F-35 Joint Strike Fighter News, Videos and pics Thread

[Air Force Brat]

re: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Thread

I may be splitting hair here, but IMO there is a different between STOVL and V/STOL and I think the flight control system for F35B is specifically designed for STOVL only, which is probably a logical decision, given that vertical-horizontal take off has no practical value. However I do believe that some pilot/aviator may be able to achieve the feat by overriding the auto system with pure manual control, if they are allowed to.

Well of course you R, and you basically repeated what I just said, now if you have a source or info that says it won't, I will as always issue a very contrite public apology, but as you stated you R splitting a hair or trying to, your assertion that it has no practical value is also wrong, since if you recover vertically to a damaged airfield that's nice, but you have just lost the use of that valuable asset, unless you are able to depart vertically as well. Its not being sold as vertical take-off as I noted it does so at a very reduced gross weight, just as the B1B is not sold as a supersonic bomber, although it is capable of supersonic flight. brat

 

[Jeff Head]

re: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Thread

your assertion that it has no practical value is also wrong, since if you recover vertically to a damaged airfield that's nice, but you have just lost the use of that valuable asset, unless you are able to depart vertically as well. Its not being sold as vertical take-off as I noted it does so at a very reduced gross weight, just as the B1B is not sold as a supersonic bomber, although it is capable of supersonic flight. brat

Watch this video a USMC active F-35Bs exercising at the MCAS in Yuma, AZ this year.

At 43 seconds you see an F-35B hovering. At 48 they zoom out to show another F-35B landing while it hovers. At 51 seconds they zoom out again and then that hovering F-35B flies away horizontally. So yes, they can do it.

[video=youtube;b_gvYGwsfPE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_gvYGwsfPE[/video]
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The aircraft is billed and designed to be a STOVL (Short take-off, vertical landing) which is primarily what the harriers do. Vertical take-off and then transition from stop to horizontal flight while in flight too much fuel...but that does not mean it cannot do it.

Here's another video showing USMC test aircraft operating off of the USS Wasp during aircraft qualifications for the F-35B aboard ship. Here you will see horizontal flight transitioning to vertical (which obviously means that if they can do that, the can also do the other), and also short take off rolls from the Wasp.

[video=youtube;Ki86x1WKPmE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki86x1WKPmE[/video]
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Now, they will not normally go vertical take-off to horizontal flight because, as stated pure vertical take-off and then transitioning to horizontal flight eats up to much fuel...but there will be times they have to do it, either because of recovery to someplace near the front where they do not have the room to roll (either landing or take-off) because of battle damage or some other reason.

Hope this helps

 

[Pointblank]

re: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Thread

We have number 100, AF-41, under assembly:

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[Air Force Brat]

re: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Thread

We have number 100, AF-41, under assembly:

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Only right that the Air Force Gets number 100! This will prove to be the must under-rated, maligned, and short sold aircraft in AF History, but if called upon, it will take names and kick some axes! Should be fun to watch! I can't wait to see the the Thunder-Hogge II in an airshow near you!

 

[bd popeye]

re: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Thread

Yes the Lightning II is really being built.

The 100th Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has entered the last stage of final assembly, the company says. AF-41 will be the first F-35 to be based at the USAF’s second training site for the jet at Luke AFB, Arizona. The jet is one of 126 F-35s in various stages of production around the world. Luke will eventually be home to six squadrons of F-35s with a total of 144 jets.

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[Jeff Head]

re: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Thread

Yes the Lightning II is really being built.

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Love that pic!

There are ten F-35s under construction right there and GD has the capability to double and triple that in the future under full production.

The US built 187 F-22s (and should have built twice that). The US is about to finish the 100th F-35, with a LOT more coming.

Is anyone else in the world manufacturing 5th generation production stealth fighters at all?

 

[Air Force Brat]

re: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Thread

Love that pic!

There are ten F-35s under construction right there and GD has the capability to double and triple that in the future under full production.

The US built 187 F-22s (and should have built twice that). The US is about to finish the 100th F-35, with a LOT more coming.

Is anyone else in the world manufacturing 5th generation production stealth fighters at all?

Nien!, achtung! the Dutch have accepted their first test aircraft F-001, it will likely be flown to Eglin by an American pilot, and the Dutch technicians will begin training on it shortly, I assume that there is a first Dutch pilot scheduled to transition into the F-35 as soon as the political obstacles are cleared?? brat

 

[paintgun]

re: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Thread

Love that pic!

There are ten F-35s under construction right there and GD has the capability to double and triple that in the future under full production.

The US built 187 F-22s (and should have built twice that). The US is about to finish the 100th F-35, with a LOT more coming.

Is anyone else in the world manufacturing 5th generation production stealth fighters at all?

Italy perhaps?

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and then again assembly vs manufacturing the parts

 

[Jeff Head]

re: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Thread

Italy perhaps?

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and then again assembly vs manufacturing the parts

Yes, Italy will be building F-35 aircraft in Italy, and I believe are already building their first.

But I meant mations building other production 5th gen stealth aircraft other than the F-35. I think Italy was smart to get into the manufacturing and maintenance end of things as tightly as they did. I believe in the long run it will be profitable to them for other work on the F-35 from other European countries.

Are the Pak-50s still prototype and pre-production? I believe they are and think the first production aircraft there will arrive for Russia in 2015 and go in service in 2016.

 

[paintgun]

re: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Thread

Yes, Italy will be building F-35 aircraft in Italy, and I believe are already building their first.

But I meant mations building other production 5th gen stealth aircraft other than the F-35. I think Italy was smart to get into the manufacturing and maintenance end of things as tightly as they did. I believe in the long run it will be profitable to them for other work on the F-35 from other European countries.

Are the Pak-50s still prototype and pre-production? I believe they are and think the first production aircraft there will arrive for Russia in 2015 and go in service in 2016.

Pak 50 sounds like something from the ww2 Jeff.

They are still in the testing phase. Air force test and acceptance evaluation will start this year or next year(?)
Production will not start until 2016/2017.
And then only India's production will start, which I believe will be more like the MKI scheme right now, rather than a full-fledged production line.
We have the Koreans aiming for 2020, and Japan with a demonstrator in 2016.

China's timeline is probably a few months behind Russia (1 year gap between first flights), though difference in testing/manufacturing/production methods can mean China might come up with a production unit earlier than Russia.

After all the languishing from many sides against the F-35, it is coming together nicely. No doubt as a mainstay of US air power for decades to come it will be a very capable platform. I am not a big fan, as I view a 5th gen aircraft should be tip of the spear of A2A supremacy rather than a compromise of many things, but F-35 is a very complex machine and very advanced.