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The F-35 Lightning II was flown for the first time on 15 December 2006 at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas. The maiden flight of the first F-35 began at 12:44 pm CST when chief test pilot Jon Beesley lifted off and climbed to 15,000 feet. Beesley then performed a series of maneuvers to test aircraft handling and engine and subsystem operation. He landed thirty-five minutes later. Two F-16s and one F/A-18 served as chase aircraft. During the sixty-two minute second flight on 8 January, Beesley retracted the landing gear and evaluated handling qualities and engine operation at cruise speeds.
Photo By David Drais
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