@ Salinas, CA
October 2021
The 2021 California International Airshow Salinas featured this F-35A that flew in from Hill AFB in Utah. The vapor coming off the wings is backlit by the sunlight, creating a dazzling rainbow effect. First flown in 2006, after years of delays and cost overruns, the U.S. Air Force declared the F-35A combat ready on 2 August 2016. This aircraft, AF-117, was delivered in 2015 with a forecast total of 2,456 for the US military.