ACADEMY KIT #12507 1/72 SCALE F-35A JSF REVIEW & BUILD
Last updated: Landing Gear, Bay doors, Weapons, Complete - May 19, 2015
The Aircraft:
The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is the second 5th generation stealth fighter built by the United States of Amerca, following the F-22 Raptor.
The F-35 Ligning II was developed by Lockheed Martin as the PRime Contractor along with Northrop Grumman and British Aerospace ins response to the US Air Force Joint Strike Fighter Program. The program began in November 1996 with a 5-year competition between Lockheed Martin and Boeing to determine the most capable and affordable preliminary aircraft design. LOckeed presented the X-35 and Boing presented the X-32. On October 26, 2001, 2001 the Pentagon announced that Lockheed-Martin had won contract to build the Joint Strike Fighter. The Air Force announced thayt on the basis of strengths, weaknesses and degrees of risk, that the Lockheed-Martin team was the winner.
The program was looking for a joint service strike aircraft to replace numerous aging 4th generation aircraft in the US inventory including the USAF F=16 Falcon, the USAF A-10 Warthog, the US Navu and US MArin F-18 Hornet, the US MArine AV-8B HArrier II, and similar aircraft from allied nations who partnered on the project.
This ended up requiring three variants of the aircraft, all to be built around the same basic air fram and a large majority of common parts and susyems.
As a result, once the production aircraft was designated the F-35, is resulted in three aircraft designations:
F=35B The STOVL (Short Take-off, Vertical Landing) version for the US Marines.
F-35C The CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take-Off, Barrier Assisted Recovery) version for the US Navy aircraft carriers.
Developing an airframe that could accomodate all three functions mandated that the aircraft could not be a purpose built air superiority fighter like the F-22A Raptor. But the program never sought that. It sough an aircraft whose principle role was as a strike fighter that could very adequaetly defend itself if necessary, and could, as a secondary mission, perfom air defense missions.
The aircraft is a blend of stealth technologies (both forming and materials), tremendous sensor fusion and situational awareness, agility, ordinance carrying capability, supersonic capability (MAch 1.6), and common parts and electronics for many of the missions of all three services. it is also a single seat, single engine aircraft.
This description is about the Convetnional Take-Off and Landing (CTOL) F-35A Lightning II for the US Air Force and the air forces of numerous allied nations.
Specifically, expectations of the F-35A are that it will match the latest F-16 fighters in maneuverability and instantaneous and sustained high-g performance, that it will outperform the latest F-16 aircraft in stealth, payload, internal fuel range, avionics, operational effectiveness, supportability, and survivability. These are tall orders, but the F-35 is progressing towards meeting or exceeding all of them.
The aircraft is antipated to be produced in large numbers over many years. The US Air Force anticpates a need for upwards of abpout 1,800 aircraft itself to replace the many F-16 aircraft still in sevice, and ultimately the A-10 aircraft as well. In addition, the US Navy and Marines will produce 800 or more of the F-35B and F-35C aircraft. As a result, the program will be the most expensive weapons/military program in history.
As such, it has come under, and continues to come under tremendous scrutingy, and has already become the most tested weapons system in US military history.
The first production F-35A aircraft rolled out of the production facility in Ft. Worth , Texas in February 2006, it ran up its engine for the fitrst time in September 2006, and made it's first flight in december 2006. The testing on these aircraft has been very intensive and ongoing. PArticularly in the sensor fusion area, the amount of software and its complexity rivals any aircraft prgram. The F-35A attained its maximum speed of Mach 1.6 in October 2011. The aircraft performed its first live weaponbs tests of both bombs and air to air missiles in October 2012. In 2013, pilot training for the F-35A began at eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
The US Air Force has now taken deliver of over 100 aircraft and has stood up testing and evaluation squadrons in its support wings, and training suqadrons in various fighter wings (like at Eglin).
The US Air Force has stated that the F-35A will reach Iniital Operational Capability when the first operational squadron is equipped with 12-24 aircraft, and Airmen are trained, manned, and equipped to conduct basic Close Air Support (CAS), Interdiction, and limited Suppression and Destruction of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD/DEAD) operations in a contested environment. The US Air Force expects to meet this condition between August and December 2016.
