So Ford is spiffing up its new 2015 Mustang to look like the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, specifically the Navy's F-35C as the Pony Car in question shares the F-35C's developmental tail-flash, as a promotional vehicle that will be featured at this year's EAA AirVenture super fly-in and air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Mustangs Daily reports that, as they have for the past few years, Ford is making a one-off Mustang they plan to auction at the Gathering of Eagles charity event at EAA AirVenture in Wisconsin. The sale of the car will benefit the EAA Young Eagles program, which is awesome.
Previous Mustangs have been modeled after the SR-71 Blackbird, the jets flown by the Blue Angels, and the legendary "Red Tails" flown by the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II
Hey, there is nothing wrong with a new 'Stang wearing a cool paint job, but maybe Ford's marketing goons should have dug a little deeper into the history and present state of the aircraft that they are trying to pair their all new 2015 Ford Mustang with.
I am not sure if a currently grounded fighter aircraft that has seen almost every jet built, around 100 so far, recalled back to the factory for elaborate rework modifications, is way over budget and far behind schedule, and just spewed its engine's guts all over the Eglin AFB's runway is a good ambassador for any new model of car. Not to mention many consider the F-35 as over-weight and under-powered, and a compromised design from the beginning.
Hardly the image that says get out there and finance a tens of thousands of dollars so that you can live the American Dream in your reliable new muscle car!
So here's to you, Ford, for making entirely the wrong statement even though your heart was in the right place.
Tyler Rogoway is a defense journalist and photographer that maintains the website Foxtrot Alpha for Jalopnik.com You can reach Tyler with story ideas or direct comments regarding this or any other defense topic via the email address Tyler@Jalopnik.com