First F-35A test flight with external weapons

munny wrote:

SpudmanWP wrote:Sapz, you missed one of the more interesting things about that shot. New Intakes.

...and something else...



New skin on the inner edges of the tail to prevent that blistering issue?

If so....they work fast.

Instrumentation?

I'm wondering about that dark spot left of the engine. It reminds me of something I've seen before on the top surface of some early X/F-35s but not other later ones, just between the engine and the left stabilizer, which I believe was an IPP exhaust port.

Correct, it's the IPP exhaust. The F-35A/B have it pointed down while the C has it pointing up.

Anotherie F-35C underie + overie photie X 2:

"Lockheed Martin test pilot David Nelson is at the controls for the eighteenth test flight of the first F-35C Lightning II."

http://www.codeonemagazine.com/gallery_ ... ry_style=2
________________________

"Jon Beesley is the pilot of the first F-35C, CF-1, for its fifteenth flight--the first flight with its final finishes."

http://www.codeonemagazine.com/images/m ... 7_4040.jpg

My bad... here is an old graphic showing the difference between X-35 and F-35 (Post-SWAT) and the scoops/intakes are there.

No worries. Interesting how things change. Also just difficult to see details often from differing aircraft views and situations. I guess any significant/interesting changes are highlighted in the Code One 'change' feature:

X to F: F-35 Lightning II And Its X-35 Predecessors By Eric Hehs 15 May 2008

http://www.codeonemagazine.com/article.html?item_id=28

I'm guessing... "...Heat Exchangers
The X-35 had several external heat exchangers. A nose ram air inlet was incorporated for backup avionics cooling. A centerline heat exchanger provided cooling for the hydraulic system. A heat exchanger on the left side supported the environmental control system. The F-35 has two scoops located in the wing/fuselage to provide nacelle bay ventilation. The aircraft also has a scoop located on the top of the right wing-glove to provide air to the fuel/air heat exchanger. A deployable scoop is located on the left-aft fuselage to provide air to the IPP and to the avionics. The F-35 minimizes the need for external scoops by using heat exchangers that are integrated in the engine fan duct. These heat exchangers use engine bypass air as a heat sink...."

???????????????

The change actually happened between AA-1 and AF-1 (eg it was part of SWAT).

Here are some shots showing a large center scoop that was likely replaced by the two smaller ones:

The F-35 gets some strap-on

http://www.gizmag.com/f35a-armament-test-flight/21557/

It appears in these photos that the missles are offset to the outsides of the rail. Is this to make room for 2 sidewinders on that same pilon or to make ample clearance for ordinance on the other pilons?

Clearance for munitions on adjacent pylons and clearance for the flap are the two leading thoughts.'

There are no plans for two 9Xs on the same pylon (stations 1 and 11).

SpudmanWP wrote:

Hey SupdmanWP and spazsinbad (you both posted this picture), thank you for the pictures.

Just noticed 2 things during a closer look.
1. This is a F-35B (notice hump/bump behind canopy).
2. It is loaded with the gun pod

So my question to anyone with a thought/knowledge on the matter, is this an "old" gun pod, or is it a new development? If new is it ready for on aircraft testing, and is/will it be stealthy?

Sufa Viper

The silver on the edge of the tail planes are just speed tape, nothing special about it.

SpudmanWP wrote:The change actually happened between AA-1 and AF-1 (eg it was part of SWAT).

Here are some shots showing a large center scoop that was likely replaced by the two smaller ones:

I'd assume they're for the pneumatic launching subsystem. Either that or inlets the twin superchargers...

SV, the pod is new (both the gun and the pod), for the F-35 only (A,B, and C), and is stealthy.





The original design for the pod was a bit bulkier:



When I get home, I will find some full docs on the gun and upload them.

oops - wrong thread...