The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a retired American single-seat, twin-engine stealth attack aircraft that was developed by Lockheed's secretive Skunk Works division and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). The F-117 was based on the Have Blue technology demonstrator.

The Nighthawk was the first operational aircraft to be designed around stealth technology. Its maiden flight took place in 1981 at Groom Lake, Nevada, and the aircraft achieved initial operating capability status in 1983. The Nighthawk was shrouded in secrecy until it was revealed to the public in 1988. Of the 64 F-117s built, 59 were production versions, with the other five being prototypes.

The F-117 was widely publicized for its role in the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Although it was commonly referred to as the "Stealth Fighter", it was strictly a ground-attack aircraft. F-117s took part in the conflict in Yugoslavia, where one was shot down by a surface-to-air missile (SAM) in 1999; it was the only Nighthawk to be lost in combat. The U.S. Air Force retired the F-117 in 2008, primarily due to the fielding of the F-22 Raptor.

Pictured here is a spectacular 1:72 scale diecast replica of a F117A Nighthawk stealth attack aircraft that was attached to the "Dark Knights", then deployed to the Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, during 2022. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 7-1/4-inches
Length: 11-inches

Release Date: July 2025

Historical Account: "The Dark Knights" - The "Dark Knights" is a name and badge associated with a group of F-117 Nighthawk aircraft that are still in service, albeit in a secretive capacity. While the F-117 was officially retired in 2008, a portion of the fleet remains operational, primarily for research, development, testing, and training purposes. The "Dark Knights" label is a nickname, and while there's no official unit with that name, the badge and moniker have become associated with the group of F-117s that are still flying.

Dark Knights would certainly be a great name even for the small cadre of pilots and maintainers that are known to keep roughly four to six F-117s flyable at any given time at the mothballed force's home, Tonopah Test Range Airport. The "dark" part of the name could likely signify the shadowy nature of the unit's existence -- the USAF has elected to stay bizarrely quiet about the status of its F-117s since the type's official retirement and banishment to the high-security airfield in a very remote part of the Nevada desert.

Dark Knights also has a pop culture connection. Arguably the most beloved Batman movie ever used the Caped Crusader's nickname "Dark Knight" in its title. Batman, a vigilante that takes on his enemies alone in the dead of night while wearing a black suit of armor certainly sounds like a good fit for the F-117 and its mission set.