(USAF photo)
Over on Solomon's blog...
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Yes Don, that is one of the many "thermal issues" associated with stealth aircraft. Example, in the hot summer, put on a snowmobile suit, facemask, googles. gloves, boots and use a push-mower on your lawn. You can't put drain holes and air vents just anywhere on a stealth aircraft. And in the case of the F-35, with all of its heat producing systems, internal fuel is used as a heat-sink. Early test aircraft used chilled fuel until they got to a certain point in the program.
(Fortunately the U.S. Never fights anywhere that it is hot. Maybe all F-35s should be painted white too?)
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFNS) -- The 56th Logistics Readiness Squadron recently added a new fuel truck to its fleet designed to improve mission effectiveness and safety on the flightline.
However, it’s not really a new fuel truck, but an old fuel truck with its tank painted white.
What LRS Airmen once referred to as "Big Green," the “new” truck with a white fuel tank has been a little difficult for some to get used to; however, the change has a better purpose then just being aesthetically pleasing.
"We painted the refuelers white to reduce the temperature of fuel being delivered to the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter," said Senior Airman Jacob Hartman, a 56th LRS fuels distribution operator. "The F-35 has a fuel temperature threshold and may not function properly if the fuel temperature is too high, so after collaborating with other bases and receiving waiver approval from (the Air Education Training Command), we painted the tanks white."