Lockheed Martin F-35A, B, C and other ideas

[rickshaw]

So has the missile! 

I hope they peel off, otherwise they'll need to repaint it for it's next public appearance.

[PR19_Kit]

And with the two 'winders under the wings it'll be about as stealthy as a breeze block too.

No-one answered my question about the bulges visible inboard of the intakes, anyone know or got any thoughts?

[rickshaw]

And with the two 'winders under the wings it'll be about as stealthy as a breeze block too.

And the good book did say;

And on the third day of operations, after nearly all opposition had been eliminated, the decision was taken to allow external carriage of weapons to leave more room for big bombs inside the aircraft.....

[kitnut617]

No-one answered my question about the bulges visible inboard of the intakes, anyone know or got any thoughts?

Looking at my close-up photos I took of the 'B' I saw in Yuma, it has them too.  So my thoughts are it's something to do with the intake.  I'll ask Evan on BTS and see if he's allowed to tell me ---

[Taiidantomcat]

And with the two 'winders under the wings it'll be about as stealthy as a breeze block too.

Although the stealth signature degrades with pylons you are still starting with a very stealthy platform, and pylons will include LO materials to maintain as much as possible. Its will still be more stealthy with pylons than say a Super Hornet, Rafale, Eurofighter, etc. For example while it may be undetectable until 30 KM clean, with pylons it would be detectable at 40 KM. but its not like putting on a pylon and a pair of missiles suddenly turns it into flying signal flare visible from 300 KM.  

For example a Super Hornet with wingtip AAMs and AMRAAMS mounted on the intakes (thus no pylons and close to a clean fuselage) is its strongest armed LO configuration

No-one answered my question about the bulges visible inboard of the intakes, anyone know or got any thoughts?

I am 99 percent sure its a cooling scoop and a gun if its an F-35A (port side)

[PR19_Kit]

No-one answered my question about the bulges visible inboard of the intakes, anyone know or got any thoughts?

I am 99 percent sure its a cooling scoop and a gun if its an F-35A (port side)

No, I meant these two bulges on the photo of the C variant you posted earlier.

[kitnut617]

Evan directed me to this photo below apparently they're part of the weapons bay door Kit, some of the weapons fit into the recess

[PR19_Kit]

Ahah, right, thanks so much Robert.  

Those bays are pretty large but I can see the need to add the bulges for fatter weapons.

[Later] Actually looking at the photo harder reveals that the Slammers are in the door bulges, it must be REALLY tight in there!

[Taiidantomcat]

No, I meant these two bulges on the photo of the C variant you posted earlier.

doh! my apologies

[rickshaw]

Does anybody do a F-35C yet?

[Thorvic]

Does anybody do a F-35C yet?

Not yet but i suspect thats becuase it will be the last variant of the three to enter service and with the Erestor hook issue i suspect they awaited verification that there would be no noticible structural changes resulting from the fix and testing. The model companies will want to try ans get the type as accurate as possible to prevent it being inaccurate or requiring a retooling.

Don't forget we have only just started to see decent A & B variants being kitted in the last year and we should get a pair of mainstream A's during the course of this year. No doubt we'll see more B's appear and hopefully eventually a C in the next 12-18 months in 72nd which would be nice  from a whiffing point of view as we could do UK C's in the B schemes.

[rickshaw]

As I've said, I think a dehinged "C" would be a better land-based variant.  I'd like to give that a go when the "C" gets released.

[PR19_Kit]

Some darn good engineering in that weapons bay, I'm most impressed. 

They'll need some hefty ejectors to ensure the bombs go out fast enough to avoid being bumped into the Slammer's fins by the airstream, I hope they're using Mod 1326 programmers on their test systems.  (says he who's installed numerous 1326s at various test sites....)

[Taiidantomcat]

Some pit test pictures from Edwards AFB

[PR19_Kit]

Some pit test pictures from Edwards AFB

And just what were you doing hiding in that pit anyway?