FRIDAY FOTO: May 8, 2015

Jet Wash.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Marleah Robertson)

Ever wonder how you clean a multi-million dollar U.S. Air Force jet? Well, here’s how. Lieutenant Colonel Christine Mau, deputy commander of the 33rd Operations Group, navigates her F-35A Joint Strike Fighter through the “bird bath” after returning from her first flight at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida earlier this week.

But wait, there’s a bigger story. The colonel, who previously flew F-15E Strike Eagles, made history as the first female pilot in the latest American fighter program.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Marleah Robertson) 

Here’s a photo of Lieutenant Colonel Mau readying for her first flight in the Air Force variant of the multi-role fighter on May 5. Click on the photo to enlarge the image.