STOVL Version of JSF Flies for First Time
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STOVL Version of JSF Flies for First Time
from Defense News
The short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) version of the Joint Strike Fighter took to the air for the first time the morning of June 11 with a British pilot at the controls.
The F-35B Lightning II took off from Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth, Texas, facility at 10:17 a.m. central daylight time. Graham Tomlinson, a test pilot for BAE Systems, took the aircraft through a series of handling tests, engine power variations and subsystem checks at altitudes up to about 15,000 feet during the 44-minute flight.
Tomlinson, a former Royal Air Force Harrier pilot, said the F-35B gave him "a relaxed first flight, with the aircraft handling and performing just as we predicted."
The entire flight was conducted in conventional flight mode, Lockheed said in a press release. Transitions to short takeoffs, hovers and vertical landings are to begin in early 2009.
The STOVL aircraft will be used by the U.S. Marine Corps to replace its AV-8B Harrier II jump jets. Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, and the Italian Navy and Air Force also will operate the aircraft.
Although development of the F-35A conventional-takeoff and -landing version already is under way, the F-35B is to be the first of the three Lightning II variants to enter service when it begins Marine operations in 2012
The first F-35A test plane flew in December 2006 and the first two production aircraft are under construction.
Development of the F-35C, intended to operate from U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, will follow.
The F-35B is billed as the world's first supersonic and stealthy STOVL aircraft. While not stealthy, the Harrier also can attain supersonic speeds in limited regimes. Two European experimental STOVL aircraft in the 1960s, the German Vertical Fighter 101C and French company Dassault's Mirage IIIV, also could attain supersonic speeds.
Lockheed is the prime contractor for the F-35 program, with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems as principal industrial partners.
The short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) version of the Joint Strike Fighter took to the air for the first time the morning of June 11 with a British pilot at the controls.
The F-35B Lightning II took off from Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth, Texas, facility at 10:17 a.m. central daylight time. Graham Tomlinson, a test pilot for BAE Systems, took the aircraft through a series of handling tests, engine power variations and subsystem checks at altitudes up to about 15,000 feet during the 44-minute flight.
Tomlinson, a former Royal Air Force Harrier pilot, said the F-35B gave him "a relaxed first flight, with the aircraft handling and performing just as we predicted."
The entire flight was conducted in conventional flight mode, Lockheed said in a press release. Transitions to short takeoffs, hovers and vertical landings are to begin in early 2009.
The STOVL aircraft will be used by the U.S. Marine Corps to replace its AV-8B Harrier II jump jets. Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, and the Italian Navy and Air Force also will operate the aircraft.
Although development of the F-35A conventional-takeoff and -landing version already is under way, the F-35B is to be the first of the three Lightning II variants to enter service when it begins Marine operations in 2012
The first F-35A test plane flew in December 2006 and the first two production aircraft are under construction.
Development of the F-35C, intended to operate from U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, will follow.
The F-35B is billed as the world's first supersonic and stealthy STOVL aircraft. While not stealthy, the Harrier also can attain supersonic speeds in limited regimes. Two European experimental STOVL aircraft in the 1960s, the German Vertical Fighter 101C and French company Dassault's Mirage IIIV, also could attain supersonic speeds.
Lockheed is the prime contractor for the F-35 program, with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems as principal industrial partners.
While not stealthy, the Harrier also can attain supersonic speeds in limited regimes.
Anyway, good to see the F-35B airborne at last.
How long before the spotters infest this thread with silly 'Dave' comments?
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Beagle,
You really asked for it this time !
I have my doubts about the Harrier 2 - GR7/9, AV-8B - reckoned around 100 knots slower than an all - tin Harrier 1, but with the big engine better at time to height -but I believe the Sea Harrier ( yes, again ! ) could manage transonic or just supersonic, even with stores carried -probably in a shallow dive but not a " once only plummet " - maybe Mr.Farley or at least someone more knowledgable than me such as Michael Pryce who runs the Harrier website and is very well researched on V/STOL could comment.
I seem to remember the FA2, despite its' looks, was a touch faster than the FRS1 due to the aerodynamics of the larger radome & lengthened fuselage.
I had the honour of working with Graham Tomlinson - G.T.- on development GR5's, and a nicer guy or better pilot is yet to come along - if anyone can make sense of the Dave ( see, I said it and I'm not even a spotter ! ) he can, now John Farley has retired.
I received a recycled press release today regarding the flight, I must say the phrase " one of the most complex aircraft ever built " made me a bit uneasy regarding a single seat fighter, especially after the B-2 debacle...
You really asked for it this time !
I have my doubts about the Harrier 2 - GR7/9, AV-8B - reckoned around 100 knots slower than an all - tin Harrier 1, but with the big engine better at time to height -but I believe the Sea Harrier ( yes, again ! ) could manage transonic or just supersonic, even with stores carried -probably in a shallow dive but not a " once only plummet " - maybe Mr.Farley or at least someone more knowledgable than me such as Michael Pryce who runs the Harrier website and is very well researched on V/STOL could comment.
I seem to remember the FA2, despite its' looks, was a touch faster than the FRS1 due to the aerodynamics of the larger radome & lengthened fuselage.
I had the honour of working with Graham Tomlinson - G.T.- on development GR5's, and a nicer guy or better pilot is yet to come along - if anyone can make sense of the Dave ( see, I said it and I'm not even a spotter ! ) he can, now John Farley has retired.
