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Airframe Details for F-35 #BF-05

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F-35 Aircraft Profile

Aircraft: BF-05
LM Aero T/V BF-05
Plant LMTAS
Local C/N
Delivered USMC BF-05
F-35B
Current USMC BF-05
F-35B
Status [act]
Last F-35B assigned to developmental flight testing program. First flight on January 26th, 2011 at the hands of Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti.


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Aircraft History

Date Status Local S/N Airforce/Unit Version Name Info
Unknown [act] BF-05 F-35B
16 Jul 2011 [act] BF-05 USNavy VX-23 'SD-65' F-35B
Ferry flight to NAS Patuxent River. The aircraft joined seven other F-35B/C models now being operated at the USN’s flight test center. Took part in Developmental Testing phase II (DT-II) during August of 2013 on the USS Wasp.
28 Sep 2014 [act] BF-05 USNavy VX-23 'SD-65' F-35B

At Eglin AFB, for testing in the McKinley Climatic Lab.
Nov 2014 [act] BF-05 USNavy VX-23 'SD-65' F-35B
Deployment onboard USS America (LHA-6) beginning October 28th, 2016 for both Developmental Testing (DT-III) and Operational Testing (OT).
25 Sep 2018 [act] BF-05 USNavy VX-23 'SD-65' F-35B News Article

Special characteristics:
  • Unit Markings: QNLZ
First landing on HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08)
Royal Navy Cmdr. Nathan Gray takes off from HMS Queen Elizabeth. Gray made history September 25, 2018 by being the first to land on the new British aircraft carrier.


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
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