Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II at Fairford for Air Tattoo 2016, Maj. Will Andreotta F-35 'Heritage Team' display pilot -RIAT 2016 (1)

Just back from three days at RIAT 2016 and a few low-res images for you of the F-35 Lightning II including a couple of shots (bottom) of the USMC variant in the hover courtesy of Tad Dippel. Thanks Tad! The hover kicking up the dirt was Wednesday - shows how much more powerful the engine is. Aluminium matting was laid for Friday's display.  'Heritage' display pilot Maj. Will Andreotta seen dismounting after his display in tandem with the F-22 on Friday's show (8 July) in the third picture. The RAF variant flew an 'historic' formation with the Red Arrows and the two RAF Display Typhoons...

.. I was lucky enough to chat to Maj. Will Andreotta, the F-35 'Heritage' display team pilot. Will flew F-16s which surprised me. For some reason I thought all F-35 (strike) pilots would have F-15 time. He showed me the amazing $400K helmet - there is no HUD in these machines, everything is projected onto the visor and every flight is made with the helmet 'active'. He described the transatlantic flight (15 refuellings to maintain an adequate reserve at all times), the engine (43000 lbs thrust - biggest ever in a 'fighter') and we sort of discussed the LO airframe 'coating' that conveys the aircraft's so-called 'stealthy' characteristics. The 'hover' is from Wednesday when the aircraft set up a real dust storm - they laid some alu matting by Friday. Not sure that I've been 'won' over, but its a big and fast STOL/VTOL airplane - or at least appears to be!

..so the future of combat aircraft flying together. The commentators at RIAT were banging on about that over through the show. These machines will still be in service when most of us have gone (speaking for the over-40s there..) - grim thought that for the future of airshows. Although the F-35 pulls some nice contrails just flying straight and level at times. Still, amazing to see both the F-22 and F-35 together.

A final remark about 'operating system longevity'; the programme operates a $300 million reprogramming lab at Eglin opened in 2011 updating 'threat libraries' and overseeing 'system(s) reprogramming'. The F-35 will serve from 2018 for at least 30 years - an "upgradeable" aircraft, the F-35 is designed " to meet evolving threats". In fact when the Typhoon disappears (around 2030..) the F-35 will be the only frontline combat aircraft in RAF service, probably the last manned one too..

below; Nico Charpentier and Tad Dippel photos

" ..a photo that we are going to be looking at for decades to come ..."  F-35 B with the Red Arrows and RAF Typhoon display team, Friday 08 July 2016 RAF Fairford

and a Chris France photo from the opening routine at Friday's RIAT and not repeated over the weekend - the F-35 A and refuelling USMC KC-130 J - a rare visitor to a UK airshow in  its own right!

Video of Friday's routine with the C-130 tanker via the Lockheed Martin/Pratt and Whitney chalet. Well back from the flightline but of good quality



and from those super boys at planesTV.com, a short clip of the RAF 'B' variant practising the display routine and hover




Nigel Woolley's RIAT coverage reposted via youtube's 'embed' code.  A single click to view here or double click to go to Nigel's channel.  This was Wednesday arrivals day at RIAT which was busy for both variants of the F-35 with three aircraft flying and awesome rehearsals that included hovering and vertical landing...
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first F-35s in the UK land at Fairford for RIAT 2016 and display at RAF Marham

The much anticipated arrival of the F-35 to British shores should have taken place at least two years ago, but due to an accident the whole fleet was temporarily grounded, and then restricted to limited range flights. Fast forward to June 27th 2016. Two USMC and one RAF F-35B's are set to make the transatlantic crossing to the UK for the first time. The mission is scrubbed for 48hrs...as tankers needed for the crossing go tech two days in a row! Finally on June 29th the three aircraft make it to the UK landing at RAF Fairford in less than ideal weather! The following day three USAF F-35A's make the same trip. The weather only marginally better yielded this set of images..

and via Steve Cooke and Ben Howarth

below; from the RAF Marham FB page

Also on this blog  - F-35 display and hover at Fairford. I say 'hi' to Will Andreotta F-35 'Heritage display team' pilot 

Belgian Air Force Air show weekend 25-26 June Florennes by Nico Charpentier

just a few images from Nico from an intermittently damp weekend in Florennes, Belgium featuring the Polish MiG 29 More on his FB page here

Unknown Beute type - Caudron racing aircraft - daily ebay photo find #44

I assume a French type - that has to be a Bloch wing in the background - a Caudron racer ?

