Luke AFB changes refueling truck color, mitigates F-35 shutdowns

http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/555558/luke-afb-changes-refueling-truck-color-mitigates-f-35-shutdowns.aspx

by protomyth • 12 years ago

25 12 12 years ago

af.mil

32faction• 12 years ago

As a Phoenix native this totally makes sense. Our summers average 110 degrees. We have our sweaters on if it somehow dips to the 90s.

protomyth• 12 years ago

I am just a little confused why it is different for the F-35, but it is an interesting story for the paint:

"The white paint is special because it is a solar polyurethane enamel that reflects the heat of the sun's rays. Interestingly, after dropping off the first truck to be painted, the 56th LRS learned it is not the color that reflects the heat."

"The painter said it did not have to be a white color, so we are going to send one of the four vehicles to get painted green, if possible. We will then compare temperatures between the green and white trucks."

hedgehog• 12 years ago

It may be related to the fuel being factored into the thermal design (as coolant) as well as used as a store of energy. If so it sounds like the F-35's design is less forgiving than the other aircraft they have at that base.

sswaner• 12 years ago

Luke has been a F-16 base for some time.

fnordfnordfnord• 12 years ago

The F35 uses the fuel as hydraulic fluid, too. That may have something to do with it.

Guthur• 12 years ago

IMO another example of how the F-35 is an over specified, over engineered and expensive turkey.

And here is a comment by someone who knows a lot more than I do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxDSiwqM2nw

neurotech12• 12 years ago

Pierre Sprey didn't design the F-16 and really doesn't know that much about the F-35. A large amount of his comments on the F-35 are factually incorrect.

Fuel temperature is an important parameter for an aircraft because excessive vapors in the tanks can be problematic.

Other jet fighters have fuel temperature warnings (eg. F/A-18 is triggered above 65 degrees Celsius.) so your claim of "over engineered" F-35 is misguided.

Remember TWA 800? The fuel in the center tank vaporized and the jet exploded.

The Luke AFB crews are being appropriately cautious and implementing an appropriate temporary solution.

andrewfelix2• 12 years ago

From cursory reading about the aircraft, there seems to be a lot of criticism of it. Can you summarise specifically what was factually incorrect and misguided?

The f-35 Looks like a jack of all trades, but a master of none.

retrogradeorbit• 12 years ago

As long as there is no war in any hot, desert countries, we should be right...

GHFigs• 12 years ago

"This is the short-term goal to cool the fuel for the F-35; however, the long-term fix is to have parking shades for the refuelers," Resch said.

But what color are they going to paint the shades?

Luke AFB changes refueling truck color, mitigates F-35 shutdowns

Related Stories