Lockheed Martin Aeronautics division's multimedia team in Fort Worth has taken credit for these images. It's quite a shrewd viral marketing scheme to promote the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which are not likely to appear in Thunderbird colors for at least another decade. The pictures were posted on an F-16.net in early June, where they received (deserved) high praise. I found them on Twitpic this morning as the images are rapidly becoming a viral marketing "hit".
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Presenting the F-35 Thunderbird team
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics division's multimedia team in Fort Worth has taken credit for these images. It's quite a shrewd viral marketing scheme to promote the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which are not likely to appear in Thunderbird colors for at least another decade. The pictures were posted on an F-16.net in early June, where they received (deserved) high praise. I found them on Twitpic this morning as the images are rapidly becoming a viral marketing "hit".
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on July 20, 2009 5:32 PM | Reply
Loved finding this via your Twitter feed. Spectacular photos indeed!
on July 20, 2009 6:05 PM | Reply
Looks like an offensive lineman in a tutu. Huge 'n' hideous, like when the Team flew Thuds.
on July 20, 2009 7:55 PM | Reply
Shouldn't there be exhaust from the nozzle?
on July 20, 2009 8:09 PM | Reply
Where's the Blue Angels paint job? I'm guessing the F-35 will be the second time the Navy and Air Force Demo teams will fly the same aircraft (F-4 being the first).
on July 20, 2009 8:54 PM | Reply
I'd love to see a version of the F-35B in Blue Angel colors.
I think it'd be interesting to see what a flight demo team could do with all VSTOL aircraft.
on July 20, 2009 8:56 PM | Reply
Eric - that's a great idea!
on July 20, 2009 9:56 PM | Reply
It's interesting, it's kind of a sexy plane in camo livery, but as a Thunderbird... kind of ugly. Very squat. That said, the work done to make these pictures is veeeery well done. Almost hard to believe they weren't real photos. Anyone else notice the planes number is upside-down? I wonder what's up with that...
on July 21, 2009 10:40 AM | Reply
Don - the #5 T-Bird (the lead solo) flies some of his maneuvers upside down, so his plane number is placed upside down... it's long been a T-Bird tradition.
on July 21, 2009 1:33 PM | Reply
These are doctored from pictures of the F-35A prototype. There are no Blues pix probably because the differently-winged-and-elevatored Navy variant hasn't flown yet, so no real pictures to work from.
on July 27, 2009 9:11 PM | Reply
It would be interesting to see both the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels using the same airframe at airshows.
on July 29, 2009 2:59 PM | Reply
How about a picture of one in Royal Air Force Red Arrows colours, after all us Brits are part of deal.
on July 30, 2009 5:55 PM | Reply
The T-Birds should return to the paint scheme introduced on the T-38...it was much nicer looking than the "traditional" that the F-16 returned to. In my mind, the T-38 was the quintessential Thunderbird...sleek and gorgeous.
on August 2, 2009 3:50 AM | Reply
Underside of plane is cool with the feathers, BUT topside is way too plain...add eagle features, feathers or something to all that white space. The Navy does it right with the its overall blue and yellow scheme.
on August 5, 2009 5:13 PM | Reply
'Thunder Parrots' more like. Its a bit beaky!
on August 9, 2009 11:42 PM | Reply
Flying Penguin.