Screensaver worthy F-35 Lightning II shots

doge · by **doge** » 02 Dec 2020, 18:39

Lightning to fly Lightning

doge · by **doge** » 15 Dec 2020, 15:04

JASDF 301st Squadron Mark Paint.

Cute.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 28 Dec 2020, 19:15

https://www.acc.af.mil/News/Article-Dis ... lack-flag/ “An F-35 from 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron refuels over the Nevada Test and Training Range on November 17, 2020 for Large Force Test Event 20.03. LFTE 20.03 is a premier joint operational test event hosted by the 53rd Wing that validates tactics in a combat relevant environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt Savanah Bray)” [cropped below] https://media.defense.gov/2020/Dec/21/2 ... 7-1473.JPG (0.65Mb)

steve2267 · by **steve2267** » 08 Jan 2021, 00:53

For some unexplained reason, I keep thinking the F-35 is a LARGE aircraft. 18,000+ lb of gas yada yada. Then I see a photo like above and reminds me how small it really is. No, it's not tiny like an F-5, but dang if LockMart didn't cram a lot of capability in an airframe not much larger than a Viper.

quicksilver · by **quicksilver** » 08 Jan 2021, 02:03

Take a look at the spec numbers — ~52x35 vs ~49x32 and 56x40 respectively for Viper and legacy Hornet. What makes the size deceptive is the fuselage volume and its height when you’re standing near it on the ground.

hornetfinn · by **hornetfinn** » 08 Jan 2021, 10:09

steve2267 wrote:For some unexplained reason, I keep thinking the F-35 is a LARGE aircraft. 18,000+ lb of gas yada yada. Then I see a photo like above and reminds me how small it really is. No, it's not tiny like an F-5, but dang if LockMart didn't cram a lot of capability in an airframe not much larger than a Viper.

It's really insane how much has been stuffed inside an airframe basically the size of a Viper. All that gas, 5,000+ lb of weapons, targeting pod, 6 IRST systems (EO DAS sensors) and very powerful EW and CNI systems. And the aircraft is still totally clean and full VLO in that configuration with full flight performance... Add to that the capability to carry almost equal amount of weapons as fully bombed up F-15E while having about similar range performance.

zhangmdev · by **zhangmdev** » 08 Jan 2021, 11:10

Most "insane" design feature of the F-35 is to place its weapon bays both in front of and besides its engine. Without such a feature it would be a lot longer and maybe wider. It was shocking to see a pic for the first time of an F-35 opens its weapon bay doors. The shape of those doors. Not a flat face or a straight line. A unique and probably very difficult design. And they even find place for a gun pod.

hornetfinn · by **hornetfinn** » 08 Jan 2021, 12:45

True and those weapon bays can carry more than what F-111 could in its internal weapon bay.

go4long · by **go4long** » 08 Jan 2021, 21:34

Couple of my shots from Star Wars Canyon.

I've got some C models in the low fly as well, but I apparently have never uploaded those to my site for some reason, so they're watermarked. I'll upload them later from home and post some.

outlaw162 · by **outlaw162** » 08 Jan 2021, 21:55

Stealth aircraft practicing terrain masking.....and in formation.....

.....right, right, you can never be too undetected.

(Why does the term 'prima donna' come to mind?)

go4long · by **go4long** » 08 Jan 2021, 22:02

The dutch used to fly the canyon fairly regularly, and generally would have it set up to have their photographers there to catch it.

Yes it was showing off, but it was fun to watch.

outlaw162 · by **outlaw162** » 08 Jan 2021, 22:05

No doubt.

As they say, "If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much."

go4long · by **go4long** » 08 Jan 2021, 22:19

Ian Knight flew the canyon the hardest of anyone I've ever seen. I've got a shot somewhere of him in the dutch 001 jet under the canyon rim nose down in afterburner...I'll see if I can find that one later as well. I believe he's flying lead in that two ship if I remember correctly.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 09 Jan 2021, 00:20

Pass de dutchie from the left hand side earlier from 'jetblast16':
viewtopic.php?f=58&t=24121&p=429715&hilit=canyon+dutch#p429715 Video with stills down into the valley in burner because he is the biggest mofo in the valley he fears nowt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feMiVo15YBQ

Search F-35 forum with +canyon +dutch for more

go4long · by **go4long** » 09 Jan 2021, 02:01

That's a good pass...but the two ship pass was ridiculous...they were moving fast enough that a couple seconds after they'd passed you'd get the second wave of the air moving up the canyon behind them...I was standing a little ways down from the top position and it was...loud.

I'll look for the picture later. He got significantly lower in that pass than any of the passes on that video...he was right on the canyon floor.