A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242, Marine Aircraft Group 12, displays a bat insignia during a flight at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, June 11, 2024. (Chloe Johnson/U.S. Marine Corps)
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan — The flagship stealth fighter at this base south of Hiroshima is sporting a new look, one to make Batman envious.
The F-35B Lightning II assigned to the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242 appeared over the base June 11 with outgoing commander Lt. Col. Alexander Mellman on his final flight and the end of his 20-year career. It bore the noteworthy insignia of the squadron’s namesake mascot.
“This paint scheme emphasizes the agility and stealth of the F-35B,” Col. Kyle Shoop, Marine Aircraft Group 12 commander, told Stars and Stripes by email Wednesday.
The squadron, also known as “The Bats,” unveiled the newly painted F-35B aircraft to showcase the new squadron logo, a black bat on the aircraft topside, group spokesman Gunnery Sgt. Vitaliy Rusavskiy told Stars and Stripes by email Wednesday.
“The Bats have a proud heritage in Marine Corps aviation and continue that legacy as one of two permanently forward-based F-35B squadrons in the Indo-Pacific,” Shoop said.
Marine Lt. Col. Alexander Mellman of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242, is hosed down in an F-35B Lightning II aircraft after his final flight at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, June 11, 2024. (Chloe Johnson/U.S. Marine Corps)
Photos of the F-35 with the bat insignia taken by a tail spotter circulated on social media, including Facebook and X, creating a frenzy of interest.
“It’s good to see fighter aircraft getting art again,” Larry Oliver commented on a Facebook post June 22.
“I’ve thought the F-35 has always been ugly. Turns out all it needed was a bad ass paint job,” Mitchell Adams commented on Facebook on June 23.
Several comments aired concerns with the paint job impeding the aircraft’s stealth characteristics.
“The stealth fighter was painted in accordance with service regulations and the new paint does not affect operational capability of the aircraft,” Rusavskiy said.
Asked if the new insignia is a temporary or permanent addition, Rusavskiy did not respond.
snyder.jonathan@stripes.com @Jon_E_Snyder
