F-35B

[Mano]

 

Note that these are all Marine aircraft, although they say USS Wasp, due to sea trials. The pilots are all Marine officers and Marine Air usually specializes in ground support.

Carrier F-35

It was made just six weeks ago in the Atlantic, just off Newport News ( Hampton Roads), Virginia .

These are the latest sea trials of the F-35B on the USS Wasp. They were very successful, with 74 VL's (Vertical Launch) and STO's (short take offs) in a three week period.

The media and the program critics had predicted that we would burn holes in the deck and wash sailors overboard. Neither of which happened.

You will notice a sailor standing on the bow of the ship as the jet rotates. That was an intentional part of the sea trials.

No catapult... No hook.... It's a new world out there!

The shape and scope of warfare worldwide just changed.

I cut and pasted from an e mail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Ki86x1WKPmE&feature=colike


<S>
Mano

[rpm]

That is cool! Haven't seen any working off a ship. But why have that giant speedbrake of a cover over the VTOL fan? That can't be anything but counter productive on STO. I thought it was going to be a butterfly door?

[F22RaptorDude]

Nuff said

[USRanger]

My god.  Just think.  Aircraft that look and fly like this will be a normal thing for the younger generation, while to us semi-older folks (I'm 36), just the plane itself looks like something out of some sci-fi movie.  It amazes me sometimes that what was always referred to as "the future" has arrived in so many ways.

[Reschke]

That does look pretty dang cool there.

[Seanaldinho]

This is actually fairly old. Still cool though   

The "air brake looking thing" is actually what covers the fan when not in use and no doubt adds to the stealthyness and aerodynamics. Why it opens like that who knows though...

[Reschke]

Maybe it opens like that to force the air into the duct when moving forward instead of the air getting sucked into the massive fan that is pushing the rear engine...I really don't know but am just taking a shot in the dark on it.

[Nypsy]

What a mechanical nightmare!

[RTHolmes]

No catapult... No hook.... It's a new world out there!

The shape and scope of warfare worldwide just changed.

mhmmm ... welcome to 1967!

[Rich46yo]

My god.  Just think.  Aircraft that look and fly like this will be a normal thing for the younger generation, while to us semi-older folks (I'm 36), just the plane itself looks like something out of some sci-fi movie.  It amazes me sometimes that what was always referred to as "the future" has arrived in so many ways.

LOL, I never even saw a F15 or F16 during my time in. They were deployed, just not a lot of them, and none at the bases I was at. The F4 Phantom was the fighter of my 4 years.

[Babalonian]

I cut and pasted from an e mail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Ki86x1WKPmE&feature=colike


<S>
Mano

That is fairly old... before the more recent and concerning news, it's failed (as in I don't think it's successfuly made one) all attempted carrier landing trials via hook so far to date, but that was a few months ago...

[Shuffler]

mhmmm ... welcome to 1967!

(Image removed from quote.)

The 35B is replacing all the harriers. The F35A and B will replace several others. The 35B has a lift fan different than what was tried in the past. It is driven by the jet engine via a shaft. So there is no other motor that is dead weight when flying as a standard aircraft. The jet exhaust nozzle also turns down in the rear.

This aircraft is much faster than the current harriers.

[RTHolmes]

sure, its just the tone of it suggested VTOL fighters operating off carriers is revolutionary.

the footage looks exactly like harrier ops too, but without the ski-ramp. one shot suggests they are using the RN's pattern of approach to hover just off to the side of the carrier, then crab sideways over the deck before landing. I may be wrong but I understand the marines approach, hover, then land on the deck directly in the AV8s?

[Shuffler]

sure, its just the tone of it suggested VTOL fighters operating off carriers is revolutionary.

the footage looks exactly like harrier ops too, but without the ski-ramp. one shot suggests they are using the RN's pattern of approach to hover just off to the side of the carrier, then crab sideways over the deck before landing. I may be wrong but I understand the marines approach, hover, then land on the deck directly in the AV8s?

The Brits will still use the ski ramp. VTO will rarely be used. It is more suited for landing these days. The craft will still be used as STO so it can carry more ords and fuel..... so STOVL.

[eagl]

That is fairly old... before the more recent and concerning news, it's failed (as in I don't think it's successfuly made one) all attempted carrier landing trials via hook so far to date, but that was a few months ago...

The F-35B did fine on the sea trials.  It was the F-35C that failed some tests, and it was only one barrier engagement profile that failed, a roll-on engagement where the plane lands short of the cable and rolls over the cables.  In that test, the hook skipped, so they're trying a re-design of the hook tip and the bits that hold it down and dampen out impact and bouncing.