US Marine Corps Maj. Joseph Bachmann of Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501) at Eglin AFB, Florida, completed the 33rd Fighter Wing's 200th F-35 sortie on 24 August 2012. Bachmann's flight came forty-four days after the wing accomplished its 100th F-35 sortie. The 33rd Fighter Wing, the F-35 training wing for all services, completed sorties 101 to 200 in about a third of the time it took to complete flight one to 100. The first F-35 flight at Eglin AFB took place on 6 March 2012. Eglin is currently home to nineteen F-35A and B-models, and the base's fleet continues to grow as more instructor pilots are trained and maintainer courses developed.