1(F)Sqn Harrier Detachment, Tromso February 1986

1(F)Sqn Detachment, Tromso February 1986 photos by Simon Price. 

Shark-teeth Mustangs of the 363rd FG over France 1944 - via the 354th FG collection /Jack Cook

1Lt Clark and crew of the 382nd FS with P-51B s/n 43-6964 C3+G "The Mighty Midget" in France during July 1944....

Capt. John Brown and crew of the 382nd FS with their P-51B s/n 42-106647 C3+D "Big Mac Junior" in France during July 1944.

Capt Gordon McCoy of Salem, Oregon 383rd FS peels off over Honington, England on completion of his combat tour flying his P-51D s/n 44-14013 N2+B "Lady Dorothy III".

1Lt Bob McGee and crew by P-51B s/n 42-106486 C3+A "Virginia" of the 382nd FS France 1944.

reposted via Jack Cook on the P-51 Mustang FB page here

Caledonian 707 and Transeuropa Caravelle at Gatwick, Tridents at LHR

Robert Robinson photos

 " ...A late 60's early 70's picture at Gatwick showing a Caledonian 707 and Transeuropa Caravelle with a Connie and Dak in the background. Provides a bit of a feel for what it was like on the terrace in those days..."

"....when Tridents, VC-10's, DC-9's and the like were the norm. Heathrow in the 80's. Here 2 Tridents wait their turn to erupt into noisy, dirty yet beautiful flying machines........."

From the Airshows Past FB page here

501st FG Iwo Jima 25 March 1945

Dark chapter in air war history - the last 300 Japanese on Iwo Jima silently attacked the P-51 pilots sleeping in their tents - nearly 3 dozen pilots died before the Japanese were all eliminated.


"...It was the evening of 25 March, D+34, and the amphibious assault on the rocky fortress of Iwo Jima finally appeared over. The island grew strangely quiet. There were far fewer illumination shells. In the flickering false light, some saw shadowy figures, moving south, towards the airfield. General Schmidt received the good news that the 5th Marine Division had snuffed out the final enemy cave in 'The Gorge' on the evening of D+34. But even as the corps commander prepared his announcement declaring the end of organized resistance on Iwo Jima, a very well-organized enemy force emerged from northern caves and infiltrated down the length of the island. This final spasm of Japanese opposition still reflected the influence of Kuribayashi's tactical discipline. The 300-man force took all night to move into position around the island's now vulnerable rear base area, the tents occupied by freshly arrived Army pilots of VII Fighter Command, adjacent to Airfield No. 1. The counter-attacking force achieved total surprise, falling on the sleeping pilots out of the darkness with swords, grenades, and automatic weapons. The fighting was as vicious and bloody as any that occurred in Iwo Jima's many arenas. The surviving pilots and members of the 5th Pioneer Battalion improvised a skirmish line and launched a counterattack of their own. Seabees and elements of the redeploying 28th Marines joined the fray. There were few suicides among the Japanese; most died in place, grateful to strike one final blow for the Emperor. Sunrise revealed the awful carnage: 300 dead Japanese; more than 100 slain pilots, Seabees, and pioneers; and another 200 American wounded. It was a grotesque closing chapter to five continuous weeks of savagery...."

Down in the West! - more Armée de l'Air captured types from the Westfeldzug - NAA 64, Arsenal VG 33 - daily ebay photo find #43

Flugplatz Reims, 28 June 1940

Arsenal VG 33 in an exhibition of captured Allied types. More on the Arsenal VG 33 on this here