Sweet JSF Animation

While BF-1, the first production F-35B, has been relegated to strictly conventional flight to date, this super sweet animation from Stephen Trimble's blog does an amazing job highlighting the aircraft's future short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities. Combining the awesome footage with the cool soundtrack and this short vid clip got me all pumped up to see this JSF variant in action.

[The DEW Line]

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First STOVL F-35 makes first flight

History was made today when the world's first production aircraft that combines stealth, supersonic speed, and STOVL capabilities made its first flight in Fort Worth today. The Lockheed Martin F-35B piloted by Graham Tomlinson made a conventional takeoff and landing today, but the first production F-35B (known as BF-1) will make the transition to short takeoffs, hovers, and vertical landings next year as it becomes the second F-35 to join the test fleet. The first, an F-35A, has only conventional takeoff capabilities as required by its main customer, the US Air Force. The F-35B, will make full use of its Short TakeOff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) abilities when it enters service with the United States Marine Corp, and both the United Kingdom's and Italy's Air Force and Navy forces. The flight took place only a few weeks after the aircraft successfully completed its first hover pit test. Although it was only a 45 minute flight, it was a huge milestone for the advance war fighter that is scheduled to enter service with the Marines in 2012.

For a little more information on how this bad boy will hover, check out what Lockheed is saying about it:

Though nearly identical in appearance to the F-35A, the F-35B incorporates a counter-rotating shaft-driven lift fan positioned directly behind the cockpit. The lift fan, produced by Rolls-Royce, is turned by a drive shaft from the F-35’s massively powerful single engine, which features a swiveling rear exhaust nozzle that vectors thrust downward during vertical flight. The lift fan, engine and stabilizing roll ducts beneath the F-35B’s wings combine to produce 40,000 pounds of lifting force. Converting the F-35B from STOVL to conventional flight and vice-versa requires only the push of a button by the pilot.

Where can I get one?

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1st F-35B switches to hover mode (while tied down)

The first production F-35B performed a hover pit test at the Lockheed Martin facilities in Fort Worth, TX on May 25th. The aircraft was tethered to the pit for this test, but it should not be long before we see a vertical takeoff/landing from this amazing machine. I just love watching this thing's metamorphosis from conventional to VSTOL. Maybe it's because I watched too much Transformers when I was a kid.

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Lockheed flips the switch on first F-35B

Lockheed Martin announced today that they successfully completed the first power-on test of the F-35B which is the STOVL (Short TakeOff and Vertical Landing) variant of the upcoming Joint Strike Fighter. This milestone gets them even closer to a first flight scheduled sometime around early June. The test, which actually took place on April 18th, was the first time that the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine has ran while integrated to an F-35B airframe. BAE test pilot Graham Tomlinson was at the controls for the engine run that took the F135 all the way up to full military power without afterburner. Tomlinson, a Brit, will also be the first for fly the F-35B. Program officials were quite pleased with the engine run that lasted nearly one hour and included opening and closing the shaft-driven lift fan doors. Can't wait to see this baby hover.

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