By 2020, F-35 Will Be U.S. Most Used Combat Aircraft

According to the plans of Pentagon, the F-35 jet fighter will replace most of the combat aircraft used by the U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps by 2020.

F-35 is a fifth generation, single engine fighter with advanced software and stealthy attributes adept in evading radar at hostile territory. It is capable to reach a speed of Mach 1.6, has a range of 1,100 kilometers, and can be refueled in the air. The F-25′s bomb bay can carry two air-to-air missiles and two precision-guided bombs. It can carry and additional four bombs or missiles in its wings.

The version for the U.S. Air Force, the F-35A, will replace the F-16 and F-18 bombers as well as the ground attack aircraft A-10 Thunderbolt. The F-35C will be manufactured for the US Navy for its aircraft carriers and will take the place of the F/A18s. A third version, the F-35B is a jump jet that is designed the Harrier’s successor.

Lockheed Martin are called to make 2,443 units of F-35 for the American military and several hundred units more for the eight nations who invested in the development and manufacturing of the F-35. The eight nations are Australia, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Turkey. Lockheed Martin will also produce units of F-35 for its customers such as Japan and Israel.

Compared to earlier weapons program, the Production cost of the F-35 was expected to be reduced because the 80% of the parts are common to three F-35 airplane models. However, the weapons program are met with problems and delays that can put the Pentagon’s 2020 goal in jeopardy.

F-35 is the future of U.S. air combat. Get F-35 wooden airplane models from Showcase Models.

News source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com

Oklahoma City Artist Depicts Mission by Painting AC-119 Gunships

Darby Perrin, an Oklahoma City artist and Air Force Reservist, made two oil paintings of AC-119 Gunships that tells about the highly dangerous missions flown by the aircrew of the 71st, 17th and 18th Special Operations Squadrons during the Vietnam conflict beginning in 1969. The oil paintings were donated to the United States Air Force Museum by the AC-119 Gunship Association.

Perrin remarkably brought to life the dangerous missions of the Special Operations Squadrons who flew the AC-119 Gunships during the Vietnam War. The first painting featured the AC-119G Shadow and the second, the AC-119K Stinger Gunship as they flew during their secret missions in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia during the conflict in Southeast Asia.

The AC-119G Shadow Gunship attacking the Vietnam Strongholds

The AC-119K Stinger Gunship on the Ho Chi Minh

The AC-119 Gunships are known with destroying countless numbers of trucks and supplies on the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. Moreover, the AC-119 Gunship are also credited in saving hundreds of lives in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia during their four years of operation.

The scenes depicted are based on first-hand accounts of its crew members who flew and maintained the mighty war bird. The paintings will hang in the Air Force Museum’s new Vietnam War learning center when the exhibit space is complete.

“With more than a million people visiting the Air Force Museum each year, we have an opportunity to tell our story,” said Rogers Stevens, AC-119 Gunship Association president and former gunship pilot. “Through these paintings, visitors to the museum can see the virtually unknown gunships in action.” “Through the remarkable talent of Oklahoma artist Darby Perrin, our history is now preserved for future generations to see.”

Manufactured by the Fairchild Aircraft, the AC-119G Shadow and AC-119K Stinger were twin-engine piston-powered Gunships developed by the United States during the Vietnam War. Its role during the wartime is the ground-attack aircraft and close air support gunship.

Illustrate your memory of the war times by purchasing your own Fairchild AC-119 Gunship. You can visit Showcase Models and see the many Aviation Collectibles. ShowcaseModels.com offers museum-quality handcarved wood model planes at affordable prices.

Source: http://www.ac-119gunships.com/