Tag Archives: STOVL

Lockheed Martin Test Assets

An early ISAP symposium included a visit to Lockheed Martin’s facility at Fort Worth.  We were there to see the first F-35 test aircraft, AA-1.  In addition, they had arranged to bring Glacier Girl, a P-38 Lightning, to be there too to provide two Lockheed Lightnings.  However, while I was up the scissor lift that was provided for us to get an elevated view, I looked the opposite direction.  There were two interesting looking airframes parked up.  One was an old F-16 that had probably been used for test duties.  The other was not a flyable plane but it was some sort of test rig for the STOVL configuration of the F-35 – what would become the F-35B.  A couple of cool looking items that you wouldn’t normally get to see.