RattlerA Joint Strike Fighter took off today for the first time with a U.S. Marine at the controls.
Maj. Joseph Bachmann, a Marine test pilot, flew an F-35A for an hour and 20 minutes from a Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The F-35 is supposed to enter operational service with the Marines in 2012.
The flight, Bachmann said, "was badass."
According to Bachmann, "The airplane literally leapt off the ground – it didn’t need much coaxing. All the maneuvers I asked it to do, it more than met."
The plane he flew is not the aircraft the Marine Corps wants to acquire, though. The service plans on acquiring the F-35B, a short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the aircraft that will eventually replace F/A-18 Hornet, AV-8B Harrier II and EA-6B Prowler. Bachmann is part of the test team that will do the work to get to the first "hover" of the F-35B.
About time... :-)
Moderators: MikeD, Robert Hilton
About time... :-)
Waited for this a long time:
Sincere condolences to all Norwegians! I guess you will need some aquevit to get over this.
- Ancient Mariner
- Posts: 3774
- Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2008 5:24 pm
Re: About time... :-)
Oh yeah, I so look forward to the bill for these "badass" field darts. If I'm lucky they want be able to deliver in my life time.
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