Aircraft General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 50.5 ft (15.67 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft (10.7 m)
Height: 14.2 ft (4.33 m)
Wing area: 460 ft² (42.7 m²)
Empty weight: 29,098 lb (13,199 kg)
Loaded weight: 49,540 lb (22,470 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 70,000 lbs (31,800 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney F135 afterburning turbofan
- Dry thrust: 28,000 lbf (125 kN)
- Thrust with afterburner: 43,000 lbf (191 kN)
Internal fuel capacity: 18,498 lb (8,382 kg)
Maximum speed: Mach 1.6+ (1,200 mph, 1,930 km/h) (tested to Mach 1.61)
Range: 1,200 nmi (2,220 km) on internal fuel
Combat radius: 613 nmi (1,135 km) on internal fuel
Wing loading: 107.7 lb/ft² (526 kg/m²; 745 kg/m² max loaded)
Thrust/weight:
- With full fuel: 0.87
- With 50% fuel: 1.07
Maximum g-load: 9 g Armament:
1 × General Dynamics 25 mm (0.984 in) GAU-22/A 4-barrel Gatling gun, internally mounted with 180 rounds
2 x Internal Bays with two pylons in each with a total capacity of 3,000 lbs (1,380 kg) together
6 × external pylons on wings with a capacity of 15,000 lb (6,800 kg)
- Total weapons payload of 18,000 lb (8,100 kg)
Missiles:
Air-to-air: AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9X Sidewinder, IRIS-T, MBDA Meteor
Air-to-surface: AGM-88 AARGM, AGM-158 JASSM, Brimstone missile / MBDA SPEAR, Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), Storm Shadow missile, SOM
Anti-ship: Joint Strike Missile (JSM), Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM)
Precision Guided Bombs:
Paveway laser-guided bombs, Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), AGM-154 JSOW, Small Diameter Bomb (SDB)
Bombs:
Mark 84 or Mark 83 or Mark 82 GP bombs, Mk.20 Rockeye II cluster bomb, Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD) capable, B61 mod 12 nuclear bomb
The Kit:
There are numerous kits for F-35A Lightning II on the market. In looking at kits, I found that the Academy kit looked to be the best from my perspective.
I liked the features and options, the detail, the general quality of academy models, and the price.
For example, this kit comes with the parts modled in five different colors. They are a dark gray, lighter gray, white, black, and clear. Both weapons bays, the landing gear bays, and the enterior of the jet intakes are already modeled in white. The engine nozzle, the cocpit, the tires, etc. come molded in balck. The weapons and pylons are moleded in lighter gray, and the aircraft fuselage and control surfaces are molded in dark gray (gunship gray).
In addition there are numerous weapons options (including JDAM munitions, AIM-9X sidewinder, and AIM-120 AMRRAM millsiles. I intedn to augment this for a full load out with a separate, after market, 1/72 scale weapons kit.
Altoghter, there are seven frets of parts with abpout 120 parts. There is a really good instruction booklet that folds out showing the various building instructions intuitively. There is also a two-sided painting schemen for three different aircraft from various wings/squadrons.
All in all it looks like a really great kit to build.
Here's what it looked like out of the box:
The Build Weapons Bay, Intakes, Landing gear bays - May 13, 2015
I started off by assembling the various parts for the air intakes, the weapons bays and the landing gear bays. I did this after painting the entirety of the fuselage in Gunship Gray.
I then masked off the aerilons and control surfaces on the upper and lower wings, as well as the horizontal and vertical stabiliers, and painted them in the gull gray mix identified in the painting scheme:
I then paintied the missiles and pylons, as well as the engine exhaust and interior parts on their sprues:
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That was all I had time for...but will complete the engine, the cockpit, and then put together the fuselage with the horizontal and vertical stabilizers in my next session.
