The 388th Fighter Wing of the US Air Force (USAF) has achieved a remarkable feat, rebuilding an F-35A Lightning II fighter jet using parts from two separate and damaged aircraft.
Lockheed Martin’s fighter jet, named “Franken-bird”, recently flew for the first time after a lengthy rebuild that began in 2023.
To do so, teams from the F-35 Joint Program Office, Ogden Air Logistics Complex, 388th Fighter Wing and Lockheed Martin used an F-35 that had been damaged after a front landing gear collapse in 2020 and another jet that had an engine fire in 2014 at Eglin AFB, Florida.
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According to the Air Force, it was necessary to create unique tools, brackets and other equipment to support and join the aircraft’s sections.
Since last year, the aircraft has remained in the 4th Fighter Squadron hangar while the final stages of its restoration were completed.
“When we received the aircraft, it was pretty much a shell,” said Senior Airman Jaguar Arnold, the aircraft’s dedicated crew chief from the 4th FGS. “There were a lot of tasks to complete that we hadn’t done it before at the unit level.”
After reassembly, the aircraft was rewired, the cockpit was rebuilt, and various avionics and computers were installed.
Even the materials and coatings that ensure the F-35’s low observability were manufactured and installed during the reassembly.
Despite the challenges, the rebuild project was a win-win for the USAF, which spent less than $6 million compared to the more than $80 million it costs to build a new F-35.
After the successful functional check flight, the F-35 flew to Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas, for final certifications before returning to the 4th Fighter Squadron.
