Why the designation F-117A?
This has been a topic of much debate. However, the most plausible theory that is believed by the author is that the F-117A really did get its number from the numbering system used for Soviet and other “black” aircraft at Groom. Numbers such as YF-110, YF-113, YF-114, etc.,…up through (and possibly beyond) YF-117A were used by the test pilots as radio callsigns. After a while, these radio call signs came to be sort of unofficial designations for these aircraft. The number 117 became so closely associated with the stealth fighter that when Lockheed printed up the first Dash One Pilot Manual, it had “F-117A” on the cover. Since the Air Force didn’t want to pay millions of dollars to re-do all the manuals, the aircraft became the F-117A officially.(As a note: A similar mistake was made when LBJ announced the existence of the “Blackbird”. It was supposed to have been designated RS-71, but LBJ announced it as SR-71 and no one had the guts to tell LBJ that he had goofed. The designation stu
