An
F-35C painted for its future assignment to US Navy Fighter Attack Squadron
101 (VFA-101) at Eglin AFB, Florida, is shown in the paint facility
at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas, on 7 January 2013. |
The original
Fighter Squadron 101 (VF-101), nicknamed Grim Reapers, was established
1 May 1952 and flew various fighter aircraft including the F-4 Phantom
and F-14 Tomcat. VF-101 was disestablished in 2005. To support the Navy
version of the F-35, VFA-101 was reestablished in May 2012 at a new
hangar and training facility at Eglin. The unit will serve as the Fleet
Replacement Squadron, training Navy Lightning II aviators and maintainers.
This aircraft (Bureau Number 168733) is scheduled for delivery later
his year. |
