Second F-35 Production Jet Takes First Flight

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 7th, 2011 -- AF-7, the second F-35 Lightning II production jet, takes off on its first flight Friday, March 4, from Naval Air Station Fort Worth JointAF-7, the second F-35 Lightning II production jet, takes off on its first flight Friday, March 4, from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base. The F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant flew for 1.3 hours. AF-7 is the second and final aircraft from Low Rate Initial Production lot 1. The first, AF-6, flew for the first time a week earlier. The two production jets and eleven preproduction F-35 test aircraft have completed 683 flights since testing began in December 2006. (Lockheed Martin photo by Randy Crites) Reserve Base. The F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant flew for 1.3 hours. AF-7 is the second and final aircraft from Low Rate Initial Production lot 1. The first, AF-6, flew for the first time a week earlier. The two production jets and eleven preproduction F-35 test aircraft have completed 683 flights since testing began in December 2006.