Lockheed Martin F-35a Lightning II WILD DUCKS 309th

HISTORY OF THE WILD DUCKS

The Wild Ducks, the 309th Fighter Squadron, began its illustrious history at Baer Field, Fort Wayne, Indiana, in January 1942. Although only six months old, the fledgling Wild Ducks were rushed to the war in Europe, claiming their first kill on their second day of fighting. In fact, when Lt Sammy Junkin shot down a Focke-Wolf 190 near Calais, France, it was not only the squadron’s first kill but also the very first Army Air Corps kill while operating from an English base. The squadron continued to fly P-39s, Spitfires, and P-51 Mustangs while stationed in Europe, Italy, and North Africa.

After World War II, the squadron converted to the F-84, and in 1948 completed the first jet fighter transpacific deployment. For this achievement, the 309th Fighter Squadron, as part of the 31st Fighter Wing, won the first Outstanding Unit Award ever presented. In April 1962 it was the first fighter squadron to arrive at Homestead AFB, Florida. Flying the F-100 Super Sabre, the squadron deployed to Southeast Asia from 1966 - 1970. While there, the 309th Fighter Squadron received battle honors for action in three major campaigns and its third Outstanding Unit Award.

In 1970, the Wild Ducks returned to Homestead AFB, where they converted to the F-4 and later to the F-16. In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew forced the squadron to evacuate to Shaw AFB, South Carolina. Within one month the squadron was up and running, becoming fully combat ready again in only seven months. The squadron remained at Shaw until it was deactivated in January 1994. It was reactivated in April 1994 at Luke AFB, Az.

The Wild Duck’s emblem, created in 1944 by Sgt Rolland Root, is a copyrighted design by Walt Disney from Walt Disney Productions. It symbolized the fighter mission, celestial navigation pioneered by this squadron, its around the clock mission readiness, and its striking power. The 309th Fighter Squadron emblem was the first one ever approved for the U.S. military by Walt Disney.


Specifications (F-35A)
F-35A three-view.PNG
The first of 15 pre-production F-35s
F-35B cutaway with LiftFan
External images
F-35B Lightning II cutaway illustration
Hi-res cutaway of F-35B Lightning II STOVL by Flight Global, 2006.

Data from Lockheed Martin specifications,[69][258][259] F-35 Program brief,[102] F-35 JSF Statistics[98]

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 51.4 ft (15.67 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft[N 6] (10.7 m)
Height: 14.2 ft[N 7] (4.33 m)
Wing area: 460 ft²[102] (42.7 m²)
Empty weight: 29,300 lb (13,300 kg)
Loaded weight: 49,540 lb[68][N 8][260] (22,470 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 70,000 lb[N 9] (31,800 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney F135 afterburning turbofan
Dry thrust: 28,000 lbf[261][N 10] (125 kN)
Thrust with afterburner: 43,000 lbf[261][262] (191 kN)
Internal fuel capacity: 18,480 lb (8,382 kg)[N 11]

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 1.6+[98] (1,200 mph, 1,930 km/h)
Range: 1,200 nmi (2,220 km) on internal fuel
Combat radius: over 590 nmi[N 12] (1,090 km) on internal fuel[263]
Service ceiling: 60,000 ft[264] (18,288 m)
Rate of climb: classified (not publicly available)
Wing loading: 91.4 lb/ft² (446 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight:
With full fuel: 0.87
With 50% fuel: 1.07
g-Limits: 9 g[N 13]

Armament

Guns: 1 × General Dynamics GAU-22/A Equalizer 25 mm (0.984 in) 4-barreled gatling cannon, internally mounted with 180 rounds[N 14][98]
Hardpoints: 6 × external pylons on wings with a capacity of 15,000 lb (6,800 kg)[98][102] and 2 internal bays with 2 pylons each[102] for a total weapons payload of 18,000 lb (8,100 kg)[69] and provisions to carry combinations of:
Missiles:
AIM-120 AMRAAM
AIM-132 ASRAAM
AIM-9X Sidewinder
IRIS-T
JDRADM (after 2020)[265]
AGM-154 JSOW
AGM-158 JASSM[110]
JSM
Bombs:
Mark 84, Mark 83 and Mark 82 GP bombs
Mk.20 Rockeye II cluster bomb
Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser capable
Paveway-series laser-guided bombs
Small Diameter Bomb (SDB)
JDAM-series
B61 nuclear bomb[266]

Avionics

Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems AN/APG-81 AESA radar
Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) missile warning system
BAE Systems AN/ASQ-239 (Barracuda) electronic warfare system
Harris Corporation Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) communication system

Differences between variants F-35A
CTOL F-35B
STOVL F-35C
Carrier version
Length 51.4 ft (15.7 m) 51.3 ft (15.6 m) 51.5 ft (15.7 m)
Wingspan 35 ft (10.7 m) 35 ft (10.7 m) 43 ft (13.1 m)
Wing Area 460 ft² (42.7 m²) 460 ft² (42.7 m²) 668 ft² (62.1 m²)
Empty weight 29,300 lb (13,300 kg) 32,000 lb (14,500 kg) 34,800 lb (15,800 kg)
Internal fuel 18,500 lb (8,390 kg) 13,300 lb (6,030 kg) 19,600 lb (8,890 kg)
Max takeoff weight 70,000 lb (31,800 kg) 60,000 lb (27,000 kg) 70,000 lb (31,800 kg)
Range 1,200 nmi (2,220 km) 900 nmi (1,670 km) 1,400 nmi (2,520 km)
Combat radius on
internal fuel 590 nmi (1,090 km) 450 nmi (833 km) 640 nmi (1,185 km)
Thrust/weight
full fuel
50% fuel 0.87
1.07 0.90
1.04 0.75
0.91