> apparently the F35 contract went to Lockheed Martin instead of to Boeing because the specs of both proposal were nearly identical but the LM one looked much better
People love to repeat this, but it's wrong. Yes the Boeing plane was ugly with the large air scoop, but it also was a great plane whereas the Lockheed Martin plane was a terrific plane. At the time of selection, the Boeing plane could not VTOL with all the bodywork in place (landing gear doors for instance) yes the LM plane had just completed a vertical landing after a supersonic flight. Also, not since the age of propellers had Boeing designed a combat aircraft, whereas Lockheed did the SR71, U2, F117, and a host of other innovative aircraft.
The one thing that the Boeing aircraft had going for it was the single-piece wing. The JSF competition was primarily to design an affordable plane, and the Boeing probably would have been much less expensive to build and qualify.
People love to repeat this, but it's wrong. Yes the Boeing plane was ugly with the large air scoop, but it also was a great plane whereas the Lockheed Martin plane was a terrific plane. At the time of selection, the Boeing plane could not VTOL with all the bodywork in place (landing gear doors for instance) yes the LM plane had just completed a vertical landing after a supersonic flight. Also, not since the age of propellers had Boeing designed a combat aircraft, whereas Lockheed did the SR71, U2, F117, and a host of other innovative aircraft.
The one thing that the Boeing aircraft had going for it was the single-piece wing. The JSF competition was primarily to design an affordable plane, and the Boeing probably would have been much less expensive to build and qualify.