was never shown on US television. It was only released for a short time, broadcast in one small European country and one Asian country, and had a limited DVD release. For the last 6 years the documentary has not been available to the public. The producers have spent years negotiating to get it into the marketplace to that it can be seen by the many aircraft enthusiasts who revere the YF-23.
During that time there has continued to be active discussion and speculation about the plane’s capabilities, and why the Yf-23 lost the competition to be the ATF fighter. Aviation buffs have been guessing for years, hoping that someday the truth would come out. At last the real story is available! The producers, the copyright holder and the organizations involved in the production have made it possible to tell the full and complete story of this remarkable plane to audiences worldwide.
About the director
Peter Facer’s adventurous spirit brought him from Yorkshire, England, to the United States. He made his mark during the music video revolution of the 1980s, producing the popular music video shows Video One and Video Beat, which helped popularize many iconic artists of the era, including A-ha, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Culture Club, Wham!, Tears for Fears, Run-D.M.C., and Michael Jackson.
Peter was a key member of the production team that launched E! Entertainment Television. He produced the first segment ever aired on E!, a profile of Sir Paul McCartney. He also co-created and produced the popular Behind the Scenes series and produced one-hour documentary specials for E! covering a variety of film, music, and entertainment topics, including The Lion King, Maverick, Melrose Place, and Elton John.
Peter also wrote and directed interviews for New Line Home Entertainment’s Extended Edition DVD of the Academy Award-winning film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
