American combat aircraft Lockheed Martin F-35B STOVL Lightning II COBI 5895 - Armed Forces 1:48

You know that:

• At the beginning of the development of the F-35 was the desire to replace several types of outdated single-purpose aircraft such as the A-10 Thunderbolt, F-16, AV-8B, F/A-18 Hornet and to produce a single versatile machine for the USAF and NATO with stealth technology.
• The first work on the JSF program began in 1996, when two teams from Boeing and Lockheed competed against each other. The Boeing X32A prototype was completed early and the first test flight was conducted on 18 September 2000, which had to be terminated early due to an oil leak.
• After intermediate modifications, the two competing prototypes were very similar, but the winner was ultimately Lockheed Martin with better handling and more advanced sensors.
• It took another 6 years of preparation of the production line and supporting technologies to finally complete the first production aircraft in February 2006 under strict secrecy.
• The result is arguably the world's best combat aircraft, and is set to be the backbone of the aircraft for the next 50 years.
• A new Pratt & Whithey engine was also developed for the F-35, which, with afterburners, has a thrust of over 190kN and is arguably the most powerful engine ever built for a fighter aircraft.
• The aircraft is equipped with advanced technology such as the AESA radar, which is capable of targeting 23 targets in 9 seconds, or the Gen 2 and 3 helmet, which ensures perfect visibility around the aircraft in all directions. Many other technologies are not available in detail as they are subject to strict confidentiality.
• The United States Air Force expects to buy 2 443 aircraft, and at a price of USD 237 700 000 each, this is a truly astronomical sum.
• The aircraft are also expensive to operate, with one flight hour costing around 36 000 €. Do you want to fly :-) ?
• The total number of F-35 aircraft operated by Aeronautica Militare is expected to reach 75.

Technical parameters:

• wingspan 10.7 m, length 15.6 m, height 4.36 m
• weight 14 700 kg (empty)
• maximum take-off weight 27 300 kg 
• power unit 1x Pratt & Whithey F 135 twin-jet engine with 165 kN thrust
• maximum speed 1.6M (1 930 km/h)
• maximum flight level 18 288 m
• climb rate (classified value)
• range 1 090 km
• Armament 4 barrel rotary cannon GAU-22/A 25 mm calibre and 6 slings for air-to-air, air-to-surface missiles and smart bombs with a total weight of up to 6,800 kg.
• Crew 1

Italian pilot on F-35 Lightning II:

Our initial familiarization and training with the F-35 was and still is at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. During formation flight training before a simulated battle, one of our colleagues accidentally started a setting we call "friendly mode". In the cockpits of all the pilots, opera was heard, which a colleague had set as his favorite music. This amused us a lot and we all started singing. After a few seconds, the training commander cut everything off with the words "You're on a mission, not karaoke".