A different angle of thrust. Your jets were directed backwards only, and the only way to keep the nose up is to move the elevators up, just as in most planes.
These planes are focusing their thrust DOWNWARD, just behind the pilot. The NOSE is being propelled upward and needs no elevators to raise it. The ELEVATORS are primarily being used as FLAPS, during STO.
This is essentially correct.
In V/STOL (or STOVL) mode the F-35 is dependent upon engine and lift-fan power getting it into the air as opposed to CTOL mode for most fixed-wing aircraft where air speed over the control services gets it airborne. In V/STOL mode, the F-35 is “lifting” of the lip of the ship’s deck via the downward force of its combined engine and fan as opposed to “flying” off of it.
“They generally don’t take off vertically for that reason — fuel consumption. You can get airborne with more payload with a rolling take-off. They only land vertically...”
Correct. The RAN 30 years ago perfected ops with the Harrier. They are at best with rolling, un-assisted loaded take-offs and vertical landings. Vertical take-offs are extremely un-efficient in anything other than the lightest of loads.
“For all of the negative press I have read about the F-35B you’d think the plane is an obsolete Turkey.”
Cost overruns, delays, etc. Lockheed is doing a fantastic job of wringing the utmost performance in a single compact airframe that could possibly be expected. The plane is meeting its performance goals and doing so within reason. I don’t have a whole of trouble with the product we’ve seen so far.
“The F35B is going to the Marines ONLY”
No. Just for the Marines it’s 400 airplanes. The -B is also intended for the Spanish, Italians, and Indians now. It was originally intended for the RAN but they’ve since moved to the -C USN STOL carrier version. Future potential customers are the Thai Navy, the Brazilian Navy, and maybe Australia from their helo LPDs.