Defence Management Jnl: "Video: F-35B Completes First Night Time Vertical Landing"

[soleil]

Video: F-35B completes first night time vertical landing - Defence Management

http://www.jsf.mil/news/docs/20130404_NIGHTVL.pdf

 

[Waspie]

Impressive.

IF it comes into service I hope they remember the mistakes from the Harrier. Hardened landing spots ashore. When the SHAR's first landed at Portland, then left some nice holes on the relatively soft tarmac landing areas!!!!!:sign5:

 

[bollotom]

Impressive.

IF it comes into service I hope they remember the mistakes from the Harrier. Hardened landing spots ashore. When the SHAR's first landed at Portland, then left some nice holes on the relatively soft tarmac landing areas!!!!!:sign5:

Looked like it landed with reheat on. Hope this doesn't require air to air refuelling before landing in some scenarios. :cheers:

 

[Pontius]

Looked like it landed with reheat on.

That's just the result of the low light TV, Bollotom. With about 40 000lbs of dry thrust there's no need for reheat in the hover.

Hope this doesn't require air to air refuelling before landing in some scenarios

I would hope so too. The idea is to get rid of the fuel to reduce your landing weight (increase your hover capability), not fill up the tanks so you can't hover :smile: Reminds me of watching the F3 behind the Tristar tanker; every now and then you'd see the re-heat coming in so the POS aircraft could stay in formation with the tanker. As the Tornado filled up and got heavier, so more re-heat was used. The trouble was, the re-heat used fuel at a greater rate than the tanker could pump, so the bloody Crabs would spend too long at the petrol station and leave bugger all for us. Yes, I was airborne when an RAF tanker actually showed up and spent more than 2 minutes on task before going tech and heading back to Brize for more medals :shock: