Playing the video in slomo shows that vapour/smoke is emanating from around the exhaust nozzle durng the last several metres of descent and increases considerably during the bounce which initially appears to be fully controlled. But then as the nose drops savagely and the aircraft rolls and yaws the really big burst of vapour/smoke appears instantly from under the rear fuselage roughly in line with the stbd main gear. However it does this before (only just before) that tyre touches the ground so is not rubber smoke, and is surely far too immediate intense to be tyre smoke anyway?
Something was coming apart in a big way in the power train imho, and was doing so some time before the first touchdown.
It would not surprise me in the least if next week we don't see all F35s grounded indefinately pending further investigation of the front fan/gearbox/driveshaft systems.
Last edited by meleagertoo; 18th Dec 2022 at 18:37.