Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Stealth Fighter Completes First Flight

Lockheed Corporate Website ^ | 12/15/2006 | Lockheed Press Release

[Kommodor]

FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 15, 2006 – The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II lifted into the skies today for the first time, completing a successful inaugural flight and initiating the most comprehensive flight test program in military aviation history.

“The Lightning II performed beautifully,” said F-35 Chief Pilot Jon Beesley following the flight. “What a great start for the flight-test program, and a testimony to the people who have worked so hard to make this happen.” The most powerful engine ever placed in a fighter aircraft – the Pratt & Whitney F135 turbofan, with 40,000 pounds of thrust – effortlessly pushed the F-35 skyward. ...

[Kommodor]

Cool beans. It's a bit boxy, but I'd sure love to fly one...

[Youngman442002]

Its boxy so they can hide the armaments inside...less radar detection...

[Admin Moderator]

The Announcements sidebar is reserved for FR business.

Not this.

AM

[Reaganesque]

Hasn't the VTOL version already flown? I could have sworn I saw something on that on tv. Nice plane, regardless.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Can't wait to hear the results of war games with the F-22.

[Rick.Donaldson]

WHAT!? No PICTURES?
LOL

[TommyDale]

[T.Smith]

If I had the choice between winning the lottery and being a fighter pilot, I think I would choose fighter pilot.

[buwaya]

That was a prototype. This one is apparently the first production version - still needs testing and probably tweaks, but because it will be fully equipped, is basically the same as what will go into service.

[Phlyer]

That was the pre-production prototype. This is the first production aircraft.

[avg_freeper]

"Hasn't the VTOL version already flown? I could have sworn I saw something on that on tv. Nice plane, regardless."

That was just a test version. Really just an X-plane. This was a production aircraft off the manufacturing line.

[avg_freeper]

Perhaps we should all try that together in harmony!    ; )

[Dead Dog]

Yah, in fact it was more of a Y- version then an X plane

[Shady]

All I know is I would have LOVED to have seen this blast off...40K of thrust - ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

[Yo-Yo]

The keyword "AEROSPACE" has been added to your post.

[Yo-Yo]

That was the X-35 prototype. This is first flight of the production F-35, and even so it is a "pre-production" version.

The production F-35B STOVL has not yet flown.

[ThePythonicCow]

FIRST F-35 NEARS COMPLETION AT LOCKHEED MARTIN

[Kommodor]

Ah, sorry, I saw announcements, and thought "corporate announcement ..." Seemed appropriate.

Anyway, I know the good stuff goes inside.

I just still think the F-16 has classier lines. Having all the weapons on the inside may make good sense, but ...

It's not the most aesthetically appealing solution.

:)

[Yo-Yo]

Short video clip of the X-35 STOVL Prototype here.

[A6M3]

This is a beautiful airplane with impressive capability. However, it will be totally irrelevant, until the marxist under belly of our nation is eradicated.