USMC F-35B Lightning II Demo Team

USMC F-35B Lightning II Demo Team

F-35B Lightning II Demonstration Team

The Marine Corps’ STOVL F-35B display, whose hover and bow to the crowd set it apart, flown by instructors of the two F-35B training squadrons at Beaufort and Miramar.

F-35B飞机
1In the display
积极的地位
操作员United States Marine Corps Aviation国家美国类型Solo displayHome baseMarine Corps Air Station Beaufort地位积极的
故事

USMC F-35B Lightning II Demo Team: how the team came to be and what it flies today

From static star to full demo

The F-35B made its air show debut at MCAS Miramar in 2014 and crossed the Atlantic for the Royal International Air Tattoo in 2016, but its first full aerial demonstration came at the Beaufort Air Show, South Carolina, in April 2019: a routine of about a dozen manoeuvres including a pedal turn and a hover and vertical landing that no other US demo jet can match.

Two coasts

The demonstration is flown by instructor pilots of the Marine fleet replacement squadrons: VMFAT-501 “Warlords” at MCAS Beaufort on the East Coast and VMFAT-502 at MCAS Miramar in the west, the latter flying six or more shows a season. In 2026 the East Coast pilot, Major William Horn, flew both the solo display and the MAGTF demonstration at the MCAS Cherry Point air show.

The demonstration is flown by instructor pilots of the Marine fleet replacement squadrons: VMFAT-501 “Warlords” at MCAS Beaufort on the East Coast and VMFAT-502 at MCAS Miramar in the west, the latter flying six or more shows a season.USMC F-35B Lightning II Demo Team · verified 2026-10-02

一览

USMC F-35B Lightning II Demo Team in numbers

The team

Formation
1架飞机

  • Single F-35B display
  • East and West Coast pilots

飞机

Flown
洛克希德·马丁F-35B闪电II战斗机

  • F-35B Lightning II

家

Based at
MCAS Beaufort

  • VMFAT-501 (east)
  • VMFAT-502, MCAS Miramar (west)

The display

Aircraft in the display
1

飞机

Every type USMC F-35B Lightning II Demo Team has flown

飞机 年 Number 笔记
洛克希德·马丁F-35B闪电II战斗机 since 2019 1 Short take-off and vertical landing variant.

时间线

USMC F-35B Lightning II Demo Team, year by year

2014

F-35B air show debut at MCAS Miramar.

2016

First trans-Atlantic flight, to RIAT at RAF Fairford.

2019

First full F-35B aerial demonstration at the Beaufort Air Show.

2024

Maj. Craig Norris designated West Coast demo pilot with VMFAT-502.

2026

Maj. William Horn flies the solo and MAGTF demos at the MCAS Cherry Point air show.


问答

Everything people ask about USMC F-35B Lightning II Demo Team

What does the F-35B demo show?
Aerobatic manoeuvres plus the F-35B’s short take-off, hover and vertical landing capability.
Where is the F-35B Demo Team based?
The East Coast team flies from MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina (VMFAT-501); the West Coast demo from MCAS Miramar, California (VMFAT-502).
When did the F-35B demo start?
The first full aerial demonstration was flown at the Beaufort Air Show in April 2019.
How many aircraft does the F-35B Demo Team fly?
One F-35B in a solo display.