Captain Tyler Posted July 14, 2022 Share Posted July 14, 2022 21 hours ago, Ken Cartwright said: Here's a video discussing the F-35s being used as aggressors. I don't think this person has any inside info, but I don't think anything he says seems out of line or improbable. For the modelling world, the prospect of Aggressor F-35s in various schemes is fantastic. I, for one, am interested to see how the AF makes these schemes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Raceaddict Posted August 17, 2022 Share Posted August 17, 2022 More F-35 aggressor pics: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/f-35-stealth-fighters-are-revolutionizing-the-usafs-aggressor-force They're only 2-tone grey, not 3-tone like the renders in the above vid. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Tyler Posted August 17, 2022 Share Posted August 17, 2022 I wonder what the next few will look like. It would be easy to do a J-20/J-31 scheme, but almost certainly, more Splinters will show up. I wonder if the current Su-57 "Ghost" scheme will be an option. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spejic Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 (edited) So... what's going on here? F-35C from the VX-9 test and evaluation unit. Edited September 8, 2022 by spejic Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Tyler Posted September 8, 2022 Share Posted September 8, 2022 47 minutes ago, spejic said: So... what's going on here? F-35C from the VX-9 test and evaluation unit. Additional testing of an alleged stealth coating or technique against IR threats. There are now several airframes with this finish, including a few F-35s, at least 2x F-22s snd at least 1x F-117As Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Cartwright Posted December 15, 2022 Share Posted December 15, 2022 F-35B pilot forced to test out the zero-zero ejection seat. No definitive word on the pilot as of yet, but hoping they're OK: https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2022/12/15/pilot-ejects-after-f-35b-crashes-on-texas-runway/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bsin Posted December 16, 2022 Share Posted December 16, 2022 2 hours ago, Ken Cartwright said: F-35B pilot forced to test out the zero-zero ejection seat. No definitive word on the pilot as of yet, but hoping they're OK: https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2022/12/15/pilot-ejects-after-f-35b-crashes-on-texas-runway/ Hope so! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted December 16, 2022 Share Posted December 16, 2022 Not sure if this has been posted yet: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/pilot-ejects-from-f-35-at-fort-worth-joint-reserve-base/3149776/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Cartwright Posted December 16, 2022 Share Posted December 16, 2022 14 hours ago, habu2 said: Not sure if this has been posted yet: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/pilot-ejects-from-f-35-at-fort-worth-joint-reserve-base/3149776/ Yes, two posts up 👍 🙂 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted December 16, 2022 Share Posted December 16, 2022 2 hours ago, Ken Cartwright said: Yes, two posts up 👍 🙂 Apparently I didn't refresh the page before posting... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Delanie Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 any idea what happened? It kind of looked like some ground effect problem. what is worrying however the news report mentioned that several of the ejection seats were found to have faulty parts, at least this guy's worked! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jbryan911 Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 You can see white vapor coming out the rear above the exhaust nozzle just before it looses lift. It is still a Lockheed jet, so it's all under warranty...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scooby Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 5 hours ago, Delanie said: any idea what happened? It kind of looked like some ground effect problem. what is worrying however the news report mentioned that several of the ejection seats were found to have faulty parts, at least this guy's worked! I think he lost power, his sink rate suddenly increased as he was descending. Could have been an FCS fault too, which would explain why the pilot decided to eject. He likely had no control. And as mentioned that puff of smoke before he lost power will be a key point of the investigation. The ejection sequence probably preserved what is left of the airframe as that automatically shuts everything down. Which will help with the investigation. And there is no warranty on the jet, but given it was still being flown by a test pilot it won’t count as a delivered jet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Looks like the forward fan lost drive/power after the bounce, resulting in the sudden fwd pitch down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 Interesting video in a way. F-35 crash Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jager Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 On 12/17/2022 at 9:53 AM, habu2 said: Looks like the forward fan lost drive/power after the bounce, resulting in the sudden fwd pitch down. After looking at the forward fan and drive subassembly at the Udvar Center I can appreciate the complexity and vulnerability of it. Looking at the video I have to agree with habu2 on his conclusion that the sudden forward down-pitch was probably due to some failure in the fan/drive power assembly. Thank goodness the pilot got out OK. Jager "Living On Tulsa Time" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 There is an extensive, and sometimes highly technical, discussion over on f-16.net, currently 12 pages long: https://www.f-16.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=58979 Ironic this happened on the anniversary of the first flight of AA-1, I worked in the VSIF on the PTMS/C (part of the IPP) leading up to and during early test flights. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
achterkirch Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 The first F-35A for the 115FW is under construction. They should get their first lightning in May. https://www.ang.af.mil/Media/Article-Display/Article/3254884/115th-fw-gains-firsthand-knowledge-during-lockheed-martin-visit/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott Smith Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 Question…Is the ultimate goal to replace the F-16 with the F-35? And if so, what about the F-16D with two seat? What role do these fill and how will the F-35 fill it? My only knowledge of the D is my Doctor getting back seat time to maintain his Flight Surgeon air time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 2 hours ago, Scott Smith said: Question…Is the ultimate goal to replace the F-16 with the F-35? And if so, what about the F-16D with two seat? What role do these fill and how will the F-35 fill it? My only knowledge of the D is my Doctor getting back seat time to maintain his Flight Surgeon air time. Yes it is the F-16 replacement. The F-16D was brought in as a trainer, F-35 uses a simulator to do what a two seat fighters did in the past. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott Smith Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 So back seat never served anything more than joy riders and students? Nothing like the Navy does with F-18’s or the F-14? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 (edited) A USAF Block 40/42 F-16D with ASHM (rear HUD monitor) allowed the rear seater to act as a WSO and perform weapon delivery while pilot concentrated on flying. Several FSM customers (Israel and UAE specifically) have missionized cockpits to utilize a 2 man crew. Otherwise the 2-seaters are every bit as capable as a single seater, with slightly less internal fuel capacity. Edited December 31, 2022 by habu2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scooby Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 4 hours ago, habu2 said: A USAF Block 40/42 F-16D with ASHM (rear HUD monitor) allowed the rear seater to act as a WSO and perform weapon delivery while pilot concentrated on flying. Several FSM customers (Israel and UAE specifically) have missionized cockpits to utilize a 2 man crew. Otherwise the 2-seaters are every bit as capable as a single seater, with slightly less internal fuel capacity. In conventional visual fighting, yeah it is nice to have an extra set of eyes in the back. I used to ride the back seat all the time in a CF-18B, a mission we flew was the jet was clean (no pylons or tanks), we called the mission the Red Baron as we had the advantage. The CF-18B was also lighter because there wasn’t a tank in the place of the second seat. Often the second seat was empty because pilots don’t want to sit in the back, they want to be in control. So we’d get a PA over the hangar saying there was an empty seat for a Red Baron. I went as often as I could. I’d be the second set of eyes. My last TD trip was to Tyndall AFB. Our pilots saw F-22s visually, they tried to engage, it wasn’t worth it as you can’t fight what you can’t see electronically. The F-22 and F-35 don’t need that second seat, because they have the advantage entering every fight. And the F-35 has a computer that does the work of a WSO. Everything is simplified for the pilot’s decision making. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott Smith Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 Great info guys. I appreciate it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alvis 3.1 Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 Canada joins the F-35 club: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-ends-years-long-search-for-new-fighter-jet-with-deal-to-buy-f-35s-1.6222706 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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