Thanks for the comprehensive reply’s guys. So much for the adaptable design! Well it seems if we are to have fixed wing on the QE or POW then it’s F35B or nothing, lets hope it comes to fruition.

Having served on 809 squadron on Ark Royal I experienced first hand how we could cross deck with the Americans on exercises. I always hoped we would again at some stage go CATOBAR and return to having a Navy with the level of naval air integration we once had with our allies. 🙁

“Australian government to consider buying up to 24 new F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter-bombers in a decision that would sharply reduce reliance on the troubled Joint Strike Fighter”. Statement from Aussie press.

There are ongoing rumblings of cuts to the JSF programme with the possible cancellation of at least one, if not two variants?
The US is going to be taking a realistic look at what it actually needs, wants, and can actually afford. It has been suggested that the US Navy does not actually need the F35C and Lockheed have not yet confirmed that they have been able to Fully Resolve the tail hook problem. Instead it is being suggested that the Super Hornet and it’s replacement will suffice. Likewise it is also being muted that the US Marine Corps does not actually need a high tech fifth generation Stealth Warplane to support Amphibious landings. The fact that the F35B is also the most expensive of all the variants is not helping!
The F35A is seen as a necessary relacement for the F16 in the USAF, add to that the fact that it is the cheapest F35 with the majority of overseas orders being for this type. The only overseas orders for the F35B come from the UK and Italy in very small numbers so far, with the USN being the only proposed operator of the F35C.
In the absence of the F35B would the UK be forced back to Cats & Traps?

Took these of XT863 at Abingdon in 1991

Bournemouth air show this weekend. The Sea Vixen will be missed. Any new info on her return to flight?

Any news on the Vixen? Love this aircraft, really hope we get to see it flying again soon!!

Best of luck to those of you involved in completing the repairs.

I think the Vixen had four different hydraulic systems which needed a lot of tlc back in the day to keep working properly. I have the book “The De- Havilland Sea Vixen” by Tony Buttler. Excellent book one chapter deals with individual history’s for each airframe. There are numerous incidents of nose or main gear collapsing on landing. However XP924 seems to have escaped a U/C leg collapse on landing until now.

The following is an extract from from the history of XP924 which records the following landing/take off incidents; Port tyre burst on landing skidded to port, Yeovilton, Cat LQ 7.10.66 (Lt GJMW Broadwater & S/L RG Parker); Std tyre burst on landing, aircraft ran off runway, Cat HC 15.12.66 (Lt GJWM Broadwater & S/L BM Brock) ; Port tyre burst on take-off, recovered into PUAG Cat LQ 2.3.70 (LT JM Dixon)

Cat LQ – Light damage repairable by squadron resources
Cat HC – Heavy Damage repairable on Ship or station but requiring contractor’s working party.

I do hope the damage sustained in this incident is minimal and we can enjoy seeing XP924 in the air again soon.

In answer to the above post I was just speculating whether or not intended buyers of the F35C may have to look for another A/C to fulfil their requirement if the tail hook issue could not be sorted, however,

The tail hook on F-35C is merely a quick-fix, and i can’t imagine F-35C being switched for Sea Gripen for any Carrier that can handle F-35C.

If the problem is easily fixed then it’s obvious they won’t have to.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/131779/a-closer-look-at-the-f_35%E2%80%99s-tailhook-problems.html :rolleyes: omg….

Any ideas on the most likely replacement if the UK decides to dump this problem child?