Two years after the US Marine Corps' planned first transatlantic crossing with the short take-off and vertical landing F-35B was thwarted by an engine fire, a trio of the jets have touched down at RAF Fairford in the UK.
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Arriving at the US Air Force-operated site late on 29 June, the aircraft include two USMC examples and one UK aircraft used to support initial operational test and evaluation of the Joint Strike Fighter in the USA. Piloted by Royal Air Force Sqn Ldr Hugh Nichols, the latter – ZM137 – is one of three delivered to the UK customer so far for this purpose.
Mark Kwiatkowski
The visiting USMC aircraft are drawn from its VMFAT-501 training unit, stationed at MCAS Beaufort in South Carolina.
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While in the country, the F-35Bs will first participate in the Royal International Air Tattoo, to take place at RAF Fairford from 8-10 July. A show highlight will involve the UK aircraft taking part in a formation flypast with a pair of Eurofighter Typhoons and the RAF's Red Arrows aerobatic display team.
After the type's starring role during RIAT, Lightning IIs will also take off from the base to join the flying display during the Farnborough air show in Hampshire. The US Air Force is also scheduled to deploy the conventional take-off and landing F-35A for both events.
The USMC declared initial operational capability with the F-35B late last year, and service entry with the UK is scheduled to occur during 2018, when the RAF's 617 Sqn will begin using the fifth-generation fighter.
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Source: FlightGlobal.com
