What I've been told, is that the F-35 is ridiculously expensive (massive developement costs), cannot take off vertically with a fuel and weapons payload, burns holes in the decks of ships, and needs a silly sunroof affair flapping up and down to work.
They say that's why the USMC wont relinquish theirs, as the Harrier still does what it says on the tin effectively, whilst the bugs are still not ironed out on the F-35.
Thats just what I'm told, so what the truth is I'm not sure. It does seem odd that with the amount of money its taken, they have'nt developed anything thats significantly better.
Stig, you say the nicest things. When it comes to engineering, I do profess a smidge of patriotism. There was a time when we (British) invented everything and built the biggest and best things in the world. There was a time when buying British made was a Byword for quality. In the words of Herman Goering -In 1940 I could at least fly as far as Glasgow in most of my aircraft, but not now! It makes me furious when I see the Mosquito. I turn green and yellow with envy.
The British, who can afford aluminium better than we can, knock together a beautiful wooden aircraft that every piano factory over there is building, and they give it a speed which they have now increased yet again. What do you make of that?
There is nothing the British do not have. They have the geniuses and we have the nincompoops. After the war's over I'm going to buy a British radio set - then at least I'll own something that has always worked!
