First F-35 Carrier Variant (CV) After Paint

[owls84]

This is a photo of the first CV version of the F-35 that finished paint yesterday.



The first System Development and Demonstration (SDD) F-35C carrier variant for the U.S. Navy, CF-1, has just come out of factory final finishes outfitted with a fresh paint job. Preparations are now underway for the jet to return to the air next week.

CF-1 took off for the first time on June 7 from Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, for a 57-minute flight piloted by Lockheed Martin test pilot Jeff Knowles. Prior to factory final finishes, CF-1 completed 14 flights totaling 18 hours of flight time. The aircraft will return to flight test before its ferry to NAS Patuxent River in the coming weeks.

As the future of long-range, stealth striking capability, the F-35C will provide Naval aviators a fifth-generation fighter with the most advanced technology possible from the Navy's big-deck carriers.

 

[Bro.BruceBenjamin]

This looks like a very nice addition to the fleet. I have not been to NAS Patuxent River, but I have been to NAS Jacksonville. Im going to NWS Charleston.

I always wanted to be an aviator, but my vision wouldn't allow it. I should have listened to mom when she said back up from the tv it will ruin your vision.

 

[mark!]

I worked on the F-22 and F-35 projects, and have to say I'm excited for both of these planes to take to the fleet. My only upset is that the F-22 will phase out the F-15, my current favorite fighter jet. October 30th I'm excited to get to see a fully functional F-22 go through it's paces. On a side note, I've never been too awful impressed by vertical take off jets, I acknowledge their role, but the F-35 changes everything. The Harrier had such a low time frame of vertical flight, the F-35 changes everything we ever knew about vertical flight. I was there for the first flight in Ft. Worth, it was very interesting and inspiring to see.