Forum: F-35 milestones

UK's first F-35 flies

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-d ... flies.html

"The United Kingdom's first Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II production jet made its inaugural test flight on 13 April. The aircraft, an F-35B short takeoff/vertical-landing (STOVL) model, flew a series of functional flight checks during the sortie. Lockheed's Bill Gigliotti was at the controls during the 45-minute flight...."

..."Not only is this a watershed moment for the Joint Strike Fighter program, since BK-1 is the first international F-35 to fly, but it also brings us one step closer to delivery of this essential 5th Generation capability for the U.K., " said Group Captain Harv Smyth, the Joint Strike Fighter UK National Deputy...."

MORE AT THE JUMP including a Pic! http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-d ... -16157.jpg

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Most boring markings in the history of the Royal Air Force....

Andy

It'll look better in FAA colours Smile

Can they not make the RAM paint in more than grey scale? How about some colors (or colours, depending on what side of the pond you are on).

Sufa Viper

The gray color isn't a side effect. It's the color they want, because it blends in with backgrounds better than other colors would. That's also why the top surface is darker and the bottom is lighter, because the top is more likely to need to blend with the ground or water and the bottom is more likely to need to blend with the sky or clouds. And it's why F-22s have irregular splotches of color, so that the boundary lines you'd see between color areas aren't in the shape of a plane. Bright colors just scream "HERE I AM, WATCH ME, COME AND GET ME!" from as far away as possible.

And F-35's RAM isn't paint, but can be painted over. There are pictures of naval F-35s with blue tail fins with yellow lightning bolts.

boff180 wrote:

Most boring markings in the history of the Royal Air Force....

Andy

Give them a chance. It's their first low observable fighter. Goodness knows what the next one will look like...

Very Happy

The UK's first F-35B BK-01 seen air-to-air during its first flight on April 13th, 2012.

The UK's first F-35B BK-01 lands after its first flight on April 13th, 2012.

Bill 'Giggs' Gigliotti pilot for first flight of F-35B, BK-01, poses with a UK flag in front of the jet on April 13th, 2012.

Good to see the first UK F35B flying though with the way our politicians keep on changing their minds we will probably end up with the F35A. I personally think we should go for the C model for our new carriers but you can never underestimate the stupidity of politicians and bean counters.

delvo wrote:

The gray color isn't a side effect. It's the color they want, because it blends in with backgrounds better than other colors would. That's also why the top surface is darker and the bottom is lighter, because the top is more likely to need to blend with the ground or water and the bottom is more likely to need to blend with the sky or clouds. And it's why F-22s have irregular splotches of color, so that the boundary lines you'd see between color areas aren't in the shape of a plane. Bright colors just scream "HERE I AM, WATCH ME, COME AND GET ME!" from as far away as possible.

And F-35's RAM isn't paint, but can be painted over. There are pictures of naval F-35s with blue tail fins with yellow lightning bolts.

The paint is somewhat special, something mixed into it that acts as additional RAM if I remember right (Spud, Spaz any articles/threads?).

All the pretty tails are SDD aircraft, not service aircraft. And while I hear you and completely understand/agree why the aircraft is the color it is, I think the vibrant colors sported by fighters around the world say that the crews would have some fun with the paint if they could (think Tiger Meet) and probably will if they are allowed too.

Sufa Viper

spazsinbad wrote:

UK's first F-35 flies

Gotta' question about the coatings/paint. Some of the panels in some of the F-35 pics sort of look like the same type of Ag impregnated paint of the Raptor (to minimize skin IR obersevability). Now, is it actually Ag, which isn't a element I'd consider to be LO for RF LO, or is it a ceramic material? Just curious. . . . How can you paint an airplane with metal impregnated "paint" and still be LO to radar?

Salute!

Nothing new, but stuff is heavy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radar-absorbent_material

Gums sends...

F-35 Paint Shop

[Link pending approval]

Beer

Gums wrote:

Salute!

Nothing new, but stuff is heavy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radar-absorbent_material

Gums sends...

Hey Gums is famous. Is that you that landed the F-16 with failed leading edge flap in 1982? Seem to recall you telling that story in the past. It is on the "Hall of Fame" on the front page of F-16.net if you did not already know.

Lets see, if you were about 27 in 1982, that would make your current age....add, multiply, move a few decimal points, a couple of dozen leap years...uhhhh..I dont know my head hurts.

Anyways just teasing. Thanks for your service!

Ahh looks like I missed something, wasn't the UK trying to swap this F35B with a F35C from the USN?? Is this a media stunt or is the deal on hold until the UK finally make up their mind?

'beepa' the changeover of the third 'now bought/paid for' F-35 for UK was in the process of being changed from B t0 C but not sure if 'finally' finalised. I'll check. However always the first two F-35s for UK will be F-35Bs and they have no problem with that. Why? Because all models are so similar and the UK have said they are happy with that. Smile

__________

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
Standard Note: SN06278 Last updated: 29 March 2012
Author: Louisa Brooke-Holland | Section | International Affairs and Defence

http://www.defencetalk.com/reports/SN06278.pdf

"...The Government has bought three STOVL variant aircraft as test aircraft and received two. The third aircraft, to be delivered in late 2012, has been ‘swapped’ for an F-35C...."

“Switching horses midstream: UK JSF test force alters course to reflect F-35 variant change”, Industry Defence Review, 20 February 2012 [wot I cannot see]
___________

Vagaries Continue To Cloud U.K. F-35 Agenda Aug 15, 2011 By Robert Wall

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/ ... 352385.xml

“...Also still in process is an effort by the U.K. to switch one of three F-35s bought for the JSF test program from the “B” to the “C” model. The U.S. Congress must approve the move, as the U.S. would swap an F-35C to be bought in the sixth low-rate initial production (LRIP) lot for an F-35B the U.K. funded in LRIP 4.

The Pentagon says, “The proposed exchange would benefit both participants —the exchange would provide the U.S. with a Stovl aircraft 24 months earlier than planned to support maturity assessments and training needs; it would allow the U.K. to avoid the costs of a CV aircraft for operational test, and it would increase operational test capacity through the use of an instru-mented CV aircraft in the LRIP 6 time frame.”

The move should come with no financial penalty to U.S. taxpayers. “The U.K. would bear the costs of upgrading and modifying the LRIP 4 Stovl aircraft to the more advanced LRIP 6 configuration. In addition, the U.K. would be responsible for bearing the costs of incorporating flight-test instrumentation of the CV aircraft as well as any other U.K.-unique CV aircraft requirements,” says the Pentagon. A U.K. defense official insists any costs associated with the change are already budgeted...."

Forum: F-35 milestones

UK's first F-35 flies [the IRONIC 'B' Model] :-)