You can drop an F-35 and it doesn't break

The photo is of a test model of an F-35C, the carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter just before it undergoes a "drop test."

There's cool video posted by Lockheed Martin showing the drop, which is being conducted by Vought Aircraft Industries at its facility in Dallas. Warning: Don't try this at home with your Piper, or your Toyota (click the image above to see the video).

The test in the video is one of 53 planned to be conducted on the test model (aircraft CG-1) and was performed on March 27. The aircraft was dropped 95 inches at 20 feet per second, with an 8.8-degree pitch, 2-degree roll, and 133-knot wheel speed, simulating a carrier-deck landing. During the testing, 500 sensors are monitored, with 2,500 data points collected per second.

Lockheed says it has now completed more than 179 F-35 test flights, with three B-model STOVL aircraft at the Navy's Patuxent River test center currently flying.

Click the image above to see the video.