The Build Cockpit, Assembling Fusealge and Stabilizers - May 15, 2015
I began this session by assembling the cockpit. This required painting all of the cockpit parts and then gluing them together after they had dried. This kit includes a fairly detailed ejection seat and cockpit interior.
Once I had assembled the cockpit, I then decided to use the decals supplied with the kit for the main panel of the instrument display.
It came together pretty nicely:
I then added the cockpit assembly to the lower fuselage and assembled the entire fuselage, using clamps to hold it fast whil drying. Even with all of the interior assemblies, the fit was very good.
That's looking pretty good. Here are a couple of close ups:
In the next session I will build the landing gear and add the landing gear doors...as well as hopefully assemble and paint the weaponry and get it added to the aircraft, and paint and add the canpoy. I have to decide whether to show the canopy open or close. Oh well, I can decide that during the next session.
The Build Landing Gear, Bay doors, Weapons, Complete - May 19, 2015
I began this session by assembling and then placing the landing gear and tires onto the model. The two main gear and the forward gear.
I then added the pylons for the weapons, and though I will not be adding him into the model, I also assembled and painted the pilot. I may use him for my F-35C variant I will be building next.
Then it was time to paint and add the various bay doors, and then paint and add the weapons.
I placed an AIM-120 AMRAAM air to air missile and a 500 lb laser guided bomb (LGB) in each internal bay, and then added a 1,000 lb LGB, another 500 lb LGB, and an AIM-9X Sidewinder air to air missile to each of the wings weapon's pylons.
At this point I was ready to add the decals. Lots of decals for this model including all of the standard insignia, squadron designations (I am making this aircraft a part of the US Air Force Fighter Squadron at Eglin AFB in Florida), and the ejection and warning markings. But also numerous panel, refueling, sensor, and other markings all around the aircraft.
With all of this, the aircraft was very near completion. All that was left was to add the two very small antennae on the nose of the aircraft, then do some touch up paint work, add the two coats of dull coat finish paint and then glue the canopy in place. Once that was complete, it was time to take the final pictures from all of the various angles:
...and a few close ups:
She looks very nice and that completes my F-35A US Air Force Joint Strike fighter.
This is my second of the three variants. I had already completed the US Marine F-35B STOVL variant.
I will next build Orange Hobby's F-35C, US Navy aircraft carrier variant to complete all three.
These three aircraft will be the mainstay of manned combat aircraft for the US military (Air force, Marines, and Navy) for the next 40-50 years...easily for the rest of my life.
Future Build Schedule - May 19, 2015
- May 28, 2015 Complete the 1/72 scale US Navy F-35C Lightning II Strike Fighter.
- Jun 12, 2015 Complete the 1/72 scale US Navy E-2D Advanceed Hawkeye AEW&C Aircraft
- Jun 26, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale Russian SU-35 Fighter.
- Ju1 11, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale Russian TU-160 Blackjack Bomber
- Jul 25, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale Russian Tu-95 Bear Bomber
- Aug 11, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale US Air Force B-2 Spirit Bomber
- Aug 25, 2015 Complete the 1/72 Scale US Air Force B-1B Lancer Bomber
The completion of the PLAN Carrier group was centered on the already completed Trumpeter's 1/350 scale PLA Navy's Aircraft Carrier CV-16, Liaoning, (in addition to the other escorts already completed) included Mini Hobby's PLAN Guangzhou, DDG-168. I recently pre-ordered a 1/350 scale model of the PLAN Type 071 LPD, Yuzhao Class, announced by Trumpeter and due out in October, 2013. I will end up adding two of those, probably LPD-998 Yuzhao and LPD-999, Jinggangshan, add the PLAN- DDG-139, Ningbo, and the PLAN DDG-115, Shenyang, along with the PLAN Weifang, FFG-550 and thus build a PLAN ARG.
The completion of the US Carrier Strike group was centered on the completed Tamyia's 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65, (in addition to the other escorts already completed) included Trumpeter's, USS Freedom, LCS-1, Dragon's USS Preble, DDG-88 and Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. When a 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-80 (or any Gerald R. Ford Class) is released from Trumpeter, Tamiya, Dragon, or whomever else, I will add it to this group along with another AEGIS Cruiser. Whichever Ford Class coms out in 1/350 scale, I will build it as the USS Enterprise, CVN-80.
