Looked pretty much like the later F/A-18.

yeah heh..

i would half to say the F-16

Same here!

The YF-17 did indeed look a lot like the F-18, and for good reason. At the time that the US Air Force was shoping for the F-16, the US Navy was also shopping for a multirole fighter that was lighter and less expensive than the F-14. When they saw the YF-17, they really liked it, but it was not carrier capable. So when the YF-17 lost, the Navy approached Northrop and asked them to produce a fighter that was carrier capable and twin engined, based on the F-17. Northrop obliged, and the rest, as they say, is history. The new plane was significantly larger and heavier, with the very beefy landing gear that carrier landings require, as well as the reinforced frame. The extra weight also meant larger fuel tanks, so the new fighter really was a different plane.
The twin engines are another reason that the plane is popular with other users. Canada and Australia both specified twin engines because their fighters routinely have to cross regions that are incredibly remote. The reliablility of the twin engines was the deciding factor in rewarding the contract to McDonnel Douglas. (then Northrop)

YF-17 Specs

Manufacturer: Northrop Corporation, Aircraft Division, Hawthorne, California
Number Built: Two: Prototype #1 (s/n 201569)
Wing Span: 35 feet
Overall Length: 55 feet, 6 inches
Overall Height: 14 feet, 6 inches
Wing Area: 350 sq. feet
Clean Takeoff Weight: 23,000 lbs.
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 30,630 lbs.
Speed (Maximum): Mach 1.95
Speed (Cruising): Mach 0.85
Ferry Range (W/Tanks): 2,800 miles
Service Ceiling: 60,000 feet
Powerplants: (2) GE YJ101 Turbojets rated at 15,000-lb thrust.(Note: The YJ101 was the prototype to the F404 engine installed in the McDonnell Douglas / Northrop F/A-18 "Hornet" carrier based fighter.
Armament: (1) 20-mm Gatling gun (2) Wing tip IR missiles (4) Pylon stations for stores

F/A-18 A F/A-18 C F/A-18 E
Country of Origin: USA USA USA
Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas Co., Northrop McDonnell Douglas Co., Northrop McDonnell Douglas Corporation
Designation: F-18 F-18 F-18
Version: A C E
Nickname: Hornet Hornet Super Hornet
Type: Carrier-Based multirole Fighter Carrier-Based multirole Fighter Carrier-Based multirole Fighter
Crew: 1 Pilot 1 Pilot 1 Pilot
First flight: 18 November 1978 September 1987 December 1995
Inventory: 371 622 future production
Unit prise: $ million $24 million $35 million
Performance
Ceiling: normal n.a. n.a. 13 865 m / 45 490 ft
maximum 15 250 m / 50 000 ft 15 250 m / 50 000 ft 15 250 m / 50 000 ft
Combat Radius: 750 - 1000 km / 466 - 621 miles 750 - 1000 km / 466 - 621 miles 856 km / 532 miles
Flight Radius: without refueling
2 130 km / 1 323 miles 2 130 km / 1 323 miles n.a.
with refueling 3 700 km / 2 300 miles 3 700 km / 2 300 miles n.a.
Take-off distance: n.a. 427 m / 1401 ft n.a.
Landing distance: n.a. n.a. n.a.
Landing speed: 248 kmh / 154 mph 248 kmh / 154 mph n.a.
Designed g limits: +7.5g +9g +7.5g
Weights
Empty: 10 455 kg / 23 050 lb 10 886 kg / 24 000 lb 13 336 kg / 29 400 lb
Normal takeoff: 16 220 kg / 35 760 lb 16 651 kg / 36 710 lb n.a.
Maximum takeoff: 22 317 kg / 49 200 lb 25 400 kg / 51 900 lb 29 932 kg / 66 000 lb
Max payload: 11 862 kg / 26 150 lb 14 514 kg / 32 000 lb 8 050 kg / 17 750 lb
Dimensions
Span: 12.33 m / 40ft 5in 12.33 m / 40ft 5in 13.65 m / 44ft 9in
Lenght: 17.08 m / 56ft 17.08 m / 56ft 18.38 m / 60ft 3in
Height: 4.68 m / 15ft 4in 4.68 m / 15ft 4in 4.88 m / 16ft
Wing area: 37.16 sq m / 400 sq ft 37.16 sq m / 400 sq ft 46.45 sq m / 500 sq ft
Speed
Max speed: at H=0 m
1 100 kmh / 683 mph / mach 0.93 1 100 kmh / 683 mph / mach 0.93 n.a.
at H=11 000 m
1 915 kmh / 1189 mph / mach 1.6 class 1 915 kmh / 1189 mph / mach 1.6 class mach 1.8 class
Cruising speed:
1 060 kmh / 658 mph / mach 0.89 1 060 kmh / 658 mph / mach 0.89 n.a.
Propulsion
Powerplant: General Electric F404-GE-400 Turbofans General Electric F404-GE-402 Turbofans General Electric F414-GE-400 Turbofans
Thrust: normal n.a. n.a. n.a.
with afterburner 71.2 kN / 7 258 kgf 78.7 kN / 8 022 kgf 98 kN / 10 027 kgf
Number of engines: 2 2 2
Weapon systems
Primary: General Electric 20mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon 570 rounds
General Electric 20mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon 570 rounds
General Electric 20mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon
Air-to-air: AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-7 Sparrow and/or AIM-9 Sidewinder AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-7 Sparrow and/or AIM-9 Sidewinder AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-7 Sparrow and/or AIM-9 Sidewinder
Air-to-ground: Conventional, JSOW, JDAM, Rockets,AGM-45 Shrike, AGM-65 Maverick ,AGM-84 Harpoon , AGM-88 HARM , B61 tactical nuclear bomb Conventional, JSOW, JDAM, Rockets,AGM-45 Shrike, AGM-65 Maverick ,AGM-84 Harpoon , AGM-88 HARM , B61 tactical nuclear bomb Conventional, JSOW, JDAM, Rockets,AGM-45 Shrike, AGM-65 Maverick ,AGM-84 Harpoon , AGM-88 HARM , B61 tactical nuclear bomb
Other: Electronic Counter Measures and targeting pods Electronic Counter Measures and targeting pods Electronic Counter Measures and targeting pods
Fire points: 9 9 11



I did try to edit the info into columns, but it did not work. For more info, see these links.
http://www.wmof.com/yf17.htm http://www.fortunecity.com/tatooine/...f18specs.html#
Dean.

some good stuff there Dean

Ok, so the YF-17 is actually the first type of F-18?

Good post Dean!

I like the Super Hornet F/A-18EF.

well both as mentioned, have there goods and bads