F-16 Reference

F-35 Aircraft Database

Airframe Details for F-35 #BF-04

[Back to F-35 Aircraft Database menu | Missing Photos | Hall of Fame]



F-35 Aircraft Profile

Aircraft: BF-04
LM Aero T/V BF-04
Plant LMTAS
Local C/N
Delivered USMC BF-04
F-35B
Current USMC BF-04
F-35B
Status [act]
This is the first mission systems aircraft in the F-35B test program. First flight on April 6th, 2010 from NAS Fort Worth, piloted by David Nelson.


⇦ Copy-paste this code to link this airframe from our forum

Aircraft History

Date Status Local S/N Airforce/Unit Version Name Info
Unknown [act] BF-04 F-35B
08 Jun 2010 [act] BF-04 USNavy VX-23 F-35B News Article

Sent to NAS Patuxent River to the Naval Air Systems Command. On November 18th, 2010 this aircraft completed the 500th F-35 flight. The three-hour sortie was mainly to evaluate avionics software. Took part in the initial sea trials on October 3rd, 2011 from the USS Wasp (LHD-1) along with BF-02. A major first for this aircraft on June 19th, 2015 when the aircraft was the first F-35 to take off from a Ski-Jump during testing at NAS Patuxent River.
25 Sep 2018 [act] BF-04 USNavy VX-23 F-35B

Lands on HMS Queen Elizabeth for first time.


Abbreviations and symbols:
[act] Active [i/a] Instructional Airframe [sto] Stored (e.g. at AMARG)
[cld] Cancelled Order [msh] Involved in Mishap [w/o] Write-off
[con] Converted [o/o] On Order
[des] Destroyed (drone) [pre] Preserved (museum, gateguard) T/V LM Aero Type/Version (Construction) number
[emb] Embargoed [scr] Scrapped Photo Available
Any aircraft or serials missing from this list? Did you see incorrect, incomplete, or outdated data?
Add your corrections at the bottom of this page or send them to us!
[Back to the F-35 Aircraft Database]


Errors and Omissions




Please use this form to add any list any error or omissions you find in the above text.

Note: your comments will be displayed immediately on this page. If you wish to send a private comment to the webmasters, please use the Contact Us link.