The completion of the US ARG was centered on the Gallery's 1/350 scale USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, it also included the 1980s refit of the World War II Iowa class battleship, Tamiya's 1/350 scale, USS New Jersey, BB-62, also, Gallery's 1/350 scale USS New York, LPD-21, Cyber Hobby's USS Independence, LCS-2, Bronco Model's 1/350 scale USS Coronado, LCS-4, a Flight IIA US AEGIS class destroyer based on Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Lassen, DDG-82, and a Ticonderoga AEGIS cruiser...all of these models which I already own.
The completion of the UK Group featured the Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Illustrious, R06 as its center piece until a 1/350 scale Queen Elizabeth carrier is released. When that happens, I will add that carrier to the group as its centerpiece. The Royal Navy CSG will also include two Airfix 1/350 scale Daring Class DDGs (one of which is already completed), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Type 23 HMS Duke class Frigates, and the Hobby Boss 1/350 scale HMS Astute SSN. One day, when a 1/350 scale HMS Ocean LPD comes out, I will use it to start building a Royal Navy ARG.
The completion of the French CSG is centered on Heller's 1/400 scale Charles De Gaulle, R91, the 1/400 scale Heller French De Grasse, D612 DDG, which is an ASW DDG, the French Aconit D612 FFG and Gueprattet F714 FFGs, both of which are Lafayette class frigates. These four vessels round out my French CSG. As soon as a French Robin class nuclear sub, like the French Pearle S606 SSN is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will add that to the group. Also as soon as the Forbin D620, Horizon class anti-air DDG is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will purchase two of them and replace the De Grasse with them.
The completion of the Japanese JMSDF group was centered on Fujimi's very finely detailed, 1/350 scale Hyuga, DDH-181. It is escorted by Trumpeter's 1/350 scale DDG-177, Atago, an AEGIS class DDG and the JMSDF, DDG-174, Kongo class, Trumpeter’s 1/350 scale DDG-111 a Takinami Class DDG, and by the 1/350 scale SS-503 Hakuryu, one of Japans new, very modern and capable AIP Diesel Electric submarines. As soon as a DDG-115 Akizuki in 1/350 scale is released, I will add it to this group. When a 1/350 scale JS Ixomuo is relased, I will readd it to the group. The Izumo callss is a larger, more capable VTOL carrier that Japanese is building to compliment the Hyugas. The Izumo is also more capable of embarking F-35B strike fighters if ever necessary.
The completion of the Russian CSG is centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, the Russian Kirov Class nuclear battle cruiser (CGN), the Petr Velikiy by Trumpeter, the Russian Slava Class cruiser, Varyag by Trumpeter, the Trumpeter 1/350 scale Udaloy II DDG, Charabanenko, a Hobby Boss's Akula II class SSN, and the new Yasen class Russian SSN, all in 1/350 scale.
I completed Heller's 1/400 scale Foch, the Clemenceau Class carrier that was sold to the Brazilians in 2000 and in 2002 was refitted and became the Brazilian CV, Sao Paulo, CATOBAT carrier. This is the start of a Brazilian group, though the Type 22 DDGs and other FFGs the Brazilians use are not available at present.
Then, again, once the models are available, I'd like to build an Italian Carrier Strike Group centered on the Cavour and their Horizon DDGs, a Spanish Carrier Strike Group centered on the Juan Carlos and their F-100 AEGIS FFGs, an Australian Strike Group centered on the new Canberra Class LPD and the Hobart class AEGIS DDGs, and an Indian Carrier Strike Group centered on either the Vikramaditya or their new ADS Carrier, the Vikrant, and their Kolkata class DDGs and Shivlak class FFGs would also be nice.
Years more worth of work!
You can see all of these actual carriers, read their histories and specifications at my site:
WORLD-WIDE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
...and most of their surface escorts at:
AEGIS AND AEGIS-LIKE VESSELS OF THE WORLD