Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Stealth Fighter - Static Display at Abbotsford Airshow

I was able to see the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Stealth Fighter on static display at this year's Abbotsford Airshow. My girlfriend was a great co-pilot throughout the entire day and I hope you enjoy the footage from a variety of angles AND pilot interview in this video.

Unlike last year with the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, this one was only on static display and did not perform in the air. I still hope you enjoyed the footage from a variety of angles anyway.

Here is the Airshow write-up on this rare display model:

"History was made at the 2016 Abbotsford International Airshow when the Lockheed Martin F-35 joint strike fighter aircraft appeared in Canada for the very first time. The aircraft arrived at Abbotsford International Airport on Thursday, August 11 and was on public display at the Airshow starting Friday, August 12 through Sunday, August 14.

The supersonic, multi-role F-35 represents a quantum leap in air dominance capability with enhanced lethality and survivability in hostile, anti-access airspace environments. The F-35 combines 5th Generation fighter aircraft characteristics — advanced stealth, integrated avionics, sensor fusion and superior logistics support — with the most powerful and comprehensive integrated sensor package of any fighter aircraft in history. The F-35’s advanced stealth allows pilots to penetrate areas without being detected by radars that legacy fighters cannot evade.

On August 2, the United States Air Force declared their F-35A Lightning II fighter fleet combat ready, and the 34th Fighter Squadron of the 388th Fighter Wing, based at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the services first operational squadron. This very squadron is scheduled to participate at the Abbotsford international Airshow. Senior experimental test pilot for Lockheed Martin, Billie Flynn, will also be on-site at the Airshow and available to discuss the capabilities of the F-35. Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, Flynn served in the Royal Canadian Air Force for 23 years and flew the CF-18 Hornet operationally in both Canada and Germany."

This is how WIki describes this plane:

"The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole fighters undergoing final development and testing for the United States and partner nations. The fifth generation combat aircraft is designed to perform ground attack and air defense missions. The F-35 has three main models: the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant, the F-35B short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) variant, and the F-35C carrier-based Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) variant. On 31 July 2015, the first squadron of F-35B fighters was declared ready for deployment after intensive testing by the United States Marines.[10][11] On 2 August 2016, the U.S. Air Force declared its first squadron of F-35A fighters as combat-ready.[12]

The F-35 is descended from the X-35, which was the winning design of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. It is being designed and built by an aerospace industry team led by Lockheed Martin. Other major F-35 industry partners include Northrop Grumman, Pratt & Whitney and BAE Systems. The F-35 took its first flight on 15 December 2006. The United States plans to buy 2,457 aircraft. The F-35 variants are intended to provide the bulk of the manned tactical airpower of the U.S. Air Force, Navy and the Marine Corps over the coming decades. Deliveries of the F-35 for the U.S. military are scheduled to be completed in 2037[13] with a projected service life up to 2070."