The YF-23 Black Widow II is one of those jets that makes aviation fans wonder what might have been. Sleek, stealthy, and built to compete with Lockheed’s YF-22 in the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Tactical Fighter program, it lost the race and quietly slipped into history with only two prototypes ever built. Now, more than 30 years later, flight simmers can finally put the Black Widow II into the skies — thanks to Top Mach Studios, which has just released a feature-packed version of the aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Available today in the MSFS Marketplace for $29.99, the package brings not just the two real-world prototypes but also a “what-if” operational F-23A variant, complete with stronger engines, added avionics, and weapons capability.
For those less familiar with its story, the YF-23 was Northrop and McDonnell Douglas’ entry in the ATF competition of the late 1980s and early 1990s, facing off against what became the F-22 Raptor. Much of its performance data remains classified, but its futuristic design and shadowy history have kept it alive in aviation circles… and now also in the virtual skies of Microsoft Flight Simulator.
A rarity now in MSFS
Top Mach Studios says its rendition of the Black Widow II is unlike anything currently available for MSFS. To recreate the aircraft, the team pulled from all the public information they could find: the YF-23 utility flight manual, museum displays, books, photographs, test pilot accounts, and USAF statements. The result is a package that includes three versions of the aircraft:
- PAV-1, with Pratt & Whitney YF119 engines and lower top-end performance.
- PAV-2, powered by General Electric’s YF120, capable of higher supercruise speeds.
- F-23A, a “what-if” production variant with added avionics, weapons, and more powerful performance.
Systems and flight model
Of course, little is known about the YF-23’s actual capabilities, so Top Mach Studios had to do a bit of guesswork here. The aircraft features a custom fly-by-wire control system with auto-trim, G-limiters, and controllable high-alpha flight beyond 60 degrees. It’s built to handle post-stall aerobatics like pedal turns and J-turns, while also being stable up to altitudes above 65,000 feet. Top Mach Studios reports that Mach 2.4+ is achievable in the simulator, with the F-23A variant capable of even higher speeds under the right conditions.
Echo19 Studios provided a custom sound set, while the cockpit comes close to a 1:1 recreation, with custom HUD, navigation displays, moving maps, IFR-capable autopilot, aerial refueling, and — in the F-23A — additional radar, FLIR night vision, and complete cockpit lighting.
Exterior modeling and extras
Outside, the package includes 15 liveries, highly detailed landing gear, animated control surfaces, vapor and vortex effects, afterburners, and working ordnance bay animations. The F-23A even adds drop tanks and static weapon models.
VR support, custom servicing equipment, and ongoing planned updates round out the package.
The YF-23 never made it past the prototype stage, but Top Mach Studios has created an opportunity for simmers to not only fly both test airframes but also explore a plausible production-ready variant. If you enjoy fast jets, prototype aircraft, or alternate aviation histories, this one might be worth a closer look!
The Top Mach Studios YF-23 Black Widow II is available now on the MSFS 2020 Marketplace for $29.99. It’s compatible with MSFS 2024, but a native version is in the work and will be a free upgrade.
