On the night of March 27, 1999, a bizarrelooking, blackpainted airplane known by its call sign Vega31 and nicknamed 'Something Wicked,' sliced through the Serbian night sky.

Having just delivered its powerful radarguided payload on strategic targets around Belgrade, Lieutenant Colonel Dale Zelko piloted the Lockheed F117— the world's first operational stealth aircraft. Designed to be invisible to radar and silent in operation, Zelko flew in what should have been undetectable peace.

Suddenly, the tranquility of the cockpit shattered as the radar warning receiver blared urgently, signaling the approach of two missiles.
As the flames grew and the deafening highpitched whine of the missiles intensified, Zelko, with his heart in his throat, realized that the impossible had happened. He and his silent airframe had been seen.

On this night, the Lieutenant Colonel and the United States Air Force would come to understand that the enemy, led by an enigmatic commander, possessed something perhaps more crucial than technology: strategy.



Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, topsecret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.

As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.

All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.