Forum: F-35 Spotting & Photography

Last edited by fang on Oct 28, 2011 - 03:59 PM; edited 1 time in total

First Production Model F-35B Makes First Flight

F-35B BF-06, the first F-35B STOVL aircraft, takes off for the first time on October 25th, 2011. BF-06 is the first USMC production aircraft ever manufactured and flown at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth.

Sixth F-35A Delivered to Eglin Air Force Base

USAF F-35A #08-0751 (AF-13) takes off for delivery to Eglin AFB on October 26th, 2011 with USMC Maj. Joseph Bachmann at the controls.

168057, Is that the USN BuNo?

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This website is on the ball usually about BuNos: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/navyserials.html

Cannot find anything there though - maybe someone else will have some luck?

168057 is indeed the USN BuNo.

Can anyone speculate as to why most F-35 takeoffs seem to be executed using dry thrust only?

Noise reduction?

not a heavy enough weight to warrant burning up an extra $10K in fuel?

Their are a lot of good reasons for not using the afterburner.

-No weapons on board so a light aircraft.
-Noise reduction.
-Less Engine Wear.
-Takes less fuel.
-The take off climb out can be less step as the pilot doesn't have to pitch up as much in order to prevent over speeding the gear doors.
-Lockheed Martin ha to reduce cost over runs so evey penny helps.

I guess NAVair has captioned the same first photo above, but I'll try to confirm. "The first production F-35B Lightning II short takeoff/vertical landing multirole fighter for the US Marine Corps was flown for the first time on 25 October 2011 at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti put the aircraft (Navy bureau number 168057) through a series of functional checks during the nearly one hour sortie. This aircraft will be delivered to the F-35 Integrated Training Center at Eglin AFB, Florida, by the end of 2011."

Another similar quote with BuNo. here:
http://pilotsandplanesmilitary.com/2011 ... has-flown/

TNX guys, and what the marking VM and 01 stand for?
(btw, I don't see Eglin marking yet...)

Last edited by spazsinbad on Oct 28, 2011 - 07:25 AM; edited 3 times in total

Zoom of first production F-35B? would be my guess for '01'. VM? I'll investigate. V=Jet, M=USMC?

Wiki says: "Tail Code BM / VM"

Wikipedia probably has a clue for the VM in VMFAT-501:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMFAT-501
&
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VMFAT_501.PNG
&
http://www.marines.mil/unit/2ndMAW/mag3 ... 1trans.gif

"Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501) is a newly reactivated training squadron in the United States Marine Corps that will eventually consist of 20 F-35B Lightning II aircraft and will serve as the Fleet Replacement Squadron. Known as the "Warlords," the squadron will be based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida and will fall administratively under Marine Aircraft Group 31 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing but operationally under the Air Force's 33d Fighter Wing....

...Reactivation as a training squadron
On April 1, 2010, the squadron was reactivated and redesignated as VMFAT-501 at a ceremony at the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.[2] They will serve as the F-35B Lightning II Fleet Replacement Squadron.[3][4] Stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, it will fall administratively under Marine Aircraft Group 31, but operationally under the 33d Fighter Wing, which controls all F-35 training for the Air Force and United States Navy."
_______________________

http://www.marines.mil/unit/2ndMAW/mag3 ... fault.aspx

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P9qKjrxSuKc/T ... 4_2458.jpg

Last edited by fang on Oct 28, 2011 - 10:43 AM; edited 1 time in total

01 is the first pruduction of the B's - That's my guess too!
About the VM, seems clear - thank you Very Happy

I guess that upon delivery we'll see some VMFAT-501 marking combined with 33ed wing marking on the bird tail, Just like they made new marking for BF-02 and BF-04 (F-35 and Wasp)

What is the purpose of the blue-green tape/marking on training jets? Anyone know?

Last edited by spazsinbad on Oct 28, 2011 - 09:12 AM; edited 1 time in total

These would be 'slime' lighting for night formation?

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-11179.html

'Guysmiley' said: "They're the blue-green light strips in this shot:"

http://www.defenselink.mil/dodcmsshare/ ... M-009b.jpg

Code One says same: First Production F-35B Flown 25 October 2011

http://www.codeonemagazine.com/f35_news ... tem_id=492

"The first production F-35B Lightning II short takeoff/vertical landing multirole fighter for the US Marine Corps was flown for the first time on 25 October 2011 at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti put the aircraft (Navy bureau number 168057)..."

Forum: F-35 Spotting & Photography

BF-06 in the air, AF-13 to Eglin