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USAF LIGHTNING II

Royal International Air Tattoo

Airshow

Royal International Air Tattoo
Royal International Air Tattoo
Royal International Air Tattoo
Royal International Air Tattoo

USAF LIGHTNING II

Rapidly becoming the backbone of NATO combat airpower, the F-35A Lightning II has been acquired by a number of nations to replace their cold-war era third generation combat aircraft such as the F-16. Making their airshow debut at this years Air Tattoo are the 495th Fighter Squadron "the Valkyries" with one of their recently delivered F-35s on static display. The 495th Fighter Squadron are based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk as part of the 48th Fighter Wing and are the first USAF F-35 unit to be based outside of the United States, with their first aircraft arriving during mid-December 2021. The F-35 is a fifth generation multi-role stealth fighter built in three variants sharing as many common parts as possible, the F-35A Conventional Take-Off variant and Landing (CTOL), F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing variant, and F-35C Carrier Take-off and Landing (CV) variant. 
 
Photo Credit: Paul Fiddian

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