Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II
Lockheed Martin · United States · first flew 2008 · fighter
The F-35B is the short take-off and vertical landing variant of the F-35 Lightning II, built mainly for the US Marine Corps and the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 15.6 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Shaft-driven lift fan behind the cockpit and swivelling rear nozzle for vertical landing
- Similar in size to the A variant, but with no tailhook
- Roll-control ducts and a shorter exhaust nozzle than the A and C
Look for the lift-fan doors on the upper fuselage behind the cockpit and the absence of a tailhook; the wing matches the F-35A.
Specifications
- The Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II has a length of 15.6 m (51 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.7 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1960 km/h (1218 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The first F-35B, BF-1, first flew on 11 June 2008 and first hovered on 17 March 2010. The Marine Corps declared initial operating capability on 31 July 2015.
Variants
It sacrifices about a third of the F-35A fuel volume to accommodate the lift fan, is limited to 7 g, and has no landing hook. The F-35A and F-35C are the other two main variants.
Where you'll see it
The US Marine Corps, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom operate the F-35B.
Related aircraft
- Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel
- F-35 Lightning II
- Lockheed Martin C-5M Super Galaxy
- Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II
- Sukhoi Su-35
- Shenyang J-15
- Boeing EA-18G Growler
- Hongdu JL-10
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