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Marines under fire for flying $80M F-35 over SC during thunderstorm when report shows jets CAN'T handle storms: Pilot ejected due to 'bad weather' before jet 'flipped', flew 100ft above trees in 'zombie mode' and crashed in field
daily mail ^

Posted on 09/20/2023 7:52:32 PM PDT by algore

A F-35 jet could have crashed on Sunday due to poor weather in South Carolina, new audio suggests - as questions mount as to why the disastrous training exercise was allowed to proceed.

The F-35B Lightning II which the unnamed Marine pilot was flying is believed to be at risk of malfunctions if it flies in thunderstorms, according to a Forbes investigation in November.

Its sister jet, the F-35A, is more severely affected and cannot fly within 25 miles of lightning

he issue lies within the F-35's OBIGGS (Onboard Inert Gas Generation) system, which pumps nitrogen-enriched air into its fuel tanks to inert them, preventing the aircraft from exploding if it is struck by lightning.

'F-35B and C variants have some of the same OBIGGS issues as the F-35A, but have been able to alleviate operational impacts,' said Chief Petty Officer Matthew Olay, spokesman for the F-35 Joint Program Office, in an email to Forbes last year.

Audio from Sunday's crash shows the pilot telling emergency responders, after ejecting, that he 'lost it in the weather'.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: aircraft; f35; lightning; southcarolina
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To: algore
This reminds me of an old movie from the 80's or 90's about a company that came up with a cutting-edge drone fighter. At the big unveiling an officer hit the nose of it with a bottle of wine, similar to shipbuilding ceremonies. This led to the craft going bonkers when it took flight.

I recall a company engineer explaining that the drone was going nuts because of the wine getting into the electronics in the nose cone and that it wouldn't be a problem since there wouldn't be any more such ceremonies. They just need to keep the nosecone dry. And of course the officer screams in response about RAIN!

And now something similar has become reality. Truth really is stranger than fiction.

41 posted on 09/20/2023 9:24:25 PM PDT by EnderWiggin1970
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To: Dave Wright
The F35 can fly in bad weather near thunderstorms just fine. No plane can fly through a thunderstorm without extreme risk of loss of flight control or structural failure.

You do realize that is utter and complete hogwash, don't you?

42 posted on 09/20/2023 9:25:19 PM PDT by EnderWiggin1970
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To: SuperLuminal

China just needs to invade Taiwan during typhoon season, and they will have no problems.


43 posted on 09/20/2023 9:26:35 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: Dave Wright
https://airadvisor.com/en/blog/is-it-safe-to-fly-a-plane-in-a-thunderstorm
44 posted on 09/20/2023 9:27:04 PM PDT by EnderWiggin1970
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To: algore

I guess they should not have retired the A-6 Intruder.


45 posted on 09/20/2023 9:27:47 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> --- )
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To: algore

For another million $s they could have put windshield wipers on it.


46 posted on 09/20/2023 9:33:11 PM PDT by TigersEye (Our Republic is under seige by globalist Marxists. Hold fast!)
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To: SuperLuminal

As long as we are only attacked in San Diego, these planes are great.


47 posted on 09/20/2023 9:34:30 PM PDT by hardspunned (Former DC GOP globalist stooge)
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To: Gnome1949

I never heard of this before. Just wondering when you heard of it. I kinda just heard this might be a thing. Was it a new report, old report or something you recently found after this incident?


48 posted on 09/20/2023 9:40:21 PM PDT by CJ Wolf ( what is scarier than offensive words? Not being able to say them. )
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To: Gnome1949

I never heard of this before. Just wondering when you heard of it. I kinda just heard this might be a thing. Was it a new report, old report or something you recently found after this incident?


49 posted on 09/20/2023 9:40:22 PM PDT by CJ Wolf ( what is scarier than offensive words? Not being able to say them. )
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To: algore

Sorry, but I’m not buying this BS story.


50 posted on 09/20/2023 9:43:36 PM PDT by Magnum44 (...against all enemies, foreign and domestic... )
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To: Jewbacca
Whatever happened, it wasn’t the OBIGG. If that failed during a lighting storm, the bird would have exploded, not glided in.

I seriously doubt that, but I'm having trouble working out how lightning would affect what must essentially be a medical oxygen concentrator but instead of collecting the oxygen you'd throw it away and collect the nitrogen. I have an oxygen concentrator, and it's too simple a device to have any such sensitivity. N.B. Military aircraft have used nitrogen purge for a long, long time.

51 posted on 09/20/2023 9:43:50 PM PDT by Chad C. Mulligan
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To: Chad C. Mulligan

It can melt the inlet tube.


52 posted on 09/20/2023 9:51:05 PM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: Magnum44
Sorry, but I’m not buying this BS story.

What if we throw in a UAP sighting by a local farmer as an incentive?

53 posted on 09/20/2023 9:51:24 PM PDT by TigersEye (Our Republic is under seige by globalist Marxists. Hold fast!)
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To: Jewbacca

Inlet tube? Made of what.....dark chocolate?


54 posted on 09/20/2023 10:03:51 PM PDT by Chad C. Mulligan
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To: Taxman

!!!


55 posted on 09/20/2023 10:05:02 PM PDT by avenir ("For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form"!)
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To: DesertRhino

I live in the 5 mile zone from Detroit Metro airport and watch planes landing in tornado, severer winds, severer storms, and all sorts of warnings, sometimes I have my phone camera ready just in case but it doesn’t happen.


56 posted on 09/20/2023 10:11:12 PM PDT by WhoisAlanGreenspan? (It's a failed virus but a hugely successful propaganda campaign.)
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To: algore

As long as the enemy limits their military operations to good weather what is the problem?


57 posted on 09/20/2023 10:12:45 PM PDT by Flying Circus
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To: algore

Why the hell was this made public? Incompetence on all levels.


58 posted on 09/20/2023 10:17:11 PM PDT by Chgogal (Welcome to Fuhrer Biden's Weaponized Fascist Banana Republic! It's the road to hell.)
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To: algore

Still unnamed

Makes u go hmmm


59 posted on 09/20/2023 10:20:09 PM PDT by wardaddy (Why so many nevertrumpers with early sign ups and no posting history till now? Zot them PTB)
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To: algore

I have a great solution.

Bring back the P-38 Lightning!


60 posted on 09/20/2023 10:32:26 PM PDT by Macho MAGA Man (The last two weren't balloons. One was a cylindrical objects )
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