Another flyover from a pretty unique viewpoint.
On Jan. 1, the Internet got crazy when the shot taken from above of a 509th Bomb Wing doing the Rose Bowl flyover at Pasadena was first published by our friend Mark Holtzman (for the full story and pics read here).
Here’s another interesting flyover once again filmed from the above.
The footage below, filmed from a unique viewpoint by Chopperguy, shows four F-35As belonging to the 62nd Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Wing, from Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, conducting the Fiesta Bowl Parade flyover at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. on Dec. 30, 2017.
Pretty cool, isn’t it?
By the way, the 62nd FS is one of the three dedicated F-35 training squadrons at Luke. The 62nd and 61st fighter squadrons train an international cadre of F-35 pilots from partner nations like Norway, Italy and Australia. The 63rd, activated in August 2016 with the first jet taken on charge in March 2017, trains F-35 Lightning II fighter pilots as a joint international effort between Turkey and the United States.
Top image: screenshot from the YT video by Chopperguy
PAK FA still afraid to come out to play
Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas from Santa Leroy. This seems like as good as any place to put this report as F-35s strut their supremacy-stuff over American (and soon Middle East) skies:
At least seven Russian planes destroyed by shelling at Syrian air base: Kommersant
MOSCOW (Reuters) – At least seven Russian planes were destroyed by rebel shelling at the Hmeymim air base in Syria on Dec. 31, Russian daily Kommersant reported late on Wednesday, citing two sources.
At least four Su-24 bombers, two Su-35S fighters and an An-72 transport plane, as well as an ammunition depot, were destroyed by the shelling, Kommersant said on its website, citing two “military-diplomatic” sources.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-planes/at-least-seven-russian-planes-destroyed-by-shelling-at-syrian-air-base-kommersant-idUSKBN1ES20C
Two Su-35s? Ho Ho Ho! Oh well, that saves them the embarrassment of being shot down by F-22, or the soon-to-arrive in-theatre F-35Bs. Indeed, a very Merry post-Christmas present from Santa Leroy. Hope you enjoy unwrapping it. : )
Interesting how South Korea plans on buying 20 more F-35s (in addition to the planned purchase of 40). They may even procure some “B”s for use on their Dokdo-class helicopter carriers (Japan too for operation from their Izumo-class LHAs):
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-usa-airforce/south-korea-plans-to-buy-20-additional-f-35-aircraft-report-idUSKBN1EF051
https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/who-wants-to-operate-carrier-based-f-35bs-in-asia-apparently-japan-and-south-korea/
I wonder how the critics of the plane are handling all the good news coming out about a fighter that was supposed to be an abject failure? Supposed to be cancelled before LM built 500 total units? Probably not too well! : )
Four F-35s spaced in a combat box or staggered formation, each box containing a Lead Element, High Element, Low Element, Low Low Element – all communicating via MADL – separated by XX nm and XX thousands of feet (stagger) would just about clean out any section of sky where enemy fighters might be operating. Russian and Chinese fighters wouldn’t stand a chance!
How interesting it would be to work on F-35 combat tactics. I’m sure the U.S. and NATO are well into developing them, with more innovative stratagem to come. Of course you’ll never know.