F-35 with damaged coating?

garrya · by **garrya** » 05 Jan 2019, 14:52

Does any one know what happened to this F-35 and why its coating is like that?

jaws · by **jaws** » 05 Jan 2019, 16:21

Same problem plagues the Viper: RAM in certain areas cracks after years of application. Normally the splitter above the intake, intake lip, intake leading up to engine (ripples), and the vertical surface between the flaperons and horizontal stabilizers. Send the aircraft to corrosion control for some TLC.

aussiebloke · by **aussiebloke** » 05 Jan 2019, 17:39

If you do a Google Images search on this image you find out that it shows Lt Cdr Ian Tidball RN taxing out at Edwards Air Force Base. This is therefore likely to be one of the three F-35Bs used by the British RAF and RN personnel for operational testing and evaluation at Edwards AFB.

My guess is that, in this role, maintaining the LO coating is not a high priority.

smsgtmac · by **smsgtmac** » 05 Jan 2019, 18:55

That's a start on provenance. Thanks aussiebloke. My search on that info brings up just a Pinterest pic that is only 236 × 157. A blow up of a shrunk down pic raises more questions about what we're seeing than answered ones. The word 'artifacts' comes to mind.
If anyone is really interested in what they're seeing, I guess they could dredge the Royal Navy photo archives for the original.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 05 Jan 2019, 21:43

Six page PDF of 'BLACK KNIGHTS at Edwards AFB' story from AirForces Monthly Jan 2018 magazine with TIDBALL attached.

‘Black Knights’ in AFM Jan 2018: https://airforcesmonthly.keypublishing. ... ts-in-afm/

Jamie Hunter probably took the photo under question whilst searching 'pinterist' is an exercise in futility I reckon YMMV.

Back in Apr 2013 TIDBALL took first flight in an F-35B at Eglin AFB:
https://www.aetc.af.mil/News/Article-Di ... orce-base/

JPG: https://media.defense.gov/2013/May/17/2 ... 49-001.JPG (0.6Mb) [zoom below]

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 05 Jan 2019, 22:04

IF the UK Queen had an ANNUS HORRIBULLUS then this is similar to above photo poorly reproduced because... go here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annus_horribilis

https://issuu.com/navynews/docs/201507 RN Navy News July 2015 page 5 (JPG ZOOMED wot else)

JUST A THOT: Wouldn't it be NICE if the OP gave us the source of the photo? Instead we go down pintwist RABBIT HOLES.

garrya · by **garrya** » 06 Jan 2019, 17:09

spazsinbad wrote:JUST A THOT: Wouldn't it be NICE if the OP gave us the source of the photo? Instead we go down pintwist RABBIT HOLES.

It came up to me from a random chinese site so i have no idea where it originally came from

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 06 Jan 2019, 21:14

Is it beneath you to give a link/url to this picture/site?

garrya · by **garrya** » 07 Jan 2019, 00:43

It here
https://view.inews.qq.com/a/20181220A17 ... fer=wx_hot

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 07 Jan 2019, 01:13

Cannot get any translation so here are photos again from: http://inews.gtimg.com/newsapp_bt/0/6920535904/641

zhangmdev · by **zhangmdev** » 07 Jan 2019, 02:12

Basically that article says it discovered the blistering coating around the edge of canopy showing F-35 has fatal defects. US has deployed so many F-35s, they cannot keep up with the maintenance. US spent huge amount of money on the 3rd generation stealth coating, but it turns out to be not enough. Russia has the same problem. China has better materal, J-20 never has such problem. Finally it lamented J-20's engine is not good enough, and the evil Lockheed Martin makes too much money.

Usual material from Chinese internet, only good for entertainment. Anyway, the jet pictured likely is one of the first F-35s of UK, BK-2?

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/250th-f ... tion-line/

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 07 Jan 2019, 02:57

Thanks for translation. Meanwhile from the above URL: https://ukdj.imgix.net/2017/12/38GpPO-O ... cb47a98538

https://ukdj.imgix.net/2017/12/38GpPO-O ... 86-319.jpg ZOOMED to bubbles around canopy external seal.

element1loop · by **element1loop** » 07 Jan 2019, 07:42

OK, I'll say it. garrya's first image looks so typical of a coating applied to a poorly cleaned surface where the cured coating did not come into contact with the surface to be covered at any point due to intervening grunge.

WAG = sealant

smsgtmac · by **smsgtmac** » 07 Jan 2019, 16:24

No, let me say it. Given the only place anyone has seen what looks like what is in this photo at a Chinese media site...is at that media site, and with no other evidence to the contrary, I see this as a photoshopped propaganda designed for internal consumption to keep the local yokels alert against the imperialist Yankee dogs. But that's just me.

sprstdlyscottsmn · by **sprstdlyscottsmn** » 07 Jan 2019, 17:10

And then I'll say, does it matter? When they did the RCS testing they met the RCS spec after using a knife to gouge 8 inch long cuts in the skin. IF, and I do mean IF, an F-35 has blistering about the cockpit then e1loops explanation is reasonable and that still doesn't mean an F-35 becomes a B-52 on radar. It might degrade it to an F-117, maybe.