100% NEW MOULD – SUPER DECALS SHEET FOR 6 VERSIONS – PHOTO ETCHED PARTS -COLORED INSTRUCTION SHEET AND NEW STICKERS MASKS SHEET
CTOL Version (Conventional Take-Off and Landing)
The JSF Joint Strike Fighter program was set up to develop a new fifth-generation all-weather multirole combat aircraft able to replace the existing United States and NATO strike-fighters. The aerospace industry team led by Lockheed Martin generated the single-seat, single-engine, F-35 Lightning II. It adopts stealth technology and it is characterized by the trapezoidal wings and by the use of the most advanced hi-tech materials and avionic systems.
Developed to perform air superiority, close air support, and ground attack missions, it has been designed in different configurations. The F-35A is the conventional takeoff and landing variant, the F-35B is the short takeoff and vertical landing variant and the F-35C, with foldable-wings, has been developed to be used from conventional deck carriers. Thanks to its operational flexibility, the advanced on-board technology, and the impressive project innovation, the F-35 Lightning II will be a reference aircraft in the twenty-first-century military aviation.
100% NEW MOULD – SUPER DECALS SHEET FOR 6 VERSIONS – PHOTO ETCHED PARTS -COLORED INSTRUCTION SHEET AND NEW STICKERS MASKS SHEET
Decals for 6 versions (USAF x2, Italy, Australia, Netherlands, Israel). Over 19″ long when complete.
THE KIT
Being a fan of both, the large scale and the real aircraft myself, I decided to take this sample further than just an in-box-review. The kit comes with a large set of decals printed than none other than their neighbors at Cartograf in Italy.
The overall fit on the kit is impeccable.
So much that I took this opportunity and built the model kit fuselage parts separate including the decals on it. Once everything was ready to go, I cemented both halves of the fuselage and everything fell in place like the proverbial glove.
The lower fuselage part might seem a bit flimsy out of box. Once you add the landing gear and bomb wells it will get that needed rigidity.
The engine intakes are very good leaving almost no visible join line. Whatever is left can be covered with a thick coat of gloss white paint… Followed by the big engine itself and you’re pretty much almost ready close your model halves. The turbine representation is barely visible so you’re free to add a photo-etch version when/if available. Speaking of the engine, the kit provides one that at first glance looks very simple; and it is. But with some research one can super detail this engine to a whole new level. It would be nice to display it next to the finished model.
LANDING LIGHT
The landing light was a last-minute addition to the model. There is plenty of room on the kit’s interpretation of this part for a Micro Litz LED. It is powered by a 3v battery with an ON/OFF switch. To place the battery holder, I did cut the engine all the way to the exhaust fan. The entire engine wasn’t going to be visible anyways had I not choose to hack this.
COLORS USED FOR THE 1/32 F-35A PROJECT:
Since October 2017, Mission Models US willingly requested to be the official paints for this website and we couldn’t be happier. The following colors are from the Mission Models US color catalog numbers. Note that in my personal research I did notice -and stated on our Facebook page- that I had to create my own concoction to achieve the most realistic color *to my eye*. If you’re about to tackle the F-35 model kit, I would humbly recommend looking for reference pictures of the real aircraft under open shade or at the hangar instead of under direct sunlight.
I used my trusty AZTEK A470 airbrush with the White Hi-Flow Nozzle for the entire fuselage. For the smaller parts, I did use the Tan Nozzle. Once the two halves were together I had to touch-up the marred by cement paint. For that, I also used the Tan Nozzle freehand with a pair of sticky notes. The Mission Models paints run like silk on my airbrushes.
For the base color, here is what I did mix:
- 85% of MMP-084 Gunship Grey
- 10% of MMP-047 Black
- 5% of MMP-083 Have Glass Grey
Other colors used on this project:
- Medium Grey FS-36270
- MMP-064 Dark Gull Gray FS-36231
- MMM-0001 Metallic Burnt Iron 1
- MMP-001 White
- MMM-002 Cold Rolled Steel
- MMP-040 Tire Black
- MMA-002 Paint Thinner
THE INSTRUCTIONS:
The provided instructions are a horizontal booklet with 45 steps for assembly, 1 page dedicated to armament placement, and 6 for the marking versions. Please do yourself a favor. Mark that page of your decided markings with a sticky note or something. They can turn visually against you and confuse you. In fact, the markings for these models were supposed to be for the Israeli version, unfortunately, I got trapped by the instructions and placed a crucial decal from the country on the wrong place. Other than that, they are very straight forward.
If you like this build, stick around because there will be a v2 hopefully in the mint green factory primer.
Enjoy the pictures below. With the temperatures in Minnesota in the minus 25° degrees F and the dry static air, it was a fight to keep the model dustless.
WEAPONS
The modeler has the choice to build the F-35A model either as a stealth or badass version. I chose the latter.
Luckily Italeri provides x2 GBU-31 JDAM, x2 AIM-120, and x2 AIM-9X. Pylons and a couple of internal mounts are provided so kudos to Italeri!
ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY RECOMMENDED!
My sincere thanks to Model Rectifier Corporation for the sample and Mission Models Paints.
