F-35 Down (or missing?) in South Carolina?

a reply to: Zaphod58

That's pretty good. 1985 an A-7 pilot out of Cecil Field had to eject. When he landed he went to a payphone called a cab and took it back to the base. The squadron was just starting a search when the cab pulled up to the hangar. That was the same squadron that a few months later had a pilot forget to safe his cannon, He landed hard and fired a burst down the runway shredding a UPS truck on 103rd Street. The driver was ok.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: JIMC5499

Apparently he landed, gathered his wits and gear, and walked to a nearby house and rang the doorbell.

I can see it now. A person opens the door and the pilot says "Hi. My plane just crashed. Can I borrow your phone? Thanks. Can you hold my parachute and helmet?"

a reply to: JIMC5499

There was an FB-111 from Plattsburgh that landed at the wrong airport, and ended up in a field. The pilot had enough change to make one phone call. He hikes to a nearby store, like a mile away, and calls the base. Dude picks up the phone, “Call me back, I’m dealing with an emergency!” and hangs up. Guy hikes back, and gets more change from his WSO, and hikes back. Guy picks up the phone, and before he can say anything, the pilot yells into “Don’t hang up! I’M your emergency!”

a reply to: Zaphod58

I think Dale Brown worked that story into one of his books.

a reply to: JIMC5499

I think so too. If I recall, he was an FB-111 crew dog, so I’m sure he heard it.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Also a B-52 Navigator.

Don't they have LoJacks on F-35s ?

Did anyone mention what payload e was carrying ? These planes nowadays don't need a pilot could have been hijacked and flown to wherever.

Should have been trackable though right ?

I’m starting to wonder if this is exceptionally gross incompetence, or a Hunt for Red October moment. 😁

originally posted by: Soloprotocol

😂😂😂😂😂

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

Not without modification. The F-35 isn’t set up for optionally manned operations. The pilot can override the computer at any point. They also wouldn’t get very far. The B has about a 900 mile range and this guy was flying before, so it wouldn’t have a full load of fuel.

As for payload, training flights rarely carry payloads beyond training rounds.

a reply to: VulcanWerks

When the pilot ejected, the electronics were damaged and the transponder went out. That left only a primary return for tracking. Even with Luneberg lenses, the primary return isn’t very big. If there is no primary radar system within range, there’s no way to track the aircraft without a transponder broadcasting.

finders keepers

An HC-130, C-12, and two CAP aircraft are currently searching the area they believe it’s in.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Im surprised they haven’t found it yet. What will recovery look like in the area when it is found? Will it look like area 51 with MPs and all that so the public can’t see whats going on at the site? I donlt know protocols for downed stealth aircraft in American borders.

a reply to: VulcanWerks

The best part is the shipping price.

I wonder if it headed towards the Appalachian Mountains?

Those mountain folk would turn that F-35 into a moonshine still and distill the fuel into some premium moonshine.

a reply to: Brotherman

They’ll move trucks in, and possibly some trailers for the recovery crews to take breaks in, and secure the area to recover what they will of the aircraft. It will be restricted access around the area until they’re done.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Brotherman

They’ll move trucks in, and possibly some trailers for the recovery crews to take breaks in, and secure the area to recover what they will of the aircraft. It will be restricted access around the area until they’re done.

What if China owns the land it crashed on? I mean funny but not funny, China owns more land than a lot of people know about (my family works in investments).