View Full Version : Pictures of JSF / F-35 pre-rollout and naming today
Here's the beast. (http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/07/06/Navigation/177/207678/Pictures+Exclusive+first+photos+of+Lockheed+Martin+F-35+JSF+ahead+of+official.html)
Odd looking bird, although not as strange as the Boeing proposal, I suppose.
The canopy seems rather on the low side, unlike most modern jets. Any thoughts on how this might affect rearward visibility?
John Farley
7th Jul 2006, 11:53
The blokes chosen to fly this will be quite bright so you can assume they will be able remember where they have been
That will only apply to the first few courses like always, John. When the shineyness wears off they'll have all sorts of plebs flying them. Then what? A few extra mirrors?
You know it makes sense. (http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/07/07/Navigation/177/207685/USAF+names+Lockheed+Martin's+F-35+JSF+the+Lightning.html)
Alistair Kayim
7th Jul 2006, 20:05
Unfortunately not even the first few courses may be that bright. If the Typhoon manning process is repeated it'll be a case of bums in seats and will depend on the allegiance/background of the CAS of the day.
Hopefully when the time comes the chief won't be a Herc mate!! :ouch:
GeeRam
7th Jul 2006, 20:41
Odd looking bird, although not as strange as the Boeing proposal, I suppose.
Well the P-38 was quite elegant.
The Frightning was just......Hmmmm....gone are the days of the phrase....."If it looks right...."
GeeRam
7th Jul 2006, 20:44
Odd looking bird, although not as strange as the Boeing proposal, I suppose.
Hmmmm....gone are the days of the phrase....."If it looks right...."
I suppose weapons of war arn't supposed to be pretty......:(
Perhaps they should have called it the Stuka II instead........:E
Bismark
7th Jul 2006, 22:18
".....tips the hat to both the US Air Force’s Lockheed P-38 Lightning and the UK Royal Air Force’s English Electric Lightning....."
So sad since the RAF did not even want it in the first place. And the only reason we are getting a decent aircraft is due to the RN (awaiting Jacko's rebuff!).
Roland Pulfrew
7th Jul 2006, 22:33
So sad since the RAF did not even want it in the first place. And the only reason we are getting a decent aircraft is due to the RN (awaiting Jacko's rebuff!).
Oh Go on then - explain:
a - "decent" - still to be proven?
b - "RAF didn't want it" - didn't need it?
c - "due to RN" - no other choice if they wanted to stay in fixed wing aviation?????
Navaleye
7th Jul 2006, 23:27
Err its light blue pushing to retain STOVL capability. The Navy would very like to be in the F35C business.
BombayDuck
8th Jul 2006, 06:26
AA-1 carries the flags of the eight international nations
As opposed to what? intra-national nations? :confused:
Aynayda Pizaqvick
8th Jul 2006, 09:38
More than 1,200 of you took part in our online poll in which the name 'Black Mamba' won 38% of the vote, just edging out 'Lightning II' with 36%.
Black Mamba... for an aircraft:confused: This isnt Ann Summers!
Gainesy
8th Jul 2006, 09:58
Any WIWOLs care to comment?:hmm:
...but of course... (http://www.bizbuzzmedia.com/blogs/flight_international/archive/2006/07/07/2876.aspx)
vecvechookattack
8th Jul 2006, 14:54
Saw the Lightning II at Yeovilton today .....very impressive although it looked a tadge small.....smaller than a SHAR. (But faster and with more gadgets)
Taildragger67
8th Jul 2006, 21:41
What worries me is that someone so obviously cannot count.
The new one is 'Lightning II' - indicating the second - but they make reference to the P38 and EE Lightning - which by my simple reckoning :8 , makes the F35 the THIRD (ie III) to carry that name... :confused:
Oh hang on, it's a yank plane, so the EE one clearly doesn't count.
Arrogant :mad:.
Dr Illitout
8th Jul 2006, 22:12
Both the previous Lightnings were impresive looking beasts, this one aint!! No one is ever going to call this one "Frightning" .
Personally I think that the VTOL version, with all the clutter associated with the lift fan is a mess too. How many actuators? How many gear boxes? If one of them packs up in the hover, can Biggles react quick enough?
Why didn't they put a Pegasus type engine in it?
Rgds Dr I
Aynayda Pizaqvick
8th Jul 2006, 22:29
Why didn't they put a Pegasus type engine in it?
