You are watching aviation history. This is the first U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II ever, the first step towards a new fleet full of stealth strike fighters. It’s fully operative and combat ready. The image gallery is bee-ooh-tee-ful.
Yes, no more testing units. This is the very first Department of Defense F-35, at bloody last. You can see it arriving to its new home at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, piloted by U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Eric Smith, the first USAF pilot qualified to fly the F-35. It will remain at its new home with the 33rd Fighter Wing as a training aircraft, so all those jockeys can learn to fly the ones that are coming next. [USAF]
