Top British pilot hoping to be the first to fly off HMS Queen Elizabeth says he is 'exhilarated ...

MAILONLINE ^ | 14 October 2017 | Charlie Moore

[sukhoi-30mki]

This proud RAF pilot is hoping to be the first to fly an F-35 fighter jet off HMS Queen Elizabeth, Britain's brand new aircraft carrier.

Squadron Leader Andy Edgell, one of Britain's top airmen, is currently testing our 11 new F-35s in the United States ahead of their sea trials on the warship next year.

In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, the 37-year-old father of three said he is 'exhilarated by every flight' in the 1,200mph attack planes equipped with bombs and heat-seeking missiles.

'She's marvellous,' Edgell said of the F-35 from the air base in Maryland where the testing is taking place.

'She has an incredible amount of thrust but it's more than just brawn that makes her so fantastic to fly - it's the brains behind her as well,' he added, referring to the plane's control law - or Claw - technology which keeps it stable in the air even at frightening speeds.

'The idea is to make the jets very easy to control so the pilots can focus on carrying out their mission,' he said.

'She's a masterful piece of engineering and it makes her so effortless to fly.'

The F-35, a multi-role supersonic stealth aircraft, is fitted with a Pratt & Whitney F-135-600 engine which generates up to 50,000 pounds of thrust, enough to thrill even the most experienced of pilots.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4974338/British-pilot-hopes-fly-HMS-Elizabeth.html#ixzz4vUqWJz28 Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

[PAR35]

I might be able to figure out a better place to put that flag pole.

[familyop]

Russian Fashion Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CaMUfxVJVQ

[Tallguy]

"F-35s will work with other kinds of aircraft that do other jobs. Together, they comprise a superior force." That's the theory at least. The problem with warfare is situational. Your plan can get screwed when the F-15 or F-22 top cover fails to materialize, or the Marine F-35B's are forced into ACM engagements because a few Sukhoi's nobody knew about show up.

The US Army famously developed the concept of the fast, lightly-armored and up-gunned tank destroyer to deal with enemy tanks while our tanks were supposed to avoid tank battles. None of it worked. Our Sherman's & Stuart's got slaughtered while the Tank Destroyers got pressed into an Assault Gun role, for the most part.

[familyop]

Thanks to the ideas and efforts initiated during World War 2, we now have many ways to effectively destroy enemy tanks. That was part of my MOS.

[familyop]

Quite a few nations continue to acquire and produce F-35s. It seems odd that we’re still seeing comments against it.

[Tallguy]

I’m from Missouri when it comes to the F-35. I suspect that is vastly improved yet still behind its development curve.