EDIT: GO SEE NEW POST. HAS IMPROVED LIFT SYSTEM!
Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!
My VTOL challenge entry
Instructions included appear as the following:
Act 1: Manually open bay doors (always automatically open as needed)
Act 2: Refuel probe
.
Act 6: Release internal weapons
Act 7: VTOL/stealth mode- VTOL weight achieved & aircraft detected as "damaged" when Boom 25's released so enemies ignore you
Act 8: Friendly mode- all lock on systems offline & Boom 50's drop dead when fired (camera look controls always on)
De-Act 8: Combat mode - lights out & all lock on systems online
.
STOVL Control
Gear down: STOL mode- VTOL lever below 0 adjusts rear engine direction
Gear down & VTOL lever at -1: VTOL mode- pitch for altitude and cruise control via trim (-40 to 40mph)
.
Throttle Control
90-100: afterburner + or - power depending on airspeed below subsonic
100: Max afterburn
Supersonic air speed: enables supercruise mode UNTIL subsonic (to conserve fuel)

WARNING: This hovers in a realistic manner, meaning the lift system has a learning curve. (Read further for useful link to original lift system)

• Please note, all the glide weapons flight path follow a glide like trajectory, so drop them accordingly.
• Also note, I attempted to give it realistic fuel rates, but it’s power output could be better.
• Finally, when dead dropping the Boom 50 weapon, it lands a little short of the estimate spot (because drag).
• ALWAYS OPEN TO SUGGESTMENTS FOR MORE REALISTIC FUNCTIONALITY.

The small ones are Stormbreaker glide bombs slated for real release in 2025 according to what I read.

Camera 1 functions as a target tracker like the camera seen on its belly. Tried to mimic real world functionality. Also doubles as a useful VTOL camera.

When in VTOL, the ascend and descend speed is accurate to the real deal (750m/min if I recall correctly).

See link for original plane & in depth lift system explanation (I obtained permission from Lemoose to build on it) : https://www.simpleplanes.com/a/ABPzHu/Rolls-Royce-LiftSystem

More details about my glide bombs can be found on my post here:
https://www.simpleplanes.com/a/tofc0L/AGM-154-JSOW-Lock-or-Camera-Steered
.
.
- FULL CREDIT TO Lemoose for the plane and it's core lift system I was amazed by. IT DESERVES 10x more upvotes more than this:
https://www.simpleplanes.com/a/ABPzHu/Rolls-Royce-LiftSystem
.
.
- My weapons bodies' are tweaked versions taken from TDevil36’s weapons kit.
- The target tracking camera system is taken from MisterT's "Cinema Plane."
- Tiny bits of code were copied from some other builds to improve this build like my camera's g-force code from a Leehopard plane and the glide bomb missile mods from a couple other glide bombs I found.

Some interesting outside sources I used during the building process:
https://australianaviation.com.au/2018/08/jump-jet-flying-the-f35b-simulator/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSy8DcLaRDo&list=WL&index=31&t=899s

Features I want to make and add (or for someone else to do before then):
- Close VTOL flap somehow when on ground and disable VTOL engine
- Pitch control’s rear thruster so you can use it during STOL for better stability.
- Make a working stealth mode that wasn't an designed on accident lol
- Magnetic reloading system with weapons sitting on runway.
- Have invisible flares (both) shoot periodically when 7 is active. If enemy is close(4miles), disable it and 👇
-Have main invisible cockpit get moved by very stable piston further behind craft.
- Prevent PID controller bugs (on VTOL engine)?! It sometimes stops working. (Make reverse PID controllers for vtol to stop sudden dropping (or try smoothing a copy of it just before drop)???)
- Better STOL (see updated post)
- Use computer module on weapons for better glide mechanics
- Figure out how JoshuaW's "Automated Floating Cannon" works for camera to hover at target like a camera tracking target as seen in the real cockpit.
- Use this to make looking around auto reset to center on custom camera
- Hover disables weapons (like real deal).
- 2.5 sec transition total for engine. Front engine can go from 45deg back to 5deg forwards (like real deal).
- Reduce throttle sensitivity when refuel probe out &/or show target tanker's speed.
- Limit roll to 20 degrees in hover (like real deal)
- Lift fan and it’s door not active till 250kts or 287.7 mph or 128.6 meters/s
- Lights in cockpit telling you what conditions are met for vtol (like real deal)
- Try AoA limiter when VTOL =1 (realistic G's and smoother flying. useful for refueling)
- Cockpit opens on 1, but when flying, 1 opens cockpit and ejects pilot.
- Auto eject system when spinning out of control (sustained high g’s?) (like real deal).
- Use memory functions???to not have to activate 8 for dead bomb or smart bomb, opening bay doors on act 6 to drop internal weapons,
- Target tracking glide bomb that doesn't lock on to enemy, alerting them, and glides high, then dives when close to target making camera look unecessary to dodge terrain.
- Automatic roll adjustments when center of mass shifted to one side.
- BEHOLD THE ULTIMATE RESOURCE I FOUND IMEDIATELY AFTER FINISHING PROVING MY WORK INACCURATE ON SO MANY LEVELS lol i'm still gonna make it better ;-; https://orbx-user-guides.storage.googleapis.com/indiafoxtecho-f35-msfs-user-guide-76797d.pdf