F-35 aircraft + Vertical takeoff = Surface Heat

[flogger]

I guess we are finding out they are not VTOL "everywhere".
For every action,....

http://www.strategypage.com/dls/arti...-7-23-2014.asp

(still an amazing plane!)

[Gman]

Amazingly expensive and a mess. Would not shock me if this project gets the axe.

[Ridge]

Why not just land it conventionally if it's already at a regular airstrip? Hell, even STOL it.

[Circuits]

Why not just land it conventionally if it's already at a regular airstrip? Hell, even STOL it.

Because they need to train pilots in VTOL to operate from their baby flat-tops.

[Drucker]

I remember Harriers melting a few spots on the line when they were newish

[clublights]

The harrier did better as the nozzles were not far apart and the forward pair are cool " by pass" air the rear were hot combustion gasses... so the cool and hot air mixed very close to the airplane and keep the problem low...

the f-35's front cool air fan is like 20 feet away from the hot combustion gases tail pipe .

[Ridge]

The V-22 has the same problem

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11..._osprey_f_35b/

[Gman]

The V-22 has the same problem

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11..._osprey_f_35b/

The original linked article discussed the MV-22 (Marine variant of the V-22).

[TFOGGER]

It seems like this would be a good application for the ceramics that they used for the Space Shuttle tiles. If that material can protect the aluminum/carbon fiber skin of the shuttles against the 4000 degree heat of re-entry, it should be able to protect the concrete against 1800 degrees or so...

[Justin]

Those ceramics are stupendously expensive and physically fragile, I doubt they'd be able to withstand the force of an F35 sitting on them, or slamming down on them during landings.