F35 flies this week?

[M2]

News report...

New Fighter Jet Takes to the Air

By ANGELA K. BROWN

AP

FORT WORTH, Texas (Dec. 15) - The new stealth fighter jet that will replace an aging fleet of military planes took off for the first time Friday but landed about 30 minutes into a planned hourlong flight.

Lockheed Martin Corp. officials did not immediately comment on why the Joint Strike Fighter, also known as the F-35, landed early. The company planned an afternoon news conference to discuss the flight. The jet was escorted by three jets that provided safety and took pictures.

Earlier this week, Britain signed an agreement committing to the next development and production phase of the new Joint Strike Fighter, resolving a dispute between the Pentagon and its biggest overseas partner over sharing technology for the advanced fighter jet.

Along with Britain, the Netherlands and Canada have signed agreements, and Australian officials were in Washington on Tuesday to sign their own deal.

Turkey, Italy, Norway and Denmark have until the end of the year to sign.

Runway tests for the F-35 that began last week were completed earlier this week. Officials had been waiting for good weather for the maiden flight, which almost did not happen Friday because of fog and windy conditions.

The takeoff was witnessed by hundreds at the Lockheed Martin facility where the planes are being built in what could be the largest defense contract ever, $275 billion (?210 billion) over the next two decades. The Pentagon plans to make roughly 2,400 planes.

The U.S. military will use the F-35 to replace aging planes used by the Marines, Air Force and Navy, including jets like the F-16, the F-18, and the Harrier jet.

Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed and its subcontractors are making three different versions that will be used by the different branches. The Marine version will be able to make vertical takeoffs.

Cheers! M2

[BADFNZ]

I'll post some pics from out there today if anyone is interested.

[Guest ShortThrow]

I'm interested.

[Flare]

Similar to what M2 posted, but with a couple of pics...

https://www.lockheedmartin.com/pressrelease/F-35.html

[Guest proudpapa]

As found on Youtube...

(Sorry for the multi-posts...)

[Guest VictoryLap]

Alright, after watching the 1st Flight Video on YouTube I have two questions that hopefully someone can answer.

First: Is it something that always happens on first test flights that they keep their gear down the whole flight? Cause I didn't see the 35 ever lift its gear the whole flight. I guess it would make sense that they wouldnt want to bring the gear up if its the first flight and it won't come back down again.

Second: On the side of the airplane it had the name of the pilot Jon Beesley on the side but normally doesn't the planes have something like LtCol Jon "Callsign" Beesley on the side of the plane? Was this guy not in the military? Seems kinda weird to have the chief test pilot not be in the military.

Oh and by the way, I don't see why people say that plane is ugly...I think it's damn sexy!

[Guest proudpapa]

Typically the gear isn't cycled on the 1st flight of a new plane; one less thing to go wrong. In this case, it had been planned to raise the gear for a .7-.8M dash. However, an airdata probe problem caused that part to get skipped & the flight to be cut a little short.

Beesley's a civilian.

The looks grow on you....a lot like the F-22. Hard to make stealth pretty..(F117/B2)

[Guest ShortThrow]

Originally posted by VictoryLap:

Alright, after watching the 1st Flight Video on YouTube I have two questions that hopefully someone can answer.

First: Is it something that always happens on first test flights that they keep their gear down the whole flight? Cause I didn't see the 35 ever lift its gear the whole flight. I guess it would make sense that they wouldnt want to bring the gear up if its the first flight and it won't come back down again.

Second: On the side of the airplane it had the name of the pilot Jon Beesley on the side but normally doesn't the planes have something like LtCol Jon "Callsign" Beesley on the side of the plane? Was this guy not in the military? Seems kinda weird to have the chief test pilot not be in the military.

Oh and by the way, I don't see why people say that plane is ugly...I think it's damn sexy!

No he isn't in the military, but he probably once was. That plane is still owned by lockheed and just like most other lockheed employees, he's a civilian.

[ 18. December 2006, 15:49: Message edited by: Tertle ]

[Guest sleepy]

little different than what proudpapa previously posted:

https://images.military.com/Video/061201_f35.wmv