First F-35B Vertical Takeoff Test
Why Aviation Stack Exchange recommends it
Aviation Stack Exchange users link it as concrete footage of the F-35B lifting off vertically when answering or asking about how the jet hovers and how its control surfaces behave.
Recommended by 1 people across 1 different months, 2015 to 2020.
What it is
A short Lockheed Martin clip of an F-35B test aircraft making its first vertical takeoff at NAS Patuxent River on May 10, 2013. The description explains that vertical takeoffs are not a combat capability but are needed to reposition the STOVL jet where a short takeoff is not possible.
What people said
Recommends BarrowWight · 2017-02 · Aviation Stack Exchange · on “How does the F-35 hover?”
The F-35 has what is called the Rolls-Royce LiftSystem [LINK] . This Contains one lift fan in the middle of the aircraft, and a rotating jet exhaust to provide vertical thrust, and two rotating nozzles to provide stability. The pilot pushes a button, and doors on the aircraft open for the lift fan, while the exhaust nozzle rotates downward. The pilot controls the thrust and pitch/roll, while a computer double checks what he does to maintain stability. Here [this video] is a good video of it in action and here [LINK] is a video that has a nice animation of it working.
Cites reirab · 2015-07 · Aviation Stack Exchange · on “Why don't fighter jets take off vertically?”
While the Super Sabre was certainly much earlier, it's not quite the closest the U.S. has to a VTOL fighter. There is this [this video] , after all.
Cites Manu H · 2020-04 · Aviation Stack Exchange · on “Why is the F-35B's elevator not in neutral position when in vertical flight mode?”
I was watching videos [LINK] of F-35B taking off and landing vertically on ships when I realized that when transitioning from horizontal to vertical flight mode (I don't know the exact vocabulary to describe that), the horizontal elevator moves to "stick pushed full forward" position. The elevator is also put in that unusual position when transitioning from taxiing to a vertical takeoff [this video] . I know that the elevator position is not significant in vertical flight as attitude is controlled via non-aerodynamics means. Thus I wonder why this control surface is then put in that position for that flight phase instead of staying in its previous position or in a more neutral position. I'm even
Cites Jan · 2020-11 · Aviation Stack Exchange · on “Why is the F-35B's elevator not in neutral position when in vertical flight mode?”
In this video you can see it better I think: [LINK] I drew on a screenshot of the video from the side where you can see the air moving under the aircraft. Compare this to the Fig. 1 in the paper linked by "Anonymous Person" here in the comment section of your question: [LINK] As you can see angling the tailerons down significantly widens the gap between the leading edge of the tailerons and the trailing edge of the wings which allows air to be pulled along with the exhaust gases (drawn in blue). The paper calls this "entrainment". [LINK] Again I drew on another screenshot of the video and illustrated possible air currents that can freely move around the airframe: aft of the exhaust duct and