• Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?

    Go here:

    Edit Account Details and Profile

F-35 Nickname?

johnboyA6E said:
Does a -53 really need to refuel to go 165 miles?

granted, it's a lot of drag, but the google machine says it can go 600+ NM

maybe they wanted to test the capability?
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm guessing they wanted the photo. Not sure how much that F-35 weighed, but I believe it didn't have an engine? Without googling, I'm guessing it could handle 165NM ok...

I just googled and it said an empty F-35 was around 30k. Not sure what the engine weighs on one of those things. I'm guessing just a 'lil bit.
 
Last edited:
Also, “easier” to get 2 hours of gas at altitude than try to lift it from the deck with the payload. If you’re maxing out your load capacity in a HOGE, you’re probably not going to be bringing much gas to the extraction.
 
JTS11 said:
Yeah, I'm guessing they wanted the photo. Not sure how much that F-35 weighed, but I believe it didn't have an engine? Without googling, I'm guessing it could handle 165NM ok...

I just googled and it said an empty F-35 was around 30k. Not sure what the engine weighs on one of those things. I'm guessing just a 'lil bit.
Click to expand...
It's right around 21K. No motor, no mission systems, no outer wing panels.
 
WhiskeySierra6 said:
It's right around 21K. No motor, no mission systems, no outer wing panels.
Click to expand...
Not trying to turn this into a heavy lift thread, but with that weight I believe a K could carry that load from Pax to Lakehurst without refueling if necessary, and no wx considerations.

But why not hit a tanker...that dual-pointed load is flying steady at the standard helo AR speed. Maybe demonstrate a capability for a relatively new airframe, maybe provide more flexibility for the overall mission?

Either way, pretty cool IMO.
 
JTS11 said:
Not trying to turn this into a heavy lift thread, but with that weight I believe a K could carry that load from Pax to Lakehurst without refueling if necessary, and no wx considerations.

But why not hit a tanker...that dual-pointed load is flying steady at the standard helo AR speed. Maybe demonstrate a capability for a relatively new airframe, maybe provide more flexibility for the overall mission?

Either way, pretty cool IMO.
Click to expand...
This is 2nd hand info but I believe they did get some test points out of the evolution. They also hot pitted on the back side so less time on deck if you come with more gas to begin with.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top