F-35 First ski ramp take-off

As the new QE class British carriers will be use ramp based launch systems the F35-B is being tested for ramp take offs.

Sorry I've only just posted this but the first test was completed by a British pilot at NAS Patuxent River in June.



I imagine the pilot, Peter Wilson, must have been rather twitchy on the ejector handle whilst he waited for the nozzle to provide lift

Cheers
Robbie

Talk about a short take-off! Very cool seeing the thrust vectoring nozzle pointed down towards the ground like that in order to achieve such a take-off

a reply to: charolais

Hi Charolais,

Yeah it's very impressive, the flight control systems on this thing are incredible. Imagine putting your faith in those systems the first time they're tested in the real world, brave stuff indeed.

Cheers
Robbie

Here was my thread from June on the flight:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Looked to be as smooth as silk to me. I'm going down that way later this week. Might have a chance to see an F-35 up close and personal.

a reply to: JIMC5499

An acquaintance of mine got an up close and personal tour of the F-35 and described it as something sculpted from one piece as opposed to something put together from individual parts. Seeing a few of them fly over head and land at Nellis I can vouch for that.

a reply to: Sammamishman

Maybe I'll find out. I'm supposed to go for a ride in a SH-60R and a V-22. I don't know the rules on pictures, but, I'll have a camera with me.

a reply to: stratsys-sws

Granted an onboard ship ramp would be headed into the wind, at speed, we can suppose, but how long is this land ramp?

Not much time after rolling starts to abort is there?

Whatever gets the nose up I suppose.

a reply to: Sammamishman

Sorry Sammamishman, I didn't find your earlier post despite doing a search.

Aliensun, the ramp launch short runway aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth will be 160 metres long, the land test strip will be the same length....pretty short! Unfortunately you can't assume the carrier will always be headed into wind for takeoff, at max speed the CVF will be doing 25 knots, hence the ramp requirement without CATOBAR.

I spend a fair amount of time at Salmesbury, Warton and Brough. The aft fuselage, wingtips, vertical and horizontal stabilisers are manufactured at Salmesbury before being delivered to Lockmart. It's definitely not a one piece aircraft but when assembled it does look line it's a single structure, and I think it's a stunning, versatile and very capable aircraft.

Cheers
Robbie

What is that "hood" behind the cockpit for?

a reply to: 3danimator2014

It's the intake for the lift fan the B model uses. There is a door that opens on the bottom of the fuselage for the exhaust.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: 3danimator2014

It's the intake for the lift fan the B model uses. There is a door that opens on the bottom of the fuselage for the exhaust.

Gotcha. Thanks Zaphod