Marham fleet F-35 Sightings - 2022 > 2024

[slogen51]

https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/organisati ... r-squadron

809 NAS has been "Resurrected" according to the Royal Navy web site

The area north or the runway is still under construction but you can see the barns taking shape.

I live about 12 miles from Marham and I do occasionally hear Seajet callsigns and originally I did associate them with a flight to or from a ship but there have been one or two land based Seajet flights. Seajet is still quite a rare callsign and therefore difficult to associate with a particular squadron as I haven't yet heard them yet on either kestrel or tallboy**

When 617 embark onto the carrier they generally use Ghost which is a normal Dambusters callsign.

My guess is Seajet is probably used by 207Sqn when doing deck training but it could be an early manifestation of a 809NAS pilot.

** Actually looking back I have noted Seajet on Kestrel so probably a 207Sqn but might simply be that 809 if they exist were bootlegging 207 ops and infrastructure

[Fighterfoto]

Formal stand up is later this week.

[slogen51]

I think on the local news they mentioned Friday

Listen out for Phoenix callsigns I bet !

[AlexanderClover]

ZM151 looks to have some colour on the tail for the 809 NAS stand up. Will be taken off afterwards.

[Fighterfoto]

ZM151 has a full colour Phoenix on the tail and is coded 809. Sadly the decals will be removed before it flies.

[RubyRoo]

Would love a small Omega symbol painted on there, even if in grey.

[thevulcan]

892NAS had the Omega symbol 801NAS wore it for the sea harriers retirement. Unfortunately not to do with 809NAS a phoenix however...

[RubyRoo]

I like the lightning bolt, just wanted something a little different to celebrate the fact it's a "FAA" (in name only anyway!) squadron

[Bluetail]

ZM151 has a full colour Phoenix on the tail and is coded 809. Sadly the decals will be removed before it flies.

So was it the real ZM151 or the replica that appeared at RIAT 2023 which also carried ZM151

[RubyRoo]

ZM151 has a full colour Phoenix on the tail and is coded 809. Sadly the decals will be removed before it flies.

So was it the real ZM151 or the replica that appeared at RIAT 2023 which also carried ZM151

It was the real one.

[Alf]

Credit to Tally on Scramble, 2 more F-35B are due for delivery within the next few days.

BK-34. ZM168
BK-35. ZM169

[Bluetail]

ZM151 has a full colour Phoenix on the tail and is coded 809. Sadly the decals will be removed before it flies.

So was it the real ZM151 or the replica that appeared at RIAT 2023 which also carried ZM151

It was the real one.

Ta

[RubyRoo]

Credit to Tally on Scramble, 2 more F-35B are due for delivery within the next few days.

BK-34. ZM168
BK-35. ZM169

Thanks, Alf.

Has a tanker already gone west?

[RubyRoo]

Believe both ZM168 and ZM169 were indeed delivered to Edwards for 17 squadron, which means it's likely 2 of ZM135, ZM136 or ZM138 will make their way to Marham once they have had all the orange wiring removed.

Further deliveries slightly hampered by TR-3 so don't expect any more deliveries any time soon.

I believe that makes ZM135, ZM136, ZM138, ZM165, ZM168 and ZM169 currently stateside.

[roughcutter]

Early days admittedly (at the risk of jumping the gun), have the new guys been out yet, or are they still training up? Have any any Ops./A2A freqs or callsignss been heard yet?

[shuck]

Have ZM148 and ZM150 been noted recently. Thanks

[slogen51]

ZM168/034 and ZM169/035 arrived this evening from Edwards AFB via Pease AFB as Ascot 9651/9652 and the tanker was Ascot 9240 ZZ335

[i6720]

Thanks to the posters for keeping this thread going - have done an update at the top of the 1st page of this thread to 17/03/24.
If you can supply more recent sightings, then please add to this thread.
Thank you

[RubyRoo]

There's only 13 more officially on order as it stands and due to be delivered before end of 2025, but again this is fully dependent on Tech Refresh 3.

Secondary to that, the F-35 has been cleared for full rate production.

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2024/03 ... roduction/

Frames in the USA:

2BK.0001 ZM135
2BK.0002 ZM136
2BK.0004 ZM138
2BK.0031 ZM165

Frames still to be delivered:

2BK.0036 ZM170
2BK.0037 ZM171
2BK.0038 ZM172
2BK.0039 ZM173
2BK.0040 ZM174
2BK.0041 ZM175
2BK.0042 ZM176
2BK.0043 ZM177
2BK.0044 ZM178
2BK.0045 ZM179
2BK.0046 ZM180
2BK.0047 ZM181
2BK.0048 ZM182

[Alf]

Scramble report ZM171/BK-37 coded 037 was outside at Fort Worth 20/03/24