Northrop XST Stealth Demonstrator 1/72 Scale Model Kit

Northrop XST Stealth Demonstrator 1/72 Scale Model Kit:

In 1974, DARPA established a competition to develop the first low-observable -- or "stealth" -- fighter, one capable of evading enemy radar systems. Virtually all of America's top aviation defense contractors entered the contest, although by 1975 the competition came down to just two: Lockheed, with its multi-faceted "Hopeless Diamond," and Northrop, with its simpler diamond-delta wing platform.

Although most DARPA evaluators believed that the Northrop XST (Experimental Survivable Testbed) looked like a more plausible flying machine, its shape only became "stealthy" when viewed from the front or rear. Lockheed's design, while more problematic, presented a smaller signature from every angle, and thus won the competition.

Lockheed's triumph went to its winning the contract for what ultimately became the F-117 "Nighthawk." Northrop, on the other hand, ultimately won an even bigger contract for what became the B-2 "Spirit" stealth bomber.

• Scale: 1:72
• Number of Pieces: 17
• Pattern: Anigrand Craftswork
• Casting: Anigrand Craftswork