First Flight of the F-35B S/VTOL JSF "Lightning II" The first Lockheed Martin F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing stealth fighter takes off from Lockheed Aeronautics in Fort Worth, Texas, on its inaugural flight Wednesday, June 11. The jet, which will be used by the U.S. Marine Corps, the United Kingdom and Italy, is the first aircraft to combine stealth with supersonic speed and short takeoff/vertical landing capability. Lockheed Martin Photo |