And give it an anhedral wing, a bigger canopy and make it subsonic... oh, wait a minute;)
Navaleye
8th Jul 2006, 23:12
http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getAsset.aspx?ItemID=13453
What happened to ... If it looks right then...
Navaleye
9th Jul 2006, 13:28
Saw the Lightning II at Yeovilton today .....very impressive although it looked a tadge small.....smaller than a SHAR. (But faster and with more gadgets)
Actually its quite a bit bigger which is why it could not operate off a CVS.
The Helpful Stacker
9th Jul 2006, 13:44
Didn't the Russians build a VSTOL a/c that used the two engine approach. Apparently it couldn't carry much more than its own weight?
It relied on fixed vertical lift fans for vertical flight that were dead weight in horizontal flight.
Hmmmm.
Yo Taildragger,
Lightning II because it's the second Lightning in US service and the second in UK's.
If you still want to get picky, go ask those silly asses at EE why they thought theirs was the first.
GeeRam
10th Jul 2006, 07:09
Yo Taildragger,
Lightning II because it's the second Lightning in US service and the second in UK's.
If you still want to get picky, go ask those silly asses at EE why they thought theirs was the first.
Actually, it could loosely be argued that it'd be the 3rd in UK service and 1st to be actually named by the the US, in US service as you lot weren't going to call the P-38 the Lightning, you lot wanted to call it the Atalanta.....:rolleyes:
The original useless un-blown P-38 was called Lightning when entered into RAF service but was rejected soon after with the order for the next batch cancelled.
The US then later adopted the Lightning name itself.
So, the nice folks at EE never thought theirs was the first......even though it'll still always be the best.......:ok:
brickhistory
10th Jul 2006, 10:43
Actually, it could loosely be argued that it'd be the 3rd in UK service and 1st to be actually named by the the US, in US service as you lot weren't going to call the P-38 the Lightning, you lot wanted to call it the Atalanta.....:rolleyes:
The original useless un-blown P-38 was called Lightning when entered into RAF service but was rejected soon after with the order for the next batch cancelled.
The US then later adopted the Lightning name itself.
So, the nice folks at EE never thought theirs was the first......even though it'll still always be the best.......:ok:
Well done on the obscure Atalanta!
And for EE for designing the jet Lightning when it was beyond cutting edge. Too bad "you lot" don't still have that capability.........
GeeRam
10th Jul 2006, 14:21
Too bad "you lot" don't still have that capability.........
Us lot over here could have still had the capability (maybe still has if it was allowed) if those elected over the years by the great unwashed of this isle had wanted to continue making the required investment to do so.......:rolleyes:
brickhistory
10th Jul 2006, 14:32
Us lot over here could have still had the capability (maybe still has if it was allowed) if those elected over the years by the great unwashed of this isle had wanted to continue making the required investment to do so.......:rolleyes:
Other than mild humo(u)r, please don't take my comment too harshly.
Frankly, I wish you still did have the capability. Not only has the British aerospace built some absolutely fantastic machines, but some more good healthy rivals abroad would make my countries' few remaining aerospace firms more responsive, more innovative, and less arrogant.
So if EE knew they were the second why didn't they name accordingly?
oops just woke up and realized you chaps don't do that otherwise it would be Typhoon 2 or II. So I guess Dave will just be Lightning.
GeeRam
10th Jul 2006, 19:51
So I guess Dave will just be Lightning.
Nope.........Dave will be the Dave I reckon over here:E
Can't ever seeing it being refered to the name Lightning over here.......
The Frightning maybe, but not endearingly, more because it's frightningly ugly......:ok:
Mind you, nearly 20 years on from it's retirement, there's not many ex-Lightning people left in now to get the hump about it...?
And as for us not doing the Lightning II or whatever, I seem to recall most including the US service's always called the A-10 the A-10 Warthog rather than the A-10 Thunderbolt II or how many actually refered to the F-4 as the Phantom II.......;)
Anyway, banter aside, I can't believe the powers that be are that mentally challanged that we can't come up with an unused name. It's not as if we have to come up with 10-20 new names a year is it......:rolleyes:
BombayDuck
11th Jul 2006, 07:00
Apart from the... er.... Dave, I know of the Wokka, Tonka, Fat Albert and Timmy & Tommy.
are there any other names, and if so how did they come about?