Aviation MegaThread!!!!

[Daniii]

Originally Posted by Klay

If we don't sell that thing to a lot of other countries, this ongoing 11-year disaster called the F-35 project will get even worse.

Oh, they'll sell the airframe. But let's hope not the fancy electronics.

[Renner]

[EVLED]

Awesome day eh?

My pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/1148217...eat=directlink

Also check out this fantastic vid of the Mossy and friends:

[Renner]

yes, awesome
thanks for posting the vid.

we could only make it for the Friday practice, which was very windy but well worthwhile and quite memorable.

[UnderNewOwnership]

Originally Posted by Daniii

Oh, they'll sell the airframe. But let's hope not the fancy electronics.

The airframe without the electronics is a piss-poor overpriced tub.

[fz6kd7]

Originally Posted by UnderNewOwnership

The airframe without the electronics is a piss-poor overpriced tub.

I haven't kept a close watch on the 35
But isn't it a piss poor over-due-over-priced
tub regardless

[EvilGenius]

Originally Posted by fz6kd7

I haven't kept a close watch on the 35
But isn't it a piss poor over-due-over-priced
tub regardless

That's almost always the case with the first version of a new concept.

The concept/design may at some point become viable, practical, profitable and possibly even the norm in the future, but it will not be the F-35 (likely never would have been) and probably not Lockheed. The actual cost of R&D and then producing and working out whatever bugs that weren't predicted pretty much puts any single company in the tank..........unless they can win a contract.

Same with the V-22 and many other "ground breaking" aircraft going back in time.

[Daniii]

Originally Posted by UnderNewOwnership

The airframe without the electronics is a piss-poor overpriced tub.

But with the electronics seems to be pretty impressive. Especially as all three branches will share some parts. The linked communications mentioned elsewhere is pretty impressive. At least till the first EMP....

[Heyload]

The 100th F-35 has begun assembly on the production line.

The 2012 flight test plan called for 988 flights and 8,458 test points by Dec. 31. For the year, the SDD program flew 1,167 flights and tallied 9,319 test points. The F-35A Flight Science test aircraft flew 291 flights and accomplished 2,573 test points. The F-35B Flight Science test aircraft accomplished 396 flights and 2,443 test points. The F-35C flew 239 flights and tallied 2,247 test points. The Mission Systems test aircraft accomplished 241 flights and 2,056 test points. The F-35B also executed 102 vertical landings.

The cumulative 2012 milestones were achieved through a combination of planned test flights and test points, along with test flights and test points added throughout the year. The flight test program is now more than one third complete in aggregate with the Air Force’s F-35A variant leading the way with 43 percent complete.

[wannaklr]

Damn I love the C-130

[Heyload]

Originally Posted by wannaklr

Damn I love the C-130

Who doesn't? "Herky bird, Herky bird.."

[Daniii]

Originally Posted by Heyload

Who doesn't? "Herky bird, Herky bird.."

I'm guessing the C-130 is balls to the wall and the F-35's near stall speed....

[Heyload]

Originally Posted by Daniii

I'm guessing the C-130 is balls to the wall and the F-35's near stall speed....

If what I've seen of the F-22 is any indicator, the F-35 can easily handle slower speeds.

But yeah, I bet the Herk is booking pretty hard.

Hmmm, I wonder what the max KCAS is with the drogues trailing?

[ADK]

beautiful machines...

[DakarNick]

Originally Posted by wannaklr

Damn I love the C-130

Wifey's cousin is an aerial gunner on a 130. He and his assigned aircraft were used in the desert scene of Transformers.