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F-35B/C Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter)

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
Any time we fly near any kind of foul farm (chicken, pheasant, etc) the local Base Ops gets to write a check for ever dead chicken in that guys pen. It's so prevalent at Rucker that they've established a 1km RAZ around any and all chicken coops and for those of you that have never flown over southeastern Alabama that's about every other damn farm.

Around Whiting, we've dealt had to deal with everything from alpacas to rescue horses to a lot of other things in between...

...not that it makes you feel any better about the extended neighborhood around Rucker.
 

Swanee

Cereal Killer
pilot
None
Contributor
Around Whiting, we've dealt had to deal with everything from alpacas to rescue horses to a lot of other things in between...

...not that it makes you feel any better about the extended neighborhood around Rucker.



Is the chicken ranch still the entry point for the course rules coming from the west into Whiting? Seems like an expensive venture
 

BusyBee604

St. Francis/Hugh Hefner Combo!
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Any time we fly near any kind of foul farm (chicken, pheasant, etc) the local Base Ops gets to write a check for ever dead chicken in that guys pen.
Reading this suddenly reminded me of the early days at NAS Lemoore. The base was built (opened in '61), on land leased long term from local farmers. Additionally "green-belted" ~5 mile radius, to preclude development encroachment such as that which doomed the NASs at Moffett & Alameda, both of which had suffered several major accidents involving civilian property destruction/mass casualties. Unused portions of the leased acreage were allowed to be used to grow crops at the discretion of the Landowners.

During the first two years of NLC ops, several A-4 punchouts occurred on takeoff from 32R, leaving a smoking crater in a leased cotton/alfalfa (or whatever) field. When property damage claims were filed against Uncle Sam, local Farmer's ambulance chaser lawsuit always cited 1/4 section total destruction of the "EXPERIMENTAL" XXXXX crop! In the early days, the 'gubment' ponied up exorbitant settlements to placate the locals, but finally wised up as the A-4 Lawn Dart Olympics "experimental crop" hits were more thoroughly checked out!:rolleyes:
BzB
 

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
Is the chicken ranch still the entry point for the course rules coming from the west into Whiting? Seems like an expensive venture

Yes, but you don't actually fly directly over it (never did... unless you were off course), and the altitudes are probably higher than what Lawman and his chopper peeps fly.
 

Renegade One

Well-Known Member
None
Any time we fly near any kind of foul farm (chicken, pheasant, etc) the local Base Ops gets to write a check for ever dead chicken in that guys pen.
If I were the base CO, I'd demand an autopsy. I can't imagine so much poultry dying of "broken neck syndrome" from an aircraft flyover…especially since they were all probably "trophy-grade, champion-stock, experimental" animals.
 

Renegade One

Well-Known Member
None
Don't the hard points and (I'm guessing is a gun pod, that sways with Gs) kind of make the whole stealth magic go away?
B/C gun pod was "OR-specified" to be optimized for A-G. The effects you describe should be minimal, at least in the yaw axis.
 

helolumpy

Apprentice School Principal
pilot
Contributor
If I were the base CO, I'd demand an autopsy. I can't imagine so much poultry dying of "broken neck syndrome" from an aircraft flyover…especially since they were all probably "trophy-grade, champion-stock, experimental" animals.

You can only go so far telling the complainers to shut up before you get a letter from the local Congressman.
It's less of a hassle to placate the few who habitually complain than to deal with a Congressional inquiry.

Trust me on this one...,
 

Wingnut172N

Tumbleweed
pilot
What is taking up the internal gun's space in the Charlie? Seems like a half-assed solution for mounting a weapon that has been used quite a bit in OEF/OIF
 

707guy

"You can't make this shit up..."
What is taking up the internal gun's space in the Charlie? Seems like a half-assed solution for mounting a weapon that has been used quite a bit in OEF/OIF

Who knows - more fuel? From what I understand the Nav didn't require a gun on the C.
 

bert

Enjoying the real world
pilot
Contributor
What is taking up the internal gun's space in the Charlie? Seems like a half-assed solution for mounting a weapon that has been used quite a bit in OEF/OIF

The concern isn't the space it occupied, but overall vehicle weight.
 

usmarinemike

Solidly part of the 42%.
pilot
Contributor
What is taking up the internal gun's space in the Charlie? Seems like a half-assed solution for mounting a weapon that has been used quite a bit in OEF/OIF

So what would you say is half assed about it? It's not an afterthought. It was planned to be just as it is. The plane isn't built for close in hooking and jabbing. It's made for stand off tactics and precision guided munitions. If you're in an environment that's not permissive enough to use the gun, don't take the gun. Similarly, if you're in an environment permissive enough to use the gun, the gun doesn't need to be on the inside. Taking the gun off saves somewhere around 500 to 1000 pounds. That's not trivial. With that said, I love the gun and everything about it (except the weight). The GAU-12 that we carry is hoss (except that it retains the brass, which is kinda dumb).
 

helolumpy

Apprentice School Principal
pilot
Contributor
There was an F-35 in the pattern at NPA Saturday morning, in form with 2 hornets tight and one in loose trail (taking photos?).
They overflow me on the course 3 times.
Please let the record show that my crappy score was directly due to being distracted by the F-35... (That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!)
 
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