Fly Past

100 YEARS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE

BOMBERS RAF CENTENARY CELEBRATION 97

LOCKHEED MARTIN LIGHTNING II

Above

Lockheed Martin

F-35B Lightning II

ZM137 was delivered

to Beaufort Marine

Corps Air Station in

South Carolina on

February 3, 2015

as part of the RAF’s

initial evaluation and

training phase.

© ANDY HAY

http://www.fl yingart.co.uk

Above

The RAF Museum

has had an F-35B

on show at Hendon

since September 2011.

Given the estimated

service life of the

Lightning II, this

full-size replica has

decades of ‘duty’

ahead of it!

KEN ELLIS

Left

Entering operational

service with the

RAF in its centenary

year, the

Lightning II.

COURTESY AND

COPYRIGHT LOCKHEED

MARTIN

AboveAbove

“F-35B combines advanced sensors and mission systems

with low observable technology, or ‘stealth’, which enables

it to operate undetected in hostile airspace.”

to its unfortunate experience with
the P-38 by sticking to the name
Lightning II it commemorates a
home-spun fighter. Between 1970 and
1993 the awesome English Electric
Lightning fighter dominated British
skies – details in our sister publication
RAF Centenary Celebration Fighters.

JOINT FORCE
The RAF has had an F-35B unit
since 2014 when 17 Squadron
stood up at Edwards Air Force Base,
California. The personnel have
been evaluating the Lightning II,

developing procedures and tactics

ready for its operational debut.

Also in the USA are pilots and

technicians who will form the caucus

of 617 Squadron at Marham later

this year. Based at Beaufort Marine

Corps Air Station in South Carolina,

these ‘pathfinders’ have been training

alongside the Marines F-35B

conversion squadron, VMFAT-501.

Acting as the British operational

conversion unit will be 207

Squadron, which will re-form at

Marham on July 1, 2019. As the

home of the RAF’s Tornado force,

Marham has been undergoing a

massive £500 million transformation

since 2016, ready for its new role.

In a similar manner to Joint Force

Harrier, the Lightning II fleet will

be a combined RAF and Royal Navy

operation, staffed with a ratio of 58%

and 42% respectively. Trials on board

the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen

Elizabeth are due to commence in

late 2018 and from the second vessel,

HMS Prince of Wales, the following

year. The first Fleet Air Arm F-35B

unit, 809 Squadron, is expected to

stand up in 2023.

In its centenary year, the RAF has

the heritage, the equipment and the

skills to meet its commitments: Agile,

Adaptable, Capable.

Type: Single-seat STOVL multi-role strike aircraft

First fl ight: December 15, 2006, due to enter service with 617 Squadron in

Powerplant: One 40,000lb st (177.88kN) Pratt & Whitey F135 angle-thrust turbofan

Dimensions: Span 35ft 0in (10.7m), Length 51ft 2in (15.6m)

Weights: All-up approx 60,000lb (27,216kg)

Max speed: Quoted as Mach 1.6

Range: 900 miles (1,666km)

Armament: Two air-to-air missiles and two 1,000lb (453kg) bombs in weapons

bay. Optional 25mm cannon pod. Under wing pylons for up to

15,000lb (6,800kg) of ordinance

Replaces: Panavia Tornado GR4 from 2018

Taken on charge: 48 committed against a requirement of 138

LOCKHEED MARTIN LIGHTNING II