I received a recycled press release today regarding the flight, I must say the phrase " one of the most complex aircraft ever built " made me a bit uneasy regarding a single seat fighter, especially after the B-2 debacle...
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I seem to recall you had most chance in a cleaned off T8, I 'm sure someone will know for sure!
Good news on the test flight, at this rate we might actually have the carriers and the aircraft at about the same time. Not holding my breath though.
Good news on the test flight, at this rate we might actually have the carriers and the aircraft at about the same time. Not holding my breath though.
Anyway, supersonic flight is for girls
Now that IS a girlie's jet!
Sorry that the excitement was too much for your bladder, you poor old thing....
I can well believe that the GR1/GR3 could manage supersonic flight, as probably could the RN's WetJets also. But GR5/7/9??
Whatever. But damn, that F-35B looks fun! Enjoy, you lucky so-and-sos!!
I can well believe that the GR1/GR3 could manage supersonic flight, as probably could the RN's WetJets also. But GR5/7/9??
Whatever. But damn, that F-35B looks fun! Enjoy, you lucky so-and-sos!!
But when will F35B do the first vertical landing? Or the first deck landing? I didn't read the post above which said 2009 - sorry!
Links to the Sea Jet and Future Carrier threads are apt!
Links to the Sea Jet and Future Carrier threads are apt!
Last edited by WE Branch Fanatic; 12th Jun 2008 at 20:25.
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W.E Branch Fanatic,
Though I suspect we talk the same language, surely you're being fussy about vertical / deck landings - after all the thing's only cost billions !
Beagle - you must be a much more hairy-arsed flyer than me ( not a pilot ) - my trip in G-Hawk with the uprated Adour had me reaching for the bag within 30 minutes - BTW I'd be interested to know what in our inventory, possibly excluding the Typhoon, can pull sustained 'G' for so long and led to a single seat fighter...
Though I suspect we talk the same language, surely you're being fussy about vertical / deck landings - after all the thing's only cost billions !
Beagle - you must be a much more hairy-arsed flyer than me ( not a pilot ) - my trip in G-Hawk with the uprated Adour had me reaching for the bag within 30 minutes - BTW I'd be interested to know what in our inventory, possibly excluding the Typhoon, can pull sustained 'G' for so long and led to a single seat fighter...
Last edited by Double Zero; 12th Jun 2008 at 20:33.
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I was at Cottesmore very recently and the F-35 came up, not surprisingly. The current expectation is that the UK F-35B will be STOSL, with about 50 kts over the wing on landing, in order to allow a heavier weight to land on than a VL would allow.
I seem to recall you had most chance in a cleaned off T8, I 'm sure someone will know for sure!
*plus a bit. Well one wouldn't want to scoop up any wave-tops would one?
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Slightly confusing - I thought Shargreaves flew the STOVL version years ago? Certainly saw a video of him hovering one over a pit full of fire-breathing snakes somewhere warm.
Frankly I wish the STOVL version would sod off and die so that we can stop faffing about and buy the (cheaper) F-35C which has longer range, better payload and doesn't suffer with bring-back issues in hot ambient temperatures..................hmmm, didn't we have a jet that used to have that problem. Have you seen the size of the CVF? By the power of greyskull, its gigantic-normous. Even a crab could stick one down on that.
Frankly I wish the STOVL version would sod off and die so that we can stop faffing about and buy the (cheaper) F-35C which has longer range, better payload and doesn't suffer with bring-back issues in hot ambient temperatures..................hmmm, didn't we have a jet that used to have that problem. Have you seen the size of the CVF? By the power of greyskull, its gigantic-normous. Even a crab could stick one down on that.
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That would be the X-35B... the "flight demonstrator" version. This is the redesigned "pre-production/early production" F-35B block 0 version. There are actually quite a few internal differences and some external ones.
And the term is "STORVL", not "STOSL".
Short Take-Off, Rolling Vertical Landing, not Short Take-Off, Short Landing (usually called STOL... Short Take-Off/Landing).
That is to emphasize that the aircraft can still do vertical take-offs (medium-light load) and vertical landings (light-load).
Big difference (to the PR folks).
And the term is "STORVL", not "STOSL".
Short Take-Off, Rolling Vertical Landing, not Short Take-Off, Short Landing (usually called STOL... Short Take-Off/Landing).
That is to emphasize that the aircraft can still do vertical take-offs (medium-light load) and vertical landings (light-load).
Big difference (to the PR folks).
"And the term is "STORVL", not "STOSL".
Short Take-Off, Rolling Vertical Landing, not Short Take-Off, Short Landing (usually called STOL... Short Take-Off/Landing)."
Tears in all end will it..........
Short Take-Off, Rolling Vertical Landing, not Short Take-Off, Short Landing (usually called STOL... Short Take-Off/Landing)."
Tears in all end will it..........
Sequence of 20 build-down flights, getting successively slower, starts "first quarter 2009" at Foat Wuff, culminating in "short" - that is, partially jetborne - landing. Then to Pax River, to go all the way to VL.
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Just a slight hi-jack of the thread but I echo DDs sentiments regarding Graham Tomlinson or GT. He is definitely one of the finest fast-jet test pilots around (both ability and temperament) and I consider myself privileged to have flown with him in Hawks/Harriers etc on numerous occasions during his time at Dunsfold. Well done GT - use deserve to have flown it - enjoy.