Outline
Message claims that an attached video shows an F-35 Fighter Jet flipping upside down during a vertical takeoff mishap and then taking off safely after the highly skilled Navy pilot regained control of the aircraft.
Example
Subject: F-35 in Harrowing Ordeal
This is how a supremely well-trained US Navy pilot, ice running in his veins instead of blood, fully regains control of his $70 million F-35 fighter jet, after a problem-filled vertical take-off attempt.
Watch as the rear vertical thruster fires to save the pilot & aircraft.
Detailed Analysis
This video, purportedly depicting a real F-35 jet recovering from a potentially disastrous flip during a vertical takeoff, circulates via email and is also popular viewing on video website YouTube.
Messages that accompany the video claim that it is real footage of an F-35 takeoff mishap on board an aircraft carrier and praise the amazing skill of the Navy pilot who managed to save himself and the aircraft after the potentially fatal flip.
However, the video does not show a real aircraft and does not depict an actual incident. In fact, the video is a capture from the popular video game “Battlefield 2”.
The rather unrealistic depiction of the aircraft carrier – not a single crew member is in view on deck – is one indicator that the video does not depict an actual incident. Contrast the following shot of a real aircraft carrier with the sparse view shown in the video:
Moreover, a close look at the bottom portion of the video reveals the small status bars that are present in the game. These bars provide the gamer with information such as health status and remaining ammunition. The following screenshot taken from the game shows one of these status bars in more detail:
The status bar in the above screenshot is clearly very similar to the one shown at the bottom left of the video.
And, in fact, YouTube hosts many other videos uploaded by gamers who have attempted similar F-35 antics in Battlefield 2.
Importance Notice
After considerable thought and with an ache in my heart, I have decided that the time has come to close down the Hoax-Slayer website.These days, the site does not generate enough revenue to cover expenses, and I do not have the financial resources to sustain it going forward.
Moreover, I now work long hours in a full-time and physically taxing job, so maintaining and managing the website and publishing new material has become difficult for me.
And finally, after 18 years of writing about scams and hoaxes, I feel that it is time for me to take my fingers off the keyboard and focus on other projects and pastimes.
When I first started Hoax-Slayer, I never dreamed that I would still be working on the project all these years later or that it would become such an important part of my life. It's been a fantastic and engaging experience and one that I will always treasure.
I hope that my work over the years has helped to make the Internet a little safer and thwarted the activities of at least a few scammers and malicious pranksters.
A Big Thank You
I would also like to thank all of those wonderful people who have supported the project by sharing information from the site, contributing examples of scams and hoaxes, offering suggestions, donating funds, or helping behind the scenes.I would especially like to thank David White for his tireless contribution to the Hoax-Slayer Facebook Page over many years. David's support has been invaluable, and I can not thank him enough.
Closing Date
Hoax-Slayer will still be around for a few weeks while I wind things down. The site will go offline on May 31, 2021. While I will not be publishing any new posts, you can still access existing material on the site until the date of closure.Thank you, one and all!
Brett Christensen,
Hoax-